Podcasting basics « The HotHouse Blog

Podcasting basics

By Simon van Wyk

Consumers like podcasts because of their convenience and flexibility. To help you kick off podcasting in your business, we’ve prepared a list of considerations that you need to work through.

1. Content is king

Create and repurpose highly polished content and use devices like an editorial calendar to help plan and complement your content, identifying the well credentialed experts that you might like to involve in discussing the topic of choice. Naturally get your experts lined and synced up and briefed well before your podcast.

In the case of a podcast of a discussion, map out a framework of discussion points but do not follow a script word for word. Alternatively, if you’re providing information or research data, the podcast should be more heavily scripted.

2. Avoid the sales pitch

A podcast is not the medium to make a sales pitch. The content has to be entertaining or informational - it has to have value. For the content to work, it’s got to be relevant, suitable and indeed compelling for your audience.

3. Don’t say ‘blah blah blah’ when ‘blah’ will do

Make sure you keep to the point and don’t ramble on. Of course, you can edit out your ummmmms, errrrrrrs and duhhhhhhs, together with any undue silences, but you want your content to be fluid and professional. Importantly, you need to sound convincing, knowledgeable and that you are passionate about the topic.

4. Frequency and duration

It makes sense to break up the podcast into bite-sized grabs. That way your audience can dip in and dip out as per their needs. Whether you produce weekly or monthly casts - it depends on urgency and relevancy of the information that you’re providing.

5. Provide quick and easy access

Don’t make it hard for people to listen to your podcast. Putting up a barrier like asking them to register is a definite no-go. Podcasting is all about quick, easy access which should be free.

By all means provide a transcript of the podcast and request registration details for that download, but the premise of the podcast is a quick click and download.

6. Measuring effectiveness

Podcasting is still in its infancy. It’s not about the numbers it’s the quality of those listening. Forrester Research says that podcast users skew young, male, and affluent.

7. Take criticism on the chin

Build a response mechanism in your website or blog so that listeners can comment about your podcast. Naturally some of the feedback will be positive, but some will not. Ensure that you have the framework in place to handle negative feedback.

8. Entice your audience to come back for more

Naturally the quality of the content is paramount, as is the regularity of the podcast. Without doubt you’ll need to provide some prime real estate on your site to promote the podcast, along with using other channels (like an email newsletter) to drive traffic and build the number of listeners.

9. Create an audio logo

It’s important to use an audio logo or jingle at the beginning and end of your podcast. An audio logo makes your podcast more memorable and sound more professionally produced. The audio logo serves as a professional way of introducing the podcast and imparting or defining the personality of your brand. If you’re considering using existing music, ensure that you obtain the necessary permission and rights.

10. Up close and personal

Remember, podcasting gives you a powerful opportunity to communicate with your consumers at a time when it best suits them. Get your podcasts right and this niche but influential audience will be at their most receptive and you’ll be able to increase the depth of your relationship with them.

What’s involved in making podcasts?

There are three basic steps that you need to follow:

Record

In terms of equipment, along with your computer, you’ll need an external microphone to create that clean, professional-quality sound together with a pair of headphones.

For the software, you can use any that lets you record, digitize and edit sound. Podcasting News has an extensive list of software that you can use.

However, for PC owners, Audacity and the LAME MP3 encoder is proving to be popular and relatively easy to use.

For Mac users, the GarageBand Podcast Studio, seems to be the software of choice.

Once you have recorded your podcast, you need to edit out any long silences, ummmmms, errrrrrrs and duhhhhhh, and add any music such as your audio logo or other sound grabs. Then you’ll need to convert the files to MP3 and upload it to your website.

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Jun 24