Planning to start a podcast soon?
It’s a logical and fun business move after all. Over 41% of people in the US, aged 12 and older, listen to podcasts. That’s a big market to tap into.
That said, you can’t simply start hitting the record button and expect money or listeners to start pouring in. There are several crucial steps to making a podcast successful.
We’re here to help you get there. Read our guide right here to pick up some of the most effective podcasting tips you can utilize today.
1. Improve Production Quality
Before starting a podcast, make sure you have the right equipment. Invest in a good microphone, an audio mixer/interface, and reliable software. Prioritize the quality of voice recording since this is the main pillar of any podcast show.
Don’t stop there, however. Get great royalty free music for podcasts, special effects sounds, and soundproofing panels. If you’ll record videos for your show, invest in a good camera, lights, video editor, and a tripod too.
Conduct trial episodes. Test everything to make sure you nail the right level of audio quality. Note everything, particularly software settings, so you can stay consistent each time you start recording.
2. Pick a Niche
You have the equipment but now you need to know your niche. It’s best to use analytics tools, such as a keyword finder, to know which topics are trending. Identify what people talk about, and find a topic that fits into the niche or genre you want to focus on.
Doing this ensures you grab people’s attention and retain their interest. Otherwise, audiences might ignore your show. Why would they listen if the podcast doesn’t tackle a relevant topic?
Knowing your niche is only half of your analytics research, however. The other half is identifying your audience.
3. Know Your Audience
Identify the age group of your audience. Know where the majority come from, what time and day they check out your podcast episodes, and which social media platforms they use. Knowing all this and more will help you formulate a stronger, more directed marketing campaign.
If, for example, your audience is within the 18-24 age group, then you can expect them to tune in more on Friday nights and the weekends.
These are people still in school or are early in their professional careers. You might want to release episodes when most are online. Market those episodes on social media platforms they’re more likely to be on, such as TikTok or Instagram.
4. Collaborate With Others
When you’re in the booth, podcasting can seem like a one-man job. Don’t forget that you can collaborate with others.
Seek out more successful podcast shows and ask if you can guest on their episodes or if they can guest on yours. Doing this will bring their audiences to your podcast.
Build a community with your fellow podcasters. This will also help with SEO since it brings opportunities for backlinking and guest posting on their websites.
Of course, you should also collaborate with social media influencers. These are people on social media who have thousands (sometimes millions) of followers. If they endorse your podcast, even with only one post on Instargram, they could instantly bring thousands of new listeners.
5. SEO-Friendly Podcasting
Don’t ignore the importance of search engine optimization (SEO). A large portion of podcast success relies on SEO because it helps place your website and show above others. When someone does a search on Google, they should find your content on the first page of results.
Otherwise, they might check out other podcasts long before they ever discover yours.
Not sure how SEO works? Use tools like keyword finders and SEO-auditing software to ensure all your pages are SEO-friendly. You’ll need to work on backlinking too.
If you have no experience with SEO, it’s a safer bet to hire a professional to get the job done for you. This allows you to focus on what you’re good at — running the podcast show.
6. Podcast Directories
Yes, you should consider adding your podcast to a directory. These are websites that list podcasts and highlight the most popular or recent episodes. Listing yours there boosts exposure and provides another avenue for backlinking or collaboration.
Pick a podcast directory that caters to your audience, niche, and preferences. If a directory prioritizes military-centered shows but your podcast tackles tabletop gaming, it’s better to look elsewhere. The audiences that check out shows from that directory won’t show interest in yours.
Choose a podcast directory that won’t limit growth. Some are too restrictive, limiting content creators to only one episode per month. Others might limit your episodes to under an hour.
7. Add Visuals
Don’t forget that some people want visuals to go with the audio content. You can either get a camera and film your session as you record episodes or simply upload images to make a visual slideshow. Either way, this gives people something more to digest, enriching the experience.
If you’ll add video content, consider adding closed captions. This allows people who have hearing disabilities to enjoy your content.
As a side note, offer a downloadable transcript of your podcast in case you won’t do videos. People with hearing impairment can read the lines instead.
While it’s important to create quality videos, it’s not your priority. People tune in to podcasts for the audio content above anything else. Prioritize the sound quality before investing in good cameras and other visual equipment.
Start Making Money With Podcasting Today
Now you know what you need to start podcasting! Don’t ignore SEO, collaborate with others, use analytics tools to identify your audience and topics, and prioritize good sound quality.
Following these steps guarantee you’ll find success soon. Of course, you should also stay consistent and constantly keep up with your schedule, and don’t let your podcast quality drop.
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