5 Things I Learnt about Podcasting w/Spotify
A couple of weeks ago I attended a week long podcasting bootcamp with Spotify UK. It was an intense week where I got to hear from industry professionals, amateur-podcasters-turned-influencers and incredible sound engineers. (Rahat’s own economics podcast soon come.)
I of course learnt more than just 5 catchy bullet points, but if there was one overarching takeaway it was that the podcasting space in the UK is small and there’s definitely room for everyone. So here are some pointers I hope will motivate you to take the plunge and make that podcast you’ve been thinking about!
1. Content is key
People are tuning in to hear your and your voice. Podcasts are a very personal medium, so it’s important you have substance to your show. If you have the content, your audience will be more patient with you over other things like the branding and the audio.
2. Ask yourself: why does anyone care?
Before strapping yourself to a mic and sharing your inner most secrets, think about who you’re speaking to and why they should be interested. Who do you envision as your audience - can you articulate their profile and interests? Over all the other competitor podcasts, what makes yours different?
3. Create an elevator pitch, and then practise, practise, practise
Summarise your podcast into a 30 second soundbite, and then use it! This will help you to refine your idea and also ensure you can spread the word about your podcast in a very short amount of time.
4. Duvet recording studio
You don’t need fancy equipment when you’re starting out (especially if you don’t have the money). A common life hack that kept coming up during the bootcamp was - record under your duvet! This can reduce the amount of background noise, without having to spend loads on a recording studio or fancy mic. You can also check out local community radio stations who let you use their recording equipment for free as long as you mention them in the description box.
5. Don’t compare yourself to the Beeb
There is a massive difference between a one-man podcast and big corporations like the BBC who have been using podcasts since the early 2000s. I don’t just mean in terms of budget, audience, and experience - though of course that’s important to remember - but that they can’t tell the stories that you can. Create your podcast as if you’re making it for one person who needs to hear it.
And lastly I would say - just bite the bullet and make that podcast!
