Can Anyone Start a Podcast?
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Can anyone start a podcast? Yes. But there are certain things you need to start it, grow it and maintain it. Are you ready to start a podcast? Read on for some advice:
1. How motivated are you?
Say you've been thinking about starting a podcast for a while, that's great! But are you ready? It's important to get into the right mindset and figure out why you're starting one. What's your purpose, your reason why? Who are you targeting? Can you see yourself publishing weekly or monthly episodes, having guests, having a co-host? Do you want to make money from it?
2. How dedicated are you?
So, what's your next step? Have you researched what equipment you need, or attempted to test that equipment already? Have you thought about if you'd interview anyone and who? Have you spoken with other podcasters to help you get the ball rolling? At this stage, it's okay if you haven't acted on your thoughts because this is the perfect time to create a plan and get serious about your podcast, especially the technical side.
3. Research
You've thought about all of the things that go into podcasts, and now, you're ready to research. Here's a top tip: use Google and YouTube! These two platforms are going to help you find the most useful and popular results in seconds. Once you've done your research, put your plan in action!
4. You're not alone
It takes a little time and discipline to get started and maintain publishing your episodes, but anyone can do it! One thing Jill recommends is getting help and not trying to research it all on your own. She did that and wasted a lot of time! So, grab a friend, talk to a stranger, search online, or find someone who's in the podcast business that can guide you along the way. Did you know Jill offers podcast consulting? Email her to learn more: hello@jilldevine.com.
Check out Jill's podcast Two Kids and A Career.
Deanna (or "Nana Barratt") is an MA Creative and Media Enterprises graduate from the University of Warwick. She previously studied Popular Music, but decided to take a different career path into writing. She now writes about music, the TV and film industry, and East-Asian culture, and gives student advice and lifestyle tips.