Module 91 - How to start your own Blog and Podcast - based on my own trial & error experience

Special Edition Module - Website Building, Blogging, and Podcasting for Beginners

Completing the first step – Confirming your own commitment to your passion

I will start by saying that before you embark on a journey of entrepreneurship launching your own website, blog, and podcast, please make sure that this is something that you really want and ready to commit to long-term. There’s nothing worse than spending many hours or day of your precious time to launch a blog, to only abandon the idea few days, weeks, or months later. You will not receive your time and resources back, so unless you are very serious and determined towards starting something of your own, you may want to look another venture to where you will invest your time. However, I am going to assume here that you are serious, committed, and passionate about starting your own blog and podcast, thereby, ready to take on the challenge.

Finding a hosting and website building solution

When I was launching the heartandmindofaleader.com I had no idea where to start, all I had was an idea how I want for my site to look like and content that I want to share with the world. However, I had no idea about best hosting solutions available, best website builders that do not require any technical or coding knowledge to manage, and site that would be easy to update and maintain. So, I begun my online research of various website hosting providers, and there’s a lot of them out there, therefore, it took me several days to pinpoint two providers that I was going to test. First provider was Bluehost (bluehost.com), and second was Weebly (weebly.com). I started with Bluehost, it had many positive reviews from other bloggers and recommendations, so I registered, paid fees, and proceeded to designing my site. Bluehost is using WordPress site builder tools which are supposedly very simple and easy to use and update. However, after few hours of playing around with the site, trying to figure out how everything works in Bluehost and WordPress, I found it to be confusing and not as easy as everyone was describing the experience. Maybe it was just my lack of technical knowledge at the time that was the reason for my confusion and challenges I experienced with Bluehost, I don’t know, but I decided to leave Bluehost and give Weebly a try. This was the best decision I’ve made when launching my own site.

Weebly – Easy to Use and Manage Website Building and Hosting Solution

Weebly is a website building tool that I currently use to build, host, and manage the heartandmindofaleader.com, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. This is one of the easiest and great looking website building tools that I had come across thus far. Weekly uses simple drag and drop website building structure, which makes building and designing experience fun, versus being challenging, difficult, and frustrating. My blog was up and running in a matter of few minutes after completing registration. As I had mentioned earlier, I do not know much about coding, therefore, when I can simply drag the item that I want to add to my website, whether it is an image, video, audio file, or other media element, that’s what I call easy, simple, and convenient. So, if you are looking for a hosting solution and website builder for your blog and podcast give Weebly a try. I think you will really like.

Starting you own podcast

Unlike blog, podcast requires additional tools and resources in addition to hosting and builder tools mentioned earlier. You need a way to record and publish your podcast to other podcasting platforms for maximum exposure and to each listener outside of just your own site. Very few people use their laptop or desktop computer to listen to podcasts, instead, most people listen to podcasts on the go using their mobile device or tablet. Therefore, you should consider providing people access to your podcast show through different podcasting platforms, such as: Stitcher (stitcher.com), Libsyn (Libsyn.com), Podbean (Podbean.com), Google Play Music, and/or Apple iTunes.

Podcasting Recording Process

I begin my recording process using one of the audio recording tools called Total Recorder (Totalrecorder.com). You can use that one that works for you, but that is the one I found to be very easy to use to record my podcast episodes. I use Total Recorder when I am at home and able to use my home pc for the recording. Whenever I travel, I use standard audio recording apps already installed on my phone, then transfer the file to the podcast management platform I use and recommend – Libsyn.com. Libsyn is a very easy to use, as you can see I am all about making things easy, to manage and share your recorded audio episodes with your future or current listeners. You can easily connect your site to Libsyn with your unique RSS feed link, which can be obtained during the set-up process and being podcasting. Once your episode is published in Libsyn, you can schedule for it to go live immediately or at the specific day and time, then you can customize it however you like in Weebly (assuming that you use Weebly as your site builder), add images, look and feel that you want before publishing the episode on your own website. Remember, your recorded audio file must be in the MP3 format to be published in LIbsyn and many other podcasting platforms. If your recorded file is not already in MP3, there are many programs that you can find online to convert the file into MP3 format. Also, you would want to invest in a good microphone to record your shows. I use Blue Yeti usb microphone, and absolutely love it. Sound Quality does matter.

I hope this gives you some ideas, tools, and tips to help launch your first or next website, start your own business online, launch your podcast show, or begin blogging. Best of luck to you in your entrepreneurial journey!

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