Best Podcast Practices

Have a thorough outline or script for each episode. If you are doing a monologue or interviewing someone else the outline will definitely help the conversation go smoothly but you should also look for ways to make your conversation sound as natural as possible and not overly scripted. This takes time and patience and lots of practice. But, once you learn your cadence as a communicator and practice active listening you will do just fine.

Prepare an Intro & Outro (these can be pre-recorded too!) Intro: An excellent place to introduce yourself, your show, and the purpose of your episode. Outro: Under a minute, can include a summary of your topics, key takeaways from the show, what to expect in the next episode, or a call-to-action for the listeners. This establishes a brand for your podcast while enticing your audience to return for additional episodes.

The most popular beginner editing platform is Audacity, and it is free. For those of you in a Mac, Garage Band works just as well and comes FREE with every Apple computer. 

Write down how you will record, edit, publish and promote your podcast. If you learn to systematize your podcasting process it will become easier to press record.

Do a few trial runs first. Test your format, style, audio quality, and banter before publishing. It will also help you to try recording in different spaces, closet, study room, etc., to find what works best for you.

Account for editing and production time. This will take time your first few recordings. Once you get the hang of adding any necessary sound effects or your intro, outro, and music bed, the rest should come easy. There are several audio editor programs that allow you to automate portions of your final edit.

Create a consistent recording and publishing schedule. Let your audience know when to expect each episode. This builds trust with your listeners. It will also help to find a specific day of the week that you actually do podcast recordings. This allows you to focus intently on creating a great finished product on those days.

Plan on launching with 4-5 finished episodes the more the better – Your exposure will be better if you have multiple episodes for listeners. Most podcasters fade after 7 episodes – it’s called “Pod Fade!” . Don’t be those guys!

Promote, Promote, Promote! Share on social media, word of mouth, and try to connect with other podcasters. Try to promote your episodes before you release them. Learn to build anticipation.

Crafting a custom featured image for each episode is another great way to stand out from the crowd. The image can include the episode’s title, a headshot of a guest, or custom graphics. Canva is great for podcasters who don’t have the budget for professional graphic designers. To cut down on the time needed to do this you can create a few custom image templates and then rotate them between each episode.

Use a tool like Hootsuite, Planoly, or Coschedule to schedule the social media posts for each episode. Aim for 2-3 posts per episode and schedule them for different days, times, etc. to drive people to listen days after the content is published. Check out ASBTDC’s resources for content creation and marketing resources.

Encourage your followers to review/rate your podcast on iTunes/Spotify. This should be a call to action for every podcast episode.

Create a website or dedicated web page for your podcast. Give your podcast a home where people can find episodes.  Make sure it has a strong design and is SEO optimized. Make it easy for people to find and listen to episodes. Provide on-site streaming and links to the podcast in iTunes/Spotify.

Grow an email list. Using basic email marketing techniques can keep you in touch with your audience. It’s also a place for them to get unique value from your brand. Mention the email list in the podcast and consider adding some type of lead magnet to convince someone to give you their email.

Talk about things you’re interested in. Research topic options in a variety of places like relevant forums or online groups that are related to your target audience. Read the comments on your podcast’s social posts or add more color to popular topics from past episodes. Don’t be afraid to ask your fans directly what they want to hear – It’s easy to create polls on Instagram and Twitter. Use your email list and social pages for listener input. Focus on your target audience. Tell lots of stories – Stories are powerful ways to connect with your audience. Help your audience take the next step – You must give your listeners a reason to follow your show, and this means creating actionable podcast content. Ask your listeners questions and report their responses. Podcasting may be a one-way medium, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a little audience participation. Ask open-ended questions and explain how your audience’s answers will be featured in future episodes. Direct them to a central place to collect their responses like in the comment section of your podcast’s website or across your social media channels. Also consider reading any of the ratings and reviews you get on your podcast as well as any testimonial emails you receive. Invite unique experts or guest speakers to your show. Make sure they are relevant, knowledgeable, and entertaining. Interviewing guests is a way to change the pace, tone, and perspective of your podcast, but it’s also a great strategy to share your podcast’s message with new audiences. Tell your audience where to learn more by directing them to your website and social media.

You will need a podcast hosting site. Check out this article on which hosting sites to use. And remember, just because a hosting site is FREE doesn’t make it good. Most hosting providers will submit your RSS feed to the different platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and Google Podcast but you will need to set up individual accounts with these platforms. There are several others to be posted on including TuneIN, iHeart Radio, Pandora, Audible, Overcast, Deezer, Castro, and many more.

iTunes – To share your podcast on iTunes you must have an Apple ID and you will need to sign up for Apple Podcast Connect for FREE. If you want to offer a premium subscription experience you can join Apple Podcasters Program. Cost is $19.99 a month – https://podcasters.apple.com Spotify – To share your podcast on Spotify, you must have a Spotify account. You do need to have a Spotify account to share your podcast on Spotify.  https://podcasters.spotify.com Google Podcast – You will need a Google account. Free: https://podcasts.google.com YouTube – you can even film your podcast and upload it to YouTube. This is free. However, streaming through the platforms above is recommended and more likely to gain more traction.