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Podcast popularity has soared in recent years, and that trend likely won't stop anytime soon. With an increasing audience, more and more podcasters are stepping up to provide content they hope will be valuable to listeners.

But if you've ever thought about launching your own podcast, where do you start? Ted Kluck, associate professor of communication arts at Union University and a veteran podcaster himself, has some tips for aspiring podcasters.

1. Have a pre-existing audience of some kind.

Though he offers this tip partly in jest, an existing audience can certainly help make a podcast successful.

"When I started 'The Happy Rant' a decade ago, it came on the heels of 15 years publishing books and articles, and my co-hosts brought similar audiences to the table," Kluck says. "This helped kick things off for us, as we had 'pre-loaded' people who were familiar with us and our work. But if this doesn't apply to you, don't be discouraged!"

2. Listen to great podcasts.

Kluck began podcasting because he had an affinity for radio and that form of entertainment, largely because he grew up listening to funny people on morning drive radio. But he soon found podcasts he enjoyed as an audience member, and he picked up helpful information about what worked and what didn't.

Kluck says people generally listen to podcasts because they either love "being with" the hosts, or because they want to glean information. Which leads to ...

3. Decide which of the above models you're going to run with.

"If you're going to launch a 'fun hang' podcast, make sure you and your co-hosts have charisma together and decide, in general, what you're going to be talking about from episode to episode," Kluck says.

If you're launching a "glean information" podcast, it's important to make the podcast about something you know and feel comfortable talking about.

4. Record and release consistently.

For an audience to make you as a podcaster a consistent part of their life, they need to know when you're dropping new episodes and trust that consistency. So, Kluck says you need to make decisions about format, frequency and episode length.

"Then you'll want to strive for consistency in each of those areas, and get on top of the equipment you'll need to record," he says. "You can spend a lot on recording equipment, but a $50-$75 USB microphone and a laptop should be all you need to get started."

5. Market and monetize.

The runway to getting a podcast on platforms like Apple, Spotify and Google Play is really short. A quick internet search on "getting my podcast on platforms" will yield all the information you'll need regarding hosting and distribution.

Unfortunately, the runway to monetizing a podcast has gotten a lot longer, as the market has become increasingly flooded.

"That said, monetizing podcasts works on the same model as monetizing any other form of media — building an audience (the larger and more laser-specific the better) and then renting that audience to advertisers," Kluck says. "For example, my podcasts tend to be consumed by Christians, pastors, seminary students and parents. So it's been fairly easy to find advertisers (book publishers, Bible software, Christian colleges) who want to advertise to that demographic."

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MORE INFO:

You can hear more from Kluck on his "Gut Check Press" podcast, on his "Kluck" podcast or on Union's "Let's Talk About That" podcast with Kluck and Fran Thomas.

DID YOU KNOW?

In his role as a communication arts professor, Kluck advises the Cardinal & Cream, the student publication of Union University that was named Best Magazine of the South by the Southeast Journalism Conference in 2015, 2018, 2021 and 2022.