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Step 1: Conceptualize your podcast

The first step in setting up a podcast is to come up with a concept or idea for your show. It's important to choose a topic that you are passionate about and that will be of interest to your target audience. What will it be called? Flesh out a topic or theme and determine your target audience.

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Once you have a concept in mind, it's time to start creating a content plan. This includes outlining the format of your show, deciding on the length of each episode, and planning out the topics you will cover. It's also a good idea to create a list of potential guests or co-hosts. It should be noted that if you do not have an existing brand, you will have to think about a style, a colour scheme, the fonts, font sizing, and logo for socials in this step. 

 

Step 2: Websites and Aggregators

Consider building a website to make sure your podcast can be found on google. This is an important step that many disregard. You can also add a page onto a pre existing site. Your podcast episode will be embedded here. 

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Choose an aggregator. There are hundreds. This is a platform that will distribute your episode to the various podcast players online. Buzzsprout, Podbean, Spotify for Podcasters, Soundcloud, there are many out there so do your research. 

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Step 3: Gather your equipment

Once you have your concept and content plan in place, it's time to gather the necessary equipment to record your podcast. This includes a microphone, headphones, and a computer or digital audio recorder. While most people will tell you this is the last step in a long list of items that must be checked off, I humbly disagree. Getting your space set up can take time and then it is important to get comfortable with the equipment over time, this includes getting sound levels perfect and knowing what all the buttons and lights do!

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Your mic is the most important thing you will purchase. Everything else is secondary. When it comes to microphones, there are several options available. A USB microphone is a great option for beginners, as it is easy to use and provides good sound quality. For a more professional setup, you may want to consider using an XLR microphone.

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Headphones are also an important piece of equipment as they will allow you to monitor the audio while recording. It's best to use closed-back headphones to avoid any background noise.

 

Finally, you will need a computer or digital audio recorder to record your podcast. A computer can easily be used with software such as Reaper, Audacity or GarageBand to record and edit your podcast. Newer computers have the ability house Adobe Audition or Izotope RX. There are an infinite amount of programs available online, take advantage of trials and find ones your are comfortable using. They take time to learn.

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Step 3: Intro's and Outro recordings:

Your podcast will need an intro and an outro. There are dozens of ways to express yourself. The recorded intro and outro will then need to have music or sound effects ad added to them. Some companies also like to create an advertisement to be placed either at the beginning or middle of the podcast episode. I would recommend hiring a professional to mix your audio with music, although if you are patient, you can learn to make one yourself. Royalty free music must be used, and there are many platforms online that will let you pay for royalty free tracks. 

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Step 4: Guest search, booking & questions

Once you have your equipment in place, you can reach out to guests and book them. Having a preprepared media kit to send to potential guests in the future is recommended. Some podcasters choose to have a few guest interviews under their belt first in order to showcase their guest choices and interview quality in the media kit.

 

Once a guest has been vetted and an interview time arranged, provide your guest with a link and prep them on what to do on the day by explaining how to enter the recording session and what not to do to allow for optimal sound quality.  

 

Now it's time to script your questions and talking points. Send these along a few days prior to the interview and in return request photos and bio information for your social media and thumbnails later.

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Step 5: Record and edit your podcast

Start recording your podcast. Before you begin recording, make sure you have a quiet and well-lit space to work in. It's also a good idea to test your equipment and do a few practice recordings to make sure everything is working properly.

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Once you've recorded your podcast, it's time to start editing. This includes cutting out any mistakes or unwanted noise, as well as adding an intro / outro / advertising or any music or sound effects. There are several software options available for editing, including Audacity, GarageBand, and Adobe Audition.

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If you wish to load video to a preferred video platform like YouTube you can do this now by lining up the audio to the video portions. There are several programs that can be used to create a video. A very simple method is using Mac imovie. If you want something more professional, a program like Adobe Premiere is the way to go. Keep in mind your video will only be as good as your video recording service, therefore, if you are recording an online interview, the video will unlikely be as good as in-person recordings. 

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Step 6: Distribute and Promote Your Podcast

Now that your podcast is recorded and edited, it's time to distribute and promote it. The first step is to upload your podcast to a hosting platform (also known as an aggregator) such as Buzzsprout, Podbean, Libsyn (there are dozens!!). This will allow you to share your podcast with a wider audience and make it available for listening. Add your shownotes, tags and thumbnail. Remember that having recognisable artwork and a logo on your podcast thumbnails/social media artwork will make them stand out and help the listener associate the podcast to your brand.

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Once your podcast has been uploaded to the host site for the first time, you will need to submit it to the various podcast directories, such as iTunes and Spotify. This will make it easier for people to discover and subscribe to your show. Keep in mind submitting to iTunes is not immediate. iTunes has a waiting period of up to 10 days before your pod will show on their platform. Some people like to release very a short teaser to episode one and go through this platform process with the teaser. This means you will be ready all to roll when your first episode is uploaded. If the teaser is under a minute long you can also release it on social media such as an Instagram Reel.

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Promoting your podcast is also an important step. This includes creating a website for your show (this is particularly helpful for google standing), as well as promoting it on social media and through other online channels. You can also use your podcast to promote your brand and services. Having a blog or a transcript of the show is also recommended. 

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Step 7: Measure and analyse your podcast's performance

Finally, it's important to measure and analyse the performance of your podcast. This includes tracking your downloads and listener numbers, as well as analysing your audience demographics. This information will help you to understand your audience and make informed decisions about the direction of your podcast. 

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As you can surmise if you are still reading this section, setting up a podcast is an involved process. This is why I have no qualms sharing the cliff notes here. There is a great deal more that happens behind the scenes but I think I have proven my point. Having someone to help you to do all this, getting you to a place where you can just record and go is a real time saver. Not to mention it saves you from the agony of learning a whole bunch new programs all in one shot.