An absolute beginner’s guide to starting a podcast

Anyone can do it — but here’s how to do it well.

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So, you have a great podcast idea and want to get it out into the world — grabbing the mic and starting a podcast seems easy enough, right? Yes and no.

Tim Ruggeri, content manager for Acast and co-creator and co-host of The Complete Guide to Everything says the biggest misconception about starting a podcast is that anyone can do it. “While the tools have been democratized, and it’s easier than ever to start a podcast, creating and producing [one] that resonates with an audience of any size takes time, commitment and a creative drive that not everybody has,” he says.

But it’s not impossible — if you have an idea you’re excited about, you can certainly get it off the ground. Here’s how.

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Finesse your idea.

Before you start, you need “a clear idea of what makes [your] potential show distinct from anything else that’s already out there,” says Jeremy Enns, founder of Counterweight Creative. “Too many podcasters skip this all-important step in favor of figuring it out on the fly, [and] 10 episodes in, they’ve put out a hodgepodge of episodes, failed to gain any traction, and end up quitting.” He recommends starting with a “10-word phrase that completely describes [your] show while also distinguishing it from anything else in existence.” If you can’t do that, you’re not quite there.

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