TRANSCRIPT

Today I’m talking about starting a podcast. While I can’t claim to be an expert on the topic, I’ve definitely learnt a lot over the past year or so.

I think the catalyst that officially kickstarted my podcasting dream was meeting Tony Cosentino, The WordPress Guy, at a networking event.

We were chatting about podcasts and Tony mentioned he had experience in editing podcasting.

I then shoved my mobile phone in his hands, asking him to enter the sound equipment I needed and where I could get it from.

From there, I began fumbling my way through the podcasting process. I set myself the challenge to launch in January 2020 and told everyone about my goal to ensure accountability.

Then I did it.

I launched the ‘Marketing & Me’ podcast. After months of questioning, searching, purchasing, and downloading, the sense of satisfaction was indescribable. It’s been one of the highlights of my career.

Are you hoping to get a podcast off the ground?

Here’s a list of the basics to help you overcome the uncertainty I faced in the beginning.

Purpose and messaging

The very first step is to work out the purpose of your podcast.

Who’s your target audience? What needs or pain points are you going to address?
Your show doesn’t need to be serious. It can be light-hearted and educational. Or maybe it’s purely for entertainment.

But you need this clarity upfront to ensure consistent messaging. You also want to maintain your audience’s expectations.

Branding – Logo and Music

Don’t underestimate the power of an attractive logo. After all, it must stand out among the thousands of thumbnail images flooding the podcast players.

Unless you have strong graphic design experience, I recommend calling in an expert.
Ensure the podcast cover art dimensions are 3000 x 3000 pixels and it’s saved as a JPG or PNG file.

To add personality to your show, you’ll require intro and outro music reflecting both your brand and subject matter. Check out Audio Jungle or Premium Beat for some catchy tunes.

Website

Unless your podcast is a passion project, I suggest adding a podcast tab to your business website. For mine, I set up a new URL and set up a redirection to my podcast landing page. There you’ll find a list of all my episodes.

The next step is to create a section for show notes. I use the blog section in WordPress, but you might set it up differently. To clarify, your show notes should include links to individual episodes, background information, bios, resource links, and transcripts. Great for SEO and giving your listeners a reference point.

Equipment

In the current climate, it’s best to set up a mini recording studio at home. But it can be done at a surprisingly low cost. I recommend purchasing the following recording equipment online:

Microphone: Audiosonic ATR-2100 Microphone – USB (approx $159)
Boom arm: Rode PSA1 Professional Studio Boom Arm (approx $132)
Shock mount: Knox Microphone Shock Mount (approx $36)
Headphones: Sony MDR-ZX110/BCE On-ear Headphones (approx $53)

Recording and Editing Software

When it comes to recording and editing, the two most popular software options for solo episodes are Adobe Audition (paid) and Audacity (free). For guest interviews, Zencaster and Zoom are pretty good.

Personally, I use Zoom to record both solo and guest episodes – then ask my VA to handle the editing side of things. That might be the best option for you too!

Podcast Media Host

One of the final steps in the podcasting process is finding a home for your show.

I use the free version of Whooshka, but Libsyn, Blubrry, and Omny are other great choices. This is where you upload your edited episodes and create an RSS feed link to share across iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Pocketcasts, and other podcast players.

You only need to register your show (for free) with each of these directories once. They’ll automatically update every time a new episode is uploaded to your host. (This was one of my biggest ‘phew!’ moments…)

In addition to the mentioned tips, I want to insert the disclaimer here that running a podcast can take up a lot of time. I did most of the admin during the Christmas/New Year period when things were quieter.

And it can take a bit of time each week preparing questions, interviewing guests, writing intros, and preparing my own content.

I’ll talk more about all of these elements in a future episode. But for more podcasting advice, I highly recommend listening to ‘Podcasting tips and tricks with Lyndal Harris’. Lyndal is the Podcast VA and has been a big help in making my podcasting dream a reality.
I also recommend joining her Facebook group ‘Australian Podcasters Collaborative’ – which is a community filled with other newbie and experienced podcasters from across the nation.

I hope you’re now feeling less overwhelmed by the podcast journey ahead of you. Good luck with it all – and remember to have fun!

RESOURCES

Equipment
* Microphone: Audiosonic ATR-2100 Microphone – USB (approx $159)
* Boom arm: Rode PSA1 Professional Studio Boom Arm (approx $132)
* Shock mount: Knox Microphone Shock Mount (approx $36)
* Headphones: Sony MDR-ZX110/BCE On-ear Headphones (approx $53)

Experts
* Tony Cosentino, The WordPress Guy – https://www.thewpguy.com.au
* Mode Media – https://modemedia.com.au/
* Podcast VA – https://www.podcastva.com/
* Podcasting Tips and Tricks with Lyndal Harris – https://www.podcastva.com/podcast/

* Australian Podcasters Collaborative – https://www.facebook.com/groups/australianpodcasterscollaborative/

ABOUT LEANNE SHELTON

Throughout her career, Leanne Shelton has gained vast experience in journalism, marketing, communications, events, and B2B sales. She has worked in both corporate and not-for-profit roles, but since starting Write Time Marketing in 2014, Leanne has found her true calling.

A self-proclaimed English nerd at heart, Leanne is extremely passionate about the written word and loves working with Health & Wellness business owners to prepare effective content marketing strategies to best suit their target audiences. Even though she has dabbled in all forms of copywriting, Leanne specialises in business blogging as she loves the capacity to form ongoing relationships with her clients.

While some business owners choose to outsource their blogs to Leanne to write, others prefer to take the DIY approach and learn about the art via training opportunities online, face-to-face, and her podcast ‘Marketing & Me’.

Outside the office, Leanne enjoys dancing, reading, listening to inspiring podcasts, and spending quality time with her husband, Justin, and two young daughters.

To find out more about Write Time Marketing, visit www.writetimemarketing.com.au

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Marketing & Me Podcast Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/marketingandme/