Alright! So now you have your studio and you’re ready to record your first show, right? Well sorta. Here’s are my tips for you before your first episode.
1. Record a Pilot Episode
You’re NOT going to want to release the first ever podcast that you record. It’s probably going to be a little rough, but that’s okay! You want to practice and get all the initial kinks out. Prevent as many mishaps right off the bat such as technical difficulties and just being able to get through an entire show without a whole of of stalling (all the uhhhh’s and ummm likes). It’s going to take time before you really start rolling but definitely give yourself at least one or two pilot episodes to see how you can approach your show from there.
2. Do some Prep!
It’s simple….just know what you’re going to talk about! It’s different for everyone as far as how much prep you need but at the least jot down some notes and an outline. Make sure it’s enough material to last the length of your show. This will take away lot of the hemming and hawing and help the show be more entertaining for whoever is listening. I’ve developed a schedule that works out nicely for me. It helps me stay on track throughout the show. Also, if I see something isn’t going as well as I planned – I can X it and move onto the next topic. Here’s an example of what a show schedules looks like for me.
I stick to this sheet for the most part. I sometimes skip over things due to time or momentum. Also, sometimes you just have to go with the flow of the conversation and let the show work itself out! But it’s a great guide…especially if you get off track or run out of things to talk about!
3. Imaging and Artwork
Now that you’ve done your prep and recorded your pilot…it’s time to get everything ready for your first official episode! Go ahead and find your self some imaging which can be everything from your intro music (theme song) , voice over, and outro song. You can either find someone to provide you with this audio or record it yourself! If you’re looking for music there are plenty of sources online to find some free music. Or just get in contact with a local or independent band. They’ll more than likely be cool with you using their music with permission. Check out r/Podcasts on Reddit for some sources.
For your artwork, find something that fits your show. At this point the artwork isn’t the most important thing. I mean it’s a plus if you can have some professional looking artwork but I honestly don’t think it’s going to make or break your show. Don’t make it too busy to where you can’t understand what’s going on in the image. Make sure the NAME is the most important part and that you can read it even at it’s lowest resolution. If nothing else, just pick a good looking font and type out your shows name NICE AND BIG. Make it a nice clean logo. Avoid cliches like microphones, headphones, cables etc. It’s a podcast: we get it! That stuff doesn’t need to be in your thumbnail.
You can always update it later so don’t worry! Bad artwork might hurt you but also no one is going to stay just because you have a nicely drawn thumbnail. You might get a few clicks here and there but if the show can’t stand on it’s own: the image won’t save you. No one’s going to say “This podcast isn’t very good…but MAN do they have some killer artwork!”
4. HIT RECORD and Have fun!
Once you have all that, you’re ready to go. Be totally in the zone while recording and have fun! Remember you can also edit out later if necessary. But I think you should strive to run a smooth show that doesn’t require you to have to edit out later. It makes for a better show in the long run and helps you to eliminate pointless chatter. But that all comes with time, practice and execution!
Pro Tip: Some people recommend building up a bank of shows (3-4 episodes) then release them all at once. They say it can create a bump in downloads and lead to a “feature” spot on iTunes. Not sure how true it is but it might be something to look into.
PODCAST D.I.Y 
This is pretty cool Miguel! Working in radi (as well), I’ve always been interested in creating a production of my own. Maybe we should work together sometime!!