How to Start a Podcast With No Audience

So you’re thinking about starting a podcast, but you don’t have an audience or any equipment. You also haven’t identified any topics, written any content and haven’t any idea what’s involved in producing a podcast? If that’s you, no problem.

Statistics tell us that podcast audiences tend to be engaged and loyal. And there’s the potential that these loyal listeners will share podcasts with their friends and colleagues. If it’s time to compete for some of that audience this guide will review the overall process of starting a podcast and growing an audience. Starting a podcast isn’t difficult, but there are steps to creating and producing it. Fortunately, we have dedicated apps and tools and software.

Let’s get started . . . 

What is the purpose of a podcast?

What do you hope to accomplish and what is your goal? A podcast, like your newsletter, is a commitment. You need to identify a regular schedule for posting new episodes—weekly is good, but if you can’t do that, do it once every two weeks. Monthly isn’t enough to generate momentum. You know how hard it is to produce a regular newsletter. You finish one and it’s time to start working on your next one. The same will be true of your podcast.

The benefits: Why is everyone starting a podcast?

A podcast allows you to establish yourself as an authority in your niche. By consistently delivering valuable content to your listeners, you position yourself as a trusted source of information. Think of this as your own little soapbox.

Podcasting 101: Choosing a niche

It’s essential to select a niche that aligns with your interests, knowledge, and expertise. This will be driven by industry, of course, but you’ll want to identify a subtopic. Consider the size of the potential audience and the level of competition within that niche. Your niche should strike a balance between being specific enough to attract a dedicated audience but broad enough to have growth potential. You don’t want to paint yourself into a corner. The way to test this: Can you write 500 blogs about this topic? There will be a wide array of subtopics, but if you think you can, then this niche will work for you. If not, keep brainstorming.

How will you identify success?

By the number of people tuning in to your podcast? Will it be when your audience becomes clients? Do you expect to monetize your podcast? If so, describe this process.

Branding: How will you name and package your podcast?

 

Will your podcast be part of your existing branding or will you create a new brand? Will you customize your logo for this effort? Will you come up with a catchy name or just stick with your business branding. You may want to have some fun with this. To think about: There are AI-powered name generators and businesses that focus on name generation. If you have big dreams for this, you may want to invest time and money in this effort.

What will be your podcast format?

Will this be a solo or interview format? If you envision this being a solo format, think about how you can keep this lively for 20 minutes to a half hour or more. If you think you can, then sit down and come up with ten to 20 topics. This will help you decide whether that’s realistic.

I’m doing this on my own marketing as I try to define my niche. But one of the things I had to think about is “can I write 500 blogs about this topic?” Keep asking yourself this question as you consider various names and topics for your podcast niche.

Video podcasting

Visuals can help you capture your audience’s attention and make your webinars and podcasts more appealing and memorable. You can use slides, images, graphs, charts, or animations to illustrate your points, show data, or demonstrate a process. Don’t overload your audience with complex visuals, such as infographics, as these can distract them from your message.  Remember that the primary reason audiences tune in to a podcast is for entertainment.

Interactive podcasts

One of the best ways to make your webinars and podcasts more interactive is to invite your audience to participate and contribute to the discussion. You can do this by asking open-ended questions, soliciting feedback, inviting comments, or creating opportunities for peer interaction.

For example, you can use a chat box, a Q&A tool, a survey tool, or a social media platform to collect and respond to your audience’s questions and comments. You can also use breakout rooms, forums, or groups to encourage your audience to interact with each other and share their ideas, experiences, or perspectives. When it comes to interactive podcasts, participation can help you build rapport with your audience, gauge their understanding and interest, and create a sense of community and collaboration.

How to write a podcast script

Crafting a well-written podcast script is essential for delivering a polished and engaging show. While some podcasters prefer to have a more conversational approach, having a script as a foundation can help you stay on track and ensure that you meet your own expectations.

Think about creating your script as a series of storyboards in PowerPoint or MSWord. This will help keep you on track, delivering information in select sound bites rather than rushing through your script.

Outline the main topics and subtopics you want to discuss in each episode. This will serve as a roadmap for your podcast calendar. Add storytelling elements or personal anecdotes to make your content more relatable and memorable.

Make it personal: Put something of yourself into your podcast

Just as with your blogs and articles, put yourself into your podcast. Share an experience or example. Humor and stories can help you make your webinars and podcasts more interactive and enjoyable, as they can add personality, warmth, and relevance to your content.

Interview podcasts

If you’ll be doing interviews, you’ll need to be constantly lining up interview guests. Think about how hard that’s going to be. Mine your friends, colleagues and networking groups. How will you prep your guests and make sure they show up? You may want to do a dress rehearsal to make sure that all of your equipment is working and that your guest is fully prepared. Make sure your guest has a copy of the script or the questions you will be asking.

Production issues

Music, microphones, recording conditions. audio recording and editing, submission to Apple Podcasts (iTunes). Where to record your podcast? You don’t need a recording studio, but you do need a quiet space. Think about a location that has carpeting, curtains and soft furniture to absorb sound. Or it could be an interior office that doesn’t get any traffic. Avoid locations where there will be sirens, whistles and ringing.

Recording your podcast

There are lots of applications out there that have grown along with the popularity of podcasts. I just pulled up libsyn.com and also looked at Podbean. With these tools, you can start a podcast, grow, and make money. Both of these applications walk you through each step of the production process, including monetizing your podcast.

How to market a podcast

What are you doing now to market yourself? Include your podcast in your current marketing efforts. Your newsletter and social media. Add an audio file with a brief sound bite to social media posts. Don’t underestimate the power of coming up with catchy podcast titles. You want to get the attention of your potential audience but avoid clickbait.

Deliver on what you promise. Whom can you include in your initial podcast that will help draw an audience? Think influencer or an industry authority. Create a quick little video of yourself and your first guest recording your podcast and publish to social media sites. Have some fun with this. People go to social media to have fun—podcasts have the same burden of proof, but there’s another level. We also tune in to our favorite podcasts to learn.

Topics to talk about on a podcast

Define your podcast’s purpose, target audience, and goals. This will help you stay focused and ensure that your content resonates with your intended listeners. Start by brainstorming potential podcast topics and consider what sets your podcast apart from others in your niche. Identify your unique selling proposition and craft a compelling podcast concept that will attract and engage your target audience.

How to edit your podcast audio 

• Once you have your script ready, it’s time to start recording your podcast. Invest in a good-quality microphone and find a quiet space where you can record without any interruptions. Speak clearly and confidently and a little more slowly than you might ordinarily speak in conversation.
• After recording, it’s crucial to edit your podcast to enhance its overall quality. Remove background noise, adjust audio levels, and add any music or sound effects. Polish your podcast to create professional quality.

• Download music files from applications like Audio Jungle or Soundtripe. I just reviewed an application called Descript. It edits audio by editing text. It’s pretty amazing, and there’s a free version that you can use for one hour/month. That’s enough to get you started, and the $12/month version gets you ten hours/month.  

How to build a podcast audience

• Post snippets on your social media sites. Share graphics, audiograms, or short video clips that highlight compelling moments from your podcast episodes. As your audience posts comments, respond to those comments, ask questions, and encourage interaction.
• Collaborate with influencers: Partner with social media influencers or other podcasters in your niche to cross-promote each other’s content and reach new audiences.
• Run highly targeted ads. Reach a specific demographic or target audience who may be interested in your podcast.

Are people really listening to podcasts?

• As of 2022, according to the Infinite Dial, 62% of Americans will have listened to a podcast ever in their lives. This is an estimated 177 million Americans and an increase from 57%, the percentage of the same statistic in 2021. 
• From this figure, 38% of Americans listened to a podcast in the last month and 26% in the last week.
• These are large numbers considering Insider Intelligence estimates that only around 424 million people are podcast listeners worldwide.

Who listens to podcasts?

• 50% of monthly U.S. podcast listeners are aged between 12-34, 43% between 35 and 54 years old, and 22% are aged over 55.
• In 2019, around half of monthly podcast listeners had a full-time job(51%), 17% of whom have a household income between $100K-$150K. 28% have a university degree.

What we can draw from this

Based on education and employment stats, regular podcast listeners have purchasing power and interest in products that will make their daily lives easier. From these and other data, you an extrapolate how to monetize your podcast. Knowing that your audience is likely listening to podcasts is where it all starts.

Conclusion

Starting a podcast allows you to share your expertise and knowledge with a global audience. Align your podcast with your brand and your goals. It takes careful planning and commitment to be successful.

• Experiment, refine your content, and adapt to the changing landscape. Stay consistent, provide value to your listeners, and enjoy the journey.
• Be authentic: Let your personality shine through.
• Be prepared: Research your topics thoroughly and come prepared.
• Be a storyteller: Weave stories into your episodes to captivate your listeners.
• Be consistent: Release episodes on a regular schedule to build anticipation and maintain a loyal audience.
• Be interactive: Encourage listener feedback and participation by incorporating Q&A segments or interviews.

Have some fun with this!

Contact Top of Mind Marketing. We’re writers and digital media specialists, 510.292.1843, jpeischel@top-mindmarketing.com