With 2020 Pandemic, India witnessed a surge in the creation of content pieces and number of content creators. Podcasting being one of the trends that came with the pandemic but has stayed around. Several individuals and brands are hopping on to this boat of podcasting, but the question is how far will you row? There’s a lot that goes into putting together a podcast and for the content piece to speak your idea and reach the audience. So, before you think of it as just another sit-down YouTube video with a friend (guest), think it through.

5 Questions to ask yourself before you start a podcast:

1. What is your vision?

Having a clear idea / purpose is very important. Being sure of what do you want to talk about, how do you want to talk about it, with whom and who will be interested in listening to it is very important.
Let’s dissect this, finding your purpose will help you in the days where you need the motivation to keep going. What is it that you really want to share with the world or what is it that you want to start a conversation about or speak up for. A purpose you don’t feel enough about would sooner or later put you in-front of a dead-end very difficult to get past by in your podcasting journey. Figure out if it’s relevant to people in today’s day and age, who are the other people talking about it and how is the audience reacting to it. Think of the people you’d collaborate with as guests to enhance the perspectives of the topics that you’ll be covering.

2. Who will help you in putting together the podcast (technically)?

Didn’t quite get the question? Podcasting isn’t a one-person job until you are a jack of all trades you will need a full-fledged team of experts to help you out. This will include your producer, research team, DOP, editor. etc. hence, finding a team that is in sync with what you are aiming at and understands how to go about it becomes a necessity. It might look like a lot but a podcast production company usually has all these people and will help you carry out the creation process smoothly by linking you with people you require.

3. Let’s talk money! How much are you willing to spend & how are you going to monetize your podcast?

Podcasting like everything else requires a budget. Major expenses while creating a podcast will include a studio space, podcasting gear including mics, lights, cameras, etc., team salaries, and a few other major expenses like marketing.
Honestly, the ROI for podcasts is not that great. You might not be able to make money directly out of it probably for the entire first season or maybe second too until you are able to onboard sponsors.
Monetizing your podcast might seem challenging and that’s why what you are putting into it becomes very important. Figure out what do you want to go ahead with. An audio podcast is considerably economical compared to a video podcast. Also remember, at the end of the day it’s more about the content and topics covered instead of how it’s reaching the listener.

4. How important is it to crack the branding of your podcast?

Podcasting creatives include the name of the podcast, cover art, background music, color scheme, etc.
Along with your content being quality-heavy it should be branded in a way that the listeners shouldn’t be able to skip it if they come across it.

A good name, that defines your content and simultaneously interests listeners is very important.
A cover art covering a little more meaning and adding more to the consumer journey is an important factor of your podcast being clicked and eventually heard.
Background score / podcast jingle, I am sure when I say Koffee with Karan there’s a background score that instantly plays in your mind. That’s exactly what you have to crack; Association.

5. How will you market / spread your podcast?

It’s very important to yell at the world for them to spot you, acknowledge your existence and invest in your content piece amongst zillion others.
Choosing the right marketing channels becomes very important. Figuring out your target audience and then picking a channel that will reach them is the way to go about it.
Example. A Gen- z podcast discussing relationships will do better ads on Instagram against LinkedIn.

These questions are broad yet to-the-point; Very important to be answered and resourced for ensuring a smooth podcast creation & distribution process. Have a great time podcasting.