Quick Daily Podcasting Tips – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re asking the question “Why?” Why do you want to make a podcast? Are you a freelancer?  A business? Or working for a company? Whatever you do, you'll know that podcasting's a great way to build trust and authority. Plus, of course, give your customers or your audience a whole bunch of valuable and entertaining content. The other option is that you're in podcasting as a hobbyist? That could mean you'll be creating a show in your spare time, and on a subject you're passionate about. Anything from knitting, to craft beer, to horror movies. Either way, figure out your why. It could be making more sales. Or growing a community. Or getting famous! They're all valid. And they're important to keep in mind so that you can stay motivated, even when life throws you those inevitable curveballs. Podcasting isn’t always easy, but if your “Why” is worth it, you’ll push on through.

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. On this episode, we’re asking a big question: Who are you making your podcast for? The thing is, unless you know exactly *who* you’re making your show for, and *why* you’re doing it, you’ve got no chance of growing an audience. Let’s imagine a personal trainer who’s making a health and fitness podcast to market their business. Their target audience might be people who are interested in healthy eating, weight loss, or HIIT training, or bodybuilding. Or, let’s imagine a hobbyist who loves zombies and post-apocalyptic fiction. Their target audience would simply be folks with the same really specific passion. They might be fans of TV shows like The Walking Dead, and video games like Resident Evil. It's a good idea to sketch out what’s known as your “avatar”. An avatar is a made up person that represents your ideal listeners in the real world. You make this detailed - with a name, age, job, background, likes, dislikes. You make this as real as you can, so it's someone you can know, deeply. The benefit then is that, with each episode you plan out, you can ask yourself the question “would Jane (my avatar) like this?” Asking that question is the key to making really compelling content, every time. For a really detailed look at how to create your avatar, and a bunch of examples, go to http://ThePodcastHost.com/listener

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about giving your audience a no-brainer reason to listen. This, my friend, is all about supplying value in your very own unique way. But what does that *actually* mean? Well, let’s take the example of our personal trainer, I mentioned last time. If they’re serving up content that helps their listeners to, let's say, complete a couch to 5k, then they're providing value. If they can help a listener lose a few stone, or run a faster race, then that's a LOT of value! Or what about our zombie podcaster? They might do an in-depth interview with a top author in the space. They'll dig in to unearth some anecdotes and insights that you've never heard anywhere else before from that writer. In that, they're providing some really unique value. If you do something similar on your show, not only have you given your audience a reason to listen, you've also given them a reason to come back for more, every week. This is absolutely vital for you to think about in the planning stages. So can you write down 10-15 potential episodes that you think your target audience would love to listen to? If you're teaching, it's often about considering the most common problems you can help them solve. And if it's entertainment, it's finding new content, or entertainment that scratches that person's personal itch. And, for a more detailed look at giving them a reason to listen, go to http://ThePodcastHost.com/unique

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about niches (nitches?) and narrow topics. There’s a bit of a misconception in podcasting that, the wider and more open your topic, the bigger your audience will be. I know, it makes sense because covering lots of ground means there's loads more people who *might* be interested in your show. The reality, though, is that listeners love podcasts that feel like they were made *just for them*. So instead of our personal trainer doing a podcast about general health, diet, or exercise, it might be “the fitness podcast for single parents”, or “the keto diet podcast for vegetarians”. In other areas, niche podcasts could be “The travel podcast, for D&D players”, or “The business startup podcast, for military veterans”. You might have a fear that this'll limit your audience, but, actually, the opposite is true. When your target listeners find your show, and see how closely it scratches their itch, they’ll think “this is perfect!”, hit subscribe, and go on to become fanatical fans. On the other hand, if keep it general, everyone just sees it, goes 'meh' and moves on. When you try to target everyone, you really target no-one in particular. So what would you rather have - a tight, defined group of fanatical listeners, or a big group who just *might* be interested in listening? For a really detailed look at defining your niche topic, go to http://ThePodcastHost.com/topic

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about choosing a format for your episodes. The format you choose is really personal, and depends on who’s involved. If it’s just you, you’re not doing a co-hosted show any time soon, for example None of this is set in stone, either. So whilst it’s good to have an ‘average’ format, so your listeners know what to expect, you don’t have to stick to it every single time. You might do your first few episodes using a certain format – for example, solo - then decide it isn’t for you. In this case, you could pivot and start doing interviews. Or, you could bring on a regular co-host. The first format you try might feel perfectly natural to you, in which case, great. Or you might opt for a ‘mixed bag’ approach where you never stick to any one set format. The beauty of it is that it’s *your* podcast, and you get to make the rules. We’re going to dig into the pros and cons of each podcast format in the next few episodes, so make sure you’re subscribed to the show on your listening app of choice!

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about the solo podcast format, AKA - the monologue. Each podcast format comes with its own pros and cons. The big benefit of a solo show is that you don’t need to rely on anyone else to record your episodes. On top of that, it’s YOU who’s building a reputation as the authority on your subject. The podcast is also exclusively yours, so you can make all the calls on sponsorship and monetization. And you don’t need to split the profits with anyone. There are potential downsides too, though. A solo podcast is perhaps the most intimidating style of show for a beginner. One of the biggest challenges of flying solo is getting over the feeling that you’re ‘talking to yourself’ and realising that you’re actually talking to your listener. For a more detailed look at which podcast format is the best fit for you, go to ThePodcastHost.com/Formats

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. On this episode, we’re talking about the co-hosted podcast format. This is when you present your show alongside another regular host - whether it's a friend or a colleague. This is a great format for anyone, but particularly early podcasters. It reduces that ‘mic fright’ you get when recording solo, or the possibility of being a bit monotone. Instead, find the right co-host and you can have a totally natural conversation. Someone to bounce off, debate with, or even take mickey out of. The best co-hosted podcasts have great chemistry between the presenters. You end up being a fly on the way of a great, funny, informative conversation. That creates a first-class listening experience. As always, though, there are challenges. Suddenly you have to coordinate with someone else's calendar when you arrange to record, for example. Then, there’s the question of ownership: who’s podcast is it? Do you split any future income 50/50? And what happens if your co-host loses interest or just can't do it in the future? So if you do opt for this style of show, definitely have that conversation with your co-host up front, before hitting record on that first episode. For a more detailed look at which podcast format is the best fit for you, go to http://ThePodcastHost.com/Formats

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about the interview podcast format. This is where you ‘borrow’ the expertise or entertainment value of others. With this style of podcast format, a huge benefit is getting to talk to your heroes. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to have a chat with people in your space that you’ve always looked up to. On top of that, your guests will have their own audiences who may listen to the interview and end up subscribing to your show. If done right, you can really grow an audience this way. On the flip side, interviewing is a skill that you’ll need to hone through practice, so don’t approach the A-listers in your field straight away. There are other challenges, too. You’ll need to constantly find and approach potential guests, schedule interviews, and rely on others to show up – either in-person or digitally. And, you’ll also need to rely on the technology to work properly throughout each call. For a more detailed look at the interview podcast format, go to http://ThePodcastHost.com/podcastinterviews

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about the roundtable podcast format. A “roundtable” refers to the idea of getting a larger number of participants together to discuss a set topic. Normally there would be at least one regular host, if not two or three. Then the rest of the ‘table’ is made up of guests who are experts in the topic at hand. Your job as host is to direct the roundtable, asking questions and steering the topic, so that everyone gets a turn and contributes to a great conversation. The roundtable format can be a good way to build authority in your niche. This allows you to invite prominent guests to the show who’ll share their wisdom and experience. That said, organising multiple guests and finding suitable recording times can be a big challenge. Each person you add to the mix adds another layer of complexity. Only the most organised of people can pull this off in the long run. For a more detailed look at which podcast format is the best fit for you, go to http://ThePodcastHost.com/Formats

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about documentary-style and fiction podcast formats. Documentary podcasts are often referred to as “BBC-style” or “NPR-style”. These shows mix in multiple voices, musical elements, and actuality to add an extra layer of production and storytelling. The end product can sound great, but the time and work needed to put them together will increase drastically. Another high-production format is the fiction podcast. These come in many forms, from “audiobook style” to fully soundscaped audio dramas, where every footstep is accounted for. Again, the end result can be fantastic, but running a fiction podcast is a big time investment, especially if you want to publish episodes on a regular basis. Of course, the reward for such a heavy workload is that these shows can *really* stand out, which helps them to grow fanatical audiences. They also make great showcases for a multitude of skillsets, from writing and storytelling, to recording and production. Some fiction podcasts have even been adapted into TV shows! For a more detailed look at which podcast format is the best fit for you, go to http://ThePodcastHost.com/Formats