How to Start A Podcast in 2022

Why Start Live Streaming a Podcast?

live streaming a podcast is the best thing that has happened since regular podcasts. The first thing you should do is read some statistics on why you should start a podcast.

  • There are currently 850,000 active podcasts and over 30 million podcast episodes.
  • 32 percent of Americans listen to podcasts on a monthly basis.
  • More than half of listeners are at least somewhat more likely to consider buying from a brand after hearing its advertisement on a podcast. 
  • 82.4 percent of podcast listeners spend more than seven hours a week listening to podcasts.
  • According to Edison Research, the number of Americans listening to podcasts every week increased 175% over the last five years.

Human connection is highly sought after now more than ever. Although social media and the internet has interfered with our attention span, society is trying to get back to sitting down for at least 20 minutes and listening to another person speak. Some may say that we are going back to radio, and while this may be true, podcasting is different because you have the ability to edit and customize.

Radio is a live broadcast of content- whether it is music, comedy, or just two people debating certain topics or news stories. While radio is fit for its purpose, podcasting can offer the same advantages (with a twist!). 

So, why should you broadcast on your WordPress website instead of uploading your podcasts on Apple, Spotify, or other streaming services?
  • Getting your podcast accepted after cross checking requirements can be long and complicated. 
  • You may not start making money off your podcast until you reach a certain number of listeners.
  • You need a hosting provider since these platforms will not host your podcasts.

Why Choose WpStream for live streaming a podcast

WpStream provides you with a platform to start your podcasts by live streaming, creating Video-on-Demand, and Pay-Per-View content. With an affordable and user-friendly experience, podcasters are able to display their skills and talents. Each subscription plan is carefully set up and your will have an appropriate subscription plan calculated to fit your needs.

WpStream can be used on any WordPress website and it is possible to stream using specialized RTMP broadcast software such as OBS, WireCast, vMix, Zoom, etc. To guide you, we have numerous video tutorials on our YouTube channel. You can choose to monetize your podcasts, offer them for free, or mix and match monetization options.

Starting a Podcast

To start a podcast, you must begin with the following:

  1. Come up with a name, topic, and theme.
  2. Design your artwork and write a description for your podcast
  3. Plan your live podcasts and/or record. A microphone is recommended.
  4. Use an editor such as Audible or Camtasia.
  5. Go live on your WordPress Website or Upload your podcast through WpStream.

Naming your Podcast

Although you may think that this is the first thing you should do, you could not be further from the truth.  The name of your podcast should come about after you have planned the topic, theme, and description of your podcast. Simply put, it is quite difficult to plan a podcast based around a name as it places barriers and hinges the creative process.

For instance, if you start thinking about names for your podcast, you will then think of topics and themes that are unique to that ‘name’. However, if you first brainstorm the topics you would like to talk about, your passions, skills, hobbies, and general expertise, you start coming up with more wholesome ideas which, in turn, breed inspiration. Once you have created the concept for your show, the name will come easy!

Now, make sure you read the rest of the article before coming back to the next points.

The name of your podcast should stand out, be catchy, or ‘punny’. Of course, this depends on the context of your show. You won’t have a punny podcast name for a show about unsolved crime stories. 

The next “don’t” is having your name included in your title. Things like “The Amy Show” or “Chatting with John”. These names only work for those who have already gathered a significant following and are known to the public.

If you are just starting out with podcasting, a potential viewer may stumble upon the name, ask themselves “who’s that and why should I care about what they have to say?”, and look for another podcast. Harsh, but factual.

Make sure you go through this list and do not under any circumstance, pick one of these. Most of these names are very general and do not tell you what the podcast is about. Then, we have names like “Corona” and “Cyber Bullying”.

While they are very specific and you get the idea of what the podcast is about, they are very negative words to have as your title. You can save those names for separate episodes for your podcast where you only talk about such issues.

You need to pick a name that relays what your podcast is all about in a very short and creative phrase. Trust me, by the time you are done with creating the theme, context, and description for your show, the name will come naturally.

Design your artwork and write a description for your podcast

You can design your artwork either by yourself if you have the graphic skills to do it, or check out one of the many websites that allow you to edit existing artwork. You can change the text, image, colors, and size of the artwork to suit your own brand. Canva, for instance, has a list of templates specifically for podcasts. You can also check out Pixelied, befunky, and many more similar websites.

If you would like a more professional artwork template, you can always get a freelancer from fiverr to do it for you. Just make sure you find the right person to work with you by reading reviews and asking for a portfolio.

As for your description, it is mandatory that you write a creative summary of what your show is about. Statistics show that most viewers will read through your description before deciding whether they are interested in listening or not.

They will indeed judge a book by its cover. Some podcasters may have the most interesting and inspiring podcasts but lack structure or a well presented description that markets the podcast.

live streaming a podcast

Check out this template by Forbes that tells you all you need to know about how to write the perfect description for your podcast.

Plan your live podcasts and/or record. 

After you have concluded what you would like your podcast to be about, this is where you start planning your episodes and what you want to talk about. It is a good idea to plan ahead at least 10 episodes before you get started. This will help you test whether the theme of your podcast can give rise to different material and diverse topics.

You need to be able to keep making podcasts about this topic for a long time and keep listeners entertained. Of course, once you are done scripting your episodes and noting down what you want to talk about, give them each a unique title that will also spark interest while summarizing the topic for the day.

Now that you have your episodes planned, you can start live streaming a podcast or recording your episodes. Here is where WpStream comes in and offers you different options. While podcasts are generally recorded and edited before posted for listeners, you have the chance to go live straight away and record it for later. So let’s see what you can do with WpStream on your WordPress website.

  • Broadcast Free Live podcasts for your listeners/viewers.
  • Broadcast Pay-Per-View/Subscription Live podcasts for your listeners/viewers.
  • Record your free & Pay-Per-View live podcasts and transform them into On Demand videos. You can either offer these for free or sell them as Pay-Per-View or Subscription podcasts.
  • Download & edit your podcasts.
  • Upload your edited podcasts.

Editing your podcasts with the right tools

You do not need any fancy equipment to start live streaming a podcast. The one thing I will recommend though, is getting a proper microphone that will help you deliver quality sound. The quality of your sound is highly important in a podcast because you want to offer your listeners the best experience when they tune into your show.

They might be tuning in while relaxing at home, on their way to work, school, while working out, or running errands. It is a means for people to stay entertained or get distracted from their hectic lifestyle. 

After you have recorded your podcast with a good microphone, it is time to start editing. You can either download Audacity for free, or Camtasia, which is a paid software that offers you more control. Keep in mind that if you would like to create video podcasts, you will need a video editing software whereas Audacity is audio-only. 

If you do not already have any editing experiences, you can always check out video tutorials on YouTube that will show you exactly what you need to do. Whichever video or audio editing software you choose, you will find a tutorial for it on YouTube.

Monetizing your Podcast

Free

Live streaming a podcast can come in different varieties. You can offer your live-streams and VODs for free to your viewers. You can gain valuable viewers by initially offering them free videos. Later on, they would be willing to pay for more content should you choose to monetize it. You can always include ads and sponsored content into your videos and have a revenue stream flowing without having your viewers pay to watch.

Pay-per-View Model

Pay-per-view means that your viewers will pay to watch each of your live-streams or VODs. Usually, people prefer to PPV at first and get a feel for your coaching sessions and what resonates with them most. After they make their choices, they will fully commit to monthly payments. 

Subscription-based Model

Viewers make monthly payments and have access to all the content on your website. In the long run, it is cheaper for viewers to make monthly payments. However, it is more difficult to get new viewers to subscribe monthly from the beginning. They need some time to discover your content and as a result, commit to monthly payments.

Finally, you always have the option of adding different monetization options to each of your channels. All in all, you can organize your life-coaching sessions as you see fit.

Concluding live streaming a podcast

Live streaming a podcast on your WordPress website is the new way to do podcasts. While recording and publishing a podcast is still an important part of the industry, having live podcasts makes it easier for your viewers/listeners to interact with your content in real time.

Moreover, you don’t need to wait to get monetized if your a fairly new podcaster, you can have your podcasts monetized in no time.

Beatrice Tabultoc

Beatrice Tabultoc

Beatrice is the digital marketing go-to at WpStream. She manages all things social media, content creation, and copywriting.

Start your free trial with WpStream today and experience the ability to broadcast live events, set up Pay-Per-View videos, and diversify the way you do your business.
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