Podcast FAQ

how to plan a podcast

by Deshawn Boyle Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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To plan a podcast structure, follow these 6 steps:

  • Identify Your Goal.
  • Decide on a Format.
  • Identify Your Primary Themes.
  • Write Your Intro.
  • Outline the Main Content.
  • Write Your Outro.

How to Plan Podcast Episode Structure in 10 Easy Steps
  1. Plan for the length of your episodes.
  2. Have a theme for an episode.
  3. Use three-acts for engaging podcast episode structure.
  4. Plan podcast episode pacing.
  5. Introduction, back sell and greet the audience.
  6. Raise some early questions you want to address.

Full Answer

How to go about starting a podcast?

  • Choose a topic you’re passionate about and you’ll stick to
  • Research your target audience to come up with a plan for your show
  • Decide on your podcast title, description, and artwork
  • Buy and setup your equipment
  • Prepare for recording your first episode
  • Record your first episode
  • Edit and publish the episode
  • Launch and promote your podcast to the world!

How do you start a podcast?

Way before you ever get into the actual production and technical work, figure out what your podcast will be about. Also, choose an appropriate title, topic, and format right at the start. Each episode of your show will be a separate audio file that can be made available in various formats.

How to structure Your Podcast in 4 steps?

The Laws Behind this Podcast Structure

  1. Show Them Where They're Going Adults learn most effectively when they know where they're going. We hate to be uncertain. ...
  2. Put it in Their Context Adults learn most effectively when they figure out how the subject applies to them. ...
  3. Make Them Do Something With It

How to create a simple podcast?

  • Install Seriously Simple Podcasting plugin to your WordPress site and link it to your podcast hosting provider.
  • From your WordPress dashboard, go to the “Podcast” plugin. ...
  • Inside the plugin’s “Settings” under “Feed Details”, include details about your podcast to finish creating the RSS feed. ...

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How do you plan a podcast script?

Here are a few tips that will help you craft an engaging podcast script.Keep it conversational. The biggest challenge of writing a podcast script is keeping it conversational. ... Use delivery notes. ... Allow for some riffing. ... Describe the scene. ... Maintain a reasonable pace. ... Be yourself. ... Show introduction. ... Guest introductions.More items...•

What is the basic structure of a podcast?

There are three basic podcast segments every episode should have, no matter what. An intro, the main content, and an outro. You could also include special segments, like rapid fire questions, or fun games that you play with your guests from time to time!

How do I create my own podcasts?

Here are the steps you'll need to follow to start a new podcast:Understand how podcasting works.Identify a podcast theme.Decide on a format.Create your podcast brand.Choose your podcasting equipment.Get recording software.Outline your first episode.Record your podcast.More items...•

What are the 5 steps to start a podcast?

Five step podcasting plan:Structure your show.Frame your episodes with an intro and outro.Decide on including an interview.Practice hosting skills.Upload your podcast to the internet.

How do I organize my podcast episodes?

Arrange or Reorder Episodes from the Up Next Queue in PodcastsTap on the podcast that's currently playing.Swipe up to reveal the Up Next queue.Press and hold on the three lines next to the episode's name to rearrange it.Drag and drop the podcast where you want it to be. They are played in order from top to bottom.

What should a podcast include?

How To Create Interesting Podcast EpisodesTalk about things you're interested in. ... Focus on your target audience. ... Tell lots of stories. ... Help your audience take the next step. ... Ask your listeners questions and report their responses. ... Stay on topic and don't wander too much. ... Invite unique experts onto your show.More items...•

Does it cost to start a podcast?

In fact, if you already have a computer and you're operating on a shoestring budget, you can record, edit, and launch a podcast for less than $200. On the other hand, if you want to use higher-end equipment, starting a podcast can cost a few thousand dollars.

Do podcasts make money?

Sponsorships are the most common way podcasters make money. This is when the podcast promotes the sponsor during the show. You probably hear your favorite shows plug their advertisers a few times in every episode. How much you earn from a sponsor depends on the number of downloads your episodes earn.

Do you need to copyright a podcast?

Using any portion of copyrighted material for a podcast without permission may be copyright infringement if an exception or limitation on the copyright owner's rights does not apply. Fair use is one such limitation and discussed further below. It would be wise to secure the rights before using any copyrighted material.

How long should podcasts be?

The length of your podcast also depends on your subject, industry or genre. It could be that around 15-20 minutes perfect for your listeners. But maybe your specific audience wants more in-depth, exploratory information; in which case, 45-90 minutes would provide more value.

How do you start a podcast with no money?

How to Start a Podcast With Almost No MoneyWhy do you want to start a podcast? ... The first step: Start talking! ... Listen to similar podcasts. ... Get (cheap) recording equipment. ... Download audio editing software and learn how to use it. ... Get a logo and a theme song. ... Name your podcast. ... Get a web site.More items...•

What do I need to know before starting a podcast?

Your checklist might include:Generate topic ideas.Reach out to interviewees.Research and write podcast outline/script.Schedule interview/recording session.Record sponsored content.Record the episode.Edit episode and prep for publication.Write a description and show notes.More items...•

What is the point of a podcast?

The whole point of a podcast is that people listen to it, so give them a reason to click on one of your episodes. Make it clear to people what they will get from listening to your show. If you look on any podcast directory you will see shows with titles like “How To…”, “Five Tips For…” etc.

What is a podcast host?

Media or Podcast hosts are services that store your audio and allow your listeners to listen, download, and subscribe to your podcast. One common misconception when learning how to start a podcast is that you upload your podcast to places like iTunes. This actually isn’t the case.

How many episodes of a season of podcast?

When you start a seasonal podcast, each season will usually have a theme. You might create episodes based on that theme or topic for 6-12 episodes, then have a break. After a month or two, you’ll launch a new season (with another theme/topic) and repeat the process.

Why You Should Plan Out Your Podcast

When it comes to B2B podcasts, the more planning you can do beforehand, the better.

How to Structure Your Podcast Episodes in 6 Steps

Fortunately, you only need to take six steps to create a strong podcast structure. Your overarching podcast structure will inform the format for your episodes.

2. Decide on a Format

There are eight episode formats you can ultimately choose from. But, if you’re starting a B2B podcast, we suggest going with one of the following formats:

What is a podcast page?

Podcastpage is a website builder and hosting all-in-one made specifically for podcasts. Kind of like Wix but designed for the needs podcasters. No coding is necessary. You just choose one of their themes, customize to your liking, and optionally integrate email marketing or Google Analytics.

Is it easier to start a podcast with a co-host?

It can be much easier to start podcasting if you have a co-host. You will naturally have a more engaging conversation if you both share your points of view on a topic . It can also be helpful to have someone to keep things on track. Plus, you can split additional tasks of editing, promoting, and more.

What to do when planning a podcast?

When you plan a podcast episode make sure that what you started talking about, all the questions you have raised in the beginning and promises you have made to your listeners find a satisfactory conclusion at the end of an episode.

How to make a good podcast?

Good podcast structure also makes sure that your target listener leaves satisfied and expects another episode. 1. Plan for the length of your episodes. The length of an episode is one thing where the audience likes predictability. If you have only one format of all the episodes keep them to the same length.

What is a theme in podcasts?

A theme is more than a topic idea for a podcasting episode. A topic is a subject or general idea dealt with within the episode. Your theme will be the specific idea or a lesson you, as an author, are trying to pass.

What happens when you listen to a podcast?

The worst thing that can happen when you listen to a podcast episode is a total lack of structure. If you don’t want to come off sounding on your show like random rambling, you need to plan podcast episode structure, from the intro, through the middle section, until the final closing words and a call to action.

Why is it important to plan a podcast?

When planning a podcast, you ensure that you deliver a coherent story before you even hit the record button. This allows to maximize engagement, boost the subscription rate, and deliver a high-quality audio experience. Good podcast structure also makes sure that your target listener leaves satisfied and expects another episode. 1.

How to promote your other content?

Promote your other content during the episode – make references . As your goal is to reach wider audiences, you want to promote your content. During the episode, mention your other work. When you are promoting your other content, it is extremely important to plan where they fit best in the structure of an episode.

What should be the start of an episode?

A start of an episode should have a familiar and recognizable formula, just like a favorite tv episode with key information. Good components to have in your introduction are: Musical intro – at the beginning have a memorable quick intro. It grabs attention and is a signal that the show is about to start.

Why podcasts?

If you are here, chances are that you already know how much potential podcasts have in a business’ growth. Podcasts have been growing at a steady pace and people now expect all credible businesses in certain categories to already be on the podcast bandwagon.

The ideal process: How to plan a podcast effectively?

A podcast consists of a lot of moving parts. The free-flowing conversation you hear depends on a lot of planning, pre/post-production processes, and a few retakes (in some cases). A proper plan will give you more clarity and improve your ability to deliver excellent content with consistency.

The ideal length and structure of a podcast

As you plan a podcast, an important decision you’ll be required to take will be regarding the length of your episodes. Predictability is essential when it comes to the length of your episodes. You can’t have an hour-long episode one week and then come back the next time with a 20 minutes snippet.

Streamline your podcast planning with Kissflow Project

Because of how podcasts are created and distributed, the things you need to do are interdependent and have little to no room for mistakes. That’s not all! Podcasts are not supposed to be of a single episode. After each upload, you’ll be back to square one and will need to come up with a way to maintain consistency.

Planning The Show

Before you ever start recording, you want to plan things out. You want to get some of these details right from the get-go.

Podcasting Equipment

In the end, a podcast is nothing more than an MP3 file. So, it isn’t all that complicated.

Hosting The Podcast

You’ll be hosting it via your blog. I recommend the PowerPress plug-in for Wordpress. As for where to host your podcast files, I use and recommend LibSyn. With LibSyn, don’t worry about getting one of their smartphone packages. All you need is one of the basic hosting accounts. I personally have the $15/month plan.

Outlining The Episode (s)

Don’t start recording an episode without an outline. It is far too easy to get completely off topic or wander aimlessly if you don’t have an outline to go by.

Podcast Launch

You’ll first launch it on your blog only. Then, once you verify everything is working (including RSS feeds), submit to iTunes. Perhaps I was overly cautious, but the last thing I wanted was for there to be mistakes after I submitted to iTunes.

Wrap It Up

So, hopefully that was helpful. And if I can help you with any questions, feel free to post a comment below. I’m not a podcast expert, but I’ve learned enough. 🙂 Plus, when you combine a knowledge of marketing and human psychology into how you pull off the launch of your podcast, I know you can amplify you results.

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Planning

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This is the initial (often overlooked) stage to make a podcast. You’ll want to spend a good amount of time here before you move on. Feel free to get out a notebook or a whiteboard so you can start planning your podcast like a pro.
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Preparation

  • Now that you’ve written down your topic, format(s), and secured a domain name, we’ll need to get a few things prepared ahead of launch…
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Recording & Editing

  • Alitu
    If you haven’t used editing software before, even simple actions in GarageBand or Audacity can be quite intimidating. It’s understandable: audio production is completely full of jargon! If that’s the case, then Alitu might be the way to go. It’s a ‘podcast making’ tool that automates a lot of the c…
  • GarageBand
    I’m going to show you how to use GarageBand for recording and editing. Other audio editing software is similar but most have more advanced features that you don’t need when getting started. Popular options are Adobe Audition & Audacity(both work with Mac & PC). You can als…
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Launch!

  • Get A Podcast Host
    I use and highly recommend Buzzsprout podcast hostingafter trying many different companies over the years. Plus you’ll get a free $20 Amazon gift card after you sign up for a paid plan! Feel free to check out our complete podcast hosting guide if you want to see other options, but anoth…
  • Upload Your First Episode
    If you use Buzzsprout, this process is super simple. If not, it’s possible you need to mess with things like embedding ID3 tags into your MP3. Sounds confusing and unnecessary – let’s not do that. You’ll just need to click the “Upload” button: and they’ll apply some magic processing to you…
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Recommended Steps

  • Your job isn’t done once you start a podcast. Here are my recommendations to help make your show more appealing and easier to grow:
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