Podcasting is still a big thing these days! So I decided to look into how to start a podcast for myself and for my business. There is a lot of information on the world wide web and it is overwhelming at times to go through all of it to find some useful answers. To keep things nice and simple I kept notes and prepared 7 steps you have to follow to get on with your podcast idea without getting a headache!
Choose a topic
The first step in learning how to podcast is to choose your topic. This can be anything and everything – news, a specific topic, a niche interest. Whatever you’re passionate about can be made into a podcast.
Get the right support
One step to help manage all the tasks is to separate the roles of each person involved. Producers record the conversation and edit the sound. Writers produce the script and key talking notes, while the host will be the voice of the podcast. Remember to edit the podcast to make it sound polished and put together.
What tech is required to podcast?
Worried that you need high-tech equipment to produce a high-quality podcast? Don’t stress, all you need to podcast is your phone and a computer. There are several recording apps you can download for your smartphone, as well as ones already on your phone like “Voice Memos” for your phone that can record your audio. When interviewing someone, hold the phone a few inches from their face to get the best sound. Once you have all the audio you want you’ll need to mix it. This means editing various audio clips to make it sound natural and well thought out to the listener. There are many computer software and websites that will allow you to edit and mix all the audio, such as Audacity. Regardless of the type of podcast, the final result should be coherent and polished.
Plan your content
Think about the style of the podcast you want to produce. Is it informational, a story or an interview? Whatever style you choose, there needs to be a structure to it. Plan out the order of speakers, order of topics or questions, the order of audio clips and whatever other non-speaking sounds you want to include to round out the story. If there is a host, a written out script can help keep the host focused on the topic without veering off course. This will keep you on track and organised once it’s time to compile the audio.
Prepare for that interview
If you are interviewing someone, here are a few things to keep in mind. Have a list of questions you want to ask. However, the list does not need to be rigidly followed, let the conversation flow naturally but guide them towards questions you want to ask or topics you want their take on. Get their permission to record, you want them to feel comfortable talking to you. Choose a quiet place, one with minimal background noise. Record the entire conversation, you want to hear what questions you’ve asked in order to follow the track of the discussion on your finished podcast.
How to speak on your podcast
When recording yourself speaking, speak up, be confident and speak clearly, not too fast. This is where a script can come in handy, you can follow along and not stumble so much over your words.
Follow these guidelines and you’ll become a pro podcaster in no time!
Podcasts have become a new way to tell a story. Whether you want to share news of what is happening in your town, or you want to share your passions and create a community, podcasts are the way to go. No fancy cameras or movie editing equipment are needed. Just an idea, a recording device and a laptop can turn your idea into reality.
