So you want to start a podcast? Great idea! Podcasting has exploded from a niche hobby into a full-blown phenomenon over the past few years.
Consider these crazy stats:
- There are currently over 2 million podcasts with over 48 million episodes as of 2022 [source]
- 104 million Americans are monthly podcast listeners (40% of country!) [source]
- The market is expected to grow by 14.7% annually, hitting $4 billion by 2024 [Forbes]
But with millions of podcasts competing for attention across Apple Podcasts, Spotify and others, it‘s not enough to just start recording your voice and throw it out there!
You need smart strategies around production, promotion and positioning to stand out.
That‘s where Spotify comes in…
As the #1 audio streaming platform with over 422 million monthly active users, Spotify offers huge reach. It also gives you the power to tap into sophisticated tools for creating, editing, publishing and ultimately monetizing your content.
I‘m going to walk you through everything you need to kill it with your own podcast on Spotify. I‘ll share plenty of tips I‘ve learned along my own podcasting journey too!
Here‘s a quick overview of what we‘ll cover:
- Spotting hot niche opportunities
- Setting up your recording workflow
- Optimizing episodes for maximum impact
- Promoting the heck out of new shows
- Making this a money machine with smart monetization
I‘ll break it down step-by-step to set you up for success, whether you‘re just getting started or looking to improve an existing podcast.
Let‘s do this! 🎙️
Step #1: Identifying Your Niche (the Key to Growing Your Audience)
Every thriving podcast starts with focus.
While it might be tempting to keep your show‘s concept broad like a traditional radio talk format, the most effective podcasts zero in on specific, well-defined topics.
But don‘t feel constrained here! Even within popular niches like business and technology, dig deeper into targeted themes:
- Examine culture and workplace dynamics
- Explore cybercrime and online privacy
- Investigate the impact of AI and automation
See how you can carve out engaging angles within broader categories?
Spend time digging into not just popular topics, but fast-growing ones with plenty of runway left.
For example, Spotify itself recently shared data showing niches like:
- Daily news digests (+95% growth in 2022) ⏫
- True crime related to scams, cons, hacks (+85%) ⏫
- Mindfulness and meditation (+20%) ⏫
Audiences can‘t seem to get enough in areas like these!
Another smart move? Seek the cross-section of two interests that haven‘t been paired before, what I like to call "niche intersections".
As one example…what about exploring psychology concepts through profiling infamous serial killers 🤔
See what I mean about pushing genre boundaries?!
Now on the flip side, general interest podcasting is ultra competitive. Unless you already have fame and notoriety to leverage, avoid topics like:
❌ Parenting
❌ Cooking
❌ Fitness and nutrition
Be more specific instead! Parenting special needs kids, cooking paleo recipes optimizing for macros, fitness programs for new moms…you get the idea.
So devote serious thought to niche selection upfront. It pays dividends when attracting your core tribe of engaged listeners.
Once you‘ve identified some contenders, validate demand by using tools like Google Trends and evaluating competition on Spotify itself.
You ready to start brainstorming your angles?
Step #2: Dial In Your Recording Workflow From the Start
Alright, on to the fun stuff…it‘s go time with recording software, mics, editing tools and more!
I‘ll cut to the chase – you absolutely do NOT need fancy equipment when first getting started. Focus on the fundamentals before dropping hundreds on pro gear.
Here‘s a simple starter workflow using free or low-cost tools:
Recording Software
Descript is fantastic free podcast recording software available right in your browser. It even includes basic editing capabilities we‘ll get to later.
If going the audio interface and mic route down the line (more on hardware in a sec!), I suggest trying Reaper early on, which offers a generous 60 day free trial.
And Audacity is hands down the best free traditional digital audio workstation out there.
Microphones
For those starting on a budget, consider the Blue Snowball iCE condenser mic that connects via USB. Just $50 gets you pretty solid audio capture!
And Rode Podmic Dynamic Podcasting Microphone is a fan fave mic optimized specifically for voice recordings and interviews.
When ready to level up, devices like the Focusrite Scarlett Solo audio interface paired with an XLR mic like the Shure SM58 offer pro-level quality. But start simple!
Recording Environment
If recording at home, aim try isolating a room to control background noise. Close windows and doors, hang sound dampening panels, and put pets in another area!
When recording, speak about 6 inches from the mic for ideal sound and make sure you set levels properly in your recording software to avoid peaking or distortion.
Take a breath, get centered…and when ready, start laying down those vocal tracks!
Which brings us to editing and clean up…one of my favorite parts!
Step #3: Edit Episodes Like a Pro (Tools to Streamline Your Workflow)
To keep new listeners engaged from the jump, you need clear, professional sound right out the gates.
I remember my first few episodes being pretty rough until learning tricks to tidy things up.
Here are 3 keys for streamlined editing:
Use Automated Cleanup Tools
I can‘t praise Descript enough for simplifying editing with features like:
- Auto transcription – Instantly generates text transcripts from your recorded audio, allowing you to quickly edit words like a text document!
- Background noise reduction – Dramatically reduces hiss and ambient sound with one click
- Audio effects – Level audio, compress dynamic range, and standardize volume across multiple clips
- Text-to-speech – Insert new voiceover segments without rerecording, using AI generated speech
This automation frees you up focus on storytelling vs. tedious sound tweaks.
Refine Structure and Flow
Listen back critically to identify sections that:
- Drag on too long
- Feel disjointed from preceding content
- Don‘t advance the central narrative
Trim, reorganize or overlay new transitions between segments for seamless flow.
Incorporate Engaging Audio Elements
Toy around with background music beds, sound effects like news clippings, movie/TV clips, etc to build atmosphere.
Just ensure legal usage rights! Stock audio sites like Epidemic Sound or Artlist offer plenty of podsafe options.
Bottom line, don‘t settle for scattered, raw recordings – elevate them in post using tools at your disposal!
Which brings us to distributing this high quality, value-packed content far and wide…
Step #4: Distribute Everywhere and Spread the Word
Alright, your episodes are tightened up and ready to share with the world!
While Spotify will serve as the hub given its massive listener base, have your feed live everywhere fans access podcasts by using an aggregator like Captivate.
This distributes new shows to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts etc in one fell swoop.
You‘ll also want a central website as your online HQ embedding episodes as well compiling resources.
Use Squarespace, Wix or WordPress to give fans a dedicated destination covering:
- Your origin story
- Episode guide
- Guest bios
- Merch store
- Contact info
Now comes the fun part – screaming from the rooftops!
Share new episodes aggressively across your social channels, create sharable clips for Instagram and TikTok, reach out to complementary shows for cross-promotions, guest post on industry blogs, run giveaway contests…
Fire on all cylinders growing your listenership!
Which leads us to everyone‘s favorite topic – making money! 💸
Step #5: Let‘s Talk Monetization Baby!
Podcasting definitely takes considerable time and effort early on as a labor of love.
But ultimately being able to turn your passion into profit takes things to another level!
Many creators cover hosting costs at first via fan donations through Patron and related platforms.
But once you hit critical mass with a sizable, loyal audience Spotify offers multiple ways to monetize, including:
-
Spotify Ad Sales – They connect you directly brands looking for sponsorships
-
Paid Subscriptions – Offer bonus, exclusives content and episodes to paying members
-
Affiliate Marketing – Earn commissions promoting related products and services
-
Live Events – Paid entry to recording sessions, workshops and other special events
-
Merch Store – Sell branded apparel, accessories, keepsakes and more to fans!
Get creative tapping into both digital and offline channels! Now is the time to start strategically commercializing this movement you‘ve built.
The world needs more independent creators like you pushing boundaries 😎
Keep Pushing Forward!
And there you have it my friend!
You now know exactly what it takes to go from idea to launch growing an engaging, profitable podcast on Spotify.
Remember, carving out a very specific niche and target audience is key upfront. Identify demand trends to ride.
Production quality matters from day one! Don‘t wait to incorporate pro editing workflows and sound design.
Promote aggressively and consistently while providing evergreen value to your fans.
And finally, have fun and bring 100% of your authentic self. That creative passion shines through in the end product to set you apart.
Now that you know the blueprint, the hard work begins executing it and building your empire episode by episode.
You got this! Now go show the world what you‘re made of 💪
As always, hit me up on Twitter @podcastmaster if any other questions pop up along your journey!
