Today, podcasts are a real trend that is only gaining momentum every day. This format is becoming increasingly popular and in demand in various niches, providing the opportunity to share information, tell stories and act as an expert in the field of interest.
However, like any other business, successfully launching a podcast and making money requires a systematic approach, work and dedication.
I recommend starting with the following steps:
1. Define your purpose and audience
Before you start recording a podcast, decide on the purpose of creating it. What exactly do you want to convey to your audience? What value to provide to listeners? Identify your target audience and understand what might interest them in your content.
Order Customer Development (analytics that allows you to determine the need of potential customers, check and clarify this need in practice to develop a solution for which they will pay).
2. Develop the concept and format
Podcasts are generally divided into four genres: interview, talk show, lecture, history. The most popular genre is the interview, thanks to the dynamics of the conversation and lively drama.
Choose a podcast genre and topic that matches your expertise or interests. Study your competitors, listen to podcasts from the top Apple Podcasts or CastBox: this will help you find out which podcasts on your topic are already on the market and how you can differ from them.
Come up with an interesting and memorable name that will attract attention and reflect the theme. I also recommend analyzing your idea for uniqueness. Develop a unique format and style of presenting content that will attract the attention of listeners. A podcast host should have his own unique communication style and a demonstrated personal brand.
3. Gather your equipment and create an efficient recording space
To record quality audio, you’ll need a microphone, headphones, and audio processing software. Create a comfortable and quiet recording space, free from outside noise and distractions.
At the initial stage, I recommend trying to rent a studio for recording, where you will already have everything you need for work. You pay only for the time, and the studio is responsible for everything else: the sound engineer records your conversation and gives you the file.
4. Record and release the first episodes
In the preview, indicate the exact release date of the podcast (4 days after the publication of the preview). This will help increase the number of episodes listened to until the end and the number of new subscribers. The cover of your podcast is also an important element. Memorable “packaging” will help promote your project. Remember to keep in mind that podcasts are displayed with small icons in many apps, so avoid small details and complex fonts. I recommend delegating this task to a designer.
5. Promote your podcast
Use social media, blogs, podcast platforms to reach new listeners. Tell your colleagues, friends and acquaintances about your podcast, ask them to share the information in their circles. If you’re doing an interview podcast, choose media experts, influencers, and bloggers. They will help bring your podcast to the top very quickly.
Make a list of the media your audience reads. Contacts of publications are easy to find in the public domain; as a rule, now they all have a website, a Telegram channel and so on. Write a press release proposing to produce material about podcasts. The media influences the increase of your expertise and recognition, and most importantly, they will bring a new loyal audience. In the future, I recommend setting aside a certain budget for advertising and promotion.
6. Monetize your podcast
There are several ways to make money from a podcast, including advertising, sponsorships, paid subscriptions, or donations from listeners.
Guest experts may also pay you to appear on the podcast. For them, participating in podcasts is reaching a new audience and promoting a personal brand. Explore these options and choose what best suits your content and audience.
7. Constantly improve and develop
Don’t stop there. Constantly analyze listener feedback, experiment with content, improve sound quality and communication with the audience.
Grow as a professional and do whatever it takes to grow your podcast. Don’t forget that the audience that subscribes to your podcast will expect regular content updates. Therefore, if you disappear from the audience’s sight, you will be forgotten very quickly. Record a series of podcasts in advance, for example, for 2 months with a release frequency of 1 time per week, in order to publish episodes on time.
