Best Practices in Podcasting
I fell in love with Radiolab for Kids about a month ago. At first, I enjoyed it because it helped me sleep. Later, I realised that I passively remembered random facts from the episodes I had previously listened to.
One day I had an epiphany and the podcast became a part of my routine. I’d listen to it when I needed to sleep or whenever I had a nightmare.
Soon enough, I exhausted all the available episodes and desperately searched for similar podcasts for kids. To my dismay, none of them was the right fit for me or appropriate for my age.
Even though the episodes of Radiolab for Kids were not many, something about it made me come begging for more.
Good podcasts attract an audience and best practices sustain listeners. The sustained relevance of a podcast hinges on the observance of habits and processes that have proven to be successful in the industry.
What are a few best practices that are common in the podcasting industry?
Consistency is the best policy.
Human beings are creatures of habit. We enjoy the rhythm of a routine and bask in our ability to predict the outcome of an event or situation. This also applies to podcasts.
Consistency in releasing episodes is one of the keys to the growth of podcasts. Creating a schedule or timetable for a podcast helps keep one accountable and helps to build a relationship with your audience.
Listeners want to know what to expect and when to expect a new episode from a podcast series. Infrequent releases or ghosting on an audience without prior announcements will cause them to lose interest in one’s work. Podcast gurus suggest that podcast episodes can be released weekly or biweekly.
Apart from creating a production schedule, the podcast host may include clues that provide the listener with an inkling of what will be coming in the future episode. Let’s say that our next episode features a guest who was robbed on vacation. The podcast host may end that episode with something like this: “What happens when the best night of your life turns into a nightmare? Find out next week in our next episode.”
Make your podcast unforgettable.
Every aspect of a podcast should have the ability to be implanted in the memory of the people who come across it. While striving to churn out original content often, certain parts of your podcast should be peculiar to your brand and what it stands for.
“What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
— William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
Naming is an integral aspect of a podcast’s popularity and relevance. Podcast names do not have to be corny or humourous to be easily remembered. Simple and unique nomenclature is all that matters most.
Sounds are another way to create and unlock memories. The opening and closing music should cause listeners to remember your podcast whenever they hear it. A short catchy tune will register easily and helps in quickly identifying a podcast aside from its name. It also builds familiarity with your content.
Tip: Pay attention to ethics while picking your music.
The likeability of the host is another feature that makes your podcast worth remembering. The quality of their voice and their mannerisms are some attributes that endear the host to an audience. The host may use certain phrases or activities to begin the episode or sign off. For instance, the hosts of a show on Wazobia FM ring a bell whenever a new caller comes on.
Podcasts should have shareable content.
A good podcast should have relatable content that can be distributed in every medium. I speak for everyone when I say I would like to wear pieces of my favourite podcast on a shirt or have them slapped on a mug. Seriously though, how would you feel if a phrase from your podcast became a part of pop culture?
Parts of your podcast should be easily translatable into quotes, audio snippets, tweets, or reels. It promotes the podcast’s presence on social media and allows fans to share parts that they resonated with.
Equality in podcasting
There should be equal access to podcasts by everyone. This can be achieved by following accessibility guidelines. The use of closed captions, transcripts, and ALT texts on streaming platforms, websites and social media will allow people living with disabilities and other groups the chance to enjoy whatever content you’re offering. Subtitles may also help to bridge a lingual gap and expose one’s podcast to different populations.
Maintain due diligence
Whether it is in writing or producing or even marketing, due diligence is required. One must pay strict attention to all the risks involved by taking steps to identify and mitigate potential risks. Compliance checks such as constant fact-checking should be carried out and ethics should be considered at all times.
Don’t isolate your podcast.
No podcast is an island. Podcasts need a community of listeners and other podcasters for mutual nurturing and growth. Use available mailing tools to update your listeners about upcoming happenings in your podcast. Building a community also creates an avenue for your podcast to receive criticism and feedback about the work put out so far. Your audience may also have questions about the work you do.
Do not be afraid to collaborate with other professionals. If possible, it may be great for your show if you join a podcast network (an organisation that produces, distributes and advertises podcasts).
Best practices are principles that have been tried and tested repeatedly, with successful reports. While it is great to experiment with different ideas as you find what works best for your podcast, the results of engaging in best practices are pure bliss.
That’s it for today. Thank you for reading, as always.
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