Lessons Learned from Six Months of Producing a Podcast
By Mariela Azcuy
Published June 2021
Six months ago, we started producing a podcast for one of our executive communications clients. We hadn’t produced a podcast before, but it was the right strategy in this case. She was interested in a regular platform to build community, showcase women trailblazers, and create pathways so that others could lead with purpose. Dreammakers with Neha Sampat was born.
It also allowed us to experiment where we saw opportunity (one of our core values). So we researched and prepped, and published. And then we researched, adjusted, prepped some more, and published again. And again.
That cycle won’t change much over the next few months -- to keep growing, you have to keep learning. But we thought we could speed up the learning for you. If you’re thinking about starting a podcast -- or you recently launched one -- here are some things to keep in mind. (Note that some of this is specific for interview-style podcasts, but much of it is universal.)
1. Don’t skimp on the foundational work.
Before we launched, we spent time hashing out what we wanted to stand for and how this podcast would be different from others. We drafted a frustration statement, a short manifesto that told the story about why our podcast deserved to exist -- or what frustration we were trying to alleviate.
We also agreed on our show premise, the one-sentence explanation of who we are, and an episode structure. The structure broke our episodes up into chapters that helped keep the conversation dynamic. For example, if we were in the “Rebel” chapter, we knew our goal was to excite listeners about our guests' accomplishments and the bold ways they achieved them, and we’d ask questions accordingly.
Without this foundational work, prepping each episode would take much more time. Also, the work we did here became the words we logged everywhere -- our Transistor hosting site, guest asks, host bios, episode notes, and more.
2. Prepare, but not so much that you crush spontaneity.
Yes, the episode structure is a critical tool. You also have to get comfortable enough with it -- and what your podcast stands for -- to know when to veer. For example, we have a set of standard questions we share with guests when we first reach out to them or book them. These are necessary to give people a feel for what they’re getting into.
But once you connect for a pre-interview, allow their stories -- not the answers to your questions -- to shine. Longer, personal storytelling is what differentiates podcasts from other types of media interviews. Surface them in the pre-interview and write questions that lead to them during the recording. It doesn’t matter that they aren’t one of your standard questions; It matters that listeners feel emotionally connected in the final product. Also, your host should freely dig and ask follow-up questions to those stories. We call it prodding -- it’s an art form the industry should elevate.
3. Record audio and video.
Podcasts are audio-first. Strive for the crispest sound possible through a mix of software, equipment, and overall guidance -- in a way that works for your budget. You don’t need a professional recording studio. For example, we ask all guests to record audio via their local Quicktime application and send it to us after the recording. This is simple and free. We also created and share a Best Practices for Podcast Recording document with tips like avoiding recording in large, open rooms since it causes reverb.
We use Zoom to record all of our podcasts on video. This is essential as you launch mixed media promotional strategies. We use videograms on social media to promote the episodes and post all complete recordings to a YouTube channel to help build up content.
4. Make the editing process turnkey.
If you are looking to hire a partner to help you edit, the most important thing is that they are detail-oriented. What you want to eliminate is back and forth where you’re catching things that should have been edited out but weren’t or subtitles that are still misspelled. Come up with a mutually agreeable process that makes editing easy.
We’ve worked with the same editor since the launch of Dreammakers, and have it down to a science. We create a shared Google Doc of our recording transcript where we highlight things in red (delete) and green (move from original spot). We also add comments to sections that will later become videograms. That one document morphs from first draft Zoom transcript (a very ugly baby), to a final podcast transcript through our editing process together.
5. Make sharing easy for guests.
Guests are one of your biggest and also lowest-hanging fruit promotional vehicles. Make it easy for them. We create a handful of videograms for every episode, along with graphic images, and draft social media copy. We share this all with our guests. Nothing needs to be exclusive here.
Bring up the expectation of sharing from your early interactions with guests. Allow them to feel invested in the final product’s success. It’s their story, after all. We see a direct correlation between our most popular podcasts and our most active guests.
6. Turn over every free promotional stone.
If you’re doing this for the first time, you likely don’t have a big promotional budget. Find as many ways as you can to grow listenership organically. Here are some ideas: your host’s social media bios and feeds; links in regular bios that get shared across speaking engagements, bylined articles, and more; brand newsletters; employee engagement channels like Slack; an email signature; a dedicated website; detailed show notes; and cross-promotional efforts with other podcasts or organizations. This list can go on and on.
7. Subscriptions lead to faster growth.
As Transistor says, podcast subscriber counts are “notoriously difficult to measure.” If you stay on top of your analytics -- even the free ones -- you can tell when subscriber numbers start to pick up. You get downloads even before you’ve started promoting it. That should be the goal, and the more places you can push forward that goal for more subscribers, the better. We are currently creating a website with that in mind. And, while we’re here, why not subscribe to Dreammakers with Neha Sampat.
One thing to keep in mind as you and your teams consider and create: Podcasts are brand builders, not lead generators. However, you’ll see proof everywhere that they “work.”
It’s when you grow subscribers, but also when a customer or a potential customer reaches out that they love what they heard. Or when guest pitches start coming in from different, unconnected directions. Or when social media followers start tagging others to listen.
Or, simply, when someone shares you inspired them in a way they needed it.