The podcast is a novel term which is a portmanteau of iPod and broadcast. It is the digital audio file that would available on the net for downloading on a computer or a mobile device. They would be received by subscribers automatically and are usually developed as a series. It is possible to integrate and manage podcasts across devices and sources too. The best self-help podcasts can reach the audience because it is available for listening whenever you want by downloading the podcast app that helps you to find the podcasts you want.
Podcasts and how they work?
A podcast is nothing but a digital audio file that is free and played on-demand and across niche ranging from motivational podcasts, self-improvement podcasts, etc. The available podcasts include those from
- Individuals
- Storytellers
- Comedians
- Radio networks
- Companies (big and small)
- TV networks
as well as Podcast only networks. The podcasts are of different types which range from daily podcasts, weekly podcasts, and podcasts that are made available to the audience depending on the creators’ ability to come up with effective podcasts. The podcast is very cheap to produce and air because there is no need for a radio station for recording and broadcasting unit that would be monitoring and scrutinizing what has to be broadcast and not. This means the podcast would help the audience access motivational podcasts by different speakers which can do wonders in their lives. The hosting services are provided by media servers which are simple to access, price the space reasonably, that offers scope for embeddable players as well as site-building facilities.
Steps in making podcasts
The steps involved in making a podcast include
- Picking up a topic– It could be self-improvement podcasts, motivational podcasts, etc that are in trend. But, it could change within a short period. However, giving an attractive name for your podcast is also a must
- Pick the format you choose to use- It could be an interview format or an all-content format or one that has more than one host, whether it is going to be an audio or video podcast.
- Equipment- A quality microphone is all that is needed for producing a quality podcast. You would need a webcam if you are considering beaming a video podcasts. But, it is important to set up a skype account, software to record the skype call and basic editing software.
- Set up the hosting process– While it is quite possible to host a podcast on your website, having a dedicated podcast host is considered ideal because it would provide enough storage for your media files. When your podcasts click with the audience and the number of downloads increases, it would still not slow down the site.
- Choosing a title– You can think of using your name, keyword, or jargon that related to the subject matter of your podcast as the title. This would help the audience sift through and reach the podcast quickly. For example, instead of choosing a general title such as a motivational podcast, you may choose the title for your podcast to be based on the type of motivation you talk about in the subject mater. It could include motivation for learning, motivation for achievement and competence, etc.
- Designing the podcast cover– The first impression has to always be the best. Therefore, it is important to design a podcast cover that is not only attractive but also conforms to the iTunes specifications. This would in turn help in getting your podcast to turn up in search results and get noticed as well.
- Recording- Apart from the subject matter, you must concentrate on the intro of the podcast as well s the outro which includes details such as call-to-action of the listeners, how they can reach out to you and where they can download additional content related to best self-help podcasts. The intro and outro can be created as a template and used for each podcast you drop in.
- Planning the launch- though you can simply submit your podcast on iTunes and wait and watch for the results, it is always good to go in for the right launch especially when your podcast has to do with self-improvement podcasts that can be considered as evergreen topics.
Measuring results, reviews and marketing podcasts post-launch are some of the other aspects involved in starting a podcast and making it financially profitable. You can think of starting a podcast if you are game for it. otherwise, you can stop by just listening to the podcasts on topics that are interesting to you.