How to start a podcast in 10 easy steps

Podcasting has become increasingly popular in recent years, and it’s never been easier to start your own. With the right tools and a little know-how, you can be up and running in no time.

Podcasts have exploded in popularity in recent years—you may even be listening to a podcast right now. As a digital medium, podcasts allow individuals to create, distribute, and listen to audio content on a seemingly limitless range of topics. What makes them so popular? Simple—they’re accessible, versatile, and convenient to listen to.

These days, there’s a podcast for everything you need to know—from entertainment and education to news and storytelling, catering to diverse interests and audiences. Podcast listeners can consume content on-the-go, multitasking, or during leisure time, making it a convenient form of entertainment and information.

Additionally, the intimate and personal nature of podcasts, often featuring authentic conversations and in-depth discussions, creates a strong connection between hosts and listeners, fostering a sense of community and engagement. You’re probably wondering how you can tap into this growing medium—so, how do you get started?

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through the process of starting your own podcast, from planning and development to recording, editing, and publishing. We’ll also show you how Dropbox Replay can help you get started on the right foot by incorporating feedback into your editing workflow from the beginning.

How to start a podcast

Starting a podcast involves careful planning and execution. Let’s dive into the essential steps to get your podcast up and running.

1. Plan and develop your idea

This is perhaps the most crucial stage and may take some time to finalize. Here’s what you need to consider:

• Find your niche: Identify a podcast topic based on your area of expertise or passion. What unique perspective can your podcast offer? Consider gaps in the market that your podcast can fill.
• Define your purpose: Determine why you want to start a podcast. Is it a hobby, or do you aim to reach and build a community? Knowing your purpose will guide your content and format.
• Identify your audience: Clearly define your target audience. Understanding their interests, preferences, and pain points will help you tailor your content accordingly.
• Choose your podcast title: Select a memorable and relevant name that reflects your podcast’s theme and resonates with your audience.
• Consider your format: Decide on the format of your podcast. Will it be a solo monologue, co-hosted, interview-based, or something else? Choose a podcast format that suits your content and style.
• Plan your structure: Determine your episode length and frequency. Consistency is key in podcasting, so set a realistic schedule that you can maintain.

Take advantage of the free Dropbox Paper brainstorming template to organize your podcast content and outline your first episode.

2. Set up your recording equipment

You don’t need an expensive recording studio to start a podcast. In fact, you can record from almost anywhere, even your phone! However, if you want better audio quality, consider investing in the following equipment:

• Microphone: A cardioid microphone is recommended for podcasts, as it minimizes background noise. An external microphone with a USB connection will work right out of the box, and the quality will be significantly better than your device’s internal microphone.
• Headphones: Good-quality headphones will help you monitor your audio levels and ensure clear sound. Over-ear, closed-back headphones are the preferred headphones for professional podcasters. 
• Laptop or desktop: You’ll need a computer to record and edit your podcast episodes. While you technically can record a podcast on your mobile phone, a computer with more ports, faster SSD, and all-round greater processing power will serve you better.
• Camera (optional): Video podcasts are a fun way to make your show stand out. You can either livestream them, or upload episodes straight to YouTube. If you’re recording a video podcast, you’ll need a camera. Many DSLRs are capable of recording high-quality video, so if you already own one this can provide your videos with a significant boost in quality. Alternatively, you can invest in a dedicated video camera for advanced recording capabilities.
   

3. Choose your podcast software

As podcasting continues to grow in popularity, tools and software are being released frequently to support with recording and editing.

If you’re doing interviews and recording your episode remotely, you’ll want some recording software designed specifically for long-distance recordings.

You’ll also want to decide your editing software. For editing audio recordings, free tools like GarageBand for Mac/iOS and Audacity may do the trick as a beginner, or you could look to more advanced tools like Adobe Audition and Descript.
 

4. Prepare for your first episode

Before you press the record button, take some time to prepare for your first episode:

• Create an outline: Having an outline will help you stay on track and cover all the key points you want to discuss.
• Write an engaging introduction: Start your episode with a hook or teaser to capture your audience’s attention.
• Keep the end in mind: What do you want your audience to learn or take away from your episode?
• Include talking points or questions: If you’re interviewing someone, prepare a list of questions to guide the conversation.
• End with a call to action: Encourage your listeners to leave a review, subscribe to your podcast, or visit your website.
   

5. Start recording!

Once you’re prepped, it’s time to get your podcast equipment ready and record your first episode:

• Find a quiet room: Choose a room with minimal noise and echo. Do a “clap test” to assess the room’s acoustics.
• Adjust your system settings: Make sure your microphone and headphones are properly connected and configured.
• Set your recording level: Avoid setting your input level too loud, as this can distort the audio.
• Record in high quality: Use a high-resolution format like WAV or AIFF in 24-bit, 48 kHz for the best audio quality.
• Be consistent with your tone: Speak clearly and maintain a consistent tone throughout the recording.
• Record silence: Capture 30 seconds of silence to capture the noise print of the room.
• Record an intro and outro: Introduce yourself, your co-host or guest (if relevant), and your podcast in the intro, and encourage listeners to take action in the outro.

6. Get feedback on your recording

Getting feedback on your podcast episode before publishing it can be invaluable for a variety of reasons. 

First and foremost, feedback gives you an outside perspective, which can help you identify any areas where your content could use some improvement. This can be particularly helpful if you're new to podcasting and still figuring out your style and format.

Dropbox Replay is a great tool for gathering feedback on audio files, because it simplifies the process for both you and your reviewers. All you have to do is share a link to your audio file with your reviewer, and they can easily listen to it and provide their thoughts—and they don't even need a Dropbox account to do it. 

If you choose—as many established podcasters do—to hire an editor to handle your post-production, Replay provides a convenient way for you to give feedback on each edit.

Replay helps you get feedback from multiple sources quickly and efficiently, so you can fine-tune your episode before it goes live.
 

7. Create podcast artwork

Your podcast cover art is your audience’s first impression, so it’s important to make it visually appealing and informative. Here are some guidelines:

• Size: Your cover art should be a minimum of 1,400 pixels by 1,400 pixels and a maximum of 3,000 pixels by 3,000 pixels.
• Compression: Compress files to optimize for mobile use.
• Minimal text: Besides your podcast name, avoid using too much text on your cover art. This can overwhelm your audience and look unprofessional.

If you’re not a design expert, tools like Canva offer thousands of templates to help you create stunning graphics. With the Canva and Dropbox integration, you can access any design mockups or graphics saved in your Dropbox account from the Canva editor, and when you’re finished, your design will save directly to Dropbox in just a few clicks.
 

8. Publish your first podcast episode

Once you’ve recorded your episode, gathered feedback, and made any necessary edits, your next step is to publish it! Here’s how:

• Create an RSS feed: You’ll need a podcast-only RSS feed to submit your new podcast to listening directories so that listeners can easily find you and discover new episodes. Luckily, an RSS feed is free and easy to set up.
• Choose a podcast hosting platform: You can’t upload podcasts directly to platforms like Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You’ll need to use a podcast hosting platform like Buzzsprout, Transistor, or PodBean.
• Push your content to listening directories: Once your podcast is hosted, you can push your content to podcast directories like iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Amazon Music and Audible, YouTube, Deezer, and SoundCloud.

Don’t forget to write a compelling, keyword-rich episode description. This is what potential listeners will see before deciding whether to listen to your podcast or not! Character limits differ across platforms, but 400-600 words is usually the sweet spot.
 

9. Promote and grow your show

Congratulations, you’ve started a podcast! But the hard work doesn’t end there.

Promoting your show through in-platform features and social media will help you get noticed and gain more listeners. You may also want to consider ads or monetization to dedicate more time to your podcast and turn it into a full income stream.

Optimize your podcast to increase your chances of reaching new listeners, paying attention to factors such as podcast SEO. To make your show more discoverable, search engines and podcast apps rely on the metadata you provide in your podcast name, episode titles, and show notes/podcast descriptions.

Tips for starting a successful podcast

Here are some additional tips to help you succeed in the world of podcasting:

• Develop deeper connections: Use in-platform features like Q&As and polls to engage with your listeners and build a stronger community.
• Analyze your performance: Use analytics tools provided by podcast hosting platforms to measure your performance and track your progress.
• Diversify your format: If you’re recording audio-only podcasts, consider branching into video podcasts. Many people prefer watching content rather than listening, and you can reach lots more potential listeners by uploading your show to YouTube and posting snippets or teasers on social media.

Perfect your podcast with Dropbox Replay

Starting a podcast can be a rewarding experience, but it’s important to get it right from the start. Dropbox Replay can help you do just that by enabling you to incorporate feedback into your editing workflow from the beginning.

With Replay, you can easily share your audio files with reviewers, collect their comments, and make improvements before publishing your episodes. This way, you can ensure that your podcast is of the highest quality and that your listeners have a great experience.