3 Tips for Starting A Podcast

When it comes to marketing these days, it’s no secret that content is king. Starting a podcast can be a great way to elevate your long-form content and drive substantial results. Podcasting can help to establish you as an expert in your field, add value to your social media followers, and reach a new audience on a unique platform.

But where do you start? Podcasting is a commitment, but here are a few tips to help you find success.

Podcasting Tip #1: Clearly Define Your Niche

To see return from podcasting, you’ll need to come up with consistent engaging episodes for an extended period of time. This means you’ll want to find a subject that you are passionate about – enough to talk about it for years. Whether you’ll be taking guests or recording solo, you will need to invest substantial time researching each sub-topic. Once you’ve found your niche, take a trial run and research outlines for your first few episodes. If the niche is still something you’re excited about, it’s time to move forward!

Podcasting Tip #2: Establish Your Hosting, Streaming & Distribution Plan

If you don’t have a streaming and distribution plan, all that work will be for nothing. A key goal of podcast is to build a listenership. In order to do that, you’ll need a great host. The best podcast hosting platforms offer distribution options that push your podcast to your website, social media platforms, and more. They can help you manage your website, and offer detailed statistics to help you reach your goals.

Popular hosting platforms include:

• Libsyn
• Blubrry
• Podbean

Podcasting Tip #3: Build Your Feed

Now that you’ve recorded your first episodes, you’ll want to get the most mileage out of your content and reach the widest audience. A great way to do this is to create a RSS feed for your blog. Certain podcast hosting platforms – like Libsyn – offer solutions to help you create your feed. A great way to do this is to start a blog on WordPress to accompany your podcast. You’ll want to create long-form transcripts or articles that focus on the keywords from your podcast. This will help your search rankings, and increase your listenership over time.

Bottom line, podcasting is a great way to boost your brand. However, it is a substantial time commitment. If it fits your goals, it is a worthwhile investment if you build your podcast on a solid foundation.