Unconventional (Yet Totally Awesome!) Tips for New Podcasters

Undeniably, podcasting can be massively fun and rewarding even for newbies. Given of course that you don’t get lost in the entire process. While the art of podcasting can seem simple at first glance, there is actually more to it than meets the eye.

Fortunately, there is no shortage of techniques you can try to get your podcasting efforts to a superb start. Below are some atypical (yet highly helpful) podcasting techniques you can put to good use:

Record remote interviews with Skype to phone

Typically, most people record interviews Skype to Skype. While this type of setup can make perfect sense at first glance, it’s actually not ideal. You have to remember there are two key factors that are beyond your control when you use a similar setup—your guest’s internet connection and their microphone levels.

To avoid any issues, use a setup where recordings are done via Skype phone (given your mixing board has a capability to record). Once the setup is in place, you can then purchase a Skype plan that will allow you to make phone calls to actual numbers. The investment is actually very minimal (approximately $3 per month) but the benefits are truly massive.

Keep pre-recorded intros short (15 to 20 seconds max)

Many podcasters get the wrong impression that a long pre-recorded intro can help them brand their podcast more effectively. However, it’s actually counterproductive. Ideally, pre-recorded intros must be kept below 30 seconds. It should also include the following:

• The name of the podcast
• The position statement/tagline

Jump into your content right away

When you’re not cautious, it’s easy to waste time rambling about things—from the food you ate, to the weather, to your pets. While it’s okay to talk about things that are not related to your podcast, this can be a turn off for many listeners.

As a general rule of thumb, don’t spend the first 2 minutes of your show rambling about things unrelated to your topic. Jump into your content right away and your listeners will appreciate you more for it.

In addition, make sure your listeners are hooked by asking sensible and relevant questions. One of your primary goals should be to provide value to the audience with each episode. Amazingly, that’s also one of the most effective ways you can build a robust and loyal following.

Create interesting episode titles

While unknown to many, your episode title is just as important as the quality of your podcast. Come to think of it, that’s one of the key factors that can pique a potential listener’s interest.

If you’re a new podcaster, avoid the following formats when creating podcast titles:

• Spam or irrelevant content
• Placeholder text

A great tip to try when creating podcast titles is to listen for interesting quotes that came up during the show. In addition, make sure the quote you’ll choose is interesting enough for listeners so they’d be enticed to tune in.

Listen to your podcast after it has been edited

Listening to your podcast can seem like a task you can definitely do without. However, nothing is farther from the truth. Just like most tasks, it pays to double check your work to ensure everything is to your liking.

In addition, listening to your podcast is one of the best ways for you to check for areas of improvement. What do you think you’re doing wrong? What are the things you need to improve? What are the things you should keep on doing?

If you want to be a step ahead of the pack, consider listening to your podcast a priority as opposed to something you can just do without.