3 Tips about Launching a Kickass Podcast, from My First Million Producers

The pandemic birthed an increase in puppies, planting flowers in Animal Crossing, and podcasts — with 1.1m+ exhibits launched in 2020 alone.

However quickly, the podcast phenomenon plateaued. New podcasts decreased a 12 months later, and in 2022, fell by 80%. 😬

Would you trip this rollercoaster? Be trustworthy. Supply: NiemanLab

Does this imply the podcast prepare has left the station? No extra tickets out there to savvy hosts and sultry voices?

In no way — your podcast simply can’t suck.

Fortunately, podcast geniuses Darren Clarke (govt producer of My First Million) and Kal Elsebai (HubSpot’s senior supervisor of podcast technique) shared their tips about how one can create a killer present. The 2 broke it down into three distinct elements:

Right here’s how one can flip what you are promoting or area of interest passion (ever needed to hearken to 49 minutes of stationary fangirling?) into the following large factor in podcasting:

1. Create the podcast you need to hearken to

When you’re launching a podcast to make a fast buck… assume once more.

As a substitute of discovering a worthwhile area of interest, begin together with your passions. When you can rave a few matter for hours, likelihood is your enthusiasm will come by, and folks pays consideration.

When you’re ranging from scratch, conduct your analysis, determine your area of interest, and determine your distinctive tackle that matter.

“Area of interest down till it hurts,” as Darren lovingly suggests.

Think about the podcast Seaside Too Sandy, Water Too Moist. Because the identify suggests, this broadly fashionable podcast explores probably the most dramatic one-star evaluations ever written. And that’s it. The hosts merely use their cracking wit and high-class Karen’ing to create a distinct segment, comedic podcast.

Keep in mind to ask your self — what is going to listeners take away from tuning in to your podcast? Will they whip out the Notes app? Will they chuckle at your wit all through?

No matter feelings listeners expertise from listening to you, determine the promise your podcast makes to them.

If you have already got an viewers, discover the center level between your ardour and their needs. Ballot your clients, publication subscribers, or social media followers. If potential, get them on a name.

2. Launch with slingshot momentum

Earlier than you launch your podcast into the ether, set it up for achievement:

📅 Determine a sensible cadence. Are you able to produce an episode per week? How about each different week? No matter you select, keep it up.

🎙️ File a number of episodes earlier than launching. That means, you give your self respiratory room to supply future episodes.

🎨 Design compelling podcast artwork. The thumbnail ought to inform a narrative proper out the gate. When a consumer scrolls by exhibits, the artwork ought to inform them what your present delivers.

A mix of cool artwork and funky headshots appears to be the profitable formulation. However you do you! Supply: HubSpot Podcast Community

✏️ Write a handy guide a rough description. Your podcast’s description ought to clarify precisely  who you might be and why they need to pay attention.

📺 Create a trailer that calls for consideration. The trailer in your podcast ought to characteristic the hosts, your matter authority, and what listeners can anticipate — all, ideally, in below a minute.

It’d really feel unusual calling up the mother and father and seeing if they will promote your new mission. However the second your podcast launches, put apart that ego and beg your loved ones and pals to share, share, share.

Why undergo the embarrassment? As a result of launching provides you the chance to construct critical momentum.

Platform algorithms, together with Spotify, favor new exhibits and can promote them greater than older ones. However you solely have ~48 hours to leverage it. So, for the final time, name your mother and father. Please?

Exterior of leveraging your private community, you’ll be able to:

The underside line: Get your face (and voice) on the market!

3. Make financial institution — in due time.

From the beginning, we warned you that podcasting requires some heating up earlier than it will get you that chilly, arduous money. However it’ll come – when you construct up a large viewers. Right here’s how you are able to do simply that:

⭐ Star as a visitor on one other podcast. When you’ve got a connection to different podcasts in your area of interest, attempt reaching out to star as a visitor. This works particularly nicely if you happen to carry a singular perspective, whether or not it’s your experience or expertise in your area.

🎧 Take note of viewership spikes. To construct an viewers, you could create constantly fashionable content material. Discover what resonates together with your listeners by listening to spikes in viewership. Did a sure matter generate an enormous quantity of listens? Create episodes round the same matter.

🤩 Collaborate with influencers. Sure, even in podcasting, influencer advertising may help develop your viewers. Determine fashionable influencers in your area of interest, attain out to them, and see if you may get a partnership with them (e.g., promotional posts, movies, and so forth).

Podcasts generate income utilizing two modes: promoting and subscriptions.

🏢 Introduce ads. “This episode is delivered to you by…” brings in advert income for podcasts. Listeners dedicate nearly an hour of their time to somebody they belief on a subject they love. When hosts advocate services or products, they concentrate.

🙋 Supply exclusives. Podcasts typically supply unique content material to subscribers, resembling behind-the-scenes recordings or bonus episodes. You would file an hour of content material and reserve half of it for subscriber-exclusive content material, for instance.

You may get sponsored promoting in your podcast in quite a few alternative ways, some are simpler (however much less worthwhile) than others. You may:

• Attain out to manufacturers or small companies straight

• Change into an affiliate marketer for Amazon Market, Audible, and others

• Make the most of platform-based promoting, resembling Spotify’s subscription mannequin for his or her podcasts

However monetization occurs in due time. You need to prioritize creating compelling content material and rising your viewers earlier than considering of sponsorships. Few manufacturers pays to promote to a nonexistent, and even small viewers.

Nonetheless, podcasting can flip your information (and delightful voice) right into a long-term funding.