Podcasts have had something of a renaissance in recent years, as they’ve grown to reach audiences both large and small. This renaissance has also resulted in the birth of more podcasts than ever before, making it more difficult than ever to stand out from the crowd. In order to compete with other podcasts, you’ll need to do some legwork upfront and find your niche within the podcasting world and once you’ve found it, you’ll need to make sure that your listenership stays loyal and grows over time.
What is a podcast?
A podcast is a digital series of audio files that can be played back on demand. It’s a great way to deliver content when you can’t believe it. A podcast is different from a webinar or traditional video because it requires no planning or scheduling. No preparation, no commute, no dress code, no travel time. Just record your thoughts in audio format, upload them to your website, then link people to them via social media.
Why should you start your own podcast?
For many, podcasts are part of daily life. They’re familiar territory for commuting and cleaning, but starting your own podcast is a step into uncharted waters. But don’t let that intimidate you—with just a little preparation and motivation, you can get started on creating your first Reel Craze show. Take some time to plan out exactly what you want your podcast to be about it could be something as narrow as serialized storytelling or as broad as political analysis and then see if there’s already a niche audience ready for it. If not, create one!
How do you start a podcast?
So, you want to start a podcast. Great! Whether you’re planning on using your show as a side gig or eventually parlaying it into a full-time job, there are some critical steps you need to take. Before recording even one episode, be sure to do these things first. You’ll save yourself from potential headaches down the road
Hardware and software needed
Here are some of the basics you’ll need before you can start recording audio. Many of these items may already be in your home or can be purchased with a small investment. If you plan on podcasting frequently, it might make sense to buy a dedicated microphone, sound recorder, or other hardware, but for beginners, these items will do just fine.
Choosing topics
In order to create content that people want to listen to, you need a plan. While there are plenty of ways you can talk about podcasting, figuring out what topics resonate with your audience is a good place to start. Write down 5-10 potential Reelcraze topic ideas and see how they rate based on search volume, competition, uniqueness of content (and language), and how niche or specific they are. You can check out Google Trends for keyword ideas as well as YouTube Trends for video topic ideas; both options may give you some inspiration. Some subjects that seem great, in theory, will actually be very hard (or impossible) for other people with similar interests to find; don’t feel like everything needs to appeal broadly!
Recording, editing, publishing, and promoting your show
If you don’t have some basic recording equipment, consider picking up a microphone on Amazon (some people swear by Blue enCORE 300 or Samson Q2U). The next step is downloading some sort of podcasting software. Many services can help with hosting, including Buzzsprout (which is what I use), Blubrry, Podbean, and Spreaker. Don’t be intimidated by all these choices! For a quick start, most of these platforms have easy-to-use interfaces that will walk you through publishing your first episode for free.