So you want to start a podcast? 13 questions to ask first

Hey everyone! Let me first say how incredibly grateful and overwhelmed I am by how many of you subscribed to this newsletter as well as the great feedback on the first edition. It puts the pressure on going forward to write something that’s worthy of your time, which is a wonderful thing to have as a creator. To that end, do comment or DM me with any and all feedback, newsletter ideas, or questions you might have that you’d like to hear me opine on. I love hearing from you.?

I have been obsessed with podcasts for the better part of the past decade. My love of the medium, as it does for so many, goes all the way back to Serial, and my close attention to the space writ large goes back to when Nicholas Quah (now the podcast critic at Vulture) started his influential newsletter Hot Pod.?

And while over the years I’ve had many ideas and aspirations to start my own podcast or at least work on a show, even applying for radio jobs here and there, the spark to actually get going didn’t really come. Luckily, as I progressed in my content marketing roles at companies like Refinitiv and LSEG, I got to learn loads and get practical experience producing and launching podcasts and video series, eventually leading a small team of producers and strategists and partnering with some wonderful audio experts along the way.

But it took until this year to finally start my own, Connection Request, which just wrapped its first season last week. In Season 1, I was lucky enough to interview business executives, journalists, entrepreneurs, artists and a local state senator about why they do what they do, their journey, and what they’ve learned along the way.?

As such, podcasts have occupied a fair amount of my brain for a long time, and I’ve spent a considerable amount of energy thinking and learning about the ins and outs of starting and running a podcast. Even though the podcast explosion of the past several years feels like we’ve hit a new saturation point, it can still be an effective way to tell a story, deliver a message, or capture a conversation someone else might want to hear. Since I often get asked for advice on how to start a podcast and what to think through, I thought I’d jot down a few thoughts on the questions to ask yourself as you start to help frame what you’re actually trying to do.

Questions to ask when starting a podcast?

In no particular order

1. Who is your audience?
2. Will your show be more evergreen or ephemeral??
3. What are some reference points for podcasts or shows that you want to borrow from?
4. Conversely, what about your show will be different from others out there? What makes yours unique and special??
5. How much of yourself or your brand do you want to be the star (as opposed to a guest, perhaps)??
6. Do you have the time, resources, passion and energy to commit to this for an extended period of time??
7. How do you plan to distribute and market the show and build your community over the long term??
8. Will your show be narrative and story-driven, interview-based, conversational with another host, full of segments? What feels right for the story or message you have to tell??
9. What are your goals for the show, and how will you measure success?
10. How will you solicit feedback, and how will you handle criticism??
11. If only a handful of people listen to the first few episodes, what will your reaction be?
12. Will you have a video element to the show, or will it be audio only??
13. Finally, how do you want people to feel after listening to your show?

There are many others to be thinking of - we haven’t even gotten to anything about logistics, guest booking, production and editing, and loads more. But I think if you ask and answer these, you’ll get a good enough sense of what to do next.?

For those of you who have done this, what am I missing? What other questions do you think are important to ask? Let me know in the comments.?

Of course, if you need some help thinking through these questions, or could use an extra set of hands, I’m always happy to chat.?

Link Mix???

• The plane lady memes are funny, sure. But how would you feel if the worst day of your life suddenly went viral? (For anyone remotely interested in this subject, I highly, highly recommend Jon Ronson’s So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed. I think about it all the time).?
• ICYMI, my mental health story
• Why aren’t there more union stories onscreen?
• Great Radiolab deep dive on Section 230. Did not know that it was only 26 words!?
• Why are drug dealers putting fentanyl in everything??
• Why child stars are set up to fail?

Music Mix

• What was I made for? (Live from Lollapalooza)
• Fred again…: Tiny Desk
• New S. Carey ft. John Raymone: Transient?
• Easy to love (Okudaxij)

Shrug Diaries?is a production of?Shrug Content, a content and consulting studio based in Minnesota, operating globally. Our offerings include content & editorial strategy, podcast production, LinkedIn coaching, website development, and more. Shrug Content is also the producer of the podcasts?Connection Request?and?Climate. Money. Work.?Learn more at?shrugcontent.com.