What to Know Before Starting a Podcast with No Audience

Ready to jump into the fantastic world of podcasting? It’s an exciting space to share your thoughts, stories, and expertise. But let’s be real—it’s not just about hitting the record button and talking away. To make your podcast truly shine, you need a little strategy, a dash of creativity, and a whole lot of passion.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through all the important things you need to know before starting a podcast, even if you have no audience. Whether you’re looking to inspire, educate, or just have a good chat, this step-by-step guide will help you create a successful podcast.

Step 1: Define Your Podcast Strategy

Before you start recording, it’s essential to have a clear strategy for your podcast. This involves deciding what makes your show unique and defining your niche.

What Makes Your Podcast Unique?

Think about what will make your podcast stand out. Ask yourself:

  • What’s the purpose of your podcast?
  • Will you have podcast guests?
  • How will your podcast be different from others in your niche?

Remember, there’s no absolute right or wrong way to podcast. If you don’t want to have guests, you don’t have to. If you want episodes to be 10 minutes or 80 minutes, that’s entirely up to you. What matters is that you have a strategy for the content you’re sharing.

Choose a Topic You’ll Love Long-Term

Select a topic you’re passionate about and a format that works for you. Whether it’s a solo show on veganism or an interview-based podcast on intuitive eating, defining your niche and purpose is crucial before you begin.

If you’re planning an interview-style podcast, start by creating a long list of potential guests. This will help you stay consistent with new content.per level. It’s easier to convey emotion and tone, maybe even sarcasm, when you can see or hear someone. 

Step 2: Preparing for Podcast Growth

Even though you might be starting with no audience, it’s possible to grow one over time by being strategic.

Think of podcasting as a megaphone for your message. When listeners choose to subscribe to your podcast, it’s more intentional than a casual social media follow. Subscribers get notifications and downloads of your show, creating a deeper level of engagement.

Unlike platforms like Threads or Facebook, podcast listeners won’t be bombarded with unrelated content—they’re choosing to hear what you have to say.

Why I Chose to Start My Podcast

Personally, I started podcasting because I saw it as an unsaturated but growing platform. While there are over 23 million YouTube channels and 600 million blogs, there are only 750,000 active podcasts. This presented a great opportunity to reach an audience in the health and fitness niche.

Plus, I love how podcasting allows you to connect with people on a deeper level. It’s easier to convey emotion and tone when someone can hear your voice.

Step 3: Selecting Podcast Equipment

You don’t need fancy equipment to start a podcast, but investing in the right gear can make a big difference in audio quality.

Basic Equipment List

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

  • Microphone: A good quality mic is essential. You don’t have to spend a fortune, but avoid using your built-in laptop mic.
  • Headphones: Wearing headphones during recording helps prevent echo and ensures better sound quality.
  • Recording Software: Free tools like Audacity or GarageBand work well for beginners. I use Podcastle!

✅ I have a whole post on podcast microphones right here.

Audio Quality Hacks

If your room isn’t carpeted, you might notice echo in your recordings. Here are two simple hacks:

  1. Sit closer to the mic.
  2. Use pillows and blankets to dampen sound.

Some mics, like the Blue Yeti USB microphone, have different settings that will affect how your podcast sounds. The Blue Yeti, for example, has an omnidirectional mode which means it picks up allllllll the sound around it. Or, the other, better, mode, would be to use the cardioid mode, which only picks up the sounds directly in front of the microphone. Not all mics have these different options, so to help, sitting closer to the mic can help reduce any background noise or echo. 

And if that doesn’t help, that’s where pillows and blankets can come in handy. Putting pillows or blankets on your desk, right around your mic can help, or if you’re sitting super close to a wall, you could even try propping a pillow up against the wall. Some people also go as far as to podcast with a blanket draped over them and their mic, to make their own miniature sound booth. 

Lastly, if you are interviewing someone for your podcast, be sure that both of you are wearing headphones, so no echo happens. Doesn’t matter what type of headphones, that won’t affect anything in your recording. 

Check out my trainings for more support:

Step 4: Recording and Editing Your Podcast

Once you have your equipment set up, it’s time to start recording. Here are some tips to make the process smoother:

Tips for Recording

  • Always wear headphones to prevent audio feedback.
  • Find a quiet space to record, free from background noise.
  • Speak clearly and at a consistent volume.

Editing Options

You can either edit your podcast episodes yourself using tools like Audacity or outsource the editing if you prefer to focus on content creation.

Step 5: Publishing and Distributing Your Podcast

After recording and editing, the next step is to publish your podcast and make it available on multiple platforms.

Choosing a Podcast Host

A podcast host is a service that stores your podcast files and distributes them to platforms like iTunes, Spotify, and Stitcher. Popular podcast hosts include:

  • Audioboom
  • Libsyn
  • Anchor

Distributing to Multiple Platforms

Make sure your podcast is available on all major platforms. Even if you don’t use some of these platforms yourself, it’s important to reach listeners wherever they are.

Platforms to consider:

  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • Stitcher
  • iHeart Radio

Step 6: Promoting and Sharing Your Podcast

Promotion is key to growing your podcast. Here are some effective ways to get your podcast in front of more listeners.

Audiograms are short video clips with audio and visual elements that you can share on social media. Tools like Headliner make it easy to create these clips.

Repurpose.io is a game-changing tool for podcasters.

Repurpose.io (aff link) has made content distribution across platforms incredibly easy. It allows me to take my podcast and video content and effortlessly adapt it for multiple channels. A huge time-saver for anyone in content creation.

Sharing on Multiple Platforms

Don’t limit yourself to Instagram. Share your podcast episodes on platforms like:

  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Threads
  • TikTok
  • Facebook

Encourage your listeners to take screenshots and share your podcast on their social media stories.

Step 7: Optimizing Your Podcast for SEO

SEO isn’t just for blogs—it can help your podcast get discovered too.

How to Optimize Podcast Titles

When naming your episodes, think about what keywords people are searching for. Be specific and avoid generic titles.

For example, instead of naming an episode 5 Workout Tips, a better title would be 5 Lower Body Workout Tips for Women. This makes it clearer who the content is for.

Transcribing your podcast gives Google more content to index, improving your SEO. Plus, it provides an alternative for people who prefer reading to listening.

All of My Favorite Podcast Tools for Beginners

Happy podcasting!

I build high-impact websites for health pros so they can spend less time on social.

BRANDWHYS PODCAST

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