Strong brands produce good content, and a podcast is a great medium for getting that content out there!
Podcasts can be a natural extension for your small business. They are easy to record, easy to share, and they introduce your customers to the people behind your company. You can even use your podcast to help establish yourself as an expert in your field.We believe that all of our clients should have a podcast, but we recognize there are only so many hours in a day.
Read on to see if starting a podcast is right for you!
What is a podcast?
A podcast is an audio file that your listeners can download and listen to. Consider it like a radio show. Podcasts are most effective when released in a series of episodes that your listeners can subscribe to for automatic updates.
The most common way people subscribe to podcasts is through iTunes, which makes your podcast accessible to people around the world, and enables easy download on Apple devices (Further on, we’ll explain how to get set up on iTunes). Overcast is simple podcast player for iPhone, iPad, and the Apple Watch.
You will also want your podcast to be available for people to listen to online through desktop, and other mobile devices (for example, Android users can subscribe to podcasts through Stitcher).
What Equipment do I need?
The sound quality of your podcast is very important for its success. You don’t need a sound studio, but you will probably want to invest in a microphone.
The Samson Go Mic
Another affordable, higher-end mic is the Blue Yeti
How do I record myself?
You will need an audio recording software. Many podcasters opt for Audacity, which is free and cross-platform. After installing the program, you can open a new project to record your podcast. The software will let you edit your finished product by erasing glitches, and importing music.
Garage Band, which comes installed in Mac computers can also be used to record and edit sound files.
I’ve finished my audio file. How do I upload it?
First, you need to use a program that will create a podcast feed for you. Blubrry is a popular option. You install Blubrry as a plugin for your WordPress site. Click on the plugin settings for Blubrry and follow the steps for configuring Blubrry statistics and hosting services. You’ll be prompted to provide a title for your podcast and fill out the iTunes fields (once your podcast is approved for iTunes, this will allow them to place your podcast in their directory).
Another option is PodcastBlaster, which is not a WordPress plugin. On their website, you are able to use the Podcast Feed Generator. This tool allows you to easily create the files needed to publish your podcasts. Once you set up your account, you simply fill out the web form fields used to generate the file.
Where will my podcast live?
If you already have a blog or website, including your podcast episodes in your updates is easy. If you need to create a website for your podcast a WordPress site hosted by BlueHost will work great. Our Borden Formula will help you set up your new site in an hour (it’s just 7 steps!).
Within WordPress there are a number of plugins that you can install that will help you display your podcast. As we mentioned, Blubrry makes it easy to publish and manage your podcast on your WordPress site.
Another no-fuss podcasting option is Podcasting Plugin by TSG. When you create a new WordPress post, this plugin will help you add an audio player to your posts. All you need to do is include the URL where your audio lives. This option works well if you opt to use a podcast feed generator such as PodcastBlaster.
How do I add my podcast to iTunes?
If you want your podcast easily downloadable by everyone with an Apple device, you’ll want it available on iTunes too.
First, install the latest version of iTunes.
In the iTunes store, click on the podcasts menu and find the “Podcasts Quick Links” section. Under that, click “Submit a Podcast”.
Login or create your Apple ID to complete the submission process. iTunes will need to review your podcast before anything goes live in the store, which might take a couple of days. Once approved, it doesn’t take long to submit podcasts in the future. You’ll be notified by email when your submission is approved.
Tips for recording:
- Find a quiet space. Your microphone will pick up all background noises so you will want to eliminate as many distractions as possible.
- Wear headphones, especially if you are recording an interview over Skype or Google+. The last thing you want is for audio coming out of your computer to make it into your podcast.
- If you’re conducting a remote interview, each person should record their voice separately (with headphones and a mic) on their own end. You can merge the audio files later in your audio editing software.
Your strongest episodes will have a clear intention. Know what you and your company stand for, know your voice, and know what you would like to say. No need to script it — simply be yourself, relax, and hit record.
Kindly note: We don’t like to refer to ourselves as “experts”, but we do take great pride in sharing our business advice, distilled down from our extensive research and (often) mind-blowingly frustrating experiences we’ve endured and learned from. We try our best to create a clear and humble approach to good business tactics that you and your teams can understand and turn into effective and productive revenue streams. We are actual, real people and look forward to supporting you in any way we can, whether it’s on the topic of this post, or other business development and marketing communications you may be involved in, or considering. We are proud of the services we provide; if you don’t see what you’re looking for, just ask us – we also take pride in being super responsive!
