If you’ve never done it before, presenting a podcast can be daunting. What do you say when you press record? Well, here are a few tips…
Talk to your audience
The people listening don’t have to listen to you, so welcome them, thank them for taking some time out of their day to listen to you. Tell them what you intend to do on this podcast, what they are to expect over this episode. This is not something to do at the start and end, but do it through the podcast. Terry Wogan who presented the very successful BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show for a number of decades had millions of listeners. However, when he was asked about his audience he would always say he only had one listener and would talk to them.
Don’t assume…
The old adage of assuming is the mother of all F***ers is true. You know everything about the subject BUT does the audience? You’d imagine if someone takes time to listen then they will too however, I have discovered in making niche content, there are a lot of people who listen because they have a passing interest and want to learn more. So, give details, introduce clips from YouTube (remember to credit them!) and add a backstory as to what you’re talking about and why it’s important in the context of your chat.
Remember this is audio NOT video!
I know it’s blindingly obvious but with audio people cannot see you. So, it is important for you to paint pictures with words and be creative with your script. If you are introducing an interview you did, talk about where it was held and your journey there, is what your guest is wearing important, are they promoting something then why not introduce a clip of it. As I mentioned, people are taking time out of their day to listen and may only have a passing interest so it may trigger another sale of their book.
Create movement
Podcasting is a top of funnel activity to raise awareness of a brand, product or offering. It is incredibly hard to measure success of a podcast alone by numbers. Make sure you offer regular points through the podcast so if a listener is interested then where to find it. Don’t think you’ll bung that at the end of the podcast because what if a listener doesn’t get that far? Make sure you talk about it at the start, middle and end. When I personally make podcasts, I like to create a little break in the middle of the interview to direct the listener to something.
Enjoy yourself!
Authenticity in audio is everything. So be excited about someones cloud product because if you aren’t then why should the listener!? It’s important to smile and just be yourself. Don’t use words you don’t normally use as it’ll just make you trip up if reading from a script. Do not put on a voice. Just. Be. Yourself. If you are, everything else will take care of itself.
I hope your podcast is a success. If you need any help with the post production, then feel free to reach out to the team. Good luck!
