In the final session of the day, we heard from Podcast Guy and Creative Director of Abrupt Audio, Ant McGinley.
To say that Ant is an engaging and dynamic speaker would be an understatement. He used the entire audience to create a podcast on the fly. (We named it I Scream Ice Cream, and we basically all shouted our favorite ice cream flavors into his phone. But I digress…)
Here are some actionable tips you can take from The Ant Man about creating a podcast (which conveniently spell the acronym “E.N.A.C.T.”):
1. Equipment
You’re going to need something to capture the sounds and also do any editing that may be needed. This can be done by buying or hiring equipment, but you can also achieve great results with things you already have.
2. Name
Your name is really important in attracting organic listens. I always advise using the same tactics as the makers of the movie “Snakes on a Plane” because you don’t have to see the movie to know what it’s about.
3. Artwork
You need a picture to fit in to the guidelines set by iTunes (3000x3000px) and also something that catches the eye when people are scrolling through thumbnails of shows.
Do something different that will pop. Check out the colors people are using and use different colors. Most people tend to use the same colors.
4. Content
This is the words you speak and generally noises you are going to record. Will it just be you in a monologue or journal format, or will it be with several voices in an interview, round table, or magazine format.
5. Topic
What is your show about? Remember you can go super niche on this, as you can cater for an audience in a way traditional media doesn’t.
Sounds easy? That’s because it is! And the amazing thing about podcasting is that it’s only continuing to grow as a marketing channel. Even though more people are jumping on board to start a podcast, it’s still a viable way of reaching your audience and finding potential customers.
