A Guide To Making Your Podcast Launch A Winning Success

Have you been thinking about launching a podcast but are feeling overwhelmed by the steps you need to take to get your content off the ground? You’re not alone. Considering how quickly podcasting’s popularity has skyrocketed, it’s pretty intimidating to get in on all the action and enter a very competitive market.

There are more than two million active podcasts today, and over 48 million podcast episodes online as of April 2021. Nearly 60% of all American consumers older than 12 listen to podcasts. 104 million people in the U.S. listen to podcasts monthly, and about 66% of consumers today prefer podcasts over TV.

There is no better time than now to record and share that conversation and get your unique story online. Whether you want to establish yourself as a thought leader or influencer or you want to grow your business or career, there’s no stopping you from turning your podcast dream into reality. 

Yes, embarking on such an adventure requires preparation. But with commitment and hard work, you’ll be able to gain a loyal audience and increase your podcast’s reach. We break down the process to help you start strong and make your podcast launch as meaningful and successful as possible! 

Plan, Plan, Plan

Be clear on why you’re doing it and why it’s the right medium that will help you achieve your goals. Ask yourself the following:

• What will make my content stand out? What can I bring to the table that will be valuable for my target audiences?
• Who is my target demographic? What do they do and what do they enjoy? What do they want to learn about?
• What are the goals of my prospective listeners? How can I make them want to listen to my podcast?
• Will I be able to share compelling experiences? Will I be able to share expertise? Will I be able to maintain a podcast?

Don’t be afraid to think out-of-the-box when it comes to building your podcast story. Once you’ve got your vision, mission, goals, and purpose clearly identified, you’ll be able to map out all the nitty-gritty details for your one-of-a-kind show.

Work on Branding, Format, and Frequency

How do you want your podcast to look, sound, and feel like? Is it informative, educational, and entertaining? Is it thought-provoking? Is it formal or conversational? 

Your marketing strategy will revolve around creating a strong brand with a simple yet astounding, relevant, and beneficial subject matter. Here are some points to consider when building your podcast branding:

• Make sure that your podcast name is catchy and sets yourself apart from the competition while staying true to your purpose and overall goals.
• See to it that your podcast name, brand, and topic are easy to understand. Captivate your audience with powerful branding that makes it very easy for them to understand what your podcast is about. This way, you’ll be able to convince people to listen, download, and subscribe to your podcast. 
• Be mindful of keywords. Use them in your tag lines and descriptions so your podcast can easily be found in online searches. 

The episode format and frequency are also key elements of your podcast’s structure. With a strong podcast structure in place, you’ll be able to deliver a show that is consistent and unforgettable. While the content and topics of your podcast episodes will ultimately change, your target audience will continue to listen to audio and visual content that is consistent and familiar. 

Consider the following when deciding on format and frequency:

• Who will be the host of your show? Will there be co-hosts? 
• Will you be featuring guests on your podcast? If so, how often?
• How long will your podcast be? This will depend on your listeners and their habits. Keep in mind that most of today’s listeners also multi-task. Your podcast should be as long as it needs to be while still remaining interesting and engaging.
• How often can you release podcast episodes? Is it weekly, monthly, or quarterly? Consistency in quality and frequency will get your audiences hooked on your podcast. Increase your frequency to develop a strong connection with your audience and get traction on your podcast. 

Equip Yourself

Nothing can be more frustrating for listeners than a podcast that sounds bad. Even if you have a remarkable branding and theme, you’ll lose a lot of listeners if the quality of your audio is short of outstanding. Investing in high-quality equipment — from the microphones, microphone stands, and pop-guards to the headphones, cables, power supplies, recording platforms, and more — will be worth it as you grow your podcast.

Build Buzz

So, you’ve worked tirelessly to create, record, and edit your podcast episode. Great! Now, it’s time to make sure that your hard work pays off by getting your podcast out there for people to discover. 

Here are a few tips to help you promote your podcast in the best ways possible:

• Try to hose your podcast on every major podcasting platform —Apple, Google, Spotify, iHeart Radio, iTunes, SoundCloud, Deezer, and more. 
• Generate buzz online and let your audiences know that something exciting is on the way. 
• Notify your audiences of your podcast launch date by sending out email campaigns and updating your website and blogs. Make your audiences want to subscribe by giving them glimpses of your upcoming episodes and guest appearances and why you’re starting a podcast. 
• Maximize your social media channels to build anticipation and conversations about your podcast. Get your audiences excited by teasing them with trailers, sharing behind-the-scenes, posting eye-catching quote graphics and high-quality snippets and previews.
• Host an online launch. You can do this via Zoom, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube Live. Convince as many people to sign up and attend by offering giveaways and incentives. Make it fun by playing online games with your audience and hosting Q & A sessions for them to get to know your podcast deeper. Invite guests to give a short talk or an interview. 
• Encourage your guests and followers to promote your podcast on their social networks.

Grow Your Audience

Launch with multiple episodes and build your momentum. It’s best to have three to four episodes ready to go live so you don’t disappoint your audience. Be consistent with your release schedule and engage with your audiences as you release new episodes. Listen to what your audiences say and use their feedback to improve and innovate. Sooner or later, you’ll be able to connect with new listeners, keep the listening experience high-quality, and set your podcast up for success.