Podcasting 101: How to Build a Podcast and Join the Podcasting Trend
- Written by Rabbi Rupp of Lift Your Legacy
There are two crucial reasons that anyone in business or nonprofit should consider starting a podcast.
It is an effective platform to properly build your brand . ‘Building a brand’ is a trendy way of saying figure out how you would like to be perceived by your audience. Your resume is no longer the most effective method of presenting yourself in the professional or nonprofessional world, but it is your brand—your social media footprint, your published or publicized works, that helps people understand who you or your company is, and what you're all about! Podcasting, like writing and video blogging, help put a face and personality behind a name. When you are consistently creating or curating content via the platform of a podcast, you are showing who you are, what you care about, and what matters to you.
Secondly, Podcasting allows you to connect and network with others who you might otherwise not have access. The concept of connecting and networking is a crucial component in any endeavour, especially when it comes to making yourself more marketable and relatable. By offering a podcast platform (which, if you do consistently and have interesting content will have a following of a few people to a few million) your guest can grow their own brand, reach out and help more people all while connecting with you. And don’t be afraid to look like you don’t know as much as them; oftentimes the most effective and instructive podcasts are those where the host is just like the listener; there to learn and grow.
Now, how do you start?
Start by asking these questions: Why are you making this podcast? What's your goal?
It is an effective platform to properly build your brand . ‘Building a brand’ is a trendy way of saying figure out how you would like to be perceived by your audience. Your resume is no longer the most effective method of presenting yourself in the professional or nonprofessional world, but it is your brand—your social media footprint, your published or publicized works, that helps people understand who you or your company is, and what you're all about! Podcasting, like writing and video blogging, help put a face and personality behind a name. When you are consistently creating or curating content via the platform of a podcast, you are showing who you are, what you care about, and what matters to you.
Secondly, Podcasting allows you to connect and network with others who you might otherwise not have access. The concept of connecting and networking is a crucial component in any endeavour, especially when it comes to making yourself more marketable and relatable. By offering a podcast platform (which, if you do consistently and have interesting content will have a following of a few people to a few million) your guest can grow their own brand, reach out and help more people all while connecting with you. And don’t be afraid to look like you don’t know as much as them; oftentimes the most effective and instructive podcasts are those where the host is just like the listener; there to learn and grow.
Now, how do you start?
Start by asking these questions: Why are you making this podcast? What's your goal?
The most important part of any endeavor is your why. Is this for publicity? Is it to share a message? Both? By figuring out why you are doing it, it will help you define who you are talking to, what your content will be about, and how you can distinguish yourself in the marketplace. If you are making the podcast for publicity, you will need to make sure your content is surrounding those topics that are associated with your company or personal brand. If you are focusing on a topic, say politics or religion, then your brand is the content, and it's problematic to bring yourself and your company into it. So figure out your why as your main step.
Next, consider what message or theme are you focusing on and who is your audience. It is most important once you know your why to figure out your what, who, and how. What are you going to focus on? Most topics are very broad--what is your specific angle? Health and fitness are too broad--niche down!! What fascinates you most about the topic? Who is your audience? Is your audience the type to listen to longer or shorter content? Do they need guests or celebrities or experts, or will your content be enough. As you flush out your target listener, oftentimes you'll be able to figure out for yourself what needs to be done. How will you get that message out? Will it be with you just speaking or you having guests? How long should you make your podcasts? Do you think you can engage your audience and give them something real in a half hour? Do you need longer? Will you just be rambling if you attempt to talk for an hour plus?
Now that that's done...how do you do the podcast technically?
Options abound! One great program is called anchor.fm. Otherwise, this is what I do: Use Zoom or Quicktime to record your interviews, and if you are a Mac person its easy to edit in Garageband or iMovie. Upload your file to a podcast server like Libsyn or Podbean. With anything technical, if you don't know how to do it, learn it first. Even before you outsource. A lot of people will charge you a TON of money to do your podcasting service, banking on your lack of technical knowledge. It's not hard. I'm not technical. Search google and youtube and you can literally learn how to do everything in 10 minutes. Once you know what you're doing, then you can consider outsourcing so you know what you need and what you are asking for and don't get taken advantage of. And be aware of the learning curve. It takes longer in the beginning, but speeds up over time.
Doing the podcast is step one...but finding people to listen is a very important step two. Here's what I recommend: Share across your social feeds. Build a website and social platforms (instagram, facebook, snapchat, whatever) to promote your podcast and so people who like and know you can follow you ASK YOUR GUESTS to share across their social media platforms and feeds. This is crucial. Most people won't do something until they are asked. And if they won't share their wisdom with their own audience, even if they have a massive following, it won't really help you. Ask upfront if they are comfortable sharing the interview with their audience. Start and don't stop--it takes time to build. This is huge!! Plan to do the podcast for at least six months, releasing episodes on a weekly basis, before you throw in the towel. Most podcasts die here. Also, have at least three episodes ready to go before you launch. Find polarizing topics people are passionate about, and ask institutions that support these perspectives or topics to share it. Talking about topics that matter to people and institutions make you a natural ally. Use it! If you're pro life and talk about it--see if Planned Parenthood will share it. If you're talking about religious topics--ask if your local religious institution will share in line with their theme.
Curious to know how to keep coming up with content? Try some of these ideas. Stay consistent to your theme. If you're talking about history, or story telling, and then start pontificating on baking theory, be careful--there is a reason people listen to your podcast. On the other hand, if you're talking politics, but its really you that your listeners like, its fine to have personal stories etc. Joe Rogan, for example, talks to different guests and has a lot of latitude that way to talk about what he wants. But if he would suddenly change and just read the bible, for example, expect his numbers to take a hit.
Next, consider what message or theme are you focusing on and who is your audience. It is most important once you know your why to figure out your what, who, and how. What are you going to focus on? Most topics are very broad--what is your specific angle? Health and fitness are too broad--niche down!! What fascinates you most about the topic? Who is your audience? Is your audience the type to listen to longer or shorter content? Do they need guests or celebrities or experts, or will your content be enough. As you flush out your target listener, oftentimes you'll be able to figure out for yourself what needs to be done. How will you get that message out? Will it be with you just speaking or you having guests? How long should you make your podcasts? Do you think you can engage your audience and give them something real in a half hour? Do you need longer? Will you just be rambling if you attempt to talk for an hour plus?
Now that that's done...how do you do the podcast technically?
Options abound! One great program is called anchor.fm. Otherwise, this is what I do: Use Zoom or Quicktime to record your interviews, and if you are a Mac person its easy to edit in Garageband or iMovie. Upload your file to a podcast server like Libsyn or Podbean. With anything technical, if you don't know how to do it, learn it first. Even before you outsource. A lot of people will charge you a TON of money to do your podcasting service, banking on your lack of technical knowledge. It's not hard. I'm not technical. Search google and youtube and you can literally learn how to do everything in 10 minutes. Once you know what you're doing, then you can consider outsourcing so you know what you need and what you are asking for and don't get taken advantage of. And be aware of the learning curve. It takes longer in the beginning, but speeds up over time.
Doing the podcast is step one...but finding people to listen is a very important step two. Here's what I recommend: Share across your social feeds. Build a website and social platforms (instagram, facebook, snapchat, whatever) to promote your podcast and so people who like and know you can follow you ASK YOUR GUESTS to share across their social media platforms and feeds. This is crucial. Most people won't do something until they are asked. And if they won't share their wisdom with their own audience, even if they have a massive following, it won't really help you. Ask upfront if they are comfortable sharing the interview with their audience. Start and don't stop--it takes time to build. This is huge!! Plan to do the podcast for at least six months, releasing episodes on a weekly basis, before you throw in the towel. Most podcasts die here. Also, have at least three episodes ready to go before you launch. Find polarizing topics people are passionate about, and ask institutions that support these perspectives or topics to share it. Talking about topics that matter to people and institutions make you a natural ally. Use it! If you're pro life and talk about it--see if Planned Parenthood will share it. If you're talking about religious topics--ask if your local religious institution will share in line with their theme.
Curious to know how to keep coming up with content? Try some of these ideas. Stay consistent to your theme. If you're talking about history, or story telling, and then start pontificating on baking theory, be careful--there is a reason people listen to your podcast. On the other hand, if you're talking politics, but its really you that your listeners like, its fine to have personal stories etc. Joe Rogan, for example, talks to different guests and has a lot of latitude that way to talk about what he wants. But if he would suddenly change and just read the bible, for example, expect his numbers to take a hit.
Look online for articles or topics trending relating to your theme. There is nothing new under the sun--everyone has already talked about what you are talking about. You don't need to reinvent the wheel. There's google. Read news about current events and how they link to your theme. Always helps to stay relevant, and if you know your topic, you're able to riff on its relevance. Interview guests about what the guests are good at and ask them about your theme. Don't have a doctor on and ask him about marketing, unless he's good at marketing. Play to your guests strengths and you can be the bridge or the expert about how their content relates well to yours.
For this or any other questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me!
About Rabbi Rupp:
Rabbi Jacob Rupp, hailing from San Diego, California is a rabbi, coach, syndicated columnist, podcast host, speaker, and business strategist who helps clients achieve clarity on goals and strategies, become honest and forgiving, and live more spiritually connected lives. He does one-on-one performance and marriage counseling, group coaching, and keynote speaking. Rupp draws from the gamet of cutting business, relationship, and leadership strategy and roots them in ancient Jewish tradition. Rabbi Rupp has had many breakthrough transformations in his own life.
Coming from a spiritually ambiguous background and a loving but dysfunctional family, which included him losing all contact with his emotionally abusive father in high school, he sought to change the trajectory of his life. He has been happily married for over a decade, has four children, lost over 100 lbs., and has built his own business, Lift Your Legacy, helping those who are driven and spiritually seeking obtain access to the tools they need to live purpose-driven lives. He also started and grew a social media marketing agency, focusing on helping workers and employee-minded people create alternative income streams and get their messages out to a wider audience through the medium of podcasting.
Rabbi Rupp holds two BA’s, one from the University of California, San Diego and the other from the Ohr LaGolah Hertz Institute for International Teacher Training, has his rabbinic ordination from the former head rabbinic judge in Jerusalem, and completes on average two books a week, and four plus hours of classes daily on topics that span from Torah study to business mastery.
About Rabbi Rupp:
Rabbi Jacob Rupp, hailing from San Diego, California is a rabbi, coach, syndicated columnist, podcast host, speaker, and business strategist who helps clients achieve clarity on goals and strategies, become honest and forgiving, and live more spiritually connected lives. He does one-on-one performance and marriage counseling, group coaching, and keynote speaking. Rupp draws from the gamet of cutting business, relationship, and leadership strategy and roots them in ancient Jewish tradition. Rabbi Rupp has had many breakthrough transformations in his own life.
Coming from a spiritually ambiguous background and a loving but dysfunctional family, which included him losing all contact with his emotionally abusive father in high school, he sought to change the trajectory of his life. He has been happily married for over a decade, has four children, lost over 100 lbs., and has built his own business, Lift Your Legacy, helping those who are driven and spiritually seeking obtain access to the tools they need to live purpose-driven lives. He also started and grew a social media marketing agency, focusing on helping workers and employee-minded people create alternative income streams and get their messages out to a wider audience through the medium of podcasting.
Rabbi Rupp holds two BA’s, one from the University of California, San Diego and the other from the Ohr LaGolah Hertz Institute for International Teacher Training, has his rabbinic ordination from the former head rabbinic judge in Jerusalem, and completes on average two books a week, and four plus hours of classes daily on topics that span from Torah study to business mastery.