44. What to put in your first 3 podcast episodes

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Laura McRae walks you through what to include in your first podcast

Laura: Welcome to Podcasting for Business Owners. I’m Your host, Laura McRae, a podcast consultant, educator and self confessed podcast nerd. If you’re thinking of launching a podcast or want to grow the one you have, you’re in the right place. Hold on to your headphones and let’s go.

Laura: Hello and welcome back to Podcasting for Business Owners, the podcast that helps you share your story, lead your industry and grow your network through podcasting. I’m your host, Laura McRae. If you’re in the early stages of starting your podcast, today’s episode is going to be especially helpful because I’m walking you through what I recommend you include in your first three podcast episodes. Why they matter and how to structure them. And because my birthday’s coming up, I’ve got something exciting to celebrate. A giveaway where one lucky listener will win access to the podcast launch programme. But to find out how to enter, you’ll have to stick around until the end of the episode for all the details.

I always recommend launching with three episodes at once because multiple episodes encourage binge listening

Now let’s get into it. So once your trailer is live and shown on all platforms like Apple and Spotify, it’s time to launch your actual episodes. I always recommend launching with three episodes at once. This is because if someone stumbles across your podcast and there’s only one episode and it doesn’t land with them, they might not stick around. But if there’s three to choose from, they’re more likely to find something that resonates and then they’ll hit that follow button. Launching with multiple episodes also encourages binge listening, which is great for early traction. If people listen to more than one episode on launch day, that boosts your download numbers and can help you show up in the Apple podcast charts during those all important first few days. Just keep these episodes short and snappy. I recommend under, or around 20 minutes or less for each episode. I recommend that you keep them to an average length, as this will also encourage binge listening. If you make them longer, people are less likely to listen to all three. Also, if they’re under 20 minutes, you’re more likely to have a higher consumption rate. This is the average length at which your listeners listen to an episode. The higher the consumption rate is of your episodes again, the more likely you are to hit the Apple podcast charts when you launch. I mean, at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter if you get in the Apple podcast charts or not when you launch, but it’s just great for promoting your podcast and to give you that little confidence boost for the first three episodes I always suggest starting with solo episodes. Just you and the mic, no interviews. This is because it’s your opportunity to build that know, like and trust factor. Your listeners are tuning in to hear you, so give them a chance to connect with your voice, your values, and your perspective before you start interviewing guests. Guests can come later. These first few episodes are your chance to lay the foundation for what your podcast and your personal brand is all about. Here’s how I recommend you structure your first three episodes, and to make it easier to visualise, I’ll walk you through each one. One important thing to keep in mind. These episodes should be directly tied to your business and to the kinds of conversations you’re already having with clients or wish you were. You want to answer questions your ideal clients are asking, highlight pain points they’re struggling with, or speak to goals and desires they have. If your audience gets real value straight away and, feels like your podcast is speaking directly to them, they’re more likely to keep listening, follow you, and eventually work with you. Let’s start with episode one. This is your chance to tell your story and your values. It’s your intro episode. Share your background, how you got into what you do, what led you here, why this podcast matters to you and your business, and what your listeners can expect from the show. In episode two, tell them something relatable. This episode should speak directly to your ideal listener’s current reality. Think about things they might be Googling late at night. What keeps them stuck? What’s something that you say to your clients all the time? Make it something your audience will nod along with and give them a quick win. Now, episode three is all about building trust and credibility. This is where you show you know your stuff not by reading your cv, but by helping. For example, you could share the top three mindset blocks you help your clients overcome and why they’re so common. For each one, offer a tip story or journaling question and let listeners know what’s coming up next, topics you’ll cover, guest

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interviews or resources you’ll be sharing. These free episodes don’t just set the tone for your podcast. They lay the groundwork for your business, too. You’re not just making content, you’re showing your audience what it’s like to work with you. By the end of these free episodes, your listeners should know who you are and what you stand for. They should feel seen and understood. They should have learned something useful and be excited to keep listening. And that’s what makes a powerful podcast launch. When launch day comes, I Recommend Releasing episodes 1, 2 and 3 on the same day, but stagger the time slightly. So for example, episode one can go at 4am, episode M2 at 5am and M episode three at 6am this just makes sure they don’t all hit the feed at once and that the episodes go out in order because if you send them all off at the same time, you can’t guarantee which episode is going to come out first. And try to have episodes 4, 5 and 6 recorded and scheduled before you launch. That way you’re not scrambling the week after your launch trying to keep up. You’ll have a buffer and that makes everything feel so much more manageable. If you’re listening to this and thinking this all makes sense, but I’d feel better if someone was walking me through it step by step, that’s exactly what the podcast launch programme is for. It’s a self paced course that walks you through every part of the process from defining your podcast concept, planning your content, recording, editing, uploading and launching with confidence. Some of my clients have gone on to land national media interviews, attract global clients and and create deep connections with their audience, all from their podcast. And it started by taking the first step. And now, as promised, here’s the exciting part.

I’m giving away one full place in the podcast launch programme to a lucky listener

It’s my birthday soon and I wanted to celebrate by giving something back. I’m giving away one full place in the podcast launch programme to a lucky listener. Here’s how to enter, rate and review this podcast on Apple or Spotify. Take a screenshot of your review on your phone, then share it in your Instagram stories and mention or tag me in. My Instagram handle is Podcast Support Services. You’ll need to do this by Wednesday 11th June, which is my birthday to be in with a running that’s it. I’ll pick one winner and they’ll get full access to the course. And if you know someone else who’s been thinking about launching a podcast that could be a client, a business friend or someone in your network, share this episode with them too so that they can be in with a chance of winning. I hope today’s episode gave you clarity on what your first three episodes could look like and how to make them resonate with the people you want to work with. Launching a podcast doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right plan, a little support and a message you believe in, you can absolutely do it. If you want to be in with a chance of winning access to the podcast launch programme, make sure you rate, review and share in your Instagram stories before Wednesday 11th June 2025 and don’t forget to mention or tag me in. That’s at Podcast Support Services. I’ll put a link in the show notes. Thanks so much for being here and I’ll see you next week.

Laura: If you found value in this podcast, please leave A five star rating and a review would be even better. Your support shows that this is a good show which will attract high profile guests and in turn deliver greater value to you. This podcast is produced and edited by me. Don’t waste your time on editing. Let me help you with your podcast. Check out the links in the show notes to get in touch.

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