Making a podcast is the latest and greatest move in the world of media. Many celebrities and non-celebs alike have decided to try podcasting on an array of topics. There are significantly fewer podcasts available than there are blogs, so if you’re thinking of creating your own show, now is definitely the time!

To create a good podcast, don’t skip the planning stage. Get a notebook and start documenting your ideas and thoughts. Firstly, you’ll need to choose what topic your podcast will focus on. Ideally, choose a niche subject that will allow you to expand into a number of episodes. Make sure that it’s not too broad as listeners may be put off.

Choosing a name is an important aspect of planning that can essentially make or break the show. Generally speaking, podcasts are either named after what the show is about or have a name that doesn’t necessarily mean a whole lot. Regardless, the title should actually be broad – broader than the topic itself.

When this is nailed down, start looking at the duration of the show. While many may claim that a certain length is best, you simply need to find what works best for you. It can be 5 minutes or 5 hours. However, just make sure that your podcast isn’t longer than it needs to be. Don’t include yourself going off-topic for 10 minutes just to make up time.

Next, you need to choose what style your podcast will be. Interviewing guests is a popular one, but that doesn’t mean you need to do it. A perk to speaking to people is that it can bring many new listeners. Make it easy for your guests to share the podcast on their platforms by creating pre-written templates and graphics for them.

You can alternatively choose to do the show on your own or even with a co-host. If you can think of someone you know that you’d like to feature on the podcast with you, it can create a very natural, flowing debate. It can also help in terms of splitting work evenly. Just make sure that they are as dedicated as you are.

After this, you’ll need to decide on what format you’re going to follow in your episodes. There are countless sequences you can choose from and breaking it up into segments can make it very easy to share separate parts on social media. Here’s just one example of how to structure the podcast: Teaser, intro music, welcome, ad spot, interview, action call (Subscribe or review) and outro music.

Once the planning stage is complete, you now need to get to preparations together. First of all, the cover art is very important. It’s the initial impression most people will see as they look for podcasts. It will also be what image comes up when they share your podcast on social media. You can create your own art or you can get someone to do it for you.

The next step is to choose your intro music. Again, if you can create your own, then great. However if not, there are many places you can get one. PremiumBeat is a highly recommended choice and it has many different styles to choose from. Google some options and find which is best for you.

A good quality microphone is essential for podcasting. You don’t have to spend a fortune on it either. Again, you’ll need to do some research into what microphone will work best for you and what’s within your budget. If your guests can’t make it in studio with you, there are programmes that can record a group of people at once. One such programme is Squadcast.

The next thing to do is to nail down some guests. Make a “Dream List” of who would be your ideal interviewees and then start reaching out to them. You never know, they may be delighted to join! A lot of people schedule in their guests via email but there are a number of programmes you can use that interviewees can book themselves into a time slot that suits you. This takes out the hassle of going back and forth and rules out potential miscommunication.

After you’ve recorded and edited your podcast, it’s time for the launch. Using a podcast host is important. Make sure to take your time with uploading to get every detail correct in terms of listing your podcast.

Finally, spread the word! Try to build up a listenership by sharing the show on various social media platforms. Follow similar users on designated accounts for the podcasts.