Page 16 - Engage -- Fall 2018 -- no.14

14
Fall 2018
FEATURE
(Having a regular release date—on a weekly basis, if you can—is recommended by most experts,
but there’s no use putting out content simply for the sake of doing it.) Planning your guests and recording several episodes before uploading your first one are also good ideas.
As for the direction of your content, it’s okay to keep the topic to something somewhat narrow, even niche. In general, a podcast audience is going to already be interested in the subject you are discussing, so they expect to dedicate time to a rather specific topic. Aim to drive subscriptions and repeat listeners; some brands do this by offering their podcast listeners perks such as
free shipping codes, free trials, or additional downloadable content.
Once you’ve answered these questions and done some planning, it’s time to move on to the actual work of recording. Start with a quiet place to ensure good sound quality. If you plan on doing remote interviews using Skype or a hard line, you’ll need to record the call onto your computer. If you are taking a bare-bones approach, you
can use recording and editing software such as GarageBand (Mac) or Audacity (Mac and PC);
if you have a Creative Cloud subscription, try Audition. All three options will capture audio on your computer and allow editing. Logic Pro X is Apple’s pro-grade version above GarageBand.
For higher-quality sound, use a portable digital recorder, which records from the mic onto an
SD card. From there, you’ll upload your audio file to your computer to edit in your audio-editing software. Another option is a recording interface, which enables the use of multiple microphones and records straight into your audio-editing station (computer).
Once you’ve recorded a podcast, you’ll want to dress it up with intro and outro music and have a bit of cover art to display with it. (If you don’t have your own music or artwork, plenty of options are available for purchase or free download online.) From there, your podcast needs to be uploaded to a media host, or the place where your audio file lives; this is much like how you might upload photos to Instagram or Facebook. Once you’ve uploaded your podcast, your media host will have created an RSS feed (a web address). You’ll use this unique URL to submit your podcast to publishing platforms such as iTunes and Google Play. You can also grab an embed code from your web host and use that to publish your podcast in a blog post or on your website.
FOUR OF OUR FAVORITE MARKETING PODCASTS
Check out these marketing-related shows for good examples and subject matters that might be of professional interest. Don’t overlook the layout of their landing pages, the calls-to-action, and the many ways listeners can download and subscribe to the podcasts.
1 Social Pros Podcast
We’ve featured Jay Baer on these pages in the past, and for good reason. In the Social Pros Podcast, the best-selling author and founder of the marketing consultancy Convince & Convert teams up with Salesforce’s Adam Brown to discuss the inside stories of those doing real work in social media
at top brands.
2 Copyblogger FM
A shorter podcast (generally 30 minutes or less), Copyblogger FM has recently touched on how to improve your copywriting, boost your creativity, and increase traffic, engagement, and shares. Sonia Simone, cofounder of Rainmaker Digital, hosts it.
3 The Tim Ferriss Show
This podcast from the author of The 4-Hour Workweek is not necessarily all about marketing, but it is an interesting and inspiring listen. On
the show, famous guests from business, sports, and entertainment discuss their habits, routines, and tactics. And who among us can’t use a little knowledge like that? (Check out our GIVEAWAY— it includes the Audio-Technica microphone
Tim Ferriss uses!)
4 Call to Action
Want marketing success stories? This is your podcast. Hosted by digital marketing leader Unbounce, the show shares how and why certain campaigns succeeded (and failed) as well as how you can use what you hear to build your own success story. Guests come from various industries and backgrounds.