10 tips for being a good podcaster

Like omelettes, crêpes and soufflé cakes... not all podcasts succeed! (Yes, I know, it hurts!)And yet podcasts are the fastest-growing multimedia format on the media market today, with +19.2 million more listeners in one year(Médiamétrie - May 2021). What's the differentiating factor between an unnoticed podcast and a successful one?

The host, the host or the animator!

Like the DJ at a hip-hop party, it's the host who gives his show its power. He controls the content, the guests, the audience engagement - everything! Everything! Becoming a great podcast host requires a certain level of skill, practice and a bit of know-how.Want to unlock the secrets of good podcast hosts? Follow these ten tips and strategies.

Contents

1. Know your audience inside out
2. Be an authentic podcast host
3. Listen carefully to your old podcast episodes
4. Prepare your podcast in advance
5. Find the perfect guest for your podcast
6. Research your guest thoroughly
7. Transcribe your podcast episodes
8. Arrange a pre-interview with the podcast guest
9. Show your gratitude to podcast listeners
10. Ask podcast listeners for feedback

1. Know your audience inside out

You don't create a podcast on your own... Like a good salsa, you have to be in line with your partner! (un, dos, tres y enchufla)As a podcast host, your goal is to produce audio content that will resonate far beyond a simple conversation.You need to know your listener inside out, go deep into their mind, understand their current state of mind.That's how you'll create :

• Content that's better adapted to your needs,
• Make a deeper connection,
• Improve listening time and its recurrence.

ADVICE FROM THE CALLIOPÉ TEAM

As you record, ask yourself:

• What might my listeners be thinking right now? What interests them? What's on their minds in relation to my theme?
• Is something I said confusing?
• What questions could I ask to provoke a deeper, more meaningful conversation?

2. Be an authentic podcast host

Spending an hour listening to a stranger talk is rare these days... (Even while doing the dishes)That's what makes podcasts so special, unique and original compared to other media...In a podcast, you build an extremely intimate relationship between host and listener.Yet even with the best content in the world, you'll quickly give up on a podcast whose host isn't charismatic, pleasant to listen to or even funny.

It's the personality of the podcast host that makes all the difference!

A recent survey showed that 83% of podcast listeners said they consider their favorite podcast hosts to be friends, so why deprive yourself? Talk to them like a friend! Being too slick, polished or professional is likely to turn listeners away.

How do you stay authentic as a podcast host?

To remain authentic with your audience, it's essential for a presenter to let his or her personality shine through. To do this, you can :

• Use your own language, your own expressions, your everyday slang.
• Express your point of view, even if it is dissonant with your guest's or the prevailing wisdom.
• Tell personal stories and immerse the listener in your life through anecdotes.
• Make mistakes, show your weaknesses, and the listener will feel more sympathetic towards you.

Keep in mind that the audience finds comfort in hosts who show their vulnerability, authenticity, humor and individuality.Laugh, have fun, be natural!

3. Listen carefully to your old podcast episodes

When you're learning a language, your accent is one of the hardest things to master. Language teachers often say that to improve your accent, you need to listen to yourself until you spot where you need to improve: is it your intonation,your pronunciation of certain types of words? Is it intonation? Is itthe pronunciation of certain types of words?Just as when learning a language, when recording a podcast you come up against the same problems! You won't immediately notice the many "uhhhh", "mmmm" or "okkk" that you say every time you speak. To do this, you need to listen to past episodes again, looking for patterns.

• What bad habits come up time and time again?
• What audio problems remain?
• What are undesirable vocal tics?

All these elements are detrimental to the listener's enjoyment of the episode. Writing them down, becoming aware of them and working on them will make you a better host.

4. Prepare your podcast in advance

No listener will be receptive to the idea of listening to a podcast host who rambles or doesn't understand his or her subject.In the podcast world, there are more and more players and the competition is raging.Even for a beginner, you'll have the space of a few minutes - even an episode for the luckiest ones - to convince listeners to tune in.Without any preparation, you're guaranteed failure. You can't improvise a podcast!

How do I prepare a podcast?

Like a video clip producer, write down the step-by-step process of your podcast show in detail:

• Write a program plan with research notes,
• A script of the various program sequences (introduction, closing questions)
• Bulleted lists,
• A framework of questions you'll want to address.

Why prepare your podcast in advance?

By referring to your notes during the recording, you'll be more confident when speaking and more focused on your guest and the way you energize your podcast.

5. Find the perfect guest for your podcast

Your listeners expect quality content that follows the editorial line of your previous episodes, that delivers content in the same form, so the success of your podcast episode is intimately linked to the quality of the guest you interview.

How do I know if my podcast guests will appeal to my listeners?

Before contacting him/her, ask yourself whether this guest is well-versed in one of the subjects your listeners enjoy, whether he/she will be able to help them go even further in their quest, whether he/she has a talent for telling entertaining stories, and whether he/she has anecdotes that make him/her unique. Are there anecdotes that make him or her special?

What should I bear in mind when selecting a guest for my podcast?

Under no circumstances should you use guest stars just for the sake of their fame. If they don't fit in with your editorial line, your listeners won't see the point.

Beware: a celebrity guest is not necessarily right for your show.

Make sure you choose the right date for the interview:

• In a stressful phase of personal life (divorce, loss of a loved one...),
• In a stressful phase of his professional life (loss of major contracts linked to covid...),
• What time of day is he in a good mood (morning? evening?)?

Without a minimum of guest control, your podcast will quickly become unmanageable.

6. Research your guest thoroughly

There's no secret here: to get the most out of your interview, research your guest as much as possible.

How do you research your podcast guests in depth?

1. Consume their contentArethey an author? Read their book! Is it a youtuber? Watch their videos...Take the time to understand their personality, their expertise, what makes them valuable and what doesn't.2. Analyze their social networks:do they communicate in an original way? What's their most popular post? How do they respond to their followers? Dive into their articles and blogsFor B2B podcasts, spend a little more time on their LinkedIn.3. Dive into their articles and blogsWhattopics do they cover? How do they approach them? What's their level of expertise?4. Listen to any podcasts they've been on or hosted.Did they say anything in particular? Were they embarrassed or excited by a question? For example, in the case of a start-up, you might think about the money they've raised, or the fact that they'll soon be recruiting. This is an excellent way to avoid boring generic questions. It's also a great way of showing your guests that you really care about them.

7. Transcribe your podcast episodes

A good host will do everything to offer maximum value to his audience. Today, this can be achieved through detailed transcriptions of podcast episodes.

What's the point of transcribing a podcast episode?

By transcribing and publishing your podcast episodes, you can significantly :

• Improve user experience,
• Promoting inclusiveness (especially for hearing-impaired and non-native speakers)
• Increase discoverability by maximizing your SEO.

For presenters who want to go further. Remember to reuse your transcriptions by transforming them into :

• Blogs,
• Publications on social networks,
• Infographics,
• Audio illustrated,
• Issue notes,
• Quotes.

This will increase listener engagement and the possibility of reaching a wider audience.

8. Arrange a pre-interview with the podcast guest

Not all podcast guests are alike! (And that's just as well!)Indeed, while some will be comfortable with the idea of expressing their point of view clearly, others, on the other hand, will feel much more awkward or even uncomfortable when faced with such a situation.Many phenomena can explain this:

• Firstly, they generally know little or nothing about you (which reinforces shyness).
• Secondly, this may be their first time in front of a microphone (with the exception of karaoke one summer evening under 3 arranged rums).

Your job as host is to make them feel at ease. Otherwise, you risk ending up with guests who are boring as hell.The goal is to quickly get them to understand that "Mi podcast es su casa!"

ADVICE FROM THE CALLIOPÉ TEAM

Think of a series of things you can share with them "en-off" during the pre-interview session:

• What's the usual procedure?
• What kind of questions are you going to ask (so that he can have some time to think about them)?
• What is the best way to place your voice (for example, should you be near or far from the microphone)?

9. Show your gratitude to podcast listeners

At the end of a show, an artist often takes the time to thank his audience, knowing that a ticket can sometimes be expensive, that finding the time to come is not always easy, or that they may have struggled for an hour to find parking.For a podcast host, it's exactly the same. They could have gone to read a blog post, watch a Youtube video or attend a webinar, but no... They're listening to your podcast for several dozen minutes.Yes, ponder my next sentence... What would Jul be without the #teamjul?

Don't be stingy with your thanks. Without them, the podcast wouldn't exist!

Thank them, in each episode, for taking the time to :

• Subscribe and be so many
• For staying until the end of the podcast
• For leaving a positive review after listening to the podcast.

Better still, create a story, in selfie mode, in which you show your gratitude and share it on your various social networks.

10. Ask podcast listeners for feedback

Any self-respecting influencer spends time reading followers' comments, replying to private messages or even making FAQ videos of the questions asked. A podcast "host" will need to take the same approach. Otherwise, how would you know why your podcast works? Why is one episode more popular than another? Why do listeners leave an episode after 10 minutes? The idea here is to capture what all the analytics in the world (including Google analytics) won't be able to convey in their statistics. The advantage is that by gathering and examining your feedback, you can create more listener-centric content.

How can I get feedback from my podcast listeners?

To gather the feedback that is so valuable to your podcast, you can :

• Include a link to your online survey in the show notes and on your podcast website.
• You can also provide your e-mail address
• and your social network IDs so listeners can easily get in touch.
• Also be sure to mention your survey in your podcast episodes.

What questions should a podcast host ask to get relevant feedback from listeners?

Ask your audience to answer a few simple survey questions such as,

• How does your audio sound?
• What do listeners find great about your show?
• What sets your show apart from other podcasts?
• Is there any specific content that listeners would like to hear?

As you can see, becoming a good podcast host doesn't happen overnight.It's a process you have to put in place.Nevertheless, with the right strategy and these different techniques you'll be much closer to a professional result.Did you like this article? Good news: we've got plenty more! Stay tuned to Calliopé's Café de l'Audio!

Avner UZAN