The Act of Podcasting

The year 2023 will be thickly populated with new ideologies, technologies, opportunities, trends and socio-economic developments. The “man on the mic” will emerge as an undeniable voice of influence as the center-stage gets filled with idea-sharers, trend analysts, social commentators, content creators, storytellers and thought leaders.

While the above doesn’t seem like what would make the list of the hundreds of “New Year Prophecies” headlining the church bulletins in January, it goes without saying that we are in the age of content and 2023 will only see a further rising of that age.

The ‘How’ of Podcasting

The term ‘podcasting’ was coined in early February, 2004 by the Guardian columnist and BBC journalist Ben Hammersley and in the simplest terms, a podcast “is a program made available in digital format for download over the internet” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast). But just in case you are underwhelmed with this simple definition, hear this;

1. As at January 2023, there are over 5 million podcasts with over 70 million episodes between them.
2. Currently, there are 464.7 million podcast listeners globally.

• It is predicted that there will be around 504.9 million podcast listeners worldwide by the end of 2024.

(source: https://www.demandsage.com/podcast-statistics/)

So do you have a message you want to share with a teeming audience of people? Do you have a niche you can talk about? Do you want to make money while talking about what you love or what adds value to people’s lives? Then understand and apply the following steps as you build an enviable podcasting career.

Choose Your Niche

There are few questions to consider when opting for a niche in podcasting.

• Are you relatively knowledgeable in the niche you are considering?
• Is the niche something that piques your passion or interest even if you are not currently quite knowledgeable in that area?
• Does this niche currently generate high demand or high-traffic search?
• Is it a profitable niche?
• Will it deliver value to your target audience?
• Is niche specific enough (the word ‘niche’ actually suggests that it should be a specific domain of knowledge)

An intent permutation of some or all of these questions and their corresponding answers will undoubtedly lead to the right choice of a niche. Some apps and tools that could be of help in exploring specific knowledge fields as a guide to answering some of these questions include Google Tools, SparkToro Trending, Buzzsumo, Feedly, Trendwatchers and more.

Choose Your Podcast Hosting Platform

Now that you have chosen your niche and ready to start reaching out to people who’d love to sit around their mobile phones or PCs to listen to you, the next thing to do is to carefully select a podcast hosting platform. According to an article on the www.podcasthost.com, a podcast hosting platforms does two things. First, it’s the place on web where you upload your podcast episodes. Second, it generates the RSS feed which you submit to listening platforms and which allows people to subscribe to your show.  There are many podcasting platforms, both free and paid for. Below are 10 highly recommended ones which can be explored further on the web or App store.

1. Anchor
2. Castos
3. Buzzsprout
4. Podbean
5. Captivate
6. Resonate
7. SoundCloud
8. Audioboom
9. RSS.com
10. Spreaker

GET THE RIGHT TOOLS

It’d take you to invest in the some quality tools if you want your podcast to peak in professionalism, aesthetics and delivery. Without having to break the bank, you can start with some few gadgets.

1. USB or XLR Microphone: Two popular and effective options for recording your podcast are the USB and XLR microphones. While USB mics connect directly to the PC through the USB cable, the XLR mic delivers higher sound quality. The RODE PodMic for instance is a cost-effective XLR microphone that gives studio-quality sound.

CKMOVA Sum-3 Studio-quality USB Microphone   

                                                                           CKMOVA SXM-3 Cardioid Condenser microphone

Source: https://holoceneinnovations.com/product-category/professional-audio/microphones/

• Studio-Quality Headphones: Podcasters who record interviews remotely need headphones while recording as this allows you to hear how the recorded audio will sound in real-time and make necessary adjustments for maximum quality recording.

Sennheiser HD 25 Monitor Headphones

Sennheiser HMD 26-II-600 Professional    Broadcast Headset with Dynamic Microphone         

Source: https://holoceneinnovations.com/?s=headphones&post_type=product

• Audio Interface: A mixer or audio interface connects your microphone  to the computer and also gives flexibility towards editing and volume control. Focusrite is a good example of an audio mixer that connects XLR microphones to your computer through a USB-C cable.

Rode RØDECaster Pro Podcast Production Studio                        Rode AI-Micro Compact Audio Interface

Source: https://holoceneinnovations.com/shop/professional-audio/audio-interfaces/rode-ai-micro-compact-audio-interface/

There are more tools, more apps, more steps, but every single tool and step doesn’t have to be in place before you start or grow your podcasting craft or career. With the above, you are on your way to adding value, telling your story, impacting your world, building an audience and of course making profit all along with the limitless possibilities accessible through podcasting.