What goes into a successful podcast?

Wonder why some people have listeners hanging on to their every word? Why some podcasts are better than the rest? It’s got to do with the content, the equipment and most importantly the person with the mike. Let’s show you how to create a brand for yourself, attract more listeners, and more importantly create podcasts that people remember long after you’ve said goodbye.

Create a brand!

Great content matters. But creating a brand for yourself, will ensure that people listen to you much more regularly, and if you are good at what you do, religiously. Pick a name that is catchy, think Night Vale. And try and include a keyword or two. Own the domain name of your podcast even before you switch on your microphone. Domains in Seconds or NameCheap can help set up a domain for you in a jiffy.

The RSS feed that you use should belong to you. FeedBurner’s MyBrand will help you create and own your own RSS feed. When you have more ownership over your podcast, the more you can leverage your brand.

Know who you are talking to!

Talking about the flavor of the season can only take you so far. Choose a niche you are comfortable in. It could be healthcare, global warming or anything thing under the sun, but what you bring to the table should be unique. Whether light and irreverent, or serious and insightful, have a consistent tone.

Summarize the takeaways of your podcast at the end of every episode and give a nice lead for the next episode.

Still using a soundcard mike?

Patchy audio can turn people off. A surprising number of podcasts have poor sound quality. A snowball mike is a great microphone for podcasts and is decently priced. Audio that is too perfect can sound bland. Use natural sounds as an audio layer and don’t forget to add some BGM. A rate of 44.1 KHz with a 16 bit resolution works perfect whether you are using a mono or stereo channel.

Having a peppy jingle for your podcast can work wonders as well. Also don’t forget to shop for a great audio editing software.

Small episodes are more listener friendly…

Remember that people switch channels every few minutes. To make sure your listeners don’t tune out, break up your episodes. Having three or more topics and dedicating short segments to each, is also a great way to retain listeners. Prior to every podcast, audio test, to be on the safer side. Nothing works like hardwork, after all!