Podcasting is a popular form of content creation that allows you to share your voice, ideas, and stories with a global audience. But what does a podcaster actually do? How do they plan, produce, and promote their shows? In this article, you'll learn about the main tasks and skills involved in podcasting, and how you can start or improve your own podcasting journey.
The first thing a podcaster does is choose a niche or topic for their podcast. This could be anything from comedy to history, from sports to spirituality, or from education to entertainment. Choosing a niche helps you define your target audience, your value proposition, and your unique angle. It also helps you stand out from the thousands of other podcasts in the market.
I started a video podcast about medical writing to help share the voices of medical writers from all over the world - by sharing their experience, listeners can learn and relate and grow!
The next thing a podcaster does is plan the episodes for their podcast. This involves deciding on the format, length, frequency, and style of the podcast. For example, you could have a solo podcast, a co-hosted podcast, an interview podcast, or a mix of different formats. You could also have a scripted podcast, an improvised podcast, or a hybrid of both. You also need to research and outline the content, themes, and questions for each episode.
I invite people I think the medical writing group would love to learn from. Then I set a date to record the podcast and send them a list of questions to help them prepare their answers (sometimes it can be hard to think on the spot!)
The third thing a podcaster does is record and edit the audio for their podcast. This involves setting up the equipment, software, and environment for recording, as well as testing the sound quality, levels, and background noise. Recording can be done live or in advance, depending on the preference and availability of the podcaster and the guests. Editing involves trimming, cutting, mixing, adding music, sound effects, intros, outros, and ads, and enhancing the audio quality and clarity.
I use Riverside to record podcasts as it's quick to edit and on the paid plan you get a transcript which is helpful for quotes. It also has magic AI clips and AI generated descriptions and timestamps. It really cuts down the post-edit time.
The fourth thing a podcaster does is publish and distribute the podcast. This involves uploading the audio file to a hosting platform, such as Anchor, Buzzsprout, or Podbean, and generating an RSS feed. The RSS feed allows the podcast to be distributed to various directories and platforms, such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher. Publishing also involves creating show notes, titles, descriptions, tags, and cover art for each episode.
Apple podcasts, I believe is really important for distribution. This needs to be the first stop since there is such a huge market followed closely by Spotify.
I publish on YouTube as I think video podcasts are the next big thing. I also publish the video podcast on Spotify. Just so you know, and to clarify the AI description here, Spotify bought Anchor so Anchor no longer exists on its own!
The fifth thing a podcaster does is promote and grow the podcast. This involves creating and executing a marketing strategy to attract and retain listeners, as well as to monetize the podcast. Promotion can include social media, email marketing, SEO, guest appearances, cross-promotion, reviews, ratings, and word-of-mouth. Growth can include analyzing metrics, feedback, and trends, as well as experimenting with new ideas, formats, and collaborations.
I promote our medical writing video podcast with short clips on YouTube and LinkedIn. I link to the full episode on YouTube and Spotify. I mainly post in our medical writing group and our Write Clinic LinkedIn page. It's always great to get feedback and I love reading the comments!
The sixth thing a podcaster does is engage with the community. This involves building and nurturing relationships with the listeners, guests, sponsors, and other podcasters. Engagement can include responding to comments, questions, and reviews, creating bonus content, offering incentives, hosting events, joining groups, and participating in conversations. Engagement can also help you gain insights, feedback, and support for your podcasting journey.