We all remember hearing about podcasts many years ago, when the release of the iPod and other, larger MP3 devices first hit the market. For a while, podcasts were considered the next big thing: millions of them were available through businesses and bloggers, and they aimed to change how we absorbed information. These slowly faded into irrelevance, it seemed, and many chalked up the podcast to being nothing but a simple fad. In the past year or so, however, we have seen a resurgence of the podcast, and more people than ever before are listening to them once again. If you are ready to take advantage of this trend and are ready to get started making your own, then continue reading to find out about what you need.

Topics

Depending on the nature of your existing online presence, you may find it very easy to begin podcasting about a particular subject. If you are wanting to jump into podcasting without any prior web infrastructure, then you may find syndication and topic selection to be big challenges. We recommend that you focus your podcasts on areas that you have passion for – in many cases, this will be the topic you already write about or cover. By combining your topic with a variety of other elements – having industry professionals as guests is one option – you’ll be able to snag an audience’s interest and attention, and convert them into regular listeners.

Scripts

Before you begin recording any podcast, you need to plan out in advance what you’ll be covering and saying. Nobody wants to listen to someone ramble on without purpose for long periods of time, so having a script planned beforehand will streamline your discussion and allow you to present a more professional image. Many podcasts follow a simple script that includes the following: an introduction of yourself and the podcast, a promotion of the main topic covered (which may include a mention of helpful resources and/or products), an interview with an expert on the subject, a Q&A session that addresses listeners’ questions and a call to action for pinging users into doing something other than merely listening to the podcast.

Equipment

Last but not least, you’ll also need some solid equipment to make a great podcast. A computer and internet connection are two obvious needs for the production of the podcast, but it doesn’t stop there. You’ll also need audio capturing equipment – microphones work best for this, and you may need more than one if you plan to regularly have guests on. It’s worth the extra money to invest in a professional microphone solution, as you don’t want to be pinging users with static or background interference when otherwise attempting to project a professional tone and demeanour.

Conclusion

In order to get started on podcasts today, you’ll need to address three main areas. First, know your topics and what you plan to present to an audience. Next, always have scripts planned and ready so that you stay on-topic, on-track and sound professional. Lastly, you’ll need audio capturing equipment and also an audio editing program to ensure that the podcast is presented as flawlessly as possible to listeners.