Category Archives: Podcast Seminar - Page 2

Podcast Seminar: What equipment/software do you need?

Posted by on April 28, 2008 No comments

This post continues the Podcast Seminar series. This week, What equipment/software do you need?

I’m not going to go into all the different types of microphones, mixers, software programs, etc. Search for each of those items here on the blog and you’ll find a bunch of links to great podcasting gear and software.

So…my first question is, what do you have?

Do you have an MP3 player with a microphone? You can have a podcast.

Do you have an iMac with a built-in microphone in iSight? You can have a podcast.

It doesn’t take a huge studio full of equipment to record a podcast. Hundreds of people recordDSP-400 podcasts every day and record them with just about every piece of audio and video equipment under the sun. If you’re comfortable doing research and shopping online for audio hardware, check out Musician’s Friend or Music123 and search for podcast. You’ll find some really easy to setup podcasting kits that will get you started right away. Start from there and if you really enjoy it and you’re building an audience, then think about upgrading. Seriously, you might think you would like to podcast and then get into it and realize it’s not for you. Then you have a trunk-load of audio equipment gathering dust in your closet.

Here’s a no-brainer for hardware to use on an audio podcast. The Plantronics DSP-400 USB headset is an excellent place to start and can be used for Skype if you decide if podcasting isn’t right for you.

On the video side, there are so many inexpensive flash, mini-dv, and hard drive based camcorders available on the market today that you could close your eyes and choose a camera that will work for your video podcast. As I mentioned above, you could also start with a web cam. The quality will undoubtedly be inferior to even the least expensive camcorder.

Audacity LogoSoftware wise, if you are doing an audio podcast with Windows, download Audacity and learn how to use it. It’s free and will get you started with no money. When you’re ready to step up to a more full featured editor, consider Soundforge. For video, Windows includes an adequate video editing program called Windows Movie Maker. Start with this and move up to Adobe Premiere, or Sony Vegas if you really get into video podcasting and want to add more effects. If you are using a Mac, you can also download and use Audacity for creating an audio podcast. But if your Macintosh includes Garageband, and most do, that’s the tool for you. For a video podcast on a Mac, if you have iMoveHD, you’re golden. If you don’t have it, you can purchase the iLife suite and get both Garageband and iMovieHD. When you want to take the next step up, look at Final Cut/Express and Adobe Premiere.

Maybe this isn’t the answer you were looking for on this topic. Were you looking for a shopping list? I could tell you to go out and buy brand X mixer and brand Y microphone, and don’t forget brand Z headphones. Any “consultant” who tells you to go out and buy some piece of equipment without first finding out your needs is doing you a dis-service.

What hardware and software you use to produce your podcast depends on:

  • your level of commitment
  • your budget
  • your audience
  • your skill level
  • your experience.

Next time, Should your podcast be daily, weekly, monthly?

Podcast Seminar: What type of podcast should you produce?

Posted by on April 21, 2008 No comments

This post continues the Podcast Seminar series. This week we answer the question, What type of podcast should you produce?

In general, there are two types of podcast you can produce, audio and video.

MicrophoneFirst let’s discuss audio. In audio there are basic podcasts and “enhanced” podcasts. Basic podcasts are most times encoded with the MP3 codec though they can be encoded in WMA, OGG, or AAC. Basic audio podcasts can be produced on Macs, PC’s, portable recorders, etc. The options to creating a basic audio podcast are almost endless. Also the number of devices that can listen to basic audio podcasts is almost limitless.

The enhanced podcasts are those that are created solely for use on iTunes and the iPod. They contain chapters, images and links that the listener can click on when they are at their computer to get more information on the topics that the podcaster is discussing. Enhanced podcasts are created with a Macintosh computer and the iLife software, Garageband. If you’re only targeting those listeners with iTunes and/or an iPod, this might be the format for you. Keep in mind that enhanced podcasts are more time consuming to produce than basic audio podcasts.

DiggnationHow about video? Breaking down video subtypes, I would make two broad categories: screencasts and traditional video. Screencasts are first person videos where the podcaster/presenter shows you their screen and records a voiceover to explain what and how they are doing on the screen. Screencasts are almost as easy to create as audio p0dcasts with the correct software. I highlighted a free tool called CamStudio that you can use to get started in screencasting with little more than a microphone. You can also checkout the post I made about the Camtasia. If the aim of your podcast is to show users of the software your company makes how it works, then this is the podcast type for you. Also, there are new and better tools being made for this type of video, so don’t stop here if you are interested in making screencasts.

Traditional video is the final type of podcast. Traditional video podcasts come in a huge variety of styles. It could be recording you and a buddy on a couch, Diggnation style, or a fully produced show like TikiBar, or a man or woman on the street show like Mahalo Daily. Traditional video podcasts are going to be the most time consuming to create, edit, encode and the most costly to distribute.

In order of ease of production are audio, enhanced audio, screencasts, and then traditional video.

Basically it comes down to this; will your content be conveyed in an effective manner through audio, enhanced audio, screencast or video?

Other things to consider in choosing your podcast type:

  • equipment needed to produce your podcast: camera, microphones, mixers, lights
  • time required vs. time available to edit your podcast
  • costs for producing your podcast: talent, equipment, opportunity cost
  • costs for distributing your podcast: hosting, bandwidth

Next time, What equipment/software do you need?

Podcast Seminar: What length should your podcast be?

Posted by on April 14, 2008 No comments

This post continues the Podcast Seminar series. This week we answer the question, What length should your podcast be?

Stop WatchIt should be as long as it needs to be. There is no set length of podcast. Here at The Podcast Studio, when I do a podcast, which is very rare, it’s about 3 minutes to give you a quick blast of information about a product that I found interesting. On Fat 2 Fit Radio, my weekly podcast about dieting, weight loss and nutrition, the show is typically between 45 minutes and 1 hour. Keith and the Girl is a great comedy podcast that can’t get too long, 2 hours, bring it on.

According to About.com, nationwide average drive-time is about 24.3 minutes. So if there is a sweet spot for podcasts, it’s going to be in the 20-30 minute range.

The bottom line is that the length of your podcast will be totally dependent on the amount of time needed to discuss all the topics that you cover. Don’t add more information that is necessary to fill up some imaginary time requirement. Also, don’t edit yourself to maintain some arbitrary show length.

Next time, What type of podcast do you want to produce?

Podcast Seminar: Choosing a topic for your podast.

Posted by on April 8, 2008 9 comments

This post marks the start of another new series of posts inspired by the recent seminar that was put on as part of the Long Beach Podcasters. The topics were a good outline of what a new podcaster might want to know. Rather than attending the seminar and paying the fee, I’m giving you what I might include in such a seminar. Here are the topics we’ll be covering.

  1. Choosing a topic for your podcast.
  2. What length should your podcast be?
  3. What type of podcast do you want to produce?
  4. What equipment/software do you need?
  5. Should your podcast be daily, weekly, monthly?
  6. Creating your podcast with a blog.
  7. Marketing your podcast.
  8. Show notes and SEO, why they are important?
  9. Podcast metrics
  10. Monetizing your podcast
  11. Spreading the word through Social Networks.

It’s not organized exactly as the seminar, but the topics are mostly the same. Let’s get started.

Choosing a topic for your podcast?

What are you interested in?

You should podcast on what gets you heart pumping. In other words, podcast about what you are passionate about. Back at the first Podcast Expo in 2005, Leo Laporte gave the first keynote of the event and this was his topic, podcast your passion. If you’re not passionate about what you’re going to talk about, then why are you talking about it? Why would anyone else want to hear you talk about it? If you want to do a music podcast, be passionate about music. If you want to do a knitting podcast, be passionate about knitting. Your audience will be able to tell if you’re only mildly interested in the topic.

The best example I can think of for podcasting your passion would have to be Wine Library TV. Gary Vaynerchuk is passionate about wine and his podcast shows it. If you’ve never seen WLTV, go see it now. Whether you’re podcasting for you business, for your school, or for you favorite football team, be sold out for that topic and your listeners will appreciate it.

I’m not going to tell you to podcast about the Mac, Windows, wine, knitting, music or any other topic. But I will tell you to pick your topic and be focused. The more focused you are on the topic of your podcast, the more success you will have in podcasting. Trying to have a podcast about “the Internet” is a little too broad. Pick one topic and stick to it. It may be a small market that will find your podcast.

Let’s look at the example of fly fishing. You may be passionate about fly fishing. Your target audience is probably men, already cutting the market in half, with an interest in fly fishing, smaller market yet, and who are looking for fly fishing content on the Internet, smaller yet. That may be a pretty niche market, but there are fly fishing podcasts. There is someone out there on the Internet waiting for your content.

Lastly, I heard recently about this idea that everyone wants to be significant. Everyone on this planet wants to be remembered. They want to put their mark on this world before the leave it. This would explain why podcasting has become so popular with thousands of podcasts being produced every day. But desire to podcast isn’t enough. You need to have something to say.

Next time we’ll talk about; How long should your podcast be?