| Phase 1: Planning and Setup (The Foundation) |
| 1. Define Your Concept |
Choose your niche, format (interview, solo, narrative), target audience, and show name. |
Google Docs/Sheets, Canva (for brainstorming) |
A clear focus is essential for growth. |
| 2. Create Branding |
Design your podcast cover art (square image) and channel art. |
Canva (Free) |
Use high-quality, eye-catching visuals. The cover art is what listeners see first. |
| 3. Get Basic Equipment |
Secure your microphone and recording space. |
A smartphone mic, a quiet room, or a basic USB mic (if possible) |
Clear audio is crucial. Focus on minimizing background noise. |
| 4. Choose Your Free Host |
Select a free podcast hosting platform that will generate your RSS feed. |
Spotify for Creators (formerly Anchor), RedCircle, Spreaker (check free plan limits) |
Spotify for Creators is one of the most popular for unlimited free hosting and distribution. This host creates the RSS feed needed for other platforms. |
| Phase 2: Creation and Editing (The Engine) |
| 5. Record Your Episodes |
Record your audio (and video, if doing a "video podcast"). |
Spotify for Creators (in-app recording), Audacity (audio editing), Zoom or Google Meet (for remote interviews) |
Record several episodes before launch for a backlog. Record in the highest quality possible. |
| 6. Edit and Produce |
Clean up the audio (remove mistakes, background noise, balance volume) and add an intro/outro. |
Audacity (Audio editing) or a free trial/plan of a more advanced tool like Descript (often has limits) |
Editing is where you polish your content. |
| 7. Create a Visual Component |
For YouTube, you need a video file. This can be: 1) A video of you recording, 2) A static image (your cover art) with the audio playing over it, or 3) An animated audio-wave video. |
Canva (to create static image videos), DaVinci Resolve (Video editing, free version), or check if your host platform offers a free audiogram tool. |
This step is key for YouTube distribution. |
| Phase 3: Launch and Distribution (The Stations) |
| 8. Upload to Your Host |
Upload your first episodes to your chosen free host (e.g., Spotify for Creators). |
Your chosen Free Host |
Fill in all episode details: Title, description, show notes, and tags. |
| 9. Distribute to Directories |
Use the RSS feed from your host to submit your podcast to major directories. |
Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, etc. |
Your free host will usually guide you through the initial submission to these directories. This step only needs to be done once. |
| 10. Create Your YouTube Station |
Upload your visual podcast files to your YouTube channel and organize them into a "Podcast Playlist." |
YouTube Studio |
Naming the playlist "[Your Show Name] Podcast" can help with discovery on YouTube and YouTube Music. Optimize titles and descriptions with keywords! |
| 11. Promote on Social Media |
Create short, engaging clips (audiograms or video snippets) for social platforms. |
Canva (for social graphics), YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Instagram Reels |
Use the best 30-60 second moments from your episodes. Use relevant hashtags. |
| 12. Engage Your Audience |
Ask questions and respond to comments on YouTube and social media. |
YouTube Comments, Social Media Platforms |
Building a community is vital for long-term success. |
| 13. Track Performance |
Check your statistics to see what content performs best. |
Your Free Host's Analytics, YouTube Studio Analytics |
Use the data to refine your topic and format over time. |