Allow me to introduce my latest passion project, Coffee Meets Vodka Podcast. I’ve had it on my heart to start a podcast since 2016! I know, such a long time ago, but it never felt like the right timing. I was busy with other things and even busy thriving in a new city! It wasn’t until I moved back to my hometown that it was finally time to start my entrepreneurial venture in the podcasting world. I started Coffee Meets Vodka May of 2019 and have learned a lot along the way. I want to lend advice on what I’ve learned and also open to hearing feedback if you have a different perspective!

I noticed a lot of people were interested in starting a podcast during quarantine and I’ve come up with a few points to help you get started

 

1. Invest in your equipment

I absolutely cannot stress this enough!!!! Your listeners will thank you if the sound quality is A-1, even if the content quality isn’t there yet. I use a Yeti Mic with a foam cover and store my mic in a hardshell case. I’ve invested in good headphones and an extra screen to diffuse sound. You can invest in a soundboard with a bunch of nobs and a lot of wires for “cheaper” but really it’s complicated and Yeti mics are SUPER easy to use. Just plug in and go!

2. Record & Edit

The best and easiest program to record and edit on is GarageBand (in my opinion). It already comes installed on a Mac so you don’t need to buy a program! You can use other recording/editing software like Anchor, Audacity, or Adobe Audition. If you are wanting to have guests who aren’t able to record in person, don’t fret! Zoom or Squadcast is your best bet 😉. The audio is exported and you are able to drag and drop into your editing software.

3. Host Site

To publish your podcast you will need to have a hosting site so your episodes have somewhere to live. I use Libsyn and pay $20 per month for storage and analytics. They have a variety of different plans to fit your needs, so just choose the best one for you! You can also use sites like buzzsprout, blubrry, Anchor as mentioned above, or many others. A quick google search will bring up 10 of the best hosting sites.

4. Publish

Once you have your hosting site set up and your podcast recorded and edited, it’s time to publish! Your hosting site will automatically post to all listening platforms, except Apple. You will need to set that up through your iTunes and it takes about two weeks after you’ve submitted to get your podcast approved and up on the platform. Don’t worry, you can still publish episodes in the meantime. They will just be on every platform except Apple until your show is approved.

5. Marketing

This is important! You need to make sure your podcast cover art conveys your brand but also isn’t too busy. Simplicity is best! You will be using this each time you upload a new episode, so make sure you invest in a graphic designer or have a well thought out idea of the art. This is your first impression and is what is going to capture your audience’s attention. Come up with a catchy title and make sure you make cohesive social media pages so you can market across all platforms. Be clear and concise in your marketing efforts! BONUS: If you are really serious about podcasting and want to get your name out there, invest in social media ads. You can spend a small amount of money at first, see how it performs, and increase the dollar amount as your following increases.

 

*Tips:

Do your research! Find a niche that speaks to you. Have an outline of the overall show and also an outline of each episode. Come up with games, interesting facts, or anything else that is on-brand to keep your audience entertained. My best advice is to stay authentic. Don’t try to be someone you aren’t! The audience will be able to tell and you will eventually run out of topics to talk about if it is not your passion. When interviewing guests, make them feel comfortable. Interviewing is a hard skill that takes practice to master. Don’t get discouraged, but DO keep the conversation flowing and remember to not cut off your guest or co-host. And lastly, be aware of your volume. Screaming into the mic is hard on the ears, especially when using sensitive mic’s.

 

I hope this helps you get started! I will be posting more intricate blog posts as time goes on. Comment if this was helpful. What else do you want to know about the podcasting world?!