The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights handles complaints. The department’s website offers details on how to file complaints. Although the procedure is straightforward but the investigation could take time. The number of witnesses have an impact on the duration of the investigation. Regardless of the outcome, a Title IX attorney can help you build a convincing case and help you in the legal process.

To determine the best course of action, it is recommended that a Title IX lawyer should be considered if you suspect that your child was a victim to sexual abuse. Students who seek legal action for Title IX violations often seek damages in compensation. These may include emotional distress or financial damages. They may also require changes to school policies and procedures. An experienced legal representative can help you navigate the process and prevent further violations.

Before you file a Title IX lawsuit against a school, you must go over the Title IX policy. It should contain a code of student conduct. It should also specify whether the code is applicable off campus. It should also outline the procedures for conducting a Title IX hearing and investigation. You should also consider bringing your concerns to your school’s administration.

The complainant is able to appeal an appeal of a Title IX complaint once it has been filed. However, a school must permit the accused student’s Title IX defense lawyer to cross-examine the person who is accused. As a result, it is important to ensure that the procedure is fair and unbiased.

Based on the severity of the incident, sanctions may be imposed. The sanctions can vary from suspensions to expulsions, depending on the nature of the incident. These sanctions can have a lasting effect on a student’s academic performance, life-long opportunities, as well as their future career plans.

Many students find it intimidating to make a Title IX lawsuit, especially when they already face the negative effects of an investigation. They may feel rejected and excluded from their community. It isn’t easy to establish the doors of a new school when a previous school has banned them. Even if the person accused has been cleared of any criminal charges a college can still impose sanctions for example, a probationary term.

Once you’ve decided on filing a lawsuit, you can begin collecting evidence. This includes school documents, correspondence eyewitness accounts, and other documents.

In addition to preparing your opening statements In addition, a lawyer can provide vital support and guidance throughout the entire litigation process. An attorney can assist you gather evidence as well as prepare your interview and present your arguments. They can also prepare briefs in your favor in the event that the accused appeals.

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Concrete Leveling Contractors Twinsburg is a process that creates an even, smooth surface from an uneven surface. This can be done in many ways, including self-leveling foam. This type of product costs usually about $35 per bag. The product is mixed with water before being spread over the concrete surface. After drying, the material forms an even surface. This method has a problem: it doesn’t address the soil voids underneath and causes the dips to recur.

Concrete leveling can be done using a variety, including a cement overcoat. A cement overlay offers stunning high-gloss finishes and is easy to maintain. The most popular decorative flooring world are polished concrete overlays. Although most existing concrete slabs can be polished, they are not perfect and will not be able to hide any major imperfections. If you’re interested in an overlay of polished concrete take a look to learn more about the process and other options to improve your flooring.

Self-leveling concrete is a technique that can repair slabs that have sunk. This product is easy to use and will save you money. It is important to mix the concrete evenly so that it can be spread uniformly. It is essential to pour the concrete in a timely manner because it will be set in between ten and fifteen minutes. If you make an error, it can be difficult to correct. You can fix your home with self-leveling concrete if you have the proper tools.

The next step is the process of mudjacking. This involves drilling holes in the concrete slab. The slab is raised to its original height using the mudjacking the slurry. This is the most efficient method for homes that can’t support massive loads. The process is faster and more economical by injecting polyurethane foam directly into slabs. It’s easy to perform and can last for up to ten years. If you’re trying to save money but want to get the job done right, consider self-leveling.

A concrete leveling service will charge $1.80 to $25 per square foot. This price will vary based on the difficulty of the project and the amount of work required to complete the project. This service can help you save money on replacing the concrete, and can be done by a trained professional. This service is less expensive than replacing concrete. With just one or two hours of work it is possible to have a level and perfectly smooth floor in a matter of minutes. Costs can vary based on the type of concrete you choose to use, the size and the location of the concrete.

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In case you didn’t know, AdHub is our self-promotion tool available to US users. You have the option to promote your podcast with an audio ad on other targeted podcasts. Our innovative tool means your podcast has the potential to reach thousands of new listeners in a short amount of time.

How does it work?

Thanks to our dynamic advertising technology, your own advertising can be automatically inserted into Spreaker’s huge podcast catalog and heard by thousands of listeners regardless of the app used.

This means you can reach listeners who are listening to podcasts on Spreaker, iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and / or Google Podcasts.

AdHub gives you the ability to reach target audiences by allowing you to select categories and audience interests to ensure that your audio advertisements are attracting the right listeners for your podcast. It also gives you the ability to track and view your results in terms of impressions, geolocation, and categories.

Are you ready to dive deep into our Adhub? Let’s begin.

Create your ad

First of all, you should think about creating an audio ad promoting your podcast. Here are a few do’s and don’ts:

DOS	NOTHING
→ DO set a goal: For example, the goal of the campaign should be to get new listeners to your podcast or to announce a new podcast that you are currently working on.	→ DO NOT reuse. Avoid submitting the intro you are currently using on your podcast or a live ad that is used to sponsor other products / services: this will only confuse listeners. Remember: you want to grab the attention of a new listener who may not yet know about your podcast!
→ Write a script: The content should be catchy and match the tone of voice of your podcast. It should also contain a call-to-action. Here are a few examples: “Listen to the XXX Podcast, Now Available on Spreaker, Spotify and iHeartRadio” OR “Watch the XXX Podcast Now on Your Favorite Podcast App”	→ DO NOT upload ads that contain or aim to promote: explicit or age-restricted content – alcohol and drugs – illegal products or services; Hate speech / offensive / controversial content; Political or religious content; Gambling; Spam or fraud; Copyrighted content; Music content only
→ Set the DO length: The standard duration of a podcast advertisement is around 15-30 seconds	→ DO NOT use speech synthesizer / text-to-speech services. You want your advertising to sound authentic, so use your own voice whenever possible.
→ DO select the file format: We recommend that you upload the file in mp3 format
→ DO check the sound: You want your ad to be perceived as professional and smooth. Record it in a soundproof environment with a good quality microphone or consider hiring a professional speaker. The more professional it sounds, the more you will attract new listeners!

If you don’t want to do the advertising yourself, you can always hire a professional speaker or editor to create stunning audio effects. Everything you need can be found on Fiverr.

All you have to do is:

• Create a script with clear and concise instructions in a PDF document of what you want to achieve (see DO’S & DON’TS above).
• Choose a creator They want to hire and send them your script as well as any other details that you think are relevant.
• Upload your offer on the speaker CMS

Upload your ad

Once you have your ad ready, go to the AdHub section, click Create Your First Ad and follow the steps.

They are asked:

• Choose a name / title for the ad
• Upload the audio file of your ad (max. 30 seconds, MP3 file recommended)
• Select the country (only the US is currently available)
• Select the interests of the audience
• Set the budget by choosing one of our packages

Once submitted, Spreaker will review and approve your ad within 3 business days. In the event of a rejection, the allocated budget will be activated and you can reuse it to create a new AdHub advertisement.

Look at the results

Once you’ve run your ad, you can see its progress on our Adhub dashboard. The dashboard provides real-time metrics of impressions, geolocation and budget spending.

Remember that impression count refers to the number of times your ad has been played / listened to on other podcasts.

Finally, once the ad stops showing, you can check out the final numbers and really know who heard your podcast.

Our new geolocation statistics mean you can get deeper data at three different levels: country, region and city. This means that you can see which countries, states / provinces and / or cities have received the most impressions. There are also category statistics that break down which podcast categories your ad has played.

These specific details give you the ability to really understand and control who exactly is listening to your ad and what type of listener will ultimately be featured on your podcast.

So why try AdHub?

Well, Spreakers AdHub is an affordable way to grow your listener base. It’s a simple and straightforward tool. It helps your message be heard by your ideal listeners across the Spreaker Pod catalog.

It is time to stop using your imagination and start using your advertising money effectively. And we believe Adhub can help you with that.

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Would you like to start a podcast? There are six (6) easy steps in this beginner’s guide how to start a podcast and lead it to success.

Why starting a podcast is a great choice

At a time when content creators have numerous distribution options, podcasting stands out as an alpha platform. This is because it has redefined the distribution and consumption of content worldwide by making audio content available in an intimate and engaging form.

Hence, it is not surprising that podcasts’ popularity and audience is growing day by day, making it the best channel to attract an active audience.

These days, nobody wants to wait hours for a radio show that picks up on their interests. The urge for instant gratification doesn’t allow this, and this is where podcasts come to the rescue. Technology has made this even better as more and more people invest in smart speakers like Google Home devices, HomePod mini, Sonos One, and Amazon Echo.

In addition to smartphones, these devices have made listening to podcasts easier and more interesting as they make it easier to consume audio content.

Would you like to learn how to create, promote, and monetize your podcast?

Our FREE speaking course Covers everything from defining your podcast to getting it off to a successful start and fully monetizing your catalog. Did we also mention it’s 100% free?
What are you waiting for?

A look at the numbers that support the world of podcasting

Podcasting is a promising field and it’s very popular these days. As the latest podcast statistics show, the industry is projected to reach a market size of $ 1.62 billion by 2022, with the number of podcast listeners growing every year. Interestingly, the statistics also suggest that the majority of customers use podcasts to learn something new, while they can also be a great marketing tool for promoting your brand.

Now that you know how fast the podcasting field is moving, it’s time to start a podcast. The big question is; How do you start a podcast?

How to start a podcast: a six-step guide

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started and succeed as a content creator:

Start by determining your target audience

The first step in starting a podcast is to look inward as you need to focus on what you understand best. To do this, you need to ask yourself the following questions;

• Which areas or niches do I know?
• How can I best use my knowledge in this area or niche to attract an audience?
• Who is likely to be my listener and what are their interests?

Narrowing down a niche that suits you best makes it easier to know your target audience. That way, you can search for topics that appeal to your potential audience.

Select your podcast topic and name

After you’ve settled on a niche of your choice, be it family topics, politics, celebrity gossip, hiking, or music, it’s time to pick a podcast name and topic. As a rule of thumb, choose a podcast name that is catchy and enticing to your target audience.

Remember that simplicity is key and always remember to match your podcast name and topic to the niche you are going to be working on.

For your podcast topic, it is important to thoroughly research areas of interest and weaknesses in your niche. Once you discover these areas, create a series of topics that contain the keywords that will be popular in your target audience’s online searches.

This is a foolproof way to drive more traffic to your podcast as it becomes an authority in the niche.

Other recommendations for finding the right title for the podcast include:

• The name should be easy for the audience to remember and find;
• Must contain all relevant keywords surrounding the central topic or reflecting the personality of you as the host;
• Preferably between 20 and 29 characters long.

Recall, The topic shouldn’t be too narrow as it will make it difficult to keep creating content. But you don’t want it too broad either, as episodes should target a specific niche. The idea is to cast a wide net to make an impact. But not too wide! You don’t want to confuse the audience with your message.

TrendingAre you ready to start a podcast? 5 questions to ask yourself

Set the perfect length and frequency for podcast posting

Podcast findings show that most podcasts are between 20 and 40 minutes long, which is 31% of the total percentage. Most podcasts are published regularly every 8 to 14 days. While these are valuable learnings that you can’t ignore, you need to set a perfect length and frequency for posting to get more listeners.

As a newbie, you don’t want your podcast to get too long for it to get boring. On the other hand, you don’t want a podcast that is too short to cover valuable content. In many cases, an ideal length is a podcast between 18 and 22 minutes, as this is the ideal human attention span.

In terms of frequency, it’s better to post weekly so that your audience can anticipate the next episodes.

Choose a podcast hosting platform

Now comes a critical pillar to your podcasting and this is choosing the right podcast hosting platform. This is a critically important decision that determines how easy it will be to run your podcast.

A podcast host is a place to store and distribute the audio files of your podcast. There are different types of hosts, all of which are unique to your podcast career.

While there are free podcast hosting platforms out there, be careful before you go for this option. Typically, when a program is free, everything you upload becomes its product, including your data. It’s a question of safety and ethics, but that’s up to you.

We do podcast hosting here at speaker, including a free trial if you want to try things out. When that’s done, you’re good to go Submit it to podcast distributors, or Podcatcher.

TrendingHow to Create the Perfect Podcast Intro and Outro

Optimize your podcasts to reach a larger audience

You need to improve your game as a content creator running a podcast. The average listener has become quite demanding and strives for the best listener experience (LX). At the same time, increasing competition means that you need to optimize your content to reach a larger audience:

• Research and use relevant keywords in your content. For more information on podcast SEO, we recommend reading this article.
• Have podcast show notes ready highlighting what your podcast episode will cover. Use relevant keywords in these notes in places such as titles, headings, sub-headings, and throughout the page content.
• Leverage podcast metadata. This is the summary that will appear on search pages with your podcast. Be creative and make it enticing for your potential audience to feel the urge to hear your podcast.
• Use your content in forms like blogs, guides, videos or infographics that search engines can easily index and show to your target audience.

Don’t forget to promote your podcasts

Finally, you can’t forget to promote your podcasts. Your audience won’t magically know your podcasts, and you’ll have to work hard to get the news around quickly. The best way to do this is:

• Use social media to establish yourself as an authority in a specific niche. Publish creative posts on these platforms and make them go viral. Don’t forget to include links to your podcasts in these posts so that viewers can easily reach them.
• Appear as a guest on popular vlogs, podcasts, and live social media discussions from influencers. This will result in more people becoming aware of you and ready to review your podcasts.
• Have a podcast website as that way you can expand your network and at the same time represent you as a knowledgeable content creator.
• Ask your audience for reviews and subscriptions so you can build trust and attract more traffic.

diploma

Podcasting is the future of content distribution and it’s getting more popular every day. Its endless possibilities and flexibility in creating engaging content make it a favorite in the current world. Best of all, it’s only a matter of time before everyone is on board with podcasts as technology makes it easier for the average person to consume audio content.

As a futuristic person, there has never been a better time to start podcasting than now. This guide provides a good starting point for understanding the pros and cons of being a successful podcaster.

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As a podcaster, your main goal is to engage your listeners. Podcasting has been on the rise for the past while. But there are more weekly podcast listeners than people with Netflix accounts in the US. While it would be nice for all these 80 million listeners to tune into your show next, having a podcast that appeals widely to everyone is not feasible. 

Why? Because not everyone likes the same things. Something that appeals to everyone would have to be generic and uninteresting. 

If you want to have a successful podcast, you need to go niche. You need to find the exact community your awesome content speaks to. In order to carve out your niche, you need to find your ideal podcast listener, also known as your podcast avatar. 

Want to learn how to create, promote & monetize your podcast?

Our FREE Spreaker course covers everything starting with defining your podcast, to successfully launching all the way to fully monetizing your catalog. Also, did we mention that it’s 100% Free?
What are you waiting for?

What is a Podcast Avatar?

A podcast avatar, also referred to as a listener persona, is your ideal podcast listener. They are a single person that you want to be speaking to every time you sit down to record. You want to know everything about this person, from their demographics to their psychographics. 

Defining your podcast avatar is a key component of your podcast marketing strategy. It’s important to have a podcast avatar. Why? Because understanding this one person will allow you to create personalized content. It will also allow you to build strong relationships with your desired listeners. While it’s nice to think that anyone can listen to your show, you won’t be able to win them all. 

Your content won’t resonate with everyone. So it’s better to narrow down the one person you’re trying to reach and speak to them directly rather than throwing the net wide and creating generic content. In consumer marketing, 71% of companies that create personas exceed revenue and lead goals. Their success is due to knowing their exact targets inside and out, which should be done for podcast personas as well. 

Speaking to your podcast avatar will give your show an intimate feel as if you are having a one-on-one conversation with them. Your ideal podcast listener will feel deeply connected to you in this way, as you are speaking to their exact hopes, desires, and fears that only they thought they knew. 

How to Create a Podcast Avatar

You are building a singular person when you construct your podcast avatar, so the first step is to give your avatar a name. Let’s go with Jessica. Now ask yourself the following questions about Jessica:

• Age
• Gender
• Location
• Education
• Family situation
• Workplace
• Hobbies
• Passions
• Likes/Dislikes

These demographics will create a basic background profile of Jessica, your ideal podcast listener. While these are still the basics, you want to be as detailed as possible.

Psychographics of a Podcast Avatar 

Even with the basic demographics we’ve established about Jessica, we already have a sense of her story and can start to infer about her psychographics. Psychographics refers to the psychological aspects of one’s personality, including aspirations, values, attitudes, and personality. These psychological attributes are as equally important to your podcast marketing strategy as demographics are, as they will affect the way your listeners react to you. 

In some cases, psychographics can have a greater influence than demographics. Since psychographics consider the way in which people think, you can tie together some groups that demographically have nothing in common. For example, if you have a podcast about creating sustainable homes out of recycled materials. Your demographics could range from 20-year-old female environmental science majors in Montana to 60-year-old retired punk rockers in Edinburgh. It’s the way that these people are approaching sustainability and home building that matters, rather than where they live or who they are. 

Let’s go back to our podcast avatar, Jessica. To establish her psychographics, let’s ask the following questions about her:

• What are her goals? 
• How can I help her?
• What are her problems? 
• What help is she looking for? 

Now that we know Jessica’s goals and fears, we can begin crafting podcast content that will be useful for her. Since Jessica is our idealized listener, everything we create should be tailored for her with an approach that she would enjoy hearing. 

Podcast Avatar Personalities 

The personality of a podcast avatar is a crucial part of understanding psychographics, as the delivery and structure of your show will depend on the type of person they are. In order to create a bond with them, your podcast avatar should feel seen by your show, as if they’re part of the conversation. So, your podcast delivery should feel like a conversation that they personally would be part of.

Essentially, you are trying to figure out how your podcast avatar sees the world. 

Is your podcast avatar generally an optimistic person who likes to have fun? If so, your show can be lighthearted with lots of humour interspersed throughout, without being overly critical about anything. But if your podcast avatar is pessimistic and cynical about the future, you want to maintain a level of cheer that they can handle. 

Is your podcast avatar an organized person or do they do everything last minute? Do they prefer cooking at home or would they rather go out to restaurants? Are they likely to take big risks or are they more calculated in their decision-making? Do they do their research or just choose things at random? Do they like the thrill of horror movies or prefer the comfort of a rom-com?

All of these questions and more will help you better define who you are speaking to. Don’t worry about creating a “wrong” podcast avatar either; your ideal podcast listener can evolve and grow with your show. 

It might be helpful to use a website like Canva to create a mood board for your podcast avatar, giving you a clear visual of the person you’re trying to reach. A mood board can give you a structured idea of this ideal listener, concretizing your idea of a listener into an actual draft. 

TrendingAre You Ready to Start a Podcast? 5 Questions to Ask Yourself

From Host to Avatar 

Consider your own relationship to your podcast avatar. What does your podcast avatar think about you as a podcast host? You’ll want to ask yourself some questions about what your podcast can bring to this specific person. Some questions to consider are:

• How can your show help this person achieve their goals?
• In what ways does this person want to be helped? Do they want to be helped at all?
• What value are they getting out of your podcast?
• How will they engage with your podcast and podcast community? 

Tuning In With Your Podcast Avatar 

How your podcast avatar listens to your show matters a lot in how you will deliver it. The first step is to determine whether your podcast avatar is tuning in for entertainment or to learn something. It can be a bit of both, but the way they go about it matters. 

For example, does your avatar listen to your podcast while working out? Or do they sit in a quiet park with headphones to absorb all you have to say? Do they take notes as they listen, or just mentally file things away? 

In the case of our imaginary avatar Jessica, we know that she’s a busy single mom. We also know that she has a 30-minute commute to work every morning and evening, giving her an hour of listening time total. So, we can infer that Jessica listens to your podcast in the morning when she drives to work, as it’s one of the few times she has free during the week without her kids or work. She likes to listen during this time as the podcast host is preppy and motivates her to get through the day.

TrendingHow to Create the Perfect Podcast Intro & Outro

Defining Your Podcast Audience

Whereas your podcast avatar is a single ideal listener you’ve constructed in your mind, they are not interchangeable with your podcast audience. Your podcast avatar is considered one listener within your podcast audience, like one single fish in a large sea. It’s important to define your audience as well in order to create a personalized podcast listener experience.

Keeping in mind your podcast avatar, you can define who your broader podcast audience is. For example, based on our model of Jessica, we can determine that our podcast audience is moms that want to travel with their kids, not just anyone going on a family vacation. 

While it’s important to define your audience, you still should pretend that you’re speaking to that one ideal podcast listener. Your podcast avatar is at the core of all your content and is the person you are seeking to help. It might be useful for you to construct several different podcast avatars. After seeing what these people all have in common, you can well-define your audience to keep creating that tailored content.  

Finding Your Podcast Audience

So you know who you want to target. Now how do you reach them? Refer back to your podcast avatar. Where does this person spend their time? Are they avid Instagrammers who love sharing their daily lives, or are they introverted Tumblr users who like to stay anonymous? Do they like to actively participate in Facebook communities or are they more into Pinterest boards? Most importantly, do they even use social media? If they don’t, do they visit blogs, or participate in other online communities?

Based on where your podcast avatar spends their time, you can likely find the rest of your audience. You can grow your own podcast community on that platform, or you can use it to reel in new listeners, whether through posts or tailored ads. Targeting your audience this way is why it’s important to have a solid idea of your ideal podcast listener, as you can pinpoint exactly where you’ll be able to find them.   

Another way to find your podcast audience is to do research. Take a look at competitor shows and look at who their listeners are. If they’re similar to your own, you’ll likely share an audience and can tailor your content and marketing strategy accordingly. 

If you already have your podcast up and running, take a look at your statistics. Analyze the numbers and where they’re coming from to see who is tuning in. If you have a community, why not just ask them? Send out a poll or survey in your newsletter or via Instagram Stories to see who your audience is and what they want to hear. 

TrendingHow to Start a Podcast: A Beginners’ Guide

How to Use Your Podcast Avatar 

All of the thinking that goes into creating your podcast avatar might seem unnecessary considering they aren’t a real person, but the better defined your ideal podcast listener is, the better content you can deliver as a podcaster. Blindly recording untargeted content won’t grow your audience. Instead, you’ll hurt your own potential rather than highlighting how unique your show is. It’s the nicheness that begins with understanding your podcast avatar that will allow you to gain more podcast listeners.  

Looking to the future, if you want to sell goods or services, knowing your podcast avatar will allow you to identify items that would be of use to them, as well as a reflective price point. 82% of companies who use personas have created an improved value proposition to customers, which is equally applicable to podcast audiences.

All of the info you’ve collected about your podcast avatar can also be used to create a targeted landing page for your podcast, which can boost your podcast SEO. The more specific you can get with this imaginary-but-real person, the better returns you’ll see on your brand growth.

As you can see, creating your podcast avatar translates to real-life benefits for your show. Get out there into the digital world and connect with them today! 

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The jump into the podcast world can be daunting, but luckily, figuring out how to start a podcast is easier than ever. There are many tips, tricks, and tools at hand, and you can easily find the answer to almost any question you have about the process online.

There’s never a bad time to start a podcast, and if you’ve heard the siren call to get your mic out and hit record, then you probably have a great message worth spreading. However, there are always steps you can take to be successful and ensure that your first episode lands with a bang instead of a crash.

Thinking about your general values, interests, and goals on both a personal and professional level can help you better understand why you had the pull to get into the podcast world in the first place, and what motivates you to keep moving stay forward. On a practical level, taking a little time off can also go a long way to determining how to structure your episodes, what equipment to use, and what marketing tactics to use.

Before you give yourself the green light to create the podcast of your dreams, there are five questions you should ask yourself:

Would you like to learn how to create, promote, and monetize your podcast?

Our FREE speaking course Covers everything from defining your podcast to getting it off to a successful start and fully monetizing your catalog. Did we also mention it’s 100% free?
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1. What is my overall goal?

Before you start your podcast adventure, take some time to figure out what you want your podcast to achieve. The answer doesn’t have to be groundbreaking – in fact, your goal might simply be to have fun, but knowing this before you start working will allow you to make creative decisions and keep track of everything.

A great way to narrow your focus is to document your goals and values ​​as a person or organization, and to determine what kind of impact you want to have in the world. You might want to promote world peace or sit down with creative thought leaders, whatever it is, write it down and use it as your guiding light for the future.

In case you still haven’t sold, here are a few examples of underlying goals a podcast can help you:

Brand stories

Starting a podcast is a great opportunity to create a compelling narrative about your brand or business and, ultimately, connect with prospects.

Given the longer format of most podcast episodes, you’ll have plenty of time to dig into your company’s interesting backstory and convince people with your vicious storytelling skills.

TrendingHow to Create the Perfect Podcast Intro and Outro

Connect with like-minded industry leaders

Every podcast episode offers a new chance to meet and get in touch with an interesting guest from your industry. When you start a podcast, you can build a network of people who are passionate about your topic and even develop long-term, fulfilling relationships.

In the digital age, making new friends can be difficult, which is why using your podcast as a networking tool and social opportunity is a smart and rewarding goal.

Positioning as an expert

Everyone knows that you generally qualify for a doctorate if you regularly record podcast episodes on a specific topic. on the subject, right? Well, not exactly, but podcasting is still a great way to show off your knowledge and build your personal brand as an expert in your field.

Ultimately, this will help you capture a niche and position yourself as a leader in your field.

Convert listeners into clients or clients.

Ideally, your only goal isn’t getting more customers and sales for your business, but that doesn’t mean starting a podcast isn’t a good reason. Podcasts are an excellent marketing tactic, but they’re most effective when the person behind the microphone is genuinely passionate about their subject.

You can definitely use your podcast to increase profits, but remember to stay authentic so it doesn’t sound like a sales pitch.

TrendingHow much does it cost to start a podcast?

2. Which topics will I cover?

While you don’t necessarily have to pick a narrow topic window for your podcast and never have to deviate from it, it can be helpful to pick two to three anchor topics for your show so that you have a rough feel for the realm you’d like to play along with. This will help you stay focused as your podcast progresses so you can stay consistent and build a fan base over time.

For example, if your topic is wellness, you might want to pick two to three of your favorite topics that you want to focus on so that people know right away whether or not they are getting in touch with you. You can choose to stay within the limits of diet and mindset to begin with, and then you can slowly start branching out into niche topics as you gain a following and people trust you to deliver top notch content, no matter what happens you talk about.

When planning episodes, try to think outside the box and cover topics that are niche but still relevant to a solid audience. Think about a topic you want to deepen and see if there is enough material for an episode. If you care, chances are someone else is too. Here are some examples of common podcast topics you might want to use as a starting point:

• news
• politics
• Real crime
• Health and wellness
• spirituality
• religion
• Love and relationships
• Self help
• Sports
• Finance and business
• technology
• music
• science
• to travel

3. Who is my ideal listener?

Breaking down the type of audience you want to attract to your podcast can help you determine the right tone, episode flow, and topic to cover in the future. When you know who you’re talking to and why, it’s a lot easier to keep an eye on your final audience and create each episode from their perspective.

Consider demographics like age, location, interests, and values ​​when imagining your target audience, but also remember that everyone is unique at the end of the day, so you never know who will be interested in your topic. Stay open and try not to alienate certain groups by using open and approachable language.

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4. Do I have the necessary equipment?

You can really only start a podcast with your laptop, but if you want to make a professional impression right from the start, you’ll probably want to take stock of the equipment you have on hand and what you will need to make your first episode sound awesome. First, consider investing in a solid microphone and some professional sound editing tools like Adobe Audition.

Once you get down to the basics, you can move on to more advanced gear like a fully integrated podcast production studio or a fancy microphone. Whatever you do, don’t break the bank if you haven’t already learned the ropes – you can always buy more gear to celebrate once you’ve hit the top charts.

5. How do I promote my podcast?

If you want you to be making a podcast, it is a good idea to spend some time thinking about the channels and tactics you are using to promote it and attract new listeners and subscribers. Here are a few ideas on how to get your podcast excited:

Frequent posting on social media.

Create new accounts on all platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok to promote your brand. Be sure to keep your posting cadence and don’t forget to promote new episodes as they appear.

Create a website for your podcast with a blog attached.

When starting a podcast, having a healthy web presence is key so that listeners can learn more about you and the show. You can use your website to review notes and descriptions, transcriptions and a blog that will come in handy for turning episodes into long written content.

Writing guest blogs, comments and articles for other platforms and points of sale.

Reaching out to other YouTubers who are in a similar field can help you maximize your exposure and gain new followers. Don’t be afraid to send cold pitches to people you admire – you never know, they might just say yes.

Write a bi-weekly or weekly newsletter to your subscribers.

Building your email subscriber list is an effective way to connect with your community and attract new audiences. Try sending out a weekly or bi-weekly email newsletter to keep your followers updated and to keep up with your brand’s events.

Start a paid digital advertising campaign.

When in doubt, throw some money on the wall and see what gets stuck. Seriously, a paid campaign can help increase your followers and get the word out there faster than an organic campaign. So if you are on the budget why not give it a try?

You can also always hire an agency to work with you on more great ideas to grow your target audience and build a solid fan base for your channels. Sometimes it just takes outside help and perspectives to really take your show to the next level.

Mackenzie Patterson is a digital content strategist at Quill Inc., a corporate podcast production agency that works with various corporate brands. In her spare time, Mackenzie enjoys walking, reading, and discovering new wellness trends.

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If there was no TV in sight and you heard the Friends theme song, you’d likely know what was playing on the screen. You’d settle on the couch with your snacks and have a general idea of the type of entertainment you’re about to consume. A podcast intro is no different than a TV opening.

A podcast intro introduces the main ideas, includes the title, and prepares you for what’s to come in the following minutes or hours. In many ways, the introduction is the most important part of your podcast. For those who have just stumbled upon your show, these crucial seconds are the make or break that decide whether or not they will stick it out. 

So, how to make a podcast intro that grabs your listeners and keeps them hooked? Let’s take a look.

Want to learn how to create, promote & monetize your podcast?

Our FREE Spreaker course covers everything starting with defining your podcast, to successfully launching all the way to fully monetizing your catalog. Also, did we mention that it’s 100% Free? What are you waiting for?

Do I Really Need a Podcast Intro? 

Absolutely! If your podcast begins and launches right into your content, a new listener will have no idea who you are or what your show is about. Think of a podcast intro less as a catchy fun slogan and more of a way to introduce yourself to a new connection. You don’t necessarily need to make a song or jingle, but you do need to explain who you are and what your show is about. 

These few seconds are essential in capturing your listeners’ attention.

If it takes someone too long to understand what your podcast is about, they’ll skip it and move on to the next. You need to pitch yourself in these crucial first moments to ensure that your audience will stick it through.  

The Basics of Making a Podcast Intro

The key to knowing how to make a podcast intro is to keep everything simple. Let’s take a moment to review the basics of what we’ll need to prepare our introduction. 

1. Understand Your Audience

Before we get started on writing your podcast intro script, you need to know who you are speaking to. The way you speak to your audience and the type of ambiance you create in those first few seconds will differ depending on if your podcast avatar is a mid-40s yoga mom or a teenage heavy metal bro. You’ll want your language and tone to match that of your ideal listener, giving them something that they can easily recognize off the bat.

If your podcast is based on a niche topic, don’t shy away from any niche terms or language. It’s likely that your specific audience will recognize it and know what you’re talking about.

Another consideration is the cultural and linguistic differences between listeners. Since podcasting is such a wide-reaching global medium, you could have listeners from all over the world tuning in. You might choose to opt for language that is less culturally specific in your intro, or perhaps you could even use that to your advantage! 

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2. Choosing Your Intro Style

Typically, a podcast intro will last around 30 seconds, rarely extending more than a minute. It should cover the basics, including your podcast title, who you are, and what your show is about.

There are basically two types of podcast intros.

Prerecorded intro

In this type of podcast intro, your show is introduced by someone else and talked about in the third person. Yvonne Ivanescu of The Branding Lab does this in her episode here.

Hearing another voice introduce your podcast will add some diversity to your audio. It can also jazz up the tone or ambiance you’re aiming for. It will allow your audience to think of you less as a one-man show. Instead, they’ll see you as an expert who deserves an introduction (even though you already do).

The cons of using this type of intro are that you will need to hire an audio producer and/or voice actor to create one for you, which could depend on your budget. Typically, you can find people to do this on freelance markets like Upwork and Fiverr. If you have a friend with a great voice who could do it for free and the audio editing tools to make it work, then all the power to you. 

Self-recorded intro

In a self-recorded intro, the host will typically introduce themselves in the first person. They will also give a little run-down of who they are, what their goals are, and what their podcast is about. Kacia Fitzgerald does this here in the EmpowerHER podcast. 

The benefit of introducing your own show is that the audience gets to know you from the jump. They can also hear your passion for the subject in your voice. You can set the tone for your podcast quickly, as your audience will understand the mood in which you’ll be approaching your subject. When your audience realizes that you’re a real person, you can quickly create intimacy between you and your listeners, making them captivated by all that you are saying. 

If you choose to have someone else introduce your show, make sure that their voice and tone match your own. You want the perfect tone of voice for your podcast intro, so it might be a hassle to find someone that can do exactly what you want. 

How to Make a Podcast Intro 

Writing the script for your podcast intro is like giving your audience a quick summary of the who, what, where, when, and why of your podcast. 

1. Introduce your show

You don’t need to go into great detail. Give a quick one-liner explaining what your show is about and what your audience can expect to hear from you. It goes without saying that you should directly mention your podcast title as well! 

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2. Introduce yourself and any co-hosts

Whether you want to use your real name or not, your audience needs to know who is speaking. You can explain a bit about your connection to the podcast subject, but saying your name and the title is usually enough, as you want to keep everything short and sweet. 

3. Acknowledge your audience

Since you have already carved out your perfect podcast avatar, you should know your target audience. Including this in your introduction will allow your ideal listeners to recognize themselves immediately.

Something like “Hi! I’m Hannah and this is BirdWorld, a podcast for bird lovers” cuts straight to the point, and your audience can decide quickly if your show is for them or not.  

4. Set the tone 

Your audience should know straight off the bat what kind of show to expect from your introduction. If your show is comedic, make your intro lighthearted and funny. If it’s a serious topic, avoid any strange sound effects.

You may want to choose to add music to your intro, which can be helpful when editing. While optional, adding music to a podcast intro can quickly set the ambiance you’re aiming for. You can find free music available for use on websites like Youtube Studio, Musopen, or Free Music Archive, or you can make your own sound on Garageband. 

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While this one might not be applicable to everyone. Some choose to include the name of their sponsors or production company in their podcast intro. Depending on the type of deal you’ve made with them, this step might be obligatory. 

For some examples of podcast intros, check out:

Introducing the Episode

While a podcast intro should aim to be somewhat static and easy for your listeners to recognize, some podcasters like to follow this up with a sneak peek of what each episode will be about. Podcasts such as The Director’s Cut include a short summary of their current interviewee’s latest project in their intro, giving listeners a sample of what’s to come over the course of the episode. 

While it’s optional to include a full episode preview in your podcast intro, you might want to mention the episode number or title in the beginning, given that you don’t have a prerecorded intro.

What to Avoid in your Podcast Intro  

Details. Your audience will have the entire course of an episode to find out more about your podcast. The bulk of your content is what matters to them, so don’t spoil everything in the first minute. Your podcast intro is like a little handshake when meeting someone new; you don’t need to spit everything out right at once.  

Do I Need a Podcast Outro Too? 

Yes! While some people may start tuning out as your show wraps up, a podcast outro is a good way to transition out of your show. Since it does come at the end, an outro doesn’t hold the same importance as the intro, but you should still put thought into it. 

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How to Make a Podcast Outro

An outro is a simple way to wrap up your show and send your listeners off into the regular world. Like your podcast intro, your aim here is to be brief. You can include the same music as the intro, but you’ll need to change up the script. 

1. Call to Action: 

Since they’ll be transitioning out of your audiospace, it’s a good idea to part ways with your audience by giving them a call to action. Some actions you could suggest to your audience include:

• Your social media handles 
• Asking listeners to write a review 
• Where to find your podcast community (Facebook, Discord, online forums, etc) 
• How to sign up for your newsletter
• Reminder about your Patreon or other fundraiser
• Any merch or services you’re selling

2. Recap the Episode

Listing the main takeaways from the episode you’ve just recorded is a good way to bring your show to its natural end. It’s also a way to prove that you accomplished the goal you set out at the beginning of the episode. This allows your listeners to trust you as an expert in your field. 

3. Thank Your Listeners

While your content is great, your podcast would be nothing without your audience. Adding notes of gratitude in your outro is a nice way to show your listeners that you care about them. By regularly mentioning your audience in your show, you will be building community and increasing their loyalty to you. 

For some examples of podcast outros, check out:

• Marketing Over Coffee: After the hosts give a quick goodbye, this podcast ends with a prerecorded outro. It provides information about how to contact the hosts and where their intro/outro music comes from.

• Perpetual Traffic: Come out of your podcast headspace and back into the real world with this musical outro. It is peppered with a simple episode wrap-up and farewell from the hosts.

• She Podcasts: In this episode, the actual podcast outro doesn’t occur at the end of its running time, but rather a few minutes before. After wrapping up the episode and giving out a call to action to the audience, She Podcasts includes an unedited look of what happens before and after their show. 

• Welcome to Night Vale: The ending to this storytelling podcast features its typical atmospheric music. This is followed by an outro recorded by another person that gives the show’s information while staying within their same brand of humour and story tone. 

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BONUS: How to Make a Podcast Trailer 

You’ve recorded your podcast intro and outro, the bulk of your content, done all your editing, and now you’re ready to launch. However, it can take up to a week for a new podcast to appear on podcatchers like Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

In the meanwhile, you can create traction for your show and improve your podcast SEO before it officially launches by creating a podcast trailer. Just like a movie, a podcast trailer will get your audience hyped for the content that you’re about to bring to them. You can put your trailer on your podcast website landing page, giving easy access to anyone who has stumbled across it.

The Podcast Host has a full breakdown of what should be included in your trailer. But generally, they should aim for 30-60 seconds of audio. You can use the same music as in your intro. In fact, the work you did on writing your intro will help you put together a quick promo. 

In the end, the trailer is your opportunity to convince potential listeners that you are a great host. We already know it’s true, but don’t be afraid to put your show out there. This is your time to shine, showing your audience everything that you’re passionate about. 

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There are a lot of blogs online with an array of information that’ll tell you $100 is enough to start a podcast. However, you’ll also find articles stating you need $5,000 to be successful. At the end of the day, it all boils down to your purpose behind starting a podcast and your financial situation.  So you might wonder, how much does it cost to start a podcast? Let’s break it down. 

Before we break down the costs of starting a podcast, we would recommend that you identify your podcast budget.

Some of the determining factors when budgeting for your podcast include`;

• Understanding your income
• Determining your fixed costs
• Identifying your variable(s)
• Making a rainy day fund and;
• Crafting a budget

Simplifying it in this way gives you a holistic approach to curate a podcast budget that is right for you. 

With that said, let’s examine what it costs to start a podcast.

The Basic Equipment Needed

Let’s start with the basic equipment. If you want to start a podcast there are some basic pieces that every podcast, regardless of budget, will need.

Headphones for Podcasters

You can begin with the pair you have right now. Whether you’re planning on recording episodes with guests remotely or you have solo sessions at home, headphones help you to articulate your words better. 

As you talk into the microphone your brain processes what it’s hearing through the headphones which gives you the chance to self-review and make minor tweaks. If you don’t have much experience recording audio this might not seem important but trust me, it makes a huge difference to your performance and ultimately to how you sound.”

Rachel Corbett

In the end, headphones are important because they allow podcast hosts to monitor their audio during a recording. Ultimately, hearing yourself talk will help your mic technique. Headphones also pick up room noise. This will help you configure your setup in a way that eliminates outside noises.

What headphones to buy

For those starting with a smaller to mid-sized budget, we recommend purchasing a multi-purpose pair of headphones like the Studio3 Beats by Dre which are conveniently noise-canceling. Another great pick is the Audio-Technica ATH-M20X studio headphones which are under $50 and durable.

Now, if money is no object, then we would recommend these headphones:

Besides price other factors for your headphone selection are durability, size, sound quality, wireless, and mobility. Although headphones are a crucial piece to the podcasting puzzle, they’re not the only item.

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Let’s talk about microphones. 

Microphones for Podcasters

Again, if you’re a beginner or balling on a budget, your microphone set-up can be as easy as hooking up your headphones to your phone. From there, we suggest downloading our Spreaker Studio app where you can professionally record your podcast with one click. There are even built-in features that allow you to record in sections and enhance your audio.

Another minimal microphone setup can be simply using your phone. You can opt-in for a microphone that connects directly to your phone like the IK Multimedia iRig Microphone Lavalier for only $29.99 and for such a tiny device, it delivers extraordinary value. This microphone clips right onto your phone for recording on the go. 

On another note, some podcasters decide recording on their computer is more fitting. If your one of them, grab a USB microphone that easily fits into your computer. As a refresh, a USB allows your microphone and computer to communicate. At the top of the list is the Samson Portable USB microphone. This option is under $50 and comes with a stand for ultimate convenience. 

Additional choices that may be worth the investment are the Blue Yeti Nano which has smart functions that enable you to create a top-notch sound, and The Rode NT-USB that allows you to monitor the microphone input in real-time. These are both highly recommended amongst the podcasting community and are conveniently both USB’s. 

For more recommendations on microphones check out this blog: Three Pieces of Gear for Starting a Podcast.

Besides physical gear, you’ll need some sort of software to edit out those pesky “uhms” and dead space from your episodes. Keep reading to learn about different podcast recording software. 

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Podcast Recording and Editing Softwares

There are plenty of options out there to record for free that get the job done:

• Spreaker Studio App
• Garageband (for Macbook users)
• Audacity (Macbook and PC users). 

Aside from simply recording your podcast, another feature you might want to consider while shopping around is remote compatibility. Nowadays, hosts are able to speak with guests across the world which is extraordinary and opens up a whole new world (literally). This means you get to tap into global demographics, thus growing your audience diversity. If recording remotely is important to you, consider Spreaker’s app. It has integrations with Skype that allow you to record right there as you host your session online.

Now that we’ve got the pre-production covered, let’s chat about post-production. It can take time to sift through the uhms, dead noise, and harsh s sounds on your own. If you have time to spare and don’t mind this then you could save money.

Post-Production Budget

Okay, let’s take a look at some other options based on your specific financial needs. Here’s the cost of podcasting recording and editing software by budget:

• Little to no budget
  • Podcast Recording- free (Spreaker App/Audacity/Garageband)
  • Podcast Editing- free to $28 (Spreaker App/Audacity/Alitu)
• Mid-sized budget
• Large Budget

In contrast, if you don’t have the time or want to edit your podcast we suggest hiring a podcast editor or audio engineer.  Outsourcing to a podcast editor can cost anywhere from $100- $500 and varies depending on how many episodes you need to be edited per month.

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Podcast equipment doesn’t have to cost an arm and leg. You can always start small and work up to better equipment once you get more listeners.   

Podcast Brand Identity

So, you’ve got your podcast topics, your guests, and all the software to create a well-thought-out podcast but how will you present it to the world? This piece to the podcasting puzzle is crucial and could make the difference between thousands of listens or very few listens. 

Podcast branding is a unique style, tone, and presence that you display online. Your consistent and aligned branding will paint a picture to your audience thus attracting more loyal listeners that will love all the content you put out. 

Branding is important because it sets you apart from your competition and gives your listeners a reason to listen your podcast.

The word branding is a broad term that has a lot of moving parts some of which include:

• Podcast differentiator – what makes your podcast different than the thousands already out there?
• Ideal podcast listener avatar
• Mission and Vision
• Logo
• Cover art
• Intro/outro for your podcast
• The copy and messaging that represents your brand on social media/show notes

But let’s remember, branding is more than just a logo.

The process of branding means creating a unique image of your podcast through the formation of relationships, emotions, and memories around your brand. Ultimately, your brand is your podcast and your brand is defined by your audience’s perception of your podcast.

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How much does branding really cost?

Okay, now back to the logistics. You can hire freelancers from Upwork or Fiverr to create just about any of your branding needs. Alternatively, you can post what you need in Facebook groups like Graphic Designers & Freelancing, or I Need a Graphic Designer.

Here’s an overview of branding needs and costs:

• Podcast brand strategy: $0-1,000
• Logo: $0- $300
• Cover Art: $0-400
• Intro/Altro: $0-500
• Podcast Trailer: $0-500

These prices vary drastically because they depend on a ton of factors. For instance, do you have the skill to create a free logo on Canva or would you rather pay a highly experienced designer? How long will your intro be? Will you include a snippet of your voice or just some music in the intro? All these questions should be taken into consideration when crafting your podcast brand identity budget. 

Additional Costs for Podcasting

Merchandise

Tee shirts, water bottles, magnetics, and hats are all fantastic ways to organically promote your podcast. Not only is merchandise a great way to market your podcast. But you can make some extra cash from it and gain user-generated content thus expanding your brand awareness. 

Let us explain for a moment how user-generated content works to cultivate brand awareness. First, a listener purchases a shirt with your podcast logo on it. He or she is so excited that they post a picture wearing the shirt on Instagram. Then, you repost this to your Instagram and other members of your audience get the urge to purchase too and the cycle continues. This is just one example of how merchandise can explode your podcast. 

Ultimately you can’t go wrong with launching merchandise around your podcast and here’s how much it might cost you depending on what you’d like to sell:

1. Teeshirts: Use a print-on-demand service for t-shirts to keep the costs low (by ordering 50+ shirts at a time you’ll spend on average of $5-10 per shirt)
2. Redbubble: Another print-on-demand site that is free to sign up and you get paid when someone purchases what’s called an artist margin. Sticker’s are a fun and cheap way to promote your podcast, take for example The Dream podcasts sticker line.

By using print-on-demand services you’ll decrease the amount of time, money, and energy that goes into packaging, labeling, and distributing the merchandise because they do it all for you! And, by ordering items in bulk you’ll also keep prices low.

Merchandise is not recommended to focus on if you’re just starting your podcast as it could lead to overwhelming however if you’ve been podcasting for a while or have a team to help you, we say go for it! 

To continue the list of “nice-to-haves” for your podcast, consider a social media manager. 

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Social Media Manager

Maintaining a podcast could be a full-time job, so if you have the budget you might consider hiring a social media manager.

A lot of time and energy goes into researching topics, finding vetted guests, and of course recording your podcast. If your main focus is to craft quality content for your listeners (which we’re sure it is), then you may feel spread thin attempting to present your podcast on social media too. 

Additionally, social media managers can:

• Piece together a cohesive look on social media for your podcast
• Put in the time required to plan, create, and engage on your platforms
• Put in the time to optimize the content for all social media platforms (example: Twitter content is not the same as Linkedin content)
• Utilize their knowledge about copywriting to direct your audience to your podcast or website

Because of the pandemic, podcasts are on the rise, and therefore podcasting social media managers are arising everywhere. Now, instead of finding a generic social manager, you can find one specific to your niche or one that knows about crafting content for podcasts. 

Moreover, there are also social managers who can handle all your social channels and manage your podcast. Not a bad deal, right?

You can find these magical creatures by searching “podcast social media manager” on Instagram or even by looking at freelancing sites like Fiverr or Upwork. Typically, the going rates are anywhere from $25/hr to around $75/hr depending on a variety of factors including experience and portfolio samples. 

At the end of the day, if you have additional money to outsource your social media efforts that’s great but if not try to schedule out time in your week to make an effort to promote your podcast on a couple platforms. 

Graphic Designer

Graphic designers go hand in hand with social media. Humans are visual by nature so crafting a visual identity that wholly embodies who you are, and what your business/podcast is about is crucial. In fact, your audience is 3x more likely to share and engage with your business if your images are attractive. 

A specialized designer could incorporate elements and techniques that uniquely highlight your messaging. This in return cultivates brand recognition and awareness for your business in a way you wouldn’t imagine. 

As we mentioned earlier check out Fiverr, Upwork, or Facebook groups to find the perfect graphic designer for your podcast needs. 

To illustrate further how a graphic designer can be beneficial for your show, let’s look at the Tim Ferris podcast hosted on Spreaker. His graphic designer helps him promote his new episodes by creating exclusive hand-drawn portraits of his guests. 

Additionally, if you’ve got your eye on paid advertising, a graphic designer can create on-brand assets for you to utilize on social media for your campaigns.

So, How Much Does it Cost to Start a Podcast?

So in the end, it’s hard to answer the question: how much does it cost to start a podcast. Primarily because there are so many different factors to consider.

Let’s look at some examples

$0-90 budget for necessities:

• Microphone $0-30
• Headphones- $0-30
• Podcast Recording/Editing Software- $0-30

$90-$200 for necessities + some branding pieces:

• Microphone $0-30
• Headphones- $0-30
• Podcast Recording/Editing Software- $0-30
• Intro- $0-150
• Cover Art- $0-100

Beyond $200 for necessities + marketing:

• Microphone $0-30
• Headphones- $0-30
• Podcast Recording/Editing Software- $0-30
• Intro- $0-150
• Cover Art- $0-100
• Social Media Manager- $25-$75/hr
• Audio Editor: $100-500/month

Focus on the necessities of starting a podcast first, and once those are nailed down, consider hiring an audio editor or social media manager to professionalize and manage your podcast. 

Understand how much additional money you have to spend based on your current income, determine recurring charges like subscriptions needed to run your podcast, and then think about skills you have and what’s important to you as you carefully craft your podcast budget. 

Remember the purpose behind considering a podcast in the first place and keep that in mind to anchor you as you move forward on your journey! 

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As an aspiring podcaster, you are probably quite familiar with the concept of the podcast interview. Your favourite podcaster hops on the show with a special guest, and spends the episode going over topics in detail that said guest has extensive knowledge on. 

Some of these interviews may seem like casual conversation, which is the perfect end goal when done right. However, behind the scenes lurks a ton of preparation from both the host and the interviewees to bring their audience the best interview possible. A great Q&A is more than just reading questions off a notepad, so let’s take a look at how to interview someone for a podcast and crush it every time. 

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Why Host a Podcast Interview? 

You might think your show revolves around you as a host, but podcast interviews are great ways to learn and delve deep into your industry. Not only do you get to learn from someone with experience, but you can position yourself as an expert in your field by aligning yourself with other knowledgeable folks.

Hosting interviews is a great way to grow your podcast audience. When you invite guests on your show, they will likely promote the interview to their own followers, thus increasing your reach organically.

Theoretically, you can invite anyone you want on your show, so reaching out to potential guests is a good way to increase your network, particularly with people you admire.

Choose Your Guests Wisely

If you’re bringing a new name to your show, you want to give your audience a reason to hear their voice. 

You can steer the conversation a certain way, but you can’t control everything your interviewee says. One way to guarantee an interesting interview is to pick a guest you are genuinely interested in. Finding someone who knows a topic intimately that you and your audience are curious about will translate into great content, as you are genuinely learning and exchanging in a meaningful manner. 

Finding a good person to interview could be as simple as asking a friend, or you can do some online creeping until you find the perfect candidate. Instagram is a good place to start, where you can browse niche-specific hashtags to find trending topics and people in your industry. If you have a following already, you could put out a call for podcast guests and see who contacts you. 

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How to Interview Someone for a Podcast 

1. Do Your Research

Knowing the basics of your guest won’t give you that juicy content your audience wants to hear. Taking the time to actually know your guest beyond a quick Google search of their name will go a long way.

For example, if your guest has written a book, take the time to read it. This might seem like a lengthy commitment, but if you find an audiobook version, you can listen on the go. You want your content to be unique and to the point. Especially when you only have a limited time to probe your interviewee’s brain. 

2. Prepare Some Questions

An interview shouldn’t feel like your guest is in the hot seat, answering rapid-fire questions about their life’s work. You want things to flow naturally. But having an idea of certain topics or questions you want to explore will give more form to the conversation.

You don’t want to be strict or detailed with this list. Stressing over it could derail a perfectly natural conversation. Don’t be afraid of veering off-topic a bit, because these genuine forms of exchange will add life to the show. Naturally, you should try to keep the questions somewhat in line with your topic.

There are a number of considerations you should have when preparing your question list, including: 

• Your audience desires: What brings your followers to your show? 
• Your podcast guest’s expertise: What do they have to share with your audience?
• The relationship between the two: What can your guest offer your particular audience? What will capture their interest most? 

The questions you prepare shouldn’t be things that guests are asked all the time, like how did you find your path or what inspires you. You want to come up with questions that bring value to your audience by drawing out your interviewee’s insights in a way your audience will appreciate. 

Sometimes funky questions like what’s the best meal you’ve ever had or what animal would best describe you can start off the interview on a fun note, breaking the ice and setting up a nice dynamic between host and guest, allowing you to transition into the real content naturally. These types of questions can sometimes bring up a story, which is perfect for an auditory medium like podcasting. 

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3. Break the Ice

Let’s expand on the idea of breaking the ice. Get acquainted with your podcast guest before sitting down for the actual interview. You can send out a few questions ahead of time for your guest to answer before recording day to get to know them a little more and go over any potential topics the two of you can discuss. Setting up a time to chat beforehand can allow the two of you to get friendly before going live, making it less awkward and more convivial when you hit record. 

This could be your guest’s first podcast interview, so try your best to make them comfortable on the mic. How can you help them? You can go over the podcasting process with them. Also, make sure to let them know there are no wrong things to say when you have the power of audio editing on your side. 

4.Respond to Your Guest

Most people hear rather than actually listen, more focused on giving a reply that suits themselves instead of the person they are speaking with. This is the number one thing to avoid when interviewing someone for a podcast. Rather than sticking to your pre-planned question list, you should respond to your guest’s answers, like a natural conversation. Any unnatural attempts to steer a reply a certain way will come across as awkward when you are listening back to the audio. 

Organizing A Podcast Interview 

Not everyone you invite to your show will say yes. You might have to send out several invites before you even get a maybe, so it’s best to keep track of everyone using a program like Google Sheets or Airtable. You can track your invite statuses, fill out guest information, schedule recording dates, and just see everything on track. 

For organizing meeting times, you might have to juggle different elements like time differences or work schedules. Calendly allows you to organize everything in one convenient place, allowing guests to see your schedule and pick a time that best suits you both. 

He answered and gave me his email asking for more information. So I sent a follow-up email.

Why does this matter?

Your introduction email is THE place where you can connect with a potential podcast interviewee. Make sure that you are clear on what your podcast is about while also explaining the tone, target audience, and format. It is also important to include links to previous episodes. Why? Well, the potential guest knows, the more comfortable he or she will be to say YES to the interview.

The above email ends by stating that more information will be sent to the guest 3-4 days prior to the interview. This pre-interview email is meant to fully prepare your guest. It is a way to make them feel at ease and help them feel prepared. Nothing spoils a podcast interview faster than a host that is disorganized and a guest that feels ill-prepared.

Some important information to highlight in that pre-interview email include:

• What type of equipment the guest should have (headphones are a must, and a microphone is a plus)
• Information about background noises. For example, please turn off your phone or put it on Do Not Disturb, so that we don’t have any pings/notification sounds in the background. 
• Whether the interview is audio-only or will include video
• Where will the recording take place – remotely (on which platform) or live (which location).

The key to all of this is to make your guest feel at ease. And the best way to do this is to provide him or her with as much information as possible. PLUS it doesn’t hurt to have a quick chat before hitting the record button as a way to get the ball rolling.

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Growing Your Audience with Podcast Interviews

While an interview itself is fun, don’t miss out on the opportunity to reach new listeners with each new interviewee. If they haven’t already, ask your podcast guest to share the show with their social media following. You can even create shareable media like images, quotes, and other easy-to-read media for them to post, including your podcast’s following information. 

The type of person you invite to your show will go a long way in increasing your podcast audience as well.

Content is always king, but inviting guests you admire and who have bigger followings than you could channel some of that community interaction your way and set you down a path to quicker growth than others. Listeners consume an average of seven different podcasts per week, so chances are that aligning yourself with another podcaster will give you access to a like-minded audience.  

Want to learn more about how to grow your audience with podcast guests?

Specifically:

• Why do you need to find the right podcast guest? 
• How do you find the right people for your podcast?
• Asking someone to be on your podcast? 
• How to prepare your guest for your podcast episode?

Read our article: How to Grow Your Audience With Podcast Guests

How to be Interviewed for a Podcast

It’s a two way street: as a podcast guest, you need to be prepared for your interview as well. While you won’t be guiding the conversation like your host, you’ll be expected to share your expert knowledge with the audience. While you theoretically can’t prepare for every question thrown your way, here are some tips to smash your podcast interview. 

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1. Prepare Your Space 

You could be spilling the secret to growing your audience overnight, but listeners won’t care if your audio isn’t clear. Prepping your space is the key to a smooth interview process. If you’ll be doing the interview at home, finding a calm environment with decent acoustics will go a long way. Be careful with little background noises that might you might not notice.

It doesn’t need to be a pro job, but soundproofing your room for a podcast interview using carpets or blankets or even recording from your closet can make all the difference in sounding like an amateur or an expert. 

2. Gear Up

Again, nobody is expecting a pro sound job and expensive microphone, but your voice will sound best recorded on a real mic rather than just an iPhone headset. You want something that will remain stable on the table and not move around collecting background noise. You can find cheap mics on Amazon, but if you want an affordable mic that you’ll likely use again for future podcast interviews, consider investing in something like the Blue Yeti USB Condenser Microphone or Shure SM58. 

3. Get To Know Your Host

Getting to know your host ahead of time will save any awkward moments on air, and will allow you to dive deep into your topic. This involves both speaking with them before the show, and also taking a look at past episodes in which they’ve hosted guests. Is there a certain questioning style that they take on? Do their episodes contain a lot of jokes, or are they more factual?

For example, if you’re a sustainable fashion brand, the kinds of answers you’ll give will differ depending on whether you’re being interviewed on Goal Digger or Conscious Chatter. In one, you’ll take a more marketing-minded approach, knowing millennial-aged female businesswomen are your main audience, but on the latter, you’ll be able to go more into detail about the design process.  

You might be nervous, especially if it’s your first time being interviewed, so talking to your host ahead of time will break the ice and allow you to establish mutual trust. When you trust your host, you’ll allow yourself to be more vulnerable and honest in your answers, which leads to a better conversation and more enjoyable content for your listeners. Having raw honest conversations tends to translate well for podcast ratings, as your listeners will be able to relate. 

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4. Practice Introducing Yourself 

The audience will get to know you better over the course of the interview, but you will likely need to introduce yourself in the first few minutes of the show. If you’ve never had to introduce yourself before, it might seem a bit awkward at first. 

Think of this like an elevator pitch in which you tell the audience who you are, what your accomplishments are, and why you specifically are starring on the show. You don’t need to write down a script, but try to sum up the main points that define you and your work, and let the conversation flow naturally. 

Sometimes your host will introduce you quickly, like in this episode of the Run With It podcast. This introduction is followed up by a common question that often appears early on in an interview, which involves the host asking their interviewee how they came up with their idea or how they got to where they are today. Having your origin story is a good thing to prepare as part of your introduction, as they will always inevitably be thrown out early. 

5. Be Yourself

The best podcast interviews just feel like conversations. That means you aren’t just sitting there answering question after question, but rather going back and forth in various interactions with your host. You’re being invited to the show to discuss something, not give a lecture. 

How to do this? Just be yourself! Act like you’re speaking to a friend, and don’t be afraid to have fun with it. If you aren’t having a great time, the audience won’t be either. 

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In the last few years, there has been a drastic increase in podcast channels and podcast shows
online. With more than 800,000 active podcasts, the competition for listeners is at an all-time
high. For any podcast to be successful, podcast marketing is an important aspect to include in any
strategy.

Why You Need a Podcast Marketing Strategy

Bruce Wawrzyniak, host of “Now Hear This Entertainment” wrote in a previous guest post that he fears podcasters are constantly adopting a “build it and they will come” approach. But with over 1 million podcasts in circulation, distribution on a variety of different platforms is not enough.

In fact, one of the biggest struggles that podcasters face, is not how to launch their podcast, but how to promote their podcast and gain listeners. Effective podcast marketing can make or break your podcast. It can be the difference between a show struggling to get a hundred monthly downloads to a show that has a loyal following and is getting hundreds of thousands of downloads per month.

Whether you are considering starting a podcast or have one already, you will need to learn how
to grow your audience numbers. The number of people listening to a podcast show is an
important factor in its success.

Therefore, a bigger listening base translates to a successful podcast show.

Want to learn how to create, promote & monetize your podcast?

Our FREE Spreaker course covers everything starting with defining your podcast, to successfully launching all the way to fully monetizing your catalog. Also, did we mention that it’s 100% Free? What are you waiting for?

Here are ten of the best podcast marketing strategies that are sure to get you more listeners.

1. Set up the foundation of your podcast

Before you start any marketing journey, it is important to take the time to come up with a promotional plan for your podcast.

This includes gathering all the essential components of an effective marketing campaign, including:

• A proper title for your podcast show
• Appropriate artwork that will resonate with your target audience
• The right tone of voice, which conveys a thousand things to a listener and is key in getting what you want to say across correctly.
• The type of show format you would like to implement, which will allow your audience to understand your brand from the start.

Marketing is all about communicating your key message to your target audience. Therefore, effective marketing strategies always begin with understanding the who, what, where, when, and why of your podcast.

• WHO is the audience going to be?
• WHAT is your podcast going to be about?
• WHY do you want to start a podcast AND why should the listener tune in?
• WHEN will your podcast be published (this focuses on your posting schedule)?
• WHERE can listeners listen to your podcast?

All of these steps important in communicating with your target audience and giving them a reason to listen.

2. Invest in quality equipment

For your podcast to be a success, you need to ensure you invest in the best podcast equipment for your show. Sound quality is an important aspect of a podcast and is the one thing you cannot compromise on.

It is recommended to use high-quality podcast microphones and checking your sound levels before going live. Having the best microphones and gadgets for your podcast is the best way to ensure you can compete in this highly competitive space.

Read more about it: Three Pieces of Gear for Starting A Podcast.

3. Be strategic with your episode titles

The first thing that search engines see when looking for optimized content is the title. This is why you need to make your episode titles catchy while ensuring you use the right keywords.

How you title your podcast episodes has an impact on the number of people an episode attracts. Apart from labeling your episodes using titles, you need to use words that tell a potential listener what the episode is about.

The title should be the hook to every episode. The most successful titles include how-to titles, tips titles, and guide titles. If these are not fit for the kind of shows you host, you can use other creative ways to curate your titles to attract the right audience.

You can add an episode description with the relevant keywords to tell listeners more about the episode. This ensures your titles remain short, as longer titles can often be a turn-off for most people.  

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4. Create a podcast website and separate pages for each episode

While most people prefer to host their podcast on existing platforms, this is not ideal for getting your show noticed. These platforms offer basic website designs, which do not make a podcast stand out. The best way to get your podcast noticed by listeners and search engines is using a private website for your podcast.

Some of the important reasons for creating a website for your podcast include:

• Share-ability: sharing content in blog form on your website is easier than sharing links to a Google or Apple podcast.
• SEO friendliness: when you have a website, you can have a blog that can hold content tailored for your audience.
• A larger audience – having a podcast website makes it easier for you to reach a larger audience through your podcast and your blogs.
• Email marketing – you need a website to be able to build an emailing list.

On your website, ensure you dedicate different website pages for all your episodes. This will ensure your visitors do not have to scroll through lists of episodes to get to the content they want to listen to. Dedicated landing pages also offer more listener engagement using appropriate headlines, strong call-to-actions, visuals, and copy.

The main purpose of a landing page should be to get your visitors to listen to the podcast. Therefore, you need to fill it with information that will quickly inform their decision to listen. This includes a clear headline to describe the show, quotes and testimonials from listeners, links to other episodes, and a button to subscribe to your emailing list and podcast.

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5. Implement smart podcast SEO strategies

Search engine optimization or SEO is a marketing strategy that ensures your podcast is listed higher on search engine results. The best way to enhance your podcast SEO is by using the right keywords, descriptions, titles, and content for your podcast. This should be in line with what your target audience is searching for online.

Keywords are important because they are the linchpin between what people are searching for and the content you are providing to fill that need. Your goal should be to drive organic traffic to your podcast from SERPs. As a result, the keywords you choose to target (the ones you include in your content) will determine your traffic.

To enjoy podcast SEO success, you need to optimize your podcast for typical google search results and podcast directory search engines where your podcast is listed. Ensure you use relevant keywords in the podcast description and even name.

Every episode you create should also use the relevant keywords in the title and description to ensure it attracts the right audience while ranking highly on search engine results. The ultimate goal for your podcast is to become one of the top podcasts across all platforms. This requires you to combine great content with the best SEO strategy.

Every time you upload a new podcast episode on different listening apps, ensure you follow up with a post on your website. The right content should have:

• SEO friendly page title
• H1, H2, H3, etc. subheadings
• ALT attribute of images
• Meta description
• Relevant keywords distributed throughout the article.

Understanding and implementing podcast SEO means discoverability. People who have never heard of your podcast can accidentally find it on Google. This is the power of keywords.

Want to learn more about podcast SEO?

Specifically:

• Search Engine Optimization: What is It?
• How to Find the Right Keywords
• The Ways Google Displays Podcasts
• How Does Podcast SEO Work: Best Practices
• and more

Read our article: How to Make Your Podcast SEO-Friendly

6. Cross-promote your content on social media

Producing and publishing a podcast requires a lot of commitment and time. It is equally important to ensure you are also taking time to promote the podcast. One of the best places to create brand awareness is on social media platforms. Many podcast listeners are also active users of social media platforms. To be able to reach this audience, you need to be active on these platforms.

Instead of simply putting up posts and tweets on social media, you can include sneak peeks of your shows on Facebook live, especially when you have exciting guests. You can also turn part of the recording into YouTube content to maximize on the platform.

Ensuring your content is visible on multiple social platforms in different forms is an excellent way to attract new listeners.

7. Start using paid advertising services

Sometimes the best way to advertise a podcast is going the classical marketing way. The best thing about modern-day advertising is that you can do it on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

Once you have the right keywords, going for paid advertising on Reddit ads, Google AdWords, Stumbleupon ads, and Facebook Ads can be a great way to get more listeners for your podcast. The first listeners are the hardest to get new podcasts, and paid marketing can make this process easier. Other places to consider advertising include blogs or featured podcasts.

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8. Use influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is also an ideal way of reaching your target audience in other people’s subscriber lists. When looking for an influencer to collaborate with, you need to go for one with followers in your demographic. You can host the influencer on your show or approach them and use your negotiation skills to get a mutually beneficial partnership where they mention your podcast on their social media platforms for free marketing on your podcast.

You can find ideal influencers on social media platforms where most of your target audience is found. Start by engaging them on their pages by replying to their posts and sharing their content. Once you have created a rapport with their brand, you can approach them and ask them for a partnership.

Podcasts are an ideal method of enhancing PR for most brands today. Therefore, work on creating a mutually beneficial agreement to get more influencers to want to market your brand.

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9. Create and nurture an email marketing list

Email marketing is one of the most beneficial aspects of marketing with the best returns. Based on statistics, email marketing gives back $44 for every $1 spent, making it an effective way of connecting to your listeners and attracting more listeners.

When it’s all said and done, email marketing is the perfect solution to continue cultivating relationships with your community.

Although there are many other digital marketing apps to use for your podcast, email marketing is by far the best, and here’s why. You can:

• Send automatic reminders to your audience to take a specific action
• Seamlessly have in-depth conversations expanding on what they thought of a certain podcast topic 
• Gather, analyze, and interpret responses are easier to utilize via email
• Use intuitive platforms to personalize messaging based on customer responses and behavior on an email
• Send mass messages, reaching more people with one click
• Monetize your emails

Want to learn more about email marketing?

Specifically:

• What is email marketing?
• Why is growing your podcast email list important?
• How can you capture emails?
• Email Content
• Email Sequences
• Welcome email formula
• and more?

Read our article: Why You Should Grow Your Podcast Email List

The media is one of the avenues you can use to promote your podcast to a larger audience. You need to team up with the best journalist in the business to improve your chances of reaching the right target audience. Platforms such as HARO (Help a Reporter Out) can help you connect with authoritative media sources and journalists.

When you enroll in a media platform as a source, you will be the go-to person whenever the media needs content related to podcasts for paper articles, radio, or TV. In exchange for your input, your podcast or brand is quoted, and a link to your podcast is included in their news outlets.

Podcast Marketing: The Recap

There’s a lot of great advice out there from people who have successfully grown and marketed their podcast. Much of it we’ve covered here in the post. Here’s a quick recap:

1. Set up the foundation of your podcast. This includes the W’s of your podcast.
2. Invest in quality podcast equipment.
3. Be strategic with your episode titles. 
4. Launch a podcast website
5. Implement smart podcast SEO strategies
6. Cross-promote your content on social media
7. Try paid advertising
8. Use influencer marketing
9. Create and nuture an email marketing list
10. Get featured in the media

Learning the best ways to promote your podcast is often a trial and error process until you find the perfect marketing mix for your channel. By testing a few of the strategies highlighted above, you are sure to come up with the perfect marketing strategy to suit your needs.

Lianna Arakelyan is a content writer and digital marketing expert at MuchNeeded, with a knack for social media marketing strategy and implementation. She is extreme in her work with a deep goal of always being updated on online and offline marketing, technology, and science news around the world.

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Think you’ve got a fresh perspective that will challenge our readers to become better podcasters? We are always looking for authors who can deliver quality articles and blog posts.

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