Tips For Creating Your Own Podcast

Podcasting has become the latest trend for everyone to try their hand at. With a number of shows available on numerous different platforms on different niche topics, there is now an audience for every single subject imaginable. Individuals with a passion for a particular topic and a desire to be heard now have the ability to create a show of their very own. While it may seem easy to create, many are left asking the same question: Where do I start?

Choose Your Topic

This is the basic starting point for every creative desire one might have. You must first dictate what the show is going to be about. When deciding on a topic, you should also figure out how broad your topic of the show is going to be. Say you want to create a fashion podcast. Within that topic, it is more effective to narrow down to a subset of fashion and concentrate most of your energy on that. It is hard to create a clear audience when the subject matter is scattered. Try focusing on a period of time in fashion or the latest trends in fashion to give yourself a clearer vision.

Decide on Your Podcast Format

The best podcasts have a clear format to their show and their production. Each is filled with familiar segments and talking points that help their podcasts become consistent listening options for your audience. When constructing your podcast, it is wise to create an outline of how the show is going to go each and every time. This is not to say that you should create a podcast where each segment is copy and paste. Don’t be afraid to express your originality. That being said, each episode should have a specific format and be planned. The discussion is then up to you once you hit record. Try listening to other podcasts for examples of what the format may potentially look like for you.

Creating Artwork and Music

Lost behind the voices speaking is the music that is played softly behind it, the intro and conclusion music, as well as the artwork that is displayed on the streaming service. These components should be nailed down before a show is ever created. For music, beware of violating an artist’s licensing rights and instead look to use free music that is available online. Some good sources for this would be Free Music Archive or Silverman Sound Studios. You could also look to create your own original music.

For artwork, such as the cover photo on the streaming service, a good website to use is Canva. Canva allows you to create a free account where you can create your own images that also may feature texts and videos. You can also upgrade your Canva to access different features not available on the free version.

Choosing Podcast Equipment

Podcasting equipment can vary based on the desired professionalism of your show, as well as your experience with technology and producing. For beginners, a simple USB microphone can be found on Amazon for relatively low costs. To record your podcast, try using Audacity, as it is simple to use and free to access on computers or laptops. For filming your podcast, any camera will do. A smartphone camera works just as well as any expensive camera you may be able to find in stores or online. Just make sure that your camera work is steady and clear and you should be good to go.

For editing your podcast, there are a number of services available online. A simple option to use is Vimeo, which can easily be accessed on your web browser. For Apple users, iMovie works great for editing your videos. Videos explaining how to edit your videos and sound on iMovie can be found on YouTube as well.

Branding and Presence

To ensure that you are able to find a sustainable audience for your podcast, it’s important that you create a strong brand and presence, notably on social media. Creating social media pages on numerous social media platforms is a good way to make sure you are reaching as many people as you can. Try and make each username the same across all platforms, and try and post content daily, or even more than that. You don’t have to upload a new show every day, but it is important to keep your audience engaged on days where no episode is released.

Hit Record

Your podcast is not going to be perfect once you start. New podcasters may be nervous to actually hit record and release content for other people to see. Understand that you can only do your best, and the more videos and audio clips you create, the better you will be in the long run. The only way to get better is to keep trying, and to hit record and release it to your growing audience.