In this article I will explain how to make a podcast step by stepThe programme includes everything from recording and editing to broadcasting on social networks and the possibility of recording live or delayed.
Create a podcast to promote your business is a pretty smart idea. Firstly, because we are living the golden age of podcastsas he called it last November The New York Times.
Already in 2018, 40% percent of Spaniards listened to podcastsThis makes our country the fourth country with the highest percentage in the world, after Turkey, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
From 2020 onwards, with the pandemic, this figure has skyrocketed. In the first six months of last year alone, there were 25% more listeners than in the same period of the previous year.according to Voxnest.
The podcasts have ceased to be digital versions of radio programmes to reach their own entity. Apart from sponsorship from large companies, individuals have managed to leave their living rooms and fill theatres, be bought out or even create parallel businesses.
Businesses are beginning to discover that the money is in the podcast. According to a Deloitte reportBy 2025, the podcast world will be a $3.3 billion market.
For example, here's a button. Podimoa paid platform with exclusive podcasts and non-exclusive - born in 2019, has raised €11.2 million in its latest round of funding this 2021. A year earlier, it had raised another €15 million.
And I'm not talking about advertising but, above all, about its great capacity to segmentation. Nowadays, podcasts are, together with written content, the fastest way to reach your audience and provide value.
What is a podcast?
Let's start with what is a podcast.
A podcast is a regular audio publication (although it can also be found in video) that can be streamed or downloaded from the internet.
It differs from the radio programme in that is not emitted through the airwavesHowever, more and more podcasts are being converted into radio programmes and vice versa. In fact, on most listened podcast in Spain is Nobody Knows Anything, which is also a radio programme broadcast on the SER radio station. The second, by the way, is Understand Your Minda podcast specialising in psychology that has been able to monetise itself through a book and a private club.
The specialisation is, in fact, one of the main characteristics of the podcast. In the last few years, content has multiplied and has become completely segmented. This allows you to reach very specific audiences, with specific interests in your business area.
The other major feature is its versatility. A podcast can be listened to at any time and does not require full attention. While cooking, in the shower, while cleaning, while commuting, while shopping, or while working, its high degree of specialisation is making them a more interesting alternative to radio.
Podcast users are not looking for company, they are looking for a very specific company of people with whom they share certain codes or tastes.
The podcast goes where audio-visual streaming is unable to go.
In a world in which the platforms streaming have taught us to select a la cartea podcast allows you to choose what to listen to according to your mood of the moment.
In fact, the new generations make up a large part of this new audience that traditional radio had lost and that in the podcast format finds content to suit them.
For example History of Spain for Selectividada podcast that reviews the topics of the subject for the university entrance exam and which has been placed among the top ten most listened podcasts in our country in 2019 and 2020.
Podcast for business: yes or no?
Is it a good idea to integrating a podcast into the content strategy of your company? To answer the question honestly, it depends.
There is an advantage over creating content for SEOYou won't need a specialist like me. It is true that you can (and should) also working on the SEO of a podcast by uploading it to its corresponding platform, but it is a much simpler job than creating written content that ranks or even making SEO on Youtube.
The technical expertise necessary are also simpler than those required to set up a SEO content strategy or edit a video. With some basic knowledge and the help of a tutorial we can handle free programmes such as Audacity with ease.
Even so, A podcast also requires time and resources. It requires recording time, it requires scripting, it requires editing and it may also require production if you want to bring in guests and make a more dynamic programme.
I have already told you in the definition that for a podcast to be defined as such it requires periodicityCan your team find the time to run it every week, every fortnight or every month? Ask yourself that question.
Last but not least, think about what you can contribute from your company. In the golden age of podcasts, there are programmes of all kinds and if you don't stand out for your content, it won't be worth the effort.
You can continue to participate in this era by advertising or even sponsoring an existing section or programme.
It's not about you, it's about what you can bring to the table.
Burn it into your heart that a podcast is not an advertisement. This is the main problem with corporate programmes that don't work, as it is with organic content that doesn't rank.
It's not about your products or services. It's about the people on the other side.
Look for a way in which your experience can be useful, entertaining and interesting for your target. In order to do this, it is essential to define your buyer persona or to the customer archetypes you are most interested in.
For example, in the Netflix podcast Are You Still There? a film, series or documentary serves as an introduction to each topic, with only two or three minutes of discussion, before moving on to general topics with distinguished guests.
Moving away from entertainment and towards more corporate content, the Banco Sabadell podcast has created its own platform, Be where you areto talk about the COVID-19 crisis and offer useful tips for companies with top-level guests.
In both cases, the secret is clear. Talk about what interests your audience with people who interest your audience. And this is applicable to any sector.
If you have a TRAVEL AGENCYDon't just sell the trip, give advice, tell funny anecdotes, legends, curiosities, etc... Give that value that experience gives you. If you have a consultancy or, for example, a mechanic workshop, there will also be a lot of experiences that can be useful for your clients.
The key is to add value and be original.
Tips on how to make a good podcast for business
OK, you've made up your mind, I'm going to making my own podcastWhere do I start?
The first thing you need to do is research what has already been done. If there are a dozen other companies talking about the same thing you were going to talk about, I'm sorry but you're late to the party.
Or maybe not, but you will have to find an approach that sets you apart.
Next, it is necessary to defining the name, concept and graphic identity. Look for an original name that no one else is using, but try to differentiate it from your company name.
In the same way that a radio station has different programmes and they do not share the name of the station, your podcast must have their own independent identity of your company's.
At this point it will be necessary to define who will present, if it will be a talk show, if there will be external guests, etc... My advice: be original.
Always taking into account your Buyer Personadefines the contents or episodes in a editorial calendar.
You will also have to set the tone. My suggestion is to be as informal as you can. The great thing about audio is that it generates a much greater sense of intimacy with the listener than text or television, so make the most of it. Be approachable also in the way you address the audience.
Once you have the conceptual section ready, it's time to get down to work.
How to create a podcast
I will separate the process of how to make a podcast on a technical level in different sections. From the technical equipment you need to the software, as well as how to make the script and the platforms where to upload podcasts for free.
My idea is that by the time you finish this article you will know how to make a podcast for your business and you can get down to work.
What do you need to make a podcast?
The technical equipment for making a podcast can reach different levels of complexity. My advice is to keep it simple at first and, if it works for you, consider upgrading.
Initially, all you need is a computer, a microphone and a headset.. Having a decent microphone is a good way to ensure good sound quality, but with a few microphones you can get a good sound quality. normal headphones with standard built-in microphone more than acceptable quality can be achieved.
The better the mic, the better the sound quality.
In the midst of a pandemic, you may be asking yourself how to make a podcast remotelyespecially if you are teleworking. Fortunately, it is much easier to do this remotely than in a face-to-face format, for which you will need a 360º microphonean adapter or an sound table so that more than one microphone can fit in, radio programme style.
For this reason, it is recommended that each participant enters from his or her own computer and with his or her own microphone. There will always be time to become more professional.
Technically it is also much simpler that way.
How to script a podcast
Making the podcast script will require a different approach depending on the type of programme you are going to do. A monologue programme is not the same as an interview or a panel discussion.
What is very important in the podcast is to let yourself go. Don't close yourself to what you have written and avoid reading.
A podcast is a conversation, not an audiobook.
There is nothing more boring than a podcast where you feel like you are reading from a script. Therefore, what you have to create is the structure of each programmewith the main points or ideas that you want to address.
With it as a guide, you can let yourself go. Also, make a note if you are going to introduce any kind of sound effect or sound resource. Beyond the intro bumper, which should be defined in the conceptual section, in the podcasts of this decade, unlike those of the last decade, sound effects are disappearing.
What the audience is now looking for is people talkingas if it were a WhatsApp audio or a chat room. Clubhouse.
If you are going to interview someone, even if you have prepared questions, be flexible. The most common criticism of these programmes is that in order to respond to the script, the most interesting ideas of your guests are not questioned or let go.
The flexibility is a great advantage for the creator over the radio programme. You don't have to enter a closed schedule and the duration can vary from one episode to the next. Let the programme speak to you. That's how you'll make your audience fall in love with you.
How long should my podcast be?
A podcast can last as long as you like. It is normal that all programmes are of a similar length for stylistic consistencyBut there are many, many exceptions, even in the most successful programmes (except for those broadcast on radio, which end up being constrained by the laws of radio).
My advice is to start small and manageable.. Some of the most successful podcasts are under 20 minutes. For someone who is not used to this world, 20 minutes to half an hour can be perfect for a first season.
It won't take up much of your time and will help you to see if your audience is interested.
Remember that the format is open to longer or different special programming. If, for example, you have a technology company and usually only you and your team are on the podcast, but you set up a panel discussion about the 5G and how it will affect business with guests, you can perfectly well do either a double programme or a much longer programme.
Here you decide.
Initially I would recommend the use of evergreen contentThe content should be valid throughout the year and should not expire, at least until there is a significant number of subscribers, when you could move on to content related to news or events that take place on specific dates.
This way, when a new user arrives at your site, you will be able to business podcastYou will be able to listen to the old episodes and they will still be up to date.
Record the podcast online
Once the identity of the business podcast, the script and the time frame have been defined, it's time to record.
There is an immense variety of programmes with which you can record the podcast online, but I am going to tell you about the three most interesting options, with their pros and cons.
All of them are free podcasting tools, although they have premium options that you may want to purchase at some point. Even so, you can make a very good quality podcast without having to spend money on these extra features.
These tools are Zencastr, Zoom and Skype.
Skype
It is probably my least favourite tool for record the podcast online. The advantage it has is that it practically everyone has Skype and knows how to use it.
In addition, you can record with video, which helps you to have that sense of conversation which is so important.
When recording with guests, it is usually one of the most used because it does not require any podcast software with which they are unfamiliar.
It also allows record a video call of several people with no time limit (24 hours) in its free version. The recording is saved in the chat for 30 days, so you are safe from possible crashes or software failures.
Against, audio quality is not always the best. This will depend a lot on your internet connection and the connection of the other people participating. Likewise, you will be download audio and video in a single fileso you will have to separate it later with an editor.
You can also make an audio-only call to avoid this problem, but for that it is better to opt for Zencastr. The advantage of Skype o Zoom is to see eye to eye.
However, it will be a single audio file for all participants, so you won't have many editing options. For example, if someone is heard much quieter than the others, you won't be able to do anything about it.
Zoom
Zoom was the great video calling tool of this confinement and has an important advantage over Skype and a disadvantage. The advantage is that after recording the call, the audio and video are downloaded as separate files.
That is to say, you will have your own audio file to work with or edit it without having to separate it from the video. In addition, the sound quality is usually a little better than Skype, although your connection will still have a lot to say about this.
The disadvantage is that in its free version has recording time limits. If only two computers are connected you can record without limit, but if more than two computers are connected you can record without limit. the maximum shall be 40 minutes.
If you're doing a 20-minute or half-hour episode, it's not a problem, but if you're going to take longer, it's a problem. You can open a new meeting and record when the 40 minutes are up, but if we have guests it's a pretty crappy thing to do as a company.
If you contract the Premium versionIf the other people on the video call do not have it, the maximum time limit disappears.
On the other hand, it shares another disadvantage with Skype, the audio is a single fileIf there are differences in volume, it will not be easy to balance it.
To finish with the inconveniences, the recording is generated when the call ends. If you suffer a connection outage, your computer shuts down or something similar, you will lose it forever and will have to repeat the call.
Zencastr
Zencastr is undoubtedly the best programme for recording an audio podcast. Unlike the others, it is a specialised podcasting tool. That is, this idea expressly for what we are going to do.
This is also its major disadvantage: its free version does not include video. To be able to record audio with video, Zoom-style, you will have to pay for its premium version.
In terms of retrieve the recordingis halfway between Skype and Zoom. The recordings are generated on completion and uploaded to the cloud, but uploading errors can occur. In my experience, whenever I have encountered such an error, I have always been able to recover the audio by following their recovery instructions.
Once in the cloud, it is also kept for several days for downloading.
As for the advantages, let's start with the sound quality. At Zencastr is much, much better than in Skype o Zoomeven in those connections that are not so good.
In addition, each person in the conversation has his or her own audio file. In this way, you can turn up the volume if someone has a poorer quality mic or remove someone's speech if it is above another and is not understood, for example.
In this sense, before you start recording you can check the sound waves, so that you can calibrate the microphone so that everyone sounds at the same volume and avoid editing later.
A final advantage is that it can be used in the browser. You won't need any software or ask a guest to download anything, just click on a link.
My choice to record a podcast
Having used all three systems, for me Zencastr is the one that works best for me, followed by Zoom. Another option that I have not mentioned but which shares characteristics with Skype is Met.
Zencastr not only records better, but also makes editing easier. One option to cover its main drawback (not being able to see other people's faces) is to open a parallel video call on Skype by muting the microphones. Thus, you can engraving by Zencastr and see you on Skype without time constraints.
Podcast editing tools
There are also many programmes for editing the podcastI am only going to tell you about one because I believe it has advantages that are far superior to the competition.
It is about AudacityWhy do I choose this programme? Mainly because it is free and open source. You won't have to pay to use it and it doesn't even have premium options. You will have the complete programme at your disposal for free.
It is also very easy to use. You can easily cut, mute, add other tracks, turn the volume up or down or remove background noise.
I'm not going to explain how to use Audacity step by step, but I leave you a Youtube tutorial. There are thousands of Audacity tutorials on Youtube and as editing a podcast is very simple, you won't have any problems.
The programme is in English and all the tools are clear. Google any doubt you may have and you will have the solution instantly. It is not for nothing that it is already 20 years old (although being open source, it has been evolving and improving over the last two decades).
How to make a live podcast
Another option that may interest you is to know how to make a live podcast. That is, broadcasting live.
In these cases, the most interesting options include video. In fact, in many cases, it would be difficult to differentiate it from, for example, a webinar.
I'm not going to go into too much detail but I'll tell you about the two most interesting tools if you want to do it this way.
One, which will also help you to increase your digital presence, is to do so through Twitch. This is another of the fastest growing networks, especially among young people, so if you're looking for a way to get to know them, you'll be able to find out more about them. Buyer Persona is a user of Twitch you may be interested in broadcasting it over there.
Another option for recording a live podcast is broadcast it on Youtube. You can do this thanks to tools such as Streamyardwhich are also relatively easy to use.
Even so, I would not start with a live podcast. I would leave this option for when we already have a consolidated audience. To start with, much better record onlineThe aim is to have the opportunity to edit if there are any mistakes and, above all, to gain fluency before facing the live performance.
The advantage is that it allows video networks to be nurtured as well, something that can be important when it comes to achieving a increased customer confidence potential.
Be careful that, yes, just as we can go down very well, we can go down badly. And that can end up with an almost certain sale.
Free podcast platforms
We can say that there are currently three podcast platforms and two secondary ones that you should also consider. Fortunately, by uploading the programme to one of them, the other platforms will be able to upload from there.
These three main platforms, where most eavesdropping takes place, are iVoox, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Equally, account must be taken of Podimo and Google Podcasts.
The first thing you're probably wondering is how to make a podcast on Spotify. The way to do this is not by uploading it directly but by through your iVoox account.
About how to upload a podcast to iVoox is very simple. First you must register and create your channel. Within your channel you will be able to put different programmes.
Each time you upload your programme you will have to put a thumbnail, write a description, select some tags and a category (this is where the SEO for podcasts). From there, it will be automatically uploaded to Google Podcasts and to Spotify.
At Spotify for Podcasters you can check the performance of your podcast and view statistics. This is very interesting because it includes demographic data (age, gender including non-binary, geographic location, etc...) that you don't have in iVoox and that will let you know whether or not you are getting closer to your Buyer Persona. In case it has not been uploaded from iVoox You can also apply automatically here.
If it is not uploaded to Google PodcastWe can do this by adding the RSS feed of our podcast from iVoox. here.
To upload it to Apple Podcasts we need an iTunes ID and to use the RSS feed from our iVoox podcast at this link.
Limitations of the free iVoox account
As you can see, in order to upload your podcast in almost all of the podcasting platforms you need upload the original to iVoox. However, we ran into a problem.
As it works through its RSS link, we will only be able to share the last 20 programmes. In other words, in iVoox if you can upload as many programmes as you want without limit, but in Spotify o Google Podcast only the last 20 will be uploaded.
To Apple Podcasts You will need to be an iVoox premium user to upload. If you become a Starter PlanYou can upload as many programmes as you want and start monetising your content on iVoox itself.
Once you get past the 20 programmes, I would recommend paying for the Starter Plan if you see that the strategy is working for you. Spotify and Apple Podcasts have more listeners than iVoox so I wouldn't miss the opportunity to keep reaching out with older episodes.
The Podimo case
Podimo is a special case. As I told you at the beginning of this article, it is a payment tool for the user. Therefore, it also offers greater monetisation possibilities.
In this case, we can upload the programmes by RSS through iVoox as in the rest of the platforms or upload exclusive content. If we upload exclusive content we will have different options to earn money with it.
If you are thinking about how to make a podcast for businessI do not recommend this option either. At the moment, Podimo does not have many listeners in Spain and your business is not the podcast itself, but reaching your target audience through it.
So, in that case, the more places you are, the better. Upload your content to Podimobut don't make exclusive content for them.
How to upload the podcast to social networks
Once we already know how to publish a podcast on the internet (remember you can also add the iVoox audio to your website) let's move on to how to broadcast it on social media.
Perhaps the most compatible with the podcast is Youtubewhich I have already told you about in order to make a live podcast.
Likewise, having a specific Twitter, Facebook o Instagramas well as a section on the website is recommended.
It is true that multiplies networking but it also makes it easier to reach the audience. In general, users are more likely to follow a podcast that interests them than they are to follow a brand, so we can take advantage of this.
Likewise, remember not to hang the programmes and do nothing else.. Social media is a place of sharing, so share with your audience.
Da exclusive previews of the programme's contentsYou can also ask questions, play games, ask about interests for upcoming episodes, or simply share resources or other aspects that you have mentioned during the show. Make sure that like the programme, there is added value in following the social networks.
Likewise, remember that it is not necessary to be in all of them. Participate in those where your Buyer Persona and find a way to reach them. Advertising on social media can help you but also, for example, having a guest of their interest.
Place yourself on the map and you can start working.
I hope that this guide on how to make a podcast to promote your business I hope you have found it useful. If you have any questions, advice or feedback, remember you can leave me a comment and I'll be happy to talk to you about it.
