TL;DR:

• Plan your podcast’s length, guest criteria, and distribution channels to increase chances of success beyond 10 episodes.
• Consider your social media presence and marketing strategy to effectively reach and engage with your target audience.
• Decide on the episode release format (seasonal or continuous) and allocate time wisely, considering potential collaboration and outsourcing options.

You may wonder if you should start a podcast. This may be a thing you’ve had in the back of your mind for a while. You may be making excuses for yourself for not starting one yet. This blog post will help you answer the questions as to why YOU, yes, you, should start podcasting, especially if you’ve been putting it off.

This blog post will help you answer the questions as to why YOU, yes, you, should start podcasting, especially if you've been putting it off. Click To Tweet

The Nuts and Bolts

I have previously written a blog post on How I Got Started Podcasting, so you can check that out to read the nuts and bolts of what equipment I use, how I found my first guests, and the sites I use for recording and hosting my podcast Out of the Trenches.

Have a Strategy

First of all, realize that most podcasts don’t make it past 10 episodes.  Prior to recording and publishing, consider the episode length, desired guest type, thematic focus, and the access you intend to provide your podcast audience (YouTube, audio only, short clips on Instagram, etc.). If you have a strategy before you start recording with guests,  you will be more likely to be successful at making it past the 10-episode mark.

Promoting Your Podcast

When you’ve set up your recording/guest contact strategy, decide how often you’ll publish episodes and how you’ll market your podcast. Are you currently very active on social media? If so, examine why you access these accounts. Is there a purpose to your membership in some educational groups on Facebook, for example? What are you looking to learn from others? Then, think about what you’d like others to learn from accessing your content.

How many episodes per season?

Another factor to consider is the season versus no-season episode release format. Some podcasts are released in seasons, which can be 12-24 episodes, much like a TV show. You can then take a break in the summer (or other time during the year) and start a new season when you’re ready to release more episodes. Other podcasts are released in a number of accumulating episodes, such as Out of the Trenches.

Time Factor

Additionally, you will have to consider the time it takes to devote yourself to your podcast. If you intend to host it with someone else, you can divvy up duties like guest contacting and scheduling, and even outsource the audio and video editing (although it’s pretty easy to do it on your own).

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What will you get out of podcasting?

Finally, consider what you’ll get out of podcasting. How will it fill your bucket? How will you react if your podcast doesn’t “take off” in terms of listenership right away? What if your podcast takes off and you are inundated with guest requests and social media comments? You could also outsource a social media marketing person, depending on your budget. You will also need to consider podcast monetization once you have a certain amount of listeners per episode.

I’m happy to connect with you and answer your questions about other podcasting factors! I’ve been podcasting for 3.5 years now and have recorded over 300 episodes.  Connect with me on X @danagoodier or Instagram @outoftrenchespc and I’d be happy to chat!

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About Dana Goodier

Dr. Dana Goodier has 23 years of experience in education. She has taught World Languages and English and worked as a middle school administrator. She completed her doctorate degree (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership early 2020. For her dissertation, she researched reasons parents were opting their students out of high-stakes testing at middle schools and how that affected the district accreditation rating.

She often speaks at conferences, providing educators with techniques to minimize off-task behavior and to increase time on task. Goodier is the host of the “Out of the Trenches” podcast, which features educators who share their stories of resiliency. She is also the author of the book, “Out of the Trenches: Stories of Resilient Educators.”

Follow her on Twitter @danagoodier and visit her website at: www.danagoodier.com