In 2020 I started a podcast and it changed my career.

I got the chance to talk to all of the people in my industry that I admired, scratched my itch to perform, and land a dream job working with the best SEO agency.

Starting a podcast doesn’t need to be an in-depth exercise, but doing it right can take time and effort. Try not to overthink it.

The key is to just start doing it and try to improve each episode.

Choose the format of the podcast

What’s each episode going to consist of?

• Are you going to be interviewing people?

• Do you want to research a topic and talk about it within a framework?

• Do you just want to improvise a stream of consciousness?

What will make your podcast unique?

When I started my Agency Ahead podcast, I knew I wanted to interview underrepresented voices in the marketing industry. It didn’t matter how many followers they had, I just wanted to share their voice.

You can podcast on a tight budget

How are you going to record, host, and distribute your podcast?

You don't need to buy the most expensive tools or equipment. You can always upgrade as you grow.

Recording Software:

For recording, You can use Zoom, GarageBand (on Mac), or Audacity (on PC)

With Zoom, you can also record video to provide a second version of the podcast. The quality is solid.

Microphone:

Originally, I used my computer microphone.

When you're first starting out, nobody expects the highest quality audio. If you do want to elevate the audio quality without breaking the bank, the Samson Q2U for $70 was a solid microphone for me.

Hosting:

Hosting services mostly offer similar features and functionality.

You need one that helps you automatically distribute your podcast to Apple, Google, Spotify, etc.

I used Transistor.fm for $19/month at my first podcast and we use RSS.com for $12.99/m at iPullRank. I preferred Transistor because the distribution was easier to set up and the analytics were more robust. But both are fine.

Production:

You don’t necessarily need to do any post-production. I use GarageBand to record it and splice that intro on every episode after you’ve completed it.

You can record an intro to your podcast.  I just found some intro music from AudioJungle and paid $5 for it.

The most important part of building your podcast is distribution

Once you’ve launched your podcast, make sure to add it to all of the platforms available.

Your hosting can help automate the process. Publish your podcast info on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher. They’re all free. The more you set up, the more distribution/discoverability you’ll have.

Whenever you publish a new episode, make sure you share it on social media. Hype it up with a good summary and some choice quotes.

If you have guests, make sure to tag them on social channels. Most will help amplify the episode to their audience.

A little podcast SEO can help discoverability

Make sure you create a good description of the podcast.

Clearly explain what the podcast talks about. Include keywords that people might be searching for.

Podcasting is fun. You get to talk about your passions, engage with your community, and create.