It’s a golden age for podcasting. Brands of all kinds are recognising the incredible power and reach podcasting has to offer. Brands can engage their customers in a more personal and conversational way. The portability offered by podcasting means that business owners can inform and entertain their listeners, whether they are sat down or on the move.
So why are businesses jumping on the podcast train?
1. Podcasts Are Accessible on Demand
People no longer have to rush home to catch their favourite shows or sports games. Through their home and mobile devices, content is accessible at a stroke. The listener curates the experience on their terms, keeping up with the latest news or binge listening to missed episodes. Listeners will seek out podcasts that offer easy access to quality content that they control, any place at any time.
2. You Build Your Brand Organically
You don’t need to find your customers. Your customers will find you. A dynamic podcast that produces content regularly will expand its visibility and appeal naturally to a specific demographic that consumes similar content. The more quality content you produce, the easier it will be to find.
3. Podcasts Add Depth to Existing Content
Supplementing blog posts and video content with a podcast adds dimension to how your brand is perceived. Hearing conversations or monologues from the brand owners themselves builds trust with the listeners. Content is absorbed more easily when the listener feels an affinity to its creator.
4. Podcasting Is Soaring in Popularity
There are currently 2.9 million active podcasts in existence. Insiders project that by 2028, podcasting will be a £75 billion industry. In the UK alone, over 19.1 million Britons listen to podcasts — 40% of them are aged between 26 and 35; the vast majority of them listen on their smartphones while commuting to work. Podcast advertising revenue is set to be worth over £60 million by 2025, confirming that the future for podcasting is very bright indeed.
The Basics of Podcast Recording
A good quality microphone is essential. For simple plug-and-play functionality, go for a USB mic. It’s fast, easy and ideal for a single mic in one location. XLR microphones provide better sound quality, and you’ll be able to connect more than one mic at the same time for interview-style recordings.
There are many ways to record a podcast, either plugging directly into a laptop with a USB cable, or for a set-up involving more than one mic, an audio mixer that runs USB and XLR gives you more control and flexibility. If you’re on the move, a lavalier mic connected to a smartphone will work just fine.
A pop filter placed in front of the mic will dampen plosive sounds, such as words featuring hard P and T sounds. This will blunt potential distortion spikes in your recording.
With headphones, it’s best to go with the over-the-ear models rather than standard earbuds. They insulate the sound so you can monitor your recording closely and accurately. With two or more people, headphones should be worn by all participants to minimise any audio anomalies making it onto the recording.
Record in a small room to keep the sound contained. Avoid sound bouncing off walls and ceilings by using soundproofing materials such as foam panels or egg boxes. These will help absorb free-floating audibles from contaminating the recording.
Finally, always perform a test recording to warm up the voice and check that your audio settings are correct. And be sure to record a few seconds of silence. The captured sound will slot into the gaps between edits, resulting in a smooth and seamless recording. And then you’re set.
The Altlier team provides full post-production audio editing, including noise reduction, dialogue editing, music and intro/outro placement, mixing and compression. To find out how we can help your business, check our services page or get in touch.
