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Thanks to our blog sponsor, Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM)!

CHM is a faith-based alternative to health insurance—at about half the cost. You can enroll at any time and join a proven, faith-based solution that’s both reliable and affordable.

My family has been CHM members for over 5 years, and their maternity care shared all expenses for all 3 of my children’s births—from c-section to home birth. They even shared costs for key parts of prep and postpartum care, like pelvic floor physical therapy and lactation consulting.

Beyond birth, CHM has helped us through ER visits, surgeries, and procedures. Those bills were shared by other CHM members, leaving us responsible only for our monthly contribution.

I can’t recommend Christian Healthcare Ministries enough! It’s more than financial help—it’s also spiritual support when you need it most.

Learn more here! And if you’d like to hear our full story, check out episode 305 of The Breakthrough Brand Podcast, where Adam and I dive into our experience with CHM.

The post Can You Make Money From a New Podcast? The Money Conversation Every Podcaster Should Have appeared first on Elizabeth McCravy.

YouTube Vs. Podcasting: Should You Start a Youtube Channel or Podcast? 6 Myths Debunked (with Receipts!)

Elizabeth McCravy — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 06:00:00 +0000

Reading Time: 15 minutes

Today’s topic (YouTube vs. Podcasting) is a fun one and a question you may have asked yourself: YouTube vs. podcast? Which should you choose? Is YouTube better than podcasting? Or is podcasting better than having a YouTube channel?

As I record this, I’ve been a podcaster for six years and three months, with 311 episodes under my belt. So, I have a lot of experience with podcasting. But I’m also very familiar with YouTube. And honestly, I’ll start by saying this: both are absolutely amazing ways to create content and grow your business.

So let’s begin with that—both platforms are great. I’m not here to throw rocks at YouTube just because I host a podcast. In this episode, I'm going to bust some common myths about podcasting vs. YouTube and I’ll share some statistics and help you figure out which platform might be the best fit for you especially if you're thinking, “This year, I want a new way to create content and grow my business.”

In this episode, we'll explore which platform aligns better with your personality and business model. Because again, I truly believe both have a place (and they may even work beautifully together in your business).

Whether you're deciding which one to start, or you already have a podcast or a YouTube channel, this episode will give you more data and clarity to support your choice.

I’m really excited about this. Let’s dive in.

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE NOW:

Subscribe & download the episode to your device: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | iHeartRadio

Search for episode 311!

Okay, so—is YouTube better than podcasting, or is podcasting better than YouTube?

The truth is, it really depends on who you ask. And honestly, there’s a lot of content out there bashing one or the other. For example, you’ll easily find people saying, “Don’t start a podcast—it’s a waste of time. It only serves your existing audience and doesn’t help you grow.” Okay... people are going to say that.

On the flip side, there are people who say, “Don’t bother with YouTube. It’s expensive, time-consuming to produce videos, you’re probably not great on camera anyway, and the platform’s oversaturated.”

So yes, there are strong opinions on both sides. But here’s what I want to say:

If you ever hear someone claim there’s only one right way to do something in business, they’re probably trying to sell you something that teaches that “one way.”

And look, I do have a podcasting course, and yes, I’d love for you to join it. But I’m also not going to stand here and say that podcasting is the only way to grow your business. That’s just not true.

That said, I’ve obviously chosen podcasting as my main platform. I also have a YouTube channel where my podcast episodes get uploaded. We’ll talk more about that later. The reason I chose podcasting has a lot to do with my personality, how I like to consume content, the kind of content I create, and where I believe my ideal audience is hanging out—which, in my case, is on podcasts.

But let me be clear: I don’t hate YouTube. You’re not going to hear me throwing shade at YouTube in this episode. I have business friends who’ve seen amazing success on their channels, and when someone tells me they’re starting a YouTube channel, I’m genuinely excited for them. I’m the first to say, “Yes! Go you! I can’t wait to subscribe and cheer you on.”

It doesn't have to be this “us vs. them” situation—like YouTube creators over here and podcasters over there, facing off in some kind of content battle.

I personally use YouTube all the time—just not for business content. I watch workout videos there, and my oldest son’s favorite shows are all on YouTube Kids. In fact, we even subscribe to YouTube Premium so he can watch without ads.

So yeah, I use YouTube—but not for business learning. Still, I know plenty of people do.

So if you’re thinking, “I want to start a podcast or a YouTube channel, but I’m not sure which one is right for me,” this episode is for you.

I’ve got six myths to bust, and then we’ll go over some key factors to help you decide which platform is best for you—your personality, your goals, your business model, and the kind of content you want to create.

Because yes, both are amazing options. But that doesn’t mean they’re both the right fit for you.

Myth #1: Podcasts Aren’t Searchable, But YouTube Is

You’ve probably heard this one before—people saying that it’s hard to get discovered through podcasts, but YouTube? Oh, that’s where the visibility magic happens. And just so you know, every myth I’m sharing in this episode is something I’ve heard, taught, or seen presented as a fact in online business circles—they're not made up. But this one? It’s simply not true anymore.

Let’s bust it: Podcasts are searchable.

Now, to be fair, this used to be more true. I’d say maybe 8 to 10 years ago, podcasts were harder to search and discover. But that’s changed significantly. Podcast searchability has improved even more in just the six years I’ve been podcasting.

Today, when someone searches for keywords in Apple Podcasts or Spotify, the search engines inside those apps are working hard to surface relevant episodes. And it's not just the episode titles that show up in search. Results are also based on your episode transcripts and show notes, which are either auto-generated by the platform or uploaded by the creator.

So you’ve got:

Your episode title working for you,
Your show notes working for you,
And now, literally what you say in your episode is searchable.

That’s a big deal! And again, this is a newer development. Apple and Spotify both now generate transcripts automatically (though you can upload your own if you prefer). Personally, I just let them auto-generate mine—and even that’s working great.

These platforms are improving all the time, because podcasting is huge and continuing to grow. Companies like Apple and Spotify are investing heavily in making podcast discovery better.

Now, it’s hard to find exact numbers on how much they’re spending, but here’s one stat I found while researching: As of October last year, Spotify has spent over $1 billion acquiring shows—like The Joe Rogan Experience and Call Her Daddy. (We’ll actually talk about how those shows impacted the presidential election later in this episode)

Apple, while not buying shows, is investing in improving their software and adding features like paid subscriptions for podcasts (integrated right into the Apple ecosystem).

So, if someone tells you that podcasting isn’t searchable—they’re just wrong.

Both YouTube and podcasts are searchable. And here’s something else people often overlook: podcast episodes are also searchable on Google and other search engines, even if you don’t blog about them.

Now, I’m a big fan of blogging your podcast episodes—especially for SEO. And if you want to learn how to do that, I teach it in my program Podcast Success Blueprint. But even without blogging, Apple and Spotify can still show up in Google search results.

So, for example, you might Google a business topic and find a specific episode or show from Apple Podcasts or Spotify right there on the first page. That happens all the time.

Of course, you can also blog your episodes for added visibility and search value. But again—podcasts are searchable, period. And so is YouTube. This isn’t about saying podcasting has better search than YouTube. I’m just saying that both platforms have strong and growing search capabilities.

One thing I would love to see in the future—and maybe Apple and Spotify are already working on it—is the ability to search within a specific podcast show. So, for instance, you could go to The Breakthrough Brand Podcast page and search just that library for a certain topic. How great would that be?

Anyway, that’s myth number one:
“Podcasts aren’t searchable.” Totally false.

Myth #2: Everyone Has a Podcast So There’s More Room For Growth on YouTube

Alright, let’s move on to myth number two:
“Everybody has a podcast, but YouTube still has room for growth.”

This one’s fascinating to me. First of all, let’s be clear: both YouTube and podcasting are popular. Neither is some hidden, undiscovered gem—which is why we’re even comparing them in the first place. There are a ton of content creators on both platforms, and they’re both massive in terms of reach and influence.

But here’s the myth-busting truth: podcasting actually has less competition than YouTube.

Now of course, it depends on your specific niche. But generally speaking, research shows that while there are about 2 million podcasts in existence (with around 48 million episodes), there are over 37 million YouTube channels. And those channels are pumping out more than 500 hours of video content every single minute. That’s a huge difference.

So yes, there’s more competition on YouTube. You’re competing for clicks, views, and search results in a much more crowded space. That’s something worth considering as you choose the right platform for you.

Myth #3: Podcasting is Too Expensive

This myth comes up a lot—and it’s one I love busting, because it’s simply not true for most people. In fact, if we’re comparing the two, starting a podcast is often less expensive than starting a YouTube channel.

Of course, it depends somewhat on your situation and what kind of business you have. If you already have video gear for YouTube, great! That might lower your costs. But for most people just starting out, you’ll spend less getting a podcast off the ground.

Here’s an example: You can start a successful podcast for under $100 total in equipment. Not per item—total. And it’s all stuff you can buy on Amazon.

To do well on YouTube, though, especially if you’re planning to be on camera, you’ll typically need:

A quality video camera
Good lighting
A tripod
A mic (which you’ll need for podcasting too)

Plus, one of the big advantages of podcasting is that it’s audio-focused—so you can keep things simple. For example, I love that I don’t need to set up lighting or get camera-ready every time I record. Right now, I’m sitting in my office, in my comfy, very-pregnant-girl outfit, feeling relaxed with my notes in front of me. It just works.

Even if you do choose to include video with your podcast—like recording interviews on a tool like Riverside—the expectations for video quality are different. If you're posting a video podcast episode, people are usually more forgiving of lower production value than they would be with a standalone YouTube tutorial.

So again, podcasting doesn’t have to be expensive—and it’s often much simpler to produce.

Myth #4: YouTube Content Keeps Working When You Stop Uploading, But Podcast Content Doesn’t

This is another common belief, and it’s just not true.

I recently took a three-month break from releasing new episodes, and I saw firsthand how podcast content continues to deliver value even while you're not actively producing. I’ll share more on that in the next section.

I know three months isn’t a super long break, but during that time, I was still seeing growth in my business and a steady stream of podcast downloads. Of course, not as many as I would see if I were actively publishing new episodes—because a new release typically generates a spike—but even older episodes from two, three, or four years ago were still getting listens.

So yes, podcast content continues to work for you, even when you're not creating anything new. It brings in new listeners, new subscribers, and even new customers long after the episodes first air. For example, during that break, I had a few older episodes getting over 800 downloads in a single week—and those were episodes I hadn’t touched in years.

I think that’s really cool. Sometimes I’ll look at my analytics and see that a totally random episode from three years ago was the most-downloaded that week. And it gets me thinking… how can I create more content like that?

These episodes are still being consumed in a few different ways. Some people are discovering them directly in their podcast app. They see the title, it feels relevant, and they hit play (regardless of the episode’s age). That’s where those 800-download weeks come from.

Other people are finding the episodes through related blog posts. They search something on Google, land on your blog, and read content that’s tied to the episode. That’s another way your podcast keeps working without you lifting a finger.

I want to be fair here and say that YouTube works the same way. Older YouTube videos can absolutely continue to get views and engagement for years after they’re uploaded. So if someone tells you YouTube content has long-term impact but podcasting doesn’t, that’s just not true. Both platforms can keep working for your business even when you're not actively publishing.

And this is something I talk about a lot when people come to me saying,

"Elizabeth, I want to start a podcast, but six years? 300 episodes? That feels overwhelming."

Or maybe even just one year of weekly episodes feels like too much.

Here’s what I tell them: Don’t think about forever.

Just start with six episodes. That’s it.

Commit to six. That’s a solid starting point. And from there, maybe you get to 20 and realize you want a break, or maybe you keep going. Either way, even just six well-made episodes can make a meaningful impact on your business. They can help new people find you, learn from you, and buy from you—long after those episodes are published.

So don’t worry about how long you’ll be podcasting. Just start. Create a small body of work that can grow over time and continue serving your audience, even when you're not creating new content.

Myth #5: YouTube is Better For SEO

So yes, podcasting works. It’s valuable. And you don’t need to treat it like a lifelong commitment in order for it to be worth your time.

Let’s move on to myth number five:

“YouTube is probably just better for SEO, right?”

“Better for SEO” is tricky to define because it really depends on the content. You can create something that never ranks if the content isn’t good or if the SEO isn’t handled correctly. But here’s the truth—both YouTube and podcasts can be excellent for SEO and for getting discovered by new audiences.

Personally, my podcast has landed me on the first page of Google search results for all kinds of keywords. That includes both blog posts based on podcast episodes and the episodes themselves ranking directly on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

For example, someone might search "how to start a book club" and my podcast episode shows up near the top. They click, listen, and that could be the start of them becoming part of my audience. That’s how podcast SEO works when it’s done right.

I teach all of this in Podcast Success Blueprint, my signature podcasting course. I’m really passionate about SEO and we cover a lot of strategies specific to helping your podcast reach the right people.

Now, I do want to acknowledge that Google owns YouTube, which is important. But that doesn’t mean Google only prioritizes YouTube in search. Google also indexes podcast content and knows how valuable it is. So, the takeaway here is that both platforms support strong SEO, and you can succeed with either.

Myth #6: You Have To Pick Between Youtube and Podcasting

Now, you might want to choose a lead platform, especially if you're repurposing one piece of content across both places. But as a business owner, you're absolutely allowed to do both—many people do.

In fact, one of the biggest trends on YouTube right now is podcasts being uploaded to the platform. YouTube now offers podcast support where your audio episodes can be auto-published from your RSS feed. I personally do this.

Another option is recording video podcasts (where people can watch you and your guest speaking on camera) or you can just upload audio with a visual element.

Either way, it gives your podcast extra discoverability on YouTube, in addition to the podcast apps and Google.

Or maybe you're doing the reverse: YouTube is your main platform, and you upload the audio to a podcast feed. Just keep in mind that if your content is very visual (like tutorials) listeners might miss out without the video. In those cases, you could include a blog post with supporting visuals and link to that from the podcast.

Some creators also choose to create unique content for both platforms. That’s more work, but totally doable. For instance, I have YouTube tutorials around Showit that don’t make sense as podcast episodes because they’re screen shares. But most of my podcast episodes work just fine without visuals.

And if you’re thinking, “Elizabeth, I don’t have the time or bandwidth to do both,” that’s completely okay. You don’t have to. When I first started my podcast, I wasn’t on YouTube either. That came later, and it’s still optional. The point is—you don’t have to pick one and exclude the other forever. There’s room for flexibility and growth.

So that’s the end of the myth busting. Now it’s about figuring out what works for you.

Whether you go all-in on podcasting, choose YouTube as your main platform, or decide to do both, it really comes down to how you prefer to create and consume content, and where your audience spends time.

As you listened to these myths, what stood out to you? Did any point make you lean more in one direction?

Podcasting is incredibly powerful, and I could go on for days about all the reasons I love it. One thing I especially love is the intimacy of the medium. You’re with someone as they go about their day—maybe while they’re driving, working out, folding laundry, or doing tasks in their business. It’s a unique way to build trust. And that kind of connection is much harder to create on YouTube.

Podcasting is Now Considered New Media

Now that we've busted some of the most common Youtube vs. Podcasting myths, I want to go back to something I mentioned briefly earlier: Podcasting is now considered new media. It’s a format that has real influence.

In fact, it played a huge role in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

Even though I don’t talk politics on my show, I found that fascinating. It really showed how deeply trusted podcasting has become.

Here’s a quote from Steve Johnston, former COO of Flex Point Media:

“2024 will be remembered as the podcast election—not because podcasts are new, but because it was the first time presidential nominees and their running mates leveraged podcasts in a meaningful way.”

No matter where you fall politically, it’s really fascinating to see podcasting become such a major platform in public life. This shift in how media is consumed is important.

If you missed it during the 2024 election season, here’s what happened: Trump appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience, and JD Vance, his running mate, did as well. Vice President Harris went on Call Her Daddy with Alex Cooper. These are two of the biggest podcasts in the world, both owned by Spotify. Earlier I mentioned Spotify investing over $1 billion into acquiring shows—these are examples of that investment.

Trump also did 14 major podcast interviews and live streams, including appearances on platforms like Twitch. That shows just how seriously political campaigns are taking podcasting as a form of media.

Podcasting is widely considered part of the “new media.” If you Google the term, you’ll see how it’s come to represent a trusted alternative to traditional outlets. In 2024, many voters chose to listen to Harris and Vance on podcasts during their daily routines (on commutes or while running errands) instead of watching scheduled debates on Fox or CNN.

This shift is a big deal. Even now in 2025, you’re seeing podcasters invited to the White House more frequently. It’s a sign that this medium continues to grow in influence and reach.

Now let’s shift to helping you decide which platform is best for you.

How To Decide If YouTube vs. Podcasting Is Right For Your Business?

Here are a few key questions to ask yourself:

1. Which platform do you use more personally?

Do you find yourself watching YouTube videos daily, or are you someone who refreshes your podcast app to catch the latest episodes? We tend to create content most effectively on the platforms we consume. If you never use YouTube, for example, it may feel awkward or unfamiliar to create content there. But if you’re a regular podcast listener, starting your own show might come more naturally.

2. Is your content visual?

Take a look at the ideas you’ve been jotting down. Are they highly visual? If your content relies heavily on visuals, YouTube might be a better fit. Podcasting, while powerful, isn’t the best medium for tutorials or content where visuals are essential to the message.

3. Do you enjoy being on camera?

Creating video content often means being face-to-camera. Do you feel confident in that setting? Or does the idea of showing up on video regularly feel like too much? With podcasting, you can record in your closet with messy hair, no makeup, and zero pressure to look polished. YouTube usually requires more setup and time to prepare.

Both platforms take getting used to. Your first podcast episode might be clunky. Your first YouTube video might be awkward. That’s okay. But knowing whether you’re more comfortable speaking on camera versus just using your voice can help you decide where to start.

4. Where is your audience?

This is huge. Who are you trying to reach and where are they spending time?

If your audience is mostly listening to podcasts while commuting or doing chores, podcasting makes sense. If they’re watching tutorials or lifestyle content on YouTube, then that might be your best route. You can even survey your audience directly by posting in Facebook groups or your email list and ask where people consume content.

Different topics and different types of content work better on different platforms.

Why I Chose To Prioritize My Podcast Over My YouTube Channel

Now that we've talked about YouTube vs. Podcasting, here are some personal reasons I love podcasting (and why I’ve stuck with it for years).

First, you can record in complete comfort. Seriously. Messy bun, no bra, sitting in your closet. No lights, no makeup, no set. That makes it so much easier to fit podcasting into your business and your life.

I do what I call “self-editing” while I record. I’ll pause, rephrase, or catch my breath when I need to (especially now that I’m very pregnant and get winded more easily). It’s flexible and forgiving, and that fits my personality well. If that sounds like you too, podcasting might be the better fit.

Second, podcasting is fairly straightforward. You don’t need to learn platform-specific tricks, trends, or video editing to get noticed. There’s less “algorithm hacking” and more focus on creating meaningful content.

Podcasting is more straightforward than learning YouTube, in my opinion. It’s also typically cheaper and easier to record a podcast episode than it is to light, film, produce, and edit a YouTube video. Especially for someone like me who doesn’t have a background in video or photography, podcasting is far more accessible.

Another thing I love—listening to a podcast episode is simply easier for most people than sitting down to watch a YouTube video. Podcast content is on-the-go. People can multitask while they listen, and you’re more likely to see higher listen-through rates, even for episodes where the listener might not be sure they’re fully interested in the topic. If they like your show, they’ll still press play.

That kind of ongoing engagement is powerful. Podcasting is also an extremely intimate form of marketing. Your voice goes with your listener throughout their day (into their car, on their walk, during chores) and that creates a real connection.

A podcast can put new eyes (and ears) on your business and help establish your credibility. Even if you're wondering, "Who am I to start a podcast?" I promise, once you begin and feel that momentum, you’ll see how powerful it is. You'll start building authority and trust with your audience.

Podcasting also opens up new ways to make money. And honestly, that’s something a lot of podcast courses don’t focus enough on. In my course, Podcast Success Blueprint, I have an entire module dedicated to this, called “Make Money Podcasting.” There's even a downloadable PDF called the Make Money Podcasting Playbook, which walks you through creative monetization strategies (many of which you may not have considered!).

In fact, in this one episode you’re listening to right now, I’m using three or four different methods I teach in that module to monetize the show. It's real, it's effective, and it's something I love sharing with my students.

Join Podcast Success Blueprint

If you’re feeling ready and podcasting seems like the right path for you, I’d love for you to join Podcast Success Blueprint. It’s open for enrollment now, and it’s a course I’m really proud of. I poured so much into creating it, and it’s been such a joy helping students inside the program.

We’ve got an active Facebook community, live Q&A calls, and lots of resources. Whether you're just getting started or already have a podcast that you want to scale and systematize, this course is for you. I cover how to get support, hire a team, streamline your workflow, and how to actually make money with your show.

If you’re still deciding between YouTube and podcasting, I want you to know:

There is no wrong decision.

Both are amazing ways to grow your business. It all comes down to what fits your personality, your audience, your content style, and your season of life.

You all know I’m passionate about building a business that fits your life, not the other way around. So choose what works for you right now. You can always evolve.

Links Mentioned:

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The post YouTube Vs. Podcasting: Should You Start a Youtube Channel or Podcast? 6 Myths Debunked (with Receipts!) appeared first on Elizabeth McCravy.

The Ultimate Guide to Starting a Podcast in 2025 (8 Things You MUST Do!)

Elizabeth McCravy — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 06:00:00 +0000

Reading Time: 22 minutes

In celebration of 300 podcast episodes—which actually happened a few weeks ago—this is episode 302. I used that episode to announce that baby number three is on the way, which was really special. But today, I want to celebrate 300 episodes by sharing advice and tips for those considering starting a podcast in 2025. Or, if you already have a podcast like I do, I’ll be giving you behind-the-scenes insights—many of which I rarely hear others talk about—on how to truly grow and monetize your show.

This episode is packed with things I never hear other podcasters discuss, and it's relevant whether you're brand new to podcasting, thinking about starting a show but unsure if you should, or already an established podcaster wanting to stay on top of trends. If you're wondering what’s working for 2025, I’ll touch on that too because I personally love keeping up with podcasting trends. Let’s dive in!

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE NOW:

Subscribe & download the episode to your device: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | iHeartRadio

Search for episode 302!

Okay, to start, I have eight tips to share with you today—but this first one is more like a bonus tip. So, after 300 episodes (technically 302 now) and countless hours of talking into a mic in different spaces—from our apartment guest room when I first started to various home offices over the years—I can confidently say that starting this podcast was one of the best decisions I ever made.

That leads me to my first quick piece of advice: just start. Give it a try. One thing people don’t always consider when starting something in business is that it’s okay to quit. If you start a podcast, commit to a set timeframe—whatever makes sense for your life and business. Maybe that's 10 episodes. If you decide you hate it, you can stop. No one will judge you. But at least you’ll have learned something from the experience, and you can move on with clarity.

For me, when I started almost six years ago, I had so many nerves and so much anticipation. I kept thinking, Who am I to do this? Who am I to teach business to people? But I did it—and I’m so glad I did.

Podcasting has truly been one of the most fulfilling parts of my business. I get to help people in a tangible way, providing valuable content for free, while still earning money through affiliates, sponsors, and sales generated by listeners of the show. It's a win-win, and honestly, a lot of people don’t realize how powerful podcasting can be. Over the years, I’ve received so many heartfelt messages from listeners sharing how this podcast has impacted them—and each one makes the journey worth it. If you’ve ever sent me a message like that, please know how much I appreciate you and your support.

Beyond that, podcasting has also helped me grow as a teacher, a communicator, and a business owner. It builds confidence, improves speaking skills, and is just so much fun.

Starting a Podcast in 2025

I launched my show in 2019, and the podcasting landscape was completely different back then. Some of the opportunities available today didn’t even exist. So, in this episode, I’m not just sharing general podcasting advice—I’m giving you my best insights on what I would do if I were starting a podcast in 2025, not what I would have done in 2019.

If I were starting a brand-new podcast from scratch, here’s exactly what I would do. Podcasting is constantly evolving, so it doesn’t really matter what I would have done differently in 2019. What matters is what I would do right now in 2025—whether it’s launching a new show or making adjustments to my current one based on where the industry is heading.

Ironically, the inspiration for this episode comes from the fact that I’ve actually considered starting another podcast. Not stopping this show—but creating a completely new one on a different topic. Funny enough, the day before I announced my pregnancy with baby number three, I did a “guess what the big announcement is” post, and so many of you guessed the exact type of podcast I’ve been thinking about starting.

I still have this idea on my heart, and I do think I’ll launch it at some point—but probably not in 2025. Maybe I’ll surprise myself, who knows? But with a new baby on the way and two kids already, I’m not sure I have the capacity to run two shows this year. Still, it was wild to see how many of you guessed the exact topic I was considering!

So, I’ve been channeling all my thoughts into this episode. If I were starting a new podcast today, what would I do differently? What would I keep the same? What strategies would I implement from day one? These are the things I’ve been thinking about, and I’m sharing them with you today.

1. Get Really Niche With Your Podcast’s Topic and Who the Audience Is

First up on the list of starting a podcast in 2025: Get really niche with your podcast topic and audience.

I know that sounds basic, but hear me out—it's actually less obvious than you might think.

To start, I don’t believe podcasting is oversaturated. That’s something people say a lot, and maybe you’ve even felt it yourself while considering starting a show. But in reality, podcasting is growing every year. More and more people are listening to podcasts, and audio as a medium is gaining massive popularity—just look at how audiobooks have exploded.

For example—and this is totally random, not even in my notes—but take Harry Potter. They’re redoing the entire series as a full-production audio experience. Many audiobooks are following that trend. Audio is big, and podcasting is very much part of that growth.

As of 2025, global podcast listenership is projected to reach 584 million, a significant jump from 2024. In the U.S. alone, 135 million people are expected to be regular podcast listeners, with 47% of Americans over the age of 12 tuning in regularly. So yes, a lot of people are listening to podcasts—including you, since you're here!

That said, while there are a lot of podcasts, that doesn’t mean it’s oversaturated. But it does mean that starting a generic podcast won’t set you up for success.

Here’s what many people selling podcast courses won’t tell you: Niche podcasts perform extremely well. They’re more bingeable because they attract the right audience—people who become obsessed with your show and listen to every episode. Compare that to a broad, unfocused podcast where some episodes appeal to one group, others to another, and no single audience is fully invested. The more specific your niche, the easier it is to build a loyal following.

In my course, Podcast Success Blueprint, I teach a few lessons on finding your niche.

When podcasting was new, people could start broad, build an audience, and then niche down over time. But that’s not the case anymore. Just like when online courses first became popular 15 years ago, people could sell mediocre courses and still make money. Now? If your course isn’t good, it won’t sell. Same with podcasting—you need to be intentional.

Here are some examples:

Don’t just start a generic mom podcast. Instead, start a podcast for part-time, work-from-home moms with multiple kids and a business who share your faith.
Don’t just start a finance podcast. Start a podcast about finances for small business owners who don’t love numbers but want to make more money.

See the difference?

We’ll dive into this more in another tip, but the key takeaway is: Get niche. Then get even more niche. If narrowing down feels scary, remember—your niche doesn’t mean every episode has to fit into a tiny box. Think of your niche like your listener’s interests. Your content should be relevant to them, but you can still mix in personal episodes or broader topics.

For example, when I announced my pregnancy a few weeks ago, I knew not everyone would be interested—and that’s okay! You can have episodes like that while still running a highly targeted podcast.

2. Before You Title the Show, Record an Episode, or Anything Else…. Make a List of Potential Episode Topics

I truly believe that one of the biggest keys to a successful podcast is simply having a bank of ideas. Too many people jump into podcasting without a clear sense of what they want to talk about or who they want to interview.

They assume they’ll figure it out as they go—as long as they have a general concept. Instead, they spend all their time obsessing over the podcast name, cover art, and logistics, thinking those are the most important steps.

But honestly? That’s not where you need to focus. You’ll probably change your cover art at some point anyway. What truly matters is what you’re going to talk about.

I’m not saying you need to have 300 episode ideas upfront before starting a podcast in 2025, but I recommend starting a note on your phone today—especially if you’re serious about launching a podcast. Use your phone (not a physical notebook) because it allows you to capture ideas anytime, anywhere.

Jot down solo episode ideas.
List potential interview guests.
Think of specific topics you’d love to discuss with guests.

Keep adding to this list over time. This process will also help you refine your niche (which we talked about in Tip #1) and give you clarity on your show’s title, branding, and overall direction.

For example, that new podcast idea I mentioned earlier—the one that’s been on my heart? I don’t know if 2025 is the year I’ll start it, but I already have 31 episode concepts saved in my notes. So far, they’re all solo episodes or ones I’d record with my husband, Adam, but I might add interviews later.

For example, last night, while taking a shower, I had an idea for a really specific episode. As soon as I got out, I grabbed my phone, wrote down the title, and even outlined seven bullet points of what I’d cover. You can go as deep as that or just jot down the episode title—it’s up to you.

This step will also give you confidence. When you see that you already have months’ worth of content ideas, starting a podcast feels a lot less overwhelming.

To put it in perspective:

If you release one episode per week and take two holiday breaks, that’s 50 episodes per year.
With 31 ideas already, I’m more than halfway there.
If you release episodes biweekly or in seasons, 30 ideas could easily cover a whole year.

This simple practice makes a huge difference in helping you feel prepared and confident about your podcast. But I want to also want to say—I didn’t come up with all 31 ideas in one sitting. They’ve slowly built up over months of thinking about this show. When I first started brainstorming, I probably came up with five ideas right away and then kept adding to the list as new topics came to mind.

So don’t put pressure on yourself to sit down and come up with 30+ topics all at once. Just start your list, and let it grow naturally.

That’s Tip #2—before you worry about recording, naming your show, or designing cover art, start building your episode list.

3. Decide How You’re Going to Make Money From Your Podcast

As someone who loves helping people make money from podcasting, this is one of my personal favorite tips for starting a podcast in 2025. It’s also a big focus of my course, Podcast Success Blueprint.

Now, let me start by saying—it’s totally okay to start a podcast as a hobby with zero plans to make money from it. But it’s important to be intentional about that decision. You don’t want to end up with a non-monetized show by accident when your real goal was to generate income.

That’s why I don’t recommend going into podcasting with a hobby mindset. Podcasting is something you can monetize, and if you’re going to put in the effort, why not make money from it?

That said, you don’t have to start monetizing from episode one. In fact, I actually don’t recommend running ads or sponsorships from day one—especially if you’re starting with a smaller audience. But you should have a long-term plan for how you want to monetize your show.

In Podcast Success Blueprint, I teach seven ways to make money from podcasting—including strategies that most people don’t talk about. These aren’t the typical surface-level monetization tips you find in free content. In fact, many podcast courses don’t even cover monetization in depth.

Most podcasting courses focus on technical setup—how to record, how to distribute your show—but they barely touch on how to make money.

For example, one of the top podcasting courses out there (a well-known one in our industry) has only a 12-minute video on monetization. That’s it. Just 12 minutes in an entire course.

When I saw that, I realized there was a huge gap—people weren’t talking about how to actually monetize a podcast. And yet, for most people who start a show, making money is one of their biggest goals. That’s why I made monetization a major focus of Podcast Success Blueprint.

The course includes an entire module with 9–10 lessons dedicated to monetization, covering everything from sponsorships to affiliate marketing to selling your own products.

To give you a quick overview (without spoiling everything in the course), here are two broad ways you can monetize your show:

Selling your own products. Maybe you have a course, membership, digital templates, or something else you want listeners to buy. Your podcast can serve as a natural way to promote those offers.
Sponsorships & ads. Instead of selling your own products, you can generate income by partnering with advertisers who pay to be featured on your show.

You can also combine both strategies—which is what I personally do.

Monetizing Your Podcast Without Having a Business

If I were to start that new podcast I mentioned earlier, it wouldn’t be a business podcast—so it wouldn’t be directly tied to my current products. I might occasionally mention my business, but I wouldn’t create a new product just to monetize that show.

Instead, my monetization strategy would be:

Staying very niche to attract advertisers.
Securing sponsors to generate revenue.
Earning affiliate income by promoting relevant products.
Managing my own sponsorship deals instead of going through a network (at least in the beginning).

Long-term, I’d consider joining a podcast network to have ad deals managed for me—but there are pros and cons to that approach. Keeping everything in-house allows you to take a bigger cut of the revenue. Right now, I personally manage all of my own sponsorship deals, contracts, and negotiations, which I also teach inside Podcast Success Blueprint.

So, my biggest advice? Have a monetization game plan before starting a podcast in 2025.

Think about:

When you want to start pursuing sponsors.
What affiliates or partnerships you want to explore.
Whether you’ll sell your own products.

There are so many different ways to approach monetization, and I can’t cover them all in this episode because it’s such a huge topic. But I highly recommend thinking about it before launching your podcast.

4. Don’t Just Do a Generic Interview Based Show

I know this one might be a little controversial for starting a podcast in 2025. Some of you may disagree with me, but I genuinely believe that a simple “Tell me your story” type of interview isn’t enough to make your podcast stand out and grow.

Even if you manage to book high-profile guests—big-name authors, industry leaders, people with millions of followers—it won’t guarantee success if your interviews are just following their media kit.

Take the classic book tour scenario: An author is making the rounds on podcasts to promote their new book. You land them as a guest, and your episode airs the same week as dozens of others featuring that exact guest.

And guess what? Every episode has almost the same title, the same questions, and the same talking points.

Yes, it’s exciting to book a big guest. But that alone won’t grow your podcast.

Now, let me be clear—interview-based shows can be incredibly successful. I personally listen to and love many of them. But standing out takes more than just getting guests. It requires:

Being a great interviewer.
Asking fresh, insightful questions.
Going beyond the obvious talking points.

If you want to interview well-known guests, don’t just stick to their media talking points. Be different.

Ask yourself:

What would my audience actually want to ask this guest?
What’s a question this person has never been asked before?
How can I make this conversation fresh and valuable?

As a host, you need to think like an investigator for your audience. Be willing to ask tougher questions—the ones that make a guest pause and say, “Wow, no one’s ever asked me that before.”

Too often, podcasters just rehash the same questions their guest has already answered a hundred times. That doesn’t make for a compelling interview.

So, if you want your podcast to stand out, get creative with your angles, refine your interviewing skills, and don’t be afraid to go deeper.

Here’s a pro tip: One of the best ways to improve as an interviewer? Listen to great interviewers.

There are plenty of other strategies, and I actually teach a full lesson on interviewing inside Podcast Success Blueprint. But I want to share one simple tip right now that can instantly improve your interviews:

Stop constantly filling the gaps while your guest is talking.

A common mistake I hear on so many podcasts is the host constantly reacting while the guest speaks:

Guest: “So I was really struggling with that decision...”

Host: “Yeah... Oh, totally. Uh-huh. Right. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Mmm. Yeah.”

You might think you’re being engaged, but in reality, it:

Interrupts the flow of the conversation.
Makes the guest feel rushed.
Creates a distracting, poor listening experience.

If you realize you do this, consider having your editor remove your audio track during the guest’s speaking portions. This will make the episode sound cleaner, more professional, and easier to listen to.

It’s Hard to Stand Out With Interviews

I was recently listening to Pat Flynn’s podcast, Smart Passive Income, and he had a new episode about changes he’s making to his show. I’ll link to it in the blog post for this episode if you want to check it out.

If you’re not familiar, Smart Passive Income is a massive podcast in the business space—truly an OG in the industry. I believe it’s been around for about 15 years (I could be wrong on that, but it’s been a long time).

What fascinated me was hearing him talk about what used to work for his show but doesn’t work as well now—which aligns so much with what I already had outlined for this episode, especially regarding interview-based podcasts.

One of the biggest changes they’re making? Shifting away from interviews.

Why? Because, as I mentioned earlier, it’s hard to stand out with interviews.

For Pat and his team, when they analyzed their downloads, the most popular episodes were mostly solo episodes.

Pat has a very strong personal brand, and for a while, they were actually trying to pivot away from that—to make Smart Passive Income more of a media company rather than just “Pat Flynn.” This is something I see a lot of personal brand entrepreneurs attempt, but more often than not, they end up circling back to their original personal brand strategy because that’s what made their business successful in the first place.

Now, Pat is leaning back into his personal brand, sharing more about what’s working in his business, and focusing less on tons of interviews.

What really struck me was when he said—paraphrasing here—that back in the early days of his podcast, when he booked an author as a guest, it felt huge because he might be the only podcaster who had that author on to talk about their book.

But now? That same author is doing a massive media blitz, appearing on every major podcast the week their book launches.

I know for me, when I see a big book launch happening and the same guest appearing everywhere, I might listen to one episode. But I only pick the interview that:

Has the most interesting title.
Is hosted by the person I think will ask the best questions.

And I think that’s probably how most listeners decide, too.

Pat essentially said, I’m not playing that game anymore.

Instead, he’s focusing on:

His personal brand and unique insights.
More original, engaging guests.
Less emphasis on just getting big names.

5. Put an Email Freebie Within Your First 5 Episodes

This is huge for starting a podcast in 2025. Start growing an email list of your listeners—even if you have no idea what you’re going to email them about. Even if you don’t plan on sending weekly emails, don’t have products to sell, or don’t have sponsors yet—still do it.

Create a freebie that relates to either:

Your overall podcast topic (so you can mention it in almost every episode).
A specific episode from your first five.

You can do either approach—or both! It really depends on your show and your audience. Both can be super effective, and in Podcast Success Blueprint, I actually teach how to decide which type of freebie makes the most sense for you.

Here’s an example:

One of my favorite podcasts, The Essential Birth Podcast, is hosted by Stephanie King. She’s been on my show before, and I’ve also been on hers. Her podcast is called Pregnancy and Birth Made Easy, and she has multiple freebies.

But one freebie she’s been pitching from her show since nearly day one is a guide on exercises to do during pregnancy to prepare for birth. It’s a perfect fit because her podcast is about birth, and her audience is pregnant women.

So she’ll say something like:

"Here are three simple exercises you can do every day to prepare for birth. I won’t go into all the details here, but you can grab my free guide to walk you through them."

It’s so engaging and easy to mention in every episode. Plus, it naturally leads into her paid birth course, creating a really smart monetization system.

Now, let me share an example from my own podcast.

I have a lot of episodes that include a freebie that goes with that specific episode.

For example, I did an episode on weekly Slack questions to ask your team, and the freebie was a copy-and-paste template with step-by-step instructions and screenshots from Slack, so listeners could set it up themselves.

So in this case, the freebie directly builds on the episode content, but it can also stand alone as a useful resource, which I love.

Now, let me be honest—if I could go back and do things differently, I would have included a freebie in my very first episode.

When I started my podcast in 2019, I didn’t have a freebie in my first episode—or even in my first few episodes. My fifth episode was the first one to have a freebie, and ironically, it was a freebie about freebies.

That guide is still really popular on my website today. I’ve redesigned it and improved it over time, but I wish I had started including lead magnets even earlier.

Here’s why:

A lot of people go back and binge early episodes when they find a show they love. Even if you have 300+ episodes, you’d be shocked at how many people scroll all the way back to episode one. So it’s really smart to have strong lead magnets in those early episodes to start building your email list right away.

6. Use Dynamic Ad Insertion Instead of Baked in Ads

Now, I know this is a more advanced topic, and if it sounds confusing, don’t worry—I teach extensively on baked-in vs. dynamic ads inside Podcast Success Blueprint. I love talking about this because I think it’s such a fascinating part of podcasting.

This is something I’m really excited to coach some of my students on this year—helping them decide what makes sense for their business and even guiding them through switching from baked-in to dynamic ads.

I’ve used both baked-in and dynamic ads, and I think both have their place. But if I were starting a show in 2025, I would 100% use dynamic ads only.

So, if you’re unfamiliar, dynamic ad insertion (DAI) is the term you’ll see used. Let me quickly explain the difference.

Baked-in ads are when the ad is permanently recorded into the episode audio itself. So, if someone listens to Episode 3 five years later, they’ll hear the same ad—even if the offer no longer exists, the product isn’t available, or the sponsor’s deal is long over.

For example, you might have an ad promoting a Black Friday sale, and then that sale is long gone, but the ad is still there. If you want to remove or update it, you’d have to manually edit the episode, re-export the audio, and re-upload it.

For advertisers, this means if they sponsor five episodes, their ad stays on those five episodes forever.

Dynamic ads, on the other hand, are great if you have—or plan to have—a large catalog of episodes.

With dynamic ads:

The ad gets inserted onto every episode automatically.
You can set it to run for a limited time—like a week, a month, or 90 days.
Once the campaign ends, the ad is automatically removed.
You can sell sponsorship deals based on total plays (e.g., once an ad reaches 20,000 plays, it’s removed).

For example, if you listen to Episode 1 of my podcast today, you’ll hear my current sponsors—not an outdated ad from 2019.

Personally, I love using dynamic ads because it’s a better deal for advertisers and a better setup for me since people still listen to old episodes.

When pitching sponsors, I can say: "Your ad will appear on every single episode—not just the ones released during our agreement."

That means even an older episode that ranks well in SEO will still have their ad, which is way more valuable than a baked-in placement on just a handful of episodes.

Dynamic ads weren’t really a thing when I started my podcast in 2019. Maybe some big shows had them, but it wasn’t something people were talking about. Baked-in ads were the only way to do it.

And even now, dynamic ads still aren’t super common. If you’ve never heard of them, that’s probably why—many podcast hosts don’t even offer them yet.

For me, the biggest reason it took so long to switch to dynamic ads was because my original podcast host didn’t support them.

That’s why I now highly recommend Buzzsprout for podcast hosting. I switched to Buzzsprout at the end of 2023 (after using my old host for years), and one of my main reasons was so I could start using dynamic ads.

If you’re just starting a podcast, I recommend starting with Buzzsprout from day one.

And if you already have a podcast and you’re thinking, “Wow, dynamic ads sound way better,” you can switch hosts.

I had over 240 episodes when I switched, and it felt so overwhelming—but honestly, it was way easier than I expected.

Now, if you’re thinking, “Well, Elizabeth, I don’t plan on having sponsors,” I just want to say—you can still use dynamic ads for other things.

You can use them to:

Promote your own products or courses.
Announce a sale or special offer.
Grow your email list by advertising a freebie or lead magnet.

Podcast listeners expect to hear ads, so why not use that ad space to your advantage? That’s something I go deep into in Podcast Success Blueprint.

Most podcasting courses don’t cover advertising in depth—but I do, because I’ve personally managed all my own sponsorship deals from the very beginning.

I handle:

Negotiating prices with sponsors.
Writing and reviewing contracts.
Creating ad scripts and managing relationships with advertisers.

I’ve had a lot of experience—mostly good, but some not-so-good—and I love sharing my real-world insights on what works, what doesn’t, and what mistakes to avoid.

7. Get On YouTube

In July 2022, YouTube launched a podcast feature that didn’t exist before. This is another example of how podcasting is constantly shifting. But when starting a podcast in 2025? It's a bigger deal.

Back when I started my show, if you wanted to put your podcast on YouTube, you had two options:

Upload the audio with a static image (which was super common).
Film a video version and upload that separately from the audio podcast.

If you’ve been in the podcasting space for a while, you probably remember this—before podcasting became so video-focused, people would promote episodes on Instagram Stories or posts using a photo of themselves and their guest with little animated audio waves.

I actually subscribed to a software that created those audiograms, and while I don’t use it that way anymore, that was how podcasts were uploaded to YouTube.

At that time, if you wanted your podcast on YouTube, you either:

Uploaded an image with the audio playing over it.
Recorded both a video and audio version and uploaded them separately.

I’ve done all of that at this point. Early on, I even tested uploading episodes with just an image and the audio—and plenty of shows still do it that way.

But if you’re still doing it that way, you need to switch to YouTube Podcasts.

With YouTube Podcasts, you can now connect your RSS feed directly to YouTube—just like you do with Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

This means your episodes will automatically appear on YouTube as still videos (your podcast cover art + the audio) without you having to manually upload anything.

And yes, people actually discover podcasts this way.

At a bare minimum, you need to be on YouTube in today’s podcasting landscape. This helps new audiences find your show because YouTube is an extremely powerful search engine.

If I were starting a podcast this year, I would not only connect my RSS feed to YouTube but also seriously consider filming every episode and uploading it as a video.

This can be a great discovery tool, especially depending on your niche.

If you do this, though, it’s important that your content works both for YouTube viewers and audio-only podcast listeners. That’s a skill that takes practice—not everyone does it well.

Some podcasters focus too much on video and say things like: "Hey, for my YouTube audience, look at this!"

Meanwhile, their audio listeners have no clue what they’re referencing.

Since I come from a podcasting-first background (not YouTube), I would personally focus on the podcast listener first. That means avoiding things that alienate audio listeners—like constantly referencing things that can only be seen on video.

Maybe you do that occasionally, but it shouldn’t be in every episode. You want the experience to feel seamless for both YouTube viewers and podcast listeners.

And honestly, not everyone should do video. If you enjoy being on camera and can create a good-quality video setup, it could absolutely be worth it.

For me personally, I know this would be a huge adjustment because I’m so used to podcasting without video.

Right now, when I record solo episodes:

I’m in comfy clothes.
I don’t have my makeup done.
I have my computer and notes in front of me.

Filming every episode would require a totally different setup and approach. That said, depending on your niche, it might be worth figuring out.

You’d want to research:

Are there a lot of podcasts in your niche on YouTube?
How are other people doing it?
Would your audience prefer video content?

Podcasting and YouTube are both powerful platforms, and one of the great things about podcasting is that you can do both—with your podcast being primary and YouTube as a secondary platform.

Of course, YouTube on its own is a great platform if you want to create video-first content. If you feel drawn to that, go for it! YouTube is great for tutorials or content that requires visuals.

But what’s cool about podcasting is that you can create content that is audio-first while still putting it on YouTube—and people will actually watch.

Younger generations, in particular, love watching podcast interviews rather than just listening.

For example, our nanny is here two days a week, and during nap time, she often watches podcast interviews on YouTube.

I once asked her, “Why do you watch them instead of just listening?”

And she told me she loves seeing the guests and their reactions.

There aren’t any extra visuals—just the interview itself—but she still prefers to watch it instead of just listening.

8. Spend Energy/Focus on Audio Quality and Production Quality.

I truly believe the fastest way to kill a podcast is to have:

Horrible audio quality.
A host who overuses filler words.
Poor post-production.

You could have the best guest or be saying something incredibly valuable, but if your listeners can’t hear you properly—or if the audio is so distracting that they don’t want to listen—then it doesn’t matter.

I honestly believe that if your audio quality is bad, you’re wasting your time—even if your content is amazing.

That’s why starting with good audio, improving your production quality, and focusing on how you speak is so important when starting a podcast in 2025.

To help with this, I have a free guide that walks you through what equipment to buy for great audio. All for less than $100!

I know when you’re just starting out, it can be hard to figure out what to buy. You might search on Amazon and end up buying a mic that doesn’t even work with your computer.

Inside Podcast Success Blueprint, I also teach how to reduce filler words and become a more eloquent speaker—which improves your content dramatically.

But honestly, so much of speaking well comes down to practice.

If you listen to my early episodes, you might notice that I talk a little differently than I do now. I probably sound more confident and clearer today than I did back then—and that’s because podcasting is a skill that improves over time.

Don’t just read a script word-for-word. If you could see me right now—though I don’t record video for my podcast—you’d notice I’m using hand gestures as I talk. I’m speaking naturally as if I’m talking directly to you. That changes my tone, voice inflection, and energy. I smile and laugh when it makes sense, which also impacts how my voice sounds.

That’s a small thing, but it makes a huge difference in how engaging your podcast feels.

When it comes to audio and production, these are preventable issues that you can fix from day one. Good audio and production quality don’t have to cost a fortune—but they do require intentionality.

Join Me Inside Podcast Success Blueprint To Grow Your Podcast in 2025

If you’re starting a show or you already have a podcast, and you found these tips helpful, I cannot encourage you enough to invest in Podcast Success Blueprint this year. If you're starting a podcast in 2025, it truly has everything you need.

The course is open now, and you can head here to learn more.

This course covers everything—from the basics of starting a podcast the right way to advanced strategies for growth and monetization.

It walks you through:

How to choose the right equipment and set up your recording.
How to upload your episodes so they appear on Apple, Spotify, and all platforms.
How to launch your podcast successfully—including your artwork, intro, and outro music.

That’s just the first few modules of the course.

Beyond that, I also teach:

How to monetize your podcast.
How to be a great interviewer—there’s an entire module just on interviewing!
How to record great solo episodes—including structuring, outlining, and making them more engaging.

There’s even a special video lesson where you can watch me record a solo episode start to finish—I literally hired a professional videographer for this, so it’s high-quality, step-by-step guidance.

The course also includes:

Marketing strategies—how to grow your audience.
How to create an intentional marketing web that starts with your podcast.
Advertising & sponsorships—how to land and manage sponsors successfully.

There’s so much more, and you can check out the full list of everything inside the course on the sales page. It also includes tons of downloads, templates, and resources to help guide you every step of the way.

I’m so proud of this course, and I’m also proud of the amazing community inside it. It’s such a great group of podcasters, and I’d love for you to be part of it.

Links Mentioned:

Start a Free Trial on Buzzsprout

Grab My Free Podcast Equipment Guide

Not sure which template is right for you? Take the quiz!

Join Podcast Success Blueprint

Thanks to our sponsor, Christian Heathcare Ministries! CHM is a health cost-sharing ministry and is a faith-based alternative to traditional health insurance. My family has been using CHM for our healthcare for 4+ years now, and we couldn’t be more pleased. As a business owner we all know healthcare is outrageously expensive with CHM you can save money on your budget and know if a medical situation ever arises CHM will be there to take care of you and share 100% of your eligible bills. Learn more here!

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The post The Ultimate Guide to Starting a Podcast in 2025 (8 Things You MUST Do!) appeared first on Elizabeth McCravy.

3 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Hit Record On My First Podcast Episode

Elizabeth McCravy — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Are you a new podcaster? Or maybe you’re thinking about starting a podcast but maybe you’re hung up on the logistics? Is it on your list for 2025 marketing goals? Whatever your situation is, if you’re thinking about starting a podcast (or are still in the early stages), this episode is for you! I’m sharing my top tips for new podcasters based on my 5.5 years (289 shows later!) of podcasting. Basically, these are the things I wish I knew before I hit record on my very first podcast episode.

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE NOW:

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Search for episode 289!

1. Invest In Good Audio Quality

This is a mistake I see too many new podcasters make. You think — I don’t want to invest money in equipment if this thing doesn’t take off. Or maybe you think, “I’ll buy a mic AFTER I get through my first 10 or so episodes.” While I totally see where you’re coming from, that’s a bad plan. Because the truth is, if your audio is bad, it doesn't matter how good the content is, people won’t want to listen.

So, you’re essentially shooting yourself in the foot before you even get started.

Plus, I’d add that I think some people have a false perception that podcast equipment is really expensive and confusing to use. I actually think I thought that when I started too. I don’t consider myself a techy person. But my mic that I started my show with (and still use today) was around $60 and it’s WONDERFUL. My whole equipment set up is under $100 total (you can find what I use in this free podcast equipment guide here!).

So, even if you’re not “all in” on your show but you have decided to start it, invest in your audio quality. And say you do “quit the show” (I hope you don’t, but if that happens)... then you can use the mic for other things in your business, like being a guest on a podcast, guest speaking, making your meetings with clients higher quality, YouTube videos, etc. It’s never going to be a bad investment (especially at $60).

2. Get over how you sound, and get it out there!

Just about every new podcaster is self conscious about their voice and how they sound. You’ll likely say “um” more, need to start over often, may talk in a weird cadence or sound like you’re reading a script. That’s very normal, especially in the beginning. You do not need to have a perfect radio voice to have a successful podcast, and your voice confidence will grow over time!

For example, in Podcast Success Blueprint, I have a whole lesson all about developing your “podcast voice” that will definitely help you if you’re a new (or even established) podcaster.

I think your delivery does matter, but it is something that truly grows over time and with practice! In fact, to show you what I mean, I shared a few seconds of my very first episode. So if you want to find out what I sounded like 280+ episodes ago, you’ll have to tune in!

To be fair, I also sound a lot younger there and was less confident on things. But it’s still something to know that you will get better over time! But something I’ve seen podcasters do is record and re-record and re-record their first few episodes and over-edit them and stress over them forever and then never launch.

I get it. It’s intimidating. But just get it out there. You likely won't love how you sound in your first few episodes, you might make some mistakes, and that’s ok!

A little bonus tip: I also recommend launching your show with THREE episodes at once ideally too to get people some content to binge all at once, and this gives you three tries.

From there, record the first episode (01) LAST in your lineup of recordings! Often, episode 1 feels really intimidating and is often your personal story to some extent, which is harder to record, so do it last and release the first three together.

3. Do podcasting YOUR WAY, with your unique spin, perspective, and voice.

This one is more mindset than actionable, but trust me, you need this tip.

You likely are starting a podcast because you’re someone who enjoys listening to podcasts. I was! I was a huge podcast fan. I just want to encourage you, in order to really develop your own unique perspective and podcast voice, to consider stopping listening or reducing listening to whatever shows that are within your exact niche, at least a little bit as you're starting your show.

Why?! Because it gives you fewer thoughts in your mind about what everyone else is saying in your space and instead just leaves you with what you’re learning, who you want to interview, etc.

This doesn’t mean you have to stop all together or you never look at anything that person does, but you’re removing distractions.

Further to this point: don’t make a podcast that is just like everyone else’s. Don’t be afraid to share your UNIQUE perspective. Podcasting is a personal brand business by default, and people are coming to hear you speak (or interview). So interview the way you want, share your thoughts on things the way you want, and don’t feel like your content has to be the same as everyone else’s.

Some people believe podcasting is oversaturated. It’s totally not. You can quote me on that.

I truly believe audio is the medium of the now and the future. I would even just point to, and you can kind of do a quick Google search on this, but how big audiobooks have grown and are continuing to grow. As an example, Harry Potter, that whole book series is being rerecorded in a new audiobook. There's always been an audiobook for it, but they're rerecording it with a full cast and all the bells and whistles of music and making it like a fully immersive audio experience. My point is, that audiobooks are growing, and podcasts are continuing to grow too. And as podcasts continue to grow, more and more people of all ages are discovering the wonders of listening to podcasts.

Plus, the cool thing too, is that Podcast SEO is always growing and improving making it easier and easier for people to find you STRAIGHT FROM YOUR PODCAST. You don’t need an audience already to have a successful show. With the right topics, getting niche, sharing your own perspective, and focusing on things like great audio… people can find you straight on their podcast app, start listening, and then come to you for other things - like purchases!

Tips for New Podcasters

Don’t forget to grab my FREE podcast equipment guide with everything you need to start your show. Plus. if you want a course to take you step-by-step through the process of starting your own podcast, you need to join Podcast Success Blueprint. I share tips like what I just talked to you about in this episode and SO MUCH MORE.

It really is an A to Z of getting your show off the ground and then not only getting it launched but also making quality content, being a good interviewer, recording great solo episodes, monetizing your podcast through things like ads, and promoting your own content, how to market your show—the list goes on and on! There's also a Facebook group with it to get support from myself and other community members in that way. I’d love to support you inside!

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