Put your Quarantine Epiphanies to good use. Share it with the world. Create your own podcast. Make it a success.

If you’re looking for a creative outlet for all your profound realizations this entire time you’ve been social distancing, worry not. There is a perfect outlet for that, and you can even get others to chime in and engage: the podcast.

It’s chatty, it’s fun, and you can make it on your own. Here are seven essentials you’ll need in your Podcast Starter Kit:

Do Your Research

Not just on what topics are trending nowadays, but what kind of podcasting formats work. Having information on how the podcast community functions and relates with each other can help you better position your own show when you’re ready. In other words, your passion and determination, while good on their own, are not the only things you need. You need a plan, a solid one, and you can have this by doing your homework before setting out to action.

Be Inspired

You’re still finding your voice so don’t be afraid to turn to other podcasts that can serve as a working model for you. Feel free to look around, see what’s out there, so to speak. But ideally, the most efficient way is for you to focus on podcasts that are going to be close to the one you have in mind.

There are plenty of podcast shows out there as it is, so don’t beat around the bush, weed out the good from the bad, and take note of what the good shows are doing right so you can incorporate it into your own.

For example, if you’re into art and design topics, you can listen to shows like Creative Mind, Academy of Art University’s official podcast show. There are many other options, of course, but the important thing is that you find the show that will serve as a guide for your own.

Build Your Own Format

How long is your intended airtime? Will you need segments to organize the flow and structure of the show? What is the frequency and cadence of your episodic releases? Will you have guests for each episode?

These are but some of the basic questions you need to answer when building out your podcast. It might be tempting to just wing it, but if you truly want a successful show that will be sustainable in the long run, then you must build its foundations right.

Start Clear, Finish Strong

The key to grabbing the attention of your audience is by giving a clear focus of what you are going to serve to them. Make it interesting and exciting. Now, you don’t want to reveal everything in your intro, but instead you want to leave some room for surprises. You want to take your audience into a journey with you instead of flatly giving them all the details in one go. So be clear with your intentions, but keep them curious.

Needless to say, you must deliver good content so that they will stay throughout the show. Don’t get complacent, though. You want your ending to be just as strong as your start is clear. Invite them to the next episode, and hopefully, if they liked what you presented, they will come back for more.

Find Your Own Voice

Unless you already have some sort of broadcasting or podcasting experience, this may take you a while to develop. That’s okay, take your time. Finding your own voice isn’t something that you can pick up reading a book or listening to other podcasts. This is one of those things that you can only achieve by doing.

This is crucial to having a successful podcast because this is what will let you stand out from the rest. The podcast arena is crowded enough as it is. What value are you bringing to the table? Find your voice–or if you don’t have one, create one–and put a unique stamp on your show.

Be Versatile, but Consistent

These are not two opposing concepts. You can be versatile–and you ideally should be–when it comes to coming up with topic ideas. But you have to be consistent when it comes to the quality of your output. Remember, your podcast carries your brand of production, so always have your best foot forward.

Have Fun

This is probably the simplest but most effective way to get and keep your audience engaged. While some people turn to podcasts for something more informational or educational, there are those who just want to have a fun conversation. And that’s what you have to deliver.

So have fun, because if you’re having fun doing your podcast, the audience will naturally hear it. And really, who doesn’t want to be a part of a cool, fun, informational conversation?

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Academy of Art University offers its various art and design degrees, such as Communications & Media Technologies, which includes podcasting in the curriculum, to help you reach your career goals. You can also earn your degree online completely. Get in touch with our admissions representatives to request information. Apply now if you’re ready to join our art school community.