First Podcast

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Table of Contents

Introduction to Podcasting 4

What is Podcasting? 7Why Should You Podcast? 8

Podcasting Tools 10


Hardware 10Software 12Takeaways for This Section 13

Your First Podcast 14

Planning Your Podcast 14Outlining Your Podcast 15Practicing for Your Podcast 16Performing Your Podcast 17Releasing Your Podcast 19Takeaways for This Section 20

The Best Practices for Podcast Marketing 22


Takeaways for This Section 23

Conclusion 24


Introduction to PodcastingIf you’re reading this then it’s safe to assume that you’re interested in conducting your very first podcast. If so, congratulations are in order. Podcasting is one of the latest developments in a long line of methods which improve human communication and interaction. They are an excellent way for you to get out there and cultivate an audience for whatever it is you do or you are interested in. However, because podcasting is primarily about communicating, it’s important that you understand a little bit about the history of communication and the theory of communication before you start. Comprehending communication basics will help make your first podcast that much more powerful and compelling. So, let’s take a look.

Communication, at its most basic, is the transmission of information from one person to another person or group of people. If you use this definition, then human beings have been communicating, in one form or another, for hundreds of thousands of years.

The first form of communication was likely commonly understood gestures. This non-verbal communication was useful for survival and allowed basic, broad-based information to be transmitted quickly and simply. Like all subsequent methods of communication, gestures made life easier, safer and more bearable. Some of


these gestures have survived to the present day and are still accepted and used. A smile, a nod, a wave and a shrug of the shoulders are all examples of a form of communication that has been in use for millennia.

The next form of communication that developed is certainly the most common method and, arguably, the most powerful. Sometime around one hundred thousand years ago, human beings began to use speech. This form of communication is, as far as we know, unique to our species. Speech allows for the transmission of complex concepts, ideas and emotions. This, in turn, allowed these concepts and ideas to spread far beyond the area where they were developed. Once this occurred, culture, technology and progress began to spread across the face of the globe. Wherever and whenever people talked, things changed for the better.

Yet, why do we talk? No other animal on the planet uses vocal sounds the way we do. Of course many, if not most, animals do use some type of vocalizations to communicate. Whale songs, bird calls, canine howls, barks and yelps all amply demonstrate that the animal kingdom is communicating. This demonstrates that while speech may be a necessary component of technological development, it is not a requirement for survival or evolutionary success. So, why did our ancestors develop speech?

There are many theories that attempt to answer this question. Some of these theories are contradictory and most of them are contentious. It is an area of


vigorous academic debate. However, two ideas are consistent throughout all the conflicting ideas of why human beings began to talk and ties them all together.

First, speech was built on gesture. Early humans likely had a very wide repertoire of accepted gestures that communicated basic information. The remnants of this repertoire can still be seen today. Toddlers gesture well before they begin to speak and all humans still use gesture to elaborate their vocalizations.

Second, and most importantly, speech required trust to develop. In a hunter/gatherer society, the language of gestures was trusted to be conveying accurate information. This trust allowed the gestures to become ritualized. This ritual aspect engendered even more trust. Gradually, voluntary vocalizations were added to the ritualized gestures. Because they were a part of the ritual, these vocalizations were considered trustworthy as well. Slowly, language and speech began to replace gesture, but not altogether.

The next form of communication to develop was the symbol. As language and speech developed, the ideas and concepts communicated by language became more complex. This complexity often required some connotation. The symbol was the answer. Symbolic representations of complex ideas eventually led to art, in cave paintings, and to writing.

As speech and symbolism grew, so did the technology of communicating. Telecommunications were the end result of this development. Starting with the printing press and continuing through the telegraph, the telephone, the radio, the


television and ending up today with the internet, we live in an interconnected world. Today, more than any other time in history, people the world over connect to each other in multiple and ever more marvelous ways. For the first time, a new generation of children has become digitally wired together by the strands of binary code we call the internet. To these individuals, knowledge is everything. To them, media is key. They expect instantaneous gratification of all their informational needs. It doesn’t matter if those needs are personal or professional, practical or pleasure oriented. They want what they want when they want it. In fact, they demand this level of access and have come to expect it. Because of this, when it comes to communication, not only is time money, but information is money as well.

So, how does this matter to you? Well, if you are attempting to reach a particular audience, then you need to communicate with that audience. Communication is not simply a matter of you talking and your audience listening. Effective communication relies upon the definition of a goal. Why are you attempting to communicate and what do you hope to achieve by communicating? If you don’t answer these questions first, before you start talking, you can never hope to identify who your target audience is and how to best connect with them.

Another way of looking at this process is through needs and expectations. You, as a communicator, have certain needs that you are attempting to meet through the process of communication. You also have a certain set of expectations as to how


you envision communication will meet those needs. You need to specifically qualify these needs and expectations far in advance of the first word you utter.

Conversely, your target audience also has a certain set of needs that they are attempting to meet by communicating, ideally with you. They also have expectations on how this communication will meet their needs. You need to solidify their needs and expectations in your mind beforehand and tailor your communication accordingly. Efficient and effective communication is only ever achieved when the communicator and the audience are on the same page as to how and why they are conversing in the first place.

So, in the end, it doesn’t matter if you are a business owner, an entertainer or performer, an educator, a critic, a chef, or an average Joe with a hobby. If you have a desire to reach out to an audience and disseminate information, you need to do it in a manner that makes sense to you and clicks with the people you connect with. In today’s digital world, one of the best ways to do this is with a podcast.

What is Podcasting?

Many people are thrown off by the word “podcasting”. If you’re one of them, don’t worry. You’re in good company. Although the term itself may be somewhat clunky and off-putting, carrying with it suggestions of inner circle geekiness and high tech density, its origins are fairly mundane. The term “podcast” is a simply a combination of the words “iPod” and “broadcast”. It was coined way back in 2007


when the Apple iPod was the primary platform for what was to become podcasting.

Podcasting was developed primarily to circumvent the restrictions of existing, traditional broadcast medium. Imagine your favorite radio or television program. It’s broadcast at a certain prescheduled time and, absent a DVR, you need to be near a radio or television in order to enjoy it. Now imagine that you want to produce a radio or television show of your own to highlight your products, performances or interests. The government regulations alone, to say nothing of the expense, would prevent the average person from being able to produce their own broadcast.

With a podcast, all of the complication and expense is avoided. An average person, like you, is able to broadcast content they produce to a targeted audience who wants to hear what they have to say. This is because podcasting is, essentially, nothing more than audio blogging. You have something to say or something to promote? Well, all you have to do to get you message out is broadcast what you have to say directly to your audience’s electronic devices, like laptops, tablets and phones. Viola! You’re podcasting!

Of course there are more details involved in podcasting that we’ll get to in a minute, but in essence all you have to do is record yourself reading what is, at heart, a blog post and then feed it out to your audience so that they can listen to what you have to say at their convenience. In addition, your audience can choose


to subscribe to your podcasts. This means that when you post a new podcast it automatically downloads itself to your subscriber’s devices. You don’t have to remember to send it to them and they don’t have to remember to come and get it. It’s an automated process that keeps going and growing.

Why Should You Podcast?

We’ve already discussed how important trust based communication is to developing and reaching an audience. Podcasting is an excellent way to connect with a focused audience in a very personal manner. That, in and of itself, is a fairly compelling reason to podcast. However, if you happen to need more convincing here are a few other reasons why podcasting makes sense for anyone who has something to say.

Podcasting is an inexpensive way to say what you want to say, when you want to say it to people who want to hear it. All you need is a microphone and a broadband internet connection and you have the power of a major media player. That’s a lot of power.

Podcasting also allows you to cut through all the “noise” that exists on the internet and find an audience that focused on you, your products, services, art or opinions. Let’s face it, you can’t communicate your message to people who may


need to hear what you have to say unless you can pinpoint that these people are. Podcasting allows you to accomplish this.

Finally, while reading a blog is fine, hearing someone speak is even better. Podcasting allows you to add the warmth of a human voice to you message. Your voice becomes a way to build trust even faster with your target audience.

So, you’ve learned some basics about communication history and theory which demonstrated that trust and repetition are the necessary basis of all human speech. You’ve also learned what podcasting is and why you should be putting together a podcast of your very own. Now it’s time to get down to specifics and take a look at podcasting tools, the steps you need to take to put together your first podcast and some of the best practices for marketing your podcasts.


Podcasting Tools

You’ve probably heard the old saying “Use the right tools for the job.” Well, when it comes to podcasting, it’s the truth. The tools you use to record distribute and promote your podcast matter quite a bit. You want your podcast to sound as professional as possible so that what you have to say makes the greatest impression on your audience. In order to do that you need to first be informed about the hardware and software tools out there that will help you craft and distribute the best podcast you possibly can. So let’s take a look at some of the tools of the trade, so to speak.

Hardware

The most important tool in the podcaster’s arsenal is his or her microphone. Without a mic, there is no podcast. Earlier we said that all you need to produce a podcast are a microphone and a broadband internet connection. While that’s essentially true, the type of microphone you use can greatly affect how your podcast is perceived and received. A low quality mic will generally produce a low quality of sound while a higher quality mic will give your podcast that professional shine that you’re looking for. Because of this, upgrading to a higher quality mic is usually a smart move, no matter your budget.


One of the best all-purpose microphones out there is the intriguingly named Blue Yeti. The Yeti looks and feels like an old fashioned studio desktop mic, but comes packed with every modern feature you’ll need to produce crystal clear studio quality sound right in your own home. It’s a USB mic, of course, so it connects directly to your computer. It also comes with gain control, an instant mute switch and a 3.5 millimeter headphone jack that allows you to hear the quality of the sound as you record it without any latency whatsoever.

The Yeti is also a multipurpose microphone that instantly converts from an omnidirectional mode to bidirectional mode to unidirectional mode with the flip of a switch. This feature offers a tremendous advantage to podcasters who sometimes may be recording a broadcast solo and at other times might be interviewing one or more additional people.

Another popular USB microphone choice for podcasters is the Audio-Technica AT 2020. Similar in design to the Blue Yeti, the AT 2020 will give you pristine sound quality time after time. It is a cardioid microphone, which means it is designed to pick up sound from one direction only, which makes it perfect for the solo podcaster. The cardioid design also means that the AT2020 will isolate the chosen sound source while dampening extraneous sounds from other sources at the sides and rear. In other words, your voice will come across rich and clear without distracting background noises.


In addition to a microphone, you might want to consider a couple of microphone accessories. One of the most important is a pop filter. As the name implies, a pop filter softens the audio “pops and hisses” that can occur when “plosive” letters, such as p, t, k, b, d and g, and “sibilant” letters, such as s and z, are pronounced. Not softening these letter sounds can result in an unpleasant listening experience for your audience which will distract them from the content of your podcast.

Another accessory to consider, while not strictly microphone oriented, is a good set of headphones. Headphones are important because they allow you to independently judge the quality of the sound you are producing. When you listen to a recording of your podcast played back through quality headphones, you are experiencing what you listeners will hear. This gives you the opportunity to correct any annoying and distracting mistakes that may have slipped through under the radar and give your audience the top notch quality they deserve.

Because you may not always be at your computer when you need to record a podcast, there is one more piece of hardware you may want to consider. A digital handled recorder gives you the freedom to record your podcast no matter where you might be. A recorder breaks the tether connecting you to your PC and can become an invaluable tool while traveling. Given that regularity is one of the keys to building a podcast audience, this is one tool you might want to seriously think about.

Software


The software you use for your podcast primarily comes into play in a post-production setting. You’re going to use it to “touch up” your recordings and make them as professional as possible.

One of the best recording and editing software out there is Camtasia. Camtasia is a flexible and adaptable platform for podcasting that allows you to record and edit your podcast in one place and in one piece. While designed primarily for video (and video does have a place in podcasting), Camtasia offers multiple audio correction and editing options. This is because even if there is no video to accompany the audio track, the Camtasia options work nonetheless. You can easily edit out pauses, “umms” and mispronunciations and edit in additional material as you see fit.

Another recording and editing option is Apple’s Garage Band if, and this is a big if, you use a Mac. If you do, you’ll find that Garage Band is possibly the most powerful audio editing and recording software available. Although designed to record and edit music directly on a computer, Garage Band works equally well with the spoken word. The recording process hooks up with you mic effortlessly and the editing process is painless and intuitive. If you use a Mac, it’s definitely worth checking out.

A final recording and editing option is Adobe’s Audition. Audition has many, if not most, of the features of Garage Band with the added benefit that it works on a PC. Audition is easy to learn and easy to use and offers the podcaster a multitude


of features including waveform and multitrack editing. If you don’t use a Mac but want Garage Band-like flexibility, then Adobe’s affordable Audition might be just the ticket for you.

There’s a final piece of software you might want to consider. Audio files tend to be big, especially if they are combined with any type of visual medium. You’re not intending on producing a single podcast. Eventually, you’ll have dozens of them and you’re going to need someplace to store them. Soundcloud is the optimum solution for this problem. You can store your podcasts up in Soundcloud’s storage, thereby freeing up space on your hard drive. Soundcloud is designed specifically to allow you to record, upload and share audio files. If you’re a podcaster it’s a great resource and one you should consider checking out and taking advantage of.

Takeaways for This Section

• Using the right hardware and software to record and distribute your podcast will give it a professional sound that attracts an audience;

• The most important piece of hardware for your podcast is a microphone;


o Low quality mics produce low quality sound while higher quality mics produce a better sounding podcast;

o Because of this you should consider upgrading to a higher quality microphone such as the Blue Yeti or the Audio-Technica AT2020;

• You should also consider investing in other pieces of hardware that will make your podcast sound better, such as a pop filter, a good set of headphones and a handheld digital recorder;

• Podcast software is mainly used in the post-production process;

o Camtasia is a good choice for a recording and editing platform due to its features and flexibility;

o Garage Band is also a good choice for recording and editing your podcast, but only if you use a Mac;


o Adobe’s Audition is a third choice for recording and editing which works equally well on both a PC and a Mac;

o Soundcloud is an excellent solution for storing and distributing your podcasts.


Your First Podcast

You’ve been introduced to the concepts behind a podcast. You’ve also taken a look at some of the hardware and software that can help you produce a more professional sounding podcast. Now, it’s time to get down to the meat and potatoes or the nuts and bolts, if you prefer, of podcasting. In this section, we’re going to look, in order, at each of the steps you need to take to produce your first podcast. By following these simple steps, you’ll have a tremendous podcast put together in no time. Let’s take a look at what you need to do.

Planning Your Podcast

Before you open your mouth to speak, it’s always good to know what you want to say. Nowhere is this truer than with podcasting. After all, the purpose of a podcast is to allow an average person, just like you, to be able to broadcast the equivalent of a professional radio or television show right from their own home. Because of this, it pays to treat your podcast with the same level of attention and care that a radio or television producer or performer brings to their show. One of the most essential steps that a producer or performer takes, prior to a show’s broadcast, is planning what the show will be about. This means that your first step to a successful podcast is planning what your show will be about.


Planning is all about making basic decisions and it’s not as hard or intimidating as it may appear. As this is your first podcast, an initial decision to make is how long will your podcast be. When making this decision, keep in mind that your listeners are used to regularity when it comes to broadcasts. One of the main elements of regularity is length. In other words, their favorite radio show isn’t 15 minutes long one day and two hours long the next. Decide on a length that makes sense to you and will make sense to your audience.

Your next planning decision is frequency. How often will you produce and release a podcast? Again, regularity is important to your audience. Pick a frequency length that you can meet and stick to it. Avoid being overly ambitious. If you tell your audience that you’re going to be broadcasting daily and then fail to do so because of other commitments, you’re going to lose them.

Now it’s time to decide on your topic or topics. If you’re interested in podcasting, you must have plenty to say. Now is the time to say it! Remember that each show can have a theme and you can build your topics around that theme. Also remember that several shorter topics can keep your audience’s attention focused on what’s coming up next. That’s not to say that one long topic is out of the question. It all depends on what you plan on talking about.

The final planning step involves production decisions. Are you going to use music in your podcast? Jingles are an excellent way to brand your show. Music also makes a great audio transition between one segment or topic and another. It’s


important that you make your podcast feel familiar to your listener’s ears. If you make your show sound like things they are used to hearing then you’ll capture their interest that much quicker.

Outlining Your Podcast

The next step in preparing for your first podcast is outlining. An outline is essential if you want to provide structure to your show. In fact, you could say that an outline is the backbone of your production. It will give your podcast logical flow. It will allow you to block out the segments of you show so that you fit everything into the time length you’ve already decided upon. It will also provide you with a handy script that will remind you what you’re talking about and what comes next.

The first step in producing an outline is performing something commonly called a “brain dump”. A brain dump is not as extreme as it sounds. It’s simply a way for you to get all of the ideas and topics for your podcast out of your head and onto paper or screen. There doesn’t have to be any logical or chronological order to these ideas and topics. The goal is just to set everything down. Take your time; think about what you want to say and where you want the podcast to go.

Once you’ve completed the brain dump, it’s time to organize all the ideas and topics you’ve come up with. This is the time to be logical and chronological. You want to think about organizing your ideas and topics in the same way a mason builds a wall. Each topic should support the next. If you approach organizing your


outline in this way, your podcast will have a natural “flow” that your audience will find attractive.

A typical completed podcast outline will look something like this:

1. Intro music or jingle (15 sec.)

2. Introduction – Introduce yourself, welcome the audience to the podcast and discuss the content of the show (2 mins.)

3. Topic #1 (4 mins.)


5. Musical break (15 secs.)



8. Conclusion – Thank the audience for listening, let them know when the next podcast will be available and tease the content for that podcast (2 mins.)

9. Outro music or jingle (15 secs.)


Keep in mind that this is simply a sample outline. Your podcast can and will take a different structure depending on your subject, its content and your personality. The point to take away is that it is the outlining process itself that gives the podcast its structure and organization.

Practicing for Your Podcast

You’ve probably heard the saying that “practice makes perfect”. Well, if you want your podcast to be as close to perfect as possible, you’re going to have to practice your delivery. After all, all of the radio and television shows you’ve ever heard or watched utilizes hours of practice and run thru prior to going live or into production. If it works for the professionals, it’s going to work for you.

When you begin practicing for your podcast, the outline you produced in the previous step is going to become your best friend. You need to rely on that outline to guide you where to start, where to go next and where to end up. It’s a little bit like a roadmap for your podcast. In that sense, if you use it correctly, you’ll prevent yourself from getting lost during the run thru and during the actual recording of the podcast.

In order to successfully practice for your podcast, you’re going to have to replicate the conditions that will exist when you “go to tape” on your podcast. This means that you need to be sitting where you will be sitting when you record your show. Make sure that you’re comfortable and relaxed. Provide yourself with a glass of water or other beverage of your choice. Set up your hardware and make


sure that it’s working properly. Make sure that you understand how to operate it correctly. Have any note you’ve made on your topics near at hand. Also make sure that you have time, stopwatch or clock with a second hand available. You’ll need it in order to keep your segment lengths at or near the times you laid out in your outline.

When everything is set up and ready, take a deep breath and begin your run thru. As you’re practicing, remember this is the time to make mistakes, discover where there are rough spots and what segments need work. It’s a shakedown cruise for your podcast. It’s not going to be perfect. Concentrate of getting a rhythm for your delivery that makes sense to you. Keep an eye on the clock and work naturally through your outline. If your feel comfortable after your first run thru, that’s great. If not, set up another one and remember that practice really does make perfect.

Performing Your Podcast

Once you’ve perfected your podcast through practice, it’s time for the show! This is the moment you’ve been waiting for, the moment you’ve prepared for. It’s time to do this and do it right.

Notice that the title of section is “Performing Your Podcast”. The use of the word preforming is intentional. When you become a podcaster, you automatically also become a performer. Your role in the process is to entertain, engage and educate your audience. You can only accomplish this if you assume the role of a larger


than life personality. Your audience expects this of you. If you don’t deliver, they won’t stay around for your next episode.

Speaking of delivery, your delivery, at this point, becomes important. Delivery refers to the speaking style you will use during your podcast. While there are many different delivery styles, there is no one particular style of delivery that is right for your podcast. The style you use will depend on your personality and your subject matter. However, a general knowledge of delivery styles will help you decide which direction is the right one for your podcast.

In general, there are two major deliver styles – scripted and unscripted or freeform. Neither one is better or preferable to the other. Whether they are appropriate for use depends entirely on the content that is being delivered. For example, a serious news item or documentary type topic lends itself to being scripted. On the other hand, less serious subjects, as well as an interview, lend themselves to a more freeform approach.

For your first podcast, you’re free to adopt the delivery style that makes you the most comfortable. However, no matter the style, remember to use your outline as a guide. Have you ever wondered how an extemporaneous speaker, like a politician giving a speech or a lawyer delivering a closing argument, remembers what they need to say and when they need to say it? They use an outline just like yours as “talking points”. Each item in the outline becomes a subject that they touch upon and if they happen to wander off topic or forget what’s next, the


outline brings them back on track and into focus. Learn to rely on your own outline in the same way and you can’t go wrong.

Finally, when you are performing your podcast remember to breathe. That’s not a joke. Natural, non-nervous breathing allows you to formulate thoughts quickly and deliver your content in a natural and relaxed manner. Conduct your podcast as if it were a conversation with a friend. Relax, let your mind open, and breathe. You’re going to be great!

Releasing Your Podcast

Once you have performed your podcast and have it recorded, you need to release it to your audience. However, before you do, you need to check your recording to make sure that what you’ve produced is as clean and professional as it can be.

Wearing headphones, replay your podcast. Even though you already know every word, sit back and listen carefully. Put yourself into the heads of your audience. Listen like you were a potential audience member and subscriber. Do you like what you hear? Are the volume levels comfortable? Does the podcast flow naturally from one topic to the next? Are you entertained and engaged? Have you learned something? These are all important questions. Don’t fool yourself about the answers you come up with. If you’re not satisfied with one point or another,


your audience won’t be either. If some things need a bit of polish, now is the time to do so.

When you’ve completed any editing, the next step is getting the podcast out to the public. The first thing you need is an RSS feed. RSS stand for Really Simple Syndication. When you have an RSS feed for your podcast, anyone who finds your first podcast and likes it can subscribe to your RSS feed. This means that every new podcast that you produce will be automatically downloaded to their preferred device. They get your new content exactly the same way they would get a new issue of a magazine they subscribe to, except this is done electronically.

You can generate your own RSS feed (simply Google “RSS feed”) but an easier solution is to use a blogging/podcasting platform such as WordPress or TypePad. These platforms will automatically generate an RSS feed for your podcast. In addition, they will host each of your podcast episodes, so that any new audience members you acquire can obtain them.

Once you have an RSS feed you need to publish the podcast. The best place to start doing this is on iTunes. After all, it was Apple’s hardware that, to a certain extent, started the podcasting revolutions. You simply go to the iTunes music store and, once there, select the tab entitled “podcasts” from the left hand menu. Next select “submit a podcast” from the same left hand menu. Enter the URL of your podcast feed and follow the simple instructions that follow. Within minutes


your first podcast will be available on iTunes for the entire world to see and enjoy!


• By following a set of simple steps, you can easily produce a professional sounding podcast;

• Begin by carefully planning your podcast by deciding the following things ahead of time;

o Decide on a time length for your podcast that makes sense to you and your audience;

o Decide on the frequency of your podcast episodes, making sure that you are able to produce new podcasts on schedule;

o Decide on a theme for your podcast and break that theme down into manageable topics;


o Decide on production effects, such as music and/or branding jingles;

• Next, produce an outline, which will give structure to your podcast, by;

o Using the “brain dump” technique to get all your ideas and topics out on paper or screen

o Organizing these ideas and topics into a logical order in order to give your podcast “flow”;

• Next, practice your podcast making sure to;

o Set up and familiarize yourself with all your hardware;


o Use your outline to prevent yourself from getting lost;

o Keep an eye on the clock; and

o Repeat the practice run thru process as many times as necessary;

• Next, perform your podcast making sure to;

o Remember that you are a performer who needs to entertain and engage your audience;

o Adopt the delivery style that suits your personality and material;

o Use your outline as “talking points; and

o Relax and breathe naturally;


• Finally, release your podcast to the public by;

o Generating an RSS feed, either manually by yourself or automatically through a podcasting platform, such as WordPress;

o Uploading your RSS feed to a podcast aggregator, such as iTunes.


The Best Practices for Podcast Marketing

While an entire book could be written on the subject of the best practices for podcast marketing, it is important that you, the novice podcaster, know a bit about the subject. Podcast marketing is important simply because if you don’t construct your podcast for the market you are trying to reach, that market won’t listen to what you have to say. You’re interested in podcasting precisely because you want your audience to hear what you have to say. Bad marketing practices prevent this from happening.

One of the first and most important marketing practices is to know your audience. Who are the people you are trying to reach? What are their demographics? What are they interested in? How do you know they will be interested in your products, your performances or your hobbies? The best way to get to know your audience is by communicating with them. Don’t be afraid to elicit feedback from the people who subscribe to your podcast feed. Ask them questions. Ask for reviews. Listen to what they have to say. When you connect with your audience in this way, you get to know what they like and don’t like and you can tailor your content accordingly.


Which brings us to the next best practice pointer. Never forget that content is still king, even in the world of podcasting. If you want you podcasts to be popular, if you want to grow an engaged audience, don’t deliver lazy, hastily thrown together content. Remember that you are, in essence, a performer when you podcast. How would you feel if you attended a concert and the band was out of tune and sloppy because they hadn’t bothered to practice? How about a play that was poorly rehearsed? How about a restaurant where the chef didn’t pay attention to detail? Would you feel cheated? Of course you would. Don’t do the same thing to your audience. Give them the best content you can produce and they will reward you with their continued attention and interest in what you have to say.

Finally, when producing your podcasts, remember that less is very often more. Once you get into podcasting, the temptation is to add more effects, use more gadgets and make the shows themselves longer. Longer does not always equal better. More is sometimes simply too much. Restrain yourself when it comes to production. Lean and sleek is always better than fat and bloated.



• Podcast marketing practices are an enormous subject that are enormously important;

• One important marketing practice is to communicate and connect with your audience early on and often;

• Another best practice is to give your audience the quality content they want and deserve;

• Finally, less is more when it comes to podcasting.


Conclusion

At this point, you are well on your way to producing your very first podcast. You’ve learned about how podcasting developed and why it is such an important communication tool. You’ve also learned a little bit about communication history and theory so that you are better able to place your own podcast in the correct context. You’ve learned about podcasting hardware and software and how these important tools can help you take the sound of your podcast to the next level. You’ve gotten some in-depth steps that you need to take when getting ready to produce your first podcast. These are steps that you will be able to use time and time again when preparing for your subsequent shows. You’ve also gotten a taste of a couple of best marketing practices for podcasting. Now, it’s time for you to roll up your sleeves and get to work! There is no doubt that your first podcast will be a solid success.



Documents

First Podcast