The 8-Step Process We Used to Start a Successful Podcast

When my co-host Julia and I set out to start our podcast in 2021, we massively underestimated the work involved. What started as a casual idea over brunch ballooned into a 6-month planning and production marathon before we even hit publish on that first episode.

But the sweat and late nights recording edits paid off. Twelve months after launch, we landed our first sponsor and absolutely love building a community around a topic we live and breathe.

So for all the aspiring podcasters out there today, we wanted to share the exact 8-step method we followed to design, launch and grow a padcast from scratch.

Key Takeaways on Starting Your Podcast

If we can leave you with a few hard-earned pieces of advice based on our journey taking a podcast from idea to reality, they would be:

• Laser focus your niche and audience persona early – it informs content, promotion and everything else down the line
• Overdevelop show concepts and episodes before launching – bank at least 5 recordings
• Invest in sound quality and polish during editing – especially for first impressions
• Craft branding aesthetics and assets that uniquely stand out
• Leverage existing platforms for distribution then prove out your value, production quality and listener relationships over the first 10 episodes
• Remain focused on nurturing your community vs short term monetization

Step 1: Finding Your Niche and Defining Your Audience

Julia and I met working at a thriving digital marketing agency which ultimately sparked the podcast concept. Given our insider experience helping brands expand online, we decided to create a show unpacking the latest digital strategies for marketers and agencies.

Now importantly, we did not stick to this broad positioning initially. Our early concepting sessions involved some brutally honest conversations about more niche focuses we could own based on our backgrounds and passions within the marketing sphere from video content to SEO tactics to lead gen journeys. We ultimately doubled down on a tight segment – entrepreneurial marketing agencies and solopreneurs.

Defining a tight audience and niche may seem counterintuitive, but it helps you ideate more valuable content, empathize more authentically on listener challenges, and frankly promote your show more precisely. After some initial surveys with people in our networks, we felt confident a podcast guiding agency owners through growing and scaling their business could fill a major gap while aligning to our expertise.

Some key questions to ask when finding your niche include:

• What topics and communities are you genuinely fascinated by?
• Does your background give you unique insights to share on specific subtopics?
• Are there unfilled gaps among existing content related spaces?
• Who beyond your closest circle resonates with your interests and perspective?

Once your niche is crystallized, expound on the details of your target listener. Truly put yourselves in their shoes. Our listener “Amanda the Agency Owner” crystalized for us as a former corporate marketer now running a SMB creative shop, needing to learn strategies around winning clients, managing talent, adopting smart technical tools, and setting her agency up to scale. Building out listener personas this vividly informs everything from branding to episode format and promotion.

Step 2: Planning Content and Format

Now that we had a focused audience and niche, Julia and I brainstormed nearly 40 potential episode ideas that would provide the most value to Amanda the Agency Owner. We assessed topics already satiated online versus gaps needing to be filled. From SEO to financial management best practices, the shortlist became immense.

This abundance of content inspiration allowed us to storyboard 25 episodes worth of themes and an editorial calendar to see the scope of Season 1. An arc emerged across foundational learnings about optimizing agency operations to later episodes on expansion. We slotted interview-based installments around scaling, tool stacks, hiring and culture next to solocasts unpacking financial models, retention, positioning against competitors and more.

In terms of format, we opted for a fluid mix of solocasts, interviews with in-the-trenches industry experts, and “mailbag episodes” answering listener questions – all glued together by our personal experiences for color. This diversity of formats would help sustain interest while ensuring we always circled discussions back to the agency owner lens.

Always maintain a running list of content ideas, but map out at least 10-20 episodes worth of themes as you strategize format. This allows you to string together a sensible narrative arc rather than operating week-to-week. Pack your initial release schedule with unique topics and meaty value before thinking about an ongoing cadence.

Step 3: Setting Up the Technical Aspects

Now on to the less sexy but equally crucial gear and technical considerations.

To determine essential equipment you’ll actually require, inventory your available resources first. For us, it came down to managing a total podcasting budget of roughly $2000 give or take. Through extensive YouTube crash courses and blog scans, we chose:

• Microphones: After much agonizing, we splurged on a mid-range Rode Podmic set with pop filters ($230).
• Audio interface: Focusrite Scarlett Solo to connect the Podmics into Julia’s PC laptop ($120).
• Headphones: Closed back Sony MDR-7506 headphones offer great noise isolation for tracking episodes along with Zoom calls ($130).
• Recording software: Squadcast has a free call recording tier optimized for podcasts ($0). Julia takes local backup recordings as well just in case.
• Editing software: Descript offers beefed up editing functionality including transcription assistance and reusable clips ($20/month). 100% worth it for newbies.
• Hosting platform:Captivate.fm has an affordable growth plan with ample storage and unlimited uploads ($20/month).

Beyond basic gear, take the time to soundproof your recording space even using simple improvements like moving the mic away from computer fans and ambient noises. For editing and sound mixing novices like us, use templates plus trial and error. Edit the first 3 episodes completely before publicizing anything. First impressions around sound quality make or break listener retention.

Step 4: Recording Your First Episode

With our shiny new mics and makeshift at-home studio setups ready, we had to actually sit down and record a real episode. This meant outlining our premiere release in gory detail including the opening hook, talking points, stories we wanted to weave in, concluding key takeaways everything in between.

Scripts might feel formulaic but eliminate any um’s and awkward pauses especially as you find your rhythm together on mic. Encourage organic banter and conversations to emerge from the outline during recording rather than rigid line reads.

Bookending the episode smoothly posed early challenges for us. How do you start strong reeling someone in yet personably set context and your backstories? How do you wrap everything up impactfully? Script drafts and practice rounds resolved our flow. Ultimately your intro should establish framing and tone for the recurring show while closings should reinforce value delivered and calls to action.

We recorded our welcome episode completely and then came back the next week to assess with fresh ears. Don’t expect initial takes to be flawless. Refinement requires multiple recording attempts not just for flow but also catching any disjointed points. We ended up fully re-recording our premiere episode after the initial editing pass since we knew first impressions disproportionately influence subscriber growth.

Put in the sweat equity on recording and editing round after round. Set the habit upfront of listening back with a critical ear before calling anything final. The technical polish goes incredibly far in engendering excitement and perceived authority out the gates.

Step 5: Editing and Post-Production

After you record an episode (or segments in batches), editing and refinement rounds represent some of the most pivotal yet invisible work you’ll put in.

We made every mistake from inconsistent volume levels between segments to distracting lip smacks to dead air dragging on a beat too long. Descript’s editing features including noise reduction, compression, and clipping sorted out our amateur sound mixing attempts. We also added engaging music beds under intros and outros bookending each episode.

Learn keyboard shortcuts to breeze through edits rather than clunky menus. Batch edit groups of episodes at once to improve efficiencies. Factor in ample time for incorporating feedback from unbiased ears of friends and colleagues. You want to catch as many issues as possible before publishing.

Aim to have 3 fully edited episodes banked before launching so you have wiggle room if life delays production. Build in systems for incorporating listener feedback into future content upgrades quickly as well.

Step 6: Creating a Brand and Online Presence

With episodes in the can, we shifted our attention to visually branding and introducing Marketing Mavericks to the world through web and social channels.

Design exercises helped us identify the core ethos of the show and aesthetics that would resonate with our personas. Inspiration from competing podcasts showed just how crowded and noisy the marketing space had become. We settled on a vintage circus theme that connoted the showmanship, creativity and scrappy entrepreneurial energy we wanted to champion. Vibrant color schemes, bold typography and striking graphics came together to compose our logo and complementary imagery.

For our website built on Squarespace, we chose ultra clear navigation highlighting the value we offer target agencies: Sensemaking on Growth Challenges, Optimizing Operations, Scaling Strategy. Sections like “Our Origin Story” and restraint from overt self-promotion kept the focus on serving listener needs vs just broadcasting our voices.

Step 7: Launching Your Podcast

With our content pipeline established, visual assets ready for promotion, and equipping our site with useful resources for visitors, we felt ready to officially launch our podcast!

Now “launching” holds an Arc de Triomphe level of glory in our minds as content creators. But unveiling your show across platforms and plugging into algorithms driving discovery represents slight tweaks rather than instant overnight traction. Key moves included:

• Submitting our feed into all major podcast platforms for indexing – Apple Podcasts being most crucial but also Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher etc.
• Activating auto-posting of new releases across our social profiles.
• Coordinating a launch announcement to our established communities asking for sharing and subscriptions. This helped crack into those initial coveted reviews.
• Exploring relevant hashtags and niche online groups to engage around our early content.
• Locking in our regular release cadence and drumming up future guest stars to sustain intrigue.

Monitor analytics dashboards closely across the first 10 episodes to deduce what resonates and where bottlenecks emerge around consumption, sharing or buzz. Accelerate promotion where traction glimmers and apply course corrections if needed.

While anxiously obsessing over downloads is normal initially, remember meaningful growth accumulates steadily as people discover and bond with your show over longer horizons. Have patience.

Step 6: Creating a Brand and Online Presence

With episodes in the can, we shifted our attention to visually branding and introducing our podcast to the world through web and social channels.

Design exercises helped us identify the core ethos of the show and aesthetics that would resonate with our personas. Inspiration from competing podcasts showed just how crowded and noisy the marketing space had become. We settled on a vintage circus theme that connoted the showmanship, creativity and scrappy entrepreneurial energy we wanted to champion. Vibrant color schemes, bold typography and striking graphics came together to compose our logo and complementary imagery.

For our website built on Squarespace, we chose ultra clear navigation highlighting the value we offer target agencies: Sensemaking on Growth Challenges, Optimizing Operations, Scaling Strategy. Sections like “Our Origin Story” and restraint from overt self-promotion kept the focus on serving listener needs vs just broadcasting our voices.

Step 7: Launching Your Podcast

With our content pipeline established, visual assets ready for promotion, and equipping our site with useful resources for visitors, we felt ready to officially launch our podcast!

Now “launching” holds an Arc de Triomphe level of glory in our minds as content creators. But unveiling your show across platforms and plugging into algorithms driving discovery represents slight tweaks rather than instant overnight traction. Key moves included:

• Submitting our feed into all major podcast platforms for indexing – Apple Podcasts being most crucial but also Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher etc.
• Activating auto-posting of new releases across our social profiles.
• Coordinating a launch announcement to our established communities asking for sharing and subscriptions. This helped crack into those initial coveted reviews.
• Exploring relevant hashtags and niche online groups to engage around our early content.
• Locking in our regular release cadence and drumming up future guest stars to sustain intrigue.

Monitor analytics dashboards closely across the first 10 episodes to deduce what resonates and where bottlenecks emerge around consumption, sharing or buzz. Accelerate promotion where traction glimmers and apply course corrections if needed.

Step 8: Growth and Monetization Strategies

While anxiously obsessing over downloads is normal initially, remember meaningful growth accumulates steadily as people discover and bond with your show over longer horizons. Have patience.

That said, a launch sets the tempo so put effort into consistent releases on social channels, guest appearances that expose your show to new pockets of listeners, timing email blasts around fresh content to nudge downloads upward over time.

Pitching sponsors proved daunting until we circulated some early episodes demonstrating our polish and commitment. Secure advertisers aligned to your niche so endorsements feel authentic rather than interruptive to the experience.

Consider patronage models like Patreon, value-added membership bonuses, or ancillary services like workshops and communities that superfans would invest in to deepen their journey with your brand.

While monetizing creativity begins awkwardly, know your worth and remain focused on nurturing connection over short term financial pressures. Trust that making incredible content facilitates opportunities eventually.

In Conclusion…

If you feel you have a distinctive voice to bring to the podcasting landscape – now is the time to take the leap! Granted the path involves late night edits, promotion hustles and plenty of trial and error. But the personal and professional rewards of tackling a passion project outweighed every growing pain for us over the past year launching our podcast.

Hopefully this transparent look at our methodology, choices and insights around producing a professional podcast equip you to develop your show strategically. Now have the courage to get started! Press record on that first episode and find your footing with each release. We can’t wait to add your podcast into our subscriptions when you make your big debut!

*Names have been changed in this case study