Conversation Corner: How to start a podcast

Eric Maclise, host of the Passion Project Podcast joined us for our most recent Conversation Corner to share his expertise in podcasting. Here are some of the tips and tricks he shared with us that he learned along the way!

Invest in the right equipment

When you start a podcast from scratch, getting and investing in the right equipment is crucial. The initial costs may be high but the cost of upkeep for a podcast series is very manageable. Starting with a good mic is one of the most important things, when you have someone listening you want to make sure they are experiencing the highest sound quality you can give them. 

Having some editing software such as Garage Band or Adobe Audition is also very helpful in removing background noise, stumbles on words, or pauses. The last thing you need before starting is a podcast hosting service like Buzzsprout or Anchor, this what gets your episodes onto Spotify or Apple Podcasts. 

Find your niche

Decide if you are going to have interviews or share your own expertise. If you are planning on having guests on every episode, make a list of potential people and reach out to them via email, a tweet, or DM, you might be surprised who you can get! Prepare for your interviews, have outlines of the key points you want to touch on, and let it be conversational. Let it flow and see where it goes!

Grow your audience

Create social media channels for your podcast! It’s such an easy way to share your content and promote episodes. Every episode can allow you to create 3-4 pieces of content by sharing a soundbite, a quote, or who the guest is. When you share those content pieces you can also tap into the audience of your guest. They can reshare your content and now your reach has grown significantly!

A few other tips Eric shared is having a consistent release schedule and that podcasts typically get fewer plays than other mediums but the engagement rate with your audience is significantly higher!