A new, all-inclusive podcasting starter bundle especially for podcast hosts will now be available at select Staples US Retail Locations!

So, if you’ve got a great idea for a podcast, but don’t know where to begin, this start-to-finish package is just what you need to take your concept from bright idea to the airwaves! It’s got everything podcast hosts need to record, edit, and share a professional-quality podcast with ease.

But just what does this all-inclusive start bundle include?

We’re so glad you asked! Check out all that’s included below:

1. A RØDE NT-USB Mini Mic

When it comes to delivering high-quality audio, RØDE knows where it’s at! And the NT-USB Mini Mic packs a serious punch! This studio-quality mic delivers pristine sound quality. It’s compact, super easy-to-use, and as it’s been designed to deliver crystal-clear, professional-quality audio direct to a computer or tablet, you’ll be able to record your podcast anywhere with ease.

And if that’s not enough to convince you of just what a powerhouse this mic is, check out some more of its key features: 

1. High-quality condenser capsule that delivers warmth and presence for a clear, professional sound in all recording applications. 
2. Directional cardioid polar pattern, optimised to reduce room sound and focus on the subject, be it dialogue, vocals or instruments. 
3. In-built pop filter for reducing plosives. 
4. Fully compatible with RØDE Connect. 
5. In-built digital signal processing: noise gate, compressor, APHEX® Aural Exciter™ and Big Bottom™ (accessed via RØDE Connect)
6. Integrated 360-degree swing mount for quick and easy positioning on a desktop, mic stand, or studio arm. 
7. Unique detachable magnetic desk stand that provides excellent isolation from knocks and bumps and is quick and easy to remove. 
8. Class-compliant USB output that works seamlessly with computers or tablets, no drivers or software needed – just plug in and hit record. 
9. Zero-latency headphone monitoring eliminates distracting echo. 
10. Studio-quality headphone amplifier with precision level control. 
11. Steel and reinforced nylon resin construction, stylish matte black finish and compact, modern design.

We told you it’s a powerhouse!

But that’s not all!

The all-inclusive podcasting package also includes: 

2. Free Editing Only Trial Episode from We Edit Podcasts 

This gives you access to: raw editing up to 60 mins, intros, outros, and sponsored message add-ons, multi-track syncing, noise reduction and audio cleaning, and volume matching for even-sounding playback, all in a 48-hour turnaround time.

Your trial episode is in great hands! We’ve got hundreds of hours of podcast editing under our belt. In 2020 alone, we worked on 50,824 episodes for our various clients!

So you can be guaranteed that your trial episode will be edited with expert precision!

And rounding out this start-to-finish bundle…

3. One Free Year of Spreaker Podcast Hosting Services

This includes one-click distribution, programmatic monetization, audience statistics, custom show page design, and access to major listening platforms like iHeartRadio, Apple® Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

Whether you’re producing your passion project or growing a podcast business Spreaker makes it easy! It’s the one-stop shop for podcast hosting, creation, distribution, and monetization. 

And you have access to all of this with your free year of Spreaker hosting services!

The All-Inclusive Podcasting Starter Bundle will retail for $109, and is launching in 50 Staples US Retail stores across the US today!

To find out more, follow this link!

We’re so excited to be a part of this great offer for podcast hosts! And we can’t wait to hear YOUR idea become reality!

But here’s a thought: what if instead of sitting back and easing off the gas pedal, you doubled down and invested further in your podcast? And I’m not talking about the typical things that come to mind when we hear the word investment. Gear is great, but I want to encourage you to focus on the guy or gal behind the gear…

In today’s blog I want to help you avoid getting too comfortable with your current status as a podcaster and delve deeper the next investments you should make to improve your podcast. Let’s discuss! 

1. Your Speaking Skills

Podcasting is spoken word communication. Even when examining video podcasts, we quickly realize that the visual aspect of the content is secondary to the audio. This medium is all about what you say, and how you say it. People are tuning in, subscribing, following, and recommending because they value your voice and your ideas. Investing in your speaking skills is like a golfer investing in perfecting her swing – it’s at the heart of what you do and the benefits will be game changing.

What can I do?

You can sign up for Toastmasters and receive speech training – and trust me, it works! It’s helpful (and painful!) to have a group of skilled people with the same goal help you to grow by pointing out your communication flaws and affirming your strengths. You’ll work toward eliminating the distracting “uhm” and “ahs” that detract from your speech. You’ll be trained in the art of improv, and delivering a speech or sharing your opinion on the spot! This will make you sound more confident and sure of yourself, which in turn will contribute to your audience trusting you as an authority in your niche. 

Ever considered voice lessons? I know, I know…you may not be a singer or discussing anything remotely musical in your podcast. But the collection of muscles and structures that make up our voices can be trained and strengthened. You can be taught to speak in a healthier way.  This will make you sound better – regardless of the mic you’re using. It promotes the longevity of your voice, and thereby, your podcasting career!

You can also invest in your speaking skills by listening to other skilled speakers. Study great speeches, watch your favorite interviewer do his thing, study your favourite stand up comics and see how they maintain the attention of an otherwise hostile audience. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but there’s no need to copy! Take what you appreciate from those you most admire, and adapt it to your speaking style. This investment will take your podcast delivery to the next level.

Related Read: How Can I Increase My Confidence On The Mic?

2. Your Knowledge 

Chances are you would have started your podcast because you’re already a trusted voice in your field. You’re the person others listen to, because you’re in the know. But, you can never know too much! Investing in your knowledge is a sure-fire way to improve your podcast. There are a number of practical ways you can do this.

Go to a bookstore in your city, find the appropriate section, and choose something new, from an author you’ve never heard of. You could even engage in what I call “cross-reading” (think of a mental form of cross-training), and read the work of authors who don’t specialize in your field. This is a great way to challenge deeply entrenched ways of thinking and processing. There’s something cool about doing this in person and being physically surrounded by the books as you embark on your knowledge quest, but online shopping will work just as well! 

Get mentorship. Sign up for an e-course or Masterclass offered by a pro who has achieved mastery in a specific area that you don’t yet fully understand. Getting that understanding will enable you to deliver much greater value to your listeners. Find a mentor who may be a few years further down the road than you, and pick their brain over lunch or coffee. Tip: take notes, or even use the recorder app on your phone (with their consent). In person mentorship adds relationship to information, which always makes knowledge even easier to implement.

Adding to your knowledge will add to the influence and impact of your voice. Do this and improve your podcast!  

3. Your Mental Health

What is mental health? Here’s a quick definition from MentalHealth.gov in their article entitled What is Mental Health?:

“Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.”

How will you benefit from investing in your mental health? Here a four reasons from the same article:

• You’ll be equipped to realize your full potential.
• You’ll be better able to cope with the stresses of life.
• You’ll have the mental fortitude to work productively.
• You’ll have the emotional space to make meaningful contributions to your communities.

You can invest in your mental health through simple daily disciplines, such as getting enough sleep, getting physically active, and staying positive. There are aso examples that may require a greater investment of time, intentionality and even money – like creating social circles of connection and accountability, taking the time to develop coping skills, and seeking professional help in the form of coaching and counselling if needed.   

For practical mental health tips, check out our blog post 11 Ways To Prioritize Your Mental Health In Your Daily Routine

4. Networking

Investing in your sphere of influence and industry connections is an effective way to improve your podcast. This will enable you to build relationships and find potential new guests for your show. This also has the added benefit of  “cross pollination” – you may very well be invited on to another podcasters show and have the opportunity to promote your brand on a completely different platform, to a completely different audience.

Meeting new people in your industry could also result in endorsements and partnerships with individuals or companies that share your outlook and serve the same demographic. And, in reference to point number 2, it’s a great way to simply learn more. As the ancient saying goes: “iron sharpens iron”!

5. Your Listeners 

Effective investment in your listeners can be summed up in one word: engagement! Engaging your listeners directly will serve to build your community and increase the value they get from your show.

Never react to provocations, but always try to respond to genuine inquiries. Answer questions in comment sections on social media. Respond to negative emails with grace and clarity. Conduct polls to gauge listener’s opinions and needs. Give away prizes through competitions, and repurpose the entry requirements as user generated content (for example, “Send in your best business tip – the winner will get a gift card and their tip will be featured on next week’s show!”). This causes your audience to further buy into not only your podcast, but your brand and the community surrounding it. Undoubtedly, a huge improvement for any podcast!

6. Your Elements

Your podcast artwork, your logo and your podcast theme music are all elements that should be given your best thought and attention. Strike the balance between unbridled creativity, and strategic marketing savvy.

Make sure your logo reflects your podcast name, is clear and easily recognizable. Don’t cut corners on your 3,000 x 3,000 pixel podcast artwork, get it professionally done (consult Fiverr if you don’t personally have the skill set – their freelance artists are skilled and affordable).

Make sure your theme music or ambient sound isn’t annoying, or kitschy (unless you have a podcast exploring history’s most jarring and garish culture trends!). Investing in these elements of your podcast are like a firm handshake and warm smile, they’re the “front cover” to your book (read: painstaking project of passion in which you’ve already invested your blood, sweat and tears!). Why not invest further, by making sure these things are improved upon and represent you in the best way possible.

In Conclusion

There are investments that we can make in our podcasting that go beyond the physical and the tangible. Making sure that you have the best mics, headphones, DAWS and computers available to you are incredibly essential – these things are the backbone of your podcast. But if those are the backbone, you, podcasting friend, are the beating heart.

Invest in your skills behind the mic, in addition to the mic. Invest both in what fills your mind, as well as the health of your mind. Invest by growing your network, remembering that your listeners are a valuable part of it too. And invest in making a great first impression, as that will leave a lasting impression. Invest in these ways and enjoy the success that comes as a result!

So now I’m curious. How do they compare? 

Over a century ago, Reginald Fessenden made history by making the first radio broadcast in 1906. Almost twenty years ago, the first podcast popped on the scene in 2004. Since their inception, both mediums have been enjoyed by countless consumers of content. Today, both the live radio broadcasts and the pre-recorded podcasts that we have come to love have evolved in the most awesome ways. They remain similar, but distinct.

For a history of all things podcasting, check out: Podcasting Historical Timeline and Milestones

In today’s blog entry, I want to explore the differences between these two flavors of spoken word communication. Let’s call it a fact-based opinion piece. And please feel free to leave your opinion on how the two mediums measure up in the comment section below!

We start off by contrasting and comparing the very thing that lies at the heart of these shows…

The Content

When we’re talking about your fave cold brewed coffee, and your go-to pour over, we’re in essence talking about the same thing: coffee. What makes these beverages distinct from one another is the way they’re made. The chosen method of creation – whether coffee or content – will produce a particular dynamic. In the same way, both live radio and pre-recorded podcasts have their own distinct offerings.

Radio Broadcast

Radio broadcasting is the senior and more experienced in this face-off. Long established and long trusted, radio has an expected cadence that has come to be expected. News shows read by stoic announcers rule the airwaves at the top and bottom of each hour. Morning talk radio shows go together with your morning commute like the bacon that accompanied the eggs you finished eating 20 minutes earlier. Music stations are separated according to genre. Country rock, Top-40, classical, jazz-K-pop fusion…there’s a place for everything and everything is in its place.

“It’s incredibly important in this day and age to waste as little of peoples’ time as possible. If you are gonna waste peoples’ time, you better be entertaining them or giving them useful information in the process.”

Radio producer David Cockram said this back in 2016 – this truth is even more true today! One thing that adds an element of pressure to radio is the propensity for segments, if not entire stations, to be broadcast live. There’s a lot of potential for small screw ups and gaffs. And every mistake is going to be heard in real time, by a large audience!

A sharp wit and quick-thinking mind is needed by hosts to fill time between segments and to lubricate transitions. A solid rapport is also very effective between hosts who provide banter and cheap laughs to listeners.  (Find out what else Cockram has to share in his archived article right here!)

In my opinion, there’s a cool sense of reality with radio broadcasts that comes from things happening live. The knowledge that someone in a studio is saying what I’m hearing right this very moment is a cool dynamic that adds to the distinct essence of radio broadcasts. 

Podcast

Podcasters may not have the same high stakes that come with a live radio show, the intensity in the podcast world comes from the sheer number of options listeners have available to them! In the same way that stations exist for music genres on the radio, entire shows and seasons committed to even the most obscure topics can be found in the far flung corners of podcast streaming platforms. 

Podcasts are essentially “on demand” online audio broadcasts; unlike a radio broadcast where time slots dictate content, listeners can access whatever they want whenever they want.

Related Read: How Do I Make My Podcast Stand Out In My Category?

The Audience

There is also something to be said for the differences between the people who regularly tune in to the radio, and those who intuitively opt for podcasts.  Radio has a reputation for being able to essentially capitalize on a “captive” audience: people are almost always driving when listening to the radio, in stores or gyms or places of work where radio broadcasts are being listened to in a more public space. 

Podcasts are almost invariably sought out. Like radio, listener’s typically engage with podcasts whilst doing something else. But there isn’t the same element of passive listening; specific shows, episodes, genres or even podcasters are sought out with greater intentionality.

Radio Broadcast

Radio listeners are by no means an extinct or dying breed. According to News Generation’s Radio Facts And Figures, radio is still the leading reach platform! 92% of the US listens to AM/FM radio over the airwaves, which is higher than TV viewership (87%), PC use (54%), smartphone use (81%), and tablet use (46%)³. The Pew Research Center further demonstrates this. Despite trends moving in a digital direction, the fact remains that terrestrial radio reaches almost the entire U.S. population and remains steady in its revenue.

Do you like numbers and infographics? Check out the full fact sheet here: Audio and Podcasting Fact Sheet

So, what does mean?

Radio casts a large net. There is a consistent swathe of the population who tune in. The bulk of listeners fall into an older age bracket, but the audience ranges in scope from individuals to businesses. Although the stats used and research cited speak to the American context, it can be said for most countries that live radio consumption is a part of the social fabric and daily experience of most individuals.

Even Gen Z and Millennials make up a portion of the audience. But this is based on reach, which is a metric of measurement that doesn’t take the type of engagement into consideration. Does the young person in the back of their parents’ car really count as an engaged radio listener? Has the shopper in a local supermarket really technically tuned in to the radio station playing over the store’s loudspeakers? I can’t say for sure, but in my humble opinion, if the type of engagement were measured I feel we’d find that the size of live radio’s committed audience is belied by its impressive reach.

Podcast

Podcast listeners are a slightly different demographic than traditional radio users. This is according to Ad Results Media partner and CMO Kurt Kaufer. In his May, 2021 contribution to Forbes’ online magazine, Kafuer suggests podcast listeners tend to be younger, early adopters of technology who can be difficult to reach using traditional advertising channels. According to the same report, half of all podcast listeners are aged twelve to thirty-four, with listeners thirty-five and over making up the other half².

Stats presented by Edison Research, Triton Digital and National Public Radio show (NPR), also show an interesting trend. Many new podcast listeners are migrating from radio, with the traditional medium no longer serving as their exclusive source of spoken audio. 

Bill Rosenblatt explains these figures in his 2020 Forbes article, stating that the rising number of podcast listeners are coming from AM/FM radio, and the changes in listening behaviour derives from the sharp rise in the use of smartphones for spoken word audio (which has doubled over the past five years)³.

Full Article: Who Listens To Podcasts (And How Can You Reach Them)?

So, what does this mean?

They’re slightly younger, but I believe this trend will change with time. In fact, I was delighted to find that Kaufer articulates this point for me in his previously cited article:

“Don’t be fooled into thinking that podcasts are just a fad for young people. As the listeners themselves age, these age brackets will shift as well. The younger profile has much more to do with their openness to new technology and not necessarily the subject matter or appeal of the content.”

As Millennials and Gen Z’ers eventually grow up (…that’s a topic for another opinion piece!) and take their consumption habits with them into older age brackets there will be an equalizing effect, and podcasts will no longer be the penchant of the young.  Indeed, that isn’t strictly the case now.  Podcast listeners and podcasters are from all ages, walks, and areas of interest.

This is another way in which the world of pre-recorded podcasting has an advantage over the world of live radio broadcasting – the audience can find shows on what they want, presented by who they want, on demand! Our Netflix generation is now accustomed to getting what they want, when they want (and I use the term generation broadly, as in everyone alive right now – so not just referring to young people, but mature folks too!).

As far as reaching listeners goes, I would say radio has a huge net that reaches far and wide and has stood the test of time. Podcasting is more like a fishing rod in the hand of every listener, with which they can reel in whatever listening experience they desire!

Engagement

Audience engagement is key to both radio broadcasts and podcasts. It could be on the most reserved end of the spectrum, where the only engagement is a commuter tuning in casually to pass the time from work to home. It could be as intense as user generated content being incorporated into the show itself.

Radio Broadcast

“Long time listener, first time caller!”

Call-in shows, anyone? If you’ve spent any amount of time listening to the radio you will have heard the above trope. Whether they are prank calls by disc-jockeys with way too much time on their hands, or serious questions being fielded by regional health professionals, the radio call-in feature is a key part of these live broadcasts.

Live radio happens in real time, and it is a beautiful time tested means of sharing ideas around newsworthy topics, especially in the local context. Giveaways are commonplace. Caller generated traffic reports help to make rush hour that much more tolerable. And live radio was originally where your aunt would go to rant publicly about private matters (…an honour now delegated to our Facebook feeds!).

Podcast

For tips on engaging your podcast listeners, check out our article: How Can I Connect With My Listeners Beyond My Podcast? 

Podcasting is also a great forum for engagement to occur between hosts and listeners. Like radio, hosts can use giveaways and polls to gauge the opinions of listeners. Unlike radio, listeners can leave written comments (much quicker than sending an email, or even a letter to a radio station), and engage with a more social media based form of user engagement.

“Podcast listeners not only spend time with podcasts — they also engage on social media. This creates an opportunity for brands to build close relationships with show hosts and leverage the power of their multi-platform distribution.”

Full Article: Who Listens To Podcasts (And How Can You Reach Them)?

This not only applies to business brands, but to individual brands. Instagram photos or reels, topic based TikTok video challenges, going live on Facebook with your subscribers, tweeting URL links to episodes, recording video podcasts – these are all modern ways forms of engagement. In my opinion, the distance between the podcaster and her listener is far smaller than that between the radio host and their audience. 

In Conclusion

These two behemoths in spoken word audio are similar in the sense that they’ve been enjoyed by countless millions for many years. But the content featured, the audience reached, and the way that audience engages with the content are distinctly different. I believe radio is going nowhere; this means of transmission has been around for over a century for a good reason –  it works, and it reaches! But podcasting is the way of the future and will continue growing in influence and importance with time, and I believe its proliferation and enjoyment will undoubtedly one day overshadow that of traditional radio.

Sources:

1. 2021 Podcast Stats & Facts (New Research From Apr 2021):
https://www.podcastinsights.com/podcast-statistics/

2. Radio Facts And Figures:
https://newsgeneration.com/broadcast-resources/radio-facts-and-figures/

3. New Podcast Listeners Are Coming From Radio, Not Music:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/billrosenblatt/2020/03/29/new-podcast-listeners-are-coming-from-radio-not-music/?sh=7684004a6790

You started your podcast because you have something to say, and whilst you may not necessarily be speaking in public in front of a live audience, our medium is still very much a public one. You have to be feeling good, thinking positively, and acting natural every time you don the headphones and man the mic. Your message and voice is too valued by your listeners and potential followers for you to be rendered tongue tied by a lack of confidence.

If you’ve ever asked the question “How Can I Increase My Confidence On The Mic?” then today’s blog is for you! We’re happy to share 5 ways you can finally beat the nerves in front of the mic. 

But if you’re looking for help with those nerves in front of spiders…we’re sorry but you’re on your own!

Let’s kick off with point 1…

1. Stay Calm

Whilst the stagefright-esque nerves that hit you out of nowhere may feel rooted in our emotions, this first solution is actually deeply rooted in our physiology.  Dr Tsaousides reveals that:

“Fear and anxiety involve the arousal of the autonomic nervous system in response to a potentially threatening stimulus. When confronted with a threat, our bodies prepare for battle.”

Interesting, right? The way we feel in a particular moment has a direct impact on the way our physical bodies react. Dr Tsaousides further adds: the subsequent feelings of anxiety and panic that occur will hinder your performance and undermine the quality of your end product. We cannot afford for this to happen!

The goal here is to preempt any such negative reaction with a tool belt of handy practices that will ensure you begin each podcast episode cool, calm, and collected, and remain so until the last word of your outro. 

Here are two tips to consider – for before your recording session (rest) and one for during (breathing).

Rest

Your performance on recording day is invariably linked to your level of restedness and how well you slept the night before.  Life can be busy, late nights, early mornings, deadlines and familial commitments are all par for the course, but if you don’t get enough sleep, all these things will suffer – including your podcast performance! Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep: clear your schedule after 10pm, set an alarm, and make yourself accountable.

In addition to the quantity of sleep, be mindful of the quality of sleep you’re getting. Your aim is to maximize the time your body spends in REM sleep. Some tried-and-tested methods include saying no to drinking fluids (especially alcohol) too late in the day so that your rest is not disturbed by bathroom breaks.  You could also try turning away from stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine as the day begins to come to a close.  And limit your amount of screen time after the evening sets in – a blue light bathed brain is a stimulated one!

Getting sufficient, quality rest will ensure that your brain and body feel sharp, and better equipped for any of the stressful demands the day may throw at you! 

For more helpful insights and tips on sleep and rest check our article: How Do I Rest and De-stress From A Busy Recording Schedule?

Breathing

Here’s a helpful breathing exercise know as equal breathing, recommended by Healthline.com:

1. Shut your eyes and pay attention to the way you normally breathe for several breaths.

2. Then, slowly count 1-2-3-4 as you inhale through your nose.

3. Exhale for the same four-second count.

4. As you inhale and exhale, be mindful of the feelings of fullness and emptiness in your lungs.

Pay attention to how you feel physically after this exercise.  This should help you get a handle on the chemicals running through your body, as well as the thoughts running through your mind. 

Related Reads: 8 Breathing Exercises to Try When You Feel Anxious

These two handy tools should help keep you feeling good physically. And now that you’re armed with the knowledge that our felt emotions and physical reactions are deeply knit, you’ll be able to keep your confidence up and your natural flight response down!

Since we’re on the subject of knowledge, that brings us nicely on to point number 2…

2. Know Your Stuff

One of the main confidence sapping culprits is the feeling of helplessness caused by a lack of preparedness. 

“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Typical Boomer.

Whilst we’re not trying to lecture you with grandfatherly clichés, there is a ton of truth in this often-quoted adage that will help you to retain your confidence in front of the mic.  Plan to succeed by knowing your stuff inside out.

What stuff specifically?

I’m glad you asked! Do you have an interviewee coming in? Do your due diligence and learn who they are, learn their name (seems small, but butchered pronunciations do little to engender confidence in the listener or interviewee, let alone the interviewer!). Know about their notable achievements and the thing(s) that make them a worthwhile voice to invite onto your podcast.  Even go a step further and find out a novel detail that will delight and surprise – there are few things more confident boosting for an interviewer than their guest delightfully complimenting on their exceptional sleuthing skills! 

Are you going solo? Know the topic of today’s discussion. You are more than likely doing a podcast about something in which you are interested or have a degree of expertise in.  Brush up on your lingo, know the terms and definitions, bring yourself up to speed with the latest industry developments, and be prepared to give your opinion and synthesis of difficult hot button issues. 

This level of preparation is wonderful in that it puts both you and your audience at ease. It’s a confidence booster for all parties involved – a win-win!

Wanna really solidify your sense of preparedness (and, thereby, confidence)? Let’s take point number two a step further…

3. Go Through The Motions

In addition to knowing the requisite information to have a meaningful monologue or dialogue, try playing out each step, cue, question and answer before it’s even time to record! Picture a dress rehearsal for your podcast; you could try writing down your questions and/or statements and saying them out loud, so that you literally know how the words feel coming out of your mouth. This will eliminate those unpleasant “uhms”, “ahs”, and meaningless vocal filler that only serves to communicate a clear lack of confidence.  

You could go a step further and employ a visualisation technique. Before recording day, sit quietly alone, eye closed, and picture every step of the session and walk through it in your mind’s eye – picture yourself in your outfit of the day, open the door to the recording space, take your seat and put on your headphones, see yourself smiling, greeting your guest, anticipate their first response, proceed to feel and live through the podcast episode before it ever happens!

This is a great way to stifle nervousness caused by the fear of the unknown – you make yourself acquainted with the seemingly unknown, there remains nothing to fear! And where fear leaves a gaping vacuum, confidence will gladly slide on in.

So now that we’ve practiced being in the moment, let’s talk about actually being in the moment…

4. You’re Alive, Not Live!

You have permission to screw up! You are allowed to make mistakes! Flub and gaff to your heart’s content! The beauty of podcasting is that they are typically pre-recorded and edited, as opposed to being streamed as live events. Whether you have the benefit of being in partnership with a professional podcast editing service such as We Edit Podcasts, or simply make tweaks and adjustments on your laptop using a free DAW like GarageBand, all your mistakes are likely to be taken care of in post.  So….relax.    

Allow yourself the liberty of being in the moment, allow yourself to be present, fully you, fully alive without the pressure of having to nail it perfectly the first.  Again, a reminder – it’s pre-recorded and then edited, so you’re good! This is not a life or death hostage negotiation (…unless, of course, you have a podcast about life or death hostage negotiations), so be confident, rock it, and nail it.

5. Self-Talk

“What is this, a self improvement conference from the mid 90s?”. I know, I know, but hear me out.  Before you grab your power suit and your flip phone you’ve got to realise that the human mind has has the same wiring and circuitry for millenia, and the old saying – “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” – may be old, but is also quite incorrect.

A peer reviewed, scientific study published to the National Library of Medicine came to the conclusion that negative self-talk plays a role in the generation or maintenance of anxiety in normal children (Here is a link to the abstract of the study). In the same way that the negative self-talk we may subject ourselves to can have a bad effect, positive self-talk can have a confidence inducing beneficial effect. 

Self-talk can be audible and spoken out loud, or it could be internal and communicated to yourself in your mind, but either way it is heard. Try this, instead of saying: “My voice sounds terrible”, “Why did I say that? I’m not making sense”, “No one will listen to me, I’m not smart enough” – try saying: “I have a great voice, it’s so unique and distinct”, “I’m glad I said that, it’s what I was honestly thinking”, “I’m so grateful for my audience, they trust my opinion on this subject”. 

This may be difficult and unnatural at first but it may take time to undo an innate, knee-jerk instinct to tear yourself down. Be intentional about reversing this and building your confidence up with strategic self-talk!

6. Invest In Your Mic

One easy, and often overlooked, method of improving your confidence on the mic is by simply taking the step to invest in a great quality microphone. Some of the most cringeworthy content we’ve consumed is really only bad based on the quality of the audio, not necessarily the quality of what’s said. Hissing, popping, background sounds, and unwanted ambient noise are all easily avoidable distractions.

Don’t allow that to be you and your podcast! Take the step and do research on the microphones available on the market, the way they work, and whether or not they fit your price range. It is an investment that will pay solid dividends – in the currency of confidence! Get the right microphone that will provide the quality your listeners deserve. It will simply make you sound better, more polished, pleasing to the ear, and, most importantly, more confident.

For more helpful suggestions and pricing on essential podcasting gear check out this related read: How Much Does Podcasting Really Cost? (Breaking Down The Expenses)

There’s another investment you can make – but this time it’s not in gear, it’s directly in yourself…

7. Get Trained

Another way to combat nervousness and build your confidence behind the mic is by training for public speaking, and joining a club such as Toastmasters. You can find other local organizations, clubs, and even one-on-one mentors, but I have attended a Toastmasters Event in the past and was pleasantly surprised by the challenge to eliminate the “uhms” and “ahs” I had developed the habit of peppered through my speech. Not everything that comes naturally is necessarily helpful and there is always room for improvement.

A cursory glance through the nonprofit’s About Section will inform you that “since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators, and leaders.” This can apply directly to you as a podcaster! Investing in yourself to become a better speaker is a step that may seem like an uncomfortable inconvenience at first, especially if you’re naturally introverted, but it will definitely pay off, and you will grow as a more confident communicator.

In Conclusion

When it comes to recording your podcast it may feel like your courage is stolen in one foul swoop, a mere instant, the fraction of a second in which you step up to the mic and the little red recording light becomes illuminated.  But we’re happy to report that it’s just as easy to retain and maintain your confidence! Stay calm by taking care of your physical body.  Be prepared by knowing the necessary information and even taking yourself through the process step by step. Give yourself permission to chill, your recording will be edited and you will sound great!  And lastly, make sure you have the gear in place to make you sound your very best.  Follow these seven steps and you will be sure to increase your confidence on the podcast mic.

Friends, you may not be bored or even necessarily feel the need to unplug and unwind, but burnout is a real thing. The independent nonprofit Help Guide gives a characteristically helpful definition of burnout: 

“Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.”

The hardest hitting reality of their article on the subject is that as sources of stress refuse to relent, and the adrenaline and cortisol keep flowing like cheap drinks at a sketchy back country bar…a stressed individual will begin to lose the interest and motivation that led them to take on a certain role or project in the first place. 

In other words, a stressed podcaster won’t be a podcaster for long. We do not want this for you. We want your podcasting career to be a long one, and your podcast to remain a passion, priority, and unfolding pursuit.

So in today’s article, we explore 5 strategies on how to Rest and De-stress From a Busy Recording Schedule. We also share some top tips within those strategies to really set you up for success!

Let’s check them out!

1. Get Quality Sleep

The importance of sleep cannot be overstated, but it’s benefits are often chronically undersold.  According to the Sleep Foundation adults between the ages of 18 to 64 years need 7 to 9 hours of sleep daily. How do you measure up?

And whilst we cannot argue with the cold, hard numbers represented by seconds, minutes, and hours, the quantity of sleep you are able to bank should not overshadow the quality of said sleep.  You wanna get down into deep REM sleep! This is the most restful phase of sleep where our bodies are repaired, our energy reserves restored, and our minds are rested and receive the necessary boost for the mental demands of the day ahead. 

You can set yourself up for quality REM sleep by staying away from alcohol, kicking that nicotine addiction, skipping the heavy meals before bed, and going easy on the fluids – water is great, but waking up to pee every 30 minutes is less than optimal!

Related read: The Best Podcasts To Help You Sleep

Tips

1. Have a Consistent Bedtime and Wake-Up Time 

Try training yourself to go to bed and to wake up at the same time every day. Make the verbal commitment to be in bed by a specific hour – 10pm is a great starting point.  Share this goal with the person you live with. If you live alone, get a friend to hold you accountable and check in with you via text. Don’t go it alone; introducing another person into your journey will give you someone to risk disappointing, and that’s a pretty powerful behaviour modifying tool.  

2. Try an Alarm Clock Hack

Waking up in the morning can be tough, and conquering this may mean redefining your relationship with your alarm clock!  And that’s where this alarm clock hack comes in.

Set one alarm, and try placing it in a location where you have to get up and physically leave your bed to silence it (it could be at the other side of your room, or in another room altogether!  You’ll find that the battle to get up in the mornings will be 90% won at this point – you’re already out of bed!  

3. Don’t Hit Snooze!

Now that you’re up – you need to stay up! Resist that alluring snooze button and you’ll be well on  your way to a disciplined daily bedtime and wake time!

Being intentional about turning down for the night and resting your body with a sufficient amount of quality sleep is ground zero of your rest and destress journey.  And, believe it or not, our next important tip actually directly feeds into the quality of your sleep and will help to relieve any unwanted symptoms of sleep disorders…

2. Work Out

“Wait? You want me to squeeze into tight clothes, pick up heavy things, spike my blood pressure, and run until I can’t breathe?  What happened to rest and de-stress!?”

Relax friends! Working out does not have to wear you out, and if the above hypothetical question is at all a reflection of how you feel about working up a sweat, then we need to first redefine your relationship with physical exercise.

The benefits of working out are myriad; in addition to improving the quality of your sleep it will help you with weight management, leave you feeling stronger and more confident, improve your memory and brain function, and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression – aka: help you rest and de-stress!  For more info on the benefits of working out, check out this helpful related read: Top 10 Benefits of Physical Activity.

Make regular exercise a part of your lifestyle. Try starting with 30 minute sessions during which you move your body and push yourself will leave you feeling great. It may be all you need to help decompress the stresses of your current grind.

Tips

1. Join A Gym

There are many gyms and styles of gyms that are open and available. You may choose a larger, ‘big-box’ gym that has weights and machines for resistance training, sections of equipment dedicated to cardio, or even rooms for activities such as spin and group fitness classes (little perks like steam rooms and massage chairs are nice added bonuses too!).  

You could opt to join a smaller boutique gym where the focus is community, be it a yoga studio, kickboxing gym, or a crossfit box. Or you could save money and invest in a home setup; dedicate a room or even just a space in your home for working out; let Youtube be your personal trainer and a set of resistance bands, dumbbells, and your own body weight may be all you need.

2. Get the Gear

As silly as this may sound initially, getting the right gear can really help you make exercise a habit, rather than a chore. Invest in clothes that you like to be physical in; whether you choose tight compression technology or roomy billowy shirts, they should be comfortable and look good, therefore they’ll make you feel good, and consequently, you’ll be more likely to do the workout.

3. Get a Gym Buddy

Again, try not to go alone. Find a workout partner, someone who will tackle this challenge with you. They could be further along their fitness journey or in the same boat as you, that doesn’t matter. What matters is that there is strength in numbers and power in accountability.  

Looking for another great place to work out, and another way to rest and de-stress?  Venture outside…

3. Get Into Nature

Podcasting friends, as I type this I hear birds chirping outside my window, I see wind rustling through leaves on the trees across the street, and it’s a beautiful grey, overcast day in my part of Canada. The roads are glistening with the evidence of a recent rain shower.  Nature is beckoning, and I’m most definitely going to venture outside!

After being holed up in a studio in front of a microphone and computer screen working tirelessly on your amazing content, you’ll find that being in nature is definitely a place of refreshment and inspiration. Being in the sun allows for our bodies to synthesize helpful vitamin D, the fresh air filling our lungs and the general sights and sounds of life around us can be startlingly healing. Go outside. Walk, stand, sit. Just be outside, and just be.  

Tips

1. Dress Accordingly

Again, talking about our wardrobe may seem irrelevant, but investing in clothing appropriate for the given season will make it easier for you to get out! If the weather sometimes takes a turn for the worst, (as it is so adept at doing in my particular part of the Great White North) bundle up in your warm clothes, sturdy boots, grab a hot drink and choose to be outdoors. 

Is the heat sweltering? Is the sun unrelenting? Don’t give in and hide, lean in and find the sun block, your fave pair of shades, bust out the flip flops and shorts and choose to be outside. You could even work out, find a local park and try some creative HIIT circuits, or just opt for a good ol’ fashioned jog.  

2. Schedule in Outdoor Breaks

Whatever you do, aim to get a daily dose of the outdoors. But simply aiming is not enough! These escapes into the great outdoors need to be scheduled into our plans, otherwise they will more than likely not happen as other things take priority. But I urge you not to neglect these  outdoor breaks. 

The change in scenery from workspace to wide open space will do wonders for you physically as well as mentally, and help you to rest and destress in the midst of all the hard work.

So, should you explore outside alone, or do you hit the trails with friends…?

4. Isolate or Socialise

To echo the words of the great grecian philosopher, Socrates, know thyself.  Most people will find their personality profile to be a hybrid mixture of different elements, with no two individuals truly being identical, but you will find that you tend towards being an introvert (a shy, reticent person) or an extrovert (an outgoing, overtly expressive person).

Tips

1. Rest and Recharge

If you are an introvert, or more introverted, allow yourself time alone to rest and recharge.  Find a great book that allows you to get lost and immersed in an exciting new world, cook a delicious meal, watch a movie, pray or meditate…or even sleep, which is a necessity for everyone!

2. Spend Time with Friends and Family

If you have a more extroverted disposition and find that you rest and recharge with and around other people, set yourself up for de-stress success. Go for your nature walk with friends, join family for dinner around the table, if you need to do a more individualised task like reading, settle in at your local coffee shop and do so around people.

3. Make Time to Meet Your Needs

The goal here is to unplug and unwind in a way that best suits you and puts you at ease. Mr Introvert, don’t subject yourself to soul sucking small talk!  Mrs Extrovert, don’t banish yourself to a self-imposed isolation! Do those things with, or without people, and allow yourself time to unhitch from the wearisome work wagon that has a tendency to trail you all week.

Still got room for one more seemingly counterintuitive suggestion? Check out number five…

5. Listen to A Podcast

I know, I know, we’re supposed to be resting and de-stressing from the busy recording schedule, but hear me out – listening isn’t necessarily recording, and the results may be therapeutic, cathartic, and inspirational.

By listening to other podcasts you are subconsciously reminding yourself that you are not alone and you are part of a community; a community of content creators lending their voice and sharing their ideas with the world. This is huge, as it serves to give you a suitably grounded perspective that you are not going it alone but you’re plugged into something bigger and meaningful than just you yourself. This is super healthy, friends!

Tips

1. Find a Podcast Like Yours

It can also be a great de-stresser when you tune into another podcast and hear a fellow podcaster from your field tackling questions, sharing hilarious stories, and ranting about problems you too can experience release when light is shed and awareness is raised on a meaningful topic, or when an answer is found and a solution is reached, or even when you are simply reminded that you’re not alone in your frustrations.

2. Find a Podcast Unlike Yours

Lastly, tuning in to other podcasts and podcasters – regardless of style, genre, or niche – can be inspirational. One of the greatest sources of stress for a podcater is the pressure to come up with new content that is interesting and engaging. Checking out another podcast may inspire you to adopt new hosting techniques, introduce new segments and experiment with new topics. Great ideas breed great ideas. Tuning into different sources will make you a veritable breeding ground of creativity, and will help to give you much needed rest by lifting the content creation burden off your shoulders.

Related read: How To Find New Podcasts To Listen To [NOT Your Usual Suggestions!]

In Conclusion

Mental health and self care have become buzzwords in their own respect, and some would be happy to dismiss them to the trash heap of all things cliché. But, as the cliché goes, things become cliché because they’re true!  And if you want to stay on top of your podcasting game, the truth is you need to be able to rest and de-stress amongst your busy recording schedule and the busyness of life.

So invest in your podcast by taking care of yourself. Don’t burnout;  rest, move, go outside, recharge appropriately and allow yourself to be inspired by others. These are sure fire ways to rest and de-stress from your busy recording schedule.

It’s the same for podcasting (…minus the overt romance, of course!). As podcasters who want to engage our listeners in a deeper way, we need to provide forums and create contexts in which this engagement can occur. This is how we convert our listenership from casual followers to committed fans. This is one of the key ways we create community around our content.

Track with us in today’s article as we discuss 5 ways to answer the question: How Can I Connect with My listeners Beyond my Podcast?

Number one is as simple as using the medium they’re already engaged with – your podcast – to stimulate further engagement by…

1. Asking For Their Thoughts

One way to establish connection with your audience, through and beyond your podcast, is to go ahead and ask for their thoughts, opinions, questions, and concerns. This additional commentary can be posted to comment sections (Apple Podcasts’ platform allows for this kind of user engagement), already established social media pages (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are all viable options), or good, old-fashioned email.  

You could pose a question, and direct your listeners to participate in a poll.  Simply direct them to your personal website landing page, or use Instagram Stories, or Twitter’s polling system to get your community’s input.

The goal here is not to use a specific platform, but to talk to your people. Your aim is a conversation, a two-way exchange of thoughts, commentary, and ideas. If a listener leaves a comment and you respond to it – that small dose of engagement goes a long way to establishing personal connection and unity.

Length is not the emphasis here…

It could be a sentence, it could be a paragraph – the key thing to focus on is the quality of your response in terms of personalization. Actually respond to the writer! Use their name. Show them that you actually considered and read their question by using similar (if not the same) words and language they used.  Gratitude is an effective tool here also, say “Thank you for that comment, it was really insightful”, it’s a powerful way of tilting the natural relationship dynamic in which an authoritative voice that they value is reciprocating and ascribing value to their contribution. 

Demonstrating agreement is also powerful. A statement as simple as “Thanks for that comment Bob, I feel the exact same way – could not agree more!”  communicates sameness of vision, outlook, and perspective. This is one of the binding ingredients in any tribe, community, or family.

You could take this a step further; go beyond collecting contributions that live exclusively outside of your podcast, and curate contributions that will be featured in the content itself…

2. Get Them Involved

User-generated content is a powerful means of getting your audience to buy into your podcast brand in a deeper way. It communicates value that transcends only asking for a comment on the content, as they now actually become the content.

Requesting stories from your listeners about their favorite workout routine, or their most recent crypto investment, or their most embarrassing date will provide great, authentic content. This type of content is charming and endearing, and it saves you time, effort, and energy. It’s called user-generated not podcaster-generated! 

Do you have a video podcast? Go ahead and request quick bitesize, reel-style videos from your subscribers in which they reaction, a routine, or rate something honestly and transparently. Again, this is powerful in that it will not only allow you to connect with your listeners beyond your podcast, but it will give them a genuine dose of value from sincere people (listeners, just like them!) whose real-world opinion can be trusted and related to in a very real way.

Let’s keep pushing and take this engagement a step further. In addition to inviting comments, and incorporating user generated content, try getting ‘face-to-face’, and leveraging technology to get up close and personal…

Related read: 8 Strategies To Build Authority In Your Podcast Niche

3. Go Live

This is where the digital world and virtual meeting places really shine. In recent years, innovations on social media platforms have allowed for users to “Go Live”, and host a live streamed video from their own platform. The cool thing is you can correspond and interact with your audience in real time! YouTube provides for this, and even has a Super Chat feature through which your audience can show support and appreciation through monetary donations. 

Instagram is set apart in that you can invite audience members to join your broadcast live –  meaning you can see each other, and speak to one another in real time, whilst simultaneously still engaging with the rest of your viewers! Zoom is another option, in which a tailored, more curated audience can be invited into video correspondence. The beauty here being that those who choose to engage with you on a Zoom call are likely the members of your community who are your most committed and bought-in. 

In this setting, deeper, more nuanced conversations can be held where certain topics are explored and unpacked that may not necessarily translate as well to your larger audience base.  These are venues through which, and in which, lasting connections are formed with your listenership beyond your podcast.

You’re a person before you’re a podcaster; for your listeners, having the opportunity to see the real you is a really effective way of fostering connection…

Related read: Top Tips For Succesful Live Podcasting And Hosting A Live Podcast Event

4. Let Them In

Open up and let them see the person behind the personality.  Share parts of your daily life: your sartorial process in selecting the all important ‘Outfit of the Day’, the quaint coffee shop you discovered, the personal insight and revelation that came to you on your morning run, or even your  frustrations with clients (check out We Edit Podcasts “Client of the Year” comic strips on Twitter and Instagram for a relatable dose of frustration!).

You can do this through text, by sharing your thoughts through blog posts, tweets, and newsletters. You can do this through audio, by incorporating these quotidian adventures as segments in your already existing podcast content; it’s as easy as making a slight shift in format and it may very likely become something that your listeners look forward to hearing and engaging with. 

There are many options available…

You can do this through video clips – again, feel free to post these snappy snippets to the tried and true Facebook and Instagram platforms, but if you’re feeling particularly creative and predisposed to having a laugh or two, try opting for TikTok as a platform of choice.

The focus here is less the medium and more the act of sharing your life with your listeners.  This is your chance to peel back the curtain, as much as is appropriate, and let them in to give them a glimpse of the real person whose voice and thoughts they’ve come to appreciate so much.

In addition to giving them a  taste of your life, why not try giving them a bunch of cool swag…

5. Giveaways and Competitions

Who doesn’t love a giveaway? And who doesn’t get revved up by the buzz of some healthy competition? No one, that’s who! And your listeners are not exempt from this category.  Organize giveaways for listeners who make the effort to engage with your content in various ways, such as by choosing to provide email addresses, or leaving comments on your page. 

Craft competitions that your audience can participate in, test general knowledge in a specific topic tailored to your podcast. Ask your fellow pop music lovers whose album was number one that month, ask your fellow leadership gurus to name the author of an inspirational quote.

The goal here is fun! And clean, no-strings-attached giveaways in which value and appreciation are communicated to and expressed for those who follow you and enjoy your show.  If you reach out and give whatever creative, fun things may come to mind, they will reach out to you in return, and happily give you their loyalty as listeners.

In Conclusion

Everytime you plug in the mic, don the headphones, and share and lend your voice to the vast podcasting world, you are making connections with people. It’s the beauty of the industry we find ourselves in. But not all connections are equal, and some are definitely stronger and more valuable than others. 

Build these strong, valuable connections with your base by turning the tables and consulting them for their thoughts, and then making a point of expressing gratitude for their contribution. Go a step further and incorporate their contributions into your content. Then go further still and engage on live streams, and let them into the daily grind and/or joys of your life.  And be sure to give, give, and give some more. In return, deep lasting connections will be formed, and these worthwhile connections cannot be easily broken. 

If you’re a podcaster, then the world of podcasting should feel like home – jargon, acronyms and buzzwords should fall neatly in the scope of your first language. You should not feel lost in your very own industry, doing the very thing that you’re passionate about.

In today’s article, we want to demystify and decode some common podcasting terms.  Let this blog serve as your road to help navigate some of the trickier twists and turns in our podcasting world, and soon it will all feel like home! 

1. RSS

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication.  Like the name says, it’s simple, right? Well, let’s decode this term a little further.

In their explanation of podcast syndication, the clever guys and gals at BackTracks describe RSS feeds as a way of delivering content which is constantly changing (read: your podcast episodes, titles, audio files, metadata, etc).  This is clean and efficient, as rather than having to manually update a page that a user must then manually navigate to, RSS feeds “push” changes automatically as they are made, such as uploading new episodes of a podcast. 

“RSS readers, podcatchers, and aggregators “listen” for these pushes and when they receive one, they update the user’s content accordingly, in the case of podcasts, downloading the new episode.”

The RSS feed is like a doting valet – it displays the title of your episode, as well as a description, and will whisk you away to the original content with a limousine (read: hyperlink..lol.  Not quite as fancy, but definitely more efficient). The benefit?

“This helps you to quickly weed through what interests you and what doesn’t. When you find something you like, you can click through for the full content.”

Using an aggregator, or podcatcher (more on that, coming right up), you’ll see brief and basic information about the full content. These are posted in chronological order so that the top entry is the latest published entry.

Related Read: How Do RSS Feeds Work?

2. Podcatcher

No, it’s not a handy tool that recycles the little plastic containers on your new coffee machine. And no, it’s not a fictitious character in black and white striped overalls, a fedora and handy net for swiping unsuspecting podcast episodes (..I think that guy’s called the Hamburgler!).

“Aggregators,” “syndicators,” and “podcatchers” are loosely interchangeable terms that, for the most part, are used synonymously. “Podcatcher” is the one that often draws the most blank looks so we’ll use that to explain.  

If we dig deep enough in the archives of Indiana University’s online Knowledge Base, we’ll find a great definition to help us: 

“A podcatcher is an application you can use to subscribe to podcasts; the podcatcher automatically downloads podcasts as they are posted to a site. Podcatchers can also transfer downloaded podcast files to a portable media player such (e.g., an iPod)…”

Erm…yeah, they just said iPod.  Did I mention this definition was in the Knowledge Base archives? Haha!  It continues:

“ …A podcatcher is a special type of news aggregator; while news aggregators retrieve several types of syndicated web content…podcatchers are geared specifically toward podcasts.”

Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Stitcher are all examples of podcatchers (or aggregators, or even syndicators, if you prefer).  Now that that’s cleared up, let’s move on to a much more modern buzzword that has been causing some pretty exciting waves…

3. Social Audio

New kids on the tech block Clubhouse and Stereo have created much chatter in a new social space – Social Audio.  We even seeing social media giants wanting to stake their claim in this new land, as Twitter introduces Spaces, and Facebook gets busy working on their own offerings.  And this is just to name a few.  In his Web Strategist article, Silicon Valley based industry analyst, Jeremiah Owyang, enumerates 40 new companies who have entered or are getting ready to enter the space.

“While podcast audio has been around for some time, it’s a one-way broadcast medium, meaning it’s recorded for listening in the future. Social audio differs in that it’s real-time audio that allows listeners to actively participate in the dialog.

Founder of the Social Media Examiner, Michael Stelzner, highlights the important fact that people consuming and participating in social audio want authentic, human dialog.  You have to really grasp this dynamic when trying to understand Social Audio and its meteoric rise. 

For example, when you hear someone’s voice, your understanding of what they’re saying is influenced by their intonation.

Owyang further unpacks this new phenomenon:

“While this contextual understanding is also supported in real-time video conversations on platforms such as Zoom, appearing on video means you have to pay attention to the way you look, your background, and other factors. Social audio is voice-only so there’s no need to worry about how you look or what’s in your background. It’s basically a Goldilocks medium; not too much, not too little… just right.”

Related Read: Social Audio: What It Means for Marketers and Businesses

Social Audio is all about engagement. When examining your listeners engagement with the content you produce for your podcast, another acronym you may see fired around is…

4. KPIs 

Podcasting KPIs are Key Performance Indicators; they’re measurable performance that can help you monitor each aspect of your podcast’s performance.  Chris Land is the owner and creator of ImprovePodcast.com, a site dedicated to providing actionable solutions for podcast creators.  In his article he gives invaluable information on podcasting KPIs that you simply need to know!  For instance, being aware of your podcast Key Performance Indicators will allow you to:

1. Advertise on the right podcast with your target audience so that you don’t waste your dollars targeting people who will not take action.
2. Select an ad type that will appear attractive to your target audience.
3. Track your KPIs and ROI so that you’re aware of how your advertisement is performing to tweak it as needed and use the feedback to create more effective ones down the road.

To achieve success with podcasting, you need to monitor a set of podcast performance metrics regularly. Always strive to keep an eye on the following podcast metrics in the following categories:

1. Performance
2. Audience Geographies
3. Popular Content and Listener Behaviour
4. Engagement
5. Marketing Effectiveness

Monitor your metrics regularly, analyze changes, and adjust your plan of action so you can always be ahead of the game.

Related Read: 55 Best Podcast Performance Metrics (KPIs) You Need to Track

Another category Key Performance Indicator that is worth paying attention to is your Financial Results Metric.  Advertising is a key contributor to this KPI.  

And lastly, let’s demystify a common advertising acronym unique to the podcasting world…

5. DAI

Dynamic Ad Insertion is pretty much as cool as it sounds.  In his Forbes article exploring the usefulness of DAI, Kurt Kaufer’s provides a succinct definition:

“[A dynamically inserted ad] is served through an ad server and is inserted upon receipt of a podcast file request…New ads are inserted into content on-demand and offer publishers and hosts the ability to continuously monetize the same episodes over time as the original ads aren’t persistent like baked-in ads are…Thus, episodes that were recorded two years ago will have new advertising continuously going forward.”

There are many types of ads that can be integrated into your podcast show, however DAI is unique in it’s application: when a podcaster uses DAI they leverage their hosting platform’s interfaces, using them to set time stamp markers with which to automatically insert your advertiser’s organic, curated, customized ad. 

Pretty cool, right?! This is the innovative partnership of technology and podcaster personality, the marriage of man and machine! It cuts down on the work required by both the podcaster whilst avoiding becoming stale and irrelevant, and that kind of automation is great (almost as cool as self driving cars…almost!). 

If Dynamic Ad insertion is really piquing your curiosity, this article by Brian Barletta is a must read!  He writes:

“First off, it allows the host and editor to stay focused on episode content, offloading ad placement to an ad ops team. Breaking ad runs out doesn’t cause the podcast editor any more work beyond marking the ad insertion positions in each media file. They’re still going to edit the episode and the ads themselves. But once that’s done, they simply provide the episode file to the ad ops team for scheduling and monitoring to the terms of any campaign insertion orders or agreements. Division of labor, for the win!…The end result is a seamless audio file, with ads dynamically inserted into the episode.”

DAI is an acronym worth knowing and becoming acquainted with if you want to make your podcast more efficient, and more profitable.

In Conclusion

You should feel at home in the world of podcasting. These aren’t the cold, mean streets, this is your neighborhood.  Acronyms like “RSS,” “KPI,” and “DAI” should be warm and familiar, terms like “Social Audio” should never leave you feeling socially awkward, and buzzwords “Podcatcher” should never catch you out.  Invest in learning the language of the land, using today’s article as a launching pad, and you will become fluent and comfortable with the industry’s lingo as if it were your very own mother tongue.  Superstar podcaster, go forward and explore!

Sources:
1. Backtracks.fm, Podcast Syndication https://backtracks.fm/resources/podcast-dictionary/podcast+syndication

2.  Improvepodcast.com, 55 Best Podcast Performance Metrics (KPIs) You Need to Track
https://improvepodcast.com/podcast-performance-metrics/

If you’re an aspiring podcaster with a great idea for a new show, we want to help you by laying out everything you will need to launch your own podcast. There are amazing editing companies out there, (such as We Edit Podcasts), that will take your idea from seed form to towering red oak, giving you an industry standard podcast in just 48 hours!  But even if you’re just looking to get started out of your home office, we want to help you convert on that great idea and see it become a tangible reality enjoyed by others (…not just a dream that lives in your head!).  

Take out time to count the cost of your idea, to invest into a plan, and set aside a budget for the necessary resources and you’ll be well on your way to sharing your idea with the world.  

In today’s practical article we want to explore the question: How Much Does Podcasting Really Cost?  Ross Winn from Podcast Insights was a huge resource of information for me on my journey and I’ve leaned on much of his wisdom for today’s article. Check out his thoughts on this topic in his article Best Podcast Equipment (For Beginners & Pros).

We list all prices in USD, and give pretty accurate approximations for the year 2021.  Read on, and let’s break down the expenses together so that the expenses don’t break you!

Related read: Podcast Basics: What You (Really) Need To Start A Podcast In 2021

Mic Check…1, 2!

Let’s start with the foundation of what we’re building: your microphone.  You have a few categories of mic available to you. They each have different features and clock in at different price ranges.  Let’s start with the most basic and affordable.

USB Mics

A USB microphone connects to your computer via USB, simply plugging directly into your computer or laptop’s port. This solution is simple and affordable, yet drastically improves the quality of the audio you capture – especially when compared to the built in mic on your computing device.  

Great choices include:

Rode NT-USB Mini Condenser Microphone – $139 USD

• Delivers warmth and presence for a clear, professional sound
• Built-in pop filter for reducing plosives
• Magnetic desk-stand to mitigate knocks and bumps
• Simple to use – just plug in and hit record

Blue Snowball Ice – $49 USD

• Custom condenser capsule offers crystal clear audio – great for podcasting.
• Easy plug and play – no drivers to install
• Adjustable desktop mic stand

Dynamic Mics 

Dynamic microphones are a great podcasting solution, typically used for singing vocals, they work especially well when it comes to handling louder inputs. They tend to shine when you’re recording in a noisier environment or situations where multiple people are being recorded in the same room, as was often the case in my recording setup.

This is because the pick up configuration focuses on the direction of the sound source directly in front of the mic. They don’t require phantom power like a pricier condenser mic does, but they are not as sensitive and don’t pick up the same range of frequencies. You may also need  an external preamp to give you the additional gain necessary to record at an adequate level.  A preamp, like the Cloudlifter, will take care of that issue for you by providing you with 25 decibels of clean gain.

Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter CL-1 – $199 USD

• Clean gain boost of +25db
• Rugged steel case
• Simple and easy to use
  

Shure SM58 – $99 USD

• Cardioid mic, so it doesn’t capture many unwanted sounds
• Rugged and durable
  

Shure SM7B – $399 USD

• An industry favourite, known for its characteristic sound
• Built in pop shield and grill fixture
• Iconic design
• Cardioid mic, so it doesn’t capture many unwanted sounds
  

Condenser Mics

These are used for quieter, more complex sounds, and have a greater range of frequencies.  They are sensitive, accurate, and often found in studios being used to capture voice overs, vocals, and live instruments. They are, however, generally pricier and more delicate. A condenser microphone also requires electricity to work, either supplied through batteries in the microphone itself, or through phantom power provided by your audio interface or mixer. 

Great options include:

Audio-Technica AT2020 – $130 USD

• A cardioid mic (read: a mic that chiefly captures the sound right in front of it) with condenser mic qualities 
• Ideal for project/home studio applications
• Crisp and clear

Blue Yeti Pro – $239 USD

• 3 handy pickup patterns (cardioid, stereo bi-directional & omnidirectional)
• Cool retro look
• USB and XLR inputs

When purchasing your mic, also make room in your budget for a mic stand ($20 USD +), a pop filter (starting at around $9 USD), and XLR or USB cables (again, starting at around $9).  You do not have to break the bank to get your hands on any one of these!  But as with all things, you definitely get what you pay for.

Mix It Up

Audio Interface

This is the all important connection point between your great new mic and your laptop or computer.  Microphones capture your voice in the form of an analog signal, once routed through your audio interface this analog signal is converted to a digital one – and voila! – you have something your computer can use. Very popular examples would be:

Focusrite Scarlett 2I2 (3rd Gen) – $239 USD

• Two balanced line inputs, For multiple mics and even instruments
• Simple interface
• Phantom power
  

M-Audio AIR 192|6 – $169 USD

• Two ins and outs
• Easy studio monitoring
• Iconic, intuitive interface

(The M-Audio AIR is my personal audio interface of choice!)

Mixers

You may find yourself needing to use a mixer instead of an audio interface if you need more control over input and output levels, or if you will be having multiple or remote guests.  The company Behringer is known for crafting affordable audio solutions that work well – despite getting a bad rap for coming in on the “cheap” end of things.  Be that as it may, I feel the following mixer to be an easy entry level option to help get your podcast off the ground:

BEHRINGER, 6 Audio Mixer – $148.99 USD

• Low noise, 6-input analog mixer
• 2 Mic Preamps
• 3-band EQs for warm sound

Listen Up

Headphones

Now, I know at first this may be very awkward, but you will need to monitor your voice as you record using a pair of headphones.  This is an often overlooked but very worthwhile upfront investment that will save you huge potential editing headaches on the backend. 

Monitoring your recording using headphones will help you to spot any background ambient noise, any hissing, any issues with your voice (dry mouth, pops, harsh sibilance) and then balance and EQ your voice accordingly. This will allow you to achieve the best product; ensuring that everything you record is of a high level of excellence will result in an end product that is a worthy reflection of your podcast show. 

Podcaster Ross Winn also advises that it may be necessary to invest in a headphone amplifier for when you have several hosts, so that each of you can have your pair of headphones.  He swears by the following pair as a go to option:

Audio-Technica ATH-M30x – $99 USD

• Excellent sound isolation in loud environments
• Closed back and comfortable
• Budget Friendly

Related read: Gifts For The Podcaster In Your Life 

Chop It Up

Editing Software

For beginners, great examples of entry level podcast editing software are GarageBand:

and Audacity:

The former is exclusively for Mac OS users, the latter can be leveraged on both Mac and Windows operating systems.  And they’re both priced just right at $0! These applications are – thankfully – relatively intuitive, with smaller learning curves than professional Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs). 

(GarageBand is my personal audio interface of choice!)

The Other Kind of Hosting…

Podcast Hosting Service

So, we’ve now got you hooked up with all your gear, everything is plugged in and connected, and you’re ready to hit record – your idea is coming to life!  But allow me to inform you that you’re not the only one hosting your awesome podcast – you will also need dedicated hosting for your podcast files. At the We Edit Podcasts studios, we have built a great working relationship with Buzzsprout, and I used them personally for my own work before I joined this awesome team.  Another fact you’ll be happy to know – you can get started for free!

Another word of wisdom from Ross Winn:

“It’s a common misconception, but iTunes doesn’t host your actual .mp3 files, they just read an RSS feed and allow people to play your files hosted elsewhere.”

Learn how to upload to iTunes here.

In Conclusion

It’s not magical, it’s not exciting and it’s certainly not “sexy”, but it may be the one key ingredient missing from your strategy, and one that will give your podcast idea wings to fly – a budget!

You can see from the line up of items and their associated cost that there is some investment required up front, and your idea is definitely a worthwhile investment.  If cost poses a problem, then get creative and be resourceful; find and purchase a used mic, maybe you don’t need a brand new computer and can simply download the necessary apps to your current device, and remember to take advantage of tools and services that are offered for free.  If you have the money set aside, go ahead and pull the trigger on items from our curated list above. 

But don’t be afraid to shop around, read reviews, and see what works best for you – I encourage you to do just that!  You get what you pay for, so quality is the name of the game.  Friends, don’t let the expenses involved with podcasting stop you from sharing your idea – and your voice – with the world.  We’re rooting for you.  Happy podcasting!

Related read: How To Start A Podcast In 2021

Sources:

1. Best Podcast Equipment (For Beginners & Pros): https://www.podcastinsights.com/podcast-equipment/

2. What’s the Difference Between Dynamic and Condenser Microphones?: https://musicianshq.com/whats-the-difference-between-dynamic-and-condenser-microphone

3. Best Dynamic Microphones For Vocals (For Every Budget): https://www.podcastinsights.com/best-dynamic-microphones/#Shure_SM7B

4. Mike’s Top 10 Condenser Microphones for Podcasting: https://mikemurphyco.medium.com/073-mikes-top-10-condenser-microphones-for-podcasting-f07ed8e3acfe

In the same way that we find no joy from answering the same standard questions time and time again, there is zero entertainment or engagement value hearing the same old questions fielded in a podcast! And what’s worse, listening to these repetitive, unimaginative questions really is tiresome and dangerously disengaging for your listeners! This is important, friends; take it from this podcaster, thoughtful questions, insightful answers, great conversation – this is the lifeblood of your podcast!

But great interviews don’t just happen. There is some serious strategic planning required to make your show engaging, exciting, and thought-provoking. You’ve put in all the effort of securing an interview with this great guest, now it’s time to make it count! Don’t schedule a guest only to simply coast through your time together – really engage the human sitting across from you.  Unpack their story, allow them to share and allow your listener to get value from your exchange. Let your audience find deep points of connection through their answers to your questions.  And great questions deliver great answers.

This is a passion of mine, and in today’s blog, I want to share 4 tips to help you turn your good questions into GREAT questions.

1. Leave The Door Open

Is your podcast an interrogation? A game of Battleship, perhaps? No? Then be sure to use open ended questions, friends!  I take a playful tone here, but getting this right will yield serious results – namely better questions that prompt fuller, deeper answers. This is what makes your podcast content enjoyable to listen to.  

What’s wrong with closed ended questions?  Hotjar editor Fio Dossetto helps with this definition:

“Closed-ended questions are questions that can only be answered by selecting from a limited number of options, usually multiple-choice, ‘yes’ or ‘no’, or a rating scale (e.g. from strongly agree to strongly disagree)…Open-ended questions are questions that cannot be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’, and instead require the respondent to elaborate on their points.”¹

For a practical demonstration, check out the two example questions below:

Example 1: “You’re such an incredible artist, what’s your favourite colour?”

Example 2: “You’re such an incredible artist, your use of colour is striking, yet still soothing. What inspired you to use this colour palette for this piece?”

These are two different takes on what is essentially the same question.  Example 1 could easily yield a one word response – “Red”. That’s a neat fact to know about someone, but there’s so much more potential depth that’s then missed out on. Your guest has more to say! And your listener wants to hear it! 

In Example 2, the host actually explains why they think their guest is an incredible artist; this validates the preceding compliment, it’s now more than just a throw-away phrase and shows the guest that the host is genuinely interested in them (which primes them to open up and share more – we’ll get more into that later!). The follow up question asks for the artist’s source of inspiration…which could be anything!  Woohoo! A beautifully open-ended question.

Asking open-ended questions is one of the soundest ways to see things from your guest’s perspective, and that is exactly what you’re out to capture – that fancy mic and audio interface aren’t kickin’ around for nothin’! Friends, this is so easy to do! Implement this approach and you’ll quickly turn your good questions into great questions.

Related Read: Everything You Need To Invite And Book Your Next Podcast Guest (Email Templates Included!)

2. Follow Up

In her Entrepreneur.com article, Madison Semarjian explains how there are typically four different types of questions: introductory, mirror, full-shift, and follow-up. Research conducted by Harvard Business School suggests the most powerful of these are follow-up questions. Why do you think that is? “People feel more respected and heard, which will improve your relationship”, Semarjian explains. 

We’ve heard of an open door policy, as a means of building relationship – but have you ever tried an open ear policy?  It’s just as powerful!  Listening is powerful. Friends, you have to actually listen in order to ask great follow-up questions.  In his article for Harvard Business Review, Richard Davis reminds us that:

“To ask a good follow-up, you need to pay very close attention to how the interviewee responds to your initial question, and then build on his or her answer…Ask a follow-up that will help you really uncover what you are seeking to learn. Be curious, and you will be amazed what you uncover.”  

Let your guest know they are being heard by digging deeper. Davis goes on to give us three examples of great follow-up questions:

1. Ask your original question again, slightly differently. Try saying, “Let me ask you this another way…” Make sure you change the way you phrase this second question, you’re guaranteed to enjoy some deeper revelations.

2. Connect their answers to each other. One of my favorite strategies to understand people better is to link their responses to something they said earlier. Connect the dots between their answers, listen intently, and tie what they hear to something said earlier in the conversation. Ask something like, “Is that what you meant earlier when you said…?”. 

Beyond allowing you to understand the person better, it communicates that you are really listening, and actually provides meaningful insight to the person by pointing out a connection that he or she may have not even seen.

3. Ask about the implications of their answer. Try this when your guest answers a question without being particularly revealing, or by giving a very safe answer. For instance, when asked about their greatest weakness, someone may say, “I’m a perfectionist”. Rather than accepting answers like that at face value, seek to really understand the person by asking “What are the consequences of your detail-orientation?”

These are simple, intuitive strategies to incorporate into your podcast interviews.  Give it a shot, do the work, and watch the quality of your questions shift from good to great!

Related Reads: How To Improve Your Podcast Interview Skills [10 Do’s And Don’ts]

3. Tone It Down 

Don’t limit yourself as an interviewer! Instead of only planning what you’re going to ask, consider how you’re going to ask it. Studies show that people are more forthcoming when you ask questions in a casual way, rather than in a buttoned-up, official tone. In the aforementioned Harvard Business School Study, Leslie K. John, an associate professor of business admin at Harvard Business School, found some interesting results from a recent study:

“Participants were posed a series of sensitive questions in an online survey. For one group of participants, the website’s user interface looked fun and frivolous; for another group, the site looked official. (The control group was presented with a neutral-looking site.) Participants were about twice as likely to reveal sensitive information on the casual-looking site than on the others.”

That’s pretty telling, and we can co-opt the lessons from this study and apply these principles in our interviews – use the right tone. The right tone, when it comes to asking questions, is  the kind that puts your guest at ease. Are you curious and intrigued about what your guest is about to say?  Lean in, and perhaps widen your eyes. 

Are you prying into a humorous or embarrassing story? Smile, laugh, gesticulate with your hands and draw them into the conversation by letting them know they’re laughing with a friend.  Is the topic of discussion serious and sensitive? Maybe lower the volume and speak with softness and empathy. Great questions are those that are asked with the right timing, inflection, and body language that appropriately accompanies the topic of conversation.  Great questions produce great answers, and great answers produce great content for your podcast.

For a great read on the power of asking the right questions, check out this article:The Surprising Power of Questions

4. You Only Get Answers To The Questions You Ask  

You have to dare to ask! Richard Thalheimer, the founder of the Sharper Image, once asserted, “It is better to look uniformed than to be uninformed.” For that reason I encourage you not to worry about appearing silly, or less educated by throwing out certain questions.  Heck, if you’re wondering about something you can be sure that your audience is too! Serve your listeners and honor your guests by asking those pesky questions that persist in persisting – fellow podcast host, you know the ones!

You’ve prepped for the convo: you’ve got insightful, open-ended questions cued up, you’ve even practiced the inflection in your delivery…but something comes from left field, an unaccounted for inquiry, and you want to ask, but you begin second guessing yourself.  As long as it is appropriate for the tone of your show, and respectful to your guest and audience – dare to ask!

Asking the right question of the right person at the right time is a powerful combination because the answers you receive can bring about some of the richest conversations. But this often happens spontaneously; you have to be in the conversation, be present, be listening and when that question arises, be courageous – dare to ask!

Former CEO and Chairman of IBM, Thomas J Watson said: 

“The ability to ask the right question is half the battle of finding the answer.”

But that’s truly only if you are willing to ask the question. You will also find your own personal enjoyment of your podcast will grow exponentially when you’re also discovering unexpected nuggets, truths, and wisdom in real-time along with your listeners. Do right by your guest and – say it with me – dare to ask!

Related read: Good Leaders Ask Great Questions

In Conclusion

So, it’s really quite straightforward when you break it down – there’s a time and place for close-ended factual questions, but nothing opens up your guest like the breadth and depth afforded by an open-ended question. And after they open up, follow-up!  Demonstrate that you’ve been listening and invite them to share even more by using questions that build on what has already been said.  Be mindful of how you ask your question, tone, inflection, and body language will all contribute to whether you and your listeners get more, or less from your guests. 

And remember – the only way to find out what people are thinking is to ask them.  Don’t be afraid to ask.  Friends, from one podcast host to another, use these tips and you will most definitely take your podcast game to the next level as your good questions become great ones.

Related read: How To Improve Your Podcast Interview Skills – From Your Guest’s Perspective

Sources:

1.  Hotjar.com, Open-ended questions vs. close-ended questions: examples and how to survey users: https://www.hotjar.com/blog/open-ended-questions/ 

If you can get your audience hooked from the first few seconds and keep them hooked throughout the entire podcast without them thinking that they just wasted 30 minutes (or however long your podcast is) of their day, then you’ve got a very successful podcast and this article isn’t for you. But if you are still wondering how to be heard by your audience, then let’s take a look at some of the best tips for capturing your audience’s attention.

Start Strong

We can’t emphasize enough how important it is to have a strong start to all of your episodes. The first few minutes is where your listeners either find themselves captivated or they lose interest. New listeners will only tune in to the first few minutes and decide based on that whether your podcast would be a fit for them or not. It doesn’t matter if you have the best episode filled with the most awesome and interesting content; if your intro is not captivating, then listeners will never know what great content you have to share with them. 

Now, this doesn’t mean you have to have the perfect intro and the worst content ever! Your content should be at the same level as your intro and carried throughout your show. So what can you do to sharpen up your intro and captivate your listeners? First, start with a professionally scripted introduction, either by yourself or a voice-over artist. Next, really grab the audience’s attention by giving them insight into the details that will be discussed in your show. As an added bonus, you can also give them a teaser for your next episode to get them excited for what is still to come!

Paint a Mental Picture

Podcasting should be an escape from reality, so much so that your audience isn’t aware of anything other than the podcast they’re listening to (if this is the case, just ask them not to be driving or cooking!). The best way to captivate them this much is to create an image in their mind, whether it is feeling like they’re in the room with you or out in a field busy solving a crime themselves. 

Creating relatable content is the easiest way to start painting that picture. If they can relate to you or some part of your story then your listeners will use their personal experience to fill in some of the gaps. However, for new, original content, the best way to paint a picture for your listeners is to really hone in on your storytelling skills. Use your words to really describe a setting, or tell the story with descriptions on exactly how you were feeling – did you get goosebumps all over? Did the wind kick up the dust into a whirlwind that surrounded you? Really go into detail so that the listener can put themselves in your shoes and imagine what it was like to be there in person. 

Ask Unique Questions

Starting your podcast with a question or even ending off with a question that you’ll be answering in the next episode is a great way to keep your listeners intrigued and listening to find the answer revealed. This also relates to interviewing guests on your show, especially popular ones. Many interview guests will often have been featured on other podcasts, especially if they are on a book tour or have a new product they are wanting to promote.

So when you get the opportunity to have them on your show, make it memorable by asking them unique, never before asked questions. If the questions are unique and interesting then your listeners will say tuned in to hear all of the answers. Even though they’ve heard the guest on a previous show before, keeping the questions new and outside the box will give your listeners a new perspective on your guest, allowing them to get that value they are counting on. So take the extra time to do your research, think like a journalist, and pull out the best story you can!

Related read: 6 Strategies for Improving Your Podcast Interview Questions

Avoid Information Overload

Even if you created your podcast as a way of sharing your knowledge, just remember that there is such a thing as too much information at once. Having a podcast allows you to have as many episodes as you want for a reason. Instead of sharing too much information keep your episodes light, yet insightful at the same time. Don’t make the podcast longer just so you can squeeze in another fact. 

For example, if you have a true-crime podcast and you are discussing a new crime with every episode, listeners might easily become overloaded with information all jammed into one show. Rather try creating a season for each crime with as many episodes as you need to really dig into the details and let the information sink in as listeners reflect on the episode, waiting for the next one. At the same time, keep in mind that it is still paramount to keep your listeners captivated throughout the entire season. Keep them engaged with cliffhangers and sneak peeks so they simply don’t want to miss a detail of how the story ended.

Related read: 6 Ways to Create Loyal Podcast Fans

Think About Your Audience

No matter what you do, if it concerns your podcast then you should always consider your audience. Think about who you’re targeting and what it is they’d like to hear, and what type of content they are looking to find on your podcast. If you don’t know right off the bat, then do a little research. You can even ask your listeners using your social media and asking them to submit their questions or ideas. You can even send out a survey to your email list and really create that listener-driven content for your show. If you share content that has been created specifically for them your listeners, then there’s a higher chance that they will become hooked and listen to an entire episode. 

Another example where you should think about your audience is when deciding on how long the episodes should be. How will they react if your podcast is a full hour-long but only needs to be 30 minutes? That would mean that you’re rambling instead of just sharing facts. Trim your episodes down to include only the pertinent details and the information that really draws your audience in. Make sure that you keep their focus and don’t lose them along the way by adding in extra segments to re-engage them to the show.

Related read: 5 Steps to Create Listener-Driven Content for Your Podcast

Include Disclaimers

There are a lot of people out there that don’t like explicit language or controversial topics. Remember to share any necessary disclaimers before you start discussing the topic in your show. This can be anything from explicit language, disturbing or sensitive topics, or controversial discussions. If you don’t release a disclaimer beforehand and your listeners become offended or uncomfortable while listening to your podcast they might never tune in again. 

This is just a quick way to avoid any discomfort and gives them time to prepare or choose a different episode if they simply don’t prefer those topics. Again, keeping your audience at the front of mind is always key! Adding a disclaimer is a quick way to let them know that you’ve considered them ahead of time and want them to be prepared. 

Related read: Top 10 Mistakes that Podcasters Make

Add Sound Effects and Music

Adding music or sound effects to your intro is a sure way to grab your listeners’ attention. But if it suits your podcast then using it throughout your show will add listening pleasure. For example, if you’re using your podcast to read a book to your audience, why not add a page-turning sound effect after each chapter to indicate it’s a new chapter so people can keep track of where they were in the story. 

Another great addition could be playing music softly in the background, especially if your podcast needs a little dramatic effect. Using sound during your podcast or just in the intro can create a sense of excitement about what’s to come, or keep your audience in suspense when the tension in the story starts to rise! Again, using music and sound effects can really be a great way to entice your audience and keep them engaged in your content. So get creative, and create a great-sounding, well-produced show for your audience to love!

Prioritize Preparation

Preparation is always key to any project and even your podcast episodes. Preparing for your podcast will help you speak with confidence and share your story with unnecessary hesitation. If your podcast is all about going off-topic then instead of writing out your entire episode then just write a few keywords of things you’d like to discuss and read them over at least twice before recording. 

However, if you prefer a little more structure to your show then prepare it like you did oral presentations in university is a great way to start. Write out the entire episode outline and read it aloud a few times to yourself to see where you can add more detail and where you can throw in a plot twist to engage your audience. In the end, it’s all up to you on which method works best for you. As long as you are prepared to deliver well-researched and thought out content, you will be ahead of the game!

Related read: 7 Reasons to Implement a Podcast Workflow

Build Excitement

As we’ve mentioned, there’s nothing quite as effective in captivating your audience as building excitement for what is to come. Sharing teasers with your audience is a great way to build that excitement beforehand and have your listeners hanging at the edge of their seats to hear more. These are things like short audio clips, photos and even a video clip of you recording the episode. Something short that will excite and intrigue your audience enough so that they can’t wait to listen to your next episode. 

Social media is a great platform to use when it comes to releasing teasers and growing your engagement with loyal listeners. Share information about your next guest or next topic but keep your audience guessing by not revealing too much information all at once. Another great idea is to create a tagline for your podcast that you and your audience can use, something to get everyone excited and build that anticipation of what is to come. Again, find out what keeps your listeners coming back and give them more of it!

Related read: Top 8 Ways to Create Buzz Around Your Podcast

TED Talk: How to Speak So that People Want to Listen by Julian Treasure

¹Source: https://musicoomph.com/podcast-statistics/