One of the things I talk about in my podcast masterclass is the podcast cycle. And what is the podcast cycle? The podcast cycle is the process of creating, producing, and distributing a podcast episode.
I discuss the podcast cycle because those who listen to my masterclass have an interest in starting their own podcast, and I share everything they need to know about managing and producing their show. It would be a complete disservice for me not to discuss the podcast cycle in detail. So, for today’s post, I’m sharing the steps and details of the podcast cycle in case you haven’t listened to my masterclass yet.
The Podcast Cycle
Research and Gather Sources
First thing you should do is research the topic of your episode. Find sources that support your argument, point of view, or angle. Even if you’re sharing your opinion, you can use sources to support your opinion.
Once you find supporting evidence or sources, list or credit them in the show notes and/or show description. By providing the sources, your listeners can see the data-backed information you provide on your show.
Did you know that podcasters are the most trusted media personalities among podcasters in the United States? This research conducted by Acast and was published in October 2023. I’m sure that providing reliable information and sources will help continue to build this trust between podcasters and their listeners.
Plan and Outline Episode
Second, you should plan and outline your episode to stay on track while recording it. When recording a solo episode, you can quickly start talking about something else that comes to mind while you’re talking about a topic—however, it’s best to stay on topic. One of the biggest complaints I see online from podcast listeners is when podcasters ramble about things that are not relevant to the episode.
To help new podcasters organize and outline their episodes, I have the podcast starter kit available in my stan store. The starter kit has an episode format outline to help you understand the flow of the episode. It has episode notes so you can brainstorm and write down ideas. It also has a show note outline to help you write practical show notes for your listeners.
Record
The next step is to record your episode. If you are doing a solo episode, the sweet spot for recording should be between 20 and 32 minutes. This is because most people listen to podcast episodes while doing something else, usually commuting, and the average commute is about that long.
If you are doing an interview episode in which you are interviewing a guest, those episodes should last 45 minutes to an hour.
Edit
Please edit your episodes. Some podcasters don’t edit because they:
- lack the time or resources to outsource this task
- they want their episodes to be authentic and raw.
However, podcast listeners will not finish an episode or return for another if the audio is not good. So, please edit your episodes.
In my podcast course, I have three videos covering editing podcast episodes if you want to learn.
Create Graphics
You should have a main podcast cover art that people will see when they find your show. And you can also create a graphic for each episode. It will have the title and the episode number. If your episode features a guest, you can include their picture. Some podcasters include a graphic with quotes from the episodes. Use all of this to promote your show.
Again, all of this is optional – you make your show.
Write Show Notes and Show Description
After your show is recorded and edited, it’s time to write your show notes and/or show descriptions. Show notes are a summary of the episode and where you list all the links and resources for your listeners mentioned in the episode. If you have a guest, this is where you’ll include their website links, social media links, and a brief bio.
The show description is the name for YouTube video summaries, so I included that name as well. However, it’s the same thing as show notes. The podcast starter kit I mentioned above also includes a shot note outline to help you summarize your episode.
Schedule Episode
Next, you’ll log into your podcast hosting site, upload the audio file and graphic for this episode, and add the show notes. You will then have the option to schedule the episode as soon as needed or as far ahead as needed.
Publish
The hosting service will automatically publish the episode on the date it was scheduled for. You don’t have to do this manually unless you publish on the same day you edit or something like that, but it can be done automatically for you.
Market Your Episode
You can start marketing your episode before publishing to begin anticipating it, or you can market it after. The choice is yours.
I do both, so the day before the episode drops, I share the graphic with a quote from the guest and include the link to the podcast’s YouTube channel so new subscribers can join. After the episode is published, I market it by sharing clips of the episode. If you’d like a list of ways to market your podcast, you can join my newsletter in my Stan Store.
You May Also Like Five Ways to Market Your Podcast
Repeat The Podcast Cycle!
Alright, now that your episode is published and you are marketing it, it’s time to start the process all over again for the next episode.
There are a few tips and tricks you can use to shorten this process, like batch recording, so once the episodes are published, all you have to do is market. You can outsource any part of the process you don’t like to do, or that isn’t your strongest skill. Or you can skip some steps and make it your own, but just make sure not to skip the most important steps.
In Conclusion
I’ve always said podcasting isn’t hard; it’s just a lot of behind-the-scenes work. This is why I’m honest with people who are interested in starting their own podcast: If they don’t have the time to do the podcast cycle or the resources to outsource, then they will quickly give up.
Podcasting is a long-term game! This isn’t a quick get-rich or become-successful scheme. I recently read on Threads that someone suggested publishing 100 episodes before you worry about analytics. So that lets you know what type of long-term game we are playing here.
If you found this helpful – please share it with a friend.
You can sign up for my newsletter to receive my podcast episodes in your inbox, and I always include future blog posts! Also, check out my stan store for additional podcast resources.
With Love, Heidy
Is a personal development newsletter an interest of yours? With a little bit of poetry? A little of opinion pieces? And some faith-based encouragement? Sign up for my Substack newsletter, “Into My Thoughts.”
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