The Basics of Starting a Podcast

So when Stadium Scene's Main Event was in full steam, we put together over 100 episodes telling the stories of people in the world of sports.  Although our show is going to be on hiatus for some time, we still want to share with you some basic tips and tricks for getting your podcast off the ground.

The Absolute Basics

If you plan on just "winging it", your podcast will fail.  Before getting started, you'll need to put together a plan using these absolute basics:

• What's my show's name?
• Do I have any co-hosts? How will I record with my co-host?
• Will we be having guests?  If so, how will we record with the guests?
• What will we discuss on the show?
• How many episodes will we release per month?  What day will we be releasing new episodes?
• Do I have the social media accounts set up?
• How will I market my show?
• Who will host my show? (see below)

These are just the absolute basics you should figure out before committing to a podcast.  Many people fail to realize this and give up after a very short period.  In fact, most podcasts will fail by the 7th episode and if you manage to make it to episode 20, you are in the top 1% of podcasts.  Our good friends, The Loud Americans Discussing Soccer podcast are near episode 300 around the time of this post.  Almost nobody makes it that far and if you do, you're doing something right.

On a side note, unless you have a bottomless advertising budget (most of us don't), almost nobody will listen for at least the first 25 episodes, maybe even 50.  Don't get discouraged by your lack of listens as frustrating as it is.  Use those 50 episodes to develop that chemistry with your co-host and practice so when people start listening, you won't turn your potential listeners away.

Podcast Hosting

When you download your podcast from Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, etc the podcast is not actually stored on those websites.  A different company, known as a podcast host actually holds the master file for the episode and provides a single page using a format known as "RSS" (Really Simple Syndication) to publish on these sites.  We actually use the RSS feed as well to link directly back to your host.  The RSS file is essentially code following a standard format so no matter who is syndicating your podcast, they know exactly how to display it.

Regarding finding a podcast host, we've used a couple and both have their advantages/disadvantages:

Anchor.FM (Beginner)

Anchor.FM is completely free to use and they have a mobile app, tools to easily syndicate your work across multiple podcast syndication networks (Apple, Spotify, etc), and offers a way to introduce you to advertisers based on your listens.  The lack of premium tools and the requirement of your guests downloading the Anchor app turn some people away from this otherwise very solid platform.

Buzzsprout (Advanced)

Buzzsprout is one of the better podcast hosting platforms out there.  They have among the most features available and can introduce you to sponsors or affiliate marketing partners (click a link or use your promo code, get paid a commission).  The only cons are the service does have a subscription fee if you want to turn on some of the advanced features or upload more than two hours' worth of episodes per month.

Summary

Plan, plan, and plan some more.  Outline your shows, outline your episodes.  The more planning you do before heading into episode one, the better off you will be.  Don't get frustrated with your lack of listens initially and use the time to practice and develop your abilities.  Finally, pick a hosting company that fits your needs and your abilities.

In our upcoming posts, we'll be talking about creating logos, and theme music for your podcast.  

Note: Affiliate links are used in this blog post.  By clicking the link and making a purchase, we get a small commission from your purchase.  That commission does not add anything extra to your total, but it does go a long way in helping keep Stadium Scene running.  We thank you for your support.