Wondering how to start a successful podcast but feeling overwhelmed? You’re in the right place! In this post, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to launch a podcast that shares your message, builds a loyal audience, and generates organic leads—all without relying solely on social media.

What is one of the biggest benefits of podcasting?

One of the biggest benefits of having your own podcast is that it really accelerates that like, know, and trust factor. Whereas on social media, there is so much noise around us, and usually when we're on social media, we're doom scrolling. We're not even really taking in the information. It's just coming all out as a one time and you kind of check out. At least that's what I do.

Why podcasting builds trust faster than social media

Now when I listen to a podcast, I'm fully invested in what that podcast host is talking about. And if I find a podcast host that I really like, I start to binge listen to everything they've put out, and that rapidly builds that low like, know, and trust factor.

And when you have that like, know, and trust factor, it's much easier to convert those listeners into a new client than it is on social media where it's gonna take a lot longer than it is with a podcast.

What does evergreen content mean for podcasting?

Another amazing benefit of podcasting is its evergreen nature.

So, each episode you create is like a mini asset for your business.

You want to approach it from its strategic point of view, whether someone finds your podcast the day that it's released or months later, it can still bring in new leads and listeners.

It's like planting seeds that keep growing over time.

Usually with our podcast episodes, they're not like that one and done like we do on with our social media posts. They're they're long lasting.

It's that evergreen content that's always going to be relevant.

What is a podcast funnel?

So if you optimize it correctly with SEO, let's say I want to search a topic about clean eating and I type that into a podcast player and if you're optimized for that and you've been talking about clean eating, that episode is going to show up.

I'm going to start listening to it. If it's relevant to what I'm looking for, I'm probably gonna start to binge your podcast.

I'm going to start to like, know, and trust you and then maybe I'm going to invest in your services.

That's kind of the journey we want our listeners to take.

We want them to start at the top of our funnel, which is our podcast, then we want to funnel them down into probably a freebie to get them on our email list, where we're going to continue to nurture them between our podcast and our email list, and then we're going to funnel them down into a paid offering, which could be a course, it could be a one-to-one service, it could be coaching, whatever it is.

How to repurpose your podcast content?

So, another main benefit of having a podcast is that it is a very effective marketing tool.

Your podcast is going to be your main pillar, and then you can create micro content from your podcast.

The way I like to do it is I like to pull out interesting clips, and with one of my clients, we do a montage.

So, it's not just one, like, one quote from somebody, it's very quick, like, five 10 second clips that are interchanging and I go through her episode and pull out some of the interesting points that will hopefully get that person that's watching that reel to click over into her podcast.

Another thing to do with it is turn it into a blog post. Great for SEO content.

I always turn my clients podcast episodes into a blog post.

And then, of course, you can also utilize that podcast episode into an email for your list, so that you're always nurturing that list because and you always want to be nurturing that list because then they can turn into clients.

Setting podcast foundations

Let's get into how to launch a podcast.

The very first thing you're going to want to do is set your podcast foundations.

And if I had to guess, this is the number one thing that most people skip out on, is setting these foundational pieces. They're not exciting. You kind of already am like, oh I already know who my ideal client is. All of those things.

But you really want to sit down and think through those pieces.

Because if you think of like when you're building like a house of cards, if that foundation is not very stable, your house is going to collapse. And that's kind of the way I look at a podcast.

You need to have a very stable foundation and know exactly how you're going to use your podcast in your marketing, how you're going to use it as a marketing funnel, what kind of content you're gonna speak about, who you're speaking to, all of those things.

So, you really want to focus heavily on your podcast foundation.

How to choose your podcast topics and your podcast format

Next, it's crucial to choose a podcast topic that really aligns with your business goals, what your business is about, and, of course, what you feel like you're an expert on, and then what interests you as well.

Because you always want to be interested in what you're talking about.

And then what you're talking about ties back into being that authority figure in your niche which is what you want with your podcast.

Then you're going to figure out your show format. So are you going to have guests? Is it just going to be a solo episode?

So here's one thing to think about with guests versus solo episodes.

It's great to have guest episodes because it kind of helps with that content creation.

You're not doing everything yourself.

When you have a guest on your show, you're bringing in a new person and a new audience.

So, you're leveraging that person's audience and having them as a guest on your podcast. Here's a caveat. You do not want to get it where all of your episodes are guest episodes.

And why do I say that?

I say that because if you start having more guest episodes and it's not really you talking about the information, what starts to happen is there's a shift. And that shift is is that people stop looking at you as the expert on your podcast and start looking at you as the interviewer and looking at your guest as the expert.

So, you wanna have a balance.

I like to tell my clients 2/3. So, 2/3 are their episodes, and 1/3 are guest episodes, so that we keep you as the expert.

And then, occasionally, you have another expert on to talk about an area that you're not as familiar with.

So, be careful with the amount of episodes you do for that reason. Because you want to make sure that you're maintaining that expert status and you don't become that interviewer of the expert.

How to create podcast cover art

For your cover art, you want to keep it not so busy.

You really don't need to have a picture of a microphone on there. If they're listening to a podcast, they know it's a podcast. They don't need a microphone to differentiate that. So the way I like to do it with my clients is I like to have their image on there. And there's two thoughts, like, you don't really need an image on there. I personally like having images on cover art because I like to know who's speaking to me, and it feels like more of a personal connection when I can visualize the person that's speaking, which is another connection point.

So, for our cover art, I typically keep them pretty simple.

If it's a dark background, I like to have a lot of light text with their image on it versus if it's a colorful background, then I like to have a dark text.

And kind of be careful when it comes to a script font.

Because if you think about it, when you're looking at cover art in the podcast player, it's very small. So, you're looking at a very small square.

And when you have this script font, it's very difficult to read in the players because it's so small.

So, chances are pretty good if it's a thin script, nobody's going to be able to read it. I like to use a thicker font, so that when somebody's looking at that cover art, it's very clear what that podcast is about.

What equipment you need for your podcast

Microphones do not need to break the bank. In my podcast launch roadmap, which you can grab here, I have an entire section of recommended microphones, recommended headphones, recommended recording software, and recommended editing software.

Lots of free options for recording and editing, budget friendly mics.

Just know that you do not have to spend $100s on microphones to get started.

So, launching a podcast can be a powerful way to build genuine connections, establish trust with your audience, and position yourself as an expert in your niche.

By creating content that resonates over time, setting a strong foundation, and optimizing your episodes to guide listeners through a funnel, your podcast can become an invaluable marketing asset that drives leads and grows your business.

If you're ready to take the first steps, be sure to download my free podcast roadmap, which covers everything from choosing your equipment to setting up your show’s foundational pieces.

It’s a helpful guide to make your podcast launch journey smoother and more strategic!

Want to hear my full discussion?

Connect with me:

Free podcast launch roadmap: https://lizchapmanco.com/free

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liz_chapman_podcastmanager/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lizchapmanco/

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lizchapmanco