Thinking about starting a podcast, they have become very popular. Today we will share some steps in getting started.
1. Choose a Podcast Topic You Can Commit To
Podcasting takes some work, so you’re going to want to make sure you spend adequate time upfront to make sure you choose a topic that excites you. If you are a pastor, you could go deeper with the podcast on your sermon topics.
2. Choose Your Podcast Name
The title of your podcast is one of the first things people see, even before they listen to a single word of your show. So naturally, this is a really important decision.
3. Choose an Accurate Podcast Description
You’ll need to write a description paragraph about your show to your audience. After they make their way to your show page, this will be the description they read to decide whether or not they want to stick around. This is where you’ll have a little more freedom to play with keywords. Whatever keywords and keyphrases your target audience may use to find content like yours, include those words in your description.
4. Choose Your Podcast Format
Interviews with others or solo? How long will the podcast be? How often will you publish this podcast?
There’s no wrong answer here, but it’s good to think about. Whatever you decode on these be consistent.
5. Choose Your Podcast Artwork and Music Created
Your podcast is definitely going to need cover artwork and could probably benefit from having a piece or two of music. I’m a big fan of having some bumper music at the beginning and end of my podcasts for an added layer of branding and professionalism.
6. Choose Your Podcast Equipment
You do not need to spend as much money as you might think to get your show up and running. However, I would advise getting good microphones. The most important piece of equipment is a microphone that makes you sound good. There’s a certain standard of audio quality now in the podcasting space, and if you’re not up to that standard, you could have the best content in the world, you could still have people leave and find something that sounds better.
When it comes to recording your podcast you can use Audacity, it’s free and open source software.
For interviews, I recommend Zoom.us, or Skype. I have never used SquadCast but many have told me it’s very good.
7. Choose Your Podcast Hosting Service
One common mistake when learning how to start a podcast is thinking that you upload your actual podcast files to places like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.
Yes, you want to be on those platforms, but no, you do not upload your files there. You upload your mp3 files to a podcast hosting company, and after connecting those directories to the hosting platform you choose once, you never have to worry about it again. All you have to do is create new episodes, upload them to your host, and all of those connected platforms get your new episodes posted and distributed to subscribers. We recommend PodServe.fm although our own company StreamingChurch.tv can also host your podcasts. There are many others as well like Buzzsprout.
8. Record Your Podcast Episodes
We suggest finding the day and the time that works for you and be consistent. Make sure to schedule your recording and keep to that as much as possible. It will become a habit and make life easier on you and if you also are consistent with your publishing, you will get more listeners. Just go for it and the nice thing about recording a podcast is you can edit it before you publish it.
9. Do Post Editing
You’re going to mess up. You’re going to have to re-say lots of things. You’re going to have awkward pauses. And no one has to know. That’s the power of editing!
Hit record, let it run, even through all of your mistakes, and then go back and edit those mistakes, long pauses and awkward moments out after. You do not need to start over from the beginning if you mess up in the middle. Perfection will ruin any chances of your show taking off, or even getting published in the first place.
10. Let the People Know About Your New Podcast!
If you are in ministry, you already have an audience. Promote your podcast from the pulpit, the church newsletter, church website, social media and any other avenue your church uses to the message out. Note: People need to hear and see announcements multiple times before they act on something, so do not be afraid to be consistent in your promotion of your podcast.
Speaking of podcasts, we have a podcast called Church Solutions and you can hear more details on this topic and others by subscribing.
For more than 20 years our expert staff has worked exclusively with churches and ministries around the world. We are more than a tech company. Let us serve you. We are available 7 days a week, even on Sundays. Email us at [email protected] or use live chat at the bottom right of your page.