Episode 140
The Podcast Roadmap Show
May 11, 2018 · Mike Murphy
EP140: THE PODCAST ROADMAP SHOW Today I simplify the start to finish process for starting a podcast. The Podcast Roadmap is an outline or an overview of how to start a podcast from start to finish. Episode Summary: What is The Podcast Roadmap? Who is it For? What are the main steps in the Roadmap for launching a podcast from start to finish?
Episode Summary: A start-to-finish overview of launching a podcast — the Podcast Roadmap, a free one-page cheat sheet distilling the whole process into 6 main steps plus an optional 7th.
What You’ll Learn
- The 6 main steps (plus 1 optional) to launching a podcast from scratch
- The main tasks inside each step, from planning through monetization
- Who the Podcast Roadmap is for, whether brand new or already podcasting
- A free downloadable one-page cheat sheet summarizing the whole process
This is the cheat sheet Mike wishes he’d had when he started: download the Podcast Roadmap.
What Is the Podcast Roadmap?
A comprehensive overview of how to launch a podcast, meant to connect the dots from “I want to start a podcast” all the way to going live on Apple Podcasts. It’s not meant to go deep on any single step — just to help you visualize the chronological order and the common tasks that keep the process on track.
Why the Roadmap Exists
Mike created it originally for a client who wanted the elevator-pitch version of what it takes to set up a podcast — a one-page outline that became the Podcast Roadmap. There are a lot of moving parts to podcast production, but once you understand the big picture, it’s mostly a matter of working down the list.
Who It’s For
Anyone who wants to save time and reduce overwhelm setting up a podcast — whether you’re brand new and ready to take the plunge, already have a show but want a better handle on the fundamentals, or you’re helping a friend and just need a reminder of the main steps.
The Roadmap: 6 Steps, Plus 1 Optional
- Planning — “Failing to plan is planning to fail,” as Ben Franklin put it. Commit to a launch date (roughly 4-6 weeks out), know your why, define your topic and target audience, pick a format (solo, interview, co-hosts, storytelling), decide on episode length, name the show, buy a matching domain if available, and set up social media accounts.
- Branding & Graphics — cover art, brand identity graphics for podcast/website/social (headshots, photos, video, logo, colors, fonts), and optional intro/outro music.
- Website & Media Hosting — choose your podcast and website hosts (they might be the same service), build a podcast-ready website, and create your RSS feed.
- Podcast Production — purchase gear, download recording/editing software, record and edit your audio, export as an MP3, add ID3 metadata tags, write the episode blog post and show notes, and publish.
- Launch & Share to the World — submit to Apple Podcasts, then to other directories (Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Blubrry, Spreaker, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, etc.).
- Marketing & Promotion — promote on your website and social channels, build a community (a Facebook group, for example), grow your audience through email marketing, join podcast communities for cross-promotion, guest on other shows, and consider an Amazon Alexa Skill.
- Monetization (optional) — sign up for affiliate programs like Amazon Associates, prepare rate sheets and podcast info for sponsorship pitches, and promote products/services through social and email.