Content comes in various forms, be it text, image, video or the latest form, podcast. Brands and content creators have always been improving their content options depending on the requirement, target audience and product/service they want to promote. Many leading individual influencers and brands have embraced podcasting and have been very successful in increasing their influence and brand equity in the social media world.
From Gary V to Dirty John to Stuff you should know, Moneycontrol Podcast and Ek Kahani Aisi Bhi, each has tapped into a new audience for their content and the trend is slowly catching up with Indians as well. Are you thinking about starting a podcast yourself? If yes, then this blog should help you understand the complete ABC to XYZ of starting a podcast. You need the best phone holder for video recording and a mobile phone to record quality podcasts.
What is a PODCAST?
The most basic definition of a podcast is: it is a form of audio blogging where each podcasting episode resembles an independent blog post on a specific topic.
Podcasts usually follow a subscription-based business model where each new episode is automatically downloaded into subscribers’ systems, smartphones, podcast apps, etc. via web syndication.
The name PODCAST was suggested in 2004 by Ben Hammersley, who combined the two words iPOD (a brand for media player) and broadcast.
With the growing demand for voice assistants like Alexa & Google Home, the future seems even brighter for podcasters.
According to a study, the majority of podcast listeners are in the 25-54 age group.
Getting started with podcast
The first and most important thing you need to start a podcast is to overcome the fear of rejection. Once you get past that step, 50% of the work is done.
“As always, the startup problem is the biggest problem”
Equipment selection: – If you are a brand or a company, then it is advisable to go for a professional podcast setup to ensure the best quality output.
However, if you are just starting out and want to experiment with this kind of content before you go full blast, then you should invest in a simple basic setup.
A basic podcast setup with all the necessary equipment will cost $100-200, while a full professional podcast setup can cost at least $1000.
Equipment for podcasts
Microphone: If you plan to get started with your laptop microphone or your regular headphone or earphone microphone, you’re probably not that serious about starting a good podcast. A high-quality microphone is a must for any podcaster to ensure good clarity and quality output.
Podcast Microphone
Now for the specifications for a podcast microphone, there are two types of microphones available on the market for podcasts. One with a USB connector and the other with an analog XLR connector. A person with more technical knowledge of sound and music would choose an analog XLR over a USB connector any day.
Audio interface (for analog microphone users): an analog XLR microphone cannot be connected directly to a computer or laptop. In such cases, the XLR is connected to this interface, which passes the audio signals to your computer/PC. The price of an audio interface starts at $100 and can go up to $1000. However, for podcasts, a simple audio interface is enough to ensure good quality output.
Audio interface for analog podcast microphone
POP Filter: If you’re going for a professional setup that costs at least $1000, you’ll certainly want it to last long enough for you to get maximum ROI.
Podcast Microphone Pop-up Filter
A pop-up filter, while not mandatory, will ensure your microphones last long and also prevent popping during your talk.
Headphones (optional): A headphone is required to ensure that everything flows normally on your podcast and that the podcaster can maintain a consistent tone of voice at LIVE.
However, this is not mandatory as you can work without headphones if you have a dedicated team recording LIVE podcasts with you.
Editing a podcast: When it comes to a podcast, recording is easier than editing. Editing software options vary depending on the type of operating system a podcast user is using.
For Windows: the most popular options are Audacity (free), Hindenburg Journalist (paid), and Adobe Audition (paid), to name a few.
Choosing a name, podcast music, and podcast cover:
Even if a podcast is all about the audio, the look and feel on directories plays an important role in attracting listeners to your content.
Podcast Name: Ideally, the name should always match your content, brand, personality, and moreover, the value you want to create through your podcasts.
For example: – Planet Money, The Dave Ramsey Show, etc.
It is advisable, but not mandatory, to include a high search volume keyword or generic term in your podcast name that is relevant to the topic of your podcast.
Podcast Music: For any video content creator, the first 5-10 seconds of their video will determine whether a viewer watches the entire video or simply bounces off to another piece of content. Similarly, for a podcast, good intro and outro music along with an introduction is very important to ensure listener engagement. You can find a list of royalty-free music providers for your podcast here.
Podcast Cover Design: Even though a podcast is all about sounding good, the first thing a listener will notice in a podcast directory is your cover art. So your podcast content is secondary here, and the podcast cover art is more important to make sure your content reaches relevant ears.
Podcast cover art
A cover art typically looks like a 50X150 px image when displayed in any directory.
Podcast Description: Needless to say, if it is an online podcast, you need to ensure a proper SEO plan to promote it organically in SERPs. There is no reason to guess why you should add a good description for your podcast along with your content related keywords. A good description is also a deciding factor for listeners when they browse through your episode listings.
Selecting a podcast hosting service:
Just as good hosting for your blog site ensures a seamless and better user experience for your site visitors, a good podcast hosting provider will ensure that your listeners have a streamlined experience when downloading or streaming your audio content.
If you’re wondering if you can relate this to HostGator or Bluehost, then you’re on the wrong track. A hosting service for a podcast is different from that of a web hosting provider. In the case of a podcast, hosting services are based on media servers that can store large media files and support high bandwidth so listeners can download or stream episodes without buffering.
Some of the top-rated podcast hosting providers include Soundcloud, Podbean, Podomatic, Fireside, etc. When choosing a host, make sure if it offers RSS support and the ability to embed the player. The site builder is not a mandatory option to look for when choosing a podcast hosting service, as you can create your website without this feature.
Selecting a theme for your podcast: Before you start recording, you need to decide on a niche for your podcast to ensure that you create a distinct identity and audience for your content. Visit mountas.com to buy the best podcasting equipment.
