With the availability of efficient tools and inexpensive distribution, you’re running out of excuses. You can create your first podcast simply by dialing a phone number at AudioBlog or Odeo. Or, you can invest in elaborate studio equipment to produce a podcast that wouldn’t sound out of place on NPR. Either way, a few simple steps can get you off the fence and onto the iPods of your eager audience.

Choose Your Niche. Start your podcast production process by understanding what you’re going to cover during your podcast. While audiences for major broadcast personalities might tolerate subject matter that’s all over the map, your first podcast should stay consistent to your experience and to your passions. When your audience hears your passion for a topic, you can infect them with your enthusiasm. If they can’t predict what you’re going to present each week, don’t expect to stay on their subscription list for very long.

Learn About Your Audience. Understand whom it is that you’re building this podcast for. If you’re a hobbyist looking for some fun, you can simply make a podcast for yourself to listen to. However, successful podcast producers understand the ancient principle of entertainment – “give them what they want.” A podcast that takes its audiences wants and needs into consideration will last longer and gain more subscribers than an audio series that feels indulgent or self-serving.

Record Your First Podcast. Don’t wait until you’ve got everything “just perfect.” Use the tools at hand to start recording right now! If you only have the resources to call in an audioblog, then go for it. If you have a professional studio at your disposal, use it! It doesn’t matter where you are on the technical spectrum. What matters is starting a flow of information that audiences can track. As the number of podcasts grows every month, it will become harder and harder to grow audience fast. The sooner you start your podcast, the more listeners you’ll earn.

Build Your Feed. Starting a podcast is a lot like launching a television station. If you start on Channel 17, your audience will expect you to stay on Channel 17. Therefore, plan for the long haul when setting up your podcast feed. Either set up a URL on a domain that you own, or set up an account with a third-party feed tracking service like FeedBurner. That way, if you change podcast hosting accounts or shift around on the web, your listeners will still be able to track down your latest podcasts.