How To Make Your Own Podcast (In 5 Simple Steps)

Just call yourself Adam Buxton and get on with it...

As worldwide celebrations for the first ever World Speech Day get into swing, there's never been a better time to make your own podcast. So we caught up with Adam Martin, the Content Director of podcasting platform Acast, to find out his top tips on how to make a podcast and ensure it's a success.

ASSESS YOUR COMMITTMENT 'The first thing to think about when starting your own podcast is whether you can commit to it. While podcasting is very exciting and appears easy, don’t be fooled by the fact that it is audio only. Acast’s podcasters take time to curate their content, making sure it flows smoothly from episode to episode and will be enjoyed by their audience. They also add rich media, like links, videos and images to accompany what they are saying, to make sure their listeners get the most out of their podcasts. The most successful podcasters upload regular content, whether that is weekly, bi-weekly or daily, the hosts will set themselves deadlines by which their material has to be ready.'

WORK OUT WHAT YOUR NICHE IS 'The great thing about podcasts is that you can add your unique perspective and find a distinctive audience that will be interested in the things you have to say. Even if you are talking about something that has already been covered by someone else, adding a new spin to it will make the content brand new. It is also important to think about who you want your audience to be, their age, interests and passions, as that will help you curate exciting content week on week.

Once you’ve found the topic you want to talk about, you need to decide on a podcast name. I advise that you choose a name that informs the audience exactly what you want to talk about; not only will it be easier for them to find and remember your podcast, but it will also come up in their suggested lists, meaning more people will hear what you have to say. Next, find an image to go with your podcast, as that will instantly make it pop and will make your audience remember it.

Lastly, once you start working on your content, decide what your hosting format is: will you be speaking to your audience solo, will you interview guests, or do you want to invite a co-host? Once the format, name and content are decided, you are ready to go.'

INVEST IN THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT 'The most important piece of equipment that you will need is a good microphone. Making sure your equipment is of good quality is essential to retaining your audience, as listeners are more likely to come back if your content is easy to listen to. Next, you will need your computer for recording, editing and eventually uploading your podcast. Fortunately, editing a podcast doesn’t require much power, and most microphones can be connected through a USB port and there are plenty of free editing programs available.'

JUST GO FOR IT 'Once you've decided on all of the above and figured out where your podcast should be hosted, get working on your first episode. This is what is known as ‘episode zero’ and gives you a great opportunity to properly introduce yourself, your interest and what your podcast will be, as well as helping you master your nerves. Don’t worry about what you sound like, or if you made any pauses - you can always edit those out later. The important thing is to be natural, enjoy yourself and not read off a script, as your audience will want to hear natural flowing conversation. Just get a few bullet points down, allocate yourself 20-30 minutes and get talking. Once your podcast is live, share it with your friends, add the appropriate categories and watch your audience grow.'

REVIEW IT 'Once you’ve finished your first episode and shared it amongst your friends and social media accounts, it is time to debrief. Think about what worked well and what didn’t and implement this in your next episode. Making a review after each episode will help you improve how you sound and figure out what your audience really loves about your podcast, meaning they will keep coming back every week, or every other week, depending on how frequently you schedule your episodes.'