Web hosting company Hostinger offers 5 tips on how to create an authentic podcast that would last.
If your ideas are too big to fit in a social media post, you should consider starting your podcast. This way, you can share your thoughts without limits. But to be really heard, you should follow these five steps to creating an authentic podcast that lasts.
#1 Step: Be Sure
Podcasting might seem like an easy job: just recording your spoken thoughts. But it requires a lot of effort. So before you decide to start, be sure about your motives. Ask yourself, why you want this podcast and what do you expect out of it. If you’re going to monetize it at some point, understand that it will take time. The frequency of your podcast depends on the topic. For example, The Wall Street Journal does a podcast on business news called What’s New and it airs twice a day. To review what happened overnight and during the day. But frequency like that is quite hard to manage as for the very first podcast. Weekly, fortnightly or even monthly podcast sounds more reasonable.
#2 Step: Be You
According to the podcast production service Blubrry, there are now more than 700,000 podcasts, with 2,000 to 3,000 new shows launching each month. To create something successful and lasting, you need to stand out and be you. Think of topics that you can execute in your personal way. Think of a niche that is close to you, but find a way to present it uniquely. Be you when branding yourself. Think of a memorable podcast name. Create an eye-catching thumbnail. Forbes reminds you to consider that thumbnails are often posted small, so avoid tiny copy or symbols – it’ll be illegible.
#3 Step: Be Heard
If you want to be heard, the sound of your podcast should be flawless. To reach the best possible quality, you should have a microphone with a stand, compressor, USB box, and headphones. If you are thinking about guests or a co-host, an additional microphone, and a big mixer are necessary.
#4 Step: Be Found
Once your podcast is recorded, you want people to listen to it. But first, they need to find it. Make your podcasts available on different platforms. The most popular ones are iTunes, Google Music, Spotify, SoundCloud. People are already using these platforms, and they don’t need to download anything new for your podcast. It’s easier to be found on a platform that people already use. Balys Kriksciunas, CEO of hosting company Hostinger, says that “Podcasts are a great way to be heard. But for that, you need more than just content – you need an attractive place to host your podcast and build your following.“ To do that, buy a domain with your podcast name and create a website. If you don’t know how to do that, take a shortcut, and pick an existing WordPress theme.
#5 Step: Be consistent
Once you launched your podcast, the secret to success is consistency. Rome was not built in a day, so don’t have unrealistic expectations for your firsts episodes to go viral instantly. Just don’t stop trying and keep improving. See this as your playground, experiment with different approaches, and create your unique style over time. There is a hashtag buzzing on twitter #EveryoneHasAPodcast. People are critical about all those new podcasts that appear and disappear within months. But if you are willing to put your sincere work into your podcast and follow those 5 key steps, you might be onto something. Just be sure of what do you expect out of your podcast. Find a niche and a personal approach to it. Everything you do, do in the highest standard, especially the recording. Make your podcasts available on platforms and your website up and running online. And most importantly, don’t give up too soon. Your ideas are worth hearing, so keep working on it consistently.
