How to Start a Podcast in 2022 (Updated Guide)

Wow, 2021 seemed to go by painstakingly slowly, thanks to the whole end-of-the-world thing.

Fortunately, podcasts are still popular despite the 2020 apocalypse, and that means it’s time to get cracking on how to prepare for the new (and hopefully better) year!

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, which is entirely possible seeing how this year has gone, you might’ve noticed how popular podcasts have become.

In fact, according to a podcast revenue study by IAB and PricewaterhouseCooper, the podcast industry was projected to grow by 30% in 2020.

This was before COVID-19 decided to go ahead and ruin everyone’s lives.

In spite of the pandemic, the podcast industry did grow at a projected 14.7% this year, making it almost a $1 billion industry.

At least the podcast industry has some immunity to COVID-19!

If you’re looking to start a podcast out of the ashes of the 2020 pandemic, then you’ve come to the right place.

In this post, we’ll be talking about all the steps you’ll need to take to successfully start a podcast in 2022.

Let’s get started!

Disclaimer: Please note, this article includes affiliate links which may provide me a commission. All recommended products were independently selected by me. I hope you love these products and they help you achieve your goals.

Establish your goal
Choose a topic
Find your target audience
Prepare the content
Design your podcast
Have the right equipment
Where to host your podcast?

Without further ado, let’s have a closer look at each of the steps.

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1. Establish Your Goal

The first step seems like common sense, right?

We think it worth stating the obvious here because it can be easy to get side-tracked, even if you start out knowing exactly what your goal is in making a podcast.

If you haven’t established a goal yet, however, this is a great place to start.

Take into consideration why you want to start a podcast.

Are you hoping to make money from your podcast, establish yourself publicly, or maybe you just want a hobby?

A podcast is as good as any hobby, we reckon! Regardless, approach your podcast by determining your short and long-term goals.

2. Choose a Topic

You’ve got your goals all figured out now, right? Great!

That means it’s time to actually choose a topic.

Though your eyes might already be seeing cash at the thought of taking on some of those topics known for being podcast cash cows (moo?), you might want to slow down for a second.

Taking on a topic for the potential of making big money is like choosing money over love.

In the end, if you’re not passionate about your topic, you might find yourself burnt out and unmotivated.

That’s why we suggest choosing a topic that really drives you, as you’ll find more inspiration and continue to deliver great content that speaks to your listeners.

3. Find Your Target Audience

Speaking of listeners, you’ll need to find the right target audience if you want to grow your following.

After all, no one likes feeling like they’re talking to themselves and actually talking to only themselves.

And when you’re making a podcast, it’s definitely easier to speak to your target audience if there’s actually an audience!

To find your target audience, think about the kind of people who might be interested in your podcast.

Here are a few questions you can ask to find your target audience:

What age group is most likely to listen to my podcast?
What gender(s) am I speaking to?
Where are they likely to live? (City, suburbs, or rural areas, etc.)

Keep the questions very basic and specific at first, as you don’t want to appeal to too many demographics and risk coming off too broadly to your audience.

In fact, the more niche your target audience, the easier it is to find a following, even if that following is smaller than a bigger market area.

4. Prepare the Content

Now that you’ve gotten up close and personal with your target audience, you can (finally!) start brainstorming and working on the actual podcast content.

How long will your podcast be?
What are you going to name your podcast?
Will you have any guest speakers?
When do you want to launch your podcast?

Phew, that’s a lot of questions to consider!

One way to keep track of your ideas is by writing a rough draft for your podcast.

Even if you’re not sure about whether or not you’ll want to read from an actual script, or you’re more of a “go with the flow” kind of person and plan on improvising your podcast, we still suggest making a rough draft, as it can help shape your ideas and further develop your podcast.

5. Design Your Podcast

After gathering a good idea of what your podcast’s content will look like, it’s time to design the more artistic elements.

Features like Logo Design, art covers, introductions, Business Cards, conclusions, and music are all ways that can draw in your audience and give your podcast some personal flair.

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You might also consider whether your podcast will be a single episode.

Maybe you’re feeling extra inspired and want to turn it into a podcast series?

The internet is your oyster!

6. Have the Right Equipment

Of course, you’ll need the appropriate equipment to do your podcast.

A professional microphone and computer will make a difference in the quality of sound, but if you’re hoping to save a few bucks, you can always get a more affordable microphone and use free editing software, like Audacity, to improve the quality of your podcast.