Photo courtesy of Phu Son Nguyen

This week’s Special Edition Wednesday guest writer was a friend of the Sirius crew since before we even were a crew.  With podcasts of his own on the market and years of experience in the podcasting business, we couldn’t resist a taste of the wisdom that makes spiritualtramp.com a pleasure to follow.

Welcome, Scott Roche, to Special Edition Wednesday!

Thinking about starting a podcast? Already have one underway? Everything I know about podcasting I learned from The Karate Kid‘s Mr. Miyagi.

Concentrate. Focus Power.

Podcasting, like any other attempt to communicate, benefits greatly from focus. You should give the overarching theme a lot of thought before you set out on your podcast journey.

Do you have a product, service, or business that you’re trying to sell? Or, like me,  a story to tell? Whatever it is, you need a firm sense of what you’re all about. When listeners search for content, they’re more likely to find you if you’re known for  featuring the latest news on Mac software than if you ramble as “The Computer Dude”.

Once you have a big picture in mind, you need to make sure that each episode is in line with it. Once listeners find you and know what to expect, significant variation from that theme is going to risk losing them. I’ve listened to and produced an immense variety of podcasts over the last four years. Experience has taught me that the less successful ones are those that go off on rabbit trails on a regular basis.

Maybe this sounds like having a script. Why not? If it’s a one-man show,  it’s easier to avoid tangents if your words are written down and thoughtfully edited, at least until you’re comfortable speaking off the cuff. Hey, even the big guys in television and radio work with cue cards. If it’s a two-man show or a big group, working from notes or an outline will keep you from wandering too far afield.

First, Wash All Cars. Then Wax.

Once you’ve recorded an episode and are ready to go live with it, do us all a favor and edit. In some ways it’s no different from a blog post. There’s something to be said for the “radio show” feel that some podcasts have, but pulling that off takes chemistry and professionalism that most people just don’t have.

Since you have the opportunity to edit, do! Take out the “umm”s and “uhh”s that are natural in most people’s speech. If the conversation did go wandering, leave the evidence on the cutting room floor. You’d do the same with any good writing, right? Audio is no different.

First Learn Stand, then Learn Fly. Nature Rule, Daniel-san, Not Mine.

The best thing about starting a podcast is that the entry barrier is low. Your equipment can cost you less than a hundred dollars. Good software can even be had for free (I highly recommend Audacity).

You can spend thousands, and you may end up doing so if you factor in hosting costs, computer hardware, high-end microphones, and pro level software. Don’t start out that way though. Set a low budget and stick to it.

Also resist the temptation to add auditory bells and whistles.  Some long-time podcasters (and I) like to layer ambient sounds, music, and extra voices to immerse our listeners in the story. There is certainly a place for that, but my main success in the podcasting world has been in fiction.

Now, adding production values, anything from audio bumpers to sound effects, can make for a more professional product even in non-fiction. But if you don’t have your base audio up to a good quality and the “extras” aren’t completely thought out, odds are you’re just going to muddy the waters.

One of the best podcast novels I’ve listened to features one man simply reading his story. He’s put a lot of work into his podcast to get it there, but unless you’ve been on his side of the microphone you may not know that. Trust me, learning to stand and walk and make it look effortless is just as hard in the podcast world as it is in the physical one.

I Tell You What Miyagi Think. I think You Talk Too Much!

The average listener takes in our products on a commute. According to the US Census, the average commute is between twenty and thirty minutes. When you consider that the average television show–without commercials–is only about eighteen to twenty-two minutes long, thirty minutes or less seems to be the sweet spot for most folks’ attention span. Aim for that.

Now, if it’s a round-table discussion, an interview, or something truly epic in scope, then people might listen for as long as an hour. If you’re planning to do a longer form, however, think about ways to break it up. Consider putting an advertisement for a fellow podcaster or a musical break at the halfway mark. Anything to give your listeners’ ears a rest.

If it is just you talking, I recommend that you keep it brief. If your listeners really want more of you, they’ll find a way to let you know.

For that solo show, try variety to keep listeners’ ear fatigue at a minimum. Bring on a guest host or a co-host for a while. Even if you don’t ordinarily do interviews, try one that fits into your show’s scope. It’s also good to have a way to receive and share audio feedback from your audience. For that, check out Google Voice. It automatically converts your listeners’ calls into MP3s for easy importation.

I Say, You Do. No Questions.

Podcasting is a lot of fun, as a hobby or even as advertisement for your business or professional life. There are as many ways to podcast as there are ways to blog. Regardless of your format, I think these key bits of wisdom from your friendly neighborhood sensei will keep your podcast from ending up in a body bag.

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