A podcast is an online audio series, just like a web series or a radio show. Multiple episodes are launched at a specified time gap, per week or every fortnight. Listeners choose to download them and listen at their leisure if they subscribe to the channel. Podcasts started in 2005 and gained immense popularity in no time. Around two million podcasts are available online with over 48 million episodes. Many people in the USA listen to podcasts while traveling or saving themselves from the apparent loneliness and isolation caused due to the global pandemic. Podcasts can be inspirational, educational, informative, entertaining, or sanity savers. The dynamic character of this medium has caught the eyes of entrepreneurs who find an opportunity to use this platform to promote their businesses. Businesses project themselves as experts on a particular topic or field related to their products or services to influence people. Podcasts are also helping them keep consumers engaged, leading to word-of-mouth advertising. Now, the question is how to make a podcast for your business. Here are a few crucial tips and tricks to achieve success.
Select the Topic and Target Audience Well
Targetting the correct audience is the key to a successful podcast. Not everyone may be interested in your podcast. So, know who to address and what to say. The topic selection must relate to your business. You may talk about the problems that your product or service addresses. You can spread awareness and inform the audience about it so that they feel enlightened after listening to your podcast. You can interview someone significant who can resonate with your topic and associated product or service. One crucial point is that a podcast is a series. Therefore, you need to identify a list of relevant issues to stay afloat on this medium.
Besides, choose a suitable name for the podcast and a format. The name must connect to the niche you belong to, and the structure must suit that niche. For example, it can be a solo show, an interview show, or a co-hosted show, depending on what you want to convey.
Decide on the Style
Podcasts are usually conversational and engaging. Most successful podcasts use a style while talking to a close friend. It is authentic and sincere. What makes podcasts tricky is that it does not call for a script. There can be a brief outline but not a script that must be read line by line. The host usually talks using everyday language and communicates with the listener personally. Most podcasts allow the listeners to know the host or the person interviewed better.
Two crucial things must be determined at this stage: the length of the podcast and its frequency. If the size is too long, the audience may lose interest. Similarly, a too-short podcast will fail to draw their attention. Therefore, a length of 20 to 45 minutes is ideal for a podcast. But, again, regularity is the key to staying relevant.
Consequently, you must decide the frequency of your podcast and maintain it. Usually, podcasts are released every week. But you can determine your time frame according to your requirement and availability.
Use the Correct Equipment
Podcasts are easy to make, provided you use the right equipment. First, a high-quality microphone will improve your sound quality, making them clear and crispier. The following requirement is audio software. If you are an Apple user, your iPad or laptop comes with a studio editing application, GarageBand. It helps create professional-level podcasts. Several YouTube videos are available online to tell you how to use GarageBand to make podcasts. For non-Apple users, Audacity and Adobe Audition are two options—Audacity is freely downloadable, but Adobe Audition requires a monthly subscription.
Uploading the Podcast
Once the solo show or conversation is recorded, it is time to upload it online. However, before sharing it with the world, you must embellish the podcast with elements like music, voice-overs, and cover art—whichever best suits your purpose. These elements are crucial because they create the first impression and stimulate listeners to click on the link and continue to listen.
Launching and Promotion
Like any other product or service, a podcast, too, needs launching and promotion. You can prepare a few episodes before launching the podcast and release them in quick frequency. Thus, people will get to know what you are talking about and how they will benefit from it. Besides, you can use your social media page to announce the launch and inform people about its content. Blogging can help to achieve the required audience. Once the podcast is launched, be consistent and precise in your release timing. A haphazard release timing will disinterest the listeners who may wait for your podcast at that particular time. If there are some details, mention them on your social media page beforehand.
How To Create Podcasts For Your Business
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