#podcast help

[thepodcasthoard]

How to Start a Podcast

Part 1

The second article Sydney kindly gave me is How to Start a Podcast by buzzsprout. Buzzsprout is also a hosting site, which you need when you start a podcast, so they have to know their stuff (according to the article, since 2009 they've helped three hundred thousand podcasts launch, which is impressive).

Buzzsprout breaks the process into ten actionable steps.

Develop a concept.

Define goals

Pick a theme/topic (they provide a whopping seventy-five in this article linked)

Find a niche

Name it (they have provided this article for further reading)

2. Choose a format

I didn't think about this before I read this article, but there are different ways to present podcasts- the article mentions interview, cohosted, scripted non-fiction, news, educational, and scripted fiction (and I will provide audio drama help as I conduct my own research and get information from podcasters about it).

The article goes over the 'optimal' podcast episode length, with some statistics, but the only thing that seems to be important they put in the first sentence: "Make your episodes as long as they need to be and no longer."

They also talk about an episode release schedule, with more stats.

3. Set up recording equipment

Of course they talk about microphones, including another article all about that aspect of podcasting, but apparently there are different types of microphones. I never knew that. They go somewhat in-depth about the different kinds, so I'll leave the technical reading to you.

4. Choose software

The article also talks about different software, from recording to editing. They give a few different options in the article, with links to each. I'm not sure if they get commissions based on how many people click through, so I'll leave you to go there to give them some love.

5. Record your first episode.

The article further breaks the process into smaller steps.

A) Write an outline (with further reading that includes templates)

B) Pick your recording room wisely

Before Sydney's post, I didn't know that sound travels different off of hard and soft surfaces, though I guess in retrospect I should have figured (echos in canyons, for example). I didn't realize it would make a big difference, but I guess it does.

C) Connect your equipment and set up your software

This is important- make sure you hit 'record' and everything's plugged in, folks.

D) Microphone technique

If you're going to speak into a microphone, learn to do it right.

E) Test different recording styles

Test for quality.

6. Edit

They provide an article for further reading. In the main article, they break it into broad steps.

A) Make sure the intro and outro are engaging

Hook the listener right away.

B) Edit for content, then everything else.

Start with big cuts, then move smaller.

C) Fade between tracks

Apparently, cutting audio can sometimes make clicks and pops in the recording. Who knew?

D) Create a punch list

I guess this is a to-do list.

Then when all that's done, you export it! They throw a bit of technical jargon at you (what the heck is an ID3 tag?) but thankfully, it seems to be fairly simple with this podcasting host site. I'm not sponsored by them, it just seems easy enough for beginners.

7. Create podcast artwork.

They also include five tips for that.

A) Visually communicate the subject

B) Design for a variety of sizes

C) Don't use too many words or fonts

D) Avoid 'podcast imagery' (microphones, for example)

E) Keep your brand consistent

They provide a few sites for people to create artwork, so that's cool.

8. Set up podcast hosting

To be honest, this confused the Hell out of me. But there are a few videos about it they linked at the end of the step, so feel free to read the full article and watch them.

9. Get listed in podcast directories

More technical stuff, but I guess that you need the last step- hosting- to actually get onto Spotify or Apple podcasts or any other site/app.

10. Launch and grow

The article goes over two ways to launch- grand and soft- and a few other things like imposter syndrome. It talks about seven marketing tips.

A) Tell friends and family

B) Create a buzzsprout ad

C) Post episodes on social media

D) Join groups and forums

E) Cross-promote with other podcasters

F) Overcast ads

G) Create a call to action

The article also recommends celebrating, and I'm always down for a celebration. Don't be embarrassed it's about your own achievements, or feel like it's needlessly self-congratulatory or self-centered. It seems like a ton of work, so give yourself some credit!

#podcast help #beginner podcaster

[thoughtfulfoxllama]

Voice Reveal!!!

So, I want to point out a couple of facts

1.) I don't have any of my Podcast Equipment yet, and I'm outside. This is why there's a bunch of noise in the background

2.) I did this with no practice. When I get started on my Podcast, I'll rehearse the episodes before I record (so I won't trip over words, and I'll be able to pronounce unfamiliar words better)

But, with that being said, here's a sample for my Podcast. The Reading is Chapter 1 of "Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea"

I am open to all advice on how I can improve (although, please note that I found a couple already)

#podcaster #podcast #first episode #twenty thousand leagues under the sea #beginning podcaster #advice #podcast help

[el-blog-pepe]

The Rising Trend of Cafe Bars (Essay)

The rising trend of café bars in the UK mirrors a broader cultural shift towards more versatile and sociable dining and drinking experiences. These hybrid spaces, which blend the relaxed atmosphere of a coffee shop with the more vibrant energy of a bar, cater to a wide array of preferences and schedules, reflecting the increasingly flexible lifestyles of their patrons. This essay explores the…

View On WordPress

#cafe bars #LEARN ENGLISH #podcast help #uk #vocabulary

[starbrightnova]

Podcast School Project Question

So like I have a school project and I'm planing on making a podcast for it, so does anyone have any recommendation for making a podcast? if anyone can help me I would very thankful

#podcast #writing #school project #questions #writing help #podcast help

[hyperdragon97]

How hard is it, realistically, to set up a live play podcast? Asking for future me

#ttrpg podcast #ttrpg #podcast #podcast help

[murderandcoffee]

*buddy aurinko voice* found family? no, darling, this is a made family. I superglued these chucklefucks together kicking and screaming.

#the penumbra podcast #tpp #junoverse #buddy aurinko #the aurinko crime family #juno steel #peter nureyev #vespa ilkay #jet sikuliaq #jet siquliak #tpp rita #rita tpp #bs.txt #why is jet's last name spelled two different ways. which one's the right one. help #the ruby 7 #yes I'm tagging all of them fuck off #carte blanche

[candlecoo-sideb-art]

A lil Martin to try to get back into the swing of things again

#made for the lonely au #the magnus archive #tma #tma podcast #tma au #tma art #fan art #the magnus archives #the magnus pod #the magnus archive art #the magnus archive fanart #magpod #tma martin #martin blackwood #lonely!martin #digital art #my art #art #art block has been killing me lately #school also hasn't been helping

[toastydumpster]

another malevolent doodle dump and some hcs

(I may have a problem)

#HELP ME HHH #malevolent #malevolent podcast #arthur lester #john doe #king in yellow #headcanons #doodle dump #my art

[baroquepoultry]

they both have suspenders

#jrwi fanart #jrwi riptide #chip jrwi #jay ferin #jrwi show #jrwi podcast #he is not very helpful

[brighteyedbadwolf]

So I now have a >1hr commute 3-4x a week. I need narrative podcasts and I know nothing about podcasts.

I'm considering getting into WTNV? I guess? It's literally the only one I know of with a narrative.

Suggestions????

#wtnv #podcast #help a bitch out

[joodeegemstone]

i fucking knew it

#honestly i could see modern au zuko yelling at self help podcasts like they could hear him lol #atla #avatar the last airbender #atla netflix #atla live action #zuko #prince zuko #atla shitpost

[thepodcasthoard]

How to Start a Podcast: Step-By-Step Guide- Castos

Part 1 l Part 2 l Part 3 l Part 4 l Part 5 l Part 6 l Part 7 l Part 8 l Part 9 l Part 10 l Part 11 l Part 12

The thirteenth article Sydney gave me is from Castos, which is a hosting site.

Castos lines out six steps to start a podcast.

Plan

Define goals. Why are you making this podcast?

Choose a topic. Castos suggests thinking about if you can talk about the topic you're considering for hours. Yes. Plural. If not, then it's not the topic for you. What makes your podcast different than similar ones? You also might want to consider future monetization if that's something you're after. The article I linked suggests twenty five broad topics to get you thinking (such as your trial and errors, and yourself narrating something).

Define your audience. Make a listener persona or avatar.

Choose a format. That article lists pros and cons of each, with examples of established podcasts.

Choose a name. That article goes over the camps of naming- yes, the descriptive, clever, and brand- and a few other things, like how saying the name out loud will help.

Choose who's going to conduct the podcast. If you're doing it solo, it's a no-brainer. But if you have a team, there will have to be a discussion.

Write a description. This article says that out of 780 people surveyed by the podcast host, most of them judged whether or not to listen to a podcast by their description. I included the first article because it has other useful stats. You should write it to be engaging to the human readers, and search engine optimized for the algorithm. If you get stuck, Castos helpfully provided three templates to chose from and tweak as you need.

Choose categories. Most people (from the podcast host data) find new podcasts via the search function in their app or site of choice. The categories are how your listeners will find you. One broad category and two sub categories are allowed, so choose wisely.

Decide on a length to shoot for. You won't hit it to the second, but having a general guide will help. Your episode length can be a unique selling point- if every other podcast in your niche is over an hour, your fifteen minute podcast will be interesting. And the opposite is true. But don't pad out the episode with fluff to make it longer for the sake of it, and don't cut any useful information to make it shorter for the sake of it.

Decide on a publishing frequency. Whatever you choose- weekly, fortnightly, monthly- be consistent. If you miss an update, you might lose listeners because they don't feel like they can expect the episode reliably.

Name episodes. Consider the episode name like the headline of an article. You want to get the broad view across while also enticing people to read. Or, in this case, listen. Use at least one or two keywords naturally to make it so when people search for a solution to a problem, your episode has a better chance of popping up. Podcast apps tend to cut off episode titles, so make sure the most important words start the title. If you have guests, include their names, but leave off your podcast name. It'll already be in your feed, so there's no need to reiterate.

Consider monetization. While monetization is most likely far in the future, think about any ideas now. For example, merchandise you can sell, or a subscription tier system.

2. Recording equipment

They included a handy infographic, but really a microphone, pop filter, headphones, and the computer you already own will do fine to start. When you're ready to expand, they have more equipment recommendations.

Have a recording space. You don't need a fancy studio, but it should be a quiet place with little background noise.

Set up equipment. Make sure everything works and is recording. Then- this is just an aside from me- make a test recording. Make sure it sounds how you want it to.

3. Editing software

A lot of times, your recording software can also edit, but in case it doesn't Castos provides some options.

Remote recording software is different, and you need it if you have guests that aren't physically present in the same room as you.

4. Record your first episode

Don't worry if you don't have a workflow yet, that will come.

Write a script if you're nervous.

Check out some microphone techniques to build good habits.

Castos has general tips here

They also have a video tutorial and article here.

5. Edit

Add intros and outros. According to NPR, 20-35% of listeners will only give your podcast five minutes. To avoid this, Castos has a guide on intros and outros.

Music. It's nice to have, and makes your podcast sound more polished. Castos collected sites to get affordable royalty-free music.

In general, there are three things to do when editing- removing things you don't like, adding things that make the episode better, and fixing audio mistakes like background noise.

Castos put together a video and article on editing here so you can take some of the guesswork out.

Export your final file. There's some technical jargon here, but basically there's a preferred file type and a way to adjust your sound so that the episode is the same volume throughout the one episode and between episodes. Castos focuses on how they expect files to be- they are a hosting site after all- but I feel like maybe other hosting sites would encourage this. The best practice is to check out the guidelines on your hosting site and follow them.

6. Launch

Choose a podcast hosting site. As I've said in previous posts, you need an RSS feed to give podcast directories before people can listen. Castos does a good job explaining it in this infographic.

When choosing a hosting site, consider a few factors: storage, website, analytics, and marketing.

Artwork. Castos recommends that the font is clear and easy to read, and there aren't too many diffferent fonts- two max. Keep your topic in mind as you design or have someone else design the artwork for you. Contrasting colors and 'empty' space are your friends- they bring attention to the podcast and gives the name room to metaphorically breathe. They also included a handy site called the podcast artwork check to see how the artwork looks across sites and apps. Castos also has an in-depth guide with examples of artwork.

Submit to directories. Now it's time to get ears on your podcast and get it out there. Check out the list of thirty different directories to submit to.

Build a website. This is a permanent home for your podcast, just in case anything disastrous happens to any directory.

Add show notes and transcriptions.

Strategies:

Make a trailer.

Release three episodes on launch day.

Network with other podcasters. You can offer to cross-promote, which means that if they feature a snippet or description of your show on theirs, you'll do the same with theirs on yours. Make sure your niches are linked, though- no one wants a comedy podcast in a true crime one.

Be active in online communities related to your audience and topic.

Don't be afraid to self-promote. Word of mouth has to start somewhere.

7. Promote your podcast.

Don't be afraid to reach out to your audience. They're listening to you for a reason, and they'll probably gladly spread the word if they haven't been already.

If you mention any brands organically, shoot them a message and tell them. They might feature your episode on their social media.

Guest on other podcasts. Be nice here, no one likes someone constantly nagging about when they're going to be on their podcast.

Advertise on podcast apps. Just make sure you're actually listed on their app before you buy the ad.

Castos also has social media and email list guides.

There are a few resources listed at the bottom of the article, including a facebook group and their podcast about podcasting.

#podcast help #beginner podcaster

[soapi-leaf]

guess who listened to all of magnus archives in 1 week :3

#art #fan art #drawing #my art #digital art #digital drawing #magnus archives #jon sims #jonathan sims #the archivist #tma fanart #tma #tma s4 #tma jon #tma podcast #mag pod #the magnus archive fanart #help this has consumed all my thoughts #posting this before i forget

[samglyph]

I can’t be the only member of the unhealthily obsessed with gravity falls as a kid to unhealthily obsessed with malevolent as an adult pipeline

#yes these are some of the sketches that are old but I tricked you cause I did clean them up prior to posting #just so they like. make sense #the problem with these is that now I’m thinking about the implications and I’ve got like a whole au in my head #malevolent #my art #gravity falls #malevolent podcast #Arthur lester #John doe #dipper pines #kayne malevolent #bill cipher #anyway arthur and John circa season 2 get transported into the future and into Oregon and they wander into a shack in the woods with weird #signs looking for medical help because Arthur is once again fucking dying and dipper is like. yellow eyed BITCH oh wait no this is different #fuck what’s wrong with this British man

[catwyk]

the silt verses s2ep7 is peak horror

#thesiltverses #the silt verses #tsv #podcast #podcast fanart #horror #brother faulkner #horror art #digital art #art #artists on tumblr #how do tags even work #send help #skinned #muscle anatomy #anatomy #medibang #digital aritst #digital drawing #digital illustration

[tiredpupils]

s3 stinky jarchivist

#the magnus archives #magnuspod #jonathan sims #tma fanart #jon sims #tma podcast #tma #pls help #AAA