How to Start a Podcast With No Audience in 12 Steps

  • Diana Aghumyan
  • December 22, 2022
  • 10 min read

The number of podcast listeners has grown over the past ten years. According to the research, in 2022, there are about 424.2 million podcast listeners, and this number is going to hit 464.7 million by 2023.

The demand for podcasts is high, and that’s why podcasts are becoming enormously popular. As people can listen to podcasts from anywhere and anytime, there are more opportunities to reach larger audiences with your podcast episodes.

Podcasts are an effective way to let your potential listeners get to know your expertise. Rather than making people read a lengthy article, podcasts enable you to provide useful information to your audience from anywhere in a more engaging and fun way. So, if you are serious about podcasting and wonder how to start a podcast and what you need, you are in the right place.

Why Start a Podcast?

As we have already discussed, podcasts have various benefits for people who want to make money online, educators, and business owners. 

With podcasts, you can

  • Build awareness around your brand – You can increase your brand recognition by communicating with customers in a fun and meaningful way that generates awareness.
  • Reach a larger audience – Podcasts allow you to reach a wider audience by showcasing your expertise in an engaging and fun way. People can educate themselves by listening to your podcasts while jogging, doing a workout, cooking, traveling, and more!
  • Establish closer relationships – As people usually listen to podcasts in solitude, it seems as if they are having a conversation with you. Thus, there is this intimacy effect which automatically leads to the establishment of closer relationships with your listeners. 
  • Drive more traffic – When it comes to your podcast content, you are free to do whatever you want. You can include some strong call-to-actions and make people take immediate action. In this way, you can generate more traffic to your website or social media channels. 
  • Make income – Indeed, podcasts can help you market your products and receive revenue. However, there are multiple ways to monetize your podcasts. You can find many sponsorship opportunities on the web. Additionally, you can make use of donations, premium content subscriptions, influencer marketing, and so on. 

These are all signs you should start a podcast. Don’t ignore it and start your podcasting career today.

Is it Possible to Start a Podcast With No Audience? 

Can you start a podcast without a following?

Absolutely, yes. Some people have a great passion for podcasts but are afraid to leave their comfort zones and try something new or cannot figure out how to start a podcast with no audience. They are mainly scared of the fact that they will start from scratch with no audience. Considering the fact that there are approximately 2,504,444 podcasts, you need to come up with unique podcast ideas to stand out in the competition. If you manage to create engaging content, you will be able to build a loyal audience base and grow it over time. Good things take time. So, you just need to be patient and focus not on numbers but on having engaged and active followers.

In today’s article, we will walk you through some essential steps to start a podcast. With this comprehensive guide, you will be able to get started and make a success. So, let’s start!

A 12-Step Guide on How to Start a Podcast With No Audience

  1. Choose Your Topic

The first step in our guide on how to start a podcast with no audience is choosing a theme for your podcast. Pick a topic you are truly interested in. If you have different options and cannot figure out which one to choose, do some research on the internet. Find out whether your topic is trending. As the ultimate goal should be to make people resonate with your content, you need to choose a niche that interests your audience.

Apart from doing research, you can also consult with your friends or relatives. Talking to people with different backgrounds will help you a lot. They can share their opinions about how they feel about certain topics and give you some valuable advice. 

Another thing you should consider is whether you are competent enough to speak about a particular topic. Having a big passion for a certain topic is not enough to start a podcast. You should also have some knowledge about it to deliver accurate and useful information to your audience. So, educate yourself, take courses, watch videos, read a lot of articles, research, and follow professionals in the field on social media.

Last but not least, ask yourself what problems you are solving with your podcasts. Your goal should be to give some value to your listeners. In other words, you need to define what your audience gains from listening to your podcasts.

2. Create a Buyer Persona

Once you have identified your niche, it is time to move to the next step, which is the creation of a buyer persona. Those are people who are ideal to be part of your target audience. To create a buyer persona, you should ask yourself the following questions. 

  • What’s their name? 
  • Do they work?
  • What professions do they have? 
  • What is their age? 
  • What is their gender?
  • What is their marital status?
  • How can you describe them? 
  • What are their interests? 
  • What do they do in their spare time? 
  • What value are they receiving from your podcast? 
  • How do they interact with the podcast and its community? 

In this way, you will be able to easily define who your target audience is. Moreover, you can set strategies that will best meet their needs and interests. Indeed, your audience will grow over time, and you should regularly assess your strategies to make sure everything you create is up-to-date and meets the needs of your current listenership. 

3. Pick a Name For Your Podcast

Next, you should pick a name for your podcast. If you want your listeners to instantly recognize you, make sure to choose a name that is preferably short, memorable, and easy to pronounce.

There are plenty of ways to choose a name for your podcast. One way to name your podcast is to create a name based on the topic. For instance, if you are going to publish episodes about music, you could name them “Music podcasts,” “Everything about music,” and so on.

However, if you do not want to use a generic name for your podcast, you can use your creativity and come up with a unique idea for your podcast name. It all depends on your niche, your imagination, and your willingness to impress your audience.

4. Choose Format

The next step in our step-by-step guide on how to start a podcast with no audience is choosing your podcast format. It is about how you are going to organize your show’s content. The right delivery format will keep your content organized. Without a clear podcast format, your show will seem messy and confusing.

There are different podcast formats to choose from:

  • Interview –  This format assumes featuring a host who conducts an interview with a new guest in each episode who shares their expertise and experience. After introducing the guest, the host starts asking questions to reveal more interesting facts about the guest.
  • Monologue podcast – This is quite a famous podcast format. People who have a specific type of expertise and want to share it with their audience can use this format. Many podcasters start their podcasting career with this format because it’s so easy. You just need a microphone and editing software to get started.
  • Conversational – This is another popular podcast format. It typically involves two hosts having an engaging conversation about a specific topic. 
  • Panel podcast – This format is similar to an interview podcast, but it involves more people. There is one host and a group of guests in each episode. 
  • Your own podcast format – As it is your own podcast show, you are free to do anything you want. You can mix different podcast formats or create your own format as long as it is engaging and makes sense.

5. Decide On the Length

After identifying your podcast format, you should define the length of your podcasts. As you are a beginner, it would be better to start with short 20-30 minute long episodes. However, it does not mean that you should always record short podcasts. Your podcasts can last up to one hour, depending on the topic. 

Besides, you will be able to understand your audience’s preferences regarding the episode length over time. You can guess whether they like short or long episodes according to the number of plays. 

6. Build a Content Calendar

Regardless of whether you are a skilled podcaster or a newbie in the world of podcasting, you should build a content calendar for your podcasts. It is a great way to keep your content more organized. In this way, you will know what and when to publish your podcasts. 

Flowers in a vase on a calendar

A clear podcast content calendar will save you a lot of time. You do not have to spend hours thinking about what topic to choose for your next episode or where to publish because all this information will be in one place.

7. Create Social Media Accounts For Your Podcast

It is important to promote your podcast if you want to grow your audience. To do so, you can leverage the power of social media. You should create pages on different social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and TikTok. 

However, creating a social media page is not enough. You should also actively post to keep your audience engaged. Consistency is key. If you are going to post three times a week, then stick to that schedule. Posting once a month is not going to help you build your audience. Moreover, followers will forget about you soon. So, make sure to have fresh content about your podcasts. 

8. Choose a Hosting Platform

Finding a hosting platform for your podcast is one of the important steps in our guide on how to start a podcast with no audience. Streaming platforms such as Spotify and Soundcloud or social media channels like YouTube allow people to upload podcasts that are hosted elsewhere.

Spotify logo icon

Spotify, for example, has its hosting platform called Anchor.fm, which allows you to record, upload your podcasts and submit them to Spotify. Additionally, there are various other hosting platforms, such as Buzzsprout, Podbean, and Castos. Before choosing any hosting platform, do research to learn more about each of them. In this way, you can ensure that the software meets your needs and requirements. 

9. Pick Your Recording Equipment

If you want to achieve the best quality for your podcasts, you need to have the best recording equipment. It is understandable that new podcasters might not have a huge budget to invest in good equipment. So, you can start with a simple microphone and computer. Once you grow your audience and make money with your podcasts, you can buy high-quality and more advanced recording equipment.

10. Edit your podcast

After recording your podcast, you need to edit it. To do so, you need the right editing software. There are both free and paid options for DAW (digital audio workstation) software. Audacity, Reaper, Pro Tools, and GarageBand are some of the popular DAW software. 

So, how to edit a podcast. Pay attention to the intro and outro of your podcast, and try to make them memorable. Add music and sound effects. They will surely intensify the overall tone and mood of your episode. Another thing you can do is crop your audio file. However, make sure that the most important content is there. Once you are done, listen to your podcast a few times to make sure it sounds right. 

11. Publish your podcast

Publishing your podcast is the final step in our guide on how to start a podcast with no audience. Double-check everything before you hit the submit button. Remember, it is your first podcast, and you need to do your best to impress your audience. 

Today’s audience has become too demanding. If you present something mediocre, you cannot win the trust and loyalty of your listeners. So, work diligently to produce the best possible quality for your podcasts and publish them.

12. Track and Analyze Your Results

The most important thing you should do after publishing your podcast episodes is to track and monitor them. You need to regularly assess how your content performs in general, whether it gets the engagement you were looking for, and if your audience resonates with your audio and video podcasts. 

Additionally, you can ask your audience to share their honest opinions with you. Create a survey and ask your listeners to participate in it. Their answers will enable you to understand what works well and what needs to be improved.

The Takeaway

Starting a podcast is not as scary as it seems. You may have a lot of questions about how to start a podcast and what you need. If you act according to the above-mentioned guide, you will successfully and smoothly get started and have success. Stick to the plan and be patient. Becoming a podcaster and starting a career in the amazing and interesting world of podcasts does not happen overnight. To achieve the desired results, you need to work diligently, stay committed to your job, and dedicate enough time and resources to create high-quality podcasts. And, believe me, once you do this, your efforts won’t go in vain.

SEO Content Writer

Diana Aghumyan

 

Diana is an experienced creative SEO content writer at SayNine. She is passionate about writing and giving value to people with her articles. Her blogs revolve around advertising, digital marketing, and other similar topics.