Podcast Launch Toolkit: Everything You Need to Know

I spent hours searching the internet to figure out how to launch my podcast. I created this toolkit so you don't have to!

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PODCAST LAUNCH TOOLKIT

+ Questions to ask yourself

+ Podcast development

+ Hardware and software

+ Hosting platforms

+ Launching

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QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF

When I launched She's So Cool in January 2019, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had been listening to podcasts for years and didn't realize how much work my favorite podcasters were doing in order for me to have the privilege to press play on their episodes.

Before you commit to starting a podcast, here are some important questions to ask yourself.

+ Why do I want to start a podcast?

The more you believe in the mission, vision, and purpose of your podcast, the more likely it is that you will persevere when times get tough (like when you have to re-record an episode or when you lose progress on your editing and have to start from scratch).

+ Who is my target audience?

It's important to know who you are creating the podcast for. This will help you create content that will keep them coming back for more.

+ Am I creating a podcast purely for fun or am I creating a podcast to (eventually) make money?

The answer to this question may change over time, but it's a good idea to know your intentions upfront.

+ Am I willing to put in the time and effort to learn how to record, edit, publish, and market a podcast?

The answers to this are critical for the success of your podcast (and to prevent burnout or resentment). You will need to consider several factors to determine how this will look for you and your podcast. See the podcast development section below for clarity.

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PODCAST DEVELOPMENT

Below you will find the pros and cons for the different factors to consider when developing your podcast.

Hosting

Solo show

Pros: complete creative freedom, no schedule conflicts

Cons: all work falls on host unless they hire others to edit or market

One host with guests

Pros: complete creative freedom, someone to talk to

Cons: guests may cancel, scheduling may be difficult at times, must find guests

Two hosts

Pros: someone to talk to, someone to share the responsibilities

Cons: scheduling may be difficult at times, different levels of commitment

Three or more hosts

Pros: people to share the responsibilities, multiple perspectives for the audience

Cons: scheduling may be difficult, more complex editing

Format

Scripted

Pros: clear direction for each episode, transcripts for your audience

Cons: time consuming, voice may sound robotic when reading

Interview

Pros: gives the audience access to a unique conversation with the guest

Cons: more complex editing, screening guests can be time consuming

Conversational

Pros: the audience will be able to connect with the hosts more easily

Cons: editing can be more difficult, hosts need to be on the same page

Frequency

Daily

Pros: shorter episodes, audience relies on a consistent routine

Cons: requires a lot of content, may cause burnout

Weekly

Pros: standard podcast schedule, manageable release schedule

Cons: may be difficult to sustain without batch recording

Bi-Weekly

Pros: provides more time for recording and editing

Cons: audience may be confused by release schedule (unpredictable)

Monthly

Pros: provides more time for content creating, recording, and editing

Cons: audience may want content released more frequently

Sporadically

Pros: podcast production whenever it suits your schedule

Cons: audience doesn't know when to expect new episodes

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HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE

Once you've decided to host a podcast, check these recommendations for beginner podcasting hardware and software. Once you pick which type of software you want to use, I have provided some online tutorials.

Beginner Audio Recording Hardware: Microphones

Budget: Cell Phone

Mid-Range: Samson Q2U - $50 to $90

Can use with laptop and with iPhones and iPads via Apple's Lightning to USB Camera Adapter or Androids via a Host OTG cable

Higher End: Blue Yeti - $80 (refurbished) to $150 (full price)

Beginner Audio Recording Hardware Accessories

Computer: Acer Aspire laptop - $300 to $350

Headphones: Vogek - $15

Bluetooth Mouse: VicTSing - $12

Pop Filter: Samson Q2U - $8 to $15 or Blue Yeti - $3

Beginner Audio Recording & Editing Software

Budget

Cell Phone: Anchor - free

Mac or PC: Audacity - free

Mac: GarageBand - free

High-End

Mac or PC: Adobe Audition - $21 to $32/month; $240/year

Beginner Audio Editing Resources

Budget

Cell Phone: Anchor - recording and editing tutorial

Mac or PC: Audacity - recording and editing tutorial

Mac: GarageBand - recording and editing tutorial

High-End

Mac or PC: Adobe Audition - editing and workflow tutorials

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