Have you ever thought about starting a podcast? As of 2022 there were over 2 million podcasts and growing. And YouTube in particular has established itself as a top podcasting platform. Launching your own podcast on YouTube provides all the benefits of a massive built-in audience and video format, without the hosting costs of other sites.
In this comprehensive 3000 word guide, you’ll learn how to record, edit, and upload podcast episodes to YouTube. Follow these beginner-friendly steps to turn your idea into a thriving channel. Let‘s get started!
Why YouTube is Great for Podcasting
Before we dig into the step-by-step process, let‘s overview some key advantages YouTube offers podcasters:
Huge reach – Over 2 billion logged-in users visit YouTube every month. This gives your podcast content instant access to a massive viewer base from day one.
Video expands options – While audio is still the core, having YouTube‘s video format allows you to augment episodes with visuals like a podcast logo.
Analytics – YouTube provides a rich set of viewer analytics so you can track plays, likes, comments, and subscriber growth to optimize your content.
Cost – Hosting your podcast on YouTube costs nothing and has no limits unlike dedicated podcast hosting sites. This removes overhead as you build an audience.
Credibility – Featuring "YouTube" in your podcast metadata communicates authority. This helps establish brand credibility which leads to more listeners.
So in summary – ease of getting started, built-in discovery mechanisms, free hosting, and analytics make YouTube a podcasting powerhouse!
Step 1: Gather Necessary Equipment
While some basic equipment is recommended, you can start a podcast on YouTube using just your smartphone! For best results here’s the recommended gear:
| Computer | Mac or PC to record and edit audio |
| Microphone | High-quality USB mic like Blue Yeti or audio-technica AT2020 |
| Recording Software | Audacity for editing audio files |
| YouTube | Channel to host your podcasts |
Optional equipment like pop filters, headphones, lighting, and cameras can improve production value. But focus first on quality audio capture through a dedicated USB microphone.
Ideally you‘ll want to record in a room with little to no background noise. A quiet space with some acoustic paneling works wonderfully.
Step 2: Set Up Your Podcast‘s YouTube Channel
If you don‘t already have a YouTube account, setting up a channel is fast and free:
- Sign up for YouTube account
- Choose channel name relevant to your podcast
- Upload channel logo and artwork
Once your account is ready, make sure to customize these elements:
Channel Art Banner – Create a vibrant 1600×900 pixel banner in Canva displaying your podcast logo and branding. This acts as the header people see when visiting your channel homepage.
Trailers – Craft a quick 15-60 second channel trailer video that communicates what your podcast is about and why people should subscribe. This runs automatically when visitors land on your page.
Sections – Organize your channel using public playlists around seasons and episode categories to make finding content easier.
Branding – Ensure thumbnails, titles, descriptions and metadata all use consistent text fonts, colors, logo placement that reinforce your brand.
This visual customization helps identify your channel as the home for your podcast content right from first glance!
Step 3: Record and Edit Each Episode‘s Audio
The backbone of any good podcast is audio quality. When recording, optimal levels typically peak between -18 dB to -12 dB. This prevents distortion while normalizing volume across episodes.
You can directly record into editing programs like Audacity or first capture audio in your mic‘s native software:
Edit each episode file using best practices:
✔️ Trim dead space at beginning/end
✔️ Reduce vocal pops and minimize background noise
✔️ Balance audio levels for consistency from episode to episode
✔️ Insert polished intro/outro bumpers along with any sound effects
Finally, export the cleaned up audio file as an 192-256 kbps MP3. This creates an optimized podcast file for online playback.
Step 4: Create Static Background Visuals
YouTube requires that all podcast uploads include video. A simple way to meet guidelines is to display your cover art or logo as a still background image.
Online graphic editing apps like Canva make designing static images for your YouTube podcast quick and easy:
Choose a bold background color that matches your brand palette
Upload your logo and podcast artwork
Add any extra text or visual flair
Export final image assets in JPG format conforming to YouTube‘s minimum size standards:
2560 x 1440 pixels (16:9 Widescreen HD)
1280 x 720 pixels (16:9 Standard SD)
Having this template artwork makes consistently branding episode visuals simple going forward.
Step 5: Convert Audio to Video
Now comes the fun part…combining your polished podcast audio with background visuals into a shareable video file.
While YouTube Editor works, free apps like Movavi Video Editor simplify this:
- Import recently exported MP3 audio file
- Import your JPG image backdrop
- Align audio and image tracks start times
- Export completed video as MP4 format
The final rendering packages your audio into a clickable YouTube-ready video.
Step 6: Upload Podcast Video to Channel
Ready to finally get your podcast on YouTube? Simply navigate to your channel‘s Video Manager upload tool:
- Click upload video 📼 button
- Select your podcast‘s edited MP4 file
- Enter engaging video title and description
- Input relevant tags to help with discovery
- Hit publish!
Monitor the upload process closely then preview to ensure your podcast looks and sounds crisp before sharing publicly.
Step 7: Promote New Episodes
While YouTube itself provides fantastic organic reach…you need to actively promote each episode upon release to maximize growth:
- Share new uploads on all social media networks
- Ask current subscribers to like👍, comment💬 and subscribe✔️ to help the YouTube algorithm
- Collaborate with influencers in your niche to access new audiences
- Analyze YouTube Analytics data religiously to optimize your content strategy and growth
Rinse and repeat consistently publishing and strategically marketing new episodes over time. This compounds viewership and your podcast succeeds!
FAQs: Your YouTube Podcasting Questions Answered
Still have questions? Here are answers to some commonly asked questions:
Can I just upload an audio MP3 file?
Unfortunately no. YouTube requires all podcast uploads to include both visual and audio components combined into video file formats.
What equipment do I need to get started?
At minimum, you can record directly into your smartphone or computer mic. But for best results, invest in a proper USB condenser mic like the Blue Yeti along with audio editing software.
How long should my podcast episodes be?
There are no rules set in stone. However most tend to run between 20 to 40 minutes in length. Testing different formats from quick 5 minute shorts to hour long deep dives allows you to see what your audience best responds to over time.
Can I make money from my YouTube podcast?
Absolutely! Once your channel becomes eligible, enabling the YouTube Partner Program allows you to earn a percentage cut of all revenue generated from mid-roll ads placed within your podcast videos.
What style YouTube podcasts work best?
Conversational formats consistently engage listeners. Structured shows like solo hosts guiding an episodic narrative or interviews provide engaging replayable long form content.
I sincerely hope this guide gives you exactly what‘s needed to start turning your passion into a thriving YouTube podcast. Believe in yourself and get creative! Wishing you tremendous success 😀
