Many podcasts stop after the first few episodes, and usually not because of the equipment. That is why equipment comes last in this guide. First we work out what you will talk about and who it is for, how often and in what format. Then all that is left is to record, edit and publish.
1. Define your topic and your listener
The best podcast topic is one you can talk about for a year, not a month. Write down one sentence: who the podcast is for and what the listener will get from it. If the sentence does not fit on one line, the topic is still too broad.
Then check whether you have ideas for at least ten episodes. If you can easily come up with thirty, the topic works.
2. Choose a format
- Interview with a guest. The easiest way to start, because the guest carries the content, but you need to find a new person for every episode.
- Two hosts. The conversation happens even without a guest, and the relationship between the hosts becomes part of the show.
- Solo. The cheapest and fastest option, but it takes the most preparation to keep listeners from getting bored.
- Video or audio only. A video podcast also reaches YouTube and lets you turn one episode into short videos. Audio is cheaper to record. We go into more detail in video or audio podcast: which to choose.
3. Decide on frequency and length
Listeners get used to a rhythm, so consistency matters more than frequency. One episode a week or every two weeks is a pace you can keep up for a long time.
Length depends on the content. An interview with a guest usually needs 45-90 minutes, while 15-30 is enough for a solo episode. Before you publish the first episode, record at least three: you will have a buffer and will see whether the format works.
4. Equipment at home or a studio
At home, you can start with a separate microphone for each person and a quiet room. The biggest problem is usually not the microphone but echo and noise: a room without soft surfaces sounds like a bathroom.
A studio is worth it when you want video with several camera angles and would rather not deal with the equipment yourself. In a studio, an operator sets everything up and looks after the recording. We compared what this costs in Vilnius in a separate guide.
5. Prepare for the recording
- Send the guest the topics in advance, not the exact questions. That keeps the conversation alive.
- Agree on the length and decide in advance how you will wrap up.
- You can use the first five minutes as a warm-up: you will cut them later.
- If at all possible, record backup audio as well.
- We covered how to invite a guest and prepare questions in a separate guide.
6. Edit
Editing turns a recording into an episode: repetitions and tangents are cut, the sound is levelled out, and an intro and outro are added. In a video podcast, the footage from several cameras is also cut together and speaker names are added on screen.
It is worth making a few short videos for Instagram, TikTok and YouTube Shorts from the same recording: they bring in new listeners. Our editing prices are public: a podcast episode is €100 + VAT, and a short video is from €40 + VAT.
7. Publish and find your first listeners
The audio version needs a platform that creates an RSS feed: that is how episodes get to Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other apps. Upload the video version to YouTube and put it in a separate podcast playlist. The whole process is in our guide on how to publish a podcast.
Do not expect your first listeners to come from search. They come through guests who share their episode, your social media and short videos. For every guest, prepare a link and a couple of clips they can post themselves.