There’s more to podcasting than what meets the eye (or the ear, we should say). Even if you’ve got a bangin’ idea, and you think it’s right for your audience – there’s strategy work to be done, equipment to buy, and editing skills to learn. Not to worry, we chatted to some national and international podcasting experts to gather their tops tips for podcasting to give you the motivation to get started on your own. Here’s what they said.
Tyson Cobb, host, Marketing Crunch Podcast
“Like any form of marketing, start with strategy. To kick it off with your best foot forward you need to take the time to understand your ideal listener and why they would listen to your podcast, the format and frequency of your show, your podcast topic, length, artwork, equipment and the list goes on. Many podcasts start slow and wonder why only 10 people are listening… because they lack the planning before launch.”
Jonathan Barshop, co-founder, Startup Mixtape (podcast curator)
“The #1 most important aspect every podcast host/guest should focus on is to be of service to the audience, not themselves. Other things I look for when curating our weekly business podcast recommendations at StartupMixtape.fm:
1) Is the subject matter unique or presented in a unique way that listeners may not be familiar with?
2) Are there actionable takeaways/insights?
3) Does the show’s energy wake me up, keep me engaged or put me to sleep?”
Andrew Montesi, host, Rooster Radio
“One of the most important tips for creating great podcast content is to be authentic. Share your own stories, insights and learnings, warts and all. It’s important to build a relationship with your listeners, and the best way to do that is to be yourself. Talking candidly about your mistakes, as well as your successes, shows that you’re human.”
Jay Acunzo, keynote speaker and host, Unthinkable
“Keep in mind the Golden Rule of Podcasting, and you’ll create a far better show than the competition: Get them to the end. Podcasting is a linear medium. You have two options and two options alone as a consumer: Hit play or hit stop. So YOUR job as a producer/host is to make sure they don’t hit stop. Structure your show’s format. Practise being a good interviewer, not a lazy, meandering, whatever-comes-to-mind interviewer. Use music, narration, segmentation, anything it takes. Just get them to the end.”
Chris Titley, host, Morgans 40 under 40 and Morgans Startup Series
“Don’t be afraid to ask what you actually want to know and learn about the guest – this is where authenticity comes in. Think about the interview as a fun, informal chat as opposed to a scripted Q&A.”
Josh Cobb, host, Real Estate Pros Podcast
“Find a way to interview people who would most likely be your customers. Make them the hero of your show, and use it to start a valuable relationship.”
Tyson Cobb, host, Marketing Crunch Podcast
“Take the time to plan your podcast and build the “hype” by implementing a pre-launch strategy where you will craft messages that drive subscriptions of potential listeners and start building a database. A good way to start here is with a landing page with a small snapshot on what your podcast is about, who it’s for, the frequency of which your episodes will go live and what the audience will get out of your podcast. A countdown timer as to when the podcast will launch is also a nice addition to a landing page.”
Andrew Montesi, host, Rooster Radio
“Focus on adding value to your listeners, above all else. You can worry about things like the sound quality of your production and commercialisation later. Creating audio content that people want to listen to, that offers insights and value, is the first and most important step.”
Kurt Sanders, host, Telltale Podcast
“I feel like I’m learning the craft of podcasting every day, which is exactly how it should be. There’s no room for mediocrity in podcasting – you need to truly respect the attention of any audience you’re trying to build. Think of it not just as an audio file, but as a narrative with peaks and valleys in the story you’re crafting. Create suspense, take a beat to let your audience feel something more, get them to the end with you. Do that, and you will have created something truly worthy of their time.”
Ronsley Vaz, host, Should I start a podcast
“The biggest mistake businesses make at the ideation stage is creating a podcast that is purely for them to get more clients – i.e. your podcast is for your business to flourish without you worrying about whether you are adding value to the listeners. The key to the success of any podcast or any creation is to be in service of the people you are trying to help.”
Holly Ransom, host, Coffee Pods
“Have a really clear sense of who your audience is and the content commitment you want to make to them – this’ll impact your choice of format, tone, potential guests, branding etc. Talk to (and invite feedback from) people in your potential audience demographic to sound out your idea as you work to finalise your concept.”
Dustin Elliott, host, Why 2 Podcast
“The most important rule for my podcast, and my biggest recommendation to others looking to get in to podcasting, is to explore their topics or guests with an unapologetic curiosity. It’s in the details where the real gems and insights are held and where the real value is for your listeners is found.”
