How to Start a Podcast on YouTube

To start a podcast on YouTube, you need a show idea, a recorded episode, and a YouTube channel. MicRelay helps you record with guests or a co-host on separate schedules. The Stitch feature automatically combines the recorded clips into one video. You export the finished video, upload it to YouTube, and add it to your podcast. You can make your first episode without arranging a live call or buying a studio setup.

Choose the kind of show you want to make. MicRelay gives you options for all three:

• A host and guest: Record yourself asking questions and send your guest the private link. They record their answers on their schedule, and the Stitch feature automatically combines your questions and their replies into one episode.
• A show with multiple hosts: You and your co-host can use Podcast Mode to trade recorded turns. One person starts the conversation, the other watches and replies, and you keep going without needing to be online together.
• A faceless YouTube channel: Send text-only questions and let your guests provide the video answers. MicRelay creates written question clips for the episode, so you can run the show without appearing on camera or recording your voice.

Start with one conversation people will want to hear. You can work out the longer-term schedule after you've recorded and published an episode.

Choose your subject and who you'll record with

Decide who the show is for and what they'll get from watching it. A show about local businesses could ask owners how they found customers. A gardening show could compare what people grow in small spaces. A career show could ask people what their jobs are really like.

Choose one subject for the first episode and write a few questions. "How did you find your first customer?" is easier to build a conversation around than "Tell us about business." Ask for examples, mistakes, and what the guest would do differently.

MicRelay gives you two ways to record the conversation. For an interview, prepare your questions and send a private link for the guest to answer. In Podcast Mode, you and your co-host trade recorded turns: one person records, the other watches and replies, and you continue until the episode is done.

If you'd rather stay off camera, use text-only interview questions. MicRelay can include written question clips before the guest's video answers. Our faceless YouTube guide explains that approach.

Record your episode in MicRelay

You can start with your phone. Put it on a stable stand at eye level, face a light or window, and choose a room without background noise. For a landscape episode, turn the phone sideways before recording and check the preview.

Make a short test and listen back. Ask your guest to do the same. Clear sound and a steady picture matter more than an expensive background. Our budget podcast guide covers what you need to begin.

1. Create the interview or podcast in MicRelay. Add your questions or record the opening turn.
2. Send the private link. Your guest or co-host records when they have time, without joining you on a live call.
3. Watch the replies. Record the next podcast turn, or create and publish follow-up interview questions and share the follow-up link.
4. Put the episode together. The Stitch feature automatically combines your recorded clips into one video. Review the episode and export it for YouTube.

Each person records on their own device. The camera, sound, lighting, and settings still affect the result, and an internet connection is needed to open the recording page and upload clips. You don't have to keep a live conversation connected throughout the episode.

Before exporting from MicRelay, check the beginning and ending, the order of the answers, and any question text. Get to the main conversation promptly. A first episode doesn't need a long introduction or animated opening.

Create the podcast in YouTube Studio

On YouTube, a podcast is a playlist containing your full episode videos. Sign in to your channel's YouTube Studio and choose Create, then New podcast. Select the option to create a new podcast, enter its title and description, choose its visibility, add a square podcast thumbnail, and save.

To add your MicRelay export, go to Content, then Podcasts, open the show, and choose Add videos, then Upload videos. Enter the episode details and complete the upload. YouTube's podcast setup guide has the current instructions, including how to use an existing playlist.

Keep full episodes in the podcast playlist. Put trailers and short promotional clips elsewhere on the channel.

Give viewers a reason to click and keep watching

Use an episode title that explains the subject. "How a Baker Got Her First 10 Customers" tells people more than "Episode 1: Interview With Sarah." Choose a thumbnail that is readable at a small size and matches the conversation.

Write a short description explaining what the guest covers. Add relevant guest links and timestamps for useful sections. Watch the uploaded video before publishing and check the sound, picture, captions, and any written questions.

After publishing your MicRelay interview, choose a few answers that make sense as standalone clips. A specific tip, surprising experience, or useful mistake can introduce someone to the full episode. Tell viewers where they can watch the rest.

Use YouTube Analytics and comments to plan the next recording. If viewers keep asking about one answer, invite the guest back through MicRelay for a follow-up episode. If they leave during the introduction, try starting the next video closer to the main subject.

Get your audience involved in the next episode

You can record a single question in MicRelay, create an audience link, and send it to 100 people or share it with your viewers. Each person records their own video answer when they have time. Use a text-only question if you prefer.

Ask something connected to your show: "What's the biggest mistake you made in your first year of business?" or "What do people misunderstand about your job?" As responses arrive, you get a collection of videos to review for future content.

You could make an audience-response episode, compare different answers, or use individual replies as short videos. You can also invite someone with an interesting story to answer more questions in a separate MicRelay interview.

Can a YouTube podcast make money?

Yes! Eligible creators in the YouTube Partner Program can earn through features such as ads and channel memberships. Availability depends on meeting the relevant requirements. YouTube explains the options in its podcast distribution guide.

MicRelay helps with the work that comes first: getting conversations recorded and turning them into episodes. You can collect interviews from busy guests, record with a co-host in another time zone, and ask your audience to contribute without running a live call for every video.

Choose a subject and a person you'd like to hear from. Try MicRelay, record the first question, and send the link. Once the answers are in, the Stitch feature automatically combines the clips into an episode for you to review, export, and publish on YouTube.