DIY: HOW TO MAKE A PODCAST
by Teresa Chin
10.08.18
WHY MAKE A PODCAST?
Podcasts are EVERYWHERE.
Case in point: YR Media just launched our own, Adult ISH, a first of its kind, culture and advice podcast produced by those who are almost adults. Subscribe!
Podcasts come in all sorts of varieties — comedy, music, journalism, fiction — there are even podcasts about other podcasts! So whether you’re a Serial addict, a 2 Dope Queens fan, a proud RadioLab supporter, or none of the above, rest assured there’s still something in the podcast world for everyone.
In fact, we’re living in what many people are calling a new “Golden Age” for audio. We’ve already seen that audio CAN go viral (ahem, Serial, S-Town…) in podcast form. And thanks to our cell phones, most of us are carrying around a kind of digital audio player and recorder with us all the time. Today more people than ever are getting creative with podcasting as a form of intimate, engaging storytelling. In other words, people are listening — not just to journalists or comedians, but also to ordinary people who decide to share their stories, expertise, and ideas.
So are you ready to try your hand at podcasting? Get the skills you’ll need by checking out the five steps we’ve laid out for you below.
1. COMING UP WITH AN IDEA
First, you should familiarize yourself with the basics of podcasting and practice coming up with a brief pitch for a podcast of your own.
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DETERMINE YOUR PODCAST PERSONALITY
There are a lot of different types of podcasts out there: comedy, music, how-to, journalism, fiction, to name just a few. To determine what kind of podcast you might like to make, we suggest you start by listening to a variety of different podcasts and get a sense for what you like. You can browse what’s popular on iTunes, look for productions by your favorite media personalities, or explore by topic.
GUIDED LISTENING – FIGURING OUT WHAT YOU LIKE
Now that you’ve got a basic idea of what this podcasting thing is all about, you’ll need to come up with an idea for one of your own. Use our guided listening questions to come up with a new idea for a podcast
1. What do I personally like to get out of listening to a podcast? (example: I like to be entertained, I like to be informed about new things, I like feeling inspired, etc)
2. What kind of podcast tone appeals to me? (example: light-hearted, serious, scripted, conversational, etc)
3. What kind of podcasting structure do I like best? (example: based on a theme, based on current events, narrative [like a book], 10-minutes or less, released in seasons, etc)
4. What kind of person do I want my podcast appeal to? (example: other teachers, people who are interested in a particular hobby, etc)
5. What elements make up the podcasts I like? (example: interview, musical segment, reported story, scene, etc)
6. What might make my podcast stand out compared to what’s already out there? (example: add a new storytelling element, use a different premise or style, cover a topic people want to know about, etc)
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