Podcasts have been growing in popularity since its inception during 2005. They are fun, easy ways to pass time and divulge into what feels like an intimate conversation between yourself and who you are listening to. Podcasts can be informative, educational, comedical, inspiring, or whatever you, the podcast maker, want it to be. It gives an opportunity for others to hear your perspective on different topics and what expertise you have to offer for listeners.
Benefits of Podcasts
Making a podcast for you business can be extremely beneficial. As a podcaster, you can use your platform to influence and capitalize on the product or service you offer. Making a podcast allows for listeners to acknowledge and reciprocate that you are a leader in your field and an expert in what you are discussing.
It allows for you to collaborate with other business professionals who you might have never thought to have a relationship with. Thus, it opens doors for new opportunities or business ventures that you and your guest might discuss during a podcast session. Allowing for growth for your business and whoever you decide to bring on the show.
Most importantly, discussed a little above, it defines you as an expert in your discipline. Making the effort to research and delve into topics within your podcast shows listeners that you are someone they can trust for information and advice; whether that be health, products, politics, or the economy. By displaying you have the ability to research and discuss different topics during a podcast, your listeners will be able to trust you as a reliable source of knowledge.
Now that we have established the potential benefits of podcasts, we want to also share how you, as a business owner, could go about cultivating your own podcast show. Utilizing these tips and tricks will aid you in the start of your journey into podcasting.
- Basics
- Finding Your Niche
- Format
- Defining Your Style
- Length
- Recording and Editing
- Mac vs PC
- Launching and Promotion
Using these tips will allow you to have a smooth transition into the making of your new podcast.
The Basics:
Finding Your Niche
One of the first things that needs to be decided upon before beginning your podcast is your niche. It is important to realize that in order to appeal to a broad audience, the niche you chose must also be broad. A good rule to follow is to find the median between a broader subject and one that you may be a specialist in, but only few would be attracted to.
Look at the competition. What are other people within your field podcasting about? Do you think there is a gap you could fill with your podcast? Questions like these are meant to provoke thought and give you insight into what your podcast could potentially be about.
Format
Podcasts have grown exponentially and so have the different styles that come with it. Currently, there are three main types of podcasts; solo shows, co hosted shows, and interview-style podcasts. Solo shows, like the name suggests, involve a singular person talking directly to an audience. Co-hosted podcasts involve two or more people, and lastly, interview-style podcasts involve bringing in guests to be interviewed and discuss different topics with.
Defining Your Style
Podcasts are no place for teleprompters. Be authentic and be yourself. Most podcasts are targeted to be conversational content. Being yourself is an important part of what attracts an audience that you want. Conforming to what you think people may want to hear is never the right move, and will lead to more people disliking your podcast rather than listening to it. In order to be interesting you must be interested. Showing enthusiasm about your topic of discussion allows for your audience to also feel engulfed in the conversation and will be sure to draw their attention.
Length
Podcasts grew in popularity because of its quick ability to deliver entertainment on the go. The average podcast length ranges from about 25 to 45 minutes. This is a good time stamp because on average it is about the same length as many people’s commute. People traveling to and from places listen to podcasts in order to get a quick dose of information. It is up to you as the podcaster though, do you want a podcast that will do a deep dive into a topic for 3 hours, or do you want a shorter podcast where people can listen on the go?
Recording and Editing
Due to the growing popularity of podcasts, there are now many different options when it comes to how to record and how to edit your show. In order to get started, you will need audio software to record and edit. Apple products such as laptops or tablets usually come preloaded with Garageband. It is a free and easy-to-use software that allows you to have professional-level studio editing software at your fingertips. There are many different youtube tutorials on how to utilize the software for podcast recording and we suggest going through different videos and practicing to get a better understanding.
For PC users, Adobe Audition is a very similar software to Garageband however requires a monthly subscription. Another option is Alitu, a podcast maker tool that helps develop episodes by automatically editing and publishing your shows for you.
Launch and Promotion
Now that you have established what you want for your podcast and have a few episodes ready to be published, it is time to generate buzz. Announce the launch in advance to your business network via different platforms such as email and social media. You want people to be waiting and anticipating the arrival of your podcast, this will create buzz and build an audience before you even launch your first episode.
It is important to remember that making a podcast is a learning experience. You should be open to critique and willing to listen to what your listeners have to say about your podcast. This is especially important if you plan for your listeners to be future clients or customers as well.
With these tips and tricks you will be more than prepared to create and launch your very own podcast. It is meant to be fun so do not take it too seriously or to heart if you do not get it right the first time!
