How to Create a Great Podcast According to the Pros
Starting your own podcast is tricky. Making your podcast better is even harder. And many of the advice is too vague. How to make it more interesting? How do you define your target audience? So we asked 14 successful podcasters one question: What podcasting don’t most people think about? Here’s what they said.
Nicole Drespel, co-host ofInBox
For guest-focused podcasts, find a balance between being a good host (focusing on the guests, not doing everything for yourself) and a little about yourself. Since the guest is only present in one episode, so if you want people to come back, they need to know who they come back to every week.
Eric Eddings, co-host of The Nod
Ruthlessly edit! People are listening to more and more podcasts, so every second they listen, you are fighting for attention. Listen to your recording and record every moment you feel bored, distracted, or confused. Then cut these pieces out first. Focus on giving your audience the best moments and literally ignore the rest.
Also think about order: do the questions in your interview / conversation / show lead to a satisfactory conclusion? Rearrange it the way they are.
Anna Sale, host of Death, Sex & Money
Before recording your first tape, complete the sentence: “People will want to listen to my podcast because ______.” Most podcasts start with the personal hobbies of the creators, which is great! But in such a crowded podcast environment, it’s important to accompany it with clear arguments about what will be different, special and exciting in what you do, and why it will be worth your listeners’ time.
Levi Sharp, Roommate From Hell’s Sound Engineer and Former Producer of Lifehacker’s The Upgrade
Even if you hire people to help you, you will always be held back from being creative unless you take the time to learn how to do a little of every aspect on your own, including the technical aspects. Become an expert in audio editing software and get a good grasp of basic hardware such as the differences between microphone types and learn some advanced recording techniques. Otherwise, you may not even know what to ask for – or what you may be asking for – or you may create unnecessary struggles for your team.
Emily Morse, host of the podcasts “ Sex with Emily” and ” Sex with Emily” on SiriusXM
Podcast listeners are a hugely engaged audience, and as with most successful relationships, being vulnerable helps. I’ve found that when I share my own concerns, even on an advice podcast, it allows the audience to communicate in a deeper, more understandable way.
It also allows my guests to participate in interviews where they feel comfortable sharing their stories of human experience. This process creates more learning moments and inspires the audience to take action in their lives.
Maurice Cherry, Revision Path Host
If you are using a table microphone, do not hit the table!
There is a reason radio broadcasts have boom microphones: they prevent the microphone from picking up table vibrations. Every time you hit the table, the microphone picks up quite loudly.
Julie Shapiro, Executive Producer, Radiotopia
Focus on a story, topic, or issue that you are deeply passionate about, and be prepared to eat, drink, live, and breathe that topic for the foreseeable future. Or maybe not to sleep too much.
Jason Oberholzer, Founder of Charts & Leisure , Producer of Longreads and Distributed
Create videos based on your usual podcast listening environment: washing dishes, in the shower, exercising, or on a noisy commute. People do not listen in a pristine environment, so the information should be clear, concise and easy to understand. This should affect both technical and editorial choices.
Phoebe Judge, host and co-author of Outlaw and This is Love
Everyone should go to the microphone. It just can make a difference both during the day and at night.
Nate DiMeo, host and creator of the Palace of Remembrance
Please write. And I’m not saying this because my podcast is written entirely. Even shows in the venerable genre of Two Men Talking Things get a lot denser, much more enjoyable to listen to, if you take the time to write an introduction to a conversation to orient the listener. Tell them where they are going. Make them go there with you. And then forward.
Matt Stroup, co-host ofInBox
It’s good to have a little preamble before the show starts, but make sure you give your listeners what you promise sooner rather than later. Too much rambling before a show can annoy the listener. Don’t turn it on just because you don’t know how to start your show.
Bill Conway, co-host of The Hard Times podcast
Record at least 5 episodes before streaming live, put them in a bank and have them ready. It will be easier for you when you need to start publishing weekly.
Eric Noosum Producer of TED Radio Hour , Invisibilia andwhere to start? and the author of Make Noise
Know your audience. And be specific. If, for example, you are into beekeeping and want to start a podcast about beekeeping. Who are you talking to? Gray-haired veteran beekeepers? Those looking to breed a bee hive? These are two very different podcasts.
Simon Tillotson, producer of the film “ In Our Time”
It’s not just the last episode. Make the most of your archive. Note what listeners missed if they are new subscribers – if you choose quality content, they will thank you. And don’t forget some decent cookies for guests afterwards (as well as tea or coffee).
Our question was inspired by Redditor RevEnFuego, who asked a similar question about r / podcasting and got great answers. RevEnFuego includes:
Listen / watch interview shows. Watch Dave Letterman’s new film, listen to Stern or Maron. Hear what they have to say and how they communicate with people. Don’t steal their style, but pay attention to what they do that makes YOU keep listening.
Our favorite tip in the thread comes from tsunaminoal Redditor:
If you’re doing a two-way show, recording separately, but chatting over Discord, etc., hold your headphones over the microphone and ask the other person to clap their hands 3 times. In recording, this makes it easier to sync your tracks.
Read more tips on Reddit and share your own.