The Podcast Launch Checklist: 21 Steps to Launch an Industry Leading Podcast
Launching a podcast has a lot of moving pieces.
This checklist gives you the overview, so you know what to focus on in each stage of your podcast launch.
Getting started
If you’ve decided to launch a podcast, you probably thought about the message you want to share.
The problem is, starting a podcast can be daunting and overwhelming. It makes many people spend long hours on confusing equipment, research to figure out all the technical stuff and having to manage yet another project they don’t have time for.
So your podcast gets put on hold month after month, or worse, never gets launched at all.
And understandably so…
That’s why we’re excited to share this 21 Step Checklist with you!
We’ve designed it to eliminate the roadblocks to starting a podcast and help you easily plan and launch a show that amplifies your authority, grows your audience, and gets your valuable message out to people who are excited to connect with you or your brand.
Here are the 3 keys to actually starting a highly effective podcast:
Follow a proven step-by-step process. Use this checklist so you don’t have to figure out all the technical stuff that derails people.
Keep it simple. Getting your message recorded and out there for people to engage with is SO much more important than having the right microphone, or whether or not your artwork is just right. Your message is VALUABLE. Focus on sharing it with people and the rest is easy.
Start now with the end in mind. Position your podcast in a way that supports your goals. If your goal is building a large audience, set your podcast up for success at the start.
Use this checklist and refer back to it as often as necessary.
If you don’t have time to go through all 21 steps, check out our done-for-you podcast launch program. Instead of going through the process alone, we’ll do 95% for you.
21 Steps to Easily Launch an Industry Leading Podcast
☐ STEP #1: DEFINE YOUR PODCASTING GOAL
What: Define clear objectives for what you want to achieve with your podcast.
Why: With clarity on where we want to go, we can plan a podcast that gets us there effectively.
Bonus: download our free Podcast Strategy Workbook with prompts to help you figure out what your podcasting goals could be.
☐ STEP #2: SELECT YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE
What: Who are you talking to? Select, refine and define your perfect podcast audience.
Why: A targeted audience is CRITICAL to effective podcasting and will make the difference between huge success and lackluster results.
☐ STEP #3: CRAFT YOUR CENTRAL MESSAGE
What: This is the core message or the ‘big idea’ you want to share with your audience.
Why: When creating content, you’d want to check if all content contains your central message.
☐ STEP #4: PICK YOUR PODCAST FORMAT & FREQUENCY
What: Decide how often you’ll release new episodes as well as how your show will be structured.
Why: Different formats have different strengths. Choose one that fits your goals, brand, and target audience.
☐ STEP #5: DECIDE HOW YOUR PODCAST WILL MAKE MONEY
What: There are a few ways to fund your podcast before it even launches. Most of our clients reach new clients through their podcast, but sponsorships are an option too. Decide which approach best fits you.
Why: A profitable podcast allows you to keep podcasting for a long time and provide value to a bigger audience.
Case Study: Learn how Jen Hemphill signed 2 new clients in the first 30 days of launching her new podcast.
☐ STEP #6: GET YOUR PODCAST RECORDING EQUIPMENT
What: Pick up an *easy to use*, high-quality podcasting microphone, and any recording software you’ll need. This step is easier than you think.
How: Here’s my recommendations for the best podcast microphone to use for your specific recording situation. You’ll also find these recommendations for the perfect podcast equipment setup quite valuable as you go about setting up your own podcast recording space.
Creating Your Podcast
Now that we’ve got a clear idea of what your podcast will be about and who it’s for, we have a solid foundation to start creating your authority-building podcast.
The next section lays out the exact steps to actually create your new podcast and get it launched to the world!
☐ STEP #7: CHOOSE A PODCAST TITLE
What: Give your show a recognizable, searchable, and branded title that grabs attention.
☐ STEP #8: CREATE YOUR PODCAST COVER ARTWORK
What: Create unique, stand-out artwork for your podcast. This is what your listeners will see in their podcast apps.
☐ STEP #9: CREATE BRANDED INTROS & OUTROS
What: These are short audio clips at the beginning and end of each of your podcast episodes so your audience easily recognizes the show, knows what they’re listening to, and connects with your brand.
☐ STEP #10: RECORD YOUR FIRST EPISODE(S)
What: Sit down to record the content that will become your very first episode. Our suggestion is to batch record so that you have episodes in the bank for later!
☐ STEP #11: SET UP PODCAST HOSTING
What: The audio files for your podcast need a home. Podcast hosting is simply where your audio files sit, and how the different apps access your content.
How: Our recommendation is Buzzsprout.
☐ STEP #12: CREATE A PAGE ON YOUR WEBSITE FOR THE PODCAST
What: Part of podcasting is having a place where listeners can further engage with your brand (ie. your website). Set up a podcast page on your website that features all the episodes for viewers in one place and acts as the “central hub” for your podcast.
☐ STEP #13: PRODUCE YOUR FIRST EPISODE(S)
What: Edit the audio, insert your intro & outro audios, ID3 tag your audio file, and upload it to your podcast hosting site. Then write show notes post to accompany your episode and save it in draft form on your website. If this sounds like a lot of work, we’ll be honest with you… it is.
We offer a done-for-you service so you only have to record content and our team handles the rest for you.
☐ STEP #14: CREATE A WINNING “LAUNCH PLAN”
What: Ensure your podcast gets fast traction from day one with a well-thought-out launch strategy.
☐ STEP #15: SUBMIT YOUR PODCAST TO DIRECTORIES
What: Use your RSS feed (accessible in your hosting software) to submit your podcast to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and all smaller apps, so people can discover and easily listen to your podcast.
☐ STEP #16: LAUNCH DAY!
What: The most exciting day of the process! Check if all content looks good once it’s live, and focus on promoting the new show.
☐ STEP #17: EMPLOY “GRASSROOTS MARKETING”
What: Ask your listeners to think of one person that will also find value from the content they just listened to and share the episode with that person directly.
☐ STEP #18: PUBLISH REGULAR CONTENT
What: Record enough content to publish on a regular, consistent schedule. This builds a long-term relationship with your audience and a huge bank of valuable content around your brand online, on your website and in podcast directories.
Pro Tip:
You can record content in batches (ie. Multiple episodes at a time) and simply publish them on a consistent schedule. This way, you can save tons of time and get ahead of schedule.
☐ STEP #19: GROW YOUR AUDIENCE & EMAIL LIST
What: There are a few key methods for effectively growing your podcast audience which fall into two categories:
Promote to your existing audience. Most popular channels: email list and social media.
Get in front of new audiences. Most popular channels: partnerships, strategic short form content, paid media.
☐ STEP #20: FURTHER MONETIZE YOUR PODCAST
What: There are several methods for monetizing a podcast like Affiliate Offers, Sponsorships, JV Partnerships, Podcast Subscription Services, or Your Own Products and Services. You could use all of them as a podcaster, or focus in on 1 or 2. It’s really up to you, but now’s the time to consider additional monetization avenues.
☐ STEP #21: LEVERAGE YOUR NEW PODCAST AUTHORITY
What: Just being a podcast host is a HUGE authority indicator. Now that you have this authority, you get to leverage it to get bigger and better results for your brand.
☐ BONUS STEP: HAVE FUN!
Enjoy, connect, engage, impact and advocate for your audience!
Sometimes people take a look at this checklist and think:
“That sounds like a lot of work…”
It is. It also has the potential to be the most effective channel for quickly growing your impact, influence, and income.
So we offer a simple solution.
Here’s How to Get Your Podcast Planned, Created, and Launched for You in Just 8 Weeks…
You already know what your podcast is going to be about.
You’ve spent months, even years thinking about it and you’ve got a powerful message in your head.
The time-consuming part is getting it out there as a podcast where it can spread and make an impact.
That’s where we come in.
We help people just like you get your podcast outlined, created, and launched in as little as eight weeks.
HERE’S HOW:
Step 1: Our Podcast Coaches combine your ideas with our podcast expertise to form a detailed, professional outline that lays the foundation for your podcast.
Step 2: You get direct, one-on-one coaching and guidance from your dedicated Podcast Coach on everything from equipment, content planning, hosting skills, strategy and more.
Step 3: Our Designers craft eye catching podcast artwork and a professional Intro & Outro with custom voiceover and soundtrack so your podcast stands out.
Step 4: Our Producers handle all the technical setup of your podcast, we submit you to all the top platforms and we integrate everything with your website.
Step 5: Our Podcast Launch Strategy ensures your podcast is seen by a highly targeted audience of your best prospects and we provide all the tools, templates and scripts for a highly successful podcast launch.
Step 6: Once your show is live, you simply record episode content and let our Producers edit, write compelling show notes, and publish every new episode for you.
If you’re interested to learn more, schedule a call.