Every good podcast starts with a concept – what’s yours? Think about who your ideal listener is, what they’re interested in, and what they might already listen to. What can you offer that’s both different and compelling for them? Your concept should serve as the focus for every single episode you produce.

Your next decision? Format. Do you want to do an interview-style podcast with rotating guests? Do you want to have a co-host? Would you prefer to feature just your own thoughts each week – answering client questions, talking about an industry trend, or going over the latest market analysis? Your target audience and concept can help inform your format.

Finally, what’s the framework for each episode? Will you have any recurring segments? Will each episode feature the same intro and closing? How long will each episode generally be?

There are no wrong answers to these questions, but outlining your concept before you get started will help you more easily prepare each episode and build your audience.

A content calendar will help keep you on track as you go. Essentially, this means deciding and documenting how often you’ll publish an episode. Then, figuring out when you’ll record. And, if you’re having guests, booking those guests. This will also help you determine your timeline for editing and finalizing each episode.

In advance of each recording, you’ll want to spend some time outlining the episode. Pull together key points of conversation, questions you want to ask, or supporting materials you may want to reference. A good host comes prepared, which will also help you sound more conversational.

You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment for a podcast. Prioritize finding a high-quality, external microphone. You should also consider getting a pop filter (this helps eliminate “popping” noises when you say certain words). Headphones or earbuds aren’t a requirement, but they’ll help you stay focused, pay more attention to sound quality, and generally make the editing process easier.

Aside from these three things, the location where you record is one of the most important elements in getting good sound quality. Look for someplace quiet (no background noise) – no people, pets, loud appliances, traffic, etc. Think small and soft. A smaller space will make it easier to control your sound. Hard surfaces ricochet sound, so recording in a room with “softer” items (couches, carpet, etc.) can diminish echoes and ambient noise. Recording and editing may seem daunting, but they don’t have to be. You can hire a production company or do it yourself.

Recording and editing software comes in all shapes and sizes, free and paid. Find what works for you and your budget, whether it’s Adobe Audition, GarageBand, Audacity, Pro Tools, or something else. If you’re recording with guests, Zoom or Skype typically work well and are user-friendly to help bypass any technological complications. Then, you can easily export the audio file to your editing software.

Your editing process will largely depend on your skills, coupled with your concept and format. You might want to add “extras,” like music to your recording. Or, you may just want to keep editing simple and identify sections to cut or tighten.

Remember to always give the episode a listen before you publish!

You don’t need a podcast hosting service, but it can make your life easier. The hosting service will help ensure your podcast has a home, an RSS feed. That feed is what streaming services (Spotify, Apple, Amazon, etc.) use to find and share your episodes. So, when you create a new episode, the hosting service will add it to your RSS feed, and then the streaming services will add it to their directories.

Some of the most popular hosting services include Buzzsprout, Captivate, Podbean, bCast, and RSS.com. If you pay for hosting, you’ll often receive extra benefits, like transcription, analytics, advertising integration, and more.

Once you have a few episodes recorded, edited, and ready to go, it’s time to start promoting! You can’t get listeners if they don’t know the podcast exists! Pick your promotional vehicles based on your target audience:

• Leverage Email – Mention the podcast in your firm newsletter or send a dedicated email every time a new episode is available.

• Maximize Your Social Media Presence – Post about the podcast and new episodes via your firm and personal social media platforms.

• Collaborate with Guests – If you feature guests, ask them to promote their episodes! Give them the link to the episode, along with any other extra materials you can provide (audio snippets, images, etc.).

• Establish a Dedicated Webpage – Depending on your target audience, you might want to give your podcast a home on your firm website (or build a separate website), where you can provide “show notes” – details about each episode and links to anything relevant from the conversation (book recommendations, tools, resources, etc.).

Tune Into The Active Advisor Podcast