PromoGuy dot Net: Podcasts - How to Make Them Better

November 11, 2004

Podcasts - How to Make Them Better

This is a follow-up to yesterday's rant. I've listened to a few more and have come up with a few suggestions for the podcasters out there. I am no authority, I just know what I like. I've also worked in Broadcasting for 7 years, so I know something of what an audience wants. Sure this is narrow-casting (or even marginal-casting) but some of the same rules apply.

Feedback is welcomed, and hey, if you think I'm full of it, let me know!

PromoGuy's Tips on How To Make Your Podcast Better

* Get an Original Theme Song Every show needs a hook, and grabbing an MP3 of your favorite pop music song isn't cutting it. Either create something, license something or buy something. But do something that makes your show stand out.

* Quit Saying "Umm" When I took Voice & Diction in college, we got slammed every time we gave a speech and said "Um." Be prepared when you start your show. Have some notes, do something so you aren't stumbling around verbally thinking of what to say next. Prepare!

* Have a Purpose Just don't ramble about your day, or if you do, tell us a story. Say something rather than a lot of nothing.

* Keep it Short Sweetie Consider your audience and that they do have a life beyond your blog and podcast. An hour and 15 minutes is too much to ask of your listeners.

* Keep it Moving This is the age of MTV, and we get bored easily so try to cover several topics

* Tell us if it's Dirty It won't be long before there are tons of podcasts about s3x, if not podcasts of people having s3x. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But play fair, and if you use adult language or humor, let the listener know in the show. Not all shows are downloaded from a web site, thanks to RSS enclosures. So a disclaimer on your web site may never be read by your listener. Consider a disclaimer on your podcast, so listeners can have time to switch if innocent ears are nearby.

* Use the MP3 ID Tags I have several shows I've downloaded but I have no idea where they came from. I admit it, I forgot where I got them. If the author had used the MP3 ID tags to describe the show or include a web link, I could have been able to find their site. It is a great resource that many podcasters are ignoring. The ID3 tags are there, use them. If nothing else, at least put your URL into the Comment field.

* Use Descriptive File Names For some reason, many podcasters are not giving their show's MP3 file a name that makes any sense. Most of them are abbreviation of the show title, and the numeral of which show it is. So, if I named one like most podcasters do, it would like this: pgdu_show04.mp3. That is useless, just useless. Try this: PromoGuys-Digital-Underground_11-13-2004.mp3. I want to know what a show is by looking at the file name, I mean really, doesn't that make sense?

* Have Occasional Guests or Co-Hosts Talk radio is much more interesting when there is a conversation taking place. Whether it is call-in, or banter between hosts, it keeps things lively. I can't think of many talk shows that have one person talking alone, without anyone else in the studio or on a phone-in.

* Invite Your Listeners On the Show Either by way of leaving you an MP3 file of a voice comment, or a voice mail on a phone number, or talking to them as the show is recording. It is a good way to involve listeners and keep your show fresh. Plus if they have a blog you know they will be promoting being on your show!

* Stick To It How many websites have you read where the author claims they will do something for you the reader (a weekly comic, a daily DVD review and so on) but they eventually bail out on you? Yeah, it happens a lot. Much like blogging, people can't stick with it. If you really have something to say, and want the world to know, keep your podcasts coming. Don't stop when the going gets tough. Keep your word, and stick with it.

* Keep Your Schedule If it is a weekly podcast, do it weekly and try to release it on the same day. If it is a daily show, release it at the same time every day.

* Keep Background Music to a Minimum Background music is great, but if it overpowers your voice, it doesn't do anything but distract from the show. Of course, if you run a music show, never mind.

* Post The Links You Mention Just in case the listener isn't able to jot down the sites you mention. I've seen several podcasters doing this, and I really appreciate it. Still, I'd like to see a PodCast Player (mentioned in previous posts) where the links mentioned would pop up beside the podcast as it plays.

I really enjoy listening to all the podcasts, but I am forced to limit them to just a few. I just don't have enough time in a day to take them all in. I think that's the key, good podcasts will rise to the top of a listener's short list. Maybe that can be yours.

Let me know what you think, and if you have a podcast, be sure to leave a link.

file this under MultiMedia
Posted by on November 11, 2004 @ November 11, 2004 10:52 AM
10 folks had something to say

Comments

Doing a show is not an easy task ! Wow

Thanks for giving these advices !

Posted by: Olivier at November 20, 2004 5:07 PM

Great advice! I've tried to follow most of them but there are a few (MTV-like attention span, and perhaps better file naming, etc.) that I need to paymore attention to.

Keep it coming, we all need the voice of experience.

My podcast: http://www.softwareland.org
RSS: http://radio.weblogs.com/0141212/rss.xml

Posted by: Michael Lehman at November 21, 2004 8:15 AM

Excellent article. I've implemented all of your comments into my interviews. The biggest one is keeping it short. We post a new interview with an athlete every day by 8:00am Pacific. Each interview is max 14 minutes - why? Because we follow our stats closely and we lose A LOT of people right about the 14 minute mark.

I would bet you folks doing those marathon one hour podcasts have 0 listeners by the end.

http://www.EnduranceRadio.com

Posted by: Tim Bourquin at November 25, 2004 12:43 PM

I think so.

Posted by: Grek000 at December 9, 2004 2:10 PM

Bwuh! This reads like *the* manual on "how to kill your originality".

Hate it when people tell others how to do their broadcasts. Really, mind your own business, and let everyone decide for themselves, you don't know what we like, and you should let everyone decide to NOT care about the things you write here. We will have much more fun and much better casts that way. We hear enough predictable horseshit from the mainstream media as it is.

My advice:
- Say "uuhm" as much as you like,
- make your cast as long as you possibly can,
- use every damn old pop-record you like,
- don't behave if it means you are holding back,
- bail out of stuff and lie to the listener as much as you like,
- behave like Pippi Longstocking would;
Don't grow up, avoid becoming a corporate follower, don't do what everyone expects, go your own way, avoid ANY direction whatsoever. Be unfriendly and harsh if you want to, talk about sex as much as you want (kids are perfectly capable of dealing with it) and record silence if you think that's appropriate for you. And most importantly:
- IGNORE the list Promoguy (can I say "commercial-guy"?) made up. It's worthless. We can all think for ourselves, and make up our own ideas.

Posted by: Julius at December 12, 2004 10:07 PM

Thank you for these excellent suggestions! I am a former DJ on a freeform station, but I needed to be reminded of some of these wise tips. Thanks again.

Note to "Julius" (posted December 12, 2004, 10:07 PM): I am aghast at your stupidity and vulgarity. At least you have somewhat followed your own advice ("Don't grow up"). We expect that you are doing your best in going in the direction of avoiding "ANY direction whatsoever." You concluded, "We can all think for ourselves, and make up our own ideas." Well, some of us can, anyway. But hang in there!

Posted by: n/a at February 16, 2005 4:08 AM

geesh.the guy was just guiding the creativity, to provide a successful webcast. i am pretty sure to get a loyal listener base, these are appropiate guidelines to follow, if u are just providing the webcast for leisure, fine, do whatever. those were just guidelines,get it. its odd how suggestions to promote creativity and increase success are dismissed and put down, when government regulations are +enforced+ daily and rarely opposed (didnt mean to add the political jibjab). thanks for the hard to find advice.

Posted by: ashli at May 3, 2005 11:55 PM

This wasn't about any webcast, it's podcast, audio for download not streamed.

I found this searching for short podcasts, the advice is great, but I have something to add.

This Week in Tech is about an hour long. They wanted to make it short, but the audience said no. The listeners wanted an hour, so the length advice you gave does not always ring true.

Posted by: TheGiant at December 8, 2005 10:11 AM

First off I welcome any advice anyone gives me. As for the ""Bwuh! This reads like *the* manual on "how to kill your originality"" guy well it's like I learned along time ago "A jackass is a jackass and no one cares when they hee-hall".

I did take your advice and well huge difference in how my show sounds now after taking your advice. There is a lot of advice out there I am glad I found some worthy. I thank you for your time and you will be recommended to my fellow Podcasting brothers and sisters.

If you like hard rock stop by my podcast. http://jvl.podOmatic.com

Posted by: JAMES at March 2, 2006 8:55 AM

If you like hard rock stop by my podcast. http://jvl.podOmatic.com

Posted by: JAMES at March 2, 2006 8:56 AM

POST A QUESTION IN OUR FORUMS

November 11, 2004

Podcasts - How to Make Them Better