iRadeo Blog

SECTION 1: WHY SHOULD YOU PODCAST?

Whether you're a one-man show or a budding startup, you can start a podcast. And when done right, your podcast can make a huge difference for your brand and/or business.

Here are seven examples of what podcasting can do for you:

Share expert knowledge about a topic you're passionate about.

Publish interviews with experts of your field.

Establish yourself and your brand as an expert of your industry.

Interact and engage with your audience on a more intimate level.

Market and sell a product or service.

Generate and boost sales for your business.

Inspire and impact other people.

There is so much that you can do and achieve through podcasting, and all it takes is the initiative to start.

TASK

Write down a maximum of three clear objectives or goals you want to achieve through podcasting. It helps to note down numbers or deadlines you've set for yourself.

Here are some examples:

Hit a 50% increase in sales for your business.

Reach 500-1000 subscribers to your blog.

Help dog owners understand and train rescue dogs.

Publish 100 interviews of experts in your field or industry.

Finished? Great! Let's take a look at what you need to start a podcast.

SECTION 2: THE PODCASTER'S STARTER TOOLKIT

There are several things you will need to start a podcast that will effectively meet and achieve your three goals. It helps to have all of these in place before you even begin recording your first episode.

1. A memorable podcast title.

Choose a podcast title that people can easily remember and associate with your name or brand. You can use your blog or brand's name as the title for simplicity, or use a catchy phrase that gives your audience an immediate idea of what your podcast is about.

Tip: You can use a select number of keywords you want your podcast to potentially rank for on iTunes for your title. It should sound and feel natural, so make sure you don't stuff your title with keywords!

2. An eye-popping podcast cover art.

The first thing your viewers are going to see is your podcast cover art, so you want it to be eye-catching and on-point with your brand. It should also be available in several dimensions, 1400 x 1400 pixels being the standard size for submission to iTunes.

Tip: We recommend investing in a professional who can create a podcast image that sticks and lasts throughout the life span of your podcast.

3. A great podcasting voice.

Will you be hosting your podcast or have someone in your team do so for you? Whichever you decide, it's important to have a clear and attractive voice to lead your podcast. This is what will hook your listeners in from beginning to end.

Tip: Speak slowly and consistently to avoid rambling and stuttering. This keeps your listeners focused and less likely to get distracted.

4. A good quality mic.

A good microphone positioned properly can make a bedroom recording sound like a studio production. There are several affordable options in the market, including the Samson Meteor ($49.99), CAD U37 ($47), and the Samson Go Mic ($32).

Tip: Position your mic 4-7 inches away from your mouth and avoid touching or holding the mic while you're speaking to prevent unnecessary noise while recording.

5. Audio recording apps and tools

You'll need audio recording apps and tools to capture, save, and edit your audio recordings. You want each episode to consistently sound clean and professional. You can use the free Audacity (Windows/Mac) or GarageBand (Mac) for recording and editing. For recording Skype calls, Ecamm Call Recorder (Mac) and Pamela (Windows) are great apps to use.

Tip: If you find post-production a technical challenge, consider hiring a professional editor to handle the work for you. The last thing you want is a badly edited audio file annoying the heck out of your listeners.

6. A website to host your podcast.

Send your listeners to your podcast's official website where they can learn more about your podcast. If you don't have an existing website, iRadeo has the tools you need to create one for you without any technical know-how on your part.

7. A reliable media hosting service.

One of the biggest mistakes amateur podcasters make is hosting their audio files on the same server as their website. Upload and host your files with a reliable media hosting service like iRadeo to ensure that your audio streams flawlessly regardless of your audience growth.

Once you've got all of the equipment, software, and voice personality in place, it's time to put it all together.

SECTION 3: SET UP YOUR PODCAST WITH IRADEO

You're ready to launch your podcast and get it in front of your target audience. Great!

Hosting your podcast with a reliable host like iRadeo gives you the convenience you need to focus on what you do best: podcasting. Here are the benefits you'll get when you host vs. setting everything up yourself:

Bandwidth - you'll want your podcast to stream consistently regardless of how fast your audience grows. We offer podcasters the opportunity to host their podcasts without ever having to worry about bandwidth usage and caps.

RSS feed - podcasting directories require your podcast's RSS feed to stream, but the process of generating this feed can be tricky for most. We take care of setting your RSS feed up.

Feedback and analytics - smart podcasters pay attention to what their listeners like, dislike, and what they want to hear next. Feedback and analytics are great tools we provide to gather such valuable information.

Social sharing - we make it super easy to embed and share an episode on your website and to your social media channels.

Ready to start your very own podcast with us?

Simply sign up for an iRadeo account and choose the plan that best fits your podcasting needs. You'll then be able to enjoy dedicated hosting and bandwidth usage for your podcast, unlimited stations and audience capacity, listener feedback and analytics, and automated sharing to the major podcasting directories like Apple's iTunes.

SECTION 1: HOW DOES ONLINE RADIO WORK?

It's important to understand how online radio works before launching your own station. There are three major players at work with online radio.

1. The Host

You can stream recordings (e.g. mp3 playlists) while inserting live voice and other types of input during the process. You'll need several apps and software to play music, record your voice, and edit the audio files before sending it off to the server.

2. The Server

You'll need to install software that turns your computer into a live streaming server. We recommend Nicecast by Rogue Amoeba for OS X ($59) users and BroadWave ($80) for Windows users.

iRadeo acts as the receiver of all of your live and recorded input. With the live stream URL generated by your selected server, we stream your data to your listeners, saving you the trouble of making sure sound quality and streaming remain consistent throughout your show.

3. The Listener

The listener is your audience. Anyone with an internet connection and a link to your station can tune in and hear everything that's going on at your end of the connection.

Don't make the mistake of streaming over your own home internet connection as opposed to a dedicated server like iRadeo. Sound quality depends on the strength of your bandwidth and the size of your audience, so you want to ensure that your station is always delivering your music and live content without any drops or interference during your broadcast.

Now that you understand the process that goes into running an internet radio station, let's take a look at what you need to host and manage it.

SECTION 2: WHAT YOU NEED TO START AN ONLINE RADIO SHOW

A reasonable amount of preparation can be the difference between a sloppy show and a professional broadcast. Take this time to gear up and lay the foundation for your first online radio show.

1. A solid content plan

What is the purpose behind starting an online radio show? What is your niche and who are you broadcasting to?

The answers to these questions will help you develop a clear and solid content plan. This will dictate what types of content you'll be sharing on air. This way, your audience knows what to expect when tuning in.

2. An official website for your radio show

Having an official website establishes the brand of your show and makes your station accessible to everyone. A typical website costs money and time, which is why we've made it easy for you to set up your website in a matter of minutes.

3. Licenses and legalities

The scope of this topic goes above and beyond this tutorial, but the basic premise is to only use licensed content on your show. If you decide to use copyrighted music, for example, make sure to get the proper licenses first from the artist and the recording company before streaming. We recommend PRS for Music or BMI Licensing.

Another alternative is to use your own music or content licensed under Creative Commons. Take this time to read the relevant sections of the DMCA to determine your options.

4. Your equipment

The good news is that you don't have to spend a ton of money just to set up your online radio station. We recommend investing in a good-quality microphone for a professional-sounding broadcast. The Samson Meteor ($70), CAD U37 ($47), and the Samson Go Mic ($32) are affordable options to look into.

5. A broadcast schedule

Unless you're broadcasting 24/7, you'll want to create a broadcast schedule for listeners who want to tune in to your show.

You can add and edit your broadcast schedule from your iRadeo dashboard. When your listeners see your station before your intended scheduled broadcast, they will only see the following message: "Broadcast scheduled will start on MONTH, DAY YEAR."

6. Voice and personality

One of the reasons why we tune in to our favorite radio stations is because of how much we like the host. We enjoy listening to their voice and are attracted to the personality behind it.

If you plan on hosting your show or having someone else host it for you, make sure that the voice quality and personality are on point with your station's purpose, the target audience, and the overall brand.

7. Audio advertising

One of the biggest challenges to creating a radio show is generating the income to fund it.

If getting sponsors for your radio show isn't possible yet, we offer audio ads as a revenue source to get the ball rolling for you.

SECTION 3: SET UP YOUR ONLINE RADIO SHOW WITH IRADEO

With your content plan and equipment in place, you're ready to create your very own online radio show.

Choosing a dedicated server like iRadeo gives you the convenience you need to focus on running your show and building your audience. Here are the benefits you'll get when you host vs. setting everything up yourself:

Bandwidth - you'll want your content to stream consistently regardless of how fast or large your audience grows. We use Amazon's award winning AWS technologies and servers so your streams will never slow down and will be streamed at the highest speed available.

Station reporting - understand your listeners and track daily activity through our station reporting feature, which offers real-time listener stats.

Mobile ready - your audience can tune in to your stations wherever they may be through their iOS and Android devices.

Easy sharing and embedding - you can embed your radio station anywhere and encourage your listeners to share through our easy-to-use sharing tools.

Ready to start and launch your very own online radio station?

Simply sign up for an iRadeo account and choose the plan that best fits your needs. You'll then be able to enjoy dedicated hosting and bandwidth usage, create an unlimited number of stations, broadcast without any audience size limitations, and generate listener feedback and analytics to help you improve and grow your show.

But how do you start and launch a podcast? We've created this beginner's guide to help you set the foundation of an effective and attractive podcast. But before we jump into that, let's take a look at why podcasts fail despite the medium's popularity:

WHY PLENTY OF PODCASTS FAIL BEFORE THEIR FIFTH EPISODE

There are a lot of great ideas out there for podcasts, but several of these aren't able to make it after their fifth or eighth episode.

Here are three common reasons:

1. The podcast isn't unique.

The podcast doesn't really stand out from the 250,000 podcasts being broadcasted everyday. If you're starting a podcast on marketing, it doesn't help to put out episodes that 5-10 established podcasters have already talked about.

2. The podcast doesn't have a true voice behind it.

This is a downfall for podcasts that are only in it for the fame or profit and that have no true interest in the topic. If you're starting a marketing podcast, yet you're not truly convinced or interested in the topic, your listeners are going to hear that and tune out quickly.

3. The podcast isn't consistent.

New podcasters don't realize just how much time and effort it takes to deliver a podcast, and so they find themselves missing out on an episode or suddenly back up after weeks of silence.

This isn't about scaring you into stalling your podcast launch, but knowing what you shouldn't do so your podcast will grow and last.

Now that you've an idea of what you shouldn't be doing, let's take a look at how to start and launch a podcast.

STEP #1: DEFINE THE PURPOSE AND BRAND OF YOUR PODCAST.

The purpose behind your podcast is at the core of everything that you do as an up-and-coming podcaster.

Podcasting is a long-term marketing strategy, so you need to define your podcast's purpose and truly commit to it for the long haul. Otherwise, podcasting for the wrong reasons or purpose could set yourself up for months of wasted time, effort, and money.

Define your purpose and establish your podcast's brand. Once you've got that nailed down, it's time to move on to the next most important step.

STEP #2: IDENTIFY WHO YOUR AUDIENCE IS.

Do not make the mistake of assuming that people will simply flock to your podcast after a few good episodes.

Identify who your audience is and what your content aims to do for them. This will help you create content that your audience will want to tune in to.

STEP #3: CHOOSE THE FORMAT.

This is the fun part for most podcasters where you get to choose what you want each of your episodes to deliver. According to expert podcaster Jon Nastor, the five general show formats are interviews/Q&A, news/current events, expert-based, and comedy/entertainment.

Research on the pros and cons of each format and pick what best suits your podcast's purpose, topic, industry, and audience.

STEP #4: SETUP YOUR RECORDING STUDIO.

It's time to record, and your recording studio is the place to do it.

The good news is that there are plenty of options to choose from in terms of the equipment and software to use for your podcast. You'll find lots of product and brand suggestions online, but we encourage you to keep audio quality and noise reduction in mind when setting up your studio.

STEP #5: SUBMIT YOUR PODCAST TO LEADING DISTRIBUTION SITES.

The final step is actually one of the reasons a lot of new podcasters stall their launch, and that's getting it up on the leading distribution sites.

iTunes is by far the most popular site to publish your podcast to, which is why iRadeo is designed to help you set up your show on iTunes without any technical effort on your part.

Through their podcast, they position themselves as an industry leader and expert on the topic. More importantly, they have made fall protection and safety accessible and understandable for all members of the public, from homeowners to employees to at-heights workers.

Have you ever looked up and feel queasy watching construction workers operate at such massive heights? Chances are they feel pretty nervous up there too.

The problem is that traditional safety systems don't always guarantee freedom of movement and aren't easy to use. It's a problem Rigid Lifelines aims to solve, and frankly, they've done a spectacular job since 1996.

FALL PROTECTION MADE SIMPLE

Rigid Lifelines is a company in the business of keeping our at-height workers safe at all times.

The company designs and builds fall arrest and fall restraint systems while working hand-in-hand with their users to consistently improve their product lines. They are well-funded, research-driven, and backed by a family of engineers specializing in fall protection equipment.

What sets them apart is the simplicity of their products and the freedom of movement their users enjoy while getting their work done. Moreover, they provide the latest fall protection information and industry literature online, keeping supervisors informed and reducing risk at work.

SAFETY FOR EVERYONE

Safety is a huge concern for both individuals and companies, yet information on how to ensure one's safety isn't always accessible or understandable.

Rigid Lifelines decided to launch a podcast in July 2012 where they can share inspection tips, terminology, fall protection information, and similar content to the public. They recognize the effectiveness of audio and how this makes it easier for users to learn while testing out and using the equipment on site.  

Each week, a new episode goes up on their channel where they talk about the different aspects of risk safety, fall protection, and industry-related news. Rigid Podcasts host Dan Ross uses a deep and professional voice that matches the company brand and delivers the information clearly each time.

Rigid Lifelines pride themselves on the simplicity of their systems and expect the same level of ease from the podcasting service they intend to use. After testing a couple of services, they chose iRadeo to handle their audio storage, podcast streaming, and analytics.

AN INDUSTRY LEADER

To get you started, here's an actionable checklist to help you build a successful podcast launch.

ITEM #1: BUILD A WEBSITE THAT'S ON-POINT WITH YOUR PODCAST'S BRAND.

While iTunes may be the vehicle to deliver your episodes, your podcast's official website is where your audience can engage with you, learn more about the show, and get information about each episode.

Build a website that is easy to navigate, use, and is on-point with your podcast's brand and voice. You can find and select from plenty of themes for podcasts for your website.

ITEM #2: CREATE AN EYE-POPPING COVER ART.

While your podcast content is at the forefront of everything that you do, the first thing your audience is going to see is your podcast cover art.

The covert art will appear on all of your marketing materials, your website, your iTunes channel, and in each individual episode should your audience decide to download the files to their computer. It pays to get this right from the get-go. You can create one yourself or have a professional designer work on it.

ITEM #3: SET UP AN EMAIL LIST.

In this day and age, email is the most intimate form of online communication. What better way to let your audience members know about your podcast launch than updates straight to their inbox?

Set up an email list and an embeddable sign-up form as soon as you have your website up. This list will be your marketing channel throughout the lifespan of your podcast where you can connect, interact, and engage with your audience.

We suggest well-known services like Mailchimp, AWeber, Constant Contact, and InfusionSoft to handle and manage your email lists.

ITEM #4: RECORD THE FIRST 5-10 EPISODES OF YOUR PODCAST.

A big mistake new podcasters make is launching their podcasts with just the welcome episode up on their channel. Keep your audience engaged by launching with actual content the moment they subscribe to your podcast.

We recommend recording and releasing the first 5-10 episodes on Launch Day so your listeners will fully engage with your show. This also gives you ample time to gather feedback and work on your next 5-10 episodes.

ITEM #5: MAKE THEIR STAY WORTHWHILE.

The final step to a successful launch is all about creating that memorable experience.

Plan out a launch experience your audience will never forget by making their stay worthwhile.

You can use incentives (e.g. a free book or access to useful resources), social media contests, giveaways, and even guest appearances by well-known figures of your industry.

BONUS TIP: CREATE A CONTENT SERIES LEADING UP TO YOUR LAUNCH.

None of these things will matter if nobody knows about you and your podcast. There are several ways to bring in exposure, one of which is creating a content series leading up to your launch.