Have You Considered These 3 Podcast Musts?

As podcasters we often wear multiple hat. So who better than Spike Ballatine from dbo Media to highlight 3 things to think about before you hit record.

1. Don't take the medium's low barrier to entry as a green light to take advantage of the medium's low barrier to entry.
Podcast audiences are rapidly becoming more sophisticated, and with millions of podcasts choose from, having sub-standard audio will mean they skip yours for the next one on the list.
Two key foundations to start your audio off correctly: mics and recording space. Spend some time researching mics, and get to understand which suits your purpose and your budget (and be sure to use as many local sources as you can - that way, you'll be more certain that you can actually get the one that you want). Once you have your mic/s, set up in a room that's comfortable and will deliver a good sound - pile on the soft furnishings to overcome any hard, reflective surfaces, and spend some time on mic technique to make sure you're getting the best sound from the room.
Yes, there are online services that will help make bad recordings better, but you ideally want to start with recordings that are as good as possible, and that can be done at a consistent quality.

2. Build a library. Don't launch your podcast the day after finalising your debut episode. Unless your topic is hyper-topical, take time to build a catalogue of content before publishing E1. My rule of thumb is to have at least three (but preferably four) episodes completed before launch - that way, you should be able to easily overcome any unexpected production delays and not have to interrupt a consistent publishing schedule.

3. Focus on the end goal, but take small steps to get there. There is a lot - a lot - of stuff online about how to build a successful podcast. You'll find websites, courses, newsletters , commentators and thought leaders in this space, and the better ones will provide consistent, useful insight. Others will just force you to eventually exercise your "unsubscribe" skills. When you're starting out, read up on things like sponsorship and programmatic ads so you have an understanding of how to potentially monetise your content in future. But also be aware that it won't happen unless you get other things right, first. Some, like good show notes and providing transcripts for each ep, are easy; others, like finding and growing your audience are more difficult. Focus on building the foundations of your success before pitching potential sponsors.

You can connect with Spike on LinkedIn and learn more about his work here.