Learn how to Begin a Podcast (and Make it Profitable) in 2024

Podcasts are a preferred media format that’s rising quickly. Throughout final 12 months alone, 220,786 new podcasts have been launched, which is a 9% enhance since 2022.

Nevertheless, many learners discover it technically difficult to start out a podcast.

There’s an excessive amount of details about internet hosting media information, shopping for gear, and recording good-quality audio. It is sufficient to overwhelm and discourage customers who’re much less tech-savvy.

Right here, we’ll attempt to make it straightforward for you by exhibiting you how one can begin a podcast, step-by-step. We can even present you how one can begin selling your podcast and, extra importantly, how one can monetize and switch it right into a worthwhile enterprise.

Right here is an overview of every thing that we are going to cowl on this information:

Prepared? Let’s get began.

What Is a Podcast? And How Do Podcasts Work?

A podcast is an episodic sequence of audio information that customers can subscribe to, obtain, and hearken to.

There can be video podcasts, however they’re much less widespread.

On your podcast to work, you might want to have an audio file and an RSS Feed that customers can subscribe to remain up to date and obtain new episodes once they come out.

As a result of WordPress has a built-in RSS feed system for blogs, many podcasters use WordPress as their podcast web site platform.

You’ll be able to join your podcast web site with podcasting apps like iTunes to make it simpler for hundreds of thousands of customers to hear and subscribe. We’ll cowl this later within the article.

Now that you understand what a podcast is and the way it works, let’s check out how one can discover concepts to make a profitable podcast.

Discovering Podcast Subjects and Area of interest

Round 27,557 podcast episodes are printed daily (supply: PodcastIndex).

As a way to compete, you might want to discover the subjects you’ll cowl in your personal podcast.

Listed below are some ideas which will show you how to slim down the subjects and discover your area of interest.

Comply with your ardour – Selecting subjects that excite you’ll show you how to create higher content material that’s participating in your audience as effectively.

Decide a lane – As an alternative of podcasting about random issues, attempt to keep on with subjects inside an outlined topic space. This can show you how to extra shortly set up experience and authority whereas discovering a audience. It would additionally show you how to with monetization and sponsorships sooner or later.

Suppose like your viewers – You’ll be able to construct an viewers persona primarily based on the subjects you select. Who’s your viewers, and what different issues do they like? What are their ache factors that you could deal with in your podcast?

Analysis your competitors – Take a look at what different podcasters in your area of interest are doing. Are you able to construct on that along with your distinctive perspective and voice?

Select your podcast format – Would you love to do interviews, solo commentary, or one thing completely different? Select a format that fits your subject and your strengths.

Now that you’ve made up your thoughts about what you wish to say, let’s check out the issues you will have to make all this occur.

Issues You Have to Set Up Your Podcast

For knowledgeable podcasting setup, there are some things that you’ll want to get began.

The very first thing is an internet site or a weblog the place folks can study extra about you and your podcast.

The second factor is the gear to file your podcast episodes.

Lastly, you might want to have the suitable instruments to publish your podcast on the web so you will get most subscribers and attain.

We’ll stroll you thru the entire course of, step-by-step.

Step 1. Web site Setup: WordPress Internet hosting and Area Identify

A very powerful step in constructing an internet site is to decide on the suitable platform.

We advocate utilizing WordPress.org, often known as self-hosted WordPress, for organising your podcasting web site.

WordPress is free to make use of. You’ll be able to set up plugins, customise your website design, and, most significantly, generate profits out of your website with none restrictions (See the distinction between WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org).

Why We Advocate WordPress:

WordPress is open supply and offers you full management and possession of your podcast content material.

WordPress has hundreds of plugins, that are like apps in your web site. These plugins show you how to join your website to any third-party instrument, service, or fee gateway you want.

WordPress is beginner-friendly, and you’ll arrange your podcast web site with out hiring a developer.

Setting Up WordPress

To get began, you will have a site title and an internet site internet hosting account.

A website title is your web site’s deal with on the web. That is what folks kind to get to your web site. For instance, google.com or wpbeginner.com.

Hosting is your web site’s home on the web. That is the place all of your information and pictures are saved. Each web site wants website hosting.

The everyday price of website hosting is $7.99 per thirty days, and a site title often prices round $14.99 per 12 months.

It is a lot for somebody simply beginning out. Fortunately, Bluehost has agreed to supply our customers a free area title and as much as 61% off on website hosting.

In actual numbers, this implies you can begin your podcasting web site for under $2.75 per thirty days.

We advocate utilizing Bluehost as a result of they’re one of many official WordPress-recommended internet hosting suppliers and one of many largest website hosting companies on the earth.

Different internet hosting firms we advocate: Hostinger ($2.69 /month, free area included) and SiteGround ($2.99/month, free area included).

For extra internet hosting suggestions, see our information on how to decide on the perfect WordPress internet hosting.

After signing up for WordPress internet hosting, you may comply with the directions in our full step-by-step WordPress set up tutorial to get began.

Select a Podcast WordPress Theme

After you have put in WordPress, your web site will use a default WordPress theme. It’s fairly primary, and chances are you’ll wish to change it.

Themes management how the entrance finish of your web site appears to be like to the guests.

Fortunately there are literally thousands of WordPress themes to select from. Nevertheless, not all of them are made particularly for a podcast web site.

Don’t fear. We’ve got obtained you coated there as effectively. Our professional staff has curated a hand-picked checklist of WordPress themes for podcasters.

All themes on this checklist are made particularly for podcasting web sites or are well-suited for podcasting.

Need assistance organising your theme? See our tutorial on how one can set up a WordPress theme.

Step 2. Setting Up a Media Internet hosting Service

The following factor you will have is an efficient media internet hosting service.

Podcast episodes are giant audio information. Serving them out of your internet host will eat plenty of server sources, making your web site sluggish and infrequently unresponsive.

For the perfect consumer expertise, we advocate that you simply use a podcast-specific media internet hosting platform like Blubrry.

Most sensible podcasters use a separate podcast internet hosting service to serve their podcast information. It’s the smartest and best solution to run a podcast.

Why we advocate Blubrry:

Blubrry is optimized for podcasting utilizing WordPress. They provide a strong plugin known as Blubrry PowerPress, which makes it straightforward to handle your podcast from the WordPress website.

It comes with a big consumer neighborhood made up of many profitable podcasters. If you happen to need assistance, be part of the boards to study from others who’ve been podcasting for a very long time.

Blubrry has nice instruments like ID3 tagging, iTunes optimization, computerized media paintings administration, and many others.

They’ve a top-tier content material supply community (CDN), which makes your content material supply quicker and extra dependable.

Step 3. Selecting Correct Podcasting Tools

As your podcast grows, you will have to spend money on new instruments to supply higher-quality podcasts.

As a newbie, an important instrument you want is an efficient microphone.

Please don’t use your laptop’s built-in microphone to file your podcast. Your customers will immediately discover the horrible sound high quality.

There are two fundamental sorts: XLR and USB microphones.

XLR microphones are like skilled cameras. They offer high-quality audio however want an audio interface or mixer to attach them to your laptop. This could be a bit advanced for learners.

USB microphones are like point-and-shoot cameras. They’re straightforward to make use of, and you’ll simply plug them into your laptop and begin recording. They’re nice for learners. Nevertheless, the sound high quality may not be nearly as good as XLR microphones.

We advocate selecting a USB microphone. They’re beginner-friendly and require much less technical data to function.

Nevertheless, in case you are keen to spend additional money and time for higher sound high quality, then select an XLR microphone. That is what {most professional} podcasters use.

There are three fashionable mic selections amongst podcasters.

Samson C01U (USB) – Entry-level Microphone

Røde Podmic (USB) – Greatest USB mic

Heil PR-40 (XLR connection, not USB) – That is what the professionals use. You will want to purchase an audio mixer as effectively.

Right here is another gear that you simply most likely wish to buy: a mic arm, shock mount, and a pop filter.

For WPBeginner’s audio/video setup, we use the Rode Podcaster equipment with a mic arm and shock mount.

Additionally, you will want a good headphone. We’re utilizing Sony MDR7506.

After you have the suitable podcasting gear, you may be prepared for the subsequent step: planning and recording your first podcast episode.

Step 4. Planning Your First Few Podcast Episodes

That you must plan your podcast episodes earlier than you sit right down to file them. There are a number of essential choices that you might want to make.

1. Episode content material

What would be the subjects in your first few episodes? You’ll be able to plan your content material in an orderly style, work on the content material by creating an overview, after which digging into the small print.

2. Size of Episodes

Podcasts might be from 20 minutes to over an hour lengthy. The period of your episodes is dependent upon your content material and viewers.

There are not any strict guidelines in regards to the ideally suited size for a superb podcast episode. Nevertheless, episodes between 20-40 minutes are likely to do higher.

In case you have good content material, then don’t lower it down simply so it could actually match the particular size. Equally, don’t drag content material an excessive amount of with the intention to fill the specified episode size.

3. Supporting Media

Additionally, you will wish to work on intro music, background music, or different sounds chances are you’ll wish to add to your podcast for a dramatic impact.

The next are a number of locations the place you’ll find license-free music and soundtracks to make use of in your podcast episodes or as your theme music. Rigorously evaluation the licensing phrases earlier than utilizing any observe in your podcast:

Free Music Archive

YouTube Audio Library

Free Inventory Music

4. Storyboarding and Scripting

You’ll be able to sit down and file by simply a easy define of your concepts. Nevertheless, this may give your customers the impression that you simply didn’t do your homework.

That you must really sit down and write down the script. This helps you keep centered and makes you sound extra skilled and ready.

You’ll be able to nonetheless go on and communicate off the script through the recording, however having an precise script retains you on observe and ends in better-quality content material.

After spending a while planning your episodes and giving extra thought to your content material, it’s time to file your first podcast.

Step 5. Recording Your First Podcast

To file your podcast, you will have audio recording software program. This software program will show you how to file and edit your audio information.

One of the best podcast recording software program utilized by most podcasters is Audacity. It’s a free, cross-platform, and open-source software program able to recording studio-quality skilled podcasts.

After putting in Audacity, you might want to open it up and create a brand new challenge from the File menu.

To file your voice, merely click on on the file button.

Now, be at liberty to file your podcast. Don’t fear about awkward pauses, breaks, coughing, or any glitches you may make whereas narrating.

You’ll be able to edit the recording as many occasions as you need.

You can too import music information from File » Import and set them as background music.

Audacity is a really highly effective instrument, and it’s not potential for us to even cowl its primary options on this article. Nevertheless, TeamAudacity has an in depth Wiki with detailed tutorials.

We advocate that you simply undergo these tutorials. Changing into acquainted with the software program will take a while, nevertheless it’s price your effort and time.

After you have recorded your podcast, you might want to export it.

Most podcasters export their audio information within the MP3 format as a result of it creates smaller file sizes with good high quality.

You additionally must be sensible about naming your podcast information. Keep in mind, podcasts are episodic sequence, so it could be finest to make use of a naming apply that makes use of an episode or serial quantity within the file title.

Some recommendations could be WPB001.mp3 or WPBep001.mp3.

Then, you might want to save the ultimate model of your podcast file to a separate folder in your laptop.

Step 6. Publishing Your Podcast With WordPress

After you could have created a number of episodes and you’re glad with their high quality, it’s time to discover ways to publish your podcast with WordPress.

You will want to log in to the admin space of your WordPress website.

The very first thing you might want to do is set up and activate the Blubrry PowerPress Podcasting plugin. For extra particulars, see our step-by-step information on how one can set up a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, you will notice a PowerPress menu merchandise within the WordPress admin menu. Clicking on it’ll take you to the plugin’s settings web page.

In case you are utilizing Blubrry to host your podcasting information, then you might want to click on on the ‘Let’s Join’ button to configure the Blubrry statistics and internet hosting companies.

This can deliver up a popup, the place you may be requested to log in to your Blubrry account and provides the plugin permission to entry your account.

Subsequent, you will have to fill out the remainder of the knowledge on the settings web page.

Begin by offering a title in your feed within the ‘Feeds’ tab.

After that, you may add the paintings by switching to the ‘Podcast Paintings’ tab.

This would be the sq. thumbnail displayed subsequent to your podcast in podcast listening apps. Guarantee that it represents your podcast branding.

The remainder of the plugin settings are fairly self-explanatory, and the default choices will work for many customers.

We’ll come again to the Apple iTunes settings later on this article.

Don’t overlook to click on the ‘Save Adjustments’ button to retailer your settings. Your WordPress web site is now able to publish your podcast.

Step 7. Add Media Information to Blubrry

Earlier than you may publish a podcast episode with WordPress, you first have to add the podcast file to your media internet hosting service, Blubrry.

Log in to your Blubrry internet hosting account after which click on on the ‘Set Web site’ choice within the dashboard.

On the subsequent display screen, select ‘I have already got an internet site’.

Beneath that, you need to present the URL of your WordPress web site.

Click on the ‘Save’ button to retailer your modifications.

Subsequent, go to the Episodes » Publish New web page. Right here, merely present a title and outline in your podcast episode.

After that, click on on the ‘Add Episode File’ button to add the podcast episode you recorded earlier.

Beneath that, you may schedule the discharge date and time. This lets you schedule episodes to be launched at a most well-liked time. Not selecting a date and time will make your episode obtainable instantly.

Optionally, you may present a transcript in your episode you probably have one.

As soon as you’re completed, go forward and click on on the ‘Publish’ button to avoid wasting your modifications.

Step 8. Including Your First Podcast in WordPress

Every part is now so as, and you’re prepared so as to add your first podcast in WordPress.

To publish your first podcast, you might want to go to the Posts » Add New web page.

It’s extremely really helpful that you simply create a separate class in your podcast episodes.

This can permit you to preserve your podcast episodes separate from the remainder of your content material. Additionally, you will be capable of publicize your podcast feed extra simply in a while.

After that, you might want to scroll right down to the underside of the web page, and there you will notice the ‘Podcast Episode’ field.

From right here, click on on the ‘Select File’ button to pick out the file you uploaded to Blubrry.

In case your podcast media file is just not hosted on Blubrry, then you may simply paste the media file URL right here. Then, you might want to click on the ‘Confirm’ button to make sure you have put the proper URL.

Now, you might want to scroll again as much as the publish editor part. Give your weblog publish an appropriate title and add an outline for this podcast episode.

After that, you might want to add the PowerPress Participant block to the content material space the place you wish to show the podcast participant.

That’s all. Now you can publish and preview your weblog publish, and you will notice your podcast episode reside with a stupendous participant.

Congratulations, your WordPress podcasting website is able to go reside.

Step 9. Previewing Your Podcast With iTunes

Now that you’ve arrange your podcast web site with WordPress, it’s time to submit your podcast to iTunes and get extra subscribers.

Earlier than submitting it to iTunes, you may wish to test to see how your podcast will look on iTunes. To do that, launch iTunes, go to File » Subscribe to Podcast and enter your feed URL. Your feed URL will appear like this:

http://www.instance.com/feed/podcast

Don’t overlook to exchange instance.com with your personal area title.

When you enter the URL in iTunes, it’ll fetch the feed and show it. As you may see within the screenshot under, it fetched the paintings, description, subtitle, and extra.

If every thing appears to be like good, then this implies you’re able to submit your podcast to iTunes.

Step 10. Submitting Your Podcast to iTunes

To submit your podcast to iTunes, you might want to obtain and set up the most recent model of iTunes in your laptop. Subsequent, launch iTunes and click on on the iTunes Retailer button within the prime proper nook of the display screen.

iTunes will now entry the iTunes Retailer. Click on on the ‘Podcasts’ menu, after which scroll slightly to search out the Podcasts Fast Hyperlinks part. There, you will notice a hyperlink to ‘Submit a podcast’.

This can open the podcast submission course of. You will want an Apple ID to submit your podcast to the iTunes listing. In case you are not already signed in, then iTunes will immediate you to log in.

The very first thing you will have is your podcast feed URL. Your podcast feed URL shall be like this:

http://instance.com/feed/podcast

Don’t overlook to exchange instance.com with your personal area title.

Since you’re utilizing PowerPress, your feed will already embrace the tags required by the iTunes Retailer for podcasts.

Upon submission, your podcast feed shall be submitted to the iTunes evaluation queue. After approval by the iTunes evaluation employees, will probably be added to the iTunes listing, and you may be notified by way of electronic mail.

Podcasting Sources to Assist You Develop

Congratulations on beginning your podcast with WordPress! If you wish to make your podcast profitable, then we advocate you be part of:

Podcasters’ Paradise by John Lee Dumas

John is an efficient pal of ours, and he’s an inspiration for many new podcasters. In only a few years, he has taken his podcast from $0 to 7 determine annual earnings. In case you are pondering of beginning a podcast, then you definitely wish to study from him.

Plus, listed below are some actionable tricks to drive site visitors to your new WordPress website.

Plugin Suggestions to Develop Your Podcast

We advocate putting in some must-have plugins in your WordPress web site to increase its performance and develop your podcast. Listed below are probably the most usually really helpful prime plugins you may set up straight away:

All in One web optimization for WordPress – One of the best WordPress web optimization plugin in the marketplace. It lets you optimize your podcast web site web optimization to get extra free site visitors from engines like google.

RafflePress – One of the best WordPress giveaway plugin that permits you to run viral giveaways in alternate for a podcast subscription, becoming a member of your electronic mail e-newsletter, or following you on social media.

MonsterInsights – When you begin getting listeners to your web site, it would be best to know which episodes they’re listening to or downloading and the place they’re coming from. MonsterInsights is the perfect Google Analytics plugin that permits you to observe all this information.

Making Cash From Your Podcast

It would take plenty of your time and stable dedication to make your podcast profitable. To make all of it sustainable in the long term, you will have to search out methods to monetize your podcast.

We’ve got an in depth information on how one can generate profits on-line utilizing your WordPress weblog. All of the gadgets listed there can be used in your podcasting web site.

The next are a number of the prime methods to generate profits from a podcast.

If you happen to suppose a enterprise would profit from sponsoring your podcast, be at liberty to succeed in out to them to be a sponsor. You’d be stunned how usually this is able to work out for you.

Use internet affiliate marketing to advocate third-party services to your viewers.

Promote your personal services by including an internet retailer to your web site.

Ask subscribers to assist your podcast with donations. You’ll be able to merely add a fee type in your web site the place subscribers could make a small donation.

Make older episodes obtainable just for members. See our information on how one can make a membership web site with WordPress.

We hope this text helped you begin a podcast with WordPress. You might also wish to see our checklist of must-have WordPress plugins for enterprise web sites and our professional picks of the finest WordPress themes for podcasters.

If you happen to appreciated this text, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can too discover us on Twitter and Fb.

The publish Learn how to Begin a Podcast (and Make it Profitable) in 2024 first appeared on WPBeginner.