Define Your Audience.
It sounds basic and it sounds easy - but it’s importance cannot be stressed enough. Defining your target audience is the foundation that any successful podcast is launched from.
Ask yourself, who is this podcast serving?
You should select an audience you are passionate about helping overcome a specific problem or reach a certain goal. It helps to have some personal connection to your audience, so you can understand what it is they desire, crave and / or struggle with.
Like any project, starting with some basic research can only help. Check out the top podcast rankings in the genre that you want to enter, listen to them, evaluate them and study their reviews. Take note of what the reviewers like and dislike.
Title Your Podcast.
It is all in the branding. Pick a title for your podcast that is simple and memorable. Your title not only is the first impression your prospective listeners will have of your podcast, it is also a way for them to find you. Remember, iTunes is a search engine so include central keywords that your audience may be searching to help them find you.
Create Some Podcast Artwork.
Your podcast artwork will appear as the thumbnail image next to your podcast. You want your artwork to be a visual representation of your show. It should be attractive and eye-catching, so as to peak curiosity and boost your visibility and reach. Professional designs don’t have to be expensive. Fiverr is a marketplace that can help you find some great ideas and even partner you with talented yet inexpensive designers.
Get Yourself The Right Equipment.
When it comes to podcasting, quality is everything. The podcast market is competitive. Anyone and everyone with a smartphone is seemingly popping out podcasts. So... if you don’t maintain a high standard of quality for your show, you may get overlooked. It’s a must to invest in a high-quality microphone and headphone set and require that each of the guests appearing on the show do the same. Now don’t be scared - high quality doesn’t necessarily mean high price tag. Check out a few of my favorite starter pieces. These will help raise your standards of quality without raising the price. The Tascam US-42 MiniStudio Creator Bundle , Samson G-Track Pro Professional USB Condenser Microphone bundle, or Behringer PODCASTUDIO USB Complete Podcasting Kit are great gateway products to the podcasting world. For your more advanced podcasters, take a look at the professional PreSonus StudioLive AR8 USB Kit. This is a real bang-for-your-buck bundle!
Get Hosted.
To get your podcast heard, you need a hosting platform. Your hosting platform is where you’ll upload your episodes so you can publish them to places like iTunes, Stitcher, and SoundCloud. Remember that you’ll need to make certain that your hosting provider can handle every listen or download of each episode.. In the end, it’s usually best left to the pros so invest in dedicated podcast hosting.
Decide How Often To Upload.
There are studies showing that the average podcast consumer listens to 5 shows a week, so there is certainly demand for frequent content. However the frequency you decide to post should be a reflection of your desire for growth and your realistic availability. It should also reflect the wants of your specific target market Posting more frequent episodes will probably help you grow faster, but it can be taxing and time consuming. The most important thing is to post consistently and reliably to establish a relationship with your audience. Choose your days and times and maintain them. Quality is essential. Don’t just push out content for the sake of posting but also, don’t suffer from paralysis from analysis - and not be able to post because you’re editing session are too intense. Genuine content tops polished and / or forced content every time.
Prepare for Launch.
When you’re ready to go live with your podcast, you want to be strategic about your launch. Before you launch, have a few episodes ready (between 3-7). This way you’re not rushed or end up posting forced content. Coordinate your launch with influential figures in your niche or events that are happening. See if you can get support from others to promote your launch to their audiences on your launch day. Ask everyone involved, including friends and family, to review your podcast on whatever hosting site and download your episodes. All of this will help improve your rankings and sustain your reach.
Give Your Listeners What They Want.
Create a way for your listeners to communicate with you. It can be through email or Facebook, or other social media platforms. Having and taking advantage of a user-friendly means for communication will create a community - a family if you will and the feedback and interaction will only help your content and everyone’s overall experience. And like most things in life, the better the experience well… the better everything that comes after.
Go Get Sponsored And Go Get That Money.
Once your podcast’s audience has grown to a healthy size, you can start looking for sponsors to help you monetize your show. The more listeners you have, the easier it is to pitch a sponsorship, so wait to reach out to sponsors until you have at least around 10,000 monthly listeners as this is a baseline requirement for many. You will be more successful with sponsors who serve a similar audience as you, so do research before you reach out.
As you can see, there is some thought and planning involved in launching a successful Podcast. But you can also see that it’s not as daunting and scary as you may think.
Have fun, mix in some effort and sprinkle some creativity and I’ll just be one of many watching your rankings soar!
Let us know about your Podcast and we’ll share the love!