Do you have to do everything on your podcast?
Wondering how much of your podcast workload you can get off your plate?
The answer is…pretty much all of it.
As long as you’ve got the budget, you can outsource almost everything, except for the bit your audience comes for, which is you.
You’ve got to be the one behind the mic but outside of that, there’s a plenty of stuff you can put in the hands of somebody else so you can focus on the important stuff.
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How much should you outsource?
That depends on your time, budget and how much you enjoy (or don’t enjoy) certain tasks.
If editing makes you want to cry into your keyboard, you might decide that’s the first thing to go.
If you can’t stand social media, hiring a VA or social media manager to tackle that could be a great place to start.
You don’t have to get rid of everything immediately (in fact, it’ll be hard to justify the cost of doing that at the beginning).
So start with tasks you don’t have time for, aren’t skilled at or dread doing and build from there.
What tasks can you outsource on your podcast?
There’s very little you can’t give to someone else so here’s a (not exhaustive) list of things you can hire someone else to do…
- Audio editing
- Video editing
- Episode research and planning
- Guest booking
- Social media post creation and scheduling
- Episode uploading and scheduling
- Content repurposing using AI
- Drafting and publishing and show notes
Even if you’re outsourcing these tasks it’s important to keep an eye on what’s going out to make sure it still sounds like you.
In the early days of working with a freelancer, this might mean you’re having to approve everything before if goes live.
But once someone knows your tone of voice, you can get to the stage where they’re looking after everything.
What if the first person you hire isn’t a perfect fit?
That doesn’t mean outsourcing isn’t for you, it just means you haven’t found the right person yet.
Or that you need to spend more time training them.
When you’re hiring someone you have to remember, they’re not a mind reader, so if you want to get to the point where they can work without oversight you’re going to have to put in the time.
That means you need to…
- Start with a clear brief, every time
- Share examples of what good looks like so they know what they’re aiming for
- Be specific with feedback so they know how to improve
- Be patient and give them a chance to learn and grow
If you don’t tell them what you want, they’ll have to guess and they’re probably going to get it wrong.
That doesn’t mean they’re not the right fit, it means you haven’t set them up for success.
Does outsourcing mean losing control?
Not if you do it right.
Even if you’ve handed off social media or content repurposing, you should still keep an eye on it, at least in the beginning.
Over time, you might get to a point where you trust your team to run with it without you but until then, stay involved and refine the process together.
Where can you find help?
Platforms like Fiverr, Upwork and podcast virtual assistant services are a great place to start.
Just make sure you…
- Check reviews and samples of their work
- Schedule a quick call before hiring to make sure they’re a good fit
- Set expectations clearly from day one
- Help them succeed by giving clear feedback and a chance to improve
And remember, you can hire freelancers in different time zones at rates that work for your budget.
Outsourcing on your podcast isn’t cheating. It’s smart.
If you want to release episodes of your show consistently AND stay sane, outsourcing can be a game-changer.
The more time you spend on the bits that require your brain and your voice, the better your show will be and the more likely you’ll be able to keep going.
🎙️ Want to start a podcast but feeling overwhelmed?
Grab my free “How To Start A Podcast” guide or get step-by-step support inside my online course, PodSchool.
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