With technology evolving and more ways to connect than ever before, it can be incredibly easy for someone to find out a lot about you by just searching your name in Google or on social media.
Before you begin a podcast, know that you will be putting yourself out there to the masses and it's a good idea to evaluate what other information you may already have that's easily searchable. And it's a good idea to take precautions sooner rather than later
Is this you? Do you want to get behind the microphone, but aren't sure what kind of podcast you want to have?
Do you even need a topic, or can you get behind the microphone and start a podcast about "anything and everything"? The reason I put that in quotes is because plenty of podcasts use that phrase to describe themselves. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, either. I listen to plenty of comedy podcasts that use that exact phrase.
But I will recommend if you're thinking of using a podcast to boost your brand or business, maybe the "anything and everything" route isn't for you.
Patreon has been a great way for podcast listeners to support their favorite shows with donations, but on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017, Patreon announced a new fee structure that has creators upset and Patreon supporters pulling their pledges. What does this mean for podcasters?
Your time is so, so precious. And I won't lie and tell you podcasting takes no time at all, because it absolutely takes time. But I will tell you podcasting doesn't have to take over your life (unless you're like me and LOVE everything-podcasting and choose to spend almost every waking hour thinking about, listening to, recording, or editing podcasts).
Here's the great thing about podcasting: If you're adding podcasting as part of your outreach, you probably already have a lot of the content you can re-purpose into a podcast. If you're podcasting for fun, the time spent can vary, but as you keep podcasting, you'll become faster and more efficient.
So, what kind of time commitment are we talking here? Let's break it down ...
Visit any Podcasting Facebook Group and this question will come up on a weekly basis, and especially around the holidays. It's one of the first steps to starting your podcast and one that probably gets a lot more weight put on it than necessary. The easiest and more basic answer is get a microphone that fits your environment and voice, but where to start?
If you happen to live in an area with a music store, you might be able to test out different microphones and see which one sounds best with your voice. Some even let you rent equipment to test it out with your setup. But if that's not an option and you want a microphone today, there are a few options I recommend right off the bat.
If you noticed, the title for this post is What Podcasting Microphone Should You Get to START OUT WITH. That's because my recommendations are for those just getting started in podcasting and don't want to spend a lot of money upfront, in case it's not something they want to pursue.
As Thanksgiving is upon us in the United States, it's important to take this time to think about what we're thankful for in our lives. And that includes our podcasts.
It's easy to get caught up in the game of comparing your podcast to others, especially those with more experience than you. But I can't tell you the number of times I've been turned off by podcasts I'm listening to in which the hosts complain about their "low" numbers.
Don't be those podcasters. Remember, everyone starts with zero listeners, as one of my podcasting mentors Dave Jackson says. Moving that number up is your job as a podcaster and marketer. And the more you cherish the audience you already have, the more they'll feel compelled to become your podcast ambassadors and spread the word about you and your show.
A line you might see in articles that seem to come out every few months is the idea that podcasts are "the wild west of media." While I don't necessarily agree with the idea that podcasts are new (shameless plug for my podcast The Story Behind Podcasts), I love the idea that new podcasts are being created and new formats are being experimented on all the time, and it's wonderful.
I get disheartened when I see emerging podcasters lose steam when they see a podcast that's similar to what they are producing or, maybe even worse, not seeing any podcast that sounds like the one they want to produce.
But that's the great thing about podcasting. Could anyone have predicted that following a true crime investigation of a single case for 12 episodes would be a huge breakout hit? Or that a guy in his garage would get to interview the president of the United States? Or that indie shows like a show with the premise of ghost tours for the theater of the mind would surpass 2 million episodes and thrive on being entirely listener-supported? Or that a stack of found letters between two girls and their landlord would become a cult phenomenon?
The first time you hear your voice on a recording, you might be shocked at how different you sound vs. what you thought you sounded like.
What you hear when you're speaking is a combination of your voice coming from your mouth plus the sound from your vocal cord vibrations, whereas when you hear a recording of your voice or when others hear your voice, they only hear what comes out of your mouth.
When you listen back to your first podcast episode, it might be tough to get used to hearing your own voice, and even weirder if you're the one editing it, having to hear it over and over again.
