How to Start a Podcast with No Audience: The Ultimate Guide for Jumpstarting Your Show

Are you wondering how to start a podcast but you don’t have any experience or audience?

It’s no secret that starting a podcast can be a daunting task. Not only do you have to worry about coming up with content, but you also have to find ways to market and promote your show in order to attract listeners. And if you’re just starting out, it can be even more difficult to build an audience from scratch.

But don’t let that discourage you! There are plenty of ways to start a podcast, even if you don’t have a built-in audience.

In this guide, I’ll show you some of the best ways to get your show off the ground and attract listeners from day one.

First, let’s start with some basics!

*Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.

What is a Podcast?

A podcast is essentially an audio show that can be downloaded and listened to on a variety of devices. Podcasts are usually episodic, meaning they’re released on a regular schedule (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc.), and most shows release new episodes on a consistent basis.

What Do I Need to Start a Podcast?

In order to start a podcast, you’ll need a few basic things:

A microphone: This is probably the most important piece of equipment you’ll need. There are a lot of different types of microphones out there, but for podcasting, you’ll want to make sure you get a good-quality USB microphone.
Recording software: In order to record and edit your podcast episodes, you’ll need some sort of recording software. There are a few different options out there, but I recommend Audacity, which is a free and open-source program.
A hosting platform: Once you’ve recorded and edited your episode, you’ll need somewhere to host it. There are a number of different hosting platforms out there. One of the easiest and most affordable solutions would be using Buzzsprout.
A website (Optional): While not strictly necessary, it’s also a good idea to set up a website for your podcast. This can be a great way to promote your show and attract new listeners. You will also have much more control over your content.

How to Start a Podcast with No Audience

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of starting a podcast with no audience. Here are some of the best ways to get your show off the ground and attract listeners from day one.

1. Create great content

This one should go without saying, but it’s important to remember that your number one priority should be creating great content. If your episodes are boring, poorly produced, or just not interesting, you’re not going to attract many listeners. So, take the time to plan out your show, come up with engaging topics, and make sure your audio quality is good.

Here are the steps to take to make sure your content is top-notch:

Step #1: Define your target audience

Who are you trying to reach with your podcast? What topics will they be interested in? What kind of tone do you want to strike? Answering these questions will help you come up with ideas for episodes and ensure that your content is on-brand.

Step #2: Choose a format

There are a lot of different ways to structure your podcast episodes. You can do interviews, solo shows, roundtable discussions, or anything else you can think of. Pick a format that you’re comfortable with and that will be engaging for your listeners.

Step #3: Plan your episodes

Once you have a format in place, it’s time to start planning out your episodes. This is where you’ll come up with topics, guest lists, questions, etc. Make sure to leave some room for spontaneity, but it’s always helpful to have a general plan in place.

Step #4: Record your first episode

You’ll need to:

Start by writing a podcast script or outline
Choose a place free of noise or anything that can compromise the audio quality
Prepare your tools. Ideally, you should invest in a quality micro and a good camera. This will make a massive difference in the quality of your content and your audience will notice it.

Step #5: Edit your audio

You don’t want to use the raw audio for your podcasts. If you want to get great results, I suggest you use a tool like Audacity, which is free. There are a number of tutorials available online to help you get started. This is where you’ll clean up any audio issues, cut out any dead space, and generally make sure your episode sounds good.

Step #6: Set Up your podcast on your platform

All you need to do now is to set up your selected Podcast platform and upload your content.

For instance, if you chose Buzzsprout, go to Podcast Setting inside Buzzsprout to fill in your podcast title, artwork, and description. This information helps you appear in search engine queries.

Next, drag and drop your file into the dashboard and then schedule when you want it to go live. As simple as that!

Step #7: Promote your episodes

There are a number of ways to do this, but some of the most effective to get started are:

Share your podcast with friends and family
Create ads. You can create them on social media platforms, Google, or even your podcast platform
Share on all your social media networks
Join relevant Facebook groups and other related forums to share it

2. Build an engaged online community

If you want to succeed in podcasting, it’s important to build an engaged online community. This can be done in a number of ways, but some of the most effective include social media, email marketing, and guest blogging.

Social media: One of the best ways to build an engaged online community is through social media. Create accounts on all of the major platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) and use them to promote your podcast. Make sure to post interesting content, engage with other users, and generally be active on the platforms.
Email marketing: Another great way to build an engaged online community is through email marketing. Start by building a list of subscribers and then send them regular updates about your podcast. Make sure to include links to new episodes, blog posts, and other relevant content.
Guest blogging: Guest blogging is another great way to promote your podcast and attract new listeners. Find blogs that are relevant to your topic and pitch them a guest post about your podcast. This is a great way to get exposure for your show and attract new listeners.

3. Leverage Your Existing Network

If you want to start a podcast with no audience, one of the best things you can do is leverage your existing network. This means reaching out to your friends, family, colleagues, and anyone else you know and asking them to listen to your show. It might seem like a lot of work, but it’s worth it if you can get even a few people to listen to your podcast.

Follow the following simple steps to leverage your existing network:

Step #1: Make a list of everyone you know

The first step is to make a list of everyone you know who might be interested in your podcast. This includes family, friends, colleagues, and anyone else you can think of.

Step #2: Reach out to them individually

Once you have a list of people, it’s time to reach out to them individually. Send them an email, give them a call, or just send them a message on social media. Let them know about your podcast and why you think they would like it.

Step #3: Ask them to listen and subscribe

The last step is to ask them to listen to your podcast and subscribe. This might seem like a lot to ask, but it’s important to be persistent. You can even offer a little incentive and ask them to share it with more friends or family.

If you can get even a few people to listen to your podcast, it will make a big difference.

4. Focus on quality

If you want to start a podcast with no audience, it’s important to focus on quality. This means putting in the time to plan and produce high-quality episodes. It might seem like a lot of work, but it’s worth it if you can get even a few people to listen to your podcast.

Here are a few tips to help you produce high-quality episodes:

Plan each episode carefully: Before you start recording, take the time to plan each episode carefully. Decide on a topic, guest, or format, and then outline the episode. This will help you stay on track and make sure each episode is high quality.
Invest in good equipment: Another important thing to focus on is investing in good equipment. This includes a microphone, headphones, and software. If you have the budget, it’s also worth hiring a professional editor.
Practice: Finally, make sure to practice before you start recording. This will help you sound natural and avoid any awkward pauses.

5. Promote, Promote, Promote

Once you’ve created your podcast and built an engaged online community, it’s time to start promoting your show.

To promote your podcast effectively, you need to make sure that you’re reaching your target audience. This means posting interesting content, engaging with other users, and generally being active on the platforms. Then use some of the methods described previously to reach more people, such as social media platforms, forums, email, etc.

Also, I suggest you check these 10 Niche Marketing Strategies To Boost Your Business. This will help you big time.

6. Be patient

Finally, it’s important to be patient when starting a podcast with no audience. It takes time to build an engaged online community and promote your show effectively. Don’t expect results overnight, but if you keep at it, you will eventually see the fruits of your labor.

Building an engaged online community is essential for any podcaster, but it takes time and effort. If you’re patient and focus on quality, you will eventually see your hard work pay off.

The key to success is to keep at it and never give up. With time, perseverance (and great content), you will eventually build a loyal audience for your show.