1. Your logo should be at least 1400x1400 resolution and should be easily recognizable as a thumbnail. If you don't know how to design a logo, you can use a site like
http://www.designcrowd.com/,
https://www.fiverr.com/, or you can make your own using
https://logomakr.com/2. Length: your sample episode may be as long as you want. If your podcast is selected, it may be trimmed down to 30-45 minutes so each podcast can appear in 1/2 of the show.
3. Rights: Make sure you have the rights to use any and all sound effects, music and art you use.
4. Editing: Make your podcast sound professional. Be aware of verbal ticks like, "um, uh," and "like." Editing for content and pacing is highly encouraged and really shows polish. TIP: Don't start your podcast out with "hey how's it going?!" Nobody cares about small talk. Address your audience with content and have a purpose. The small talk you have with your guest or co-host should happen before you start recording. Listen to professional shows like "This American Life" or "Radio Lab" to see how they start their shows.
5. Schedule: Will your show be weekly or monthly?
6. Intro music: There are a lot of creative-commons music sources available here:
https://creativecommons.org/about/program-areas/arts-culture/arts-culture-resources/legalmusicforvideos/ or you can have one custom-made using a service like Fiverr.
7. Be committed. Making a podcast is lots of hard work. Each episode will require a thumbnail, copy (writing and links for each episode), and social networking promotion.
8. Social: Create a social media presence if you don't already have one. Promoting your show to your fans directly is the best way to get listeners, and creating kickass content that people want to share is the best way to expand your audience.
9. Recording. It's strongly recommended that you record at least 4-6 episodes of your podcast and "throw them away." Your initial podcasts might be good, but they probably won't be your best. It takes time to figure out your format and to get a good flow. There were 4 episodes of "The Best Debate" recorded before it went live. This is a good rule of thumb for every new podcast, no matter your experience level. Don't overestimate your ability, nor underestimate the value of practice.
Thumbnail courtesy of Doctor Smooth Rod
