How to start a podcast.
By Darcy Milne
Darcy is the founder and head of production at Pro Podcast.
He is also an award-winning producer, taking home the title of ‘podcast audio producer of the year’ and ‘best achievement in production’
Responsible for shaping the sound of national radio shows, he established Pro Podcast in 2016 to offer the same level of expertise to podcasters cost-effectively.
Now, he and the team have produced 300+ podcast series for the biggest names in business and media, including LinkedIn, The Oscars, Realestate.com.au, Gavin Rubinstein, Logan Paul and more.
Are you thinking about starting a podcast?
With 9 in 10 Aussies aware of podcasting and 1 in 3 listening weekly, now is a great time to build your podcast and connect with your audience meaningfully and engagingly.
Pro Podcast is a production company that can help execute the production of your podcast with an expert team, services and support for every step of the way.
Having produced 300 podcast series to date, there are plenty of insights we would love to share with you! Here’s our guide on starting your podcast.
Step 1. Planning your podcast.
You want to develop a plan for your podcast and identify the goals, content strategy and structure.
Chances are you have a rough idea of what you want to talk about.
But it’s essential from the beginning to articulate why you are doing a podcast.
This may include Networking, Education, Content Creation, Brand awareness, Lead generation, Community building, Content creation, Thought leadership, Storytelling or simply Personal expression.
Who is the audience you want to reach? And be specific, are they business-minded individuals from 28+ who live in Sydney? Is it a national audience or an international communication strategy?
Lastly, what’s the best outcome if you can reach that audience, and how will you know if it’s impacted you or your business?
I love being able to talk this through with people everyday, so if you want to have a conversation about your idea and the next steps, schedule a time to chat.
At Pro podcast, we provide detailed planning sessions and ongoing support for all of our clients.
These are the things you can start to consider, though:
FORMAT
Then, you want to select the correct format for your show.
Here are some examples of standard podcast formats:
Solo show: In this format, a single host presents the content and discusses various topics.
Interview show: The host interviews guests and discusses a specific topic or theme in this format.
Roundtable discussion: People discuss a specific topic or theme in this format.
Narrative: The podcast tells a story or follows a specific plot in this format.
News: The podcast covers current events and news stories on time.
As well as a frequency. Weekly is ideal for building an audience and momentum, fortnightly if you are time-poor and monthly if you want to prioritise, offering an incredibly impactful episode.
For length, we recommend recording for 60 minutes and then editing it down to the best 30-45-minute presentation for you and your guest.
Next, you want to focus on the first six episodes and create a draft plan for the topics or guests you want.
The start of episode one should have an introduction from you, telling your audience who you are and what the podcast will be about. Then, you should move straight into your content, which may include talking directly to your audience or with a guest.
STRUCTURE
The structure of a podcast refers to how the content is organised and presented within each episode. A clear structure can help make your podcast more engaging and easier for listeners to follow.
Your structure may include:
Acknowledgment of Country.
A produced Intro with music, voice-over and sound effects.
Verbal Introduction: A brief introduction to the episode, including the title and a summary of the topics covered.
Segments: The main body of the episode can be divided into several segments, each covering a specific topic or theme, or you may have different segments like fast-five, listener questions, and the critical three.
Verbal Outro: A conclusion to your episode that can summarise the key takeaways for the audience.
Produced Outro: Reprise of your show theme, with voice-over directing people where they should go next.
Overall, the structure you choose can have a significant impact on the flow and pacing of your podcast, as well as its appeal to listeners.
What comes next?
Here are the five steps for creating a great podcast.
Stage 01 | Planning
Reaching your podcasting goals starts with a carefully considered plan.
From here, consider what level of involvement you would like from us.
Stage 02 | Design
We ensure you attract the right audience with custom-designed podcast artwork and an intro and outro package that sets your series's tone, intention and context.
Podcast Intro & Outro
A podcast intro and outro is the first place to start.
This is the first thing your audience will hear, and it will inform them what the show is about, who the host is and key details you may want to include (like your business)
The outro helps guide your audience on where they should go next, like your website and should ask them to leave a review or subscribe if they enjoyed the free content. This will help others find the podcast.
DIY Approach: Buy a piece of music from https://www.premiumbeat.com/ and have a go at crafting your intro and outro.
Pro Podcast Approach: We love producing intro and outro packages that immediately establish you as a great podcast. This is ideal for anyone who wants assistance with scriptwriting and idea generation, help you to voice it or the ability to choose a voiceover from our team, premium music and sound effects and the creation of multiple versions for you to choose from.
Plus, for all of our products, you’ll receive access to our VIP Production Portal, which as examples and guides you on everything you need to know: propodcastproduction.com/vip
Podcast Artwork
The next step is to work on your podcast artwork, which is the graphic displayed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google, and people will see this before choosing to listen to your podcast.
DIY Approach: At Pro Podcast we love https://www.canva.com/ a simple, free online graphic design tool that has podcast artwork templates available. If you have a graphic designer who can also create this for you, just ensure the specifications are 3000x3000 pixels and Jpeg under 500 mb.
Pro Podcast Approach: Our graphic designer can design your podcast artwork based on your brief. This includes bespoke design concepts based on the initial questionnaire and unlimited revisions to ensure we get it exactly right for you.
Examples
Stage 03 | Recording
The quality of the audio and video content you capture directly represents your personal and professional brand and the brand of those participating in the medium.
You can record your podcasts on-location, online, in-studio or a combination of all three.
DIY Approach: If you want to record yourself, gone are the days of spending thousands of dollars to get a good result. For approximately $222, you can get industry-leading equipment to record from home. Here are my recommendations. Once you have your equipment, you can do a test session with us, and we can show you how to use it.
(You don’t have to be tech-savvy at all)
Rode NT USB - A great microphone that will capture clear audio.
Rode DS1 Microphone Stand - You’ll need this to ensure your mic is at the right height.
Wired headphones like Apple Headphones. - Simple headphones are all that’s required.
USB to USB-C adapter - if your computer doesn’t have a USB Port, you’ll need this adapter for your microphone.
Software
The recommended Rode microphone comes with free recording software.
To connect with your guests if they are virtual, we recommend Riverside.fm - This allows you to capture audio and video easily.
Pro Podcast Approach: If you would like the audio quality of your podcast to match the quality of your brand or business, that’s where recording with experts and broadcast quality equipment is the best way to go. This will give you full support on the day, access to studio equipment and the confidence knowing you have to focus on the content (and not worrying about if you have hit record or not)
Stage 04 | Editing
Once your podcast is recorded, it’s time to edit the episode. You then want to create a premium listening experience that attracts and retains an audience.
There’s a lot that happens under the umbrella of editing. This can include removing ums, ahhs and mistakes, re-arranging content to present the best content, mixing in your intro and outro, removing background noise, and mixing and mastering to ensure all of your audio levels are correct and the listener has a great experience.
This is achieved by seamlessly integrating your intro, outro and music between podcast sections. Second-by-second editing to remove um’s, ahhs and mistakes. Refining content to ensure the best story is told. Audio mixing and mastering to ensure all levels remain consistent for your audience and facilitating revisions from all key stakeholders.
Then, creating compelling video highlights that can be shared online is the fastest and most cost-effective way to attract people to your podcast.
You should choose which type of editing you prefer:
Simple Edit.
A simple mix and master of your podcast to ensure all levels are consistent and your podcast sounds excellent. Intro & outro will be mixed in, background noise removed and simple mixing and mastering to ensure your levels are correct. This service is for those who have the time to review each episode to check for mistakes the host or guest may have made.
Professional Edit.
Second-by-second edit of your podcast to ensure continuity, flow and removal of any mistakes as well as complete mixing and mastering.
This service is for those who want to sound their best in the podcast medium and want us as audio experts to go through the entirety of your podcast removing all mistakes, making fine edits and delivering a ready-to-go episode.
DIY Approach: Audacity is a free editing program that allows you to edit your audio.
The simple edit, on average, would take 30-60 mins to complete on your own, and the professional edit can take 3-4 hrs.
Pro Podcast Approach: We offer both simple and professional editing for those who would prefer a professional audio producer to look after this process for you. With this, our editor brings their experience to your project, ensuring that the best content is crafted and presented to your audience and that your series maintains a high standard across all episodes. As the podcast audio producer of the year winner, we take great pride in what we do.
Plus, we offer video editing and social media highlight creation.
Stage 05 | Publishing
Creating a podcast channel involves selecting a publishing host (where your audio lives online) and distributing this to Spotify, Apple, Google and Amazon Podcasts.
Data and Analytics will then be generated, and Amplification is the strategy, both paid and organic, to increase the listenership and reach of the podcast.
DIY Approach: Spotify for Podcasters offers hosting and guides on how to do this yourself.
Pro Podcast Approach: We can set up your podcast channel on your behalf, which includes looking after all of the technical aspects and ensuring everything is set up correctly. We then submit this on your behalf to Apple, Spotify and Google, and once complete, you get full access to your podcast channel so you can see stats, etc.
If you don’t want to worry about scheduling your episodes each time, we can also manage this for you.
Next Steps
It’s time to make your podcast a reality. Whilst there’s work to be done, it’s a fun, fulfilling process and a medium I love because of its ability to connect and reach humans in a way that is easily accessible and on demand. This provides the perfect way to share your message.
From here:
Choose if you want an intro and outro package + artwork.
Choose how you’ll record your podcast.
Choose how you’ll edit your podcast.
Choose how you will publish your podcast.
If you would like to work with Pro Podcast for any part of your podcast, don’t hesitate to contact darcy@propodcast.com.au or book a time to chat here.
How to pitch podcast guests
There's a world of people out there who would love to come on your podcast.
Why? Because we're human, and humans love talking about themselves or their passion.
So when it comes to pitching guests - the skies are the limit if you approach it the right way.
It should be personal, clear and authentic.
Here's an example of when I pitched an executive from Spotify for an upcoming podcast.
Have a read, and then we will break it down.
________________
Hey Leah,
I'm Darcy from Podcast Podcast,
We are about to launch "The Podcast for Podcasters" to help creators on their journey.
I would love for you to be a special guest, and we could talk about what you covered at REMIX for those who missed it, including:
The exponential growth of podcasts.
How to captivate audiences across various genres and niches
The ability to connect authentically.
The role audio plays in building a community.
As well as;
What's important when producing a new podcast series?
How to make content resonate with the audience.
What works and what doesn't in the podcast space?
Spotify's ability to support creators and what that looks like.
It's 30-45 mins tops, professionally produced, and we'll provide you with video highlights and behind-the-scenes photos afterward that you're free to use (Plus a box of Dr Doughnuts). We will also be sharing this across our platforms.
If you're keen, I would love to have you on, and you can pick a time here.
Otherwise, if you don't have the bandwidth at the moment, no problem at all.
Cheers!
___________________
So, the truth is, I was SO nervous about writing this email.
This is someone I admire in the industry; it would be a dream guest, and I was out of my comfort zone.
But I used what I know:
People need to know your why before they can buy into the what. So I put that front and centre: The Podcast for Podcasters is to help creators on their journey.
It has to be personal. People are quickly deciding if this email is a template being sent to everyone, if it’s spam, or an actual request. So in this instance, I read Leah's LinkedIn posts and noticed that she recently spoke at a conference that I couldn't attend. I then found the schedule for that conference online, and what she was slated to talk about, and 10-15 minutes of research allowed me to start this email in the most personal way possible.
Show what you want to talk about. Avoid listing every question, but giving someone a general overview allows them to consider if they can actually come on the podcast and confidently speak.
Time Commitment. It's also important to be clear on how much time this will take from their schedule.
Value. What's in it for them? In this case, we talked about the photo and video assets they will have access to. This is important because people are always thinking about what content they can put up on their own channels, so this is highly valuable. Plus, I decided to have some fun. In Sydney, Dr Dough is loved, as it features six of the most delicious doughnuts you've had in your life. So I send a box to each guest who has participated.
How can they say yes? You've written a great email, made it personal, and it's clear - but how do we take the hassle out of them saying yes? We want to take out the back and forth of suggested times, dates etc. so I set up a simple calendly link that links to my calendar and allows them to pick a time that works for them.
Plus: Give them an out. It's also important from a relationship perspective to allow them to say no, so adding this was important to me: Otherwise, if you don't have the bandwidth at the moment, no problem at all.
It won't always be a yes, but in this case, IT WAS!!!
I was over the moon and hope this template helps you get some great guests on your podcast.
Need help finding guests?
Here's a tip - for every podcast, there's an email linked to it.
Listennotes gives you a two-day trial, and allows you to search and see the email for any podcast.
Podcasters already have mics and love the format, so this is a great way to connect with other people in your space.
I hope this helps!
Need more support? email darcy@propodcast.com.au anytime.
How to grow your audience.
How to grow your audience
Since 2016, I've been helping people build, launch and grow their podcast series. The biggest question after launching a podcast is - "how do I get more listens?"
You are not alone, and it's an important question to answer as any podcaster with purpose naturally wants to have a real impact.
The great part about assisting 300 people and worldwide companies in this process is that I can see directly what can be helpful for you.
Darcy Milne, Founder of Pro Podcast
Start with your audience.
They already love you, and asking them to share your podcast is one thing, but incentivising them to share it is even better.
Create a giveaway for anyone who shares the podcast online. The prize? It may be a consultation with you, a gift voucher or a bottle of wine. I've seen this simple trick engage and motivate an existing audience to share with a new audience.
The Network Effect
One great thing about having a podcast is being able to have guests. This allows you to purposefully seek out people with an existing following, interview them, and then have them share the conversation with their network.
Making it simple for them to share, such as by tagging them in Instagram Stories, is the easiest way to repost it for their audience.
Stand out on socials.
When I discover a new podcast, I usually see a short video highlight online first. Recording and sharing content online is now straightforward, and technology can assist with design, writing, and editing.
Here are my recommended tools.
Headliner (Free) - an excellent way for you to create shareable content for your podcast series.
Canva (Free) create episodes and social media tiles for your podcast. (Search podcasts in the templates section)
Riverside. fm (Paid) Capture audio and video content and then easily create and share clips.
swellai.com (Paid) - A Game. Changer. Drag and drop your audio, and this will create podcast titles and descriptions and write social posts for you.
Share content in the right place.
You don't need to post about your podcast everywhere.
Not only is this exhausting, it's not effective.
Spend 30 days posting on all platforms and then stick to the top two most effective platforms for you and your auidence.
Try TikTok and Instagram Reels for broader reach, as we are having great success here.
Plus, note that highlight snippets work better than full YouTube videos.
Share your podcast with publications.
Podnews (Free) - Share your new podcast series or a milestone with Podnews. With 30,000 readers online, it's a great way to reach new people, and we've been featured many times simply by emailing them.
Submit it for editorial consideration.
Spotify and Apple "New & Noteworthy" Submission (Free) - People looking for new podcasts often go to the "New & Noteworthy" section of the app and see what podcasts are featured. Those podcasts got featured by clicking the links and filling out a submission. It's not a guarantee, but it's well worth doing.
Create a podcast commercial campaign.
Spotify's Ad Studio: Spotify's self-serve advertising platform helps you create a commercial promoting your podcast and then advertise that to your ideal audience. You can select age, gender and location, making this specific.
This is great for brand awareness as $1,250 can get up to 225,000 impressions on the ad (not your podcast), with the goal for those who hear your ad to click on the pop-up banner to your podcast. Click-through rates vary (Reach out to us for more info)
Headliner Advertising: When people create free shareable content with Headliner, they listen to a podcast commercial. Via their advertising platform, you make it your podcast that they listen to, and this (unlike Spotify advertising) counts as a direct listen and starts at 25c/listen. (Reach out to us for more info)
Email Marketing
Develop an email newsletter to keep your audience engaged between episodes. Share behind-the-scenes content, episode previews, or additional resources related to your podcast topics. Include calls to action encouraging readers to listen to the latest episodes or share with their networks.
Podcast SEO
otter.ai is excellent for generating a transcript of your podcast.
You can then put this transcript on your website, so when people search online for content related to your podcast, it may be displayed to them.
Collaborate with Other Podcasters
Reach out for cross-promotion opportunities with podcasters in similar niches. You can guest on each other's shows or mention each other's podcasts. This can expose your podcast to a new audience that enjoys identical content.
Listennotes paid account allows you to search and email other podcasts.
Podcasting is an exciting journey, and from little things - big things grow.
For more support, information, or guidance, send me an email darcy@propodcast.com.au
Darcy Milne is the founder of Pro Podcast