A content material information for newbies

If writing isn’t your forte, excellent news: Content material advertising and marketing isn’t restricted to written codecs.

Any kind of content material that your viewers can eat, be taught from, and revel in is truthful sport. And that features podcasts.

Podcasting is a well-liked and fast-growing medium – 79% of Individuals aged 12 and up are acquainted with podcasting, and 62% have listened to a podcast a minimum of as soon as.

Podcasts exist for each matter below the solar: films, music, trend, magnificence, information, tradition, gaming, true crime, cooking, psychological well being, books, advertising and marketing, the atmosphere, fiction, self-help, schooling, finance, comedy – and extra.

Irrespective of your business or experience, you possibly can create a podcast about it.

And there’s lots of room for newcomers: Solely about 4 million podcasts exist. Evaluate that to the variety of blogs – nearly 600 million – and also you’ll see that the competitors is much much less stiff.

In different phrases, making a podcast is a brilliant transfer for manufacturers seeking to differentiate and construct belief and authority with their audiences.

Let’s dive deeper into this nice content material kind, together with how you can begin a podcast.

What’s a podcast?

Likelihood is, when you’re studying this, you’ve listened to a minimum of one podcast prior to now yr however wish to know extra about them.

To outline it as merely as doable, a podcast is an audio program centered on a selected matter and break up into a number of episodes. Podcasts are pre-recorded, so listeners can obtain or stream episodes at any time by way of their most popular podcast channel, like Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify.

Moreover, most podcasts characteristic individuals speaking – whether or not they’re individuals telling tales, specialists sharing data, or a number interviewing attention-grabbing friends. 

Some podcasts are nothing greater than two individuals having a dialog in each episode. Some characteristic one particular person speaking on to the listener. There are even scripted podcasts with a unbroken story like a TV present – however solely dialogue and sound results convey the fictional plot. 

Regardless of the format, podcasts are an audio expertise that connects creators straight with listeners’ ears.

Why begin a podcast?

Anybody can create a podcast – anybody. 

Whether or not your model is tiny or sprawling, the start-up prices are low and the tools wanted is minimal.

Plus, the continued and rising recognition of podcasts implies that you’ll more than likely have an viewers on the market who might be excited by what you produce. 

For instance, 50% of Individuals ages 12-34 hearken to podcasts month-to-month, and 43% of 35-54-year-olds.

All that stated, don’t overlook crucial cause to start out a podcast: a extra intimate connection along with your viewers.

Podcast content material lets you communicate on to them and show your experience in a way more direct manner. 

Usually, podcast listeners give extra time and a focus to a podcast than a written article. You’ll have their undivided consideration for half-hour, a stark distinction to the 90 seconds they may spend scanning a weblog put up.

This makes podcasts extra intimate than written content material and should construct belief and model consciousness sooner. Plus, a podcast is a unbelievable demonstration of E-E-A-T, which provides to your credibility in each the eyes of searchers and engines like google. 

Lastly, when you publish your podcast episodes in your web site with useful show notes or transcriptions, these episodes can rank in engines like google for queries your viewers is trying to find. 

Backside line: Podcasts are nice in your model and nice for website positioning. 

7 greatest practices for beginning a podcast

Concerned with beginning a podcast? Begin right here.

1. Begin small, then make investments

The second after you determine to start out a podcast, do not run out and instantly purchase costly tools.

As a substitute, begin small. Use your smartphone and a cheap microphone to document your first episodes. Check how your podcast is acquired and decide whether or not you possibly can develop it.

If the reply is sure, you possibly can slowly spend money on higher recording tools (like a sensible microphone that may hone in in your voice and filter out background noise, a headset, and audio modifying software program), artistic assist (like a sound mixer or editor), and fancy graphics for canopy artwork.

2. Select a subject and format

One of many first duties for making a podcast is to decide on a subject and format. 

• Subject: What’s going to your podcast be about? What’s going to you cowl?
• Format: How will your podcast be introduced? One host? Two or three? Will you inform tales? Do interviews? Share data? 

The easiest way to uncover your fundamental matter and format? Analysis.

Viewers analysis

What do they wish to hear from you? What are they excited by?

What issues or ache factors have they got that you possibly can deal with in your podcast?

Subject analysis

Discover a broad overarching matter that ties into your experience and overlaps with what you are promoting.

For those who publish different content material, like blogs, think about selecting the identical matter space in your podcast. This provides your podcast cohesion and ties it to your different content material.

You may even repurpose weblog content material for podcast episodes, and vice versa, in the event that they’re thematically and topically linked.

Competitor analysis

Do your competitors have podcasts? What podcasts exist on the market in your matter?

Have a look at what the competitors is doing, how they format episodes, and what data they share. How will you differentiate? 

3. Define or script episodes

Earlier than you soar into recording, you want a tough concept of what you will cowl in every episode and the way you will do it.

Begin by brainstorming matters for a minimum of your first 10 episodes. This gives you an concept of the mileage you will get out of your podcast matter/theme and aid you maintain every episode cohesive and related.

(For those who battle to provide you with podcast episode matters after the primary 10, that is likely to be an indication that it’s good to broaden your theme or tweak it.)

Then, after your first few episode matters are set, you possibly can write a short define of speaking factors for episode one. You do not have to script each phrase you say (until that helps you!), however you must give your self a roadmap so you aren’t getting misplaced whereas recording.

Bear in mind, every episode ought to have a fundamental matter and a aim connected. You might want to give listeners a cause to stick with you. Simply speaking randomly for 20 minutes will not present any worth.

4. Push by way of preliminary discomfort – simply press document

Along with your first episode outlined or scripted, you possibly can press document. 

For those who’ve by no means podcasted earlier than, you could have a number of false begins earlier than you get right into a groove. It might really feel unusual or unnatural. 

The very best factor to do is push by way of and simply get your recording achieved. Over time, you will get extra snug. Do not hand over simply because issues did not go completely the primary time you tried. You will get higher at this the extra you do it!

5. Embrace an intro and outro

Nearly all professional-sounding podcasts embrace a brief introduction, the place listeners might hear a snippet of music and the host welcoming them to the podcast and introducing the episode matter.

Then, to offer listeners a satisfying sense of completion, embrace an outro (a.ok.a., conclusion) that mirrors the intro however as an alternative indicators off and units up expectations for the subsequent episode.

These two bookends assist your podcast sound extra polished and arranged, which listeners get pleasure from.

6. Optimize 

Optimizing your podcast provides it the very best likelihood of being discovered by listeners. There are a number of key areas to deal with for optimization:

• Podcast title: Preserve it quick, candy, and related to your model and chosen theme.
• Podcast class: Select the class that most closely fits the content material of your podcast.
• Podcast description: This description is what potential listeners will learn to find what your podcast is about and whether or not they wish to hear. Preserve this user-focused and ensure to incorporate related key phrases.
• Podcast cowl artwork: Preserve it easy, clear, and crowd pleasing. Do not attempt to cram an excessive amount of textual content in your cowl artwork. For those who can, spend money on a graphic designer to create this for you. If you do not have the means for that proper now, attempt utilizing templates on Canva.

7. Select a podcast internet hosting platform

Lastly, when it is time to submit your podcast to platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts, know that it’s good to have a separate host in your audio recordsdata first.

Your podcast internet hosting service shops your podcast episodes and generates an RSS feed, which is what you will undergo podcast platforms.

You may solely have to do that as soon as, because the RSS feed ought to replace robotically if you add new episodes to your host service.

Internet hosting companies to take a look at embrace Podbean, Buzzsprout, or Transistor.

5 nice podcast examples

Now that you simply perceive the essential steps to beginning a podcast, it is time to get some inspiration.

Listed here are some wonderful examples of manufacturers, creatives, journalists, and businesspeople doing this medium justice.

Branded podcast: Inside Dealer Joe’s

Dealer Joe’s is a grocery chain identified for its distinctive merchandise and seasonal gadgets.

On its podcast, hosts go inside shops and behind the scenes to provide the scoop on cult merchandise and the way the corporate works.

Recommendation podcast: Not One other Anxiousness Present

Host Kelli Walker is a registered nurse, licensed well being and wellness coach, and former agoraphobe.

This anxiety-focused podcast affords steering, suggestions, and sources for working by way of the dysfunction from Kelli and a myriad of specialists. 

Fictional podcast: Limetown

This fictional podcast tells the story of the unusual disappearance of over 300 individuals from a small Tennessee city.

It performs out such as you’re listening to an actual investigative podcast, which makes it much more immersive. This podcast was so common it was became a TV present.

Finance podcast: Cash Woman

The Money Girl podcast is hosted by a private finance and enterprise knowledgeable, Laura D. Adams, who breaks down complicated monetary and small enterprise matters for listeners, making them enjoyable and simple.

Investigative podcast: Within the Darkish

This award-winning podcast options in-depth investigative journalism on true crime tales gone awry. Every season focuses on one case and dives into each element. Because it occurs, the second season was instrumental in serving to free a person from jail. 

Notice: True crime podcasts have exploded in recognition since “Serial” was launched in 2014. The best of them are nice examples of storytelling and are price a look for inspiration.

Prepared to start out your podcast?

If by now you are excited to start out your podcast, that is an excellent signal. 

The very best factor you are able to do is dive in with enthusiasm as a result of that keenness will present up in your finish product.

Any particular person, model, or creator can begin a podcast.

Simply keep in mind to start out small, analysis and plan your matter primarily based on what your viewers would love to listen to, roughly define what you will say in every episode, and take the time to optimize.

Completely happy podcasting!