6 Tools You Need for Your Podcast

28Jan

It’s one thing to decide that a podcast is right for your brand, but it’s another to actually start recording. I’ve already covered why you need a podcast. Now I want to get you creating relevant, well-produced content!

Let’s review the six tools you’ll need to create a successful podcast!

1. Sound Proofing
I don’t care if your office is a library staffed exclusively with church mice—as soon as you start recording, there is going to be an obnoxious noise, I promise you. Since you can’t prevent it, the next best thing is going to be canceling it out while you’re recording.

Establishing a sound-proofed space to record is crucial. Even mild noises like chatter is going to worsen your audio quality and lower your production value. If you want a clean, professional-sounding podcast, the only thing your listeners should be hearing is whoever’s speaking into the mic! Which reminds me…

2. A Good Microphone
No, your laptop’s microphone isn’t good enough and yes, that’s still true even if you have your brand’s latest model. You need a device dedicated to recording clear audio, plain and simple. Anything else is going to let you down and give you scratchy, rough recordings.

If you don’t want to break the bank, go for something without all the extra bells and whistles. All you need is clear audio, so don’t feel pressured to buy the most expensive mic when you’re just starting out.

3. A Pop Filter
Even with a great mic, you’re going to notice in post that your b’s and p’s sound uncomfortably loud. A pop filter will remove any concern about that, and they’re pretty cheap, too! It might sound like an unnecessary expense, but I promise you, you’ll feel differently when you’re listening to your podcast and realize how awkward your b’s and p’s sound.

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4. Headphones
You’ll need a pair of quality headphones (not ear buds) to make sure you can hear yourself. This is doubly important if you’ll be video chatting with guests—nobody wants to listen to a podcast host shouting “WHAT” at their guest every few minutes.

Don’t go crazy with it, but treat purchasing a set of headphones like investing in your business. Expensive isn’t always better, but going as cheap as possible is usually a bad call.

5. Audio Software
You can be a master public speaker with the best equipment in the world—you’ll still need to edit your audio. This could be cutting out awkward stumbles or just mastering the audio when the sound quality is a little off. Regardless, invest in a quality product with a lot of positive reviews, because your podcast can only be as good as your editing!

6. Design Software
You probably didn’t think of this one, but graphic design plays a role in podcasting, too. If you want to post your podcast on iTunes (which you absolutely should), you’ll need a nice logo to draw in potential listeners. If you’re thinking of skipping this one, just ask yourself the last time you listened to a podcast without a logo, then go download a nice graphic design software!

Invest In Your Brand
Podcasts are great ways to develop your brand and reach your audience. I’ve given you all the tools you need to get started, so the only thing left to do is dive in and do the work.

If this all sounds like a little much, don’t be overwhelmed. Set up your free consultation with The Go! Agency and we’ll talk about your podcasting options!

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Why You Should Release a Podcast

By Christopher Tompkins

23Jan

Podcasting

I often talk with people who are surprised when I recommend that they start a podcast to develop their personal brand. And I get why: People think of podcasts as things for celebrities and comedians. But the reality is that creating a podcast is one of the smartest things you can do for yourself.

Like with anything else, though, never just take someone’s word when it comes to handling your brand. Instead, let me explain exactly why creating a podcast is a step that you should be taking immediately.

People Are Listening
Podcast listenership has been growing for years with no signs of stopping, and it isn’t just for younger audiences, either. People at every age are listening to podcasts, which means that no matter who you’re trying to impress, there’s an audience waiting for you.

I’ve found it especially useful in trying to build relationships with colleagues. 70-72% of business owners with 100 to 500 employees are listening to podcasts, according to a study from Bredin. That same study found that 38% of small business owners are listening, which makes podcasting a valuable networking strategy for professionals.

It’s not as if people are only listening to one or two podcasts, either. On average, listeners have five favorite podcasts that they tune into regularly. You’ve got people who are listening and they’re looking for more than one podcast—so why aren’t you releasing one already?

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It’s Not Impossible
The refrain I always hear is that making a podcast is just too hard. You don’t have the skills, the know-how, and you’re not sure what you’d talk about. And sure, it’s not going to be possible if you focus on how hard it’s going to be, but it isn’t that difficult when you start thinking proactively.

Equipment isn’t hard to come by, and there is no shortage of step-by-step guides to starting your own podcast. All you need to do is find something to say, and that isn’t even difficult if you’re really prepared to be an active contributor to conversations in your industry. Read about current topics to clue in on the conversations happening and give your listeners that information with your two cents added in.

Ultimately, you want to be driving these conversations, which is going to mean reading a lot of industry news and monitoring trends. Is that a lot of work? Sure, but it’s not something that’s unattainable for you, and the benefits are significant.

You Can Be a Person
When your business releases content, it indirectly reflects on you and your values. But only with something like a podcast can you show your audience exactly who you are and what matters to you. It’s your chance to build a brand outside of your business, one that is entirely contingent on what you personally bring to the table. That’s a lot of pressure, but it’s also freeing!

You get to talk solely about what interests you about your industry, and people are going to see a real person behind it instead of your business. This can go a long way in humanizing both your personal brand and your business and lends a lot of credibility to both. Audiences respond best to actual humans, so show them who you are and why you’re relevant!

Start Recording
Now that you understand why podcasts are so valuable to your personal brand, it’s time to get to work. Start investing in your podcast! I’m sure that if you put the effort in, you’ll see great results!

Do you want a little help getting your podcast started? Just schedule your free consultation with The Go! Agency!

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How Creativity Can Boost A Social Media Marketing Strategy

By Dale Griffen

11Oct

Content Creation, Pinterest, SEO, Social Media

Imagine the social media landscape as a city — it most certainly has the population of one (actually a whole continent, for that matter). Just like any city, businesses both big and small are trying to get out their message in one way or another. While a real city uses billboards, posters, blimps, and sign twirlers, the social media city utilizes more effective tools such as optimized content, boosted posts, audience targeting, etc. However, similar to a marketing piece in New York or Los Angeles, your message may be lost in all the clutter and noise that surrounds it.

Do you want to get more attention? Of course you do!

Social media marketing has the ability to allow businesses of all shapes and sizes to harness the power of the internet to significantly raise brand recognition. Yet because so many people are using Facebook, Twitter, and the other platforms, it can be a challenge to truly strike it big with your audience. That’s why it is so essential to create unique content.

When we consult clients, one of the most common and significant problems I encounter is their inability to change. Thinking outside the box and generating innovative content is where the creative and analytical parts of your brain meet.

Here are a few suggestions that may help you create new, refreshing, and original posts:

1. Unique social experiences. It is social media after all. You want people to start talking! You can do this in the form of polls, quizzes, live video broadcasts, and many more innovative ways to invite your audience in to the conversation.

2. Add Video. Video works for multiple reasons. First of all, you are presenting the content in an enjoyable medium that consumers love. Secondly, most social media platforms give preference to video, especially on their mobile apps, which is where a majority of social media users go to. Finally, video allows for strategies that may prove to be undoable otherwise such as behind-the-scene tours, tutorials, and more.

3. Add new visuals with new colors. Sure, you want to stay consistent with your company’s branding, but the right graphic designer knows how to turn the pre-existing material into something new and exciting. Find a way to create new pictures, videos, live broadcasts, GIFs and more.

4. Incorporate podcasts and blogs. These two handy mediums can help you position yourself as a credible source of information in your industry through innovative forms of media. Blogging and podcasting are extremely popular methods that businesses share their story with an audience. The best part of all is that once you have the writing down for one, the other is essentially finished too.

The above four content ideas incorporate social, creative, and informational tools to allow your audience to get a new glimpse of your brand. This is the best part of social media – there are always new and exciting ways to engage your audience. Start creating today!

Creativity not your thing? No problem. At The Go! Agency, we have a team of creative copywriters, graphic designers, podcast editors, and many more professionals who are waiting to help you! Contact us today.

Starting Your Own Podcast

By Christopher Tompkins

30Aug

Content Creation, Marketing, Podcasting

What Is A Podcast?

A podcast is a radio show that is designed to be downloaded and listened to at any time. Unlike radio, a podcast doesn’t have to be listened to live, and instead, a collection of episodes can be listened to in a row or at the listener’s convenience.

Since podcasting is primarily distributed online, there is a low barrier of entry. Anybody can make a podcast for a relatively small amount of money. For that reason, there is a lot more freedom as to the subject matter of podcast, with many being created around specific topics and niches.

Unlike a radio show that needs to appeal to a mass market of people, a podcast can be made to handle any subject, such as trivia, history, marketing, or even something as specific as grilled cheese sandwiches.

Podcasts came into prominence with the popularity of the iPod and acted as a way to listen to radio-like shows on an MP3 player. Now technology has advanced so that most people can listen to podcasts on their phone as an alternative to music.

Why Should You Be Podcasting?

Podcasts are an easily accessible form of media, with anybody with a smartphone, telephone or MP3 player able to listen to them. That amounts to just about everybody. Currently, 67 million Americans listen to a podcast each month, although this number has been steadily increasing by 10-20% each year.

As with any form of marketing, you need to go where your audience is. If your audience is listening to podcasts, then that would be a good method of communicating your message to them. The majority of podcast listeners are in the 25-54 age range, so they wouldn’t quite be applicable to a much younger audience.

The biggest advantage of podcasting is that it can help a marketer to hit a particular audience or niche. The subject of your podcast can be tailored directly to your audience to pull them in, entertain and educate them. For example, if your business sells beauty products, your podcast could be all about sharing beauty tips and discussing the different products on offer.

Unlike other marketing strategies, podcasting creates a captive audience and a lot of loyalty. If you create a show that is consistently informative and interesting, then people will continue to listen to it, which keeps those people within your sales funnel.

Because of the ease of starting with podcasting, it’s hard to think of a reason not to do it.

Your First Podcast: Equipment

Recording your first podcast can be as easy a process as you want it to. You could pull out your phone right now, record yourself talking for 20 minutes, upload it to the internet and pat yourself on the back.

However, like anything, if you want to produce a podcast that people come back to listen to, you’ll want to make sure it’s well planned with equipment that will up the quality of the final product. You don’t need a fancy recording studio. Just a cheap USB microphone and headphones, but this will go a long way to improving your podcast over using your phone.

The best set up for a tight budget (under $100) would be to buy:

Two USB dynamic microphones.
A laptop or computer for recording and editing.
Two sets of headphones.

For a mid-budget ($200-$300):

Two XLR dynamic microphones.
A portable sound recorder to connect the microphones to. (Eg. Zoom H4n.)
A laptop or computer for editing.
Headphones.

When it comes to a higher budget, the sky is the limit. But all you truly need are microphones, something to record your sound into and a computer to edit your audio on!

Your First Podcast: Planning

Once you have the equipment, it’s time to plan your podcast and what it’s about. The subject of your podcast should be immediately relevant to the target audience of your business. For example, if you create a product for new mothers, your podcast should be relevant to them, you could even call it “The New Mothers Podcast” if you wanted to hit the audience completely.

If you’re not sure of the audience of your product, then you’re not ready for podcasting yet and need to figure that out first. The better you know your audience though, the easier you’ll be to create a podcast, which they’ll be interested in.

Since that interest will be so strongly tied to what you’re selling, you should be knowledgeable in that area already. You’d expect that somebody with a product for new mothers would have a lot of knowledge about pregnancy and being a new mother. That should already give you an in-built catalog of topics to discuss on the podcast.

With those topics in mind, you can brainstorm ideas for shows. The best podcasts often answer frequently asked questions or give valuable information to their audience. Following the new mothers example, you could have a whole show dedicated to making your own baby food and how to do it.

When coming up with ideas for the show, it’s also good to keep in mind your goal. What do you want each episode of your podcast to achieve and what should it achieve as a whole? If you want to push awareness of your business, how will you do that in your podcast?

It’s best to plan each episode out before hand into sections, along with talking points, so you manage to get the information across that you want to.

How To Create A Successful Podcast

I’ve already spoken about the importance of planning your podcast, but what else can you do to make your podcast a success?

The main thing is to make your podcast relatable on a human level. Although your podcast is done by your business, that doesn’t mean it has to be completely professional and wooden. While subject matter is important, people also come back to listen to podcasts because they enjoy the host.

So having a sense of humor and not taking yourself too seriously is essential. Listeners want to feel like they’re sitting down with a friend to talk to. If possible, try to use somebody in your organization in which your audience can identify with. That way, it’s much easier to build up a rapport. If you were to do a podcast for new mothers, a 14-year-old boy might not be the best host, but he’d probably be perfect for something about video games. It’s all about being relatable.

While finding a host with personality is important, consistency is also key for a podcast. The sound quality needs to always be good, the information given should be valuable, and it should also entertain! If you don’t entertain in some way, the listeners won’t give you a second chance. There are dozens of other podcasts they could listen to instead.

One big issue I find with many podcasts are that they’re often overly self-promotional. For your podcast to be a success, you need to find a way to talk about your business without shoving it down your listener’s throats. If your podcast is mostly promotional, then nobody will listen to it. Instead, promotion should be short and efficient.

Your First Podcast: Promotion

While overly promoting your business during your podcast is a big no-no. It is crucial that you promote the podcast itself. Once it’s been uploaded, you need to spread the word to gain listeners.

The first step in doing this should be to submit your podcast to the main podcasting services: iTunes, Stitcher, Googe Play Music, and TuneIn. Submitting your podcast makes it show up on the services and makes it easier for listeners to download it and find it.

Once this is done, you can set out to promote your podcast. If you have social media, you should make multiple updates for each new episode of your podcast, letting your followers know what the new episode is about and where they can listen to it. You should also post a link to each new episode on your blog if you have one.

Another good way to build some exposure for your podcast is to include a guest that is already popular in your industry. By featuring them, you should pull in their fans as well as getting their help to market your podcast.