A podcast in its simplest form is on demand talk radio. A Podcast is a series of audio episodes, focusing on a specific topic or theme.
If your business has a website or blog, the next logical step is podcasting. Adding podcasts can increase visibility, raise brand awareness and set you apart as an industry expert. Podcasts reside on dedicated podcast directories, such as Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts. By creating a podcast for your business your clients will be able to search by topic and company name on the podcast directories. If you add additional podcasts on a regular basis, you will
provide potential customers with a reason to return. Even better, since many people find it easier to absorb verbal dialogue than written text, a podcast may help your visitors remember your pearls of wisdom.
What is a Video Podcast?
A video podcast is a podcast that is usually hosted on YouTube and embedded into a website. A well-done video podcast can be viewed online like episodes of internet TV. The most entertaining video podcasts are the ones that teach the audience something, tell a story, or are comedic. However, the video podcast universe is filled with tutorials, how-to’s, funny skits, reviews and anything else of which you can think.
Pros – Video Podcasting is a visually stimulating medium that allows you to connect with you audience in a more personal way than simple audio only podcasting can. With a video podcast you can post it to YouTube where you can reach an unprecedented audience all around the world.
Cons – If your host is at all uncomfortable in front of the camera, the videos can look forced and your audience loyalty can fall.
Podcasting allows interested clients multi-task and get the most out of their time. Meaning they can listen to your expertise while driving, working out, or even while checking social media. Podcasting can also remove the ambiguity that is often associated with written web content.
Podcasts today are generally audio only. But that is only because most people do not have the expertise to produce a professional video component. At Ignite Studios that is exactly what we provide. At Ignite Studios you get top quality equipment, professional media producers and a variety of content options at fixed hourly rates. Make sure that your subject expertise gets the audience and exposure it dissevers.
Many podcasts are very simple, usually just a few friends coming together to discuss mutual interests. That is not what we do here at Ignite Studios. Our professionally produced podcasts can include theme music sound effects, Skype/Zoom remote interviews and professional editing.
Tips for Starting Your Podcast
Pre-Production – While this might not be a term with which everyone is familiar. It is key in the long-term success of your Podcast. This is the initial stage in starting your podcast. Get out a notebook or start a word document to begin writing out your ideas.
Choose Your Topic – You want your podcast to be focused on a particular topic or industry. Try to narrow it down to a topic which you can talk about for 100+ episodes. But it should not be so broad as to lose the interests of your potential audience. You can always expand your topic as your viewership grows and you become more popular.
Choosing Your name – Some podcast names are descriptive of what the shows topic is while some others are so vague, they are almost meaningless. You want to choose a name that is broader than your topic. This gives you the option to talk about what you want to talk about and expand your offerings in the future. However, maintaining your eye-catching descriptiveness is important when first getting started.
Length – You will search the internet on how to create the perfect podcast and when it comes to length there is no one perfect formula. There are statistics that say that podcasts should be 28 minutes in length because that is the average driving time for most people. Or that they should be just under 1 hour because that is the limit of people attention span. It is more important that your length matches your content. That is why there are 5-minute podcasts and the are some that are 5 hours. So, do what is best for you and your topic.
Style – The style of your podcast should be consistent from episode to episode. Which is why interview shows are popular. With the right content and the right host personality, solo shows can be wildly successful. You can do solo/co-hosted shows part of the time and interview episodes the other part. A big benefit of doing interviews is that they help with acquiring new content and new listeners. But whatever style you choose make it easy with templates and pre-produced graphics.
Cover Art – Your cover art is the first impression most people will have of your podcast. Apple Podcasts (Formerly iTunes) is the largest and most popular podcast directory. The requirements are as follows: Minimum Size 1400 x 1400 and a maximum size of 3000 x 3000, 72 dpi, in JPEG or PNG formats.
Guests – If you are doing an interview show, schedule your guests as far in advance as you can. Get their Skype/Zoom username, so if need be you can interview them remotely. Work with your guests to write a short introduction you can read when they are on your show.
Template – As part of your pre-production process create a template that you can reuse every time you record. This means that you will have your intro and out-ro music already picked out. It will also have a list of the pre-determined sound effects that intend on using and a final call to action.