The podcast industry boomed in the past few years and is projected to grow as a whooping $4 billion industry by 2024. But what makes podcasts so special?
Podcasts are digital audio files, sometimes extracted from a video or recording, that are usually a part of a series that people can listen to on the internet on multiple platforms.
The concept of podcasting is simple. The hosts will share a story, may it be a personal experience or from submissions, and then the audience will listen to it. The hosts usually have guests that they talk to as they share content.
As we have mentioned, the concept of a podcast is simple; unfortunately, finding an audience that will listen to you isn’t. This is especially true if you have little to no influence on other social media platforms. But hey, do not lose all hope. Listeners would organically come to you if you plan and market your content well.
If you are new to this venture and plan to start a podcast, here are some things you should ask yourself before you launch your podcasting career.
Launching A Podcast: Considerations You Should Think Of
1. Why do you want to make a podcast?
Before you launch a podcast channel, you must first know your purpose. Do you want to start your podcast career to make people validated through your experiences? Are you in it for money or do you simply want to share your thoughts?
Knowing what drives you in the first place will keep your fire going. Many might think that podcasting is as simple as sharing your interests, opinions, or experiences. However, there’s a lot of effort and stress that goes into planning and editing podcasts.
However, knowing your purpose will keep you motivated even in the darkest of times. Also, your purpose will direct you to which direction you will be going on your podcasting journey.
2. What will be your branding?
Branding is important in any business venture. In podcasts, you are selling your experiences, emotions, and opinions for everyone out there to hear. It is important for you to establish a brand that people will remember you for.
Do you want to be a channel that discusses political matters? Do you want to be remembered as a channel they can listen to if they want to gather gossip information? Do you want to be a comfort channel for all? Knowing your branding is essential for you to know your podcast’s selling point.
3. What equipment do you need before you launch your podcast?
In launching your podcast channel, having the minimum required equipment is necessary. It doesn’t need to be complete or grand as you were just starting.
However, a laptop and a high-quality microphone are something you should invest in as you start your podcast. After all, nobody wants to listen to an episode that has poor audio quality.
4. Where should you publish your podcasts?
There are different platforms where you can upload your podcast episodes. However, these platforms do not offer the same benefits and price plans. These platforms should help you establish your brand and build a community around it. Thus, before you start, you must conduct thorough research about which podcast subscription service will benefit you the most.
5. How will you record and edit your podcasts?
When launching a podcast, it is essential to have both recording and editing software. In choosing one, it is necessary to check if it alters the quality of the audio after the altercations you have made in the recording. You have to find software tools that will help you boost your career.
6. What do you want to talk about in your podcast?
In launching a podcast channel you must know what topics you want to talk about. These topics and ideas will be the bread and butter of your channel. Thus, you have to carefully plan it as much as you can.
Normally, podcasters would want to talk about what peaks their interests and what they love doing. There are also podcasters that love to talk about the most recent news while there are ones that prefer a more laid-back approach and just talk about random things in general.
Whatever you want to talk about in your podcast will determine what type of audience you will be getting on your podcasting journey.
7. What’s your budget per podcast episode?
When creating a podcast episode, depending on your available resources you will have to spend something. Set up your budget for each podcast episode you’ll make. This includes your budget for materials you’ll need in that episode. This can also include editing fees or studio fees if ever you decide to get an editor or rent a studio and equipment for your podcast.
8. How much time do you want to spend on each episode?
In each podcast episode you make, you must have a time limit. You have to know how long you are prepared to talk about the content you want to share with your audience. Usually, podcasts run between 1-3 hours depending on their weekly upload frequency.
That’s why it’s important to plan your topic and content ahead. So you can determine the time you will be spending on subtopics yet still give the topic in general an in-depth sense.
9. What is the upload schedule of your podcast?
The frequency of your uploads is somewhat tied to the length of each episode you release. While you can release a 3-hour long podcast episode 5 times a week, it is not an easy thing to do and it could be draining. Uploading too many podcast episodes can also make you run out of content ideas and resources faster.
When you are starting, it is much better to publish podcast episodes at your own pace. Know how many episodes can make you stick to your commitment. You should also consider your lifestyle in deciding on this aspect.
It is suggested for beginners to upload one episode per week just to test the waters and get a hang of it. This way, you will not feel overwhelmed with the tasks you need to do behind the show.
Later on, you can decide to increase the number of episodes per week if you feel like you can commit to it and are comfortable enough to do so.
Conclusion
Given the growing industry of podcasts, there’s no denying that it is a great career path to take, especially if you love sharing your experiences, interests, and opinions with other people. There are a lot of things to consider when launching a podcast. Oftentimes, you might feel a little too overwhelmed with everything.
While starting a podcast career might seem hard at first, pouring your heart into every episode you put out will surely provide you with an organic following. We are sure you’ll get by.
