How to Start a Podcast

Podcasting has exploded in popularity, and for good reason. It's intimate, convenient, and incredibly effective for building authority and connecting with your audience. And the barrier to entry? Lower than you think.

You don't need a studio, a production team, or a massive audience to start a podcast. You need a clear concept, basic equipment, and the willingness to hit record. Here's your step-by-step guide to getting started.

Define Your Concept and Audience

Before you buy a microphone, get crystal clear on what your podcast is about and who it's for. What topics will you cover? What makes your perspective unique? Who is your ideal listener, and what will they get from tuning in?

The most successful podcasts occupy a clear niche. "Business advice" is too broad. "Marketing strategies for small service businesses" is specific enough to attract a dedicated audience. Find your angle and own it.

Choose Your Format

Solo episodes, interviews, co-hosted conversations, panel discussions—there are plenty of formats to choose from. Pick one that fits your strengths and your audience's preferences.

Interviews are great for networking and bringing in diverse perspectives. Solo episodes let you deep-dive into topics and showcase your expertise. Co-hosted shows bring energy and banter. You can also mix formats to keep things fresh.

Get the Right (Not Expensive) Equipment

You need three things: a decent microphone, headphones, and recording software. That's it. A USB microphone like the Audio-Technica ATR2100x or the Samson Q2U will give you great audio quality for under $100.

For recording and editing, free tools like Audacity or GarageBand work perfectly well for beginners. If you're doing remote interviews, platforms like Riverside or Zencastr provide high-quality recordings on both ends.

Plan Your First Episodes

Don't launch with just one episode. Record three to five episodes before you go live, so listeners can binge and get hooked. Plan your first several episodes around your strongest topics—the ones you can speak about confidently and that provide immediate value.

Create a simple outline for each episode rather than a full script. You want to sound natural and conversational, not like you're reading a teleprompter. Hit the key points, but let the conversation breathe.

Launch and Distribute

You'll need a podcast hosting platform (like Buzzsprout, Anchor, or Libsyn) to distribute your show to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and other directories. Most hosting platforms make this process simple.

Create eye-catching cover art, write a compelling show description, and optimize your episode titles for discoverability. Then promote your launch across all your channels—social media, email, your website, and personal networks.

Promote and Grow

Launching is just the beginning. Promote every episode on social media with audiograms, quotes, and key takeaways. Ask guests to share with their audiences. Repurpose podcast content into blog posts, videos, and social media content.

Encourage listeners to subscribe, leave reviews, and share episodes. Growth is slow at first—that's normal. Stay consistent, keep improving, and your audience will build over time.

Ready to Hit Record?

Starting a podcast is one of the best investments you can make in your personal or business brand. It positions you as an authority, builds a loyal audience, and creates content you can repurpose across every channel.

Need help with branding, strategy, or content for your podcast? We've helped brands launch and grow their shows from scratch. Let's create something people can't stop listening to.