How much does it cost to start a podcast? What is needed to start a podcast? Can I start a podcast for free? Is a podcast profitable?
As a business owner you may have thought about expanding and starting a podcast for your business. Starting a podcast isn’t as hard as you think. You don’t need to be very technical not do you need a whole lot of money. Let’s look at some simple steps you can take to starting your very own podcast, expanding your audience, and growing your business.
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How Does Podcasting Work?
If you understand the value of quality content, like blogging, you’ll understand podcasting. Podcasting allows you to reach a whole new audience that you might not have been able to reach otherwise. Podcasting has grown in popularity over the last few years. The accessibility and ease of obtaining information that this platform allows is phenomenal.
Benefits of Having a Podcast
- You don’t need to have already existing content or be a blogger to be successful as a podcaster
- Podcasting is a fantastic way to authentically build an audience and become an authority in your industry
- Podcasts are popular because they’re easy to consume, you can listen to them wherever and whenever
- Research has shown that 61% of podcast listeners purchased a product after hearing it advertised on a podcast
- Most podcasts are free, free to create and free to listen to
Identify Your Theme
When creating your podcast, you need to identify what your theme is going to be. It’s also good advice to go as far as deciding what you would talk about and who you might interview. Veteran podcasters suggest doing a stress test. A stress test is writing down at least 20 topics that you would discuss on your podcast. The veterans suggested that if you can’t produce at least 20 topics before starting your podcast might not have longevity.
When producing a theme ask yourself:
- What is the goal of my podcast?
- What is my why?
- Who is my show for?
- How will I make my show stand out?
Deciding on a Format
Deciding on a format is just as important as the theme. How will you lay out your show?
- Interviews: this is where there’s a host, you, who interviews others on a particular theme
- Scripted non-fiction: these podcasts will typically have a singular theme per season
- News: these types of podcasts give you the news in a digestible way
- Educational: the premise is to educate your audience on a subject
- Scripted fiction: similar to radio these podcasts are typically scripted and highly produced
Naming Your Podcast
Don’t underestimate the power in a name. The name should grab the attention of you and the audience. Your listeners should understand what your podcast is about by the name alone. Next you want to choose a category Does your podcast fall into the category of news, comedy, crime, health and fitness? Then you want to produce a short, concise, creative description. Your description is what someone will read and then decide if they want to listen or not. Then don’t forget about the cover art. Make sure you choose a high-quality photo that brings everything together.
When you’re first starting out remember you will make mistakes and that is ok. Just keep moving forward. Practice makes perfect. Don’t be too self conscious about your voice. The more podcasts you do the more comfortable you’ll get, and you’ll find your groove. Just have fun with it.
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