Podcasting sounds easy until you actually try it. Whether you're hitting the record button for the first time or have a library of episodes under your belt, there's always room for improvement. The best podcasters know this and regularly search for ways to make their show better.

If that's you, you're in the right place. This guide shares 12 practical podcast tips that will help you create a show people actually want to tune in to—not just another subscription gathering digital dust.

Common podcasting pitfalls

One of the most frequent oversights is inconsistent scheduling, which can cause even loyal listeners to drift away. Additionally, many new creators fail to optimize audio quality by neglecting acoustic treatments or investing in reliable hardware. As stated in industry findings on podcast voice search, undervaluing clear sound can hamper long-term audience retention. Another pitfall is ignoring discoverability practices, which SEO for podcasters guides indicate are crucial to standing out online. Lastly, skipping thorough editing means releasing a show that rarely measures up in a crowded marketplace.

Podcast tips to sound professional

1. Define and research your podcast audience

Starting a new podcast without a clear idea of your target audience is like shouting into a void. You're hoping there's someone out there listening—but you don't know who they are or what they're interested in, so your show ends up being an amalgamation of topics you find interesting with no clue whether others do too. This is one of the most common podcast mistakes beginners make, but following podcast best practices from the start can help you avoid this pitfall.

While basing your podcast topics on an interest you have is a good starting point, the most successful podcasting tips come from knowing exactly what type of people share the same interest. That includes your target audience's:

• Age
• Location
• Gender
• Pain points
• Life goals

Take the How I Built This podcast, for example. Host Guy Raz knows the show's target audience are entrepreneurs, so the podcast's entire branding—from the podcast name to the guests invited on—reflect this.

2. Invest in quality podcast equipment

Podcasting has exploded in popularity because it's relatively easy to do. All you need is an internet connection, recording software (which you can get for free), and your computer's built-in microphone to produce a show. But the influx of new shows means podcast listeners are getting more picky about those they tune in to. According to recent industry data, there are now over 2 million active podcasts globally, making it more important than ever to stand out with quality content.

The standard for podcast audio quality has never been higher. To stand any chance at building an audience, you'll need to invest in podcast equipment that not only helps you produce high-quality content, but makes the post-production easier (i.e., it won't make you spend hours removing background noise). Poor audio quality is one of the top reasons listeners abandon podcasts after just a few minutes.

Set up your own podcast studio with the following equipment: a quality USB or XLR microphone (like the Shure SM7B, Audio-Technica ATR2100x, or Blue Yeti for different budget levels), headphones for monitoring, a pop filter to reduce plosives, and a microphone stand or boom arm for proper positioning.

• Your computer
• Podcast recording software
• Headphones
• An external microphone with a stand
• A pop filter to diffuse harsh sounds like P or T

🛒 Start shopping: The big list of podcasting resources: From the experts (2023)

3. Create a narrative for each podcast episode

A great podcast episode has a beginning, middle, and end. These are the basic building blocks of a narrative—a structure that makes your podcast easy to understand. Before you start recording a new episode, spend some time outlining the narrative with a podcast script. Effective podcast storytelling techniques can transform even basic content into compelling episodes.

Some of the most popular podcasts use the following narrative structure:

• Hook
• Rising action
• Explanation (backstory)
• Climax
• Falling action
• Resolution

This applies even to non-narrative podcasts. There's no reason your interview show needs to follow the same timeline of the interview recording: if you re-order the questions and answers to follow the structure above, you'll create a much more compelling conversation.

4. Practice good podcast recording techniques

Some creators fall into the trap of creating messy audio with the intention of cleaning it up throughout the editing process. This adds unnecessary tasks to your podcast production workflow.

By starting with crisp and clean audio, you can edit and publish in half the time. The following podcast recording tips can help you record high-quality audio from the jump:

• Find a quiet recording space. Whether your children are playing in the next room or you're interrupted by a passing emergency vehicle, distractions deter the listener from focusing on your show. They can also mess with the flow of your recording and force you to spend time correcting mistakes. Prevent this by finding a quiet recording space where you won't be disturbed.
• Warm up beforehand. Before you jump into recording, spend a few minutes warming up your vocal cords, especially if you've spent a few hours writing your script in silence. Do some vocal exercises to loosen up before hitting “record.”
• Wear headphones. This might sound like an unnecessary podcast tip, but wearing headphones while recording is essential. If you're recording a remote interview, it will stop your guest's voice from bleeding back into the microphone—an echo that's difficult to edit out. If it's just you on mic, headphones let you hear any spots you made unnecessary breath sounds or produced plosives, so you can stop and re-record your line again. Plus, if you're wearing headphones to edit your podcast, you'll be able to pick up on unwanted background noise that would otherwise be written off as sounds from outside.
• Mute yourself when others speak. If you're recording a podcast remotely with guests, it can be tempting to jump in with an enthusiastic “yes” or “mm-hmm.” These adlibs can interfere with the listening experience and they're annoying to edit out. Solve the problem by muting your microphone when guests or co-hosts are speaking.

5. Edit and polish your podcast episodes

Great podcasts aren't recorded, they're produced. The podcast editing process will refine your episode and turn it from good to great. Professional podcast production involves careful editing to create a polished final product.

Start with audio editing software like Audacity, GarageBand, or Descript. For context: I use Descript to edit the Peak Freelance members-only podcast because it has a bunch of AI tools that streamline the process and improve sound quality, such as Studio Sound to enhance voices while removing background noise and room echo, automatic filler word removal to cut 'ums' and 'uhs', and one-click transcript generation for easy text-based editing.

• Studio Sound to remove unwanted background noise
• Automated transcription with more than 95% accuracy
• Filler word removal for words like “um” and “you know”
• AI Voices to fix audio mistakes with a clone of my natural voice

6. Record podcast intros and outros

Unlike TV series, people don't always listen to new podcasts from the first episode. New listeners might join you midway through your podcasting journey. Get them up to speed with a short podcast introduction that hooks them in, reinforces the name of your show, and gives them a brief insight into the host(s) they're listening to.

The end of your podcast is also valuable real estate that you should optimize. Summarize the key points you've made and give readers a call to action, such as:

• Leaving their feedback
• Following you on social media
• Subscribing to the show on the podcast player they're using to listen

Help listeners distinguish between your intros, outros, and main podcast content with background music. Find free royalty-free tracks that you can use via platforms like Descript, Sound Bible, and Free Music Archive. Remember that podcast best practices include ensuring music doesn't overpower your voice—keep it at about 10-15% of your voice volume.

Podcast host David Kermaani credits this as helping the The Blockchain Experience podcast go from unranked to the top 1% in its category: “We added a relatively high energy intro song which sets the tone of the podcast.” Another improvement he's made? “A lot more focus on sound quality (evening out sound between guests, reducing ambient noise, etc.). That's where Descript has helped.”

7. Choose a reliable podcast hosting platform

A podcast hosting platform is the virtual home for your show. It's the place where the audio file, episode title, and show notes are hosted and distributed across different podcast listening platforms.

Popular podcast hosting platforms include: Buzzsprout (great for beginners with detailed analytics), Libsyn (established platform with reliable delivery), Podbean (offers monetization tools), Transistor (ideal for multiple shows), and Captivate (growth-focused features).

• Captivate
• Buzzsprout
• Acast
• Transistor
• Podbean

Once you've chosen one, upload your first episode (or even better, a podcast trailer) to the hosting service. Add the name and cover art for your show, then grab the RSS feed link. You can automatically distribute new podcast episodes to directories like Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts (formerly known as iTunes) once you get this link. According to industry data, being listed in all major directories can increase your potential audience reach by over 70%.

8. Craft podcast titles and show notes

Titles and show notes give a glimpse into each episode and convince listeners to tune in. They also help with your podcast's search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. If a search engine or podcast algorithm knows what you're talking about, it's more likely to display your episode in your target audience's search results.

Here's how to optimize each element for podcast SEO best practices:

• Podcast title. In less than 60 characters, detail what your episode is about and why someone should listen. Some popular hosts use curiosity gaps. Modern Wisdom, for example, has this episode title: “The Secret Tools to Hack Your Brain.”
• Show notes. Use an AI tool for podcast show notes and add the phrases someone might search to find your show. With Descript's Podcast Show Notes tool, for example, you can summarize your podcast script and write a short blurb that convinces people to listen.

9. Invite podcast guests on your show

Even if you do a solo show, it's good to mix things up by inviting other people to join for a special episode. Podcast guests have the potential to add new, interesting perspectives to your show—and bring their own audiences along to potentially become fans of your show.

Good podcast guests could be: industry experts who can provide valuable insights, thought leaders with established audiences, complementary content creators who reach similar demographics, satisfied customers (for business podcasts), or even listeners with interesting perspectives or questions. Research shows that episodes featuring guests typically receive 30% more downloads than solo episodes.

• Social media influencers with thousands of followers
• Experts in their field (e.g. a forensic psychologist if you're hosting a true crime podcast)
• A podcast listener who wants to share their own experience

Once you've found a podcast guest, find a date and time for an interview that works for you both. David Nebinski, host of Portfolio Career Podcast recommends to “include a video in an outreach email when asking someone to be a guest on your show. This helps the podcast host stand out among other podcasters and other emails.”

Instead of relying on Zoom, use a reliable remote recording tool like SquadCast by Descript to record 4K video, high-quality audio, and back-up your recording in the cloud to preserve the file even if you lose internet connection. For the best remote recording quality: use a wired internet connection, ask guests to use headphones, record in a quiet environment, and conduct a quick sound check before starting.

“My #1 podcast tip is to be an active host. You need to pay attention to your guest from the second they sign on to the recording. You set the stage and you set the energy. If you need to type, let them know why you're typing. If you need to check your phone, let them know why. You need to be fully present in order to let your guest feel safe, and for the conversation and their story to unfold in a powerful way.” —Olivia Dreizen Howel, co-host of A Fresh Story Podcast

Get the most mileage out of your interview by asking podcast guests to share the episode with their own network. Make this easy by creating pre-written social media posts and email templates they can use, along with audiogram clips featuring their best moments.

For example, Dave Parrell interviewed Sam Parr on the How I Write podcast. Sam ended up promoting the episode to his 250K+ Twitter followers—a captive audience who already know, like, and trust Sam, and therefore, would likely be interested in listening to Dave's podcast.

10. Promote your podcast with video snippets

Turning your audio-only podcast into a video podcast is a great way to diversify your content and reach people who prefer to watch their content, rather than just listen. Unlike audio-only shows, you can also upload video podcasts to YouTube—the second-largest search engine in the world with over two billion users.

The best part: you can use snippets of your video podcast to promote it on social media. Video content is proven to perform best on platforms like LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram, so by creating video clips of podcast segments, you could tease your show and give social media followers a glimpse into each episode. Recent data shows that short-form video clips (under 60 seconds) from podcasts can drive up to 70% more engagement than static images.

🎙Pro tip: Descript's AI tools make social media promotion a breeze. Repurpose video snippets for social using its sleek templates, then use the Social Post Writer to compose your copy. Descript lets you use artificial intelligence to get your show out there—without spending hours creating a new stream of content.

A podcast transcript also helps maximize the value you get from your episode. Take it from Laura Kluz, who produces the ProductLed Podcast which has an average of 12,000+ monthly downloads: "One of my best podcast tips is to repurpose all of the content for other channels and package the podcast together with it. That brings in a ton more episode downloads."

“For example, we repurposed a podcast into this blog post and added the audio to the very top of the article,” Laura says. “This increased downloads significantly and boosted this episode to become our #1 episode of all time, surpassing the second-best by 82%.”

11. Monitor podcast analytics and feedback

The most successful podcasts have an audience that loves the show. One key component in building that affinity is taking in listener feedback.

Use your podcast analytics to dig deeper into your audience and their listening habits. Answer questions like: Which episodes get the most downloads? What topics perform best? Where do listeners drop off? What devices are they using? Where are listeners geographically located? When do most people listen to your show?

• How do people find your show?
• What percentage of people see vs. listen to your podcast?
• What podcast format has the highest listener retention?
• Which types of guests have the most downloads?
• What day of the week do people tend to listen?

Ashley Barnsley, for example, uses his podcast to promote online fitness coaching services. He says: “Tracking my podcast analytics helps me make sure what I'm creating is what my target audience wants.”

Podcast listening platforms like Spotify make this easy. It has polls and Q&A prompts within the media player, so you can get immediate feedback from listeners on every episode without remembering to ask.

It's also a good idea to periodically run a listener survey that asks people how they'd describe the show, what their favorite episodes are, what they'd like you to change, and deeper demographic questions you don't get with podcast analytics.

12. Monetize your podcast

It can be expensive to run a podcast. From hosting fees to the time you spend refining each episode, cover your expenses and become a full-time creator by monetizing your podcast.

Some of the most popular ways for podcasters to make money include: sponsorships (ranging from $18-50 CPM depending on audience size), affiliate marketing (promoting products with unique discount codes), premium content (exclusive episodes for paying subscribers), merchandise sales, crowdfunding through platforms like Patreon, and using your podcast to promote your own products or services.

• Podcast ads. Find brands with target audiences who overlap your podcast listeners, or join a podcast network like Buzzsprout that takes care of ads for you. If you get a decent number of listeners per episode, you could charge $18 per 1,000 listens for a 30-second ad or $25 for a 60-second slot.
• Affiliate links. Earn money by recommending products that your target audience would find useful. You'll earn between 10% and 30% in commission when podcast listeners buy through your affiliate links.
• Products and services. Coaching, online courses, and digital products are popular among creators for a reason. You can have ultimate control over any products and services you create—including the price. You also get to keep any profit you make.

Detailed, research-backed growth strategies

Boosting listener numbers begins with consistent discoverability, often achieved through thorough episode transcripts and metadata. According to comprehensive podcast promotion guides, sharing short preview clips on social media and collaborating with co-creators can quickly broaden your reach. It also helps to analyze your analytics data, then double down on top-performing content. Encouraging user engagement through Q&As or live streams creates connection and loyal followership. Maintaining a quality-driven approach and distributing shows across multiple channels helps carve out a sustained audience base in today’s crowded podcasting landscape.

Podcast tips: Frequently asked questions

How do I create a professional podcast?

1. Define and research your audience
2. Plan podcast content with a script
3. Create a narrative for each episode
4. Invite guests with new perspectives
5. Invest in high-quality equipment
6. Edit and polish your recordings
7. Publish a video version
8. Optimize the transcript for SEO

How long should a podcast be?

There is no best practice for podcast length. Some creators produce daily shows that are five minutes long; others drop monthly episodes that go on for three hours. View your audience retention rate to see when people tend to drop off and go from there. That said, industry data shows that the average podcast length is around 41 minutes, with many successful shows falling in the 20-60 minute range.

How do I grow my podcast audience?

1. Syndicate your show to podcast directories
2. Post the video version on YouTube
3. Create video clips from each episode
4. Use AI tools to write social media posts

Market your podcast with promo swaps

How do I optimize my podcast for voice search?

Voice search optimization is an emerging strategy aimed at making your show more discoverable on voice-enabled devices. According to industry insights, focusing on short, clear titles and organized metadata helps assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant surface your episodes. Writing concise show notes and transcripts also benefits voice-based algorithms by providing them with structured information. Many creators keep episodes focused and succinct to match the snippet answers these devices often deliver. Finally, regularly testing your podcast on various voice platforms can highlight areas for improvement.

What are the best promotional channels for a new podcast?

According to leading podcast promotion guides, social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels can rapidly amplify your podcast’s visibility. Guest appearances on complementary podcasts also let you tap into relevant, already-engaged audiences. Additionally, providing short-form video previews or audiograms can capture attention across multiple channels. Cross-promotion with fellow podcasters helps create a network effect, boosting each other's audiences. Last but not least, a well-structured show outline and descriptive metadata further enhance discoverability.