Yesterday, we published our third podcast – an interview with Rob Aherne, MD of Bauer’s motorcycling portfolio.
Three podcasts under our belt does not make us experts but I thought I would share with you our first steps / learnings.
(Our podcasts take the form of in-depth interviews, which are recorded remotely, not in a studio.)
- Get your presenter set up with a good mic and proper audio equipment, pop filter et al.
- Use good recording software. Audio quality is key, so beware false economies in this area. We chose Zencastr. There are others.
- Choose a podcasting platform. We chose Acast. Again, there are others.
- Choose robust and function rich editing software. Your audio files WILL need editing / optimising. We use Adobe Soundbooth (which has been discontinued, but still does the job) but are thinking of upgrading to Adobe Audition. Being a full music production suite, it might be considered overkill, but the extensive functionality would be handy.
- Add some jingles. This helps give the podcast shape and direction. There are lots of music libraries online; we used Shockwave Sound.
- Record some dummy episodes. Throwing yourself in at the deep end is not wise…
- Set clear standards for guest audio. One variable where you have less control is the guest’s audio. Create a ‘minimum tech requirements’ sheet that you run past your prospective guest when you first approach them. When you come to do the recording, spend 2-3 minutes doing proper audio checks at the start. A 2cm repositioning of the guest’s mic can make all the difference.
- Establish clear responsibilities asap. There are three key functions: presenting, editing, managing. Easy to lose sight of the ‘managing’ part, but someone has to project manage every episode.
- Establish clear and transparent protocols / T&C, for instance regarding your policy on re-recordings and sign-offs, and include these in a ‘confirmation’ email to the guest.
One big caveat – we are newbies. The chances are that if you’ve been doing your podcasts for longer than three weeks, you’ll know better.
(Almost forgot, Point # 10 – try and find a sponsor – thank you Atex…)
