How to Start a Podcast

 

Podcasts are an excellent way for voice actors to create their own content and maintain control over their brand. The audience of potential podcast listeners has grown exponentially in recent years, so now is a great time to get into this burgeoning medium! Feel free to leave comments below or contact me through social media if there are any questions about starting a podcast as a voice actor!

Having a podcast is an amazing way to increase your business, share your voice with the world, make money and establish yourself as an expert in your field. This is a great starting point for anyone who wants to start their show but doesn't know where or how they should begin. It's also useful for people already podcasting but would like some new ideas on content creation or promotion.

We'll walk through all the steps of starting up your podcast from scratch including: setting up equipment, finding topics for episodes, recording/streaming sessions, editing sessions, and more. Whether you're an aspiring voice actor or a seasoned pro looking for new opportunities, consider these tips when thinking about starting your podcast! Let's get started.

1. Find a topic you're passionate about

Don't try and make things up or do something because it sounds like it would be fun (trust me, sometimes the things we think sound good don't work at all!). Ideally, you pick a topic that's close to your heart, something that excites you, or something that you really know about. It should be something that inspires.

In fact, the best way to go about this is to start by simply jotting down a list of topics you're curious about or have been thinking about for a while. 

If you want more control over your content, there are a few different types of shows that people tend to gravitate towards: interviews, round-table discussions, soliloquies, personal stories, conversations with friends, and more.

2. Determine your audience and what they want to learn

Ask people what they want to learn about. For example, if someone likes cars and automobile tips, ask them questions regarding their vehicle preferences, gadgets, and maybe skills. Also ask people for feedback on how to improve the podcast. Send a message on Facebook or Twitter. It's a little time-consuming, but it helps to improve the quality of the podcast. This is how you can determine your audience and what they want to learn from you. 

3. Decide on the frequency of your podcast (weekly, monthly, etc.) and how long each episode will be

There are a few factors that will affect the frequency of your podcast. Frequency is not based on how many episodes you have but rather on when you upload a new episode. It's a good idea to figure out how much time you think it'll take to produce a single episode and then divide that by the number of times per month you want them released.

Length is something you can play with as well. In general, 10-20 minutes is the perfect length for someone who wants to get in and get out. It might take you longer to get your thoughts out there, but sometimes brevity is the best option. That said, take 30 minutes, a standard length for most episodes, and if an interview is shorter than that (most are), extend it or do another episode with them.

4. Research equipment that can help make recording easier and more professional-looking

Along with the actual equipment, you need to work on your recording setup. Recording out in the open can be unhelpful, so find somewhere that you can use as your recording booth. The audio also needs to sound professional. You can invest in acoustic treatment for your room or even fabric sheathing to help reduce echoes and reverberations. A good internet connection is important for uploading your podcast to iTunes and distributing it online.

I would suggest investing in a USB microphone that you can use with your computer to record your voice directly into the recording software of your choice (GarageBand or Audacity are both free). For more professional-sounding audio, you might want to consider investing in an XLR (large condenser) microphone that plugs into a separate mixer so that you can attach everything close together without having all the wires.

5. Create artwork for the podcast and social media accounts

The fifth step to start a podcast is coming up with artwork that you'll use for your website, social media accounts, and the podcast itself. This is important because it will establish what your brand looks like and whether or not people are interested in following it.

Use a popular image generator such as Canva to design the artwork for your podcast and social media accounts. You can customize images such as logos, profile photos, and so on. Remember to try and keep the artwork consistent with what you're trying to portray. If you have enough budget available, hiring a designer is the best option.

Conclusion

Starting a podcast is an excellent way to share your knowledge and expertise with the world. You can use it as a platform for promoting yourself or sharing your favorite hobby, too! There are many steps involved in starting this kind of business venture, but I've provided you with some helpful tips on where to start below. I hope these will help you get started down the right path towards success!