#InternationalPodcastDay: How to create a great podcast in 5 steps
With International Podcast Day, taking place globally on 30 September, Gangiah gives five valuable insights and expertise to empower aspiring podcasters to get started.
- Refine your content and find your niche
There are so many podcasts out there at the moment and it seems like everyone has jumped on the bandwagon. So, when creating your podcast make sure you have a clear goal for your content. Is it going to be very informative and detailed? Is it going to be fun and entertaining or is it more about telling a story?
Make sure you understand this and it will help you understand the audience you are trying to target. With ‘F1:Track This’ our goal is to make the sport of Formula One easier to understand. You should be able to listen to the podcast in approximately 20-30 minutes and be able to dominate the conversation around the braai with your friends on race weekend.
- Record with sound quality in mind
Great sound quality does not necessarily mean you have to buy software or fancy equipment. Listeners enjoy podcasts that are recorded well - meaning there is no background noise, the voices can be heard properly and there is a good flow to the show. You can record with free software such as Zencastr or even the voice recorder on your phone. Make sure you are in a quiet space with no external noise and use a microphone, the one on your cell phone earphones works extremely well.
- Distribute your content on popular podcast services
Signing up to podcast services such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and other major platforms is essential to make sure that your content is easily found. This will help you get your podcast out to a wider audience. This process is simple, all you need to do is to follow the sign up process specific to each service and then get approved.
- Identify your marketing channels
For your content to be heard you need to figure out where your audience is based. Are they on social media, newspapers or radio? Once you have identified this you need to create marketing material that will entice people to listen to your content. Platforms like Canva are great for making audiograms to share on social media and promote new episodes to listeners. There are a ton of other free tools – Google is your friend here.
- Have fun with it!
This tip is the most important - always have fun with it. If you are having fun you will attract more listeners. Create something that you are passionate about, be authentic and make sure your podcast is both valuable and entertaining for the listener.
Listen to new episodes of F1: Track This before and after every race on iono fm, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and anywhere else podcasts are consumed.
International Podcast Day, which is celebrated on 30 September, acknowledges and celebrates podcasts. Since 2018 Reuters has been tracking monthly podcasts in 20 countries. Their latest Digital News Report 2023, shows that in particular, podcasts have enabled younger voices to be heard.
