How to Start and Grow a Successful Podcast

by Gilly Smith

The only guide you need to build a podcast from scratch with tips, techniques and stories from the pioneers of podcasting, by expert and early adopter Gilly Smith.

From This American Life's Ira Glass and George the Poet to the teams behind My Dad Wrote a Porno and Table Manners with Jessie Ware, this practical book is packed full of exclusive, behind-the-scenes advice and informative, inspiring stories that will teach you how to tell the greatest stories in the world.

This is a comprehensive yet accessible and warmly written book for creatives who are striving to understand how their content could be successfully turned into a podcast, from conception through to execution, distribution, marketing and monetising. It covers:
- Recognising who your show is for, deciding what it is about and where to find inspiration.
- Deciding on the format and working on structure and script.
- Hosting, casting and interview techniques.
- Production expertise - from equipment you'll need to editorial tips and determining the ideal length of your show.
- Distribution - deciding on a release schedule, show art, metadata and how to distribute.
- Growing your podcast - promotion and building community among fans.

With original material throughout, case studies from podcasters across genres and a companion podcast featuring interviews with the pioneers, this is a first in guides to podcasting.

208 pages, Paperback

Published June 28, 2022

Reviews

[Olivia Fgrs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good tips but hidden behind a lot of explanation, stories of podcasters. I believe the book could be half the amount of pages and be even more useful.
Good way to get our toes wet in the podcast world though.

[Janelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great intentions of this book let down by writing style.
Yes examples just they fill up the pages…
Have to hunt for useful info
There has to be a more helpful resource

[Nile · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a mixed bag. I feel like a more accurate title would have been "How to Start and Grown a Successful Podcast If You Already Have Industry Connections."

The author was a university teacher when she was tagged to host the Delicious podcast for the magazine of the same name and she mentions this fact...a lot. In fact sometimes it felt more like she was using the book as a means of marketing/humblebragging.

A lot of the stories and information she provides comes from people who were already working in the media industry and used those skills and connections to develop successful podcasts.

That being said there is some handy information here (especially in the first chapter where she gets you to think about the why of our podcast) but most of it is not for someone who is just starting a podcast on their own without media connections or training (read most podcasters).

[Alfie Hedgehog · Rating 2 out of 5]

Came to this book thinking I’d come out feeling empowered with podcasting knowledge and strategies that I can take out in the world. But after halfway through, I realised that there were little explanation and more examples. Sometimes to the point of me wondering where are the unique and useful tips and strategies that I desperately want to hear?

Felt too long to read this. Most of the explanation that were insightful could have been written half of the length of the book. Too many stories that felt disconnected to the initial idea of this book: to learn the myriad of ways to successfully create a podcast.

If you’re into reading about different stories of podcast and understand the author’s in depth creation of her own podcasts, then this is for you. Otherwise, move on!

[Cushla · Rating 3 out of 5]

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