Are you interested in launching your very own podcast? Are you curious about what a top-quality podcast setup entails? Look no further! Our comprehensive guide will take you through the step-by-step process of starting your podcast with SocialGenix. Discover how podcasts operate, the optimal equipment for podcasting, must-have podcast players, and much more.

No matter your age or technical skill set, you can easily start your own podcast by following the step by step process outlined in this article.

What is Podcasting & How Do Podcasts Work?

A podcast is a series of audio files released in episodes that can be subscribed to, downloaded, and listened to by users.

To enable your podcast to function effectively, you require an audio file and an RSS Feed that allows users to subscribe, receive updates, and download new episodes.

As WordPress has an in-built RSS feed system for blogs, many podcasters prefer to use WordPress as their podcast website platform.

You can make it easier for millions of users to listen and subscribe by linking your podcast website with podcasting apps such as iTunes. We’ll discuss this later in the article.

Now that you’re aware of what a podcast is and how it operates, let’s delve into finding ideas for a successful podcast.

Finding a Niche and Topics for Your Podcast

With numerous podcasts available across various topics, it’s essential to find your niche and determine the topics you will cover in your podcast to stand out.

Knowing your audience and considering what they would find intriguing will help you understand your podcast’s direction. It’s advisable to jot down your thoughts to have a clear idea.

You can narrow down your topics to specific areas, such as a particular music genre, era, region, or artist if your podcast is about music.

Despite popular podcasts already covering similar subjects, you can compete with them by being unique. Your podcast will have your individual insights, style, perspective, and voice, providing a distinct experience for your listeners, and many will enjoy listening.

By thinking about your niche and narrowing down your topics, you can plan your podcast episodes and attract subscribers by adhering to a well-planned content strategy.

Now that you’ve decided on your message, let’s examine what you need to make it happen.

Things You Need to Setup Your Podcast

For a professional podcasting setup, there are a few things that you will need to get started.

The first thing is a website or blog where people can learn more about you and your podcast.

The second thing is the equipment to record your podcast.

Lastly, you need to have the right tools to publish your podcast on the internet, so you can get maximum subscribers and reach.

We will walk you through the whole process step-by-step.

Step 1. Website Setup: Web Hosting and Domain Name

Selecting the appropriate platform is the most crucial step when creating a website. Fortunately, you’re in the right place, and you won’t make any beginner mistakes.

It’s recommended to our hosting services, create your podcasting website.

Then you’ll need a domain name…

Your website’s address on the internet is known as a domain name. For example, google.com or worx.socialgenix.com. Web hosting is where all of your files and images are stored, and it’s where your website resides on the internet. Every website requires web hosting.

At SocialGenix Web Hosting services typically costs $7.99 per month, and a domain name costs around $14.99 per year. This can be a significant expense for someone who’s just starting out. However, at SocialGenix we offer plans starting from $4.99 and you can get a FREE domain name with packages that start at $9.99 per month!

Step 2. Setting up a Media Hosting Service

The next thing you will need is a good media hosting service.

Your podcasts are large audio files. Serving them from your web host will consume a lot of server resources, which will make your website slow and often unresponsive.

For the best user experience, we recommend that you use a podcast-specific media hosting platform like GenixStream.

Most smart podcasters use a separate podcast hosting service to serve their podcast files. It is the smartest and most efficient way to run a podcast.

Here are a few reasons why we recommend GenixStream:

• GenixStream is optimized for podcasting using SonicPanel. They offer powerful cloud-based software which makes it easy to manage your podcast from Anywhere!
• It comes with a large user community consisting of many successful podcasters behind it. If you need help, then join the forums to learn from others who are podcasting for a long time.
• GenixStream comes with great tools like AutoDJ, ID3 tagging, iTunes optimization, automatic media artwork management, etc.
• They have a top-tier content delivery network which makes your content delivery faster and more reliable.

Step 3. Choosing Proper Podcasting Equipment

Samson C01U (USB) – Entry-level Microphone

Rode Podcaster (USB) – Best USB mic that we found. We use it for our WPBeginner videos as well as our List25 Youtube videos.

Heil PR-40 (XLR connection, not USB) – This is what the Pros use. You will need to buy an audio mixer as well.

Other equipment that you probably want to purchase: a mic arm, shock mount, and a pop filter. We purchased the Rode Podcaster kit that came with a Mic Arm and shock mount.

You would also need decent headphones. We’re using Sony MDR7506.

Once you have the right podcasting equipment, you will be ready for the next step: planning and recording the podcast episode.

Step 4. Planning Your First Few Podcast Episodes

Before recording your podcast episodes, it’s crucial to plan them out properly. Here are some important decisions that you need to make:

Episode Content:
What topics will you cover in your initial episodes? It’s best to organize your content in a structured way by creating an outline and then delving into the details.

Episode Length:
The length of your podcast episodes can vary from 20 minutes to over an hour, depending on your content and audience. There are no hard and fast rules about the ideal length of a podcast episode. If you have great content, don’t cut it short to fit into a specific time frame. Likewise, don’t stretch out your content just to fill a longer time slot.

Supporting Media:
You may want to include intro music, background music, or other sounds to add a dramatic effect to your podcast. You can find license-free music and soundtracks at various places, but make sure to review the licensing terms before using any track in your podcast.

4. Storyboarding and Scripting
You can certainly just sit down and record by just looking at a simple outline of your ideas. However, this will give your users the impression that you didn’t do your homework.

You need to actually sit down and write down the script. This helps you stay focused and makes you able to sound more professional and prepared.

You can still go on and speak off the script during the recording, but having an actual script keeps you on track and results in better-quality content.

After spending some time planning your episodes and giving more thought to your content, it is time to record your first podcast.

Step 5. Recording Your First Podcast

To record your podcast, you will need audio recording software. This software will help you record and edit your audio files.

The best podcast recording software which is used by most podcasters is Audacity (For WIN users) or Garageband (For Mac/iOS users). It is a free, cross-platform, and open-source software capable of recording studio-quality professional podcasts.

Now you need to open it up and create a new project from the File menu.

To record your voice, simply click on the record button.

Now feel free to record your podcast. Don’t worry about awkward pauses, breaks, coughing, or any glitches you might make while narrating.

You can edit the recording as many times as you want.

Step 6. To be continued…