Starting a podcast can be daunting. Especially when the only thing you've pressed record on is your VCR (hello to anyone who remembers what they are). It's understandable if you're worried that no one will listen, or that you don't have the right voice to host a podcast, or that you don't have to time to fit it into your life. Doing anything new is daunting so in this episode I take you through a few of the most common reasons people don't start a podcast. And I tell you why they shouldn't be ho...
Nov 25, 2018•16 min•Season 1Ep. 69
Most podcast hosts are just that... podcast hosts . They’re a place to upload your MP3’s, look at your stats and fill in your show details but apart from that, there aren't many bells and whistles. Anchor is different because it’s designed to be a podcast host but also a place to edit and create your show. Inside Anchor, you can drag and drop audio elements directly into your episode and if you've never worked with audio before this can make piecing together an episode way less daunting. But is ...
Nov 19, 2018•21 min•Season 1Ep. 68
Buying the right equipment when you're starting a podcast can be confusing and it's easy to get stuff you don't need. Like a mixer. In this episode I explain what a mixer does and go through some of the common reasons people think they need one. So, if you haven't bought your podcasting gear yet and you think you might need a mixer let's make sure you're buying one for the right reasons. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/mixer-podcast/ About me... My name is Rac...
Nov 11, 2018•10 min•Season 1Ep. 67
A podcast trailer can help you drum up interest in your show before you've dropped an episode because it gives potential listeners a taste of what they can expect. Just like a trailer for a movie, a podcast trailer includes highlights of what's on the way and gives people a reason to get excited about what's to come. In this episode I share my tips on how to create a kick-arse podcast trailer so you can get people excited about your show. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorb...
Nov 04, 2018•5 min•Season 1Ep. 66
Getting more podcast listeners is important if you want your show to last but you also want those listeners to subscribe. This is because the more subscribers you have the more chance you've got of ranking in podcast charts. It also makes it much easier for people to listen because they'll get a new episode delivered straight to their podcast app. So how do you get more podcast listeners and in turn subscribers? The best way is often to avoid using the word 'subscribe' and in this episode I expl...
Oct 28, 2018•8 min•Season 1Ep. 65
You should think about your podcast episode title like the headline of an article. It's the thing that makes people click, so you need to pack as much information as possible into a small number of words. But you also want to be truthful. The rules of click-baiting apply here just as they do on blogs and websites...don't do it, unless you want to suffer the consequences. If you want listeners to keep returning to your show, week after week, you have to build a relationship with them. And just li...
Oct 21, 2018•10 min•Season 1Ep. 64
After your podcast name and logo, the next thing potential listeners look at is your podcast description. So you've got to make it good. While you don't want to write an essay, you're not as restricted in your word count as you are with your podcast name. That means you've got more real estate to tell listeners exactly what they can expect from your show. So how do you write a podcast description that makes people think "OMG! This show is exactly what I'm looking for!"? Check out the full episod...
Oct 14, 2018•9 min•Season 1Ep. 63
I know we're all told not to judge a book by its cover but the truth is, we do. When people find your show in their podcast directory it's often the combination of your podcast name and podcast logo that will entice them to give it a try. You haven't got a lot of words to make an impact so this isn't an easy task. But ideally, you want to give your podcast a name that's going to stop people scrolling by. So how do you pick something that makes them want to listen? Check out the full episode show...
Oct 08, 2018•15 min•Season 1Ep. 62
If you're thinking "I want to do a podcast but I'm not sure what it should be about," you're not alone. Coming up with an idea for your podcast can be really difficult. So in this episode, I'm going to take you through a few exercises to help you refine your podcast idea. Or come up with one if you've got nothing. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/podcast-ideas/ About me... My name is Rachel Corbett and I've worked professionally for almost two decades in radio ...
Sep 30, 2018•16 min•Season 1Ep. 61
When you're kick-starting your podcast it can be hard to know what equipment to buy because there's so much out there. Particularly when it comes to one of the most important items in your kit, your podcast microphone. Some articles give 700 recommendations and if you've got no idea about recording you can end up more confused than when you started. So in this episode I'm going to keep things simple and give you my top three podcast microphone recommendations. Check out the full episode show not...
Sep 23, 2018•10 min•Season 1Ep. 60
Are you at the beginning of the podcasting journey and know nothing about how to get your idea into people's ears? In this episode we go right back to basics and I take you through how to record a podcast. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/record-podcast/ About me... My name is Rachel Corbett and I've worked professionally for almost two decades in radio and podcasting. I've hosted and produced shows for some of the biggest radio networks in Australia, created t...
Sep 16, 2018•9 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Coming up with content for your podcast can be one of the more challenging and time-consuming parts of the podcasting process, especially if you're releasing a weekly show. So how do you find enough ideas to make sure you're not lying awake on the eve of an episode going live thinking "What am I going to talk about?" Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/podcast-content/ About me... My name is Rachel Corbett and I've worked professionally for almost two decades in r...
Sep 10, 2018•17 min•Season 1Ep. 58
Co-hosting a podcast with other people can be great. But if one or more members of the team aren't pulling their weight it can be exhausting. So how do you make sure you're bringing your A-game as a podcast co-host? In this episode I share my top tips for being the kind of co-host people want to podcast with. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/podcast-co-host-tips/ About me... My name is Rachel Corbett and I've worked professionally for almost two decades in radi...
Aug 26, 2018•12 min•Season 1Ep. 56
Covering up recording in different locations is possible but it depends on how different the locations are. If one recording was done in a library and the other at a Monster Truck rally it'll probably be impossible to make those sound like they were in the same place. But if you want to make it sound like you did everything in one sitting the key is to record some ambient sound. In this episode I explain how to make recording in multiple locations sound like it was done in one sitting. Check out...
Aug 19, 2018•7 min•Season 1Ep. 55
Your podcast logo is the first thing people will see when they come across your show and it's often the reason they'll stop and take a second look. That means you have to put serious thought into how to design one that will make people want to listen. In this episode I share my tips on creating a podcast logo that fits with the brand of your show but also stops people from scrolling past. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/podcast-logo/ About me... My name is Rac...
Jul 29, 2018•8 min•Season 1Ep. 54
The question on everyone's lips when they're thinking about starting a podcast is "What equipment do I need?" Do you need a mixer? Will your computer microphone do? Do you have to buy special headphones or can you use the ones that come with your phone? Search Google and you’ll have a shopping list of podcast equipment as long as your arm. But the truth is you only need four things to start a podcast. In this episode I take you through what those four things are. Check out the full episode show ...
Jul 22, 2018•9 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Are you thinking about starting a podcast but have no idea about the different types of shows? In this episode I take you through some of the most common podcast types so you can choose the one that's right for you. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/podcast-types/ About me... My name is Rachel Corbett and I've worked professionally for almost two decades in radio and podcasting. I've hosted and produced shows for some of the biggest radio networks in Australia, ...
Jul 15, 2018•26 min•Season 1Ep. 52
When you’re thinking about how many people to have on your podcast your decision should always be based on what's best for your audience and what's best for your content. In this episode I take you through some things you need to think about when you're deciding how many people to have on your podcast. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/how-many-people-should-you-have-on-your-podcast/ About me... My name is Rachel Corbett and I've worked professionally for almost...
Jul 08, 2018•8 min•Season 1Ep. 51
If you're new to podcasting you might not realise quite how many steps there are in the process. In this episode I give yo the full rundown of all the things you need to do to get a podcast into people's ears. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/podcasting-steps/ About me... My name is Rachel Corbett and I've worked professionally for almost two decades in radio and podcasting. I've hosted and produced shows for some of the biggest radio networks in Australia, cre...
Jul 01, 2018•7 min•Season 1Ep. 50
So you want to start a podcast but you're wondering if you have enough time? There are lots of things that go into getting an episode from your recording device into people's ears. And every step can effect how long it takes to put your show together. In this episode I share some of the things that will impact how long it takes to put together a podcast episode so you know what you're in for. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/how-long-does-it-take-to-create-a-po...
Jun 24, 2018•8 min•Season 1Ep. 49
Finding a podcast niche when you're starting out can be useful because it can help people find your show. If you're not someone with an existing profile chances are potential listeners won't be searching for you. So ideally you want your podcast to be in a niche they're already interested in. Having a defined podcast niche can also help convince listeners to give your show a try when they do find you because there's more chance they'll understand the concept. There's nothing compelling about "a ...
Jun 17, 2018•7 min•Season 1Ep. 48
Getting your head around how to promote your podcast when there's no podcast there to promote can be difficult. But it can be done. In this episode I explain how to get potential listeners excited about a show that doesn't exist yet. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/podcast-promotion/ About me... My name is Rachel Corbett and I've worked professionally for almost two decades in radio and podcasting. I've hosted and produced shows for some of the biggest radio n...
May 13, 2018•14 min•Season 1Ep. 46
When you’re starting out and you don’t have any listeners, it's hard to make decisions about what content would suit them best. Designing your ideal listener can help you make decisions about things like the length of your podcast or what kind of topics you should cover because you've got someone in mind. If you don't design your ideal listener you're probably going to make decisions based off what you want and you're not the audience. So how do you work out who your ideal listener is? Check out...
May 06, 2018•6 min•Season 1Ep. 45
When you're interviewing people for your podcast there's a lot that can go wrong. So how do you make sure guests leave thinking “I’m so glad I did that!” rather than “I never want to see that person again!”? I've conducted thousands of interviews over the course of my radio and podcasting career. And in this episode I share my top tips for getting the best out of your interview subject. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/interviewing-tips/ About me... My name is ...
Apr 30, 2018•16 min•Season 1Ep. 44
If you're new to podcasting you might be worried that once you start you'll be stuck churning out episodes every week for the rest of your life. While consistency is key, breaking your show into seasons can be a great way to take some of the pressure off and keep your podcast interesting. Just like television, seasons in podcasting are a way to separate your content into smaller self-contained blocks. Each season could have a different focus like Gimlet's podcast, Startup . Or you could do the s...
Apr 22, 2018•4 min•Season 1Ep. 43
If you want to interview guests on your podcast you might be thinking "Holy crap! Do I have to pay all these people?" Lucky for you (and your bank balance) the expectation with podcast guests is they (usually) won't get paid. So how do you make sure guests will still want to come on your podcast even if they're doing it for free? Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/pay-podcast-guests/ About me... My name is Rachel Corbett and I've worked professionally for almost ...
Apr 15, 2018•4 min•Season 1Ep. 42
Working with a podcast co-host can be one of life's great joys....if it's the right person. If it's the wrong person it can be as fun as performing surgery on yourself with a corkscrew. When you're starting out, having someone to bounce off can seem like the easiest option. But while there are plenty of advantages to not going solo there are a few things you should consider before you hitch your wagon to someone. Podcasting with a co-host is like a marriage so you have to make sure you choose th...
Apr 08, 2018•9 min•Season 1Ep. 41
Show notes are essentially a written post on your website that relates to the content you cover in your podcast. When there's already so much stuff you need to do to get your podcast out it's easy to chuck them onto the 'can't be stuffed' pile. But in this episode I explain why they're really useful and why you definitely shouldn't forget about them. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/podcast-show-notes/ About me... My name is Rachel Corbett and I've worked profe...
Apr 01, 2018•11 min•Season 1Ep. 40
Getting callers on your podcast is a great way to involve your audience and make the show more interesting. Best of all, it doesn't require a complex studio set up to make it happen. So why would you want to include your listeners on your podcast and how do you do it? Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/callers-on-your-podcast/ About me... My name is Rachel Corbett and I've worked professionally for almost two decades in radio and podcasting. I've hosted and produ...
Mar 25, 2018•7 min•Season 1Ep. 39
If you're planning on releasing a podcast episode every week you'll need to have a plan in place. Because dropping shows that regularly is A LOT of work. Batch recording is an easy way to get on top of your schedule so you're not pulling your hair out when life gets in the way. So what is batch recording and how do you do it? Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/podcast-batch-recording/ About me... My name is Rachel Corbett and I've worked professionally for almost...
Mar 18, 2018•6 min•Season 1Ep. 38
