Behold! The question of all questions. Which microphone should you use for your podcast? Your decision is going to be influenced by things like your budget and your environment. To make it as easy as possible for you, I will be sharing the two main options you have and how to decide which is best for you.
How should you record your podcast? Some of your decision will be based on your budget, who you are recording with, and where they are located. In this episode, I will be sharing the different options you have to record a premium-sounding podcast without having to worry about a bad connection or poor quality gear.
Your environment plays a significant role in the quality of your recording. A great-sounding room will make average equipment sound surprisingly professional. On the other hand, a bad-sounding room will make great equipment sound lackluster. So, how do you know the right space to record in?
What podcast equipment do you need to buy? This one big question can lead to a lot of confusion if you don’t have a clear plan. . Everyone has an opinion on what you should buy, even if they are not an expert. This can make it challenging to discern who to trust. And knowing who to trust is key because good podcasting equipment can determine the quality of your audio and save you time during the editing and producing process. So, let’s break down this big question into three specific questions.....
Designing cover art can be both exciting and challenging. You never really know if it’s “right” until you release it into the wild and even then you don’t always get helpful feedback. So, where do you even begin? In this episode, I will be sharing several tips to help you start the design process of your cover art.
Think of cover art like a book cover. If you don’t like the cover of a book, it is less likely that you will pick it up off of the shelf. Your cover art is often the first thing people see before checking out your podcast, so make it count. To help you narrow down your options, here are five popular podcast cover art styles that you may want to choose from...
Podcasting is a surprisingly visual medium and one huge component of this is your cover art. It’s like the book cover of your show, and it’s one of the first things people will see before listening. Before you start designing or hire someone to design it for you, consider the following 6 questions...
Music can really make or break your show. It not only sets the tone for your show, but it also helps make your show sound professional. So, where do you begin? Consider these 3 tips.
Music plays an important role in shaping the mood and tone of your podcast. It can completely enhance a scene, underscore a point you’re trying to drive home, and influence emotions.
Choosing music for your show is exciting but can be confusing. Before you start even considering any music, ensure that you have rights or permissions to use it. If you do not follow this advice, you could end up in trouble. With that disclaimer out of the way, how do you choose the right music for your podcast? These 5 questions will help.
Your podcast description matters. It shows up on every major platform such as Apple and Spotify. It is generally the thing that people read to decide whether they even want to listen to your show. So, how do you write a stellar podcast description that entices a new audience to listen? Tips on how to execute this on today’s episode.
Naming stuff is hard. And naming a podcast is no exception. Your podcast’s name should communicate the goal of your show clearly and pique your audience’s interest. “But how do I fit all that into a show title?!” you might be wondering. Don’t worry. Today, we will be going over the proven processes and principles that Come Alive Creative leverages to name engaging shows.
Choosing a podcast name can feel like a big deal. You’ve taken the time to develop your show topic, and you can’t really move forward with production until you have chosen the right name for your podcast. How do you choose a name that highlights what your show is about while still intriguing people? In this episode, I will be sharing some tips and guidelines to keep in mind when deciding. First, you’ll want to ensure that your show title is clear, concise, unique, specific, and evocative. Next, ...
What do tone, style, and format have to do with your podcast? The answer will probably surprise you. Being consistent is one of the most popular pieces of advice that you receive as a podcaster. But most people mistakenly assume that this wisdom only applies to your release schedule. Consistency in tone, style, and format are also central to building trust and loyalty. In this episode, you will discover clear action steps for deciding what your host will sound like and the “vibe” of your show. Y...
You’ve got to take time to build a brand for your podcast if you want to build a loyal audience. In order to figure out how to brand your show, you’ve got to think about it in a broader context. Is your podcast going to be a resource that stands alone or is it part of a larger effort, such as your business’s marketing campaign? If your podcast is standing alone, you have as much freedom as you need. If it’s part of something bigger, you’ll likely want to follow existing branding guidelines and d...
With the podcast industry constantly growing and new shows coming out daily, how do you make your show stand out from the crowd? Marketing ShowRunners refers to it as “developing your original premise” and Pacific Content calls it “creative bravery.” We refer to it as making the podcast uniquely yours. In this episode, I will be sharing steps you can take to ensure your podcast attracts attention. Why should someone listen to your show and not one of the other podcasts on the market? This really...
Categories and sub-categories are used by directories such as Apple Podcasts to organize shows by topics in order to help your show get discovered by new listeners. In this episode, I will be discussing four tips for choosing which category to put your podcast into. With all of the different categories, you can list your podcast in, it may feel as though you have an overwhelming amount of choices. Remember that the primary category matters the most and that it is important to choose a subcategor...
One of the most challenging parts of figuring out how to be a successful podcast host is finding podcasting ideas that are interesting to not only you but your target audience as well. First of all, understand that choosing a podcast topic that you are passionate about is the key to creating an interesting podcast. However, that is not all you need to consider. In this episode, I will share five techniques that my team recommends to make your life a little easier. Think about your interests, hob...
You’ve made the exciting decision to create a podcast. Congratulations! But now you’re faced with one, somewhat intimidating question: What are you going to talk about? In this episode, I will discuss five tools that can make your life easier when it comes to choosing your show’s topics. When you’re feeling stuck, you can rely on tools such as Google search suggestions or Google trend comparisons. However, there are several other options you can use to help power your brainstorming sessions. Lis...
You have decided to create a podcast and you have a pretty good idea of what you want your topic to be. However, before finalizing your decision, there are a few things you should consider. So, in this episode, I will be sharing my advice for brainstorming topic ideas so that you can create your podcast without any regrets. Pursue what you enjoy and what will benefit your audience - find something that will interest you both. Talk to people who you think are your target audience and find out if ...
Are you unsure about what your podcast topic should be? Maybe you are wondering what your episodes should be about to engage the audience? You are not alone. So, in this episode, I’ll share 8 questions to consider before deciding. These are several questions I encourage our own clients and students to consider before deciding on the topic of their podcast. They will help you get clear on the journey you want to go on with your podcast as well as the value you will be adding to your listeners’ li...
What you make your podcast about is obviously very important. This decision will help you map out many other variables such as who this podcast will be for and why we’re creating it in the first place. However, there are millions of options out there to choose from. So, how do you narrow it down? In this episode, I will be sharing my advice for deciding on your podcast’s topic. You really have two ways to think about podcast topics: the content you cover and the format in which you deliver it. O...
Podcasting has proven to be a lot more work than you expected and you’re interested in hiring some help. So, what will this end up costing you if you’re looking at hiring an editor or a production team? In this episode, I’ll break down the three options you will come across and explain the prices you should expect for each. Listen in as I describe the service you will get if you’re willing to pay $15,000 for an episode, as well as what you may have to pay if you’re simply looking for a consultat...
How much does it cost to make a podcast? Like many things, the answer to this question depends on several factors. In today’s episode, we’re going to highlight five of those factors that you’ll want to consider when attempting to DIY your show. If you’re more of a visual learner, check out our blog post How Much Should It Cost to Produce a Podcast? Between the blog and this episode, you will be equipped to make an educated guess on the cost of creating your own podcast. Not into DIYs and want so...
Podcasting is a lot of work and you need to be proficient at many different skills to make a good one-planning, writing, recording, interviewing, editing, promoting, designing, etc. So, should you hire someone to help you make your podcast? In this episode, I will be answering that question and narrowing down your options in terms of what areas you may want to consider getting help in. Something to consider is you will always be spending time or money. If you don’t have a lot of money, plan on s...
How do you start a podcast? That’s a ridiculously loaded question but I’ll try to give you my most understandable answer in today’s episode. First, understand it can be pretty easy to start a podcast. However, it's hard to make one worth listening to. Second, understand that I can’t tell you all of the actual steps in launching a podcast in less than five minutes. Instead, I’ll give you a broad overview of what you’re getting into. My team at Come Alive Creative has broken this process into 3 ma...
Deciding who your target audience is for your podcast can be challenging. Typically, it’s the people you’re already working with or the people you want to be working with. This could be prospects of your business (or future business), clients of your business, your existing team, or future talent you’re trying to attract. Of course, this will vary from podcast to podcast. In this episode, I’ll be sharing what I commonly see and what research you may need to do if you’re still not sure. I hope th...
In a world where everything is competing for our attention, podcasting has an unfair advantage over every other medium. In the book Zero to One, Peter Theil discusses this idea of the “Scale of Competition.” It’s how entrepreneurs are biased and they underestimate their competition. I would argue this is true of marketers and content developers as well. Newsletters, videos, blogs, and social media are all competing for people’s visual attention. But those aren’t the only things vying for our att...
Podcasting is basically on-demand audio. It’s similar to a radio show except it’s satisfying someone’s specific need. Podcasts also have several similar qualities according to James Cridland from the website Podnews… A podcast is an audio file, available to download, and distributed via an RSS feed - just to name a few. But what does this all practically mean? And how does it all work? I hope to clarify this and more for you in today’s episode. Generally speaking, a podcast is an audio file that...
