Have you ever wondered how to create and share your own podcast, even if you don't have millions of followers? Well, today's episode is all about diving into the podcasting world! We'll discuss the benefits and accessibility of podcasting, and I'll share five essential steps to help you get started on your own project. From choosing a topic that ignites your passion to understand the importance of your voice and enthusiasm, these tips will have you ready to hit the airwaves in no time.
But wait, there's more! I'll also be hooking you up with the technical side of podcasting, providing tips on how to record and edit with ease. Learn how to plan your episode, what type of equipment you need, and how to use software like GarageBand for a seamless recording and editing experience. We'll also discuss how to make sure your podcast reaches the masses and the importance of patience and consistency when creating your show. So, grab your headphones and join me on this fun and informative journey into the realm of podcasting!
Website
Come say hey on Instagram
Save on Citizen Lash use code "claire10"
Save on Untamed Artistry use code "_clairehooper"
My FAV email marketing system Flodesk free trial
Have you ever wondered how to create and share your own podcast, even if you don't have millions of followers? Well, today's episode is all about diving into the podcasting world! We'll discuss the benefits and accessibility of podcasting, and I'll share five essential steps to help you get started on your own project. From choosing a topic that ignites your passion to understand the importance of your voice and enthusiasm, these tips will have you ready to hit the airwaves in no time.
But wait, there's more! I'll also be hooking you up with the technical side of podcasting, providing tips on how to record and edit with ease. Learn how to plan your episode, what type of equipment you need, and how to use software like GarageBand for a seamless recording and editing experience. We'll also discuss how to make sure your podcast reaches the masses and the importance of patience and consistency when creating your show. So, grab your headphones and join me on this fun and informative journey into the realm of podcasting!
Website
Come say hey on Instagram
Save on Citizen Lash use code "claire10"
Save on Untamed Artistry use code "_clairehooper"
My FAV email marketing system Flodesk free trial
Hello everybody and welcome to another episode of the Vivian Claire podcast. I am so happy that you are here And today's episode. I'm really excited about this topic because we are going to be spilling the tea on all things podcasting, and one of the reasons I wanted to talk about this is, well, i'm going to get into a lot of it, but podcasts are, in my business, the easiest form of content that I put out, and I really really mean that, because you don't have to get dressed up on a video. You don't necessarily have to edit. We don't have to go through and write up a script. You don't have to do any of that. And right now I'm in my gym clothes in a corner of my room recording. That's why I say it's one of the easiest forms of content that I put out. And so we're going to dive into the world of podcasting and how you can get started, because I do get questions from people about how to start, and we can look at podcasts and think that they are so difficult and crazy to get started, but the truth is they are not. I promise you okay. And I want to say too you don't have to have millions of followers to start a podcast. I will hear people be like who am I to start a podcast? But I'm out here with a podcast. I don't have a famous podcast. I'm not in the top 10% of podcasters. I feel like I have good downloads, but it's not in the millions, it's not even in the tens of thousands. But I reach the people I need to and I enjoy doing it. It's a great way for me to share content with people. So I really want you to come with an open mind, because why shouldn't you have a podcast, even if you have two listeners? it's a great creative outlet. It's another form of content. You can share it on your blog. You can share it on your social media. You can share it in your email newsletter. It's just another space where you can be serving people sharing your content. So let's just get into it. I'm tripping over myself. I'm like there's so much that I want to say So let's just get into it and dive into all the podcast goodness. Okay, so you may be someone who's already convinced, like you're like okay, i'm listening to this because I want to start a podcast. But let's just go over a couple of the benefits of having a podcast. It's a platform where you can truly express yourself, you can share your passions, you can connect with people from all around the globe. If you have internet, you can get a podcast, and that's a really cool thing, and I think we always see that about social media being able to connect with people globally. But podcasts is another way to do that. It's like having sort of a conversation with your friends, your community, but on a much bigger scale, and that's one of the parts that I love about podcasts and creating my own. But also I love to consume podcasts. I listen to a lot of them And it's just very casual. That's it. The barrier to entry is low for people because when I'm listening to a podcast, i can still be cleaning my house, i can be working out, i can be gardening. There's a couple podcasts that I listen to with my family, so I'll put it on the speaker. While we're spending some time, i'm coloring with my kids, we're playing Legos. It's just a nice background thing that you don't have to stop your whole life for, as opposed to when you're watching a video. You have to be present. You're not really doing other things if you're giving your full attention to it. That's some of the benefits of it. It gives you just a sense of authority. I feel like Maybe that's the part that people get nervous about, because they're like who am I to create a podcast? It definitely legitimizes you in your business. I feel like there is a little bit of some little swagger to be said when you say, oh yeah, i'm the host of this podcast. People are like, oh shoot, you're doing big things out here And you could have five listeners, it doesn't matter, you've got a podcast. I think that's because people think there is a barrier to entry. But it's like you don't need a fancy degree or tons of experience to start a podcast. All you need is your unique voice and enthusiasm and the willingness to continue to learn along the path of the podcast world. But I want to start off by giving you five steps that you can use to get started in the podcast world. Number one you want to pick a topic that interests you. You could say sets your soul on fire. What do you want to talk about? It could be anything from true crime mysteries, which I love true crime podcasts, or sports or fashion or gardening tips And all of those things I said. A lot of people who listen to my podcast are in the beauty industry and you didn't mention anything to do with beauty. It doesn't have to be. Yes, your podcast can further your business, for sure, but you can also create a podcast about something that's not even related to the niche you are in your business. The key is just choosing something you genuinely enjoy talking about, because your passion and enthusiasm is going to shine through in your episodes. It has to come from your voice. If I got in here and I was like, pick a topic that really excites you, you'd be like okay, i'm not listening to this podcast And I feel like so much of podcasting is in the voice because we can't see the face. So we have to be boom, boom, boom. And if you are someone when I did boom, boom, boom, i was like move and dance okay. But if you are someone who gets nervous on video, which so many people are Nervous, being face forward in their business or in their life or the hobby they want to pursue, like yo, podcasting is where it's at. You don't have to show your face. Yes, lots of people film it, but you don't have to do that. Right like. You can choose to not film your podcast at all and just Have it doing what it does, you know, and I do want to say you can have more than one topic for your podcast. Right, like listening to the Vivian Claire podcast. It's very eclectic, right, i get on here, i talk business tips, i talk life, i talk my fitness. Like, my podcast is more of a personal brand podcast, so it encompasses everything that Claire does. Right, you can get more specific with your podcast. You can pick like one topic or two topics, or you can do like a branded podcast where it's like this is so-and-so's name, like Claire Hooper, and I just talk about things that go with me, that also Help my community, okay. So step number two you are going to need to be gearing up, and This this actually might be the piece that stops people from starting podcasts the most. Like, oh, what gear do I need? also the technology, which I'm gonna talk about. You don't have to worry. I promise you, like, you don't have to break the bank on equipment. All you really need is a good quality microphone, a pair of headphones and a computer, or some people record on a smartphone. My microphone that I am recording on right now was 70 bucks on Amazon, okay, and 70 bucks Canadian, so you know if you were in the UK or you were in the US, like that's even cheaper. So you don't have to have a really fancy setup. And I mean, as time goes on, if you want to upgrade your mic, you totally can, but I do say, don't go without a mic. You do have to have a mic. Podcasts are heavy on the sound quality because you don't have the face to go with it or the body language, so you want to make sure that it's really crispy and clear, you know. So there's lots of affordable options online. Or hit up your Facebook marketplace, especially after so many people were working remotely. There was tons of microphones on like Facebook marketplace or Kajiji or if you use like Craigslist, used because people were like oh, i'm not working from home anymore, so I have this option. Right, that's a really good place to look if you want to save even more coins. You know, you just want to make sure. Read the reviews. That's gonna deliver, chris, quality, and then it's going to also Attach to whatever you're recording on. So, for example, i record on my MacBook and my MacBook doesn't have USB plugins And my laptop is USB, so I had to buy an adapter to be able to hook it into my laptop. And then I have My headphones, my regular headphones that I wear for every day. They're A beat solo headphones that, like, have been with me for years. I use them, like, around the house, for the gym. I also use them for podcasting and I just hardwire them into the computer. The reason you need headphones people be like why do you even need to hear it? When you record a podcast, you want to be able to hear yourself back in the headphones. So as I'm talking, my voice is coming through the headphones so I can hear how I sound. I can also hear, like, how the mic is picking up any noise in the room or anything. So if you're wondering why you even need headphones for a podcast, i wouldn't say it's non negotiable. You need headphones, but I think it is a good add-on to be able to hear yourself. Get again, though You don't need the most expensive headphones. I promise you that. Okay, so step number three You're going to want to plan your episodes. Okay, planning is essential, y'all. Okay, take it from me, you're gonna want to take some time to brainstorm ideas, outline your episodes and decide on the format you want. Right, are you going to have episodes where it's just you talking, which most of my episodes are just me or do you want to have guests? Are you gonna have one guest, multiple guests? Are you going to have series where you break your podcast into? like this is Gardening 101 and I talked about it on Mondays and then my episode on Wednesdays is like business 101. There's so many different ways that you can set it up. And when I talk about the planning, you may be someone like me who is definitely, when inspiration strikes, kind of motivation. That is my motivation. Of course, if I have a deadline or I'm working with a brand and I'm not motivated, i still got to get it done. We still have responsibilities, but, as far as I will say, the podcast goes a lot of times my ideas just come at random moments and not in a brainstorm session. So just make sure on your phone you have like a little notes app or something you can pull up, because inspiration for podcasts and not just podcasts, but content in general comes from the life you live moving around, whether that is through your work, through your kids, through your relationships, through your hobbies. You can have inspiration strike whenever You can have a note where you can go back to with all of your ideas. It can make it really easy when you go to actually record. Okay. So step number four recording and editing. I know, i know you're like Claire editing. I don't know technology, i don't want to do it, but I've got some tips for you. Okay. So, recording your podcast, it doesn't have to be perfect. People are looking for authenticity these days. So if you make a little noise, you can hear that tap the desk. You don't have to throw away the whole episode. Okay, embrace your authentic self and let your personality shine through. And once you're done recording, you can edit your episodes to remove any hiccups. You can add music, sound effects. Now, of course, the further down the line we get, the more intense, the more knowledge you need. But I am a true believer that you can literally learn anything, like you can. So maybe when you first record your first podcast podcast episode, you're like this is giving me a crazy headache, i don't know how to do anything. But by your fifth episode you'll know how to do more. And by your 10th episode you'll definitely know how to rock it. And your 100th episode you'll be like ha okay, this is light, so don't go into this thinking it's going to be perfect right off the bat. I'm going to know how to do everything because you're not Even in podcasting. I've been doing it like two years and I still learn stuff. I go on YouTube and watch videos. You know podcast tips from people who have been doing it longer than me and are in the game. So don't think your recording and your editing has to be perfect. One tip I do have for you is, far as recording If you make a mistake, pause. So if you cough or anything, just take a pause. So when you go back and look at the audio file and you're trying to cut out pieces that you don't like, you'll be able to see in the audio file where there's a pause, because it'll be like all spiky when you're recording and then it almost flat lines when you're quiet And then you can go through very easily and chop out the bits that do not work for you. For me, i choose to record on GarageBand and I edit on GarageBand. It's through my Mac, it's free, it makes life really easy. But there are so many recording softwares out there. Like, if you don't have a Macbook, you can find other recording software. You just have to go to Google great recording software. There's going to be some for free, there's going to be some that are paid. It really is up to you and your budget and your skill level what you want to get started with. I just find this to be a really, really simple setup. So, if you have a Mac, garageband is absolutely amazing. Okay, so sharing your podcast with the world We're in step number five. It's time to let your voice be heard. Okay, we are out there, out in these podcasts Streets. So what you need to do is upload your podcast to a hosting platform. So I like to use Buzzsprout. I love this platform. It is a cost. There are ones out there that are free and I can't say 100%. I'm familiar with exactly how they operate, but Buzzsprout is really, really good. It's like 12 bucks a month. You can upload your podcast on there. You put in your description, you put in your title, you can put in your podcast art, whatever your cover is, and then they send it to Apple and Spotify and Google. Right, they put it onto the platform. So you don't have to worry about any of that. There is some startup logistics As far as, if you want to be on Apple, you need the Apple podcast account. You'll have to link to Google and stuff, but Buzzsprout runs you through all of it Like they're going to tell you step by step and hold your hand how to get it done. I really like their platform. I think it's really easy. You're going to want to spread the word on social media once you get your podcast out there. You're going to want to talk about it in your email list. Maybe you want to collaborate with other podcasters. You're on their show and then they're on your show. You can get the word out and work with lookalike audiences to yours. The more love and time and effort you put into promoting your podcast, the more you're going to get back With podcast too, i think once you are a bigger name. One of my podcasts that I listened to, they haven't uploaded for two weeks, which is rare. They're definitely a podcast that has millions of downloads. They're very, very consistent with their upload times. I was like when's this podcast episode coming? But in the early days when you're starting, you don't have as many people listening. You don't have to stress as much. I have to meet these timelines. Those businesses probably have brand deals And advertisements and different things. If you post one podcast episode and then you're like I'm supposed to post next week but I didn't get it done. It's all right, it's all good. Please do not put too much pressure on yourself. It is better to take action than to get it perfect. You're going to iron it out in the future. I want to talk about also some issues that you might have to troubleshoot As far as a podcast, because, yes, i've been talking about it's all rainbows and butterflies, but you could run into some issues and these are some things that you might have to troubleshoot. So technical glitches, right. This doesn't have to bring the party down. you know, if you're experiencing sound issues, you double check your microphone connection and the settings. If you have, you're hosting someone on your podcast, like you're having a guest on, and maybe you're like I can't hear them. Because this is one thing you cannot control How your guests are going to appear on the podcast. You can prepare them as much as you can. Like you can say, use a microphone, make sure you have a laptop, you know, make sure you're connected to Wi-Fi, that you have good sound, clear. You can say these things, but you really don't know how they are going to come. Like I had a guest on my podcast once and I listened back to the audio and I don't know why I didn't hear it in the audio as much. I heard it a little bit but then I thought I can probably remove it after right, and I couldn't. It was the sound of their dogs nails clipping on the floor underneath them where they were recording And their microphone was picking it up. So it was coming to the feed and I couldn't separate those two sounds. So that episode was just it was no good, right. So I encourage you, if you hear something it sounds weird, just pause recording. Even if you have a guest on, you can edit later, but just have them fix their sound and stuff, because that could be a technical issue that you have. It's always a good idea to have like a backup recording just in case you know. Sometimes we'll like record and then we'll upload it to our podcast host, like I said, buzzsprout, and then you're just like let me delete this file. No, no, no, don't delete it, because you just never know. You know, keep a file on your computer and you should have all your podcast episodes there. And another common thing people will run into is feeling stuck for content ideas, and I kind of talked about why you should have the note so you can just, when inspiration strikes, but just like, take a breather and really tap into your community. You know whatever your podcast is about, like, what are people wanting to listen to? You can even go into Google Business, business Podcast topic ideas. Just type it in, hit up Pinterest. you know what are people wanting to see, what are you seeing as a trend. You know when you consume social media, what are the videos you're drawn to Like. You're going to find inspiration everywhere. Of course, you're not going to copy other people's content ideas. Well, you can do the same topics but you're not going to copy it word for word, bar for bar. You know you're going to kind of put your own spin on it. But as for listener suggestions, you know, create Q&A episodes. People ask you different things. That's so fun, as you ask your audience for things they want to talk about And then you add it to a podcast episode, right? Or even bring in the guest experts and they can share their knowledge to kind of spice it up. But there are so many possibilities when it comes to a podcast. I promise you this is the easiest form of content that I put out there And be gentle with yourself. Everything takes time to learn. You know it's not going to just be overnight. And also be gentle with your metrics. You know when you go on and you're like, okay, i only got this many downloads or it's not below, it's not blowing up. Most people find podcasts through either a podcast they were listening to has a guest on and then you go look at that podcast, or it's through like a social media recommendation. So some of these really big podcasts hitting the numbers are telling people from their social media to go check it out. So you know you will have to promote it. It may have low downloads in the beginning. It's going to take time to build up. I mean, my podcast is still in the build phase, right, but you just have to be like I'm reaching the people I'm supposed to reach, i'm having a creative outlet. It's another way to put out long form content. Like you know, i'm looking at my recording right now and we're at like 22 minutes. I can't make a real 22 minutes. I got one minute Like you don't have that long. So it's a really great way to put out long form content in things that you want to talk about that you just can't score, you just can't squeeze in to one minute. So thank you so much for taking the time to be here And, as always, guys, stay golden.