Ideas for your first podcast episode
It’s happening.
You’re finally launching a podcast.
You’ve been thinking about it, planning it, buying the gear, deciding not to do it, then deciding you want to do it, then getting scared, putting the gear back in the cupboard, then getting it back out, then realising you really just need to do it.
You know, all the normal emotions that fresh podcasters go through.
You get over the initial hurdle of committing to the process, but then you start thinking what that first episode needs to be like.
It needs to be amazing.
The kind of episode that someone will listen to and think, “This is possibly the greatest podcast in the history of the world. I’m hooked and I will now be a raving fan forever. I will give them my first born child as gratitude for how good this podcast episode is.”
Sure, that’s one way to attack your first episode.
You’ll probably break out in hives as a result of the pressure that you’ve put on yourself, but it’ll be worth it for the fans.
Right?
Nope. It’s not worth it.
I’m here to tell you that you need to chill the flip out about your first episode.
It doesn’t need to be the best thing ever, it doesn’t even need to be close to the best thing ever.
It just needs to be good enough.
Don’t Overthink Your First Episode
One of the most significant bits of advice I can offer is not to overthink your debut episode. Yes, it's important, but it's not the definitive measure of your podcast’s success. especially if you're new to podcasting and don’t yet have a substantial following or community, your first episode is a stepping stone rather than the final word.
Your listeners won't be judging you harshly at the onset. Remember, they understand you’re just getting started (you could even draw attention to that fact). So, while it’s natural to want your first episode to be excellent, don’t let the quest for perfection paralyze you. Getting started and growing over time is what truly matters in this medium.
Understand Your Podcast’s Purpose and Genre
The content of your first episode should align with the type of show you’re creating. Is your podcast meant to be comedic, business-focused, or perhaps a personal journal? The genre will greatly influence the structure and substance of your initial episode. For example, a comedy podcast should debut with an episode that’s genuinely funny to draw listeners in. Similarly, if your show involves interviewing guests, think about how to feature those conversations engagingly from the get-go.
Avoid Using Your Best Guest First
It may seem counterintuitive but don’t put your biggest, most exciting guest as your opening act. I’d suggest saving high-profile interviews for later, perhaps around the 10th or even the 20th episode. This strategy helps you gradually build your audience before bringing out the heavy hitters, giving those major episodes the attention they deserve.
Pre-record Multiple Episodes
One practical tip is to pre-record several episodes—maybe five or six—before deciding which will be your official debut. This allows you to gauge which episode stands out after you’ve done some post-production work. Deciding after the fact gives you the flexibility to choose the best possible content to introduce your audience to your podcast.
Establishing Yourself in the Initial Episodes
In those critical first few episodes, it’s crucial to establish who you are and what your show is all about. Even if your podcast will feature guest interviews, consider kicking off with solo episodes where you share your background, your passion, and why you’re starting this podcast. Your audience needs to get to know you and build a connection with you as their host.
The goal is to create a bond, making listeners feel like they truly know who you are. Personal branding extends beyond voice—think about your visual presence, energy, and overall way of communication.
A Balanced Launch Strategy
For an effective podcast launch, consider releasing between three and five episodes in your first week. This blitz approach offers new listeners a variety of content right away, allowing them to get a feel for what your podcast is all about. This also helps establish a consistent posting frequency, making it more likely for listeners to subscribe and keep coming back for more. I have an in-depth launch strategy that you can follow here if you’re looking for advice.
So please don't stress too much about this first episode, be as personable as you're comfortable with, and offer an honest introduction to who you are and what your podcast aims to achieve. Prepare multiple episodes to give yourself choices, and consider a broader launch strategy. Focus on building rapport with your audience from day one, and let your podcast grow organically over time.
Transcript:
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[00:00:00] Brianna: I'm answering a question here on the channel today that I got from a YouTube subscriber. Shout out to VictoriaDixon941 who asked, Do you have a video on what your first ever podcast should be? The first video has to be good enough to give the people a taste and want to come back for more. So what should you do?
[00:00:29] So this is a very common question, especially when I'm doing consults with people within the how to get started consult sessions that I do. Let's get into some ideas that I have around what you could do for your first ever podcast episode. The very first place to start is actually a trailer episode.
[00:00:48] And I've got a separate video where I break down the importance of the trailer episode, why it exists, why you really need to do one. And so I'd recommend that you actually go watch that one for the trailer episode. But not what we're talking about today is the actual first ever podcast episode that isn't a trailer.
[00:01:05] There are so many ways that you can take this first episode thing, but the most important thing I want you to remember is not to overthink it. When you're starting a new podcast, if you've never podcasted before and you don't potentially have a giant social following or a massive community online, what you have as your first episode isn't going to be the be all and end all of everything that you do.
[00:01:31] You're not going to be judged super harshly on this first episode. So that's the first thing I really want you to be aware of is if it's kind of holding you back a little bit because you're like, uh, I want my first episode to be really good. Yeah, that's cool. That's great. But one of the biggest Best things about starting a podcast and having a podcast generally is the growth that you achieve over time.
[00:01:54] So when you look at any show and you go back and you listen to their first ever episode, [00:02:00] it's normally not that great because they're testing the waters. They don't really have their voice yet. They don't know what they're going to say that the show kind of evolves as they go along. It's one of the reasons why I love this medium.
[00:02:12] Don't overthink it. Don't go, oh man, it has to be just such a great episode. Try your best, but know that done is better than perfect in this space. We really want you to just get some stuff out there and then grow and evolve over time from there. In saying that, there's a few things that you can kind of set up to make sure that you're delivering the best content that you can with the experience that you have and the knowledge that you have.
[00:02:42] What I'd like you to look at first is what kind of podcast you're actually creating. So is it a show where it's entertainment focused? It's, you know, something that's supposed to be funny. Is it for a business community? Is it marketing for your? Actual services. Is it a branded podcast that has products associated with it?
[00:03:04] Is it artsy? Is it personal journals? Is it supposed to be authentic and real and raw? The kind of show that you're creating will change. dictate the kind of first episode that you have as well. So once you understand that, let's say it's a comedy podcast, you will want your first episode to be hilarious.
[00:03:26] Okay? Because that's, what's going to bring them back. It's gotta be something that's going to make them laugh. Or it's going to be with a particularly good guest, or you've established a good rapport with the co host that you have. I would make sure that you've recorded maybe five or six episodes before you even decide which episode is going to be your first one.
[00:03:49] Because in that process of editing, If you're doing the editing and things yourself, you will find out, you will establish what kind of the best episode is after you've [00:04:00] done a little bit of post production on it. I wouldn't. nail down and go, I'm, this is definitely the first episode until I'm really sure of what else is happening, what else is going on.
[00:04:11] So establish the kind of genre, the kind of show that you're trying to do, and then make sure that that first episode makes it super clear what that show is. If your podcast is going to be a lot of sort of guests, so maybe it is interviews, then this is really key here to establish which guests should I run with first.
[00:04:34] And again, this is why I say definitely record a bunch before you decide what you actually want to solidify as your first episode. I wouldn't put your front runner. As your first episode, I wouldn't have your absolute best guest as episode number one, I would probably wait till episode 10 or so for your actual, like amazing, awesome, the best guests, the biggest guests that you could potentially get 10, maybe even 20 episodes in that's when I'd start to pepper in some guests that are a little bit, maybe higher profile to begin with.
[00:05:09] You're trying to establish more of your niche, you're trying to get used to having conversations with people. So it's not going to be something where I would go, yep, put your awesome big guests right at the front of your podcast, because they're going to very quickly get overshadowed by all the other episodes that you have coming out.
[00:05:28] I have an episode on this channel and on the podcast where I talk about the actual launch plan and what I recommend that you do within that beginning phase of your podcast. In that big launch strategy that I recorded there, you'll note that I actually say that you should potentially try and release.
[00:05:45] Between three and five episodes in that first week of your podcast being live. And so with that in mind, whichever one you do first, doesn't really matter that much because it's a spread of really [00:06:00] solid content over that initial week to get that listener. Ready for what's to come for you. So this is where you're building the connection with people where you're establishing what the show is and where you're feeling like they start to get a very clear idea as to what they're actually subscribing to, what they're signing up for.
[00:06:20] So that first episode in the grand scheme of things, Isn't as important as what you've got coming out over the next maybe five ten twenty episodes I do often like to have that first episode be something where it's just getting you used to being on camera And it's getting you used to feeling like you can Communicate with people in this way and so often I do recommend even if it is a guest based You Podcast where you're interviewing people.
[00:06:51] Your first couple of episodes aren't guests. It's just you solo establishing who you are and the rapport that you have with the actual listener, with the person that's watching you. This is where you can start to build a little bit of why would they bother listening to me? Why would they bother thinking that I'm a good person to be an interviewer?
[00:07:11] They've got to get to know you before they feel like they are interested enough relying on you to be a good host. To interview other people. So this is that kind of background. It's almost like dating in that first few episodes where you start to establish who you are and why they should listen to you.
[00:07:30] So these topics could be around your background, particular case studies or stories that you have sharing a little bit, not necessarily about your life, but some sort of hook. There always has to be a story involved. Because podcasting is a storytelling medium. It's just like songwriting. I mean, I was a songwriter and still am for over a decade.
[00:07:52] And that's the part, that's the part that people want to hear about. They want to hear where you came from. [00:08:00] And why you are a person that they want to get to know, that they want to get to love and that they want to follow. And so make sure that you establish that within those first few episodes of your podcast.
[00:08:11] And if you are listening to this and you're like, well, I've already, I've already got a podcast and I'm 20, 30, 40 episodes in, that's okay. Do it now. Do it now, go back, reintroduce yourself and let people know who you are. And I don't mean like airing all your dirty laundry. I mean, you don't know a heap about me personally here.
[00:08:33] Uh, that's not it, but it is about being able to speak in a way, to craft stories in a way, to engage with your audience in a way where they think you are. Feel like they get to know you. These are those little intricacies, your background, your branding, the colors that you wear, how your hair is, how you communicate your smile, how much energy you have in your videos.
[00:08:54] That stuff's the thing when you're listening and watching me right now. I'm quite animated and not everyone's going to love that, but people will, there'll be a person out there that's watching this right now. That's like, yay, you know, Brianna is a great, and that's cool. I'm talking to you. Okay. So you have to think about that for yourself.
[00:09:13] How much of yourself are you willing to put on the screen to put in audio? How much are you going to relax into just showing you? That is something that I would recommend in those first few episodes. Hone that in, get people aware of who you are, what you can bring to the conversation, why they should follow you and establish that with some solo episodes, and then from there start to introduce guests.
[00:09:44] The kind of guests that you have and the kind of topics that you have will be totally dependent on the niche that you're in and the kind of podcast that you're creating. So I can't really give you advice on that without knowing more strategically who you are If it's something that you feel like you [00:10:00] really want some help with, like nailing that down, doing a little bit of a content plan, talking about a strategy, Then you can absolutely book in a consult with me on the consult link that I'll put in the description below where we can just chat.
[00:10:13] I can get to know you. I can get a bit of a feel for who your show is for, who you are, what you're trying to do, what you're trying to sell, what it is. And then we start to think a bit more strategically about what these podcast episodes could be, who they're targeting, and how to spread that most effectively.
[00:10:30] I love doing those. I do these consults all the time. All the time. It's always a heap of fun. But VictoriaDixon9491, thank you for this question. What should I do for my first episode? My recap is, don't worry about it too much. Don't overthink it. But share your personality as much as you can, as much as you feel willing to.
[00:10:51] Show them who you are so that it feels like they're They can start to love you because once they like you, once they know you, once they trust you, then they will keep coming back for more because you've established your rapport and they feel like you're someone that they actually want to connect with on a deeper level.
[00:11:10] Think about your niche. Think about who the target is. Think about the kind of podcast you're wanting to create, build a slate of episodes up to 20 that you can pull your kind of good ones out and you're not so good ones out and spread them over that first 20 episodes. So you're hitting some goals and you're trying some things as well.
[00:11:33] That's my recommendation for you today for what you should do for your first episode. I hope you've enjoyed it. Have a good day.
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