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Course 14 · Create course 03

Launch a Podcast

Design a show people can recognize, record strong conversations or stories, distribute reliably, and earn repeat listening.

Before you start

Define the intended listener, listening situation, and reason the show should exist.

See everything you’ll need
What you’ll leave with

A trailer and three-episode launch package with production templates, hosting setup, distribution, and a growth loop.

Start course Start without an account. Sign in to save lesson progress across devices.

Your project

Start with the practice files. Build your project one lesson at a time.

Practice files are free without an account. Sign in to save your project record in My Proof: a description, checklist, and optional work link. Keep the original files in your own app or notebook; saving a project record does not upload them.

  1. Get your materialsDownload the practice worksheetUse the downloadable worksheet or toolkit alongside the lesson instructions.
  2. Make your projectView the project checklist Work in your own notebook, document, or software. Use the supplied practice examples when you prefer.
  3. Keep a private recordSave a project record Sign in to save a description and checklist, then return to update them.
Optional course overview

Watch an introduction.

This overview from Riverside introduces ideas you’ll practice in the lessons.

Watch directly on YouTube
RiversideHow to Start a PodcastYouTube
Course handbook

Know the route before you begin.

Here’s what you’ll need and what you’ll make. You can return to this guide during any lesson.

Who this is for

For a first-time independent host creating a sustainable interview, narrative, or conversational podcast with clear listener value and responsible production. The goal is a published three-episode pilot and repeatable system—not buying a studio before proving the show.

Prepare before lesson one
  • Define the intended listener, listening situation, and reason the show should exist.
  • Choose a format, realistic episode length, season size, and publishing cadence.
  • Inventory recording space, remote needs, microphones, headphones, software, and storage.
  • Prepare guest consent, music, clip, privacy, and sponsorship disclosure practices.
Your final project

Finish with proof you can use.

A three-episode pilot with a show brief, episode templates, tested recording chain, permissioned guests and assets, edited and transcribed masters, accessible show notes, valid feed and directory listings, launch materials, and a listener-feedback review.

Save a project record in My Proof
See project checklist and review criteria
  • A show guide with the listener promise, format, sections, release schedule, tone, and 12 episode ideas.
  • A tested recording setup, backup path, and reusable episode folder template.
  • An interview plan with research notes, questions in story order, and a list of facts to check afterward.
  • A mastered episode, accurate show notes, transcript, and final approval checklist.
  • A valid live feed, claimed show pages, published trailer, and secure access record.
  • A four-week launch calendar and a six-episode results table with one idea to test for growing the audience.
Three ideas to help you along the way
Three useful ideas

The rules behind the steps.

01

The show needs a sentence

A listener should understand who it serves, what happens, and why another episode is worth hearing.

02

Record for the edit

Room choice, microphone technique, isolated tracks, backups, and structured conversation determine how much can be fixed later.

03

Consistency must be affordable

A sustainable format and cadence beat an ambitious launch that collapses after two episodes.

What do these words mean?
Key words

Key terms worth knowing.

RSS feed
The structured file through which a podcast host distributes show and episode metadata to listening apps.
Dynamic range
The difference between quieter and louder parts of an audio signal.
Room tone
A short recording of the space's natural sound used to create smoother edits.
Double-ender
A remote recording in which each participant records a local high-quality track for later synchronization.
Loudness
Perceived average audio level, commonly measured for delivery in LUFS under platform or production guidance.
Your route

6 lessons.
One useful project.

Work in order the first time. Each lesson makes something the next lesson can use.

  1. 1
    Up next

    Design the show

    Create a format, promise, and production scope you can sustain.

  2. 2
    35 min

    Build the audio workflow

    Capture clean speech reliably and organize every recording for fast editing.

  3. 3
    32 min

    Prepare and interview

    Create conversations with structure, specificity, and room for discovery.

  4. 4
    40 min

    Edit and package the episode

    Shape the raw recording into a clear, accurate, good-sounding listening experience.

  5. 5
    30 min

    Host and distribute

    Create a valid feed, submit it to listening platforms, and control the show’s account access.

  6. 6
    31 min

    Launch and grow

    Create enough initial value for sampling, then grow through repeat listening and aligned distribution.

Use the tools

Tools to help you practice.

See all tools
Text worksheet

Your course practice worksheet

A text worksheet with this course’s lesson tasks, space for your answers, and a project checklist.

Source transparency

Sources and further study.

Explore the references behind the lessons and take your learning further. Source notes explain access and reuse.

Apple Podcasts for Creators
Spotify for Creators
Ready when you are

Start with the first useful move.

You’ll always know what to do, what to make, and where to go next.

Start lesson one