A Beginner’s Guide to Developing a Podcast Plan

Have you always wanted to start your own podcast? Before you start recording podcast episodes, it’s good to make a podcast plan first — especially if you have dreams of becoming a full-time podcaster. 

You could learn as you go, but you’ll spend more time and money that way, so it’s best to create a podcast plan that sets you up for success. Follow this guide to create your own podcast plan.  

Step 1: Choose Your Audience, Topic, and Niche

You don’t want to rehash other people’s content. The most successful podcasts in the world are unique, so choose a different angle for your content that gives people a reason to tune in. 

It might sound fluffy, but differentiating your podcast show will help you create consistent, high-quality content that people crave. Choose an overarching podcast topic for your show. You need to stick to that topic so your listeners know what to expect from you. 

Speaking of your listeners, it’s also a good idea to do a little target audience research before you start a podcast. Who are your listeners? What do they want? Their needs will help you decide on topics, guests, and podcast sponsors. On average, podcast listeners are 48% male and 51% female, but the exact breakdown will differ for your show. Understand your audience demographics so you create content people will listen to.

Step 2: Brand Your Podcast

Listeners are sometimes hesitant to check out new podcasts, so you need a brand that encourages people to listen. 

This includes your: 

Step 3: Decide on a Podcast Format

Group of podcast producers working on a podcast plan

As a podcast host, you have the creative freedom to format your podcast however you like. Make sure your podcast plan gives you direction on:

Step 4: Get the Right Equipment and Software

You’ve done a lot of the heavy lifting at this point, but you do need the right materials to start the production process. Without the right technology, your workflow will be clunky and slow, so make sure you have: 

You can add lavalier mics and other nice-to-haves to improve the production quality, but most new podcasters start out with a small amount of equipment at first. 

Aside from the hardware, you’ll also need the right software for podcast recording and audio editing. Try free recording software to turn your podcast into an editable audio file. From there, use free software like Audacity to edit and export your finalized podcast. If you want something nicer, the Adobe suite has professional-grade paid options that will boost your podcast quality. 

Step 5: Script the Podcast and Find Guests

Once you have the right equipment in place, it’s time to create your podcast. First things first, you need a podcast script. This shouldn’t be a word-for-word script for the show, but an outline of the main ideas you want to cover during the show. This way, you’ll sound like a real person instead of a robot.

If you’re hosting an interview-based show, you’ll need to find guests. Source interviewees for free on platforms like Podcast Guests. To interview your guests, we recommend recording either with a second microphone in person or remotely using tools like Riverside.fm during a Zoom call.

Step 6: Make the Podcast Upload-Ready

Podcaster recording an episode

Once you record the raw audio, you need to export the podcast into your editing software. If you have more of a budget, you can always outsource podcast editing to a professional. This allows for a quicker turnaround, but it can cost over $100 per episode. 

Music can amp up the production value of a new podcast, too. Some new podcasters avoid using music over fears of licensing issues, but there are plenty of royalty-free music options out there. Intro and outro music will give you a more professional finish, so experiment with a few options to find what sticks.

Step 7: Choose a Podcast Hosting Platform and Share to Directories

If you want people to be able to download your podcast, you’ll first need to upload the podcast to a hosting platform. There are tons of options out there, so choose the podcast host that you like the best. 

Once your podcast is live on the hosting platform, you’re free to promote it on directories like: 

You’ll need at least one podcast to list yourself in a directory, but more is always better. Since 40% of podcast listeners find podcasts on directories, this is a great way to boost your listenership with little effort. 

Step 8: Market Your Podcast

It’s very normal to start a new podcast and not have any listeners. That’s okay: it just means you’ll need to put in the legwork to grow the podcast. That means promoting your content via: 

If you have guests on your podcast, you can also ask them to co-promote the podcast with their audience. 

For a professional touch, consider creating a website just to promote your podcast. This requires some money and time to set up, but it’s a critical step if you want to create a successful podcast. A podcast website also helps your show rank better in search engines. It's a great asset for a podcast media kit to send to potential sponsors, too. If you share transcriptions and show notes below an embedded podcast, search engines could rank you more favorably. 

Step 9: Try Podcast Monetization

Podcast plan: podcast host interviewing a guest

After you build your listenership, you should make an effort to monetize your podcast. Whether it’s sponsors, affiliates, merchandise, or consulting, you can make a full-time living from your content with solid podcast planning. That might mean: 

Make a Plan for Your First Podcast

Podcasting is a creative hobby that can turn into a paying gig with the right approach. Whether you’re podcasting for fun or you want a full-time job as a host, you need a podcast plan to grow your listenership. Follow the steps above to create a robust podcast plan to do just that.

To take your podcast to the next level, work with Castr. We’re a podcast marketing agency that acts as a matchmaker between podcasters and brands looking for sponsorships. Send us your podcast details now to get the Castr media pack.