Planning a live podcast event? Read this first
Radio is an intimate medium. Many of us listen to podcasts when we have quiet, uninterrupted time alone, like on our commutes. As we listen to someone speak, there’s a closeness; it’s like we’re right there.
But what if you really could be right there, in person? It’s a question podcasters are increasingly answering with live podcast events, where listeners come together for a collective no-headphones-needed listening experience. Live shows provide opportunities for hosts, producers, and listeners alike to experience stories in dynamic and visual ways that traditional podcasting doesn’t necessarily afford.
Read on to find out the benefits of doing a live event and tips for pulling it off.
Why do a live event?
It’s no piece of cake to plan a live podcast event, but the effort can yield real benefits. Here are a few of them:
Give back to listeners. At live events, listeners get a chance to meet people, feel like part of a community, and have fun. A loyal fanbase is every podcast’s biggest asset; thank your supporters by providing them a space to connect with each other, connect with you, and be entertained.
Learn something (or many things) new. Whether it’s recording audience reactions, promoting an event, or incorporating visual elements, doing a live event will force you to sharpen different skills and learn some new ones, too.
Increase brand awareness and loyalty. Live events provide natural opportunities to expand your audience base, whether through promotion from a sponsor or partner, press coverage, or even just listeners who bring along friends. You’ll also strengthen brand loyalty with existing listeners who have a great time at your event and leave feeling more connected to the community.
Get better at what you do. Interacting with your audience can be a valuable learning experience. By seeing how listeners react to segments of your show, and by mingling with them afterwards, you’ll get a unique opportunity to hear firsthand what works best and resonates.
Planning your live podcast event
As you plan your live event, here are some tips to consider.
Choose the right venue.
A venue typically needs to be booked well in advance, so it’s one of the first things you’ll consider. Look for one that’s hosted similar events, and one that’s willing provide support with things like recording and marketing.
“Each venue has its own quirks and idiosyncrasies,” says Ari Daniel, a seasoned audio event planner and producer of The Story Collider in Boston. He recommends listening to audio previously recorded at a venue to get an understanding of the sound quality you can expect. Be sure to discuss what equipment is available (mics, sound board, recorders, projectors) and who will operate it.
Work out a fee with the venue, and know if they have expectations for ticket sales, money spent at the bar, or another benchmark. Determine if you’ll charge attendees for tickets — if so, determine how much and how revenue will be split. Talk with the venue about who will be responsible for managing sales/registration before and at the event, as well as marketing and promotion through email and social media.
Plan the structure of your show.
So much is possible! You can incorporate live performance, music, recorded sound, and visual art, like short films, animations, or photos. Begin by choosing a theme, the key components of content, and a loose script. “
So much is possible! You can incorporate live performance, music, recorded sound, and visual art, like short films, animations, or photos. Begin by choosing a theme, the key components of content, and a loose script. “Include elements from the podcast that are recognizable to the audience,” Ari recommends, like the theme music and recurring segments.
A huge consideration for the event will be timing. “Usually our show is 25 to 45 minutes long, but for the live event, we’re doing an hour,” says Nina Porzucki, producer for The World of Words, who’s in the midst of planning the podcast’s first live event at the New York Public Library. “Our podcasts are highly edited; a lot of the banter we do throughout the show is just riffing, and it gets edited,” Nina explains. “For the live show, we’ll have to practice!”
To get the timing right, there’s also a balance to strike with time spent rehearsing. “We’re figuring out how long a live interview should be and determining how much to prep our guest in advance. We don’t want to prepare so much that it seems rehearsed — we want to maintain spontaneity,” says Nina. In addition to live interviews and performances, to play recorded sound, Nina and her team will be able to fire tape during the World of Words event with Ableton software, controlled by a remote or laptop.
Visual elements can range from guest performances to images shown on a projector and beyond. The sky’s the limit. Ari recently held a storytelling event at the Charles Hayden Planetarium in Boston where, as stories were told and music played, the audience watched as accompanying visuals were projected onto the dome. If you’ll publish the show as a podcast later, just keep in mind how you’ll edit it for listeners after the fact.
Do test recordings in advance.
In addition to what’s happening on stage, capture your audience’s reaction during your event. “With the main feed in the board,” Ari says, “you won’t get the level of applause or laughter you need. Use two separate recorders, one pulling from the board and one recording the audience, or use a recorder that takes a feed from the board and uses its onboard mics to capture the audience.” Whatever you choose to do, test it in advance. Be clear about the number of mics you’ll need and precisely how the event will be recorded.
Build a marketing strategy.
“Getting people to come is a huge part of it,” says Ari. While podcasts have a built-in audience, producers don’t always know where that audience is located. It might be worth considering doing a listener survey to gauge interest and estimate audience size in advance.
Communicate with your venue and partner organizations about a strategy for marketing the event. Start publicizing the event early, driving registrants to a custom landing page or ticketing page, like Brown Paper Tickets or Eventbrite. Use social media and email lists to extend your reach, and if multiple people are helping to spread the word, make sure there’s continuity in terms of messaging and branding.
Create a checklist.
With any event, there are a lot of moving parts. You might also consider making programs for your event, operating a sales table with merchandise, doing a sign-in sheet to collect email addresses, building in time for audience Q&A, and much more. Use a checklist to keep track. And have fun!
As podcasting becomes more mainstream as an entertainment medium, shows will naturally look for ways to better connect with and entertain audiences. Live podcast events are a powerful and exciting way to experiment with what’s possible with audio. “You don’t often sit in a room with people and listen to something together,” says Nina. “There’s something intimate and nice about that — you get to see the magic.”
