Do I know about podcasts?

Absolutely not!

That’s why Adam Walker, a great entrepreneur, podcaster, thinker, and writer, is joining us today as a guest blogger!

Adam and I have been trading productivity tips, book recs, and startup advice for years. I hope you love his energy, humor, and clarity of thought as much as I do.

You can subscribe to his fantastic Substack here and check out his podcasts, Tech Talk Y’all and Real Pink.

And, of course, check out the O’Daily guest post on Adam’s Substack! 😉

Podcasting Made Easy: Your Simple How-To Guide

By Adam Walker

Why Should I Start A Podcast?

Starting a podcast is easier than you think and could be more valuable. But before I tell you how to start a podcast, let's discuss why.

Here are 3 quick reasons you might consider becoming a podcaster:

1. Sales and Networking

People hate cold calls (and cold emails), but most people love to get interviewed and share their knowledge. If you need to meet high-level people to get ahead, a podcast will get you those meetings.

2. Thought Leadership

You are an expert and want to share your knowledge, positioning yourself as a thought leader in your space.

3. Create Marketing Content

This is the most underrated use of a podcast. A good podcast will produce a lot of original and interesting material, so why not take that material and create more marketing assets from it? One podcast episode can become up to 15 pieces of marketing content, like videos for YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Graphics for Facebook and LinkedIn. Or blog posts and transcripts for SEO on your website.

How do you start a podcast?

Ok, now let's talk about how to get started. Below is your quick start guide.

1. Decide what kind of podcast you are creating.

What is the topic? Who is the audience? Will you interview people or not?

2. Determine your goals.

Will you use your podcast to book meetings with the right people? Do you want to create all of your social media assets from your podcast? Do you want to build an audience? Ensure your goals are clear from the start so you can craft your podcast towards them.

3. Start recording.

I'll be honest; this is one of the hardest parts. You always feel like you need more time to record, but you have to make yourself start. Record an episode or two just to see how it goes. And give yourself permission to scrap through the first few episodes if needed.

4. Edit.

I'll talk more about tools in a minute, but for now, know that editing a podcast is doable, and there are many tutorials on YouTube to help.

5. Publish and get feedback.

Even when the episode doesn't feel ready, you must publish it and get feedback. It's the only way to start and grow a podcast.

What do I need to start a podcast?

To start a podcast, you need less than you think. Below is a quick list of the basics to get you started.

1. Guest Management Tools

If you will have a podcast with guests on it, the most important tool you need to make your life easier is Calendly. Calendly will let guests book their own recording time and send them emails with details about the recording.

2. Recording Software

You probably already have the recording software you need. If you are recording a solo show, you can use Garage Band, Quicktime, or any local program to capture audio.

If you are recording an interview show, Zoom works great, or if you want an upgrade, you can check out Riverside.fm.

3. Recording Gear

You don't need to spend a lot here; just get started. I recommend starting with a good webcam (Anker PowerConf C302) and microphone (Samsung Q2U).

You can go up from there, but this will give you a solid starting point to create a great show.

4. Editing Tools

Audacity is a free tool you can use to edit audio. My first podcast (Tech Talk Y'all) was edited on Audacity for years, and it was great. But if you want an upgrade that isn't too expensive, I strongly recommend using Reaper. Reaper can edit audio and video, and there are a lot of YouTube tutorials available to teach you how to use it.

5. Publishing

Publishing a podcast is free with Spotify for Podcasters (formerly Anchor.fm). Through Spotify for Podcasters, you will be about to publish your show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and many other platforms.

Ready, Set, PODCAST!

Podcasts are popular for a reason. They communicate information quickly, are entertaining, and can act as the centerpiece for all your marketing content. There has never been a better time to start one, so if you are interested, give it a shot.

And, if after reading this article you still aren’t sure where to start, you can read a more in-depth post from me on this subject here. Or, schedule a time to have a podcasting chat with me here.

Subscribe to Adam's Substack

As a reminder, this post was written by O’Daily friend, Adam Walker. To read more of Adam’s work, be sure to subscribe to his Substack here, or visit his personal website here.

Thanks, Adam, for the amazing podcast overview and how-to guide!

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Other podcast advice to share?? If you’ve started a podcast, how did it go?

Did you like the guest post format? Who should we invite next?

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