My 10 Best Tips for Starting a Podcast (From a Podcast Manager & Launch Strategist!)
If I had a cat for every time I see someone on Threads posting: “I’m thinking of starting a podcast. Any tips?”… I’d never experience sadness again.
In fact, you might be here because I sent you the link to this blog post in Threads! And if that’s the case, welcome!
I’ve always wanted to have one blog post I could link with all my best tips for starting a podcast in one place.
(Because my answer in Threads would certainly exceed the character limit.)
So here they are…
My Best Tips for Starting a Podcast (In No Particular Order)
1. Make sure your idea is broad enough to generate endless episode topics but specific enough to be interesting
Your podcast concept has to be more specific and enticing than “a podcast where I interview business owners,” but also not so specific that you put yourself in a tiny box and run out of episode topic ideas.
I would go into more detail about this one, but I have an excellent freebie called The Podcast Starter about exactly this!
2. Batch more episodes than you think you need
Before even announcing your podcast, spend some time planning, outlining, recording, and even editing episodes! It’s so unbelievably worth it to start your podcast with an arsenal of ready-to-go episodes.
Your stress will drop dramatically, and you will find yourself in a much better place to be consistent from that point forward.
Pro tip 1: Publish a podcast trailer 1-2 weeks before your launch date so you can start generating hype, give people somewhere to follow or subscribe to the podcast early, AND test that there are no issues with your new podcast feed! Pro tip 2: If you can, launch with three episodes at once on Day 1. This gives people a chance to find a topic that interests them, and potentially binge / fall in love with your show.
Out of all my tips for starting a podcast, this is the one hill I will absolutely die on!!! BATCH the hell out of your episodes lol
3. Make things easy for yourself wherever you can, and decide ahead of time how your podcast workflow will fit into your life
If you know you don’t have time for 45-minute weekly episodes with research-heavy outlines or a perpetual line-up of guests, then don’t do that!
Make things easier for yourself by planning shorter episodes, going biweekly or seasonally, balancing solo and guest eps, etc. There are so many things you can do to make your podcast fit your life.
I wrote a blog post with more ideas, in case you need them: How to Build a Sustainable Podcast Workflow That Fits Your Real Life.
4. Don’t start with money or numbers in mind
Unless you already have a huge audience or a ton of money, starting with these results in mind will send you down a guaranteed path to podfade (your podcast dying by episode 3).
Podcasting is a long game, and growth usually takes longer than on other platforms or mediums.
(To get an idea of how many downloads are normal, check out this blog post: How Many Podcast Downloads Should I Be Getting?)
Instead, focus on your WHY. Why do you even want to start a podcast? This should be a deeper reason than just to be famous. Something that doesn’t just rely on external success, which is out of your control.
5. Use Riverside for everything
I still haven’t found another tool that makes everything this easy for new podcasters. With Riverside, you can record, edit, and now host your podcast, all in one place.
You can even generate transcripts and video clips to repurpose for social media. It’s truly an incredible tool, and they’re always working to make it better.
Here’s my affiliate link, if you’re considering it!
6. If you eventually want to record your own ads, though, it’s worth hosting in Captivate from the start
You can still use Riverside for everything else, but when it comes to hosting your podcast, Captivate.fm (also my affiliate link!) is better for you if you’re ever interested in recording and running your own ads in your show.
It lets you dynamically insert and remove them from your episodes. You can even attach a link to your ads so that when you insert the ad, it automatically adds your link to the show notes.
AND you can also track how this link performs so you know how many leads you’re getting from your podcast. It’s amazing!
7. Don’t buy the expensive gear
Instead of spending loads of money on the most sophisticated gear, focus on having good recording practices.
Check for background noise, always do a mic check, use a pop filter if your mic doesn’t have one built-in, record in smaller rooms with soft furnishings, maintain a proper distance between you and the mic (about a hand away), put the mic at an angle instead of directly in front of you, and wear wired, closed-ear headphones.
(Curious what podcasting really costs? Here’s the full breakdown, plus my exact gear recommendations!)
8. Choose your podcast name carefully
First, check that your idea for a podcast name doesn’t already exist because this happens all the time! Search for your podcast name idea in Apple Podcasts before committing to it.
And if you want new people to organically discover your podcast in search bars everywhere, include a good keyword in your podcast name, preferably in the start but not necessarily. One way to do this is by making your keyword go before your actual podcast name like my client Brittany:
Another way is by just creating your actual podcast name around a relevant keyword, like my clients Taylor and Faith:
And one final strategy is to add your keyword after the name, like my client Alex:
Whatever strategy you use, this is one of the best and easiest ways to get your podcast found!
9. Invest in good cover art
Most people aren’t randomly stumbling onto your podcast. They’re already following you on Instagram, reading your website, or on your email list. So your cover art’s job is to stop the scroll and to feel like it belongs with everything else they’ve seen from you. A few tips:
Lean on your existing brand. Your cover will show up tiny, so make it a strong visual statement, and use colors and fonts you can reuse on social posts, banners, and your website.
Don’t put text over your face. If you use your headshot, put the title above and below you, or side by side.
Skip the obvious podcast imagery. No microphones or sound waves!
If you have design abilities, you can do it yourself in Canva, or better yet, pay a graphic designer to do it.
It’s a one-time investment that will ensure your podcast looks attractive from Day 1. I recommend Eva from Flying Colours Creative!
Whatever you do, DON’T ASK YOUR AI CHATBOT TO DO IT FOR YOU. I promise it looks ugly and busy, and it’s not gonna be optimized for people to want to click on it when they encounter it in the wild.
10. Don’t suffer through it alone!
The self-paced version of my podcast launch course, Saturday Morning Launch Plan, will teach you every single thing you need to know to launch your podcast so you can stop wasting your time asking the People of Threads for answers, and have a clear roadmap from start to finish!
You can literally join today if you’d like!
Want more tips for starting (or maintaining) a podcast like these? Join my newsletter, Sounds Like Brunch!
Thanks for reading! 🥂
YOUR NEXT READ ↴
I’ll guide you through every single step of bringing your podcast to the table. From crafting a unique concept to creating a hype-generating launch plan, you’ll never feel lost or stuck along the way.
Once your podcast is up and running, I’ll handle all the tasks you dread, so you can reclaim your time and keep your podcast the most joyful and effortless part of your marketing strategy.
Let’s sit down for a coffee and get to know each other.
MEET YOUR FAIRY PODMOTHER
Hi, I’m Adrienne Cruz—Podcast Manager, Launch Strategist, & Creative Collaborator
Step one is creating a super-specific and unique podcast concept.
Grab my freebie "The Podcast Starter" to launch a podcast that stands out from the start!
Want to start a podcast but have no idea where to BEGIN?
