5 Tips For Launching Your Internet Radio Station

Nowadays, starting an internet radio station from home is easy. In the past, an aspiring radio host needed to shell out lots of  money on equipment and spend hours researching tools and techniques. But with internet radio software like Airtime Pro, launching your station takes  less than 5 minutes. 

In a previous post we published one of the web’s most detailed guides to starting an internet radio station from home. In this post, we will simplify the process and break down the essentials to start broadcasting. 

Tip 1: Save money on your equipment

If you’re on a budget, don’t buy new equipment. You can find all that you need for a basic setup on most consumer-to-consumer e-shops.

You will need a laptop or a computer, a USB mic, and a pair of headphones. Have a look through Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Gumtree, or other local online classifieds sites for cheap, second-hand gear that won’t break the bank.

And if money is no object (lucky you!) check out our more sophisticated setup guide here :  10 Essential Pieces of Equipment for Online Radio Newbies Looking to Become Broadcasting Pros.

Tip 2: Finding news to share

If you aim to do live broadcasting and sharing news, listen up: It takes a lot of time, effort, and planning to do it right. Here are a few ways to turn your living room into a newsroom:

• Sign up to the RSS feeds of the blogs and news sites that you follow. This  way, you’ll gather content when it’s published, and be able to keep it organised. 
• Use Feedly to subscribe to a variety of news and blog feeds, and create lists to organise your content.
  Use Tweetdeck for gathering content and news from Twitter. This free platform allows you to see all the content related to the search terms you enter.
  Create Google Alerts for specific search terms and receive email alerts whenever there is a new blog post or article online around that topic.

Tip 3: Make use of podcasting to reach a wider audience and attract new listeners

Podcasts have been around for almost two decades, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, the global podcasting market has grown significantly. Our internet broadcasting software Airtime Pro offers a built-in podcast feed as well as podcast hosting, making it easy for you to create podcasts and distribute them to an ever-growing online audience hungry for on-demand audio content. If you want to learn more, check out our guide: “Podcasting with Our Airtime Pro Internet Radio Software is Easy”.

Tip 4: Make It Collaborative

Maybe you’ve heard the wisdom of American author and disability rights activist Helen Keller, who said: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” The same logic applies to online broadcasting. While it’s possible to run an internet  radio station by yourself, it can be  more fun and fulfilling to collaborate with others. Among Airtime Pro’s long list of great features is that it allows you to add other DJs and Program Managers no matter where they are in the world. All they need is an internet connection. 

Also, consider inviting and interviewing interesting personalities on your radio show. Think of friends or people you know who are experts in their field. People love to be valued and heard and, from my own experience as a radio host, I can tell you that most of the people I have invited as guests were happy and excited to take part in the show. If you want to take it a step further, contact influencers – anyone in your niche who is an authority on a topic. This could be anyone from local music bands and musicians, the owner of a local club or music venue, or local bloggers and personalities. Think outside the box!

Tip 5: Create a media kit 

If you’re looking to make money out of your internet station, it’s a good idea to have a media kit that you can share with potential sponsors. This document will include all the important information needed to convince potential sponsors to promote their brand, product, and services through your station. Whenever you are in negotiations with sponsors and funders, you’ll  be able to send them your media kit, which will make it easier for them, and help you look professional.