It's time to take your podcast to the next level. Lucky for you, there are tons of resources out there that break down how to do just that. Whether you’re looking to keep your content fresh, book great interviews, or explore sound design, you’re well-equipped to take your show from meh to marvelous with these helpful tools and advice.
Who says you have to be an audio-editing wizard to produce a good podcast? If you’re looking to enhance your audience’s listening experience, these tips from the pros can elevate your sound, whether you’re making a sound-rich audio drama or an informal roundtable chat-cast.
Make your podcast sound good
Part of podcast improvement is realizing if and when parts of your process are better done by someone other than yourself. While it costs money to hire people to work on different parts of your podcasts, distributing to talented editors, sound designers, and voice over artists allows you to focus on the pieces of your podcast you’re most excited to work on. As you spend more time making your show and reading about how to improve your show, use this a moment to identify opportunities to work with others–and jumpstart it with advice and resources for finding and hiring additional help.
Structure and storytelling
- Good Tape(HowToMakeAPodcast.org)
- It's All In Your Head: The One-Way Intimacy Of Podcast Listening(NPR)
- Learning by Listening(Bello Collective)
- Anatomy of a Scene(Howsound)
- Writing for Audio, Not Articles: Subtle Differences Make All the Difference(Marketing Showrunners)
Improve your audio production
- 5 Ways to Improve Your Podcast Listener's Experience(The Podcast Host)
- Audio production FAQ: Headphones, levels, mics and more(NPR)
- Choosing the right equipment — Microphones, Mixers and other gear(Spext)
- Sound as a Place(HowToMakeAPodcast.org)
- How Do I Make My Podcast Sound Better?(The Podcast Host)
- Setting Up a Small Recording Studio(Transom)
- Voice Recording in the Home Studio(Transom)
Digital editing
- Sharing Sessions, Part 1: Organization(Transom)
- Podcasting Basics, Part 3: Audio Levels and Processing(Transom)
- Podcasting Basics, Part 5: Loudness for Podcasts vs. Radio(Transom)
- Preserve This Podcast Zine(Preserve This Podcast)
Voicing
- Aerobics for your voice: 3 tips for sounding better on air(NPR)
- Human vs. Robot: How to track and still sound like your actual self(Third Coast)
- Sounding Like Yourself(Transom)
- How to Sound Pretty Good on a Podcast: Useful Advice for Beginners(Kickstarter)
Sound design
- Sound Design: Mark Henry Phillips(Transom)
- The Sound of Adventure: A Guide to Soundscaping(Bello Collective)
- Sound Design Basics(Howsound)
Hiring additional help
- How to Hire Freelancers for your Indie Project(Bello Collective)
- Talent Directory(AIR)
- Why It Pays to Have a Podcast Editing Service(Podcast Motor)
- The Podcast Production Directory(The Podcast Host)
- 10 Things to Know Before Hiring a Podcast Editor(The Podcast Dude)
- What does a podcast producer do?(Podcast Engineers)
- Podcast Production Companies(RadioPublic)
Make your podcast look good
Listeners are choosing what to listen to next with their eyes first. Make your supplemental web content beautiful, user-friendly, and helpful. In other words, make it easy for listeners to discover, explore, and love your show!
- Audio Artwork(Bello Collective)
- Why Your Podcast Needs Show Notes(We Edit Podcasts)
- The Podcaster’s Guide to Transcribing Audio(Bello Collective)
- Mind Your Metadata: A Podcaster’s Guide to Titles and Descriptions(Bello Collective)
- Using RadioPublic’s free embed player(RadioPublic)
- How to Start Using the New iTunes Podcast Tags for iOS 11(The Audacity to Podcast)
- Podcast Merch: A Fun Way To Build Community & Promote Your Show(The Podcast Host)
- How to make an article on your Podsite(RadioPublic)
Make the most of your interviews
Calling all interview-based podcasters! Whether you’re aiming to book great guests for your show or want to polish your interviewing skills, the following guides are here to help. Learn how to find, book, and interview guests that will inject a new energy into your show and provide your audience with compelling conversations and interesting insights.
- 21 Great Resources for Finding Podcast Guests(Podcast Websites)
- How to Set Up a Guest Interview for Your Podcast(We Edit Podcasts)
- Mastering the Grill: Why Some Interviews Go Up in Smoke(Third Coast)
- The Art of the Podcast Interview: What I’ve Learned from 700 Episodes(Srinivas Rao)
- Your guests are an opportunity for audience growth(RadioPublic)
Make content your listeners want to hear
It’s hard to know what your audience wants if you don’t ask them. And if you’re seeking more audience engagement, these tools will help you get there:
- 7 Secrets To Producing Engaging Podcast Content(Forbes)
- How to Test Your Audience(The Podcast Host)
- What’s There and What’s Not: A Guide to Constructive Criticism for Podcasts(Bello Collective)
- Building Your Podcast’s Community(Amanda McLoughlin)
- 7 Strategies for Building a Strong Podcast Community(We Edit Podcasts)
- How do Lesser Known Podcasts Build an Audience?(Ashley Milne-Tyte)
- Introducing Affinity Promotions for podcasts(RadioPublic)
