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Episode #72
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I believe that out of all the ways you can get your message out there, podcasting is a great option. It's more engaging than a blog and less scary than setting up a YouTube channel. But with lots of options and decisions to be made it’s easy to get confused and overcomplicate things when you start out. I’m cutting through the noise and sharing what you really need to get off the blocks in podcasting.
The main message I want you to remember is to KEEP IT SIMPLE!! You don't have to have design award-worthy artwork or the most amazing podcast name. Everything can be changed down the line.
So don't strive for perfection, it doesn’t have to be A-plus work. Settle for a B minus. You can work your way up to A plus when you are in your stride. So stop overthinking every single step and just make a decision to do just what’s needed to get started.
DECIDE ON YOUR TOPIC
Well, the first step is pretty obvious, you need to decide on what topic you will talk about. And out of everything getting this right is THE most important thing. You have to want to talk about your topic, you need to be passionate about it because you will need to think of and talk about different ideas and angles on one subject and if you don’t love it, it can become impossible to keep going. About 75% of all podcasts will disappear into what’s called pod fade. Pod fade is when a podcaster suddenly stops bringing out episodes and gives no explanation as to why they stopped.
Most of the time because the hosts run out of ideas, can’t stand the thought of talking about it every week indefinitely, or expect huge results really quickly. So choose something that you are passionate about, that puts fire in your belly, that you have opinions on and know a lot about. That you could talk about even if you know no one is listening.
DEFINE YOUR FORMAT
An amazing thing about podcasting is the freedom you have to decide on what your podcast will look like, in other words, what the format is. So take your time to decide on a format that works for you.
Here are some of the things you need to think about…
- Will your podcast be interview-only, Solo, or a mix of both?
- What length will your episodes be?
- Will it be a series / seasonal or run continuously?
- What will be the flow of the show? Will it be relaxed and spontaneous or more structured with a specific format?
- Will you have a script or go freestyle with bullet points?
The main thing with defining your format is to have one that has staying power, and that you can follow through with week after week. Because for listeners to get into your show and become fans, they want to know what to expect. Consistency is key. So choose what format you prefer and then stick with it.
GET YOUR ‘MUST HAVES’ IN PLACE
There are a few things you will need to get started, namely your show name, your cover art, your show description and your show trailer. But don’t let these ‘must have’ elements hold you up. Don’t spend days or dare I say weeks on them. They don’t need to be perfect. Whatever you decide on now will change eventually. That doesn’t mean it’s bad work, you want to make a good start but don’t put your heart and soul into it. Obsessing over every element of font and colour of your artwork or coming up with hundreds of names trying to get something original and clever. Or trying to get everything from your head into the show description.
Try this trick, do everything as a first draft initially and then move on to the next thing and then the next thing. Telling yourself all the time that it is not the final version. That way you will get something in place. Then go back and look at what you've done again with fresh eyes. Believe me, most of the time you see that what you have already done is fine or only needs minor tweaks.
WORK OUT THE BEST EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM SETUP
Next, you need to work out your equipment and systems setup. This is the bit that often slows people down as they go into what I call tech freeze. In other words, they can’t move forward because of fear of the tech or all the choices. They start researching and soon realise that there are a lot of options and they get caught up in all the pros and cons and find it hard to get beyond it.
Basically, you can go as big or as small as you want in terms of systems and equipment you use to record, edit and distribute your podcast but the main thing is that it works for you and your budget. It is possible to start out with very little spend or to go crazy with all the latest gadgets. There are a few things that are essential and some nice-to-haves that will make your podcast sound smoother and richer but ultimately what you say and how you say it is more important. Even with the essentials, there are a variety of options.
I’ve put full a list below of everything I use in my own set-up to record, edit and produce this podcast to help you out. But here’s what you need to get started…
Microphone - Obviously, because you need something to record you.
Headphones - This is for you to edit the podcast as you need to hear how you sound and any background noises it’s picked up and that is harder without headphones.
Recording and Editing software - Unless you are word-perfect you will need to edit out mistakes. So you speak into the microphone which is connected to recording and editing software on your computer and then use the tools there to edit the audio. I’m going to make it easy for you and recommend two systems for you to choose between, Audacity and Descript. Audacity is free and Descript has a free version.I’ve used Audacity since the start but and currently trying out descript because I love that you can edit directly from the transcript of your audio recording which saves a lot of time.
If you are recording interview episodes, the best system to use is Zencaster.
Podcast Host Platform - When you are happy with your episode you need to choose a Podcast Host platform. You upload your episode to the platform with your podcast artwork and an episode description and the podcast host will send it out to all the podcast distributors like Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon (and others) on the date and time that you want. I recommend either Buzzsprout or Libsyn. Both are leaders in the field and are quality platforms. Buzzsprout allows you to sign up for free and record episodes so you can try them out. I use Buzzsprout and love it but I know other successful podcasters who use Libsyn so both are worth looking at.
BATCH A FEW EPISODES
Before you actually launch your podcast, you should batch a few episodes in advance. So record three or four that you can drop at the same time. This is to make sure that anyone that comes across your podcast, or you send to your podcast has more than one episode to listen to. People are unlikely to subscribe or come back after one episode but if you can have a few to get them started they are far more likely to stick around. Also, something I wish I had done was to record two or three backup episodes. They can be on topics that would be valuable anytime and you hold them back in reserve, in case you get ill or can’t record one week for some reason. You will have the comfort that you always have something you can put out.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS…
Don’t let the equipment, technology or hold you back. It can be really easy to procrastinate by saying you don't have the right mic or don’t understand how to edit or your show description is not perfect yet. That you are just not ready. Believe me, you will never feel ready. When you record that very first episode you will be totally out of your comfort zone. But then you publish another, and then another and then another and it becomes second nature and you wonder why you were ever worried about it. Before long you’ll be a seasoned podcaster loving sharing your thoughts and insights with the world.
MY PODCASTING SET-UP
Podcast host platform - Buzzsprout https://www.buzzsprout.com/blog/podcast-statistics
(other options are Libsyn, Anchor FM (free), and Zencastr)
Recording/Editing software - Audacity (free)
I used this free Youtube class with Josh Meyer to learn about editing with Audacity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVOdwrDu76A
(I am trying out Descript at the moment and may change)
Headphones: Audio Technica Professional Audio-Technica ATH-M30X Professional Headphones - Black
Microphone: Blue Yeti Blue Microphones Yeti - USB Microphone for Recording and Streaming on PC and Mac, Game Streaming, Skype Calls, Youtube Streaming, Plug and Play, Silve
Pop filter (help with sound quality)- Yeti X Mic Pop filter
Sound proofing - Tonor Microphone Isolation shield
