Have you been thinking about starting a podcast, but are unsure of where to begin? Do you already have a podcast and are looking for tips to help you attract new listeners? If either of these sounds like you, this week’s #ContentWritingChat is perfect! If you missed it though, there’s no need to worry because we have a recap of our latest chat and it’s filled with amazing tips. Just keep reading to learn everything you need to know to become a podcasting superstar!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: The Basics of Starting & Building a Successful Podcast with Madalyn Sklar and Julia McCoy
Join us for #ContentWritingChat on Tuesday, February 7th at 10 AM CST with @MadalynSklar and our own @JuliaEMcCoy! It’s all about podcasts! pic.twitter.com/bsGEwjnKws
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) January 31, 2017
Our guest hosts this week were Madalyn Sklar and our very own CEO, Julia McCoy. Both of these talented ladies have podcasts of their own and had a ton of valuable advice to share with our audience. You can check out Madalyn’s podcast, Twitter Smarter, which actually inspired her weekly Twitter chat of the same name. And Julia is the voice behind The Write Podcast, where she interviews some of the industry’s top influencers.
Now, let’s dive into the podcasting advice from this week’s chat! Get ready to take some notes if you’re a podcaster or aspiring to be one. These tips will set you up for success!
Q1: How can you determine if podcasts are a great content format for your audience?
Before you start investing your time and energy into creating a podcast, it’s a good idea to determine if it’s the right fit for your audience. After all, if they’re clearly not interested in podcasts, then it might not be the right avenue for you to explore. If they are interested, then it’s a good sign that you should dive right in! So, if you want to figure out if your audience is interested in podcasts, follow this advice:
A1: I would ask what your community wants. Use Twitter polls to ask questions. How would they prefer to get info from u. #ContentWritingChat
— Madalyn Sklar ? (@MadalynSklar) February 7, 2017
Madalyn’s advice is to just ask your audience what they want. They’ll tell you if they’re interested in podcasts, but you have to actually ask them first. She suggests creating a Twitter poll, which is a great way to get answers. It won’t require a lot of effort on your part either and that’s always a plus.
A1 21% of Americans listen to podcasts, and that grows yearly. More podcast stats: https://t.co/xqAxBt7q6a #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) February 7, 2017
Julia provided some interesting statistics that show podcasts are on the rise each and every year. This is a good sign that it just might be worth your time and you’ll want to join the fun before everyone has jumped on the bandwagon.
A1: Look at how your audience is consuming your existing content, test some audio snippets, or (like we always say) ask! #ContentWritingChat
— Digital Natives Cast (@DgtlNativesCast) February 7, 2017
The Digital Natives team suggests seeing how your audience is already consuming content. Is it clear that they’re listening to podcasts from other creators? If so, it’s a good sign that they might also be interested in yours. One way you can experiment before diving in head first is to test out their response to some audio snippets. If they enjoy it, move forward with a full podcast!
And as they said, if you still aren’t sure if it’s the right move, you can always ask them what they think. Your audience will happily share their thoughts with you.
A1 you could do a survey and ask them or you could just start doing podcasts and see how your audience reacts #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/pkL5iamtUL
— Savannah Shea?Blake (@Vannasana) February 7, 2017
A survey is a great way to get the opinions of your audience. You can create one and send it to your email list or share it on social media to gather responses.
A1. Ask your audience. Do research on podcasts in your field. Decide a focus for your podcast. #ContentWritingChat
— Ai Zhang (@aiaddysonzhang) February 7, 2017
Ai also suggests asking your audience what they think about podcasts. You can then take it a step further by researching the podcasts in your field. Are there many of them already available? Do they have a large following? Learn as much as you can about them as it can help you build a podcast of your own.
A1 – Do one. See what happens. You can’t really predict the demand for your podcast until you do it #contentwritingchat
— James Ellis (@thewarfortalent) February 7, 2017
As James said, you can always just give it a go and see what happens. After all, your audience may ultimately fall in love with what you have created and you won’t know it unless you try. If things don’t work out though, you shouldn’t let it get you down.
Q2: What tools are essential for starting a podcast?
To get started with podcasting, there are a few tools you’re going to need to have on hand. What are they? Our chat participants have the scoop, so make a note of what you need to buy!
A2: All you need is a microphone to get started. You can go cheap and use an app on your phone or invest in equipment. #ContentWritingChat
— Madalyn Sklar ? (@MadalynSklar) February 7, 2017
A2: Here’s a list of the equipment I use and what I also recommend when starting out. https://t.co/bhxQGBTyDB #ContentWritingChat
— Madalyn Sklar ? (@MadalynSklar) February 7, 2017
Madalyn said all you need to get started is a microphone. She mentioned that you can go the cheaper route and use an app on your phone or you can choose to invest in more professional equipment.
For a full list of Madalyn’s recommended equipment, check out the link she shared to her blog. Her suggestions for a moderately priced microphone include the Blue Snowball and the Blue Yeti. For something more splurge-worthy, Madalyn loves the Heil-PR 40.
A2: For editing there’s GarageBand and Audacity. Or you can hire someone to do it for you. #ContentWritingChat
— Madalyn Sklar ? (@MadalynSklar) February 7, 2017
When it’s time to edit, Madalyn suggests GarageBand or Audacity. You can also hire someone to edit for you if you don’t have the time or the skills to do it yourself.
A2 Quality equipment. I ❤️ Audio-Technica mics. Affordable and amazing quality. A wind pop filter, too ($8 on Amazon). #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) February 7, 2017
Julia uses and loves microphones from Audio-Technica. She said they’re affordable, but still provide amazing quality. A wind pop filter is a must as well and you can find them cheap on Amazon.
A2: When starting a podcast, you need a great microphone. Sound quality is VERY important for your listeners. #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel (@redheadrachel) February 7, 2017
When creating a podcast, sound quality is key. You need to make sure you have a great microphone to record on, but that doesn’t mean you have to break the bank. There are plenty of quality microphones on the market that are affordable.
A2) Mic, headphones, and something to record/edit audio are the essentials. Everything else is extra to fancy it up #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/m5vREKlfFZ
— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) February 7, 2017
Jason’s suggestions are a microphone, headphones, and something to record and editor your podcast.
A2. I like Libsyn for hosting for beginners. Easy to get started. #contentwritingchat
— Kristin Huntley (@seekristintweet) February 7, 2017
Kristin recommends using Libsyn for hosting your podcast. She said it’s easy to use, which makes it perfect for beginners.
A2: Great content that’s beneficial to your audience, time to do the podcast correctly AND a good mic!#ContentWritingChat https://t.co/wzZQnYoNt8
— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) February 7, 2017
As Sarah said, you’re also going to need some great content that’s beneficial to your audience, time to do the podcast correctly, and a good microphone. All important elements to your podcast!
A2 Tools for a successful podcast: Great topic. Great mic. Confidence. #ContentWritingChat
— Michelle (@michelletweet) February 7, 2017
A great topic, a great microphone, and confident are all must-haves!
A2 A good microphone, a recording program, a QUIET ROOM and a good attitude 🙂 #ContentWritingChat
— Rebecca Bredin (@RebeccaBredin) February 7, 2017
Don’t forget that you’ll also need a quiet room for recording and you’ll need a good attitude to along with it!
Q3: Discuss the qualities of an amazing podcast. What keeps you tuning in to each episode?
When starting and building a podcast of your own, you want to make sure it’s amazing. If it’s not, your audience isn’t going to stick around. To keep them coming back episode after episode, follow these tips straight from Tuesday’s chat:
A3: An amazing podcast will keep you interested. It should be informative, helpful, compelling and also entertaining. #ContentWritingChat
— Madalyn Sklar ? (@MadalynSklar) February 7, 2017
Madalyn said an amazing podcast should be informative, helpful, compelling, and entertaining. If you can create a podcast that delivers those qualities, you just might have a success on your hands.
A3: With podcasting, you have the ability to build an intimate relationship with your audience. That is powerful! #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/IiJUNIrJPV
— Madalyn Sklar ? (@MadalynSklar) February 7, 2017
She also said that podcasts give you the ability to build an intimate relationship with your audience. That’s key to growing your brand overall.
A3a Investing in premium intro music, teaser clips, and professional album art = critical. Don’t settle for cheap. #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) February 7, 2017
A3 Podcast CONTENT matters! Fun, engaging, UNIQUE stories/interviews/episodes. W/ a podcast, you can get creative! #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) February 7, 2017
Julia suggests investing in premium music for your podcast intro, teaser clips, and professional album art. All of those things make a great impact when it comes to the overall impression your podcast gives.
She also stressed the importance of creating great content. Fun, engaging, and unique stories, interviews, and episodes make all the difference. That’s what will ultimately attract listeners and keep them.
A3) Simple -> Valuable takeaways. I listen to podcasts because I get something useful out of it. Provide value! #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/h3mAF4Qjw6
— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) February 7, 2017
Jason knows that value is key when building a podcast. You want to make sure you’re providing something useful to your audience so they keep tuning in to new episodes.
A3 Content and content. If you’re not providing unique insight and actionable takeaways, someone else is. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/uhPh24mtFm
— Lex (@estherproject) February 7, 2017
After all, if you aren’t providing value to your audience, someone else will and they’ll ditch you for them. Lex’s advice is to provide unique insight and actionable takeaways to keep your audience tuned in. When building a successful podcast, you need to add value.
A3 – Excellent sound quality; interesting content; and a awesome community around the show helps #contentwritingchat
— Jennifer Longworth (@JoysOfMercy) February 7, 2017
For Jennifer, an amazing podcast is all about excellent sound quality, interesting content, and an awesome community.
A3. Good storytelling. Edited with your audience in mind. Fresh, new perspectives. #contentwritingchat
— Kristen Dunleavy (@KristenWritesIt) February 7, 2017
Good storytelling is one surefire way to suck your audience in and keep them coming back for more.
Q4: Podcasters: How can you approach influencers to be on your podcast for an interview? Listeners: What makes a great podcast interview?
If you want to have interview on your podcast, you’ll obviously need to reach out to some influencers in your field and invite them to join you. How do you do it? We’ve got the tips you need to know! We also asked those who don’t have a podcast what makes a great interview. Find out what they had to say:
A4: I used Twitter to reach out to social media influencers. They all said yes. Don’t be afraid to ask. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/3mYODYdi3C
— Madalyn Sklar ? (@MadalynSklar) February 7, 2017
A4: What makes a great podcast interview? An interview that is engaging. It holds your attention. #ContentWritingChat
— Madalyn Sklar ? (@MadalynSklar) February 7, 2017
Madalyn’s advice is to reach out to influencers via Twitter. It’s a simple, but effective, way to contact people and invite them to be on your podcast. She also said you shouldn’t be afraid to ask because you never know what kind of response you’ll get. You might be surprised who says yes!
As a listener, Madalyn said a great interview should be engaging and should hold the attention of your audience.
A4 Asking influencers on @writepodcast was easier than I thought! I tweeted/emailed, they all said yes! ?? #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) February 7, 2017
When Julia was seeking guests for her podcast, she tweeted them or sent an email. It worked!
A4: Twitter is actually a great way to reach out to people to set up interviews. Otherwise, use your personal network! #ContentWritingChat
— Digital Natives Cast (@DgtlNativesCast) February 7, 2017
The Digital Natives team also agrees Twitter is a great way to reach out to people. Don’t forget to also use the network you’ve already built. Odds are, you’ve previously connected with some people who would make the perfect guests.
A4 Guests who are good on a mic, and PLEASE LET THEM TALK. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/oePDg6nejG
— Lex (@estherproject) February 7, 2017
As a listener, Lex wants a guest who is good on the mic. She also said you need to give them the opportunity to speak. Don’t control the conversation or talk over them.
A4: L–What makes a great podcast interview is forgetting it’s an interview; sounds like 2 friends talking.#ContentWritingChat
— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) February 7, 2017
Don’t let the conversation feel like an interview. Let things flow so it feels more like two friends talking.
Q5: How can you promote a podcast once it has launched to hopefully make it “New and Noteworthy”?
Getting that coveted “New and Noteworthy” spot on iTunes is a huge deal for podcasters. If you want to reach that level when your podcast first launches, there are a few things you should do to ensure its success. Here’s what you need to know:
A5: If you launch with 3 episodes you could potentially triple your number of downloads. #ContentWritingChat
— Madalyn Sklar ? (@MadalynSklar) February 7, 2017
A5: Encourage your listeners to subscribe, rate & review your podcast and also share it with friends. #ContentWritingChat
— Madalyn Sklar ? (@MadalynSklar) February 7, 2017
Madalyn said to launch your podcast with a few episodes ready to go. As she mentioned, if you launch with three episodes, you could triple your number of downloads. Plus, having multiple episodes ready is great for getting people sucked in. It provides plenty of content for them to listen to.
Once you’ve gotten them to your podcast page and they’ve started listening, encourage them to subscribe, rate, and review your podcast. Be sure to also tell them to share it with their friends. These are all key steps in building a successful podcast.
A5 TONS of hustle in promotion. Get friends/fans to review early on. It happened for me in <48 hours after 25-30 reviews #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) February 7, 2017
Julia knows you have to hustle when it comes to promoting your podcast. She recommends getting your friends and fans to review your podcast early on if you want to reach that New and Noteworthy section. She saw her podcast get featured within 48 hours of its launch after she had received 25-30 reviews.
A5: Build up anticipation by telling people about your podcast BEFORE the launch. You could do a social media countdown. #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel (@redheadrachel) February 7, 2017
It helps to build anticipation before your podcast launches. Tell your audience that it’s coming and get them excited by doing a countdown on social media. It’s a simple way to keep your podcast top of mind and they’ll be looking forward to its arrival.
A5) Social media, paid advertising, asking your guests to share it within their networks. Get resourceful to reach ppl! #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/3PnohtZ5hE
— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) February 7, 2017
Jason’s advice is to spread the word about your podcast via social media and paid advertising. He also suggests asking your guests to share it with their networks.
A5 Prepare a few episodes in advance. Start promotion early, before launch. After, use the power of community & WOM #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/5lfacrou00
— Zala Bricelj (@ZalkaB) February 7, 2017
Zala’s advice is to prepare a few episodes in advance. When you can launch with multiple episodes, you provide plenty of great content for your audience to listen to. She also said to start promotion early before you’ve even launched. This is a great way to get people excited about your podcast and looking forward to it. Make sure you maximize the power of your community and word-of-mouth.
A5c: Create a community around your podcast. Make people feel like they’re a part of something to inspire sharing #ContentWritingChat
— Mallie Rust (@malliefe2o3) February 7, 2017
Start building a community around your podcast and people will love being part of it. They’ll be happy to help you share and spread the word.
A5: I would make a graphic and share on social media, newsletters, and make sure it has catchy copy to attract listeners #contentwritingchat
— Mind of a Diva (@MindofaDiva) February 7, 2017
Don’t forget to create some eye-catching graphics to promote your podcast on social media and your email newsletter.
Q6: How can podcasts work as part of your overall content strategy along with blog posts, videos, etc.?
Podcasts, blog posts, and videos can seem like a lot. If you’re building a podcast, then you need to know how it fits into your overall content strategy. Here’s how you can make it fit:
A6: You can take your blog and create a podcast that’s an extended version of your various posts. #ContentWritingChat
— Madalyn Sklar ? (@MadalynSklar) February 7, 2017
As Madalyn said, you could take blog posts you’ve already written and expand on it to create a podcast episode.
A6 Fantastic way to bring your blogs to life! Repurpose content you’ve already created that was a hit into podcasts. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/twXFMuvYtb
— Michelle (@michelletweet) February 7, 2017
Michelle agrees that this is a great way to go. Plus, if you know the blog post was a hit, there’s a good chance the podcast episode will be too.
A6 Potential for a podcast to fit into your content marketing = HUGE. Repurpose blogs, cross promote, email marketing #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/QBWAZtob2R
— Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) February 7, 2017
As Julia said, repurposing blog posts is great when building a successful podcast. You can also cross-promote it on various platforms.
A6: You can upcycle podcast content into Slideshares/posts/etc. Or even expand a blog comment into an entire podcast…#ContentWritingChat https://t.co/7ARkcLlhXy
— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) February 7, 2017
Sarah suggests repurposing your podcast content into other formats. You can turn it into a blog post, a Slideshare, or another format that appeals to your audience. Alternatively, you could take content from your blog and create a full podcast episode.
A6) Repurpose content! Publish a podcast then take the info & turn it into a blog post, infographic, & a whitepaper, etc #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/QFLi8zd12m
— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) February 7, 2017
Jason says to turn your published podcasts into blog posts, infographics, and more! This is perfect considering not everyone is interested in podcasts and you’ll still be able to reach them this way.
Q7: In what ways can you repurpose your podcast episodes to consistently get new listeners? Should you create a transcript for each episode?
To really get the most out of your podcast, it’s a good idea to repurpose the episodes you create in order to break in new listeners. Many podcasters choose to include a transcript as well, but is it necessary? Here’s what you need to know:
A7: I tweet quotes from my guests along with an image so it stands out. I get great response from it. #ContentWritingChat
— Madalyn Sklar ? (@MadalynSklar) February 7, 2017
A7: There are many pros to posting a transcript for each episode. It’s great for SEO and the hearing impaired. #ContentWritingChat
— Madalyn Sklar ? (@MadalynSklar) February 7, 2017
Madalyn likes to tweet quotes from her podcast episodes and include an image so it stands out. It’s worked out well for her, so it’s worth a shot for your own episodes. She also mentioned that transcripts are great for SEO and for those who are hearing-impaired.
A7 Podcasting fits into EVERYTHING. Put it on your mail signature, author bios, link new shows in your email marketing. #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) February 7, 2017
Julia’s advice is to promote your podcast any way that you can. Add it to your email signature, your author bios, and more.
A7: I’ve seen people turn podcast episodes into YouTube videos, which is a fun idea for anyone who is more visual. #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel (@redheadrachel) February 7, 2017
While recording your podcast, have a camera on you to capture the whole thing. You can then upload it as a YouTube video, giving people a visual version of your podcast.
A7 – Use quotes from the podcast in Instagram photos. #contentwritingchat
— Jennifer Longworth (@JoysOfMercy) February 7, 2017
Jennifer suggests pulling quotes from the podcast and using them as graphics on Instagram. This is a great way to divert Instagram followers to your podcast.
A7 @ExpWriters By using relevant clips for top issues & creating highlight reels that cover some of current trends? #ContentWritingChat
— BrainBlender?? (@BrainBlenderTec) February 7, 2017
Share relevant clips and consider creating a highlight reel of the best moments.
A7 I did transcripts for the first few episodes. Didn’t like length + imperfections. Switched to show notes. MUCH better #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) February 7, 2017
For The Write Podcast, Julia started doing transcripts, but has since stopped. She prefers to stick to show notes.
A7: I wish ALL podcasts had transcript. Like I mentioned earlier I don’t have opp. to listen but would love opp. to read #ContentWritingChat
— Writer Leah Ingram (@theleahingram) February 7, 2017
Leah mentioned that she’d love to see transcripts for podcast episodes. Since she doesn’t often get the opportunity to listen to them, she’d love to be able to read instead.
A7. Show notes can be attached to feed adding SEO and share value…pdfs can be attached for download #contentwritingchat
— Kristin Huntley (@seekristintweet) February 7, 2017
Kristin likes show notes for SEO purposes, so they’re worth adding for your episodes.
A7) Absolutely create transcripts! It helps immensely with SEO, making your podcast easier to find! #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/hc3u8b4WOk
— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) February 7, 2017
Jason is all for podcast transcripts!
Q8: Which podcasts are your favorite?
Finally, we asked our chat participants what their favorite podcasts are and they chimed in! Check out these podcasts and start downloading their latest episodes:
A8: My favorite podcasts are: Social Media Marketing Podcast with @Mike_Stelzner & Smart Passive Income with @PatFlynn. #ContentWritingChat
— Madalyn Sklar ? (@MadalynSklar) February 7, 2017
These podcasts that Madalyn suggested are definitely worth listening to!
A8 Women-oriented: I love Profit Boss Radio w/ @hilarythecfp. Very informative. Industry: @neilpatel‘s Marketing School. #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) February 7, 2017
Julia loves to tune into these podcasts.
A8: I love @beingbossclub! Those ladies are amazing and their podcast was actually the first one I ever listened to. #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel (@redheadrachel) February 7, 2017
Being Boss is a great one for creative, female entrepreneurs.
A8) @TonyRobbins, @tferriss, and @johnleedumas‘ #EntrepreneurOnFire are my top 3 Podcasts I listen to. #ContentWritingChat
— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) February 7, 2017
Have you checked out any of Jason’s top three podcasts?
A8: We’re nerds and love analytics, so that means we <3 @jeffalytics Jumpstart Podcast: https://t.co/kuQgOiVKVB#ContentWritingChat https://t.co/DWbpXnufzC
— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) February 7, 2017
Love analytics? You may want to check this one out, too.
A8. I love @johnleedumas‘s podcast!!!! #ContentWritingChat
— Ai Zhang (@aiaddysonzhang) February 7, 2017
Have you listened to the podcast from John Lee Dumas?
A8. I’m a longtime listener of @stuffshouldknow and @momstuffpodcast #contentwritingchat
— Kristen Dunleavy (@KristenWritesIt) February 7, 2017
Kristen has two go-to podcasts that she’s been listening to for a long time.
We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM Central Time for great chats centered around content writing and marketing. Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on our new topics and guests!