Podcast Planning
“The stars will never align, and the traffic lights of life will never all be green at the same time. The universe doesn't conspire against you, but it doesn't go out of its way to line up the pins either. Conditions are never perfect. 'Someday' is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you. Pro-and-con lists are just as bad. If it's important to you and you want to do it 'eventually,' just do it and correct course along the way.” - Tim Ferriss
It can be scary to do new things, so instead of jumping in, we always say 'someday.' One day I'll do X, once I'm Y, etc. But Tim's right - conditions will never be perfect. There will always be other people's opinions and reasons not to just do it.
When it comes to podcasting, it's the same, you may have a great idea for a topic but you just aren't sure if you are ready to get out of your comfort zone or where to start. Here are some tips to help get you started with your podcast planning. Plus a free podcast planning template that you can use to get going!
Planning Your Podcast
When you are podcast planning there are a few things that you can start to figure out to help make the launch and consistency for future episodes much more seamless. These are the places that I think you should start. Note: any of these things can be changed later on, so if you get caught up on any of these - don't fret. You can always make changes.
Title
Your name/title is an important part of your podcast as it gives a sense of what your show is all about. HOWEVER, don’t overthink it too much, if you really are stuck on naming it – save it until the end or you can always change it later. Of course, it may make things a little more difficult but you aren’t set in stone with it!
You’ll want to stand out in your industry but also not copy another name. So, do a little research and start generating some ideas. If you can, also incorporate a keyword into it to help optimize your name from the get-go when people are searching. Once you have thought of some names, do some searches and see if there are any like them. Make sure it isn’t trademarked or used. Then do a little test to see how your family and friends feel, they can help give you a little survey to make sure it fits what you are going for with your show.
Topic
This is where you will decide what to talk about and what your content pillars are as many people like to call them (here is a great podcast episode by Pimp your Brilliance if you are wanting to know more). You may already have an overall idea so now it's time to break it down a little bit.
Do a little bit of research and check out what kind of topics are already being talked about with it, and what kind of episodes are being done. You want your topic to be broad so you have a show about it, but not so broad that you don't have anyone wanting to listen to your show. You are trying to reach a certain audience but you also don't want to limit what you discuss by being too narrow or specific.
Find a Niche
This may be something you already know as your podcast could be a new supplementary resource to your business or the current topic. However, maybe not. Either way, you should still do some research on your topic and see where it fits.
Is it even a popular topic? If so, how can you be unique and stand out in the crowd? If not, is it something that people are looking for?
You don't have to be super specific in your niche, just make sure you have an idea of what/who your target audience may be and what they are searching for in your industry.
Format
After you've done a little research and learned more about your podcast above, you will be able to have a better idea of what kind of format you want to do. You will be looking at a few different factors:
How long are your episodes going to be? Depending on your niche (and what other people do) you may go for a shorter episode (15-30 minutes) or a little longer (45-90 minutes).
How will you structure your episodes?
Just you
Are you interviewing/having guests on
You + Co-hosts
You, Co-hosts + guests
Or some other structure that fits your industry?
Duration
Above, you've established what kind of episodes you are going to have - so how long, what kind of structure, etc. but about consistency. What is the duration of your show?
Are you going to be doing just a quick podcast series? It's limited and you aren't going to be continuing.
Maybe you are doing seasons, and you produce it for 6 months and then have a few months off.
Or you could just consistently put out episodes every week, bi-weekly or monthly with no seasons.
Either way, figure out your duration and your consistency with your show. Whatever works for you, some schedules work for some better than others. So, no matter what you choose you just want to make a schedule and stick with it because your listeners are going to be following it. You don't want to leave them hanging or have them not know when shows will be put out. It won't keep a strong listenership as they will begin searching for a show that does fit their needs.
Goals + Objectives
What is the purpose of starting your podcast? Are you wanting to share your topic with the world? Maybe you are a business that is looking to establish your authority and grow your audience/client base. Or even just starting a hobby or growing a passion project you have? Either way, figure out your "why" so you are able to get clear on your podcast's foundation, and really this will help design/set up your content pillars. It will also help with understanding what you want your listeners to get out of each episode and what types of actions you want them to take.
Your Target Audience
Again, you'll have to do a little research. You may already know who you are trying to reach if you have been tracking your analytics with your business or other social media channels. If that is the case, you will then at least have an idea of where to start. But you'll still want to sit down and figure out your ideal listener - their demographics, interests, and all the little details that would be necessary to help create a listener avatar in your head. You may need to look at your competitors and other podcasts in your industry to get an idea of who is listening to your topic. For more tips on how to hone in on your target audience, check out this blog post by We Edit Podcasts.
Music Selection
When you start a podcast episode, usually within the first 7-10 seconds, listeners will decide if they want to keep listening or not. So you'll want to make sure you have captivating music at the start and throughout to keep your audience interested and wanting more.
There are multiple sites where you can find music both for free and paid, we have a great blog post on options here.
Cover Art Creation
Your Cover Art is an important piece of your show. Many times, it's what makes listeners stop scrolling on whatever site they are listening to to give your show a chance. It's what catches their attention and gives them a sense from the get-go of what your show is about. You want to give them a reason to click and listen in!
Canva is a great place to get started creating one for free yourself. Or you can look for a designer to help (but it will cost you a little more).
Equipment You'll Need
There are tons of equipment options out there. But when you are getting started you don't need to go for the most expensive and have all the latest and greatest to produce a show worth listening to. Of course, good sound is important but you can still achieve that with affordability. Equipment you need:
Microphone
One good affordable option is the Samson Q2U Handheld Dynamic XLR/USB Microphone
When looking for a microphone, look for a dynamic mic vs. a condenser mic as they are better for at-home recording and picking up less of the background noise. For more specific details about the two, check out this article by Shure.
Computer
if doing a video podcast, you can use the computer camera
Use it with a recording device through Zoom or even a program like Zencastr
A computer is also how you will edit the audio and upload the .mp3
Headphones
Not necessary but definitely helps with making sure you can hear yourself speaking well and that there aren't any unwanted background sounds. Easier to find those errors from the start!
Editing Software
There are some great free options out there. Here is a blog post we did on 5 to get you started!
A few extras if you want a little more:
Pop Filter - this will help minimize/remove your plosives (strong p sounds!)
Digital Recorder (+ external mic) - if you plan to interview other people in person if you are doing most things virtually Zoom would work fine.
Your environment - make sure you have a good recording environment that is set up for as minimal background noise as possible.
Set up a quiet area
Make sure there aren't any sounds (shut windows, doors, airflow, or devices that may be distracting).
Move any items or furniture that may create sound.
Remember, this equipment is just to get you started as budget-friendly as possible. Don’t get too caught up in the shiny objects, pick one and continue. You can always come back and change it later!
To help you on your podcast planning journey, here is a free template that you use to apply the information above.
Conclusion
I hope all of these tips help you turn your idea into your full-blown podcast. You got this, take a chance and have confidence in yourself because you don’t know until you have at least tried! Once you have sorted out these questions you are ready to start the recording, launching, and publishing of your first episode. We are rooting for you! If you need any help in the launch process, reach out to us here to see how we can help your specific and unique show needs.
Happy Podcast Planning!
Aleea
This blog post was updated November 28th, 2023
