Lifestyle: 5 tips for starting your own podcast - Worcester Telegram

I know, I know. It seems like EVERYONE in America has a podcast right now. According to The Infinite Dial’s 2019 Edison Research report, at least 750,000 of us do and listenership is growing.

Why did 22% of Americans over 12 years old consume a podcast this week? The report points to flexibility — the option to do other things while we listen, wherever we are. I often rely on podcasts for entertainment during mindless housework or while I’m driving.

I am among the 32% of podcast listeners who tune in for dialogue about entertainment and celebrity on at least a monthly basis. My favorite"s include "Pop Culture Happy Hour," "Ringer Dish," "Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard," and Good One: A Podcast About Jokes." I am also among the 30% of listeners who enjoy podcasts about food, chiefly "The Dave Chang Show" and "Eater’s Digest." I even went so far as to start my own podcast with my colleague Molly O’Connor right here in Worcester.

On our podcast, "Pop It," my co-host and I tap into our love of entertainment and food intermingled with feminist voices from the community. Our tagline goes: “This is the podcast for popping questions, popping bottles, and pop culture.”

It’s not perfect — far from it. But, it feels like we’re building something that is uniquely our own, and for a small investment, you can too. We’ve made a lot of mistakes so you won’t have to. Here are the five things you should know before getting started:

1. Visuals ARE Important to a podcast’s success.

A lot of blogs will tell you how important your launch is. Even though no one can see your face on a podcast, it’s important for people to know who you are on social media before your first episode goes live. We focused a lot of effort on the @popitworcester Instagram by reaching out to photographer Justin Hall and shop owner AJ Setaro of Sweet Jane’s to help us coordinate promotional photos a month before our launch. Once we were off and running, we got into the habit of taking selfies with our guests. We posted the photos along with show notes on our website www.popitworcester.com. The domain cost just $20 on Squarespace. For our 26th episode, local photographer Mike Hendrickson (@unitymike) offered to stop by and take some professional shots while we were taping. The results were incredible and we watched our Instagram followers and downloads skyrocket as a result. We soon realized that if we wanted people to download our podcast, it would be vital to establish credibility using high-quality visuals. Plus, in exchange for their time, our guests walked away with beautiful new portraits for their resumes or portfolios.

2. You will need a hosting service.

Your podcast does not automatically get uploaded to iTunes or Spotify. You need a middleman to store and distribute the audio file. We use Libsyn. We started with a 50 mb plan for $5 a month, but soon found that there was not enough space to accommodate weekly episodes. Now, we pay $15 per month for 250 mb. Libsyn allows us to schedule publication and update our cover photo with ease.

3. Invest in the right software and equipment.

We started "Pop It" by collaborating with a community radio station, but found it challenging to rely on volunteer producers while subsequently accommodating the schedules of our guests. The Worcester Public Library’s latest renovations include a digital studio, which will open sometime next year. In the meantime, we partnered with a local media company, which allowed us to purchase portable Yeti Blue Microphones ($129.99 apiece), pop filters ($9.99 apiece), and Hindenburg Journalist Pro ($375) in exchange for advertising. What’s wrong with using Garageband for free? Nothing, but it won’t allow you to record with more than one mic at a time.

4. Turn off the fridge.

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to record in a space without ambient noise. I learned that the best place to set up was actually a walk-in closet; although I couldn’t very well invite the Senate President Emerita (featured in episode 34) to set up shop inside my wardrobe. Simply put, soft surfaces curb the reverberations of sound waves off walls and furniture. We’ve learned to be up front with guests about acoustics. A brew deck might be great for photos, but it won’t sound nice for our listeners. Try taping in an open room with a tablecloth under your equipment. Turn off the HVAC system and the refrigerator, if possible. Just don’t forget to turn them back on when you finish.

5. Ask open-ended questions and then shut up.

Yes or no questions are conversation killers. Prepare questions ahead of time asking people to compare, make a judgement, or imagine something. It’s natural to say things like, “yes” and “uh-huh” as an active listener, but this will not play well later on. Even if you’re excited, don’t talk over your guest. It’s a bad look. Molly and I are still training ourselves to remember this with each new episode and it’s harder than you’d think. Using the “mute” button on our mics while our guest is speaking has made a huge difference.

Good luck on your podcasting journey and please don’t hesitate to DM us on Instagram with questions at @popitworcester. We’re ready to listen.