How To Start a Podcast , Part 1: Topic, Name, Format

Part 1 in a 10 part series on how to start a podcast. More videos coming soon. To listen to the accompanying audio tutorial, visit http://thepodcastersstudio.com/101

Step 1: What are you going to talk about?

Since this part of the process is highly subjective, the best tips and advice I can give you comes from my own experience with becoming a podcaster.

It may sound really weird or funny to someone to even have a step that discusses figuring out a topic for your podcast. I mean why are you trying to learn how to podcast if you don’t even know what you would do a podcast about? Well, that was me back in 2006. I wanted to podcast before I ever knew what my podcast would be about.

So how did I figure it out? At the time I was thinking of producing a book based on my job at the time where I helped people on a daily basis. And while researching this, I read that you should write about what you know about. And when I applied that to podcasting, boom. I had my topic.

Approach your podcast like it’s going to be around for 2, 5 maybe 10 years. In order to do that, you should definitely be starting by choosing something you want to spend all those years on.

Think about your topic and ask yourself if this is the one thing you want to spend most of your free time on because you are just so interested in that topic. This does several things for you when it comes to building a successful show. First and foremost it keeps you from stopping. It keeps you from running out of things to say. The audience can hear it in your voice that you love the topic as much as they do and that right there, the audience, that is the core thing that loving your topic will do,,,it will attract an audience. And more importantly it will keep an audience. …

When you think of a topic for your podcast, try and describe it in three sentences or less. This will really help you focus your idea and help you be found.

Step 2: Naming your Podcast

What are you going to call your podcast? This can be a tough decision. To make it easier for both yourself, the listener and search, consider going the direct route. You know know your topic so name your podcast something that succinctly describes that topic. If you can tell me in 4 words or less the name of your podcast and I know what it’s about, you’re doing something right. That means you have really figured out your topic, have likely focused it enough to be specific even with a large niche and can relay that to strangers. One of my favorite tips when it comes to this is from Dave Jackson from the School of Podcasting and of course co-host of Podcasters’ Roundtable which is my other podcast in case you are new here…he says, go tell a stranger the title you are considering naming your show and ask them what they think that podcast is about. This will give you great insight into whether or not your title is misleading or portrays exactly the podcast you are going to create.

Just know that the title of your podcast along with other things such as your artwork which will likely also contain your title, in a lot of cases will be your only chance to get someone to listen. When someone sees the title and/or artwork they should know what’s inside, otherwise what would make them want to look any further into a podcast they had no idea what it was about. Don’t lose that chance.

Step 3: Choosing a Format

You’ll want to know if your podcast is going to be a solo show, just you. Or will you have co-hosts? Will you being doing interviews? If so, will they be in person or online via Skype of other software? How about audio vs video?

Making decisions about your format will allow you to complete the next steps such as choosing the gear you need. Determining your hosting needs. Figuring how you’re going to record your podcast and various other steps you’ll need to complete before you can publish the first episode of your podcast.

When it comes to audio vs video, I would say start with audio, it’s easier, more affordable and in most cases will attract the bigger audience because it’s easier to consume. someone can listen while they’e doing something else. They are freed from the screen. And in 2017, we’re at a point where the word podcast has become synonymous with audio.

When considering to go solo versus having a co-hosts or several, you may already have an instinct about which direction you want to go or you might have started this idea with a friend or colleague and in that case you already know which you want to do but there are advantages and disadvantages to both. In a solo format you have all the control. All content goes through you and you only. In theory you can move faster and rely on your own schedule. But having a co-host can be faster if you share the workload.

Видео How To Start a Podcast , Part 1: Topic, Name, Format канала Ray Ortega