The World of Podcasting

Is it just me or does it seem like nowadays everyone has a podcast?

I love podcasts! If you think about it, podcasts have been around for quite a while. Essentially, podcasts are radio interviews that now exist on the Internet. Oh yea, and they are usually pre-recorded and edited unlike the good ole days of being live at the radio station. The best part about podcasts is that the genre library is expansive. You can almost find a podcast for just about any topic.

You like true crime? There’s a true crime podcast out there for you. You love food (who doesn’t)? You got it, there’s a podcast series out there for you. You’re a history nerd? Yup, there’s a podcast for you too, my friend. A quick shoutout to my favorite podcast, Girls Gotta Eat! It’s a hilarious podcast series hosted by two female comedians who live in New York City.

Recently, a lot of companies and organizations are creating their own podcasts. In my humble opinion, I think it’s a great idea. Not only does this generate more content for your audiences, but it’s also a great media channel to circulate content from more traditional forms of media. For example, you publish a press release about your organization’s new partnership. Well, you can use a podcast platform to bring that story to life and bring more attention to that news.

When my manager asked for my help with the new Skillsoft podcast, I was maybe a little too enthusiastic. But I can’t help it, I love podcasts. Not only did I have an opportunity to work on a new project, but it was a chance for me (usually the “end user”) to witness all that it takes for a podcast to come to life. I just want to preview by saying this, there’s a lot of work that goes into a good podcast.

The first meeting was a brief for the premise of the podcast, defining roles, different components needed and goal setting. I thought I was in the clear; I would slowly assume responsibilities where help was needed. I was wrong, I was so wrong. The emails started flooding my inbox, the tasks started rolling in and before I knew it, I had played a huge role in releasing a podcast episode. It happened in a blink of an eye.

Depending on how frequently you produce new podcasts, you may find yourself working with tight deadlines and quick turn-around times. The Edge, the Skillsoft podcast I’m working on, publishes new episodes every Friday. We have one week for scheduling, prep, production, social and creative. And while I’m working on one episode, I am also preparing for the next week’s episode. It’s a balancing act.

At one point, I felt like I was way in over my head. I am so grateful that my supervisor helped operationalize the process for me. If you can operationalize a project and break it down into smaller tasks, it will help you tremendously. This has been a big takeaway for me. Since sharing is caring, I’m sharing with you some tips if you ever find yourself working on a podcast.

Podcast Tips

· Establish a posting schedule. Pick a day in the week to publish and decide how frequently you will publish.

· Create a content calendar. This content calendar includes potential guest, topics and when you’re looking to publish these episodes.

· Communicate! Clearly define what you need from team members and provide deadlines.

· Do your research about your guest. It will help you highlight their expertise and personality.

· If guests are willing to share their social media handles, make sure to tag them in social media posts.

· Have fun! If there are any personal touches that can be added, it helps greatly.