It seems like everyone is starting a podcast these days. Want to learn how to publish a podcast for yourself? In this short guide, we’ll give you the basics of what you need to know to get a podcast online fast!
Why Learn How to Publish a Podcast?
Podcasting is beneficial for both business professionals and hobbyists alike.
Podcasting for Businesses
Podcasting can create brand recognition and improve a company’s public image. Listeners come to know the voice of a business through their show.
Just by listening, they get an idea of a company’s vision and ideas and can be assured of their expertise in the field they work in.
Podcasting can create a casual, but professional image for your company. People will see you as approachable and credible, and that can help you generate more business in the long run
Podcasting for Hobbyists
Through the medium of podcasting, hobbyists can dive deeply into the niches and topics that mean the most to them.
Someone who loves talking about old black and white movies can discuss the history of film and why the pictures of yesteryear were so profound for their time. A sports enthusiast can connect with like-minded people and chat about their love of the game. People who geek out over comics can explore the intricacies of the Marvel and DC universes and talk about their favorite characters.
And, while exploring the topics they love, hobby podcasters could stumble upon a means of monetizing their passions. Anything is possible with podcasting!
What Do You Need to Publish a Podcast?
All you really need is an audio recording, and a host to load it to. Of course, if you landed on this page for how to publish a podcast, odds are you want a little more information than that.
The truth is, you don’t need a lot to publish a podcast, but you do need at least the following:
- A plan
- Equipment
- Podcast hosting
Creating a Podcasting Plan
What should go into your podcasting plan?
First, decide on what you want to talk about. Though you could just ramble on about any old thing, the better option is to figure out one main topic you want to explore. This will help you in the subsequent steps.
Second, determine your motivation. Will this be for business or pleasure? If you hope to monetize it, your plan may look different from a podcaster who solely wants to podcast for the fun of it.
Third, come up with the particulars of your show. This includes things like the name of your show, the times and days you plan to release the episodes, and your format.
Your format Could be:
- Interview style where you ask questions of your guest
- Co-hosted with multiple people taking turns talking and engaging on a topic
- Podcasting by yourself – just you and the mic chatting about your topic or telling a story
- Fiction podcast – you make up tales to share with your audience
- How to – Educational tutorials and lessons
There are a lot of things to consider when starting a podcast, so take your time in the planning phase.
Of course, that’s not to say you should spend too long planning. At some point, you’ll need to actually start recording something!
Get Some Proper Equipment
The most important thing you need is a microphone. For best results, you will want to invest in a podcasting microphone. They range in price from the low end such as the Samsung Q2U (around $70), to the high end such as the Shure SM7B Vocal Dynamic Microphone (around $400).
You can spend a lot more or even a lot less, but the main thing to keep in mind is that understanding how your microphone works and the settings it has can make the difference between spending hours “fixing” your audio, and getting it published quickly.
Additional equipment you need:
- A computer
- Recording and editing software
- Headphones (critical for editing!)
Sign up for Podcast Hosting
The final critical element you need is podcast hosting. This is the company that will host all of your audio files and give you an RSS feed that you can share with podcast directories.
DemandSage has created a guide that you can use to determine which host is best for you. Check out Best Podcast Hosting Sites of 2023 (FREE & PAID).
Once you have nailed down your plan, purchased your equipment, and signed up for podcast hosting, it’s time to actually start producing our episodes.
What Is A Podcast Directory?
Many podcasters don’t even know that their podcasts don’t get stored in the podcast directories, it actually gets stored in their podcast host. A podcast directory only streams your podcast from your podcast host, making it look like it is stored in the directory. There are plenty of podcast directories available such as Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, etc.
A podcast directory helps you get your podcasts recognized and build an audience for your podcast. If you’re publishing your podcast on multiple podcast directories, then the chances of your audience growth are huge. It also depends on the podcast niche you’ve chosen and what type of content you’re creating for your audience. Listeners can easily find your podcasts from major podcast directories.
Tips for Publishing a Podcast
Now that you have the basics of how to publish a podcast, let’s explore some tips for actually getting off the ground.
1. Make a production Plan i.e. an Editorial Calendar
An editorial calendar in podcasting is a living and ever-changing document that outlines topics or stories that will be covered by your show over a specific time period.
It can be used by individuals, teams, or an entire organization. An editorial calendar can help keep everyone organized and on track, and can also help to ensure that important stories/topics/subtopics are not missed.
They are also great for brainstorming sessions and ultimately batching your podcast workflow.
Sometimes it can be difficult to come up with podcast episode ideas weekly or monthly. However, having a space to essentially brain dump all of your ideas can help provide structure and give your podcast flow.
There are many different ways to create an editorial calendar. Some people prefer to use a spreadsheet, while others may prefer to use a project management tool such as Asana or Trello.
There are also many online tools that can help you create an editorial calendar, such as CoSchedule or the Editorial Calendar plugin for WordPress.
2. Record and edit some episodes
You can’t exactly publish a podcast without some content to load to your host. Using a free program like Audacity or GarageBand, or a paid program such as Adobe Audition, record your episodes and then spend some time editing for quality.
To add appeal to your show and draw in potential listeners, you will also want to consider elements such as:
- Intro and/or outro music
- Podcast art (which can also be designed for free with a tool like Canva)
- A trailer
- A written description of your show
- Creating a website (perfect for sharing show notes and blog posts related to your show)
- Developing an email list (great for keeping in touch with your listeners directly)
We could go on, but these are the basics of what you need for how to publish a podcast.
3. Load your episodes
You can either release them all at once so people can binge listen, or you can drip your content out over time. Some people choose to share two or three episodes in the beginning and then drip out new episodes over the course of several weeks or months.
You’ll have to determine what feels best for you in the beginning. Then, when you’re ready to amp up your production, you can review your analytics and determine the best times and days to drop more episodes.
4. Market like crazy
This is where the magic happens. You’re ready to start telling the world about your new show as soon as you have dropped a couple of episodes. The question is, how do you market a podcast effectively?
What Does it Take To Market a Podcast?
The reality is, that there are several ways to market a podcast. The three most effective ways for the beginning podcaster, however, are to:
- Utilize SEO
- Promote on social media
- Tap into other people’s audiences
Utilize SEO
The goal with SEO in podcasting is to think about what your ideal listeners are searching for on Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc…
What are they typing in that they are seeking answers for?
Those are the phrases and ideas you need to be adding to your episode titles, show notes write-ups, and episode descriptions.
Promote on Social media
You don’t have to be on all social media platforms. However, it would be a disservice to yourself and your ideal audience to avoid social media altogether.
The happy medium? Find out which platform your ideal listeners are most likely to be hanging out on.
For example, if you’re targeting females aged 10-19, TikTok is your best platform for promotion per SproutSocial. But if you are targeting males aged 18-29, Twitter is your better choice.
Tap Into Other People’s shows in Your niche. Then, as You Grow, Start Working on Getting Onto the Larger Show’s Audiences
The easiest method of doing this is guest podcasting – appearing on other people’s shows.
In the beginning, your best bet is to get on smaller
It won’t necessarily be easy to get on the big shows at first, but the more shows you are on, and the more comfortable you get with guests, the more likely you will be to spread the word about your podcast.
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Where To Go From Here
We’ve covered a lot here today, and in truth, we’ve barely scratched the surface of everything you need to know about how to publish a podcast.
The only other thing left to do? Start writing out your plan, and prepare to execute it. The world needs your message, and your perfect audience is waiting for you. It’s time to go for launch!
