I can’t believe I’ve been podcasting now for nearly a year! In this post I’m going to share my process, everything I did to get my podcast out there in less than 4 weeks, as a step-by-step guide that you can follow along if you would like to start your own podcast.
#1 Pick the Topic of Your Podcast
First I picked my topic. This came very easy and naturally because I already have a business and I wanted the podcast to be related to it. So it’s targeting yoga teachers and wellness entrepreneurs and I’m talking about all things websites and teaching yoga online or building an online business.
It’s important that you choose a topic that’s specific and relevant to what you offer. Your potential listeners want to know what they will get into. Pick a topic that’s broad enough so you have enough ideas for content that you can share in the podcast. You don’t want your topic to be too narrow so you run out of content after a few months, but not so broad that you’re all over the place and people don’t know what you are about.
If you have no idea how to choose your topic, think about your goal, what do you want to achieve with your podcast, and your passions. You can also run your ideas by your friends, I ask my business besties all the time for feedback on things.
Next, you choose your podcast category. This is relevant when you create your podcast and list it for example on Apple podcasts, which is still the biggest podcast platform. In Apple Podcasts, you currently have 19 categories. For example, if you want to start a podcast about yoga or meditation or anything like this, Health & Wellness would be your category.
#2 Choose a Name for Your Podcast
Your podcast name should help your listeners understand what your podcast is about and what they can expect. It should also reflect your brand and expertise.
When I started my podcast, I had a membership called the Blissful Biz Hive and a course called Blissful Websites, so I knew I wanted something similar as my podcast name and pretty quickly came up with Blissful Biz Podcast. And, amazingly, this name was still available!
#3 Create a Cover Image
Next, I designed my cover image. This will be shown in Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you want something eye-catching that fits with your brand. Of course, in the end, it’s your content that really counts, but the cover plays a huge role in making a positive first impression on listeners and setting yourself up for success.
Your cover should be a square image and I designed it in Canva (*affiliate link) as a JPG in 3000 pixel width and height. Add the name of your podcast to the image and make sure that the font is large enough so it’s readable, even on a phone.
Here’s a pro tip: To make sure your cover image looks great on smartphones, export your file at 55 x 55 pixels to see what it looks like at a small size. All your text and images should still be big enough to read.
#4 Write a Description for Your Podcast
Your podcast description is also known as your podcast summary, or show summary. You add this inside your podcast hosting account, and it appears in all the directories your podcast is listed in. You should write about who your podcast is for, why they should listen, and what they can expect. Podcast descriptions are very important when listeners are weighing up whether or not to hit play and you should also include some keywords that are related to your topics.
As an example, here’s my podcast description:
How do I start an online business that aligns with my values? How can I teach yoga online? How can I sell more without being ‘salesy’? And the biggest question of all, can I *really* turn my passion for yoga and wellness into profits? Welcome to the Blissful Biz podcast where digital expert and yoga teacher Susanne Rieker and guest experts answer these questions and help you build a thriving wellness online business that truly aligns with your passions and values. Susanne shares actionable tips and tested strategies that she used to build her own online business, helping yoga teachers and wellness entrepreneurs with their marketing. Each week she brings you the productivity tips, online course launch strategies, social media hacks and mindset shifts that will help you create your dream wellness business. Now it’s your turn to tune in, get inspired, and start working on your goals. Learn more at www.susannerieker.com or @susannerieker.
#5 Record Your First Episodes
When I launched my podcast and started promoting it, I had 3 or 4 episodes live already. When you share it with your audience it’s recommended that you have a few episodes for them to dive into, so they can get to know your show and hopefully become fans and subscribe right away. But I don’t think that’s strictly necessary, you can also start with just one episode.
For recording, I use my Blue Yeti microphone and a space in my apartment where there’s not too much echo. A lot of people record their podcasts in their closet because of that.
#6 Record Your Intro and Outro
Most podcasts have an intro, this is a short message about what the podcast is about, with a short jingle, and sometimes also an outro, a recorded message that you put at the end of every episode.
With your podcast intro, you’ve got the very important task of setting the scene for your listeners. Some may have heard every episode you’ve ever released before, but for a few, this’ll be their very first impression of your show, so you want to make it count:
Here’s my intro:
Hey there! Welcome to the Blissful Biz podcast. I’m your host Susanne Rieker, here to help yoga and wellness entrepreneurs build a thriving online business. If you’re ready to make a bigger impact and earn money online, you are in the right place. Each week you’ll learn about websites, digital products, social media strategies and what’s working now to build your online business. And now, let’s get started!
And this is my outro that I put at the end of every episode:
Thank you for listening to this episode of the Blissful Biz Podcast. If you like the show, please leave a review on iTunes. This would mean the world to me! And of course, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast to never miss a new episode. To learn more about how to work with me one-on-one, my courses and membership or to get instant access to freebies, workshops and more go to susannerieker.com right now. Thanks for tuning in and see you next time!
I also bought a jingle on www.premiumbeat.com. I think this isn’t strictly necessary, but it makes your podcast appear more professional.
#7 Edit Your Recordings (Or Hire an Editor)
I hired someone to edit my podcast episodes. I could probably do it myself, but it would take me much longer, and outsourcing this step is a great help. I record my episodes either in Garageband when it’s a solo episode or Zoom when it’s an interview.
And then I put the audio files on Google Drive and my editor Sebastian puts it all together with the intro and outro and the music and edits my mistakes.
#8 Write Your Show Notes
Your show notes are what you publish together with the episode and they show up on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.
Your show notes should offer a summary of the content and persuade someone to listen to this episode. You also add links to resources, people, or products that were mentioned in the episode. You can’t link within the show itself, so you offer the links on the show notes.
You publish your show notes together with the audio file for the episode in your podcast hosting service.
#9 Pick a Podcast Hosting Service
You need a hosting service for your podcast. This service will host your podcast files and submit it to the different podcast services, like Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc.
There are free podcast hosts but I chose a premium service, www.buzzsprout.com. It’s $12 per month for up to 3 hours and I’m very happy with them, I like their player that I embed on my website and their platform is easy to use and so far reliable. Definitely recommend them!
#10 Publish Your Podcast
Your final step is to publish your podcast and share it with the world! Sign up with a podcast hosting service, upload your first few episodes with show notes, your cover image, and your description, choose your categories and publish everything! Note that it can take a few days before your podcast shows up on Apple, so plan for this before you start promoting your podcast.
And that’s how I launched my podcast! I didn’t have it all perfectly figured out, still don’t, and you don’t need to as well. If you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast just get started, I promise it’s easier than you think and you will grow into it.
If you want to learn more about content creation, how to grow your audience, and create and sell your first online course, I would like to invite you to my free masterclass, “3 Secrets to Create a Wildly Successful Yoga Online Course (Without the Stress, Tech Confusion or Overwhelm)”. Click here to watch the masterclass instantly.
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