How to create a podcast [tutorial for beginners]

There are currently several content formats available to users, who can choose what they will consume according to their needs and preferences. 

Therefore, many entrepreneurs have invested in more than one option in order to expand the reach of their marketing actions.

Podcasts are one of the existing content formats that have attracted increasingly more interest of the public, especially by those who spend a lot time in traffic or frequently use earphones. 

This is because it’s a simple way of staying informed or learning more about a given subject, without having to stop performing an activity, such as driving for example. 

If you already have an online business or if you’re starting one, you should know that a podcast is a convenient and fast format to create content.

You still don’t know how to create your own? 

Today, we’re going to show you how to create a quality podcast that is attractive for your audience. Follow our tips! 

What is a podcast?

Before we explain how to create a podcast, it’s important that you know exactly what this type of content is.

Podcasts are audio files that are streamed on the internet, and basically work as a digital radio. 

Unlike other content formats, which use text, images and videos, podcasts are made only to be listened to, which makes them a great option for those who wish to consume content while they perform other activities.

This format is often used to stream lectures, debates and programs. But you can also create a podcast to talk about the subjects you master and that might be attractive and teach something to your audience. 

There already are teachers who are investing in podcasts in order to teach classes online, for example, due to the convenience of this content format. 

Consider the number of people who complain about having little free time and just imagine the success of content that can be listened to while your user does the dishes, is stuck in traffic on their way to work, eating lunch, while waiting for a doctor’s appointment or working out. 

How to create a podcast

Now that you know what a podcast is, you have probably realized how advantageous it can be for your users.

Also, creating a podcast doesn’t have to be complicated, especially if you are familiar with the steps to make your content complete and professional. 

Check out the tutorial in 8 practical steps that we have prepared for you:

1. Choose a topic for your podcast

The first step should be to choose the subject you will cover in the podcast. 

No matter how much you know about different subjects and want to share everything you know, you should focus on a certain topic in order to break it down and deliver content that truly adds value for your audience. 

Choosing many subjects to talk about in a single podcast can make it confusing and tiresome for listeners. In this case, it’s best to create more than one file and separate them by category. 

2. Define the podcast’s participants 

In order to make your podcast more dynamic and interesting, you can invite other people to participate.

If you sell natural products, for example, and believe that sharing content on sustainability will attract your audience’s attention, you can invite consultants, researchers or any other people or are authorities in the subject to share their knowledge with your listeners.

In this case, you can create podcasts in interview, debate or merely didactic format, so that the guest can teach a class on the selected topic. 

3. Plan the content to be covered

Before you start recording, we recommend that you write a simple script of what you’re going to talk about. 

Whether due to nervousness, excitement or simply forgetfulness, it’s quite common that your mind goes blank when speaking, and this can compromise the quality of your content.

Your script may contain only the main topics and a few notes with statistical data hard to be memorized and information that cannot be forgotten, such as book titles, authors or institutions that will be mentioned.

4. Warm up your vocal cords 

Remember that a podcast is a digital audio file, which makes it essential for users to be able to hear clearly what is being said. 

You or your guest must have good diction and master a tone of voice that is neither too loud nor too low.

In order to ensure the quality of the material, you can do vocal exercises before recording. You can find several examples and tips on the internet.

Another good technique is to practice before recording. With your podcast script in hand, practice everything you intend to say so that when the time comes, you can speak fluently, calmly and with confidence. 

You can even record an audio beforehand to listen to a correct anything necessary.

5. Set up your recording equipment

Creating a podcast requires little equipment, and consequently, little financial investment. 

One of the only tools needed is a good microphone so that the audio is properly captures and conveys your message with quality for the listeners.

On the market, you can find several options, each one with different features and prices. You can use a USB, a lavalier or even your smartphone’s microphone.

Besides worrying about the chosen microphone, it is important to pay attention to a few details regarding the recording location. 

The room needs to be quiet, without outside noise or other interference. Avoid open spaces, which have a lot of noise, because depending on noise intensity, you won’t be able to edit your audio without compromising your material. 

You can record your podcast at home. Just make sure you warn your family members and pick a room away from the street. 

Before you start recording, set aside everything you will need so you won’t have to pause a lot during the recording. Thus, you guarantee your podcast’s sequence and reduce later editing.

6. Edit your podcast

After you record your podcast, you need to edit it, so that it reaches your audience as professional as possible.

No matter how quiet the chosen room is, it is common for unwanted noise or uneven audio to appear in the recording. In this step, these details must be corrected so that all the material can be understood. 

Users shouldn’t have to turn the volume up or down in order to listen to different people. That’s why it’s important to balance the volume of different voices.

Take advantage of the editing process to cut out unnecessary parts, such as long pauses and parts where the speaker got confused or made a mistake regarding certain information, for example. 

The podcast needs to be objective so that the audience doesn’t find the content boring and gives up on listening until the end.

In editing, you can also include a soundtrack, sound clips or pauses.

Choose songs that are related to the subject being covered, which create context for the listeners, and be careful when using sound effects! They serve to make your podcast more fluid and less tiresome, but don’t overdo it because it may have the opposite effect.

7. Post your podcast 

After editing, your podcast is ready to be posted. To do so, just select the ideal platform!

There are specific platforms that host audios. Many of them are free for both the professional and listeners. 

SoundCloud is such a platform. 

In addition to offering the necessary tools for you to post and share your podcasts, it includes a statistics analysis service. This feature helps you understand your audience’s main characteristics, and how they interact with the files you’ve posted.

In order to use the platform, you need to create an account with an active email address, fill out your profile information, configure the content with information such as category and language, and send your feed. All this for free. 

8. Promote your podcast 

Several channels can be used to promote your podcasts and you should take into account those that are accessed the most by your audience, so that your files can reach the desired audience.

You can use social media, your blog or YouTube channel so that more people can have access to your audio content.

Create attractive calls that show the advantages users will have when they listen to your podcast. Releasing excerpts of the content may also pique listeners’ curiosity to listen to the entire podcast. 

Regardless of how you promote your podcasts, it is important to start producing them to see if your audience is really attracted to this type of material. This way, you can get people to know your business and understand your area of operation better.

In addition to podcasts, there are several other ways of creating interesting content to attract your audience’s attention and one of them is the creation of rich materials. Want to learn how to improve your content production? Check out his post!