There's so much that goes into making a podcast that one podcast about podcasting isn't enough! However, when done properly, you can create your own show less expensively and easily than you think.
Producing a podcast is also a great companion for your business. It's a way to reach out to prospects and having them get to know and trust you through your program.
But getting started and learning what you need to do seems like the hardest part. In this podcast, we introduce you to some of the basics that goes into creating and producing your podcast.
What You Need to Get Started
Content is King! Good content is the key to a successful podcast. To keep people interested and downloading your newest episodes, they either need to learn something or be entertained. Make sure you pick a topic, or direction you can speak about with confidence and authority.
Niche's are a great idea to focus on right now since the podcast community is so large. It means that many folks will be searching for shows that are of a more specific topic, rather than a broad one. Pick a niche you have experience or expertise in and make it fun to listen to.
Pick a format. Having structure to your show is essential to a good presentation. Being all over the map is a dis-service to your audience. A structure or format for your show is a good idea to make sure you get the point across in your show and listeners have an easy time listening to it.
At it's most basic element, your podcast should have an introduction. Music isn't a bad idea, but try to keep musical introductions at a minimum length, no more than fifteen seconds. Remember, people are downloading your podcast to lsiten to YOU, not long, drawn out musical intermissions!
If you are going to have an introduction that lasts for more than fifteen seconds, it might not be a bad idea to insert some speaking over it. Perhaps to introduce the show, or explain what it is.
Your total recording time may vary. However, many shows are between twenty and forty minutes, and good content shows go up to fifty minutes to an hour.
Bring in guests! One way to keep your show interesting is to bring in guests to speak on a particular subject from time to time. It keeps the show fresh and more interesting. You can bring in guests easily bu using Skype, an IP telephony software package that is free to download and use. A small fee allows you to dial out to regular land-line telephones to conduct interviews with folks that do not have Skype.
Promote yourself! And others... It's not a bad idea to plug the website for your podcast at multiple times throughout the show. It helps people remember who you are and how to get to you so you can offer them additional content that is not available through iTunes, for example.
Read Listener Email. Listeners like it when they get mentioned, so make sure to throw out your email address and read any questions or comments your listeners have. It will help you build a community and keep people coming back.
Dealing with the Technical Details
This may be the most frustrating part of a podcast in the beginning, especially for those that don't feel very technically savvy. With time and patience, you can learn what you need to record and create your own podcast.
Get a Mic! Decent quality microphones are getting more affordable, but you want to avoid anything too low end. Your best bet is to buy a USB-based headset ot microphone.
Microphones you can buy:
Download Recording Software. There are several packages you can use to record your podcast, but two packages that are recommended are:
Learning to use the software can be tedious. Here are some tutorials that may help you out:
Remember, always make your final save file an MP3 format file, and, make sure
Get Your Podcast Online!
After mixing down your show, you need to get people to download it! Start by hosting a website, if you can. To make it a real "podcast", you need to generate an XML file that has the locationa nd description of your podcast.
A great resource for how to do this, as well as get your podcast on iTunes, can be found at Podcast411.com.
Happy podcasting!
