So you want to launch a podcast... That’s what I thought to myself back in 2019 when I launched WPCoffeeTalk. I learned by doing. (Which means I learned by making a LOT of mistakes.) Since then I’ve launched a few more podcasts, guested on even more, and co-host a few, too. Launching a podcast is amazing, but there’s a lot you need to take into consideration, and a lot of questions to ask yourself when you get started. Learn what to do (and what not to do) when you decide it’s time to start podcasting!

1. So You Want to Launch a Podcast
Lessons Learned Over 100+ episodes of WPCoffeeTalk,
Underrepresented in Tech, WPMotivate, and Audacity Marketing
Michelle Frechette
Director of Community Engagement, StellarWP
Podcast Barista, WPCoffeeTalk
@michelleames

2. How it began
May 2019 “wouldn’t it be fun to learn to podcast?”
Maybe I’ll get a few episodes and it will die a painful death
Who would even want to be on it?
June 2019: Holy cow...this thing is really taking off...
To Date: over 150 episodes recorded (122 published)
Oh, hey work team, by the way I launched a podcast

3. Welcome to the next episode of
WPCoffeeTalk
Where I get to talk to people in the
WordPress Community
all over the world
USA, Canada, Romania, UK, Spain, France, Israel,
The Netherlands, Pakistan, India, Germany, Austria,
Benin, Bangladesh, Australia, Nigeria, Mexico, South
Africa, Italy...so far...

4. The Format for WPCoffeeTalk
● Average 40 minutes
● Anyone in WordPress community
○ Anywhere
○ Any company
○ Well-known
○ Almost-unknown
● Everyone is asked the same set of questions
● (Almost) anything goes
●
I do reserve the right to NOT publish any episode

5. My Takeaways
People love to talk about themselves (which makes this easy)
Most guests haven’t listened to an episode before coming on
Many don’t read what I send them in advance to prepare
International scheduling will always be a pain
People are generous and kind
Rendering video can be very time-consuming

6. My Advice
Determine the format of your podcast
● Interview
● Multi-host dialogue
● Single-host dialogue
● Product review
● Topical

7. My Advice
If you choose interview format:
● Make it easy for people to ask to be on the show.
● But don’t make it easy for people to find your
scheduling link. Send that separately.
● Prepare your guest as much as possible
○ Page on your site with good information
○ Send them reminders and info with the booking
information
○ Send it again
○ Ask in advance if they have questions
○ Get as much information from them in advance
as possible via your intake form

8. My Advice
If you choose Multi-host dialogue:
● Determine your topic in advance when possible
● Spend at least 10 minutes prior to recording to go
over who will present what information
● Determine who will lead the conversation for that
episode
● But make sure you don’t overtalk too much prior to
starting to record. Save it for the show. :)

9. My Advice
If you choose Single-host dialogue:
● Do your research in advance
● Keep an eye on the clock
● Don’t fret over how you sound or any verbal noises
(I once sneezed in the middle of a long video
recording for an online event - but kept it in.
People sneeze!)

10. My Advice
Determine Frequency:
● Weekly? Monthly?
● Be OK with missing on occasion. Life happens.
Things come up.
● Stray from your format once in awhile for
opportunities like inviting a guest or doing a
review or recording from a live event .

11. My Advice
Choose equipment that helps you:
● It’s OK if you can’t afford a top-of-the-line mic at
first. Buy the best you can afford then upgrade
when you can.
● Same for a camera (if you’re doing video)
● And use a computer that has capacity to process
sound and video quickly. My old laptop was
ridiculously slow. It sometimes took 8 hours to
render 45 minutes of video.

12. My Advice
Choose software to make your life easier:
● Lots of people use Garage Band.
● I use Audacity for audio podcasting.
● I use Adobe Rush for video processing.
● But you can use what works for you!

13. My Advice
Prepare for disaster...but prepare more for success
● I didn’t expect anything to “take off”
● I launched on a Friday!
● I added Twitter as an afterthought
● I hoped I’d get someone to interview
● I had 12 signups by Monday

14. My Advice
Monetization:
● You don’t have to monetize. It’s up to you.
● If you DO want to monetize:
○ Ask for sponsors $$$
■ Post on social media
■ Create a page on the site for sponsors to
sign up
■ Do direct asks
○ Put a tip jar on the site
○ Put up an affiliate page with links

15. My Advice
Get the Word Out:
● Build social links
○ Engage with others.
○ Don’t expect followers if you don’t start by
following others.
○ Get involved in industry conversations.
● Send out press releases to industry news outlets
● Post in Slack channels
● Tag creators (carefully)
● Do outreach

16. My Advice
Learn How to Podcast:
● Listen to different podcasts and pay attention to what you
like about them.
● Take some classes (Joe Casabona’s courses are amazing).
● Ask for help from friends/colleagues who are doing it.
● Read up on podcasting ideas, topics, standards, etc.

17. My Advice
Build a Website for Your Podcast:
● Make sure no one else gets your domain name
● Have a place for signups
● Have a place for tips
● Have a place for sponsors
● Have a place for affiliate links
● Have a place for show notes and transcripts

18. My Advice
Most of all - Have Fun!:
● Don’t do it for the money - it takes awhile to get to that
● Don’t do it for the glory - it also takes time
● Don’t do it because you think you “should” - that’s never a
good reason
● Do it because you have a passion to share information
about your topic and this is a great way to do that

19. WPCoffeeTalk.com
UnderrepresentedInTech.com
WPMotivate.com
AudacityMarketing.com
@michelleames
michelle@stellarwp.com