Starting your own podcast can be a rewarding and exciting experience, but it can also be a bit daunting if you're not sure where to start. However, with the right planning and resources, starting your own podcast can be a breeze.
First and foremost, you need to decide what type of podcast you want to create. Whilst there are many genres out there - comedy podcasts, news and current events podcast, and much more - our personal favourite niche here at Monday & Co HQ is true crime podcasts.
Starting a true crime podcast can be a great way to share your passion for true crime stories with others. However, before you start, it's important to understand what makes a good true crime podcast.
Coming up with a name and brand for your true crime podcast
Just when you think the true crime genre has reached peak popularity, it just keeps growing bigger and bigger. For this reason, the true crime podcast world is quite saturated. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean you need to do what you can to stand out.
Once you have come up with your “thing” - meaning, will you only focus on cold cases, crimes from your own country, missing people, or something entirely different that speaks to you, it’s time for a name and a logo.
The name should be catchy, memorable, and relate to your content. In our research, we discovered this podcast name generator which may come in handy for you.
For your logo, it’s worth noting that Canva is an amazing graphic design tool - even if you’re a complete beginner. You can use endless templates and graphics to come up with a killer logo for your podcast and social media channels.
If you would rather leave the logo to the professionals, check out our fellow freelancers on Fiverr and Upwork for some affordable graphic design talent.
Understanding the research and writing process
Once you have your concept and theme, it's time to start planning your episodes. First and foremost, a good true crime podcast should be well-researched. This means that the host(s) should have a good understanding of the case they're discussing, and should be able to provide accurate and detailed information about it.
A compelling true crime podcast entails thorough research of your topic, creating an outline, and writing a script. It's important to have a clear and concise script that is easy to follow and keeps the listeners engaged.
You can also hire a freelance podcast scriptwriter online to help you with the research and scriptwriting process. These professionals can help you write a script for your podcast, which will ensure that your storytelling is clear and concise. As podcast ghostwriters, they will remain anonymous and not expect any credit.
Hiring a capable podcast scriptwriter will save you so much time and energy. All you will need to do is decide on a topic and leave them to work their magic on an engaging script. But, whether you decide to research and write your podcast alone, or hire a professional, the next step is the same - the recording phase.
Recording and editing your true crime podcast
Once your script is ready, you'll need to record your episodes. This can be done using a variety of different equipment, including a digital recorder, a USB microphone, or even your smartphone. It's important to have good-quality audio to make sure your listeners can hear you clearly.
After recording your episodes, you'll need to edit them. This includes cutting out any mistakes or dead air, and adding any music or sound effects that you want to include. There are a variety of different editing software programs available, including Audacity and GarageBand.
Uploading and promoting your true crime podcast
Once your episodes are edited, you'll need to upload them to a hosting platform. Some popular hosting platforms include Soundcloud, Podbean, and Libsyn. These platforms will provide you with a unique RSS feed that you can use to submit your podcast to different directories, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
Finally, you'll need to promote your podcast. This includes creating social media accounts for your podcast and reaching out to potential listeners through different platforms. Make sure to submit your podcast to different directories and promote it on various platforms to reach a larger audience. With a bit of effort and dedication, you can have your own podcast up and running in no time.
Gaining and maintaining a loyal audience
Now, this step is never complete because it requires an ongoing commitment. Before you even begin the process of starting your own true crime podcast, decide on a frequency - whether that is every Monday morning or every second Thursday, and make it achievable.
It is so important when building your brand, to stay consistent with your audience and follow through with your promised schedule. Of course, life happens, and things can get in the way, so perhaps it’s a good idea to have a few extra episodes pre-recorded for unexpected unavailability.
Making your own true crime podcast journey a little easier
At Monday & Co, we are freelance scriptwriters who are (for lack of a better word) obsessed with the true crime genre. We would love the chance to help an up-and-coming podcast by writing impressive scripts that will keep your audience on the edge of their seats.
We offer a signature weekly true crime podcast script subscription, where we will deliver a script to your inbox each and every week. You can guarantee it will be thoroughly researched and impeccably written.
If that’s a bit more commitment than you’re ready for, while you get your first taste of podcasting, we can also offer a one-off script so you can see what we’re all about.
Of course, please feel free to reach out to us with any questions, and we can provide samples on request.