A Beginners Guide for Starting a Podcast

See our affiliate equipment page for best equipment we found for podcasting here.

‍

Are you thinking about starting a podcast? It’s a great way to share your thoughts and ideas with the world and can be fun. But where do you start? This guide will walk you through everything you need to get started, from picking a topic to recording your first episode. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!

‍

What Really is Podcasting?

If people were to vote on whether to read books, blogs, articles, and even journals or listen to their audio, many would opt for the latter.

By definition, podcasting is ‘the practice of using the internet to make digital recordings of broadcasts available for downloading to computers or mobile devices.’

In short, a podcast can be described as audio blogging. Its functions are based on the audiobook principle.

Podcasting traces its roots to the 1980s with the onset of portable digital audio playback devices such as iPod and broadcast internet services. However, it was not until 2004 that a major step in the podcasting industry was made. Adam Curry and Dave Winer coded a program known as iPodder, which enabled them to download internet broadcasts to their iPods. They are therefore credited for starting and setting the pace for the development of podcasts.

In 2005, big corporations and personalities began seeing a window of opportunity. Apple began with iTunes 4.9. Closely, George W Bush became the first US president to deliver his weekly address in a podcast. A few years later, podcasts became fast popular, with Ricky Gervais setting a Guinness World Record for the most downloaded podcast.

‍

Podcast History Timeline

As earlier described, podcasts began to officially take shape in the year 2004. According to Simmons survey, below is the podcast major historical events;

2004 – Adam Curry and Dave Wane are credited for the invention of the medium.

2005 – Apple iTunes 4.9 is launched, fully supporting podcasts.

2005 – President George Bush is the first president to deliver his weekly address as a podcast.

2005 – A declared ‘word of the year’ by the New Oxford American Dictionary.

2006 – Steve Jobs of Apple demonstrates how to record a podcast using Garageband during a keynote speech.

2007 –Ricky Gervais sets the Guinness World record for the most downloaded podcast with an average of 250,000 downloads per episode in a month.

2009 – 2011 – Andrew Carolla’s podcast gets 59,574843 downloads.

2013 – Personal Audio sues podcasters, claiming a patent on podcasting.

2013 - Apple announces its podcast subscribers are 1 billion.

2017 – Court rules against Personal Audio, saying that they did not invent the medium of podcasting and should not get royalties.

2019 – There are 165 million people that have listened to podcasts, with 90 million Americans listening monthly.

‍

Podcast Statistics in The World Today

The podcast industry is growing in the world generally, and it is important to know the stats as an interesting potential podcaster. According to new research and facts about podcasting as of April 2021, the following has been recorded:

· 37% 104 million people listened to a podcast in a month. That made a rise of 4% in the year 2019.

· 55% (155 million) of the US population had listened to a podcast in 2019, up from 51%.

· 24% (68 million) people listen to podcasts weekly – up from 22% in 2019.

· 51% of podcast listeners are male.

· 27% of US podcast listeners have a 4-year college degree.

‍

Podcast Statistics For 2022 And Beyond

Forecasts by Statista suggest that the number of podcasts listeners will surpass 160 million in 2023 after an increment of around 20 million each year. Here are reliable facts about the future of the podcast industry in 2022 and beyond by Buzzsprout.

· Over 1/3rd of Americans continue to listen to podcasts regularly.

· 28% of Americans are weekly podcast listeners

· 41% (116 million) have listened to a podcast.

· During Covid, podcasting has experienced incredible growth, and audiences have diversified.

‍

‍

‍

Types Of Podcasts

Now that you have a good background understanding of the podcast world, it’s good to identify the type of podcasts available to decide on the type to make.

What are the different podcasts that people are likely to listen to? In this section, we will describe several types of podcasts and what they are about;

‍

1. Interview Podcasts

This podcast involves a host interviewing a guest each week on the show. Hosts can be one or two on the show. The host interviews the guest on a specific topic such as finances or religion. Jordan B Peterson Podcast is an example of this podcast.

‍

2. Storytelling Podcasts

This type of podcast involves episodes structured like stories. The listeners are immersed in the experiences that the narrator or host narrates. One example of this podcast is Noble Blood.

‍

3. Hybrid Podcast

There is a set host for hybrid podcasts, but other guest hosts or speakers can be incorporated to contribute to the show. This podcast typically begins with a monologue from the host and then shifts into a discussion, interview, or contribution from the other speakers present in the show. Examples of this podcast include The Writer’s Voice.

‍

4. Repurposed Content Podcast

This podcast is about delivering conventional content in a new and creative way. The benefit of repurposing content includes, among others, boosting viewer engagement and providing ample room for creating captivating and fresh content. The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Ears Edition and The Rachel Maddow Show are prime examples of this podcast.

‍

5. Monologue Podcasts

This podcast style involves the host speaking in the episode the whole time. The podcaster is usually someone skillful in the field of discussion. The listeners usually just tune in to learn something about the topic or acquire an informed perspective. Monologues podcasts can be used on any topic, provided that the podcaster is an expert in it. Examples of this podcast include Philosophize This! Podcast by Stephen West, which is about the history of world philosophy, and The Psych Monologues, which explores the intersection of faith, psychology, and spiritual formation.

‍

6. Conversational Podcasts

Like radio shows, this type of podcast is co-hosted by two podcasters. They discuss captivating topics and provide insightful and humorous perspectives and commentary. Conversational podcasts are not restricted to only two participants, and other speakers and guests can be included in the podcast. One example podcast is Brafton’s Above the Fold podcast, co-hosted by Francis Ma and Jeff Baker. It features guests in the field of content marketing. Others include The Bill Simmons podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, The Combat Jack Show, and Fresh Air with Terry Gross.

‍

‍

Benefits of Starting a Podcast

Here are some of the known benefits of beginning a podcast:

‍

1. It Is Convenient

As you set to begin a podcast, worrying about whether your audience will get time to listen to you should not arise. Listening to a podcast can be done when cooking, washing, jogging, driving to work, and in the gym. A subscriber to your podcast also automatically finds your podcasts downloaded to their device.

‍

2. It Is a Revenue Stream.

With consistency and passion, you will find podcasting a lot of fun. As you continue generating the content, you will undoubtedly earn some income. The more popular your podcast program becomes, the more monetization opportunities you will find and will come to you. Sponsored content and affiliate marketing are other ways to earn revenue through your episodes.

‍

3. It Builds Your Brand

Podcast listeners often become glued to a host who exudes content with a lot of expertise and humor. It is not essential whether you are a newbie in the podcasting industry. As long as you have a good grasp of the topic you want to talk about, subscribers will flock to your channel. This helps in making you a formidable brand, which is very helpful.

‍

4. It Improves Conversion Rates

Listeners visit podcasts that resonate with them. Thus, a close interpersonal relationship, almost spiritual, is established between them and the host. As you podcast frequently, you tend to make the listeners view you as more of a friend than just a strange content creator. This creates a more likelihood of the listeners buying products from you, and your conversions increase.

‍

‍

‍

‍

How To Start A Podcast

Having looked at ways in which podcasting is likely to be the next big thing in the foreseeable future and the benefits that accrue from it, you are convinced to start a podcast program. These are simple steps to take if you want to start and grow your podcast.

‍1. Choose a Niche and Name Your Podcast

What will your niche be? What topics will you address? How will your content be fresh and interesting despite choosing a popular niche or topic? Make sure to correctly identify your niche based on your interests, knowledge, and experiences. People resonate with a podcaster that speaks from experience. Once you know your niche, name your podcast. The name you choose can include your niche area or be your personal name to build and promote your brand.

‍

2. Choose An Approach to Your Podcast.

Do you want to do solo podcasts? Do you want a panel podcast? Gauge the different ways you can podcast and develop the best method. Make sure you consistently follow the format you choose to deliver your podcast.

‍

3. Buy The Equipment

Acquire a soundproof or at least a distraction-free space for recording. Recording a podcast is not that hard, and acquiring a camera is optional. You will also need a laptop, noise-canceling headphones, and a microphone. There are also wide varieties of podcast recording software options, some of which are free and others payable.

‍

4. Set Up Your Podcast’ studio.’

What next after assembling the materials? Set-up! Identify a cool room to do your podcasting. Set up your equipment and make sure you are always free of interference and background noise.

‍

5. Start The Recording

Recording can be free. Garageband, Apple Logic Pro X, Adobe auction, and Audacity are some of the top sites and apps for recording podcasts.

‍

6. Edit Your Podcast

Supposing you are recording a podcast with a co-host, import the files into a single track and set them as separate. Begin cutting and editing within your software. After that, export your edited files like MP3, and your podcast is ready. A straightforward software you can use is Alitu.

‍

7. Publish Your Podcast

Begin by publishing your podcast on a hosting platform such as Podbean, Libsyn, and Spreaker. Though some of these platforms are free, paying for quality and unlimited service is beneficial.

After this, you start streaming your podcasts on Spotify, Stitcher, and other streaming platforms. The process is pretty simple, and you just click on, say, Spotify and submit.

‍

8. Grow Your Podcast Community

It is simple to grow your podcast to be a top site. First, make the content in your channel clear and explicit, and it should draw people to want to listen and subscribe to your podcast.

Make sure to use the right keywords and descriptions on your podcast on the hosting platforms. If you have a podcast about comedy with a host like Trevor Noah, put his name as the main keyword at the beginning of your description. Also, share your links on your s pages to grow your audience.

‍

9. Monetize Your Podcast

You have to command a broad fan base to earn revenue from podcasts. Many interesting ways to monetize your podcast include affiliate marketing, brand sponsorship, selling merch, and offer-paid-for bonus content. Therefore, produce high-quality and relevant content and post consistently. With time, you will get to the monetization level.

‍

‍

Final Take Away

Whether it be the history of podcasts or benefits for listeners and hosts alike, we hope that this post has helped you understand the process of starting one. Starting your own podcast is not as difficult as some may think. With preparation before going live and being consistent and patient, you too can succeed. So, what’s stopping you from starting a podcast?

‍