There are a ton of sports podcasts available. Each one is unique and offers something a little different to subscribers. Not only is it essential to capture viewers to turn them into subscribers, but you want to make sure you keep them engaged. So here are some things that you might not have realized would be important for your podcast.
Remember Advertising Might Hurt You
The worst thing you can do for your podcast is to turn it into one extensive advertisement campaign. It would be best to have an advertiser because you have to fund your podcast in some way. However, you do not need to eat up an entire episode with advertising. First, you must understand the purpose of your podcast. You need to know what goal you hope to achieve and the type of audience you want to capture. It would help if you created a plan. If you do not have a plan for your podcast, you may end up meandering along with no real purpose. Your audience does not want to go on a long and winding road with you if you are not going to take them somewhere. Your audience wants information, and they want entertainment. If you are not providing either of those, you are finished before you start. Once you know your purpose and create a plan, you have a beginning point.
The best way to advertise is to keep it short and topical. If you can find advertising that fits into the theme of the show, that is a job well done. Depending on the topic, you may be able to create online sales education. You want to learn how to read ads as if you are not really reading them. You want your audience to believe that you believe in the product. If they think you are just promoting it to get money, they will not buy into it. But, if they think you like it, your followers will most likely try it. Be creative with your advertising. Create a custom shirt with heat transfer vinyl and wear the shirt during your podcast. Use a mug or glass from the advertiser and drink from it. Also, mention these items, especially for those who may be listening but not watching.
Keep Your Area Clean
Keep in mind that you are going to be on camera during your podcast. Not everyone will watch because they may only be listening, but some will see you. You want to know what can be seen in the frame of the camera. It is a good idea to take some test runs to be sure there is nothing offensive in the frame. Unless you want it to be there. Be sure to keep your area clean. No one wants to see your mess. You should have regular garbage removal to ensure that you do not throw trash around the studio because you have nowhere else to put it. If you have the trash picked up, you are more likely to put the trash in the garbage for removal.
If you plan to have guests on your podcast, you need to have room for them in your studio, or you need to be able to broadcast from two different places. If you have them in your studio, you need to consider the camera will pan out and see more of the space. You want your entire area to be clean for your guests and your viewers.
Invest In Equipment
You are going to need equipment in your studio. It is not a good idea just to try to talk into your phone and hope for the best. If you want your podcast to make it long-term, you must invest in it. You do not have to spend a ton of money, but you need some essential equipment. This equipment includes a microphone. You can purchase a quality USB microphone with a pop filter and built-in condenser. Microphones are not typically cheap, but you can find them for a reasonable price. If you plan to have guests, you will need more than one mic. It would help if you also had a simple mixer. However, if you plan to start small and it is just you, you can start with just one microphone. You could find a bundle that is specific for those that are creating podcasts. It has everything you need. You have to listen to yourself as you record. It would be best if you had old school, closed back, over the ear headphones for this task. They do not have to be the most expensive pair, but you will need them. If you plan to take calls from your listeners, you need voice servers. Voice servers answer calls and put callers in a queue. It also plays recordings for them. Your callers may not like this, but you will need it. When you plan to begin taking calls, you can inform your listeners that is what will happen. They still may not like it, but at least they will be prepared.
Now some items that you probably did not consider. If you do not have a desk or table you can use in your recording booth, you need to get one. You need a chair in which to sit. This is more critical than you realize. Remember, your mic is going to be live, which means if your chair squeaks, everyone will know. If it makes some weird sound when you sit down, your listeners are going to hear it. Consider all of these things before you hit record so you can be prepared for what you might listen to. Do not forget the custom length power cables. You probably want to buy more than you think you need. You do not want to find yourself without a power cable.
Soundproof Your Studio
Do not forget to soundproof your studio. The good news is you can do it yourself, and it will not cost you too much. You need a dedicated space to act as your sound studio. The smaller the room, the better you will be. You need the space to have a door, so you can truly contain the sound. You want to add weather stripping around the door. If you have hardwood floors, put area rugs or blankets down on them to dampen the sound. If you have people above you, you want to put blankets on the ceilings too. Finally, you can take old mattresses and prop them against the wall. You may not have access to old mattresses, but if you have some that are not being used, putting them up against the walls will help.
You want to hang a thick curtain in front of the door. They do not have to be stylish; you are trying to soundproof, not be on the cover of a magazine. You can add a draft stopper to the bottom of the door. If there are any windows in the room, you want to get soundproofing curtains and hang them over the windows. You can also install clear window soundproof inserts if you are not a fan of the curtains. You can hang items, like artwork, on the walls. You can buy acoustic panels for your walls. They are not as expensive as you think and they may prove invaluable to you.
Take Care of Yourself
You may forget to care for yourself in your pursuit of a podcast. If you have never sat down all day and created a podcast before, you may forget to get up and walk around once in a while. It is easy to get lost in the details of what you are doing. You may forget to eat regularly. You may not drink enough water. You may forget there is a world outside. Do not let any of these things happen to you. It is easy to slip into a place where you forget about self-care. You may not have been great at self-care before you took on this podcast endeavor. But, you want to be aware of it.
Since you will be sitting down a lot, you should consider doing regular stretches. Perhaps you could set a timer to remind yourself it is time to get up and move around. You may need a chiropractor service. Being stagnant is not suitable for the body. It will do you some good to get up and move around. Then, when you are listening to the playback of your recording, you can walk around and keep moving.
Hygiene Is Important
This goes in line with self-care. If you are not caring for yourself properly, you may not be practicing the best hygiene habits, either. Even on the days when you are not video recording, you want to make it a habit to take a shower, wash your face, and brush your teeth. Do not think that you are in a room all day by yourself and you do not need to care for these things. You do; they are essential.
Do not skip on your regular dental cleaning appointments. They are critical to good oral health. Not only that, but when you have your teeth cleaned professionally, they look better, whiter, and cleaner. When you have white teeth, they really pop on the screen. Now may be the time to consider orthodontics, also. If it is just going to be your face on the screen most of the time, you are all that people are looking at. If you feel like your teeth are not straight enough or need some help, now could be the time. There are numerous options available to straighten your teeth in a way that people cannot see. They may alter the way you sound when you talk, so you want to practice speaking with them.
Finance Your Show
Earlier in the article, advertising is mentioned as a way to fund your podcast. Funding is critical, and it is helpful if you have a stream of income to help fund your podcast or support you while you are recording your podcast. There are numerous other ways you can fund your podcast, including asking for donations. You could even look into grant funding. This is a vast untapped resource for financing a podcast. Many people are looking for other streams of funding, including affiliate marketing or advertising products. However, for grant funding, depending on your podcast niche, you can do some research to find national or regional foundations that support your position, and you can apply for a grant from them.
In addition to requiring funding to support your podcast, you should consider financial advisors to determine how you support yourself before you have any revenue coming in from your podcast. Perhaps, you do not intend to make any money from this, and you have a nest egg that you need to tap into. You want to make sure you are getting the best advice from professionals. Do not listen to just anyone; get advice from the pros.
One Last Thing
You cannot think that all you have to do is create this podcast, and suddenly people will find you. You need to create your own marketing. It would help if you let people know you have a podcast, what it is called, and what it is about. One of the best ways to encourage support of your podcast is with a website. In addition to promoting yourself and your podcast, your website is the place where you can post transcripts, show notes, a blog, and links to past episodes. You can even add a teaser on the website about your next episode to entice people to download the podcast. You have to be your best marketer, at least until you get enough subscribers that word of mouth is enough. Until then, you have to hit the proverbial streets to get your name out there and market yourself like no one else can.
