Ep. 25 - How to start a podcast in 2023
What we've learned from 25 episodes of Metacast
Listen to Metacast: Apple, Spotify, YouTube
Since January, we’ve released 25 episodes and interviewed some prolific podcasters on our show. In this special edition episode, we put together insights from the last six months into a 1.5 hour video (and the usual audio episode, of course).
You’ll learn the basics of starting a podcast and hear advice directly from some of guests of our prior episodes. I had a lot of fun finding and mixing in those clips, please enjoy!
All of what we talked about and a lot more is also available in our new book (yes, a book!) that we’ve written to help aspiring creators jump-start their first podcast.
There are lots of steps to start a podcast and it can feel daunting but… it need not be! The book explains podcasting and makes getting started easy.
The book is split into a three-part roadmap:
Day 0: Before you record your first episode — choosing a microphone, creating cover art, sourcing your first guest, setting up your room, etc.
Day 1: Recording and publishing your first episode — how to record, what software to use, basics of post-production, publication and marketing of the first episode.
Day 2: Improving your skills and workflows — once you’re on a roll, you can make improvements with each new episode and the book offers you a lot of tips for becoming a better podcaster.
Now back to the episode.
Here’s what we’re covering in this one. Click the timestamps to go directly to that segment of the video on YouTube.
[01:03] Starting a podcast can be daunting
[02:08] Microphones for podcasting
[06:35] Headphones for podcasting and post-production
[08:23] Recording on an iPhone
[09:28] Pop filter
[10:20] Preparing the space for recording a podcast
[12:39] Reverberation and echo
[15:10] Recording with remote guests
[17:22] When to add video
[19:37] The content of your podcast
[23:04] Authenticity
[24:53] Naming your podcast
[26:56] Creating cover art
[28:45] Theme music and sound effects
[30:53] Style of your podcast
[33:46] The sin of using Airpods for recording
[34:38] Narrative episodes
[36:19] Guest episodes
[39:02] Sending cold emails to potential guests
[44:48] Preparing for an interview
[47:53] Pre-interview calls with guests
[49:28] Checklists
[51:36] Recording time!
[57:09] Building rapport with the guest
[58:14] Human-made noises
[59:53] A primer on post-production
[01:11:16] Publishing the episode to the world
[01:12:15] Priming podcast platforms
[01:13:06] Staying consistent
[01:14:10] Marketing your podcast
[01:17:44] Ratings, reviews, comments
[01:19:54] Helping listeners build a habit around your podcast
[01:22:23] Benefits of podcasting
[01:25:37] Taking show notes
[01:26:36] Getting used to your own voice
Gear
Microphones
Other gear
Software
Recording software
Post-production software
Podcast hosting
Other software
Podcasts
Past Metacast episodes
Ep. 2 - The Past and The Present of The Internet with Brian McCullough
Ep. 8 - SquadCast Founders on Remote Collaboration in Podcasts
Ep. 17 - From Teacher to a Software Engineer at Amazon (Bonus Primesode)
Ep. 20 - Benefits of Decentralization in Podcasting with Justin Jackson, Co-founder of Transistor.fm
Ep. 22 - Running a radio show with TechTalkRadio's Andy Taylor, Justin Lemme and Shawn DeWeerd
Other mentions
Get in touch
We’d love to hear from you!
Email: hello@metacastpodcast.com (both of us get it)
Arnab’s Twitter: @or9ob
You can also leave comments on this substack post. Don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t already!
Bye for now.