Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, podcasting can be a huge mountain to climb when it comes to ideation, producing, launching, and distributing your show.
Here are 10 podcasting tips you need to know from Will Retherford of Citizens of Sound, a podcast production agency known for producing shows with gravity.
Riches In Niches
The saying goes “riches are in the niches” and this applies to the podcast universe as well.
Thousands of podcasts are launching every year and it is important that your show stands out amongst the crowd. The question you must ask yourself before you get started is, “What do I want my show to be about?” and then you must ask, “What would be different about my show than any other show?” Your concept and angle can be the heart and pillar of the show you are producing. This can be what draws the crowd and audience you are looking for.
A show about Business Tips for Entrepreneurs sounds too general, a little boring, and definitely unoriginal, but a show about entrepreneurs telling stories, failures and victories, in the NFT or Yoga industry sounds interesting and there is definitely an audience waiting to listen.
After you land on your theme and concept, it’s time to get creative with your podcast name.
There’s No ‘I’ In Team
- Having a podcast team can make or break your workflow and productivity for your podcast.
- If you’re a business owner, you can easily build your team with available staff and resources.
- If you are an influencer or public figure, simply finding an intern can be helpful in making sure no balls get dropped.
- If you are a hobbyist or a beginner, with little budget, consider finding a co-host that can help you share the load.
- Whether it becomes one or not, it’s important to think of your podcast as a business startup. There can be many roles or jobs for your podcast.
Some of which include:
- Producer
- Host
- Researcher
- Project Manager
- Content Writer
- Copywriter
- Booking
- Graphic Designer
Sound Like A Pro
Sounding like a pro sounds more expensive than it is. There are plenty of affordable microphones that can simply plug into your computer via USB. Since we live in the new virtual age where the majority of meetings are now taking place over Zoom or Google Meet, even your mother should consider having a microphone.
Here are two cost-efficient microphones we highly suggest:
Purchasing any of these mics will ensure good quality for your show.
Oh, and don’t forget headphones!
Recording Locally
While there are many ways to record online, recording locally is always the best option in order to not have internet disturbances.
If you own a mac, the good news is that Garageband comes with your computer for FREE. Garageband is referred to as a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). Learning the basics of recording yourself locally is key to creating a path of success. Watch a simple Garageband tutorial here.
Some other honorable mentions are:
Recording Virtually
Recording virtually is the most efficient way to record with guests on your show if they are not local or if you don’t have access to a studio.
You want to stay away from platforms like Zoom as they are not built for recording, but mainly built for meetings. Zoom can always be used as backup, but there are specific settings you must use in order to get the best quality recording.
For online audio and video recording platforms, we recommend the following in this order:
Strategic Guests
While your grandmother might be an interesting conversation, she may not be the best guest for your show. Finding people within your field or concept who are on the same level or higher is key to curating your show around an audience you are trying to grow.
While putting together your guest list, ask yourself these questions:
- Do they have a following or influence?
- Do they have a compelling story or subject that will benefit your show?
- Are they well spoken?
- Are they someone who you want to be associated with?
Being strategic with your guests is prominent for producing a show that is worth a listen or a follow.
Research. Research. Research.
Very few people have the gift of hitting record and are able to carry a conversation with no research or preparation. That being said, researching your topic or guest is foundational in crafting an episode that is entertaining, informative, and listenable.
Scripting out what you are wanting to say or at minimum putting together an outline of your questions and topics will help you navigate interviews that can often fall down rabbit holes. This is something you don’t want unless your show is about rabbit holes.
Edit. Mix. Master.
This is the area that is most difficult for beginners. If you have little to zero knowledge about editing and mixing audio files, this is where you should spend your first budgeted dollars. If you want your podcast to stand up against popular shows, then you will need to put time, focus, and money towards making sure your episodes are professionally edited, mixed, and mastered.
Editing can be as simple as lining up audio, cleaning up coughs, ums, and fumbles, or cutting down a 60 minute interview to the best 20-30 minutes.
Mixing is key for leveling everyone’s volume, EQing vocals to be crisper, and fading music in and out of prominent moments.
Mastering ensures your volume and balance sits just right for your listeners who may be listening on a phone, car radio, airpods, or home sound system.
Hiring a sound producer, editor, or production agency can be a great route to achieve this difficult task that many producers are trained for.
If you are in need of a producer or production agency, check out Citizens of Sound today.
Releasing Your Show to the Universe
Once you have an episode to your liking and standards, it’s time to release it to the universe.
For this you need a hosting platform. Most hosting platforms do the same thing, but every company may offer different features or opportunities that fit best for you.
We recommend the following hosting platforms in this order:
Getting the Word Out
Once your podcast is released, what’s next? There are a variety of ways one can promote their podcast.
Here are some suggestions to promoting your podcast without spending money:
1. Social Media
This is an obvious, but critical avenue. Creating shareable content from your podcast episodes is a great strategy for giving potential listeners a snippet of what you have to offer.
Creating episode graphics, soundbites from episodes, video reels, or branded quotes are great ways to provide sharable content that can move across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter.
2. Cross Promoting
Asking your guests to share their featured episode is one of the best ways to achieve organic growth from new potential followers and listeners. Consider doing an Instagram live with your guest before or after the recording to promote the upcoming or published episode.
3. Promotions
If you are a business owner or influencer selling a product or service, consider offering discounts or promotion to listeners on your show. People seem to never turn down free or discounted goods.
4. Submit Your Podcast for Features
There is never a guarantee, but platforms like Apple and Spotify are always looking for the next best shows or relevant content to go along with the nation’s current climate.
Apple Podcasts offers the opportunity to submit your show or specific episodes to be considered for a feature on their homepage. Learn more about it here.
Following these 10 podcasting tips can send you down a path for launching an effective and successful podcast.
To learn more go to www.citizensofsound.com and follow COS on Instagram.
Questions or inquiries about podcasting services, follow and DM Will Retherford, Founder & Lead Producer at Citizens of Sound.
