Right now, there are almost one million active podcasts all around the world, and they have produced almost 60 million episodes that people can download and follow. This is an extremely interesting field because you are allowed to cover any topic you are interested in. It allows people to talk about anything and everything and to explore their creative boundaries.
Many people are interested in starting their own podcasts, but there are some things you need to consider before you begin. To help you out with your project, we created this article where you can learn the basics of the whole process and the things you need to be careful about. Continue reading if you want to find out what the first steps are and how to avoid the most common mistakes, and if you’re looking for more guidance, check out Melon’s free guide on how to start a podcast https://melonapp.com/how-to-start-a-podcast/.
1. Know your topic
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The first thing you need to consider is the topic you want to cover. If you want to be unique and something that people will be interested to follow, you need to choose a niche that not many people talk about.
You can start by doing some research and find out what your competitors are like. Listen to their podcasts, write down things that you think are good, and also note the things you don’t like. You have to cover a lot of things and you need to have a plan for your show. When you have an idea of what other people do, you can easily make a plan on your own.
It is said that when you have an interest and knowledge about a topic, it is going to be easier for you to make your broadcast. If you want to cover things you are not interested in, the audience will notice it. When you are passionate about a subject, other people will notice it too, and they will follow your channel.
2. Target group
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You should know your audience, or have an audience on your mind before you start broadcasting. When you know who you want to target, it is going to be easier for you to create your content. Think if you want to target young adults, adults, or something in between. Are your episodes going to be more interesting for the male population, or the female? Do you want to target a specific group? All of these questions will help you narrow things down and you will know the right course for your show.
Once again, you need to do some research, but you should know that you may have to adapt with time. It is going to be easy for you to see how many people download your content and the basic information about them. You will see if you are targeting the people you wanted to, or if you are interesting to a bigger audience.
Before you start your podcast, you should know that it may take some time for things to take off. You should not get discouraged if you have little to no downloads in the first few weeks and even months. Focus on producing content regularly and make sure every piece you put out there has quality content.
3. Equipment
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If you want to start and have a successful podcast, you need to have the right equipment. The first thing you’d need is a good camera that will show high-quality video and something that will be easy to set up. Durable equipment is a must, so you don’t have to change or upgrade it every 3 months. There are a lot of different types on the market, so you need to choose something depending on your preferences.
You also need to think about the microphone or the headset. The price for them varies between $50 and up to one thousand dollars. You don’t have to purchase the most expensive things right away, but try to invest in something that will be durable and that will produce a good sound. Users say that USB microphones are great for beginners and they cost between $100 and $150.
You also need some great software so you can edit your content with ease. There are so many different editing tools on the market, that you should not have an issue finding the one that fits your needs. You should always edit a test video before you decide to get in this field, so you know if that is something you can get used to. You’ll also need a podcast hosting platform to get your podcast out into the world – check out Libsyn.
The equipment is the most important part of the whole podcast because if you don’t have the right one, it is going to be hard to produce quality content and attract an audience.
You can also invest in different gadgets and tools that will make your whole life easier. Don’t forget to get a good sitting area and a nice chair for you to sit on while you spend all the hours editing your videos and tracking your results. In case you need further details on how to start your YouTube career, we recommend you should read more about it here.
4. Downloads
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You need to follow your downloads to see if you are going in the right direction. It is said that once you hit the number of 300-500 downloads for an episode, you can consider yourself successful. However, if you hit that number only once, it means that you need to change something about your show.
Experts say that if you focus on interviews during your show, you need to keep the audience interested. If you have the same questions over and over again, that might work for the guests, but the audience will not be amazed. Focus on a conversation, not just questions and answers. If you see what the most popular hosts are doing, even if they are not for podcasts, you will notice that they keep the conversation up.
You should always do your research beforehand, and see what the hot topics are, but if the interview itself is going in a different direction, you should not try to change the course by all means. Follow the number of downloads and see which things are keeping your audience interested. If you have an episode that has a lot more numbers than the others, see why that’s happening. Try to adapt your podcast depending on what people are interested in.
These are some of the most important things you need to know before you start broadcasting. Invest your time in something that interests you and have patience. The right audience will find out about you sooner or later, and as long as you produce quality content, you will be able to even make some money out of it.
