How quickly can you get a podcast off the ground?
When you’re launching a podcast there are a bunch of things you need to have ready before you can press publish.
So, if you’ve got dreams of starting your own show, how much time do you need to get started?
The one thing you don’t have control over when launching a podcast
The only variable in the process you can’t control is how long it takes podcast directories like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify to recognise your show.
When launching a podcast this is the very last step in the process before you’re officially a podcaster and I’ve had shows take anywhere from 24 hours to two weeks to appear in podcast apps.
I usually give myself a buffer of two weeks (my absolute minimum is 10 days) between submitting a show and going “live” with the first episode.
If you give yourself this buffer you know when you drop your first episode it’ll be in all the places people expect to find it.
What else do you need to have ready to launch a podcast?
If you’ve factored in your two-week buffer that means you need all your assets, including your trailer ready to go two weeks before the date of your first episode.
So what does that include?
Podcast name and description
This seems pretty self-explanatory but coming up with a name for your show isn’t a simple process.
Often the first name you come up with isn’t the best and it helps to spend time sharing your idea with other people and marinating on it to work out whether it’s the right one for you.
You also want to check out whether you can get access to things like the domain name and social handles.
And of course, make sure there aren’t any other popular podcasts out there with the same name you’d be competing with.
Coming up against this roadblock can add time to the process you didn’t anticipate.
And if you were really attached to a name, it can take a while to come up with another one you absolutely love.
Once you’ve locked down the title of your podcast you want to think about your description or the elevator pitch for your show.
This is what will be displayed in podcast apps and it’s often the thing that convinces people to listen or better yet, subscribe or follow your show.
Podcast artwork
This needs to be uploaded into your podcast host to set up your show and ideally, you’ve put time and effort into designing a logo you’re really excited about.
Of course, as your show grows your artwork can evolve but ideally if you’re trying to get people interested in your podcast you want a logo that looks professional and is as eye-catching as possible.
If you’re designing the tile yourself be mindful it’s easy to get lost in a timewarp of changing colours and fonts even if you think you’ve got a really clear idea of what you want.
And if you’re working with a designer the process can also be drawn out because of the time involved in making changes, so keep these things in mind.
Trailer
Your trailer is the first piece of audio you’re going to upload to your feed and the reason you start with a trailer instead of your first episode is because of the time it takes for your show to appear in podcast apps.
Putting your trailer together can be as simple or as involved as you like but you want to make sure you’ve got plenty of time to do it.
If you’ve been recording the podcast ahead of launch (which I highly recommend) you can use little bits of the episodes you’ve recorded as a tease of what’s to come.
If not, you and your co-host can do an intro episode setting up the premise.
Whatever you do, you want it to be interesting because it could be the first taste people get of your podcast.
You want them to hear it and think “I’m excited for this show to start and I’m going to subscribe so I don’t miss an episode.”
So how long does it all take?
It’s hard to give an exact amount of time because each of these elements can take days, weeks or months to get sorted.
You might have had the idea for your podcast name since the dawn of time and you might already have the domain name and social handles.
Or you might take months to settle on a name that feels right.
You might love the first design a designer comes back with or it might take you way longer to lock down your logo than you first thought.
You might record your trailer in an afternoon, or if you’re including audio elements and getting someone to edit it for you it might take a lot longer to put together.
The main thing is to set realistic timelines and work to a launch date knowing you need everything ready at least two weeks before that time.
The buffer where your show is magically making its way to the podcast directories is the bit a lot of people forget, or don’t think about. But it’s essential if you want your show to be found by as many people as possible when you drop your first episode (which you do).
Got a burning question you’d like answered on the podcast? Send me an email.
Want to start your own podcast but need a little help? Download my “How To Start A Podcast” guide or sign up for my online podcasting course, PodSchool.
