How to Become a Podcaster: 10 Steps to Streaming Success

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Getting your podcast off the ground doesn’t have to be complicated. Here’s your roadmap from idea to launch:

1. Pick your lane. 

Start with a topic you’re genuinely excited about, then narrow it down to find your specific angle. If you’re an actor, don’t just podcast about the industry—maybe focus on musical theater audition techniques or the indie film scene in your city.

2. Do your homework. 

Listen to at least five to 10 podcasts in your general area of interest. Note what works, what doesn’t, and where you spot gaps in coverage. Pay attention to episode length, format, and tone, since podcasting has its own nuances that you can pick up by starting out first as a listener. Shows such as “The Audacity to Podcast,” “School of Podcasting,” and “Podcasters’ Roundtable” can help teach the ins and outs of getting started on your own project—and, of course, we highly recommend checking out our very own In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast. 

3. Make some key decisions. 

Will you fly solo or bring on a co-host? Weekly episodes or bi-weekly? Interview format or storytelling? These choices will shape your equipment needs and workflow.

4. Set up your recording space. 

You’ll need a decent microphone, headphones, and a pop filter. Find a quiet room with decent acoustics (your closet full of clothes can work surprisingly well).

5. Get your software sorted. 

Download a free audio editor like Audacity to start, or invest in more sophisticated options such as Hindenburg Journalist if you’re ready to commit.

6. Plan your first few episodes. 

Write loose scripts, practice your delivery, and record three to four episodes before launching. This gives you a buffer and helps you work out the kinks.

7. Create your show’s identity. 

Design cover art that stands out in thumbnail size, write a compelling show description, and pick a name that clearly signals what your podcast is about.

8. Hit record. 

Your first few episodes won’t be perfect—and that’s OK. Focus on getting comfortable behind the mic and developing your podcast persona.

9. Launch and distribute. 

Upload your episodes to a hosting platform, then submit your show to major directories such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

10. Start building community. 

Share your podcast within relevant online communities, engage with listeners, and be consistent with your release schedule.

The most important thing is to just get started! You can upgrade your equipment, polish your delivery, and refine your format as you go—the key is getting your voice out there and building momentum.

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To build your brand: Starting your own podcast establishes credibility and authority about your topic. “Anybody who has a name or brand they want to build can benefit,” says Ray Ortega, host of “The Podcasters’ Studio.” 

Your podcast can be a vehicle for creating a portfolio for your art or skill; and when it comes to acting, this can mean showcasing your “type” or personality, painting pictures with words, or exhibiting your range in voice acting. The show could also aid in search engine optimization (SEO) and propel you closer to the top results when people look for an expert in the field. 

To connect with fans and gigs: Podcasters are exposed to a brand-new audience of people who are actively searching for content in a chosen area. It puts you into a space in which you’re not available otherwise; the show is another forum in which to find you. 

On top of that, there’s a possibility that it will get you more gigs. “No one will get a job in a creative field these days without putting out content,” Ortega says, speaking from experience. He had a day job for two years and produced his own podcast on the side. For the last 10 years, he’s gotten paid to produce his show because the right people came across the side gig.

To expand your skill set: “Working on a podcast gave me a new tool in my toolkit,” says writer and producer Jessica Weisberg, who worked with “Serial.” “We’re living in a moment where, if you’re a storyteller, you have to be medium agnostic”—meaning you have to be a multihyphenate who’s comfortable with film, TV, web shorts, and podcasts. Once you figure out what you want to say, you can decide which platform is best for bringing it out. Figuring that out starts with taking a topic and narrowing it down.

Start general: To figure out a broader topic or area of interest for your podcast, choose something you’re excited about, something you know. “For us, we know what it’s like to be actors,” says Lipka. “We’re doing it every day; we want to talk about it, we want to share our experiences.”

Narrow it down: “The power of podcasting is the niche,” says podcasting expert Daniel J. Lewis, host of “The Audacity to Podcast.” Podcasters should drill down and focus on one specific aspect of an area—and it’s better that way. “The wider or broader the topic, the harder it will be to build an audience,” says Lewis. That’s because there are so many other general-topic podcasts, many of them hosted by celebrities.

For example, “acting” might not be the best subject choice. Instead, you could focus the show around acting in a certain genre, for women in a certain age range, or about, say, longform improv. By choosing a niche, you’ll end up with a smaller but more loyal and passionate audience—and there’s a good chance you’ll become known as an expert on the subject.

Look for gaps in coverage: Seek out what others like you—with similar overarching show topics—are putting out there. Take note of what you like and what you’d change about the way they do their shows, and you’ll be able to apply that to your own down the road. What isn’t being talked about that should be? This could be your golden ticket. And if you do find a show that seems similar to your chosen niche, check to see if it’s still released on a consistent basis. Even if it is, your shows will be different due to host personalities.

“Your podcast is a gift, so start by figuring out: What the heck does your audience want?” poses Dave Jackson, podcast coach and founder of “School of Podcasting.” He says that when people get on the internet, they’re looking for one of two things: help or entertainment (or both). Create your podcast accordingly and with your desired audience in mind.

For example, if you drew “Howard from accounting” for a Secret Santa gift exchange at your day job, you’d first ask people who know him what he’s into, right? Jackson says it’s vital to do the same for your audience. Get to know them through groups on Facebook, Reddit, LinkedIn, Meetup, and other avenues.

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When it comes to figuring out whether you’ll have a co-host, weekly guests, or fly solo, look to your strengths. Have you been told you’re a good storyteller? Are you high-energy, focused, and good at speaking directly to someone even if you can’t see them? Or are you more comfortable in conversation mode with someone else to bounce things off of? No one format is better than another; it’s all about the best way for you to share your message.

Doing a show alone means having complete creative control and autonomy over the schedule, but it also means that the brunt of the work (and self-discipline) is on you. Bringing in a partner means working with someone else’s schedule and ideas, but you’ll also be able to split the work and keep each other motivated. If your goal is adding one or more co-hosts, it’s most important to select people you trust completely and can have a genuine conversation with (without being self-conscious).

The rules of improv apply here, too: It should be a safe space where you won’t feel judged by your partner(s) for taking a risk, no matter how it turns out.

Establishing a consistent podcast release schedule is key. “As long as you’re making something pretty good on a schedule that people can expect, you don’t have to worry about making a perfect product,” says Caleb Zane Huett, co-host of “You’re Too Show: A Sonic the Hedgehog Fancast.” Your audience has to trust you, and the easiest pattern for people to get used to (and keep track of) is probably a weekly one. For example, knowing they can listen to the latest episode of your podcast every Monday walking home from work will likely reel in a repeat listener.

To give yourself a head start, record a few episodes in advance. It’s also a good idea to make some “disciplinary” decisions ahead of time to free up your brainpower for creativity instead of logistics. Keep the same show format per episode (such as intro, interview, monologue/story, guest, fan comments, outro).

Speaking of show format, you can go beyond speaking to bring the podcast alive. If your show focuses on your audition experiences, consider bringing a recorder and interviewing other auditioners about their funniest experiences and preparation strategies.

People love content with a lot of change or variety, so you could add a little music here and there or bring in another voice to break things up. “The soliloquy works well for Shakespeare but has its limitations in podcasting,” says Jonathan Halls, a media-production trainer.

Beyond an idea, a voice, and commitment, to create a podcast, you’ll need a microphone, a pop filter, headphones, a mixer, a digital recorder, and audio editing software.

This can be accomplished without breaking the bank. No one listens to a podcast for the microphone and gear. If you’ve got quality sound but the content isn’t up to snuff, you’ll still have a hard time growing listenership. “Bad quality can drive away an audience, but the main point of gear is to help you get your voice out there,” says Lewis.

Here’s what you need to know about each piece of podcasting equipment we’ve recommended:

• Microphone: “Your mic is that one investment that’s going to make the biggest determination if your podcast sounds good or not,” says Ortega. To make sure your content is heard and understood, invest in a good microphone that gets the job done. But before you spend the extra cash, know that the average listener won’t notice much of a difference between a budget mic and a more expensive option, especially if he or she didn’t hear them back to back. 
• Pop filter: The minute you buy a microphone, go ahead and order a pop filter to protect the air going into the mic. They usually cost under $20 and make all the difference when it comes to avoiding strange rumbling sounds. Not convinced? Put a hand in front of your mouth, say “peanut butter,” and feel the bursts of air coming out. That’s what pop filters protect against.
• Headphones: Podcasting headphones should have strong sound isolation and a flat frequency response to create clear, crisp audio. Look for a pair that’s comfortable enough to wear on those long days recording—and doesn’t break the budget.
• Mixer: You don’t really need to buy a mixer until you have multiple sources of input on your show (think co-hosts, guests, music, etc.). Its role is to combine different audio signals and adjust volume levels, timbres, and dynamics. When you’re shopping for a mixer, Behringer, Mackie, and Allen & Heath all make good-quality products, says Lewis. 
• Digital recorder: If you’re ever in a situation where you need to record without relying on a computer—for example, if you go on location or if your computer is slow or noisy—you’ll want a digital recorder, or at the very least a podcast recording app such as Podomatic or Riverside. 
• Audio editing software: Sound editing can seem overwhelming, but it’s the same idea as editing text: You’re still copying, pasting, selecting, and deleting, just with waveforms instead of Word docs. When it comes to choosing software, keep in mind that what you learn on is often what you’ll stay with. It’s important to pick an interface you feel comfortable with so you will keep producing episodes. Audacity, Hindenburg Journalist, and Adobe Audition are all popular options.

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It’s probably a good idea to start with a script. Don’t worry about sounding stilted, since “scripts are only bad when they’re poorly written,” says Halls.

For example, if a podcaster started out their show with a rundown of what they had for breakfast that morning, you’d probably lose interest pretty quickly. But what if that person said, “I’ve been experimenting with diets, but I haven’t lost the weight I wanted to until recently. I have more energy, I’m losing weight—and it’s all because of this one new breakfast habit.” Now you’re probably curious, right? It’s all in the way the information is presented.

Think: Are you telling a story because it’ll make people laugh, engage, or be entertained? Or are you telling it just because it happened to you or it’s a funny inside joke? The latter isn’t a good reason, says Lewis.

How to write a podcast script

• While writing, remember it’ll be heard, not read. Audio content lends itself better to narrative content rather than technical facts, so keep the stories rich and the voices conversational. Know that short words and sentences reign supreme. If your sentence is over 10 words, shorten it.
• Powerful—but not complicated—words are great for podcasts (for example, they “slashed” the budget instead of “reduced” or “cut”).
• Try to avoid dependent clauses; they make the brain pause in the middle of a thought, which isn’t ideal for audio.
• The script needs to be simple for the brain to take in auditorily. Keep in mind that when you look at the script, it’ll look extremely bland, especially if you’re someone who likes literature and writing. That’s fine—effective delivery will bring the script to life.
• Read the script out loud a few times to make sure it sounds natural, and feel free to mark it up with underlines for emphasis and slashes for pauses. “We can read so much better than we can hear,” says Halls.

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So, what’s in a name? A lot, as far as podcasts are concerned. Lewis has a test every show name should have to pass, and it starts with running the name by someone who knows nothing about what you’re trying to create. Ask that person, “What do you think a podcast with this name would be about?” If he or she gets anywhere close, it passes the test.

For example, one of Jackson’s clients considered naming his show “After the Darkness,” but after hearing people’s first thoughts, he went with “Life After Blindness” instead—much more straightforward.

Before settling on a name for your show, do some basic searches on podcast directories and look at domain names to make sure no one else is already using the title. (The more unique a name you’re using, the more likely you can claim trademark ownership over it.) While you’re at it, go ahead and set up the domain name and social media accounts and start engaging with your audience.

For cover art, the aptly named graphic design marketplace 99designs offers logo design services starting at $299, while Podcast Designs will use your guidance to make album art for $95. You can also hire a freelance designer on sites such as Fiverr, Upwork, or Freelancer.

When it comes time to make your podcast public, try publishing it on:

• Apple
• Spotify
• Amazon Music
• YouTube
• iHeartRadio
• Your own website

For simplicity’s sake, when you direct people to your podcast, guide them to your own site, which will link to all of those places.

“Podcasts grow steadily but slowly,” says Ortega. To ensure your podcast wins the race:

1. Build relationships within your niche.

The ideal place to reach your audience is within your niche via social media groups, subreddits, forums, hashtags, etc. But remember that it’s vital not to spam these areas with self-promotion, such as, “Hey, check out me and my awesome thing!” says Lewis. Instead, go there to grow relationships, build a reputation, and participate in conversations. When it’s relevant, you can say, “Hey, I have an episode on this,” or “You might be interested in this episode, it’s relevant because of [XYZ].”

You might even be able to use these forums to discover new ideas. Let’s say you have a dog-walking podcast: Join a relevant Facebook group and see what people are saying about retractable versus non-retractable leashes, then do an episode on that exact topic.

Afterward, you can comment and say, “I loved this question so much that I made an episode about it; here’s the link.” That way, you’re responding with completely relevant content and engaging with the community. You’ll become known as an authority on the subject and engender trust. When that audience realizes you have a podcast, all you’ll need to do is show them where to find it.

2. Invite guests to your show.

It’s also a good idea to reach out and talk to people you think would be interested in your show and ask them to come on as guests. If you do a good job with them, word will spread. Go to events where you know key players will be and genuinely engage with them about their projects and your show. And don’t forget to leverage any platform you already have to promote your podcast, whether it’s a newsletter, website, social media account, or any sort of live event, plus your email signature and business cards.

3. Be consistent.

“Beyond that, just show up,” says Ortega. “Podcasting is a long game—it’s quality content over time.” The best thing you can ask your audience to do is tell other people about the podcast; shows usually grow primarily through word of mouth.

“Anytime you’re making anything, as long as you’re making something good, you do it consistently, and you tell a few people a week about it, it’ll grow,” says Huett. Know that your fanbase will likely grow as your backlog does, since many people want to follow a show they can trust will come out every week and won’t stop cold turkey.

4. Make your podcast engaging.

To make your podcast engaging, visualize someone you’re close to and imagine you’re speaking straight to him or her, says Halls. It’ll frame your conversation and make people feel as if the conversation is specifically with them. The show persona you create for yourself is powerful. When done well, it’ll be warm and genuine, and when done poorly, it could be bothersome or cheesy.

If you’re still having a hard time visualizing your “other,” literally create one. Draw a cartoon or cut out a magazine clipping of the kind of person you imagine could be a key member of your audience, and assign meaning to them, like hobbies and interests. It’ll shape the way you speak.

Beyond that, try and have fun! Aim to be OK with the worrisome “what if no one listens?” scenario, and do the project primarily for you. Your first priority can be to have a good time, and your second priority can be to learn things along the way, hone your craft, and build a portfolio of sorts. The last priority should be recognition, because that should come naturally with a consistent and quality show. Don’t look at listener numbers too early—you don’t want to get discouraged, and they’ll come with time.

Remember to “be nice to yourself,” says Huett. If it’s your first project, it might not be that great in the beginning, but if you commit to your product, you’ll keep gaining fans who come along with you for the ride.

La Famiglia/Shutterstock

Before you worry about cashing in, worry about quality. “Your first question should be, ‘How do I get good?’ ” says Jackson. “[It’s about] monetizing your audience, but right now you don’t have one. Focus on getting one.” With that in mind, there are a few different routes you can go once you’ve built up a significant fanbase.

Sponsorships: The first route is sponsorship, but Lewis says to make it worth your time to get one, you should have 5,000 or more downloads per episode. Sponsors usually pay a certain amount (like $25) per thousand downloads per episode, so even if you have an audience of 5,000 people, that’d only be about $125 per episode. If you do decide to follow this path, you can either reach out to sponsors directly (if you’re great at selling yourself) or have someone else do it on your behalf. Libsyn and Blubrry are companies that host your podcast media directly and also help arrange sponsors.

Audience contributions: Another route to monetization is asking your audience directly: “If you feel you got some value from this podcast, would you consider giving some value back?” It’s great because if you lose one audience member who gives $5 a month, only one Abraham Lincoln was on the line, not stacks of Benjamins.

Crowdfunding: Patreon is probably the best platform for crowdfunding because it makes setting up recurring donations easy. It’s a good idea to create some sort of incentive for those who give (like a weekly emailed blooper reel or shout-outs on the show).

Goods and services: You can also sell your audience your own product or service. For example, if you do a podcast about crowdfunding, offer your services as a freelance consultant.

Affiliate links: Another moneymaking option for your podcast is affiliate links. An affiliate relationship is different from a sponsorship in that, if people buy what you recommend through your promo code or link, then you make a percentage of what they spend. The easiest place to start for any sort of podcast topic is Amazon’s affiliate program, since it sells everything from television memorabilia to music equipment. (Lewis makes enough on affiliate links from Amazon alone to pay his mortgage.) Many sites have these programs, and if you’re interested in one that doesn’t, reach out and ask if they’d be open. The key here is making your affiliate link references relevant and within the context of the conversation—not during a commercial break.