Want to know how to start a podcast for free? You’re not alone. Podcasts have become increasingly popular over the years, even going toe to toe with visual content on YouTube and Instagram. Globally, the Philippines ranks as the top sixth fastest-growing podcast audience population by country int the world.
With people owning smartphones, podcasts have become customisable radio stations where listeners can freely pick and choose the kind of informative content they consume. It’s pretty convenient too. Compared to visual content platforms, you can listen to a 30-to-40 minute podcast and still be able to easily multitask, like doing household chores, run errands, or commute to work.
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So if you want to jump on this trend and try your hand at producing your own podcast, heed these useful tips form real podcasters.
1. Figure out your core theme
The first thing you need to know about starting a podcast is you need to have a general theme of topics you want to cover. There are finance-related, tech-talk, lifestyle commentaries, and more. To help you narrow it down, ask yourself: why do you want to start a podcast anyway?
2. Know your target audience
Your chosen topics will usually resonate with a general audience, but it always helps to have a clear picture of who you’re talking to. It can also help you plan for future episodes or gather ideas for future topics.
3. Invite relevant guests for interviews
Having a co-host or guest also keeps the conversation interesting for listeners. Pamelia of The Singapore Noodles shares that she usually go on to potential guests’ social media accounts or read interviews that they have previously done to find out more about their perspectives, to see if there are any insights that they have that are worthy of exploration on the podcast before contacting them.
Once you’ve finalised the topic and guests, if any, it’s time to sit down and create an outline of the episode. It can be as general as having main talking points or as in-depth as a script. If you invite guests to your podcasts, it is also good practice to share your questions in advance.
4. Start with what you have
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Before you start thinking about shelling out a few bucks for a fancy microphone and headset, perhaps you can consider the equipment you already have. For example, Pamelia relies on her Macbook’s built-in microphone and Zoom to record her interviews since she’s currently based in Australia and her guests are usually from Singapore.
Aside from Garageband, there is a lot of free software you can use online. Pamelia uses Audacity, an editing software you can freely download. You can also use video editing softwares such as iMovie (Mac) or Filmora (Windows) and simply export the audio from the finished product
5. Find the right streaming platform
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Now that you’re ready to share your podcast with the world, it’s time to figure out which platform to use to stream it. Spotify, Apple and Google all have the means of streaming your podcast. Pamelia uses Red Circle, because it’s “pretty straightforward” and allows her to produce her podcast on her own.
6. Promote your content and stay consistent
If you have an active following on any social media site, you can always invite your followers to listen to your podcast too. Link it in your bio, create a dedicated post or story giving a little sneak peek to the podcast, or post a behind-the-scenes video to generate more buzz and drive traffic to your podcast.
Once you have your first episode up, it’s a matter of being consistent with your upload schedule. The most common is doing weekly uploads. It’s up to you to decide how you’ll plan your content calendar and how to fit it into your schedule.
Once you’ve garnered a consistent following, you may also start including ads in your podcast! This will involve mentioning the product or service in the beginning or middle of your podcast. Your sponsors should be relevant and meaningful to your audience and the message you’re trying to share with your podcast.
At the end of the day, it’s all about making meaningful content that will make someone’s life richer. Whether that’s through some chill, sit-down solo chats or through informative interviews, your podcast can be someone’s go-to for entertaining and enriching content. Will you be discovering your podcast online soon?