In this week's episode, we answer your question! What do I need to know when starting a podcast?

Podcasting: What to know when starting…And what I wish I would have known.

What are your goals with your podcast
To inspire/educate/entertain is great, but what are tangible goals
How many subscribers do you want?
How many downloads do you want?
SMART goals 30/60/90
Content planner: Themes
Choose a theme you want to speak to each month and line out your weekly, quarterly, monthly, and annual plan.

Solo Episodes or Guests
In the beginning I was doing only Guest Spotlights but my audience asked for more solo episodes which brings me to point #2:
Listen to your audience to decide if they want interviews or solos.

Where will you find your guests? **Make certain your guest aligns with your mission**
FB Groups
Podcast Movement
She Podcasts
Women Who Podcast
Instagram
#podcaster
#womenwhopodcast
#podcaster
#podcasthost


What to Send Guests before an interview
Time block with Calendly the times you are available for interviews.
Email link to guests so that they can schedule an interview that’s convenient for both of you.
Email guest thanking them for agreeing to the show. Include subjects that you would like to cover on the episode. If you have specific questions to ask, list them. Give main goal of the episode. What do you want your listeners to gain?
Let them know how you will contact them and what they need to know for recording For example, do they need to download an app, should they be on a desktop or their phone? Do they need headphones?

Will you break for holidays or Summer?
Two schools of thought on this
1. You’re in control & have the freedom to set your schedule
2. You have to show up every single week consistently to build listener base.

How often will you publish?
Weekly, BI-weekly, Monthly?
How many episodes will be in a season?
What day/time do you post?
Not same time zone or day for all listeners
In the beginning I started out with Tuesdays but changed to Thursday. Tuesdays are hectic for me & while I have episodes pre-scheduled now, if something changes that week & I want to bump an episode in order to publish something more relevant, I have time to recored, edit, & upload.
The show posts at 6:00 AM so that people can listen while doing an early morning workout or on their commute.
My episodes also average 35 minutes because the average commute is about 30 minutes. Listeners can easily speed up to 1.5x listening speed

Show Notes:
Type up your episode first whether in script form or bullet point, and then transfer to show notes. Why are notes important? People hear things in your episode they later want to go back and look up. It’s easier to scan the notes than re-listen to the episode.
In Notes, make sure to include links for guests to be reached, or merchandise to be purchased. If there is a discount code, include it in the notes.
A PDF/ downloadable Freebie is a great resource for your audience and can easily be converted from notes.
Transfer notes into a workbook or guide that your audience can later download.
This is a way to link the episode to your podcast or even build your email list while giving your listeners something tangible to continue the conversation.

Pitching your show to guests
Create a bio for your show that tells what your mission is about and what your goal is for your audience each week. If you are brand new, don’t be intimidated by download numbers, etc. If your mission is strong enough and you can let your guest know why your audience needs to hear from them, your guest will say yes.
If it is a big name guest, make certain that you offer to promote their book, workshop, conference, etc…. Free advertising is golden!

Promoting the podcast
After recording, send guests the link and ask them to please promote and tag you on all of their social media platforms. If they have a website or newsletter suggest they share the episode there.
SELF PROMOTE: social media, in person, via email. Tell everyone about your podcast AND ask for reviews as well as subscriptions. This is what helps your ratings, gets you to the top of the charts, increases downloads and brings on more guests.

For more info on getting started with a podcast, head over to Skillshare and sign up to get my FREE guide on The Basics of Podcasting ---------------->>>>>>>
https://skl.sh/2lpoNBU

By the way, have you written a review yet? GO DO IT NOW!!! Please.... 😘

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