Here at Move we love a podcast. We work with a range of clients, from professional services to big names in media, to get their ideas from concept to completion. Podcasts are a great and exciting way to talk about your business and what you do best, to let people know what you’re up to, or to communicate internally with your team.
Whether you’re looking to nail your message, create a splash in your industry, or keep your ever growing diverse team up to date with the company latest, we can help make sure you have a slick podcast, professionally recorded and edited, to ensure your message gets across.
Starting out on this journey can be daunting though. It seems like there is so much to think about and so much to take in. But trust us, it’s not an uphill battle. Here’s a round of the questions we get asked the most by people looking to start their own podcast, and our advice.
How do I start my own podcast?
This is the question we get asked the most. And the answer is usually, what do you want to say? Begin by defining your podcast’s niche or topic. Research your target audience and potential competitors to understand what could set your podcast apart. You have come to this with an idea, what is it that you feel you want to put across for everyone to hear?
You are the expert here. There is something that you want to say, and we are here to help you say it. Often we find that talking generally about the topic or your business with us, it becomes obvious what is at the heart of your podcast series, and we can start to build an arc from there.
What equipment do I need to start podcasting?
Getting started is very simple. We would always recommend looking at a set up that is simple but gives a good audio recording. We use professional quality equipment when recording in person, or can work at a recording studio. For online recording we use professional recording software that gives us a separate recording of each audio, to ensure that any issues with online connections don’t affect the entire recording.
When you’re working with us we can provide the equipment needed for recordings, or recommend key pieces of equipment – usually a microphone – that you might want to invest in. When working online we use professional software which is easily accessed through a link that we send you before the recording.
Where can I host my podcast episodes?
We use Acast for our podcast hosting. It’s a great platform and it means that we can give you access to your podcast and stats. Acast has a player that can be embedded on your website and it distributes your podcast across all major podcasting platforms including Apple, Amazon and Google.
How can I find good podcast topics or ideas?
Finding podcast topics or ideas involves identifying your passions, expertise, and the interests of your target audience. Brainstorm unique angles within your chosen niche. Also, consider addressing common problems your audience faces and offering solutions through your podcast.
You can also think about including guests on your podcast, who do you work with closely that your audience would like to hear from?
What’s the ideal podcast episode length?
The ideal podcast episode length varies depending on your content and audience. Generally, most podcasts fall within the 20 to 60-minute range.
Whilst there are so many ways to promote your podcast on social media, overall we are seeing the standard 20-30 min podcast length being very much here to stay. That is to say, we are all seeing the short videos, usually around a minute or less, on social where someone says something really catchy to draw you in to listen to the whole episode. It’s great to promote a podcast is this way, but the episode itself will usually be more around the standard length when you click through to listen on your chosen player.
That said, we’ve worked on podcasts that deliver a short update or interview, around 10mins, over 8-10 episodes which can be listened to by themselves, or all together. This can be popular if you are looking to have a podcast that updates on current trends, or is answering questions from your listeners.
Do I need to have a script or outline for each episode?
Having an outline for your podcast is a great idea. Knowing why you want to talk about a certain topic, and some bullet points is useful. If you have a guest you might want to agree a few questions to keep a structure.
But outside of that, if you have chosen a good host and guest then the real magic happens when they are chatting. That’s what we will be recording, and in most cases, we record a conversation in full and won’t want to be making too many edits. This is the good stuff, the bit where you are showing off your expertise and knowledge, you might be nervous, but trust us, you’ve got this!
Outside of this, you might want to think about scripts for a standard intro and outro, perhaps an agreed intro for your guest. We can help script any short pieces like this, and suggest a voiceover artist if needed.
We hope this has given you plenty to think about. If you are looking to get started with podcasting, we’d love to have a chat. Get in touch now and our next launch could be yours!
This article was written by Laura, our Podcast Production Manager.