Podcasting is like all different content medium. To each give a rice and keep your audience returning, it’s best that you simply have a concept that maximizes your potential.
The most vital feedback I will provide potential (or current) podcasters is that you simply ought to take the medium seriously, probably a lot of seriously than you treat your diary. We’ll say why that's throughout this piece, except for currently, I raise that you simply take into account podcasting, not as some way to induce low-cost traffic, however as a knowledgeable media outlet.
This is not HAM radio. Podcasting may be a currently a million-dollar business, and it’s showing signs of a improvement, such a lot, so professionals are within the game, which implies that if you treat your podcast as an amateur effort, then you’re seeming to come short of your goals.
4 Steps To Become a Podcaster.
Step 1: Choose Show Frequency
I know it would appear strange that I list podcasting frequency initial, particularly as a result of we’ve nevertheless to debate topic, format or any of the finer details. however there’s a reason I have a go at it, and it’s this.Just as a TV program runs on constant day and time hebdomadally, as will a radio show or maybe diary posting schedule, therefore ought to a podcast.
The most vital think about running a triple-crown podcast is that you simply treat it because the professionals do, which implies that you simply produce a schedule and stick with it. Take a glance at any major podcasting platform, reminiscent of 5by5, Mixergy or Revision3 and you’ll notice a show schedule with specific days for unharness.
As a podcast attender, I will tell you that there’s nothing a lot of frustrating than finding an honest podcast solely to comprehend that the posting schedule is erratic. once I can’t consider gap iTunes and seeing your new podcasts on a daily basis, then I quickly go, and your podcast is faraway from my feed.
Now, this doesn’t mean you have got to podcast hebdomadally. for brand new podcasters, i like to recommend a bi-weekly posting schedule, that ought to offer you adequate time for pre- and postproduction, in addition as generating new content usually enough to stay your audience engaged.
As you get softer, you absolve to raise the frequency to be weekly, or maybe multiple times per week. the sole caveat is that you simply post on the constant day of the week or month and keep in step with that schedule.
Lastly, post the schedule on your podcast’s concerning page and ensure your readers realize it. this may facilitate the ease into your routine.
This Week in Startups may be a weekly video podcast that options nice samples of a way to do live reads for sponsors. It's run on Fridays at one Eastern Time.
Step 2: choose Format: Audio vs. Video
Many new podcasters can’t appear to make your mind up whether or not they wish to try to an audio or video podcast. My answer to the current is simple… do what you'll be able to.If you’re unhealthy on camera, then no quantity of high-quality production goes to form your podcast a lot of diverting. However, constant is true of your talent on the mic. the foremost vital purpose here isn’t whether or not your podcast is audio or video, however wherever you look and/or sound the foremost polished.
Sure, you’ll improve as you go, and observe actually helps, however viewing most video podcasts, you’ll notice that their production quality is incredibly high which the hosts are nice on camera. If you don’t have an excellent place to shoot video, then you may persist with audio. Also, if your podcast lends itself to a extended, a lot of extended format (more on it soon), then audio is maybe your most suitable choice.
Shows like Digg Nation and GeekBeat. TV is video podcasts, however conjointly short, snappy and diverting, that is why they are doing therefore well on video. Interview shows, reminiscent of in the week in Startups, conjointly act on video. this happens as a result of they’re treated like speak shows instead of podcasts.
To help you create the choice, notice different iTunes podcasts that do what you’re getting to do and see what format they’re victimisation. that ought to tell you most of what you would like to grasp.
Step 3: Confirm Length choice
Podcast length may be a tough beast, and it’s one thing you’ll got to take a look at usually till you get an honest condole with what works and what doesn’t.If you’re the only real host, then i like to recommend keeping it to fifteen minutes most. you'll be able to extend the time by adding a series of interviews, however, even then i like to recommend that you simply keep it short enough therefore you don’t exhaust a subject. If you shut the recording feeling such as you should’ve done a lot of, then you almost certainly stopped at the proper purpose.
Even on co-hosted podcasts, reminiscent of Free Market lawlessness, i select to stay the time between 12-15 minutes as a result of it forces the hosts to maneuver through topics quickly, that helps to stay the audience interested. the sole long podcast I host is Lifebeat, that offers a combination of electronic music to stay the episode contemporary.
That being aforesaid, several of the foremost fashionable podcasts I listen to—such as net selling for good folks, hosted by parliamentarian Bruce of Copyblogger, or Six Pixels of Separation by Mitch Joel—thrive on longer formats, usually running well into 45-60 minutes.
What makes the distinction here is that the expertise of the host to keep an audience engaged, in addition, because the sort of content. If your content needs in-depth discussion otherwise you feel terribly assured on the mic, then it’s potential that a extended format may work for you. However, there are only a few new hosts who will pull this off, therefore use the long format with caution.
When it involves podcast format, the key ingredient is that the host, not the content. a nasty host will build the most effective content boring, even as the most effective host will build shitty content exciting.
Going longer can offer you the choice to squeeze in additional content (or sponsors), however keeping it short can a minimum of offer you an opportunity to guide your audience to the tip of the discussion. There’s nothing wrong with experimentation here, a minimum of till you get wise right.
Revision3 may be a video podcasting platform that acts as a TV station. They've well-tried that freelance media is profitable, providing you're taking it seriously.
Step 4: Confirm Production Quality
This is the usually under-appreciated a part of managing an honest podcast that may extremely build the distinction between making an audience of one or one,000.By production quality, I’m relating everything from however it sounds to however you run breaks in between segments.
Sound and Audio Quality:
I can’t stress this enough—use the smart equipment! Don’t attempt to sneak by with an inexpensive electro-acoustic transducer or video camera. If your audience can’t hear you, then they won’t listen, and if you look fuzzy, they won’t watch.The Blue Snowball may be a nice entry-level electro-acoustic transducer, and is what i take advantage of on all the BlueRize podcasts. With video, i like to recommend an HD television camera, ideally one that isn’t on a phone or Flip camera.
Intro and Outro:
People ought to understand what your podcast is concerning inside thirty seconds of listening. If they don’t, or struggle to work it out, then they’re seemingly to tune out before you start. Take the time to craft an honest elevator pitch that explains your podcast in 1-2 sentences, and record it thereforelo so you'll be able to simply add it to each episode.Segments:
The Instance may be a World of Warcraft podcast that runs significant at an hour per episode, however, it works as a result of they break their podcast up into a combination of various segments. Jason Calacanis of in the week in Startups will constant thing… treating his show like one thing you'd notice on TV, instead of a mere video podcast.In this case, suppose sort of a TV or radio show, not sort of a podcaster.
Postproduction:
Recording the podcast is simply the primary step—it’s postproduction that helps provides it that skilled feel that you simply see on all nice podcasts.On Mac, I take advantage of GarageBand to alter the awkward pauses and different mistakes I build whereas recording. On PC, I take advantage of Audacity, that is free.
Though I’m not one to alter each “um” or “ah,” I do suggest that you simply take the time to even out sound levels and add your intro and outro music. If you add music over speech, ensure to cut back sound levels so you'll be able to really hear the speech. In most audio programs, this is often referred to as ducking.
If you don’t have intro or outro music, i like to recommend that you simply obtain some from Soundtrackster or Audio Jungle. It’s an affordable thanks to build your podcast sound a lot of skilled.
I know, it’s abundant easier to merely record and transfer, however, resist the urge. I’ve tested the distinction in doing this, and it’s superb. If you respect your podcast, therefore can your audience.
0 Comments