How you can begin a podcast in 7 easy steps

Jessica Cordova Kramer is the CEO and co-founder of award-winning podcast community Lemonada Media. She can also be the manager producer of 1 Lemonada’s new exhibits Being Trans, a podcast that makes use of a daring new reality-style format to observe the lives of 4 trans individuals in Los Angeles.

“We began Being Trans, as a result of it is one of the crucial misunderstood and sophisticated problems with our time and there was a large curiosity from our viewers,” says Cordova Kramer, “particularly feeling and studying one thing that was not like their very own private expertise and understanding that they have been oftentimes parenting kids who have been having complicated gender questions or buddies or relations.”

For Cordova Kramer, podcasting is a robust medium for exhibits like Being Trans. It could possibly journey with you all through your day, there isn’t any digicam concerned (which permits individuals to open up), and the trail to producing a narrative that feels pressing is way simpler than say, making a documentary. Lastly, the intimacy of audio permits the listener to immersive themselves in another person’s world.

Should you’ve been bitten by the podcast bug, you already know this wholeheartedly. However it may be formidable to get began. Don’t be concerned, Cordova Kramer has some concepts. Since co-founding Lemonada with Stephanie Wittels Wachs in 2019, the community has produced 22 exhibits, so it is secure to say Cordova Kramer is aware of what she’s speaking about. Here is her recommendation on the best way to begin a podcast.

1. Know that your voice issues.

These days it looks as if everybody has a podcast. However Cordova Kramer does not assume that is a nasty factor.

“Everybody says there’s too many podcasts, however there usually are not too many podcasts. There is not any such factor as an excessive amount of content material,” says Cordova Kramer. “Your bizarre quirky factor might be another person’s bizarre, quirky factor. So if you happen to’re obsessed with it, go do it.”

2. You do not really want a lot to get began

It may be intimidating if you happen to’ve seen veteran podcasters recording in a state-of-the-art studio, however nowadays you do not want fancy tools to make a professional-sounding podcast. “There’s merchandise on the market like SoundCloud and Zencastr which might be very easy and accessible,” says Cordova Kramer. “And you are able to do proper out of your laptop computer and discuss to somebody who’s throughout the globe with out tons of pricy tools simply to get a proof of idea going.”

When you get your podcast off the bottom, you possibly can take into consideration investing in good tools. If it is a easy discuss present format you won’t ever want greater than a pc and enhancing software program. “There’s simply numerous methods you may get into the sport fairly shortly.”

3. Maintain the scope manageable.

Do not mistake entering into the sport shortly for overcommitting to a brand new venture that hasn’t been examined but. “I all the time inform individuals to strive it first and see if it has legs for a weekly podcast.” Cordova Kramer suggests making six episodes and see the way it goes. You would possibly discover {that a} weekly tempo is simply too demanding, or get to episode 5 and understand you don’t have anything left to speak about.

“Should you get to episode 5, and you are like, ‘Man, I might discuss this for the remainder of my life,’ nice, do it,” says Cordova Kramer. “However set your self up for fulfillment and never ‘I’m going to do that podcast for the remainder of eternity,’ as a result of you do not know what it is gonna really feel like.”

4. Monetize from the start.

So that you survived making six episodes and also you need to hold going. That is solely half the battle, as a result of now it’s a must to get your podcast on the market. “See if you happen to can associate with somebody who’s interested by the identical message that you’re and see if you happen to can offset the prices of the tools and distributing it ultimately,” says Cordova Kramer.

“It might not be an enormous moneymaker from the beginning, however eager about the way you would possibly monetize it, or not less than offset prices early may help it really feel extra sustainable over time.”

5. Spend money on advertising and marketing.

In an effort to monetize, that you must market your podcast, however in an effort to market your podcast, you want cash. Mainly monetization and advertising and marketing want simultaneous consideration, so it is a bit of a chicken-or-the-egg scenario. However as an alternative of promoting/monetization as competing elements, take into consideration them as a part of the larger goal which is getting individuals to take heed to your podcast.

“We actually take into consideration the whole expertise that somebody may need discovering the present,” says Cordova Kramer. “We take into consideration the artwork, does it make sense? Does the title make sense? Is it going to inform individuals what the present is about? After they click on the artwork? Does the outline make sense? Does it pull them in? What issues is it fixing for individuals? Or what curiosity is it piquing for individuals?”

Different features to consider are episode descriptions for website positioning and the best way to categorize the podcast for discovery. You probably have a comedy podcast, the comedy class is notoriously aggressive, so possibly put it in arts the place it may be discovered extra simply.

6. Assume strategically about promotion timing.

As soon as you have established a rock-solid model id you possibly can promote your present via channels that align along with your pursuits. Cordova Kramer says to reap the benefits of promo instruments on platforms like Apple and Spotify which might be “great and are actually in search of fascinating, numerous content material.”

She additionally recommends eager about thematic instances of the yr. “You probably have a Filipino meals podcast, for instance, Asian American Historical past Month is a good time to attempt to get some promotion,” says Cordova Kramer. “That is in Could, so that you need to begin in March or February to get some curiosity in your present.”

One other technique to promote your present is thru cross promotion with comparable podcasts. Cordova Kramer says it may very well be something from an informal shout-out to an ad-swap, which is a extra formal settlement to play one another’s trailer or excerpt.

Cross promotion is tremendous efficient and is one thing that Cordova Kramer nonetheless makes use of as we speak, as a result of “audio converts to audio,” she says. “Somebody who already listens to podcasts is the almost definitely particular person to go and take heed to a brand new podcast.”

7. Discover your individuals.

The great thing about podcasts is that there are all the time going to be individuals who join along with your bizarre concept and people are those that that you must hunt down. “Discover your individuals, take into consideration your your core listener and exit from there. And simply do not be discouraged. It is a very nice medium, and it is it is very forgiving.”

There are tons of nice assets to assist you in your podcast journey. Listed here are a few of Cordova Kramer’s favorites: