Last Updated 3 years by Emily Standley-Allard
There’s a lot of buzz around podcasts these days. Over the last five years, the number of Americans who listen to podcasts weekly has increased by 175 percent. About 90 million people listen to podcasts every month (Source). As such, you can increase your reach tremendously if you market your content through podcasts. If you’re a beginner read on to learn how easy it is to create a successful podcast in no time!
A podcast allows you to identify and reach an audience that prefers to consume content in the audio form. It helps you to build your audience base from scratch and demonstrate your authority in your niche. Podcasts have a great potential to drive traffic to your website and give you an edge over your competitors. It acts as a great content platform because it connects you to your audience on an intimate level and helps you forge a closer relationship with them.
Steps to create a podcast
Now that you know why podcasts are essential for your business, you can start creating them. It isn’t rocket science to come up with engaging and informative podcasts. Here are a few steps to follow:
Know who you are creating the podcast for
This is the first question you need to answer. You will not be able to grow your audience through your podcast if you don’t know your audience in the first place. Take, for example, you are a personal trainer, and you have a fitness training business.
Your podcast should obviously be created for people who are interested in staying fit, eating healthy meals, losing weight, and taking up different forms of exercise.
Think of a concept
The podcast you create should be focused on a particular niche or topic. You may have a lot of content to talk about, but you should try to break everything into small episodes.
Try to think of a topic or a concept that’s somewhat broad in scope so you will have a lot of content to discuss. However, you want it to be related to a popular niche people will be interested in. Go to Buzzsumo to learn about what is trending.
Think of a proper name for your podcast so that your audience remembers it and relates a reason to listen to it. Also, you need to figure out the length of each episode of your podcast; avoid cramming all information into one episode.
Try to make it as digestible for your audience as possible.
Choose a proper format
As a podcast creator, you have an array of formats to choose from. You can choose a solo show or the monologue format because it gives you independence and exclusivity while holding the podcast.
You can then decide to even co-host the show with someone you know, maybe a friend or a colleague.
Then there’s the interview show, where you will be talking to a guest and asking them to share his or her expert advice on a particular topic.
Get your artwork ready
After you decide on a theme, format, and name for your podcast, you need to get certain things ready before launch. Make sure you come up with some killer cover art—something that’s going to create the right first impression before your audience. Y
our cover art is the first thing your audience will see when they come across your podcast. So, make sure you do a good job here.
You also need to come up with a description that brands your podcast content in the best way.
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Know where to host your podcast
For your podcast to be accessible to your intended audience, you need to choose the right hosting platform. There are many podcast hosts where you can open an account and start sharing your podcast content.
These platforms store your content and allow your audience to listen to them, download them, and also subscribe.
Before choosing a successful podcasting platform, make sure the hosting service provider is affordable, has many features, and provide podcast feeds.
Five of the most successful podcasting platforms in 2020 we recommend are:
- Buzzsprout – Free
- Captivate
- Transistor
- Simplecast
- Podbean – Free
- Castos
There is also Anchor and Spreaker that provide free Podcasting services.
Submit your podcast to directories
Once you have chosen your platform, it’s time to submit your podcast content to different directories.
This is where your audience can discover your podcast, download it, and subscribe to your content.
You will have to syndicate your audio files into an organized RSS feed so that they can be seamlessly distributed.
You can choose Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and a host of other directories for the purpose.
Can I monetize my podcast?
Absolutely! You can use affiliate marketing to monetize your podcast by referring others to products you partner with and receive a commission.
Here are 10 more ways you can make money from podcasting.
Conclusion
By following the steps above, you can come up with an informative, engaging, and share-worthy successful podcast that would position your business strongly in your niche.
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