Hello all! 

Thank you for joining me today as I will be discussing starting your own podcast/broadcast. Everything I mention here can be applied in both instances in creating podcasts and broadcasting. So lets get cracking! Before I jump into equipment needs and and timing, etc, You need to ask yourself a very important question first!

1) What am I going to talk about??? - 

Podcasting/Broadcasting is predominantly a non-video form or communication or media. And due to this, you really should have a great topic of conversation to really draw your audience in. Find your niche!!! Finding your niche is the most important part of this whole process. You already know your interests and hobbies, so its simple. Figure out which one, or more, you want to talk about. If its politics, GREAT, if its cats and dogs, GREAT, if its cars, GREAT!  But figuring that part out is just the beginning. Once you get this down you're pretty much ready to move forward! Most shows will have co-hosts, or interviewees, which will usually help the podcast/broadcast go smoothly, because the two or three of you can all discuss a topic. Again, finding your niche, and drawing in your audience with a great discussion on that niche is the biggest step. Now you're ready for step two.

2) How do I keep track of the topic? -

I always researched my topic a week in advance, maybe longer, depending on the depth of the topic. You want to be well versed in your topic of discussion, within your niche. Remember, step one. Find your niche. Now you want to deliberate on your niche. Once you've started researching, you need a way of keeping track of the information you want to present to your audience. I usually did this by using Microsoft Word, or even Notepad on the computer, but pen & paper is just as effective. Just make sure you have your information down, so you can reflect back to it if needed. Also, its VERY important to have a workflow sheet (again, you can do this on Word or Notepad, or pen and paper works perfect too). You need to have a work flow so your presentation isn't confusing to your audience. Imagine going to a class in school only to have the teacher jump around 100 different times, confusing the whole class. This is the same way. Look at in a way, that you're the teacher, and your audience is your students. Write down your topic points in order that appears to make the most sense to you, and stick to it. You can do this.

3) How do I, ya know, TALK??? - 

Talking can be the biggest fear to overcome in this entire process! I haven't been doing podcasts very long, but I have had a heavy social media presence for quite some time. And the best way I can explain to you on how to speak, is literally imagine that you're speaking to your best friend. Even if you need to close your eyes and imagine you speaking to him/her. (No one is watching remember) Try not to hard to worry about saying blank phrases like "uhhh" "ummm" "yeah like" etc. If you don't think of it as a speech and again, more like a friendly discussion with your bestie, it wont be so hard. I myself have struggled, and my most used crutch word is "uhhhh......." I mainly just say it when I am trying to collect my thoughts. There is nothing wrong with pausing for a moment, and then continuing where you left off. 

4) What do I do now? - 

Now that you've got the basics down, its time to get on a platform. There are MANY different platforms out there to utilize for broadcasting and podcasts. Almost all which are actually FREE to do. But in order to get on the platforms you have to have a way of recording your audio right? Well in most cases, you can start VERY low budget, and start with just your phone. Most smart phones nowadays have decent audio recording capabilities, and you can use your smart phone to record your audio. Eventually you'll want to graduate from your iphone or android to a laptop/desktop and plug in mic for higher quality, and better production value. For the longest time I used my phone for even my youtube videos, which have had thousands of views. But the Production value is low. I recommend by starting with your computer. You can find a basic computer that can handle almost anything. And especially everything with podcasts. The text-link that follows will lead you to a decently priced laptop that I recommend to anyone who needs a computer, if you don't have one already. Click the text below to follow to Amazon. :)

Low Cost Laptop!

5) I've already got a computer though... -

Sweet! Then you're already one step ahead of the game! All you need now is a basic or even a high quality mic. Most microphones can connect directly into your PC via your PC's microphone port. You don't even need a USB connection anymore. Just an AV cable. I will recommend two mics to choose from, both which are excellent quality, but only differ in price. 

Low Cost Professional Mic

Higher Cost Professional Mic

6) Ok, Computer-Check. Mic-Check. What now? - 

Alright! So now you are well on your way to start recording! All you need now is an audio recording/editing program. One of the most basic, and great programs out in existance, which is FREE is Audacity. (<-Click Me) You can easily get their program for free and also edit the audio you record, and export the audio in several different formats. If you want, you can also click here (Amazon) to support audacity and get their disk versions as well. Both work perfectly with just about any version of Windows & Mac. And now that you've got their software, you're ready to record and start making regular scheduled podcasts/broadcasts for your audience!

7) Can I do this with Steemit / Dtube? -

I'm pretty new myself to the whole Steemit / Dtube community. But Dtube is a perfect place to put up your content. Right now, all my podcasts are on Youtube. But  I am working on getting all my content moved over to DTube right now. Feel free to subscribe to me on DTube for more great content coming soon!

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