Podcasts. It seems like absolutely everyone has one now – and for good reason.

In an age where authenticity (or at least the semblance of it) is king, the direct, unfiltered nature of podcasts is the perfect fit if you want to connect with your audience effectively, personally and quickly.

But when there are so many other podcasts out there, it can seem a little daunting. Where do you start? How can you make your idea stand out from the crowd? And what if you want a podcast but don’t know what you want it to be about yet?

Below, we’ve compiled some top tips to help you kickstart your podcast dreams.

1. Picking the right podcast recording equipment

If your podcast doesn’t sound good then it doesn’t matter how good the content and format are – people simply won’t want to listen. To make sure that you give your podcast the best chance, you need the best equipment your budget can allow for.

A decent microphone is a must-have. Good quality USB microphones are available for under £100 and with some simple EQ tweaks in post-production (see below) can easily produce studio-quality results.

If you’re wanting something more high-end, consider an XLR-based microphone. These operate on phantom power and require an audio interface to use. At Eden Podcasting Services , we use the powerful RODECaster Pro mixing desk, which has 4 microphone inputs plus USB and Bluetooth connections and sound pads to cover all podcasting bases.

Headphones are essential if you’re considering incorporating conference calls over Zoom or Teams into your podcast, to ensure there’s no unwanted echo in your recordings.

And if you want video to be a part of your show, then you’ll need at least one camera – anything from a mobile phone to camcorder will work – and ideally a lighting rig. Ring lights and LED panels can work for a one-person set up; consider softboxes in larger rooms with multiple panellists.

2. Coming up with podcast ideas

At the core of every good podcast is a solid concept. A theme, topic or format that runs throughout each and every episode of your podcast is vital – without it, you run the risk of presenting an unfocused product that confuses your potential audience.

You might already have a topic in mind that you’re an expert in, and that’s great. Speak about what you know, and what you’re truly passionate about. Even if that’s a really niche subject matter, it’s better to focus in on what truly makes you tick. The broader your topic, the harder it will be to stand out and the more competition you’ll have – so the more specific to you and your company/theme/cause/campaign you go, the more chance you have at becoming the leading voice in that area.

3. Choosing a podcast format

The format of your podcast should be informed by the idea you champion. This is a really important factor to consider, as it has the potential to shape each episode of your show going forward.

Here are a few tried and tested formats:

• You might visualise the podcast as an interview format, with a single host interviewing a different guest each episode.
• Perhaps you had envisaged a panel set-up with multiple co-hosts in an ensemble format, riffing off each other – this works especially well for comedy shows where the personality of the hosts is the focus.
• Or maybe you’d like to abandon the conversational setting entirely and have a non-linear documentary style, with pre-recorded interviews and snippets from elsewhere weaving in and out of a single narrator.

It’s crucial that the format does the topic and content of your show justice. If you’ve lined up a high-profile interview guest, for example, inserting them into a panel of four hosts with big personalities could be risky and might squander the potential of the guest. Consider what tone and message you want to be conveying with your podcast, and then find a format that facilitates that best.

4. Editing your podcast and applying post-production

When editing your podcast, you’ll need a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) that is powerful enough for your requirements and user-friendly. Adobe Audition is industry standard for a reason: it’s packed full of great effects and features, while having an intuitive timeline-based editing interface. Other options include Spotify’s Riverside package.

Some podcasts will need more editing than others. A linear interview-type recording may only need basic cuts, whereas a documentary will have multiple audio sources to splice together into one coherent narrative.

Once you have the basis of your episode down, post-production can elevate the sonic quality of the recording considerably. Adobe Audition has numerous EQ presets that serve as great starting points for a first time editor; you can tweak these to taste as your skills grow. Compressors, equalisers and de-essers are just some of the tools you can apply to your raw audio to boost the overall effect and bring you closer to that perfect sounding podcast.

5. Choosing a podcast hosting platform

Once you’ve got your episode edited, it’s time to get it out into the world. To do this, you’ll need to choose a hosting platform. These will distribute your podcast across all the major streaming platforms and ensure people can listen wherever they choose.

Spotify’s own hosting platform is popular due to its user-friendly interface and analytics overview, while other options include Buzzsprout, Blubrry and Podbean.  Some of these providers will be free, some offer paid-for add-ons, while others are entirely paywalled. There’s no real right or wrong here – just pick the platform and package that feels appropriate for you.

6. How to promote your podcast

There’s no point having a podcast if nobody knows it exists – time to get promoting on social media.

The most effective and engaging approach is making clips of key talking points from your podcast and posting them online. Ideally these would contain video footage from the recording, but if this isn’t possible you can get creative with subtitles and related imagery. These work exceptionally well on Instagram and TikTok and are seeing an ever-increasing take-up on LinkedIn too.

Also be sure to signpost your social media followers to follow and subscribe to the podcast, and make use of features such as polls and comments on streaming platforms. These can go a long way to boosting engagement and creating a strong audience-creator relationship – and that’s vital for long-term success.

Eden Podcasting Services can help you create the podcast you’ve always been dreaming of.

Take a listen to some of our latest podcasts here and keep your eyes peeled for our next podcast series which is about to drop very soon.

Contact edenpodcasting@edenpr.co.uk to find out more.