Starting A Podcast in 2025: A Pro’s Step-By-Step Guide

starting a podcast 2024 a pros step by step guide rob cressy v2

How To Start A Podcast: Complete Step-By-Step Guide (2025)

Starting a podcast can be one of the best things you ever do. It’ll help you create a positive impact in the world, grow your brand, and build relationships that can create new business.

Over the last 10 years and 1000+ episodes of experience as a podcast host and high performance for entrepreneurs, I’ve learned what it takes to consistently publish high quality podcast episodes that inspires your audience.

I want to share this checklist for starting a podcast, simplifying the process, that way you can have this be fun & easy without the overwhelm & uncertainty of what to do next.

When possible I give actual examples from my podcasts on how they apply to each area in the process. I encourage you to copy them and make them your own. And if at any point you feel the need for support, I encourage you to enroll in our Podcast Accelerator Course. It’ll make launching a podcast easy and fun.

Creating Your Podcast Foundation

When you are starting out you likely have an idea for your podcast or maybe a name for your podcast you like. If not, no big deal. It’s important to set a solid foundation upon which you can build upon, so what I want you to do is answer a few questions that’ll help clarify the structure of your podcast.

What topic/industry is your podcast going to focus on?

The more specific you are the better. Maybe it’s about something broad like entrepreneurship or small business. If so I encourage you to drill down a level deeper. Is there a theme underneath that, like mindset or finance?

This level of clarity will make it easier on you when creating future episodes, as well as attract your ideal audience.

Example: With my podcast Built For The Game, my topic is around entrepreneurship with an emphasis on personal growth, mindset, and being a creator.

Who is your perfect listener (aka your avatar)?

Write down the characteristics of a person who will be a regular listener of your podcast. Get Specific! The reason this is important is because when you create episodes you are doing it to provide value for your perfect listen. The more clear you are on who they are, the better you can create podcasts for them.

For example, for Built For The Game: successful entrepreneurs, leaders, and creators who are always on the path to growth, looking to elevate both their brand and personal life.

Self-host or Co-host?

Do you want to be the host and bring on guests or do you want to have a co-host with you every show? The benefit of self-hosting your podcast is it’s easier and faster to execute (especially when starting a podcast). The benefit of having a co-host is the ability to you can create more variety in your podcast format (as there are two voices instead of just one).

Podcast Format

One of the best parts about podcasting is there are no rules. I give you permission to throw any preconceived ideas for what you think a podcast has to be in the trash. This is especially true when it comes to the format of your podcast. I’ll break this down two different ways for you: the first based on the format, and the second based on the length.

Interview Format or Topic Based or Hybrid?

If you are an expert with a depth of knowledge and rolodex of connections, you have flexibility for how you format your show.

Interview podcasts can be great for getting a fresh and different perspective every show. This allows you to deliver unique value to your listeners that they can’t get elsewhere. It also is great for growing your audience as it allows you to build your network out quicker (since your guest will likely share the episode with their audience.)

Topic based podcasts are exactly as it seems: based around topics. Because you speak to what you know, this creates familiarity and depth for your audience (which can also be great for SEO and growing your business).

The last option is a hybrid approach where you take the best of both worlds. This is my recommended approach as it allows you to deliver maximum value, let your creativity shine, while not feeling constricted to have to stick to just one podcast format.

A hybrid approach is also the fastest way to start recording a podcast because you can create your first few episodes around a topic (where you are recording solo). Once you are launched you can then book guests and integrate an interview format. The reason this works well is you don’t have to delay your launch because of the schedules of your guests.

How long should my podcast be?

From a consistency standpoint most people like to have their podcast be the roughly the same length every episode. When I was starting out that’s exactly what I did, with each episode 30 minutes or less. The reason for this is people have a limited attention span, so anything more than 20-30 minutes and they lose focus. It’s why TV episodes are 22 minutes long, and why TedX talks are only 18 minutes long. It’s enough to digest and understand the information without getting overwhelmed.

As I evolved as a host, I saw opportunities to create shorter micro episodes that delivered a ton of value in a short period of time. My sweet spot was 2 minutes, 7 minutes, or 8 – 12 minutes. I could record them, edit them, and publish them in 20 minutes or less. I received feedback from my audience that they loved this, as it made the episodes bingeable, and they could listen to more than one.

My encouragement for you is to be open to adding in micro episodes on top of your regular episodes. You just might be surprised at what your podcast listeners say about it. Plus, shorter episodes are easier for you to execute, which is a major bonus.

Podcast Name

You want to choose a podcast title that you love, resonates with your target audience, and gives context to what your show is about. It should be simple, clear, and concise.

It’s important that you DO NOT over think this because choosing a podcast name is one area that many people get stuck on. They spend hours going in circles on “is this the perfect name?” and delay launching their podcast or never finish it. What is more important is your ability to live in action and start publishing episodes.

As a rule of thumb, naming your podcast should not take more than 1 hour (and that’s being very generous). Here’s how you can easily pick the name of your podcast in a few steps:

Do you like the idea of your name being the title (Ex. The Rob Cressy Podcast)? If No move on to Step 2.
Write down 20 ideas of names you like. Keep them concise, SEO keyword friendly, related to your podcast theme, or add elements of energy into them. Pick your top 3. After that come back a few hours later and see which resonates the most with you. That’s your winner.
If you are challenged to create 20 ideas, go to ChatGPT and ask it to create 20 podcast names around a specific theme. Pick the one you like. If you find yourself delaying the launch of your podcast because of your name you are doing it wrong.

Podcast Description

Your description is a summary of what your podcast is about and is your pitch to someone who has never listened to your show before. You want to make sure there are keywords in there that are relevant to what your podcast is about. That way when someone searches they are more likely to find it. My recommendation is to make it no more than a few sentences.

Example: Welcome to Built For The Game, where we talk about the systems for winning in business & in life for the long haul, so you can thrive in any situation. Rob Cressy guides you on a journey of personal growth and lasting success by helping you develop habits, routines, and mindsets that serve you. That way you can be your best, do what you love, and show up powerfully in all areas of your life.

Podcast Cover Art

Your cover art is a visual representation of your show. It’s something that is both important as well as doesn’t need to be a big undertaking. It’s important because you want to create a positive brand interaction and have it be reflective of your brand. At the same time it shouldn’t take a ton of time as a simple approach will likely work better.

My recommendation is to use Canva, as they have a ton of podcast logo templates that you can customize. This will allow you to get one created in 30 minutes or less.

Tips for creating good podcast artwork

You want your cover art to have 3 elements: the title of your podcast, a picture of you, and your name.
You want the logo to stand out. You can do this by making the title big, legible, and clean.
For the picture of you, try and have it be from the shoulders and up (so we can see your smiling face).
The size you want it to be is 3000×3000 and save it as a jpg.
How do you know if you what you created is good? Do a search on iTunes for podcasts in you industry and then looked at the artwork for the top shows. Which ones stand out to you? Then take the podcast artwork that you created and superimposed it over one of the podcasts to simulate what it would look like in the feed. From there, does your artwork stand out?

Podcast Equipment

One of the great things about podcasting is the low barrier to entry from an equipment standpoint. As you get more advanced you can certainly upgrade your podcast equipment, but on the simplest level you can produce a high quality podcast with a lot of gear you already have: a computer or your phone.

Podcasting Microphone Recommendations

I don’t recommend starting a podcast without a good podcast microphone, as you want to produce high quality audio so the listener experience is good. You should be able to get your podcast audio to a near professional level pretty easily without having to spend a ton of money.

Here are a few good podcast mic options for different budgets:

High Investment: Shure SM7B ($399) (Buy On Amazon) When I upgraded my podcast microphone I went with this one, which is the gold standard for most podcasters. It sounds crisp, clean, and visually will have you looking like a professional. You’ll want to buy yourself a microphone boom arm or desk stand to hold it. You’ll also need an interface or mixer.

Medium Cost: Blue Yeti USB. ($113) (Buy on Amazon) It comes highly recommended by many podcasters (but I have not used this mic it.) It plugs into any UBS port so it should be super easy to hook up to your computer.

Low Cost: Audio-Technica ATR2100 ($67) (Buy on Amazon) It comes highly recommended by many podcasters (but I have not used this mic it.) It plugs into any UBS port so it should be super easy to hook up to your computer. It’s a decent starter microphone.

Next Level: If you are looking for a great place to start for building out your home podcast studio, I encourage you to check out our Podcast Studio Setup Guide.

Podcast Recording Software

There are a few options you have for when you are ready to record. You can use a program already on your computer (like Garageband), of you can use a free option online (like Zoom), or you can use an online live streaming software (like Streamyard). I’ll break down each of the options below.

Recording Your Podcast Using Zoom

When starting a podcast for the first time I always recommend keeping it simple. The best way you can do that is by starting with Zoom. It’s low cost, easy to use, reliable, and you can see your guest.

The process for setting up a recording in Zoom is the following:

Click “Schedule A Meeting”
Insert the Topic/Meeting name and choose what time it’ll be at
Click “video on” for both the host and participant (that way you can both see each other)
Click Audio “both”
Click Save

Once you do that you’ll be given a link for the meeting that you can send to your guest, as well as a phone number (if you want to give them that option as well.)

It is good practice to show up at least 5 minutes before your meeting starts, that way you have time to test your microphone setup ahead of time.

And speaking of the microphone setup, before each recording in Zoom make sure that you click in the top left corner of your browser, find “Preferences” and make sure your microphone is set up and listed.

When you are ready to record hit the “Record” button in the bottom right of the screen.

Recording Your Podcast Using A Streaming Service

If you are looking to go from zero to professional quickly and are cool with spending $50/month, then you’ll want to consider one of the online streaming services. The benefit of using these is ease of use, plus the ability to leverage video with your podcast (note: this does add more steps to the process, so be aware to not take on too much at the beginning). There are two live streaming recording options I’ve used and recommend:

Ecamm Live – $50/month – I’ve been using Ecamm Live for the last year as I wanted to increase the quality and production level of the podcasts I created. Ecamm makes it easy to add in graphic intros & outros, multiple cameras or inputs (like your iPhone or iPad), or audio sound drops to help your podcast pop. You have the ability to live stream to one platform at a time, while also recording a local copy of your video on your computer.

StreamYard – $25 to $50/month – I used StreamYard for a while and really liked it. It’s simple to use and get setup. With the professional version you get the ability to stream to 8 social media platforms at once (which saves you from having to purchase Restream). If you are looking to stream to LinkedIn Live, YouTube, Facebook, or Periscope then this is a great option. While it allows you to add graphics to your podcast, I found that Ecamm had more functionality in that category. StreamYard was easier to use right away, so it’s my recommended option if you are just starting out in podcasting.

Podcast Editing Tips

If you have made it this far there’s a good chance that “how do I edit a podcast?” is on your mind. The good news is that even with zero experience, being able to edit your podcast should take you no more than a few minutes (after you watch a 5 minute YouTube video).

Here is 3 of my favorite podcast editing software for creators of all levels (note: many of them allow you to also record your podcast directly into them, so they become multi-functional).

Garageband: When I first started podcasting I used GarageBand, which came with my Mac, and it was great. It allows you to record and edit podcasts and the software is pretty easy to use. All I had to do was watch a few YouTube videos on how it works I was up and running in no time. This is my recommendation for anyone starting out who is using a Mac.

Audacity: A free software editing option for Mac and PC is Audacity. I used it as well and found it pretty simple to learn after watching a few YouTube videos. This would be my recommendation when starting out if you are using a PC.

Adobe Audition: As my commitment and podcasting expertise grew, I decided to use Adobe Audition to record and edit my podcasts. It is a professional software with more features that you can purchase for $20 per month through the Adobe Creative Cloud. After using GarageBand first and then watching a few YouTube videos (see a common theme here) I found this software to be awesome. You don’t need to use Adobe Audition right away when you are starting out, but I highly recommend it if you have the budget as it is an industry standard and is used by many of the top podcasters.

Podcast editing workflow

1. Record your audio

2. Edit your audio: I only chop out the dead air at the beginning and end, allowing me to save time on editing (less than 3 minutes total).

3. Export as MP3

4. Upload to podcast hosting service

Pro Tip: Speed is a differentiator in business. You want to be able to publish your podcast quickly. The key is to be able to deliver a high quality podcast in episode 1 by following this blueprint. This will have you better than 95% of podcasts out there.

Authenticity is very important to my personal brand and it should be for you too. You don’t need to be perfect with your podcast nor does your audience expect you to be. You just need to be able to meet a standard level of quality.

In the event that you need to edit something out feel free to. That should take only a minute. I don’t want you to get bogged down with trying to make everything perfect. That’s not the goal of this, especially early on in the process. Get rid of the really bad stuff that brings down your quality. Keep everything else.

Writing Your Podcast Script

The better the foundation you have when you set up your podcast the easier it will be to consistently publish episodes.

Preparation Creates Confidence. Both with putting together a show script as well as creating talking points for each episode. It’s important to understand that a Podcast Script is a loose outline of bullet points, not a word for word of everything you are going to talk about. That way you have structure so you know where you are taking the conversation. At the same time, you have freedom to go off on tangents as you feel in the moment, and your script is there to bring you back.

To keep it simple, use this framework for writing your script.

Overall topic of the episode
Top 3 bullet points/value about the episode (supporting the overall topic)
Call to action (at the end)

Obviously you can do more than 3 bullet points in your podcast outline, but if you follow this framework I guarantee you’ll have successful podcast episodes. If you’d like a more depth on this topic I recommend checking out this article.

Podcast Music

This is the music or drop that is the first thing that a listener hears. It sets the tone for your podcast.

As a rule of thumb, this should be no more than 3 – 5 seconds. I like to err on the side of shorter as you always want to be respectful of your audience’s time. While I love listening to a Bob Marley song for 45+ seconds as much as the next person, the audience is there to hear you. You want your intro to be powerful and professional, but also get to the content quickly.

Looking for a place to find free music for your intro? I recommend checking out the YouTube Audio Library.

Writing Your Podcast Intro

Consistency Creates Familiarity. Because of this I am a big fan of saying the same intro every single time. By writing it out and reading off of it, you’ll be more confident in your delivery, which will create momentum. Here is the formula I use:

Welcome to INSERT NAME OF PODCAST, a podcast that INSERT ONE SENTENCE PODCAST DESCRIPTION. I am your host INSERT NAME. Today’s Topic INSERT TOPIC.

Example: Welcome to Built For The Game, a podcast that talks about the systems for being your best, doing what you love, and showing up powerfully in all areas of your life. I am your host Rob Cressy.

Writing Your Podcast Outro

In the outro of your podcast you want to have a strong call to action. I like to ask a question to the audience for them to engage on social media. This gives you an opportunity to plug your social media at the same time.

Getting your audience to interact with you on social media is a great indicator of success. That’s when you can start to feel your podcast heartbeat pump because it is no longer just about you. (Note: Remember that there is a silent majority and vocal minority with your audience. So even if someone doesn’t engage with you, it doesn’t mean they aren’t listening.)

Other calls to action could include:

• Sign up for your newsletter

• Link to your latest offer or upcoming event

• Follow you social media

Just like with the podcast intro, I write this down and like to keep the cadence consistent. One of the biggest signs of an amateur podcaster is they fumble through their outro. Dial this in and you’ll sound so much better.

Writing Podcast Trailer

The first episode you should record for your podcast is a trailer (aka Episode 0). This is an abbreviated episode (only a few minutes long), which sets the stage for what the audience can expect from your podcast. It talks about the value your podcast will deliver, the frequency in which you’ll publish episodes, your vision for the podcast, plus how they can connect with you.

Think about it this way. Your listeners want to know “what is in it for me? What will I get out of listening to your podcast?” Give that to them, in a bite sized manner.

Why do we do this? Imagine the first episode someone listens to of your podcast is episode 12. They may have no idea who you are or what the podcast is about. Episode 0 gives the opportunity for the listeners to know more about you, your show, and helps to build up that Know, Love & Trust Factor. That way you can start building a relationship right out of the gate.

Answer these questions:

Who are you?
What is the podcast about?
What value is in it for the listener?
The frequency in which you’ll be posting episodes (ex. weekly, daily, etc)
Call to action for feedback and to engage.

You can see an example of Ep 0 of the Leadership DNA here.

Pro Tip: The more you have a mindset of “what value can I deliver to my listeners” the better your podcast will be (this goes for all podcast episodes.) This is about THEM, not you.

Writing Podcast Show Notes

Every podcast you create needs show notes, which tells the audience what the episode is about. DO NOT overthink this part. I encourage you to create a repeatable template that you copy + paste + update for each episode. That way you are quick & efficient in creating them.

There are two parts to this:

1. What is this episode about?

If you’ve followed my blueprint then you already have an outline of what you are talking about each show. Just take the high level points and put them in your show notes so listeners know what the episode is about.

It is also important from an SEO standpoint that you do this as it’ll help people find your podcast as it will be more searchable in Google & iTunes.

2. Promotional

Right below the first section you’ll want to have a more promotional section, which shares who you are, what your podcast is about, and how people can connect with you.

Once again, this helps out with making your podcast more searchable, plus allows any first time listener to know more about you.

The good part about this section is that you only have to write it once. You just copy and paste it every time you create a new episode (filling in just the “What is this podcast about” section at the top.)

Click here to see an example from my Built For The Game podcast.

Picking A Podcast Hosting Platform

Don’t sweat the podcasting hosting service as it is not very complex and you do not need any technical background. How you choose a podcast hosting provider really comes down to how often you are podcasting (aka the amount of monthly storage you need.) After that it’s minor details that aren’t worth you digging deep into.

The podcast host I recommend is BuzzSprout because of its ease of use in setting up and publishing. It also allows you to add team members to your account which is great for collaboration. Pricing is free for 2 hours of uploading, $12/month for 3 hours, and goes up from there. My experience with BuzzSprout has been great and I highly recommend them.

Submitting Your Podcast To Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Podcast Directories

I’ve got great news for you, submitting your podcast to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all the other directories is super easy. It’s something you do one time, and after that it becomes set it and forget it.

The reason why I recommend Buzzsprout for your podcast hosting is they make submitting to the directories and distributing your podcast as simple as a click of a button. They have a listing of each of the directories, and you go through and submit your RSS link to each one. All totaled it’ll take you 15 minutes or less to do this process.

Trust me when I say, this part is super easy.

Pro Tip: When you upload a podcast to your hosting provider it can take up to 24 hours for iTunes and other feeds to have it show up in the podcast directory. Because of this I typically recommend having a buffer of a day or two before your launch date to upload your first episode. That way you give the directories time to get your RSS feed, and that what it’s available everywhere when you start promoting.

Podcast Launch Strategy

Celebrate! It’s time to launch your podcast and shine your voice with the world.

I recommend starting out by publishing four episodes, your episode trailer plus three others. It sets the tone and establishes your credibility right out of the gate by having more than one available. After that you can post episodes on your regular schedule (whether that is daily, weekly, or whatever frequency you set.)

One thing that is important to keeping consistency with your podcast is working from a position of strength. Because of this I recommend having an episode or two in the hopper when you launch, so you have a buffer for when the inevitable holiday or vacation comes around and you aren’t able to record that week.

In terms of promoting your podcast during your launch, the strategy will be very similar to how you’ll build your podcast audience. Everything is an option.

7 ways to promote your podcast

Word of Mouth: Tell everyone you know about your podcast. When they ask, “what’s new?” say “I just launched a podcast!” Tell them about one of your episodes and this will get the conversation flowing and gain you new subscribers.
Social Media (before): Share your podcast progress in your IG stories as you are making your podcast. It’ll enroll people on your journey and have them rooting for you. That way when you launch you’ve already primed them up.
Social Media (after): I typically post 2-3 times per platform about my podcast. Make it a point to be value driven and include more than just a link. Possible options for creating more content include Pull Quotes and 60 second reels/shorts.
Your Email Signature: Right underneath where your name and contact information is good spot to put a quick plug with the iTunes link to your podcast.
Guest Podcasting: An easy way to create a win-win situation is to have another podcast host on your podcast and you go on theirs. That way both of you are getting in front of a new audience and there is value to both parties. If you are looking to get booked on more podcasts I’ve got a resource for that.
Blog Posts: Depending on how deep a dive you want to go, you can create an entire blog post around a specific episode, making a very rich piece of content. You can expand on some of the topics and keep the conversation going. This would give your podcast an even better place to reside than with your podcasting hosting provider or iTunes.
Email Newsletter: If you have an email newsletter then this is a no brainer. If you don’t have one then creating a podcast would give you an opportunity to start one up. It would give you a reason to consistently stay in front of your targeted audience and provide value to them at the same time.

Podcast Tips

Podcasting should be fun and something that serves you. You have the ability to make it as simple or complex as you’d like, but I recommend keeping it easy. You can always build up from there.

Podcasting has been a part of my long-term relationship building strategy for over 8 years and I can tell you without a doubt it has had a positive effect on my business and personal development.

I know you have the ability to grow your podcast into a positive asset that lights you up and serves you.

Here are a few more tips that will help you create a great podcast.

Commit To The Process

Alabama Football Head Coach Nick Saban once said (and I’m paraphrasing) the he wasn’t addicted to winning but instead was addicted to the process of winning. When you follow the same script outline every episode it makes consistently publishing a podcast significantly easier and increases your chances of winning.

Since a lot of people are “pressed for time” or “too busy” and it is new territory for most, there is a scarcity mindset that can be associated with it. I consider it similar to the mental struggle to go to the gym consistently. You know you should go, and you know the benefits, but many people end up making excuses and don’t do it. Following a simple podcast checklist process will allow you to save more time, while delivering a better quality podcast. Since the process is simple it’s easier to duplicate, and that means you are more likely to stick with podcasting.

Pro Tip: Write down podcasting in your daily/weekly goals. Writing something down helps keep you more accountable and increases the chances of it getting completed.

How Often Should I Publish Podcast Episodes?

My recommendation is you publish at least once a week. Why? Because anything less than that and you are not active enough in your audiences life. It’s too infrequent, and I don’t know of a popular podcast that does it less frequently.

If you think “how will I create enough ideas for my podcast” or “does anyone care about what I have to say” I encourage you to throw those self limiting beliefs away. They are not serving you. Creating a weekly podcast is easy and can be done in as little as 30 minutes a week.

In the event you want to create a seasonal podcast, that’s cool. That will have you showing up in their life consistently for a period of time. Plus it’ll give new listeners an opportunity to dive into your world because you’ve got a catalogue for them.

Do I need to create a podcast website?

No, you don’t need a podcast website when starting a new podcast. iTunes, Spotify and the other directories will give you links that you can copy and send out for your podcast marketing. That being said, there are long term SEO benefits as it’ll allow people to search for your podcast and find it.

For my website I like to create a blog post for every podcast episode, that way I can SEO optimize based around the keyword, or when I have a podcast guest on I can created a post specific to their name.

How do you monetize your podcast?

It’s natural to want to make money with your podcast. Who wouldn’t want to do something you love and get paid for it?

When starting a podcast it’s going to take time for you to get good as a podcast host, as well as build your audience. Because of this the best route for monetization is likely to be through your own services & products.

For example, entrepreneurs with coaching programs can leverage their podcast in a way that increases awareness to their services with their target market in an organic nature. That’s how I’ve been monetizing my podcast for years.

Another way to think about how to create income from your podcast is with relationship capital. What guests can you bring onto your show that you’d love to build a relationship with? This doesn’t mean be needy, it means to be a go-giver and build a genuine relationship. As the saying goes, “your network is your net worth.” This is the number one area where I’ve leveraged my podcast over the years. It has landed me speaking engagements, referrals, and clients.

Time To Make A Podcast

You now have a step-by-step guide for everything you need for starting a podcast in 2025.

I know the amount information may feel overwhelming, especially if you are starting from scratch, but I ensure you this process is easy and can be done in less than 30 days. I’ve done it and so have tons of my clients.

The way I’ve found it easiest to create a podcast is to focus on taking action on one small step in the process at a time. This could mean setting aside 30 minutes a day or just watching one video per day. The key is continuing to make forward progress until your first podcast is live!

And if you’d like some support on your journey, I encourage you to join our One Perfect Podcast Program. It’s the easiest and most fun way to create podcast content that grows your brand and inspires your audience.