Be The Zara Of Podcasting

The barrier to entry is low. The technology is affordable. The seemingly "no brainer" part of just sitting down and talking. Everyone and their mother is making a podcast and there is nothing wrong with that.

But I want people to be cognizant of what they're putting out in the world.

We are at an all time high of FAST PODCASTING. Let's call it the SHEIN of audio, the TEMU of content. It's serviceable, even popular, but messy and occasionally disappointing.

What are some concrete examples of the SHEIN-style?

• A host can sometimes have trouble getting to the "ask" part of the question. But that's why we edit. A basic cut of an interview helps trim the fat off of a never-ending wind up to the pitch. I find myself screaming in my car: "ASK THE DAMN THING ALREADY!"
• Levels. Why do your ads sound different from the rest of your show? Why does the intro sound louder than the main interview. Again, small tweaks yield big changes.
• Inside Baseball. There's nothing more alienating than listening to something and having no idea what the hell the host and guest are talking about. Totally fine to small talk your way into an easy vibe but please cut this mess in post. Sometimes I scroll back to see if I missed something (who is the blogger they are referring to) only to find out that nope...they just assumed I would know.
• Poppppping P'sssssss. These are awful. They are painful and SO EASY TO FIX if you do a quick tutorial HERE. I always listen to credits and some of the podcasts with the worst pops have their own editors. C'mon people....
• Mentioning of guests with no true introduction. "He is an amazing podcaster." But what show??! Sometimes you have to put these explanations in later but it's better not to expect (even if your audience is super niche) that everyone knows everything. Hosts should quickly explain what they're referring to. Example:

Guest: "So good to see you in Aspen last week and meet up with those amazing people."

Host: "She's talking about the Aspen Ideas festival, guys. Yes I loved being there, too. Can we talk about that panel we both loved?"

Does that make sense? Don't assume everyone knows what Aspen is....maybe 98% of them do but if you do that kind-of quick explainer it doesn't sound overly formal and you're covering your bases.

So where does Zara come in? Well, it's still technically fast fashion and affordable(ish) but slightly elevated. There is good curation and classy presentation but it's not prohibitively exclusive.

Do I have a higher standard than most? Of course? That being said, I think that all podcasters---big and small--can put out quality episodes without breaking the bank. That's right, I don't think everyone needs to hire a company like ours to make their show. In fact, I tell some people that they're doing a great job on their own!

But when more resourced shows make SHEIN errors, I'm at a loss. Zara it up and treat your audience like they listen.