Answering a few preliminary questions

Before you go shopping for podcasting equipment, answer the following questions:

• Are you flying solo, or do you plan to have guests? If you’re flying solo, you can get by with a smartphone or a computer with a single microphone. If you plan to have guests, you’ll want a microphone for each person on the podcast.
• What quality are you aiming for? Generally, as long as listeners can hear what you and your guests are saying, that’s good enough. Most people tune in for the quality of content, not the quality of the sound, although sound quality can be distracting if it’s really poor. If you want higher-quality audio, you need higher-quality equipment.
• What’s your budget? You can spend a lot on recording equipment and can even build your own recording studio, but you can start a podcast for less than $100 — much less if you already have a smartphone.
• How much of the work do you want to do yourself? Podcasting requires some time, effort, and expertise. At bare minimum, a podcast requires copywriting, recording, and editing. You can do everything yourself or outsource part or all of the work.

You can get started with whatever equipment you can afford and acquire better recording equipment as your podcast grows in popularity.

Choosing a microphone and accessories

A quality microphone goes a long way toward producing a quality recording. When choosing a microphone and accessories, I recommend the following:

• Dynamic (versus condenser) microphone: A dynamic microphone is best for most people and most situations in which you’ll be recording podcasts. These mics are more durable, versatile, and forgiving. They’re also less sensitive, so they don’t pick up as much background noise as condenser mics do.
• USB microphone for recording yourself or XLR for recording yourself and guests: The benefit of a USB microphone is that it plugs into a standard USB port on a computer. An XLR microphone plugs into a professional audio recording device or mixer, allowing you to scale your podcast to include guests.
• Cardioid microphone: A cardioid microphone is more sensitive to sound in front of the microphone and less sensitive to sound in back of it, so it’s less susceptible to picking up background noise.
• Pop filter: A pop filter is foam inside or outside the microphone that prevents the p sound from making annoying pops when you’re recording.
• Shock mount: A shock mount filters out low-frequency vibrations, such as the sound of a coffee mug sliding across the table on which the microphone sits.
• Switches or dials to customize the sound and mute the mic when someone else is talking: Being able to adjust the mic to improve sound quality or muffle noise is a plus.

Adding headphones to your setup

When creating a podcast, headphones are optional, but they’re an option you should seriously consider. When you’re doing a podcast, you should hear how you sound to others so that you can adjust how you’re talking on the fly. The only way to hear how you sound to others is to listen to yourself through headphones. Any guests you have on your podcast should wear headphones too.

When choosing headphones, look for the following characteristics:

• Flat frequency response to ensure that you’re hearing the audio accurately, without any filtering.
• Full-size headphones versus earbuds (over the ear versus in the ear) to filter out noise from the environment more effectively.
• Comfort ensures that you and your guests can wear the headphones for the duration of the podcast without having to adjust them constantly.
• Wired or wireless is a preference. I don’t like to deal with cables, but if you go with wireless headphones, be sure that your batteries are charged before starting a podcast.

Choosing and prepping a recording space

The space in which you record your podcast can make or break your sound quality. To improve sound quality, take the following steps:

1. Choose a quiet place.

   You don’t want to hear dogs barking, neighbors partying, or planes flying over in the middle of your recording session. A basement may be best.

2. Choose a big room over a small room.

   Generally, the bigger the room, the better, but successful podcasts have been recorded in even the tiniest of spaces.

3. Fill the space with soft objects.

   Carpeting, blankets, mattresses, pillows, sofas, and stuffed animals can all help prevent echoes.

4. At the very least, stick some foam in the corners of the room.

   The corners are the worst source of echoes. If you have the means to do so, stick some foam to the walls as well, or hang blankets on them.

Choosing recording software and a podcasting host

In addition to hardware (a recording space and gear), you need software to record and edit your podcast, as well as a podcasting host, where your podcast will live on the Internet. A couple of services provide a combination:

• Anchor (https://anchor.fm) is an all-in-one podcasting platform from Spotify that enables you to create, distribute, and monetize podcasts for free. It includes free, unlimited hosting; automatic distribution to all major listening apps; analytics to find out who’s listening to your podcasts and which ones they like best; and various options for monetizing your podcasts.
• Podbean (https://www.podbean.com) is one of the best options for recording podcasts on a smartphone and uploading them to the Internet. It includes Podcast Studio for recording and editing, unlimited podcasting, performance analytics, the ability to interact with listeners, and PodAds to monetize podcasts with paid advertising.

Another option is to use software dedicated to recording and editing your podcasts and then upload your recordings to a podcast host or distributor. Here are a few podcast recording/editing programs:

• Adobe Audition (https://www.adobe.com/products/audition.html) is a professional audio workstation for recording, editing, mixing, and exporting audio content to upload to any podcast hosting service.
• Audacity (https://www.audacityteam.org/download) is free open-source software for recording, editing, and exporting audio content. You can download a version for macOS, Windows, or Linux.
• GarageBand (https://www.apple.com/mac/garageband) is Apple’s full-featured music-creation studio that’s also a great solution for recording, editing, and exporting spoken word audio for podcasts. It comes preloaded on Macs, iPhones, and iPads.
• Riverside.fm (https://riverside.fm) is a subscription-based podcast recording platform that enables local audio recording of interviews conducted remotely. It’s a great tool if you plan to interview people who can’t make it in to your recording studio.
• Logic Pro (https://www.apple.com/logic-pro) is a high-end digital audio workstation application for macOS. Consider it to be a step up from GarageBand, but it may be overkill for recording podcasts.
• TwistedWave (https://twistedwave.com) is a simple yet powerful audio recording and editing program for Macs, iPhones, and iPads. A cloud-based version is also available; you can run it on any Internet-enabled device in a web browser.

After recording your podcast and saving it or exporting it as an audio file (either MP3, M4A, MP4, or WAV), you upload the file to a podcast host to make your podcast available to listeners and to promote your podcast and track its performance. Your host will also get your podcasts into all the directories where listeners look for podcasts, such as iTunes, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Here are some popular podcast hosts:

• Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) offers a free plan and features easy uploads, a podcast player that you can easily embed in your website, analytics to track podcast performance, and the ability to add episode chapter markers to your podcasts.
• Libsyn (https://libsyn.com) offers affordable podcast hosting, distribution, analytics, and monetization.
• SoundCloud (https://soundcloud.com) is the world’s largest free online audio distribution platform and music sharing platform. SoundCloud enables you to upload, promote, share, and monetize your podcasts; and engage with your listeners.
• Simplecast (https://simplecast.com) bills itself as “the first and last word in podcast management and analytics.” It features one-click podcast uploads, multiple web and podcast players, advanced analytics, collaboration tools, and the ability to Recast (schedule and share your podcasts on your social media accounts).
• Spotify for Podcasters (https://podcasters.spotify.com/) has about 300 million listeners in about 100 markets worldwide, so it’s one of the best platforms in terms of distribution. It also features a dashboard that provides insight into your podcast’s performance among listeners.

I use Adobe Audition to record and edit my podcast and Buzzsprout to host it.

Outlining your podcast episode

To keep yourself and your guests from drifting off topic, outline your podcast episode or at least create a list of bullet points describing what you’re going to cover. If you plan to interview guests, include a brief introduction or biography of each guest and a list of questions. If you have a cohost or guests, share your notes and questions with them so they can prepare for the recording session.

You don’t need to write a detailed script, although that’s certainly an option. You just need a collection of notes to prevent yourself from rambling, which is a big turn-off to listeners.

Writing an intro and outro

Write and record an intro and outro to insert at the beginning and end of your podcast. You can use the same intro and outro for every episode or use something fresh for each episode. Using a unique intro and outro for each episode has the advantage of allowing you to showcase highlights of each episode at the beginning and add a teaser for the next episode at the end. Starting each episode with highlights provides listeners a preview, so they can decide whether a particular episode interests them before they make a commitment to listen to the whole thing.

Try to limit your intro and outro to 60 seconds or less combined; for example, 25 seconds for the intro and 35 seconds for the outro. Use the intro as an opportunity to introduce new listeners to your show and the outro to encourage listeners to come back for your next episode. You can include in both your intro and outro one or more calls to action — something to keep listeners connected to your brand outside the episode. For Girl Gang the Podcast, we let listeners know about our clothing brand and online magazine so that they can maintain engagement with the brand and we can monetize our podcast with the merchandise we offer.

Here’s our standard intro for our podcast:

Welcome to Girl Gang. I’m your host, Amy Will, the founder of Girl Gang. This podcast is brought to you by girlgangthelabel.com. Head to our website after the show to browse our directory of female-owned businesses and enjoy exclusive discounts from them. Read our online magazine, The Edit, for interviews with female creatives, plus tips, tools, and rituals to level up your own career. Shop our line of merchandise, including our signature “support your local girl gang” collection. For every item sold, we team up with a charity to support women’s education, health, and empowerment. Shop today and use code GIRLGANG to receive 20 percent off at girlgangthelabel.com. Show us you’re listening by tagging us on Instagram @girlgangthelabel.com. Thank you so much for tuning in!

If you don’t have your own online store, you can replace the discount code with an advertisement or promotion from a sponsor.

Here’s our outro for our podcast:

Thank you so much for tuning in. If you liked this episode, please take a moment to leave us a review. It helps us out so much. Remember to head to girlgangthelabel.com to redeem your 20 percent discount with code GIRLGANG. Take a moment to remind the females in your life that they inspire you, and support your local girl gang.

The outro provides an opportunity to highlight a product or service and leave a lasting impression about your organization’s or podcast’s mission. At its core, Girl Gang the Podcast is about empowering women; that’s why we end with a call to action to reach out to an inspirational female.

If you’d like to add music to your intro or outro (or both), you can find royalty-free music and other audio starting at $1 at sites such as Envato Market (https://audiojungle.net) and Storyblocks (https://www.storyblocks.com/audio).

Scheduling your podcasts

One of your goals as a podcaster is to build a following — to stay engaged with existing listeners while attracting new ones. To do that, you need to podcast regularly, usually at least once a week. Scheduling podcasts helps you achieve that goal and prepare for upcoming podcasts, especially if you need to line up guests ahead of time. Another benefit of a schedule is that it encourages you to add variety.

Use a calendar or a scheduling form, such as the one shown in Figure 12-1, to schedule your podcast. Specify the title of the podcast, the date, and any guests you plan to have (as discussed in the next section).

Featuring guests on your podcast

Interviewing interesting, well-known people on your podcast is a great way to lighten your workload, keep your podcast fresh, and build branding synergies with others in the same or ancillary markets. The challenge comes in persuading busy people to take the time to be guests on your show.

Prepare a simple, direct pitch to persuade others to participate as guests on your podcast. Explain how your show aligns with their interests and furthers their goals. Keep the pitch short (two brief paragraphs, max), and include the following details:

• Your podcast title and a blurb about it — think elevator pitch
• The name, title, and organization of any notable past guests
• Why your listeners would benefit from hearing what your guest has to say

Following is a sample guest pitch for my podcast:

• Hi,
• My name is Amy Will, and I am the host of Girl Gang the Podcast, a podcast focusing on highlighting female founders and creatives. I would love the opportunity to interview you about your career path and highlight your brand, Tattooed Chef. As your brand is focused on sustainable sourcing, quality products, and a unique business model, I know our guests would love your story.
• Past guests include an editor at British Vogue, the founder of Y7 Studios, and the executive director of video and social media at BuzzFeed. Our podcast was also featured as one of the best podcasts of 2020 by Marie Claire.
• If you’d like to continue the conversation about being a guest or have any available days coming up, feel free to reach out at [email protected].
• Sincerely,
• Amy

Recording a podcast

Not much is involved in recording a podcast. You connect your microphones and headsets to your recording device, turn them on, make sure that they’re selected as the input and output devices in your recording software, tap the Record button, and start your show. When you’re done, tap the Stop button.

What requires some effort and expertise is using your microphone(s) the right way to get the highest-quality audio possible and, of course, talking like a professional. Here are a few suggestions that can help you sharpen your skills with a mic:

• If you have a cohost or guests, record each person on a separate track so that you can edit their audio individually. (Check your recording software’s help system to find out how to record on separate tracks.)
• Stay close to the mic when speaking — about the width of two to four fingers.
• Back off from the mic when others are speaking so you won’t record your breathing.
• Avoid extremes when speaking louder or softer.
• Experiment with the positioning your microphone on axis (pointing directly at your mouth) and off axis (positioned at an angle to your mouth). If your voice sounds too high-pitched, try angling the mic more (off axis) so it picks up less of the high frequencies. If your voice sounds too low, position the mic on axis so it picks up more of the high frequencies.

Practice makes perfect. Don’t worry if the audio doesn’t sound quite right. As you become accustomed to podcasting and to your equipment, you’ll naturally make adjustments that improve the audio quality.

Editing your podcast

You don’t necessarily need to edit a podcast before uploading it to your podcast host, but you can do some basic edits to improve its quality without getting too in the weeds. The editing process varies depending on the software you use, but general editing techniques remain the same across all software:

• Cut any audio you’re not going to use. Why edit what you’re not going to include in your podcast?
• Listen to your podcast once all the way through without editing anything, and create a punch list as you listen. A punch list is a complete record of everything you need to fix.
• Edit individual tracks. If you have multiple tracks (you and a cohost or guests, for example), edit them individually to tone down any loud bursts and raise the volume of any audio that’s too soft.
• Use fading to hide the blemishes. If you have an abrupt transition or noise that you can’t edit out, fade out the audio where the problem starts and fade in where it ends.

If you’re not comfortable editing your podcast, you can hire an editor on Fiverr.com or Upwork.com, or use a service such as Resonate (https://resonaterecordings.com) or We Edit Podcasts (https://www.weeditpodcasts.com). Before hiring an editor, conduct your own background check; look at ratings and testimonials, and listen to samples of their work.

Exporting and uploading your podcast

When you’re done editing your podcast, export it in the file format your podcast host recommends — usually MP3 (smaller files, lower quality) or WAV (larger files, higher quality). Check your host’s help system for any additional recommendations regarding the file format and audio quality. After exporting your recording to a file, you can log in to your podcast host and follow its procedure for uploading the file.

Consider uploading a batch of podcast episodes and then publishing them according to your schedule. Most podcast hosts provide options to publish your podcasts immediately, leave them unpublished, or schedule them for release at a later date. I prefer uploading several episodes at a time and scheduling them for release because it helps me deliver a steady flow of content to my listeners.

After you upload your audio file, your podcast host prompts you to enter a title and description, choose appropriate categories for indexing it, add tags, and select or upload art to serve as a visual for your podcast or a specific episode. You may have the option to add more information, such as guest names, your email or website address, and other details.

If you have a website (see Chapter 7), I strongly recommend that you embed your podcast in your site. Most podcast hosts have players that you can embed in web pages or blog posts.

Building topics around keywords

If you’re to succeed as a blogger, search engines need to recognize your blog as being a leading source for content related to your blog’s subject area, so consider creating a list of keywords and developing topics around those keywords. See Chapter 8 for more about keywords and other ways to implement a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy.

After you have a list of relevant keywords, you’re ready to start composing blog entries around those keywords. On my Girl Gang blog, I use the keywords “female owned,” “small business,” and “women empowerment.” Using these keywords, I could construct a blog post titled “Best Female-Owned Small Businesses to Support in Los Angeles.” This title narrows the focus of my research and writing.

Using blog formats to come up with ideas

You may be able to find inspiration for topic ideas by looking at different blog formats, such as these:

• Narrative: You can simply tell a story about yourself or someone you know.
• Q&A: Think about questions customers often ask, and compose answers to those questions.
• Problem/solution: Consider a problem that needs to be solved, and present a solution for it. If a product or service you sell solves the problem, all the better!
• Survey: Ask your readers what they think, which is a great way to increase engagement on your blog. Plug-ins are available for most blogs to add a survey to a post quickly and easily.

• Roundup: Showcase a selection of items. The roundup format would be perfect for my “Best Female-Owned Small Businesses to Support in Los Angeles” entry described earlier. I could choose five female-owned businesses to research and write about, allowing me to include my third keyword, “women empowerment,” in the post.

  I actually wrote this post, which covered a store on Melrose called House of Intuition — a crystal shop that sells sage, tarot cards, intention candles, and other spiritual/magical merchandise. I showcased an item in the store that symbolized female empowerment, which provided a perfect opportunity for including that keyword in the post.

• Comparison and contrast: Compare and contrast two or more things, such as the way you do something versus the way your competition does it, and explain why your way is better.

Writing blog entries

Writing engaging, informative, and even transformational blog entries is more art than science. Although I can’t possibly provide all the guidance you need to become a great writer, I can offer the following suggestions:

• Write with your readers in mind. When writing, imagine you’re presenting your content to someone sitting right in front of you. Imagine how they’d respond to what you’re writing.
• Adhere to your brand style guidelines. See Chapters 6 and 8 for details.
• Keep it short. 1,000 words max. People are busy and tend to have short attention spans.
• State the main point of your entry in the first sentence. Use the rest of the post to support or develop your main point.
• Break up the text. Write short paragraphs, and use lists and headings to create plenty of white space. Long paragraphs don’t play well online.
• Be clear. Read and reread everything you write for clarity. If something isn’t crystal-clear to you, it won’t be clear to your readers.
• Get feedback before you publish your post. Have someone edit your post and provide feedback on content, organization, spelling, and grammar. Preferably recruit someone who’s good with spelling and grammar.