Unsubscribe. It’s a pretty harsh word in the world of podcasting. But today’s audiences know exactly what they want, and in a fickle world of social media where listeners will happily give you a shout out on their Insta one month, and the next, ditch you for another podcast without a second thought, sound quality could very well now be up there with the top deciding factors between the survival and the death of your podcast.
Sounds a bit GOT doesn’t it? But if you had a choice between adding a crisp broadcast quality version of your favourite song – and a dodgy iPhone recording of it – to your Spotify playlist, which version would gain your loyalty?
For me and I’d be bold enough to guess for the most part – it’s #teambroadcastquality all the way.
Since the birth of digital our ears (and eyes) have grown accustomed to this new standard that the industry has set, and as a result, broadcast quality more and more is becoming the benchmark we have as listeners for audio productions – including podcasts – expect.
The thing is though, is that we don’t all have $50K to splurge on our own state of the art recording studio, nor do we have our own in-house studio producer to make us sound like podcast gods – so at the very least how can we achieve a consistently clean production quality expected of us without having to put our houses up for sale?
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These are my top tips for getting a great sound out of your podcast:
If you walk into any recording studio, there is one common design element: to block out unnecessary noise. Therefore, it makes complete sense if you want a podcast with a clean sound you need a space that simulates this. Any room can be transformed into a recording worthy area. A carpeted room or a floor covered with rugs and a hung set of heavy drapes will reduce room echo. And to eliminate external noise, simply record your podcast during the quietest times of the day.
The reason broadcast quality productions are so crisp is because the vocalist is using a quality microphone. A good microphone might set you back a few hundred dollars, but it’s the difference between a tinny sound and a full, crisp sound. I’d also encourage you to get a pop filter or a foam microphone cover as there is nothing more annoying than “p”s and “t”s popping over every sentence. If you’ve got any cash in the till left over, a pair of good headphones helps to hear yourself clearly whilst recording, as well as listen back what you’ve recorded.
Finally, one of the best ways to improve sound quality of your own podcasts is to listen to other podcasts that are creating the sound you want. Listen back to them, record your own and try to achieve that sound by tweaking things like adjusting the volume of your microphone or changing room. If you can’t work out how to create a similar sound, ask for advice from a sound engineer or similar. You can find these kinds of people in social media forums and most are quite happy to offer their advice in these areas.
Podcasting is a great way to present valuable content to listeners who can benefit from the information. To ensure that your listeners keep coming back for more, do your best to make your production a great quality production and one they will never want to unsubscribe from.
Did you find any of these tips helpful? Let us know in the comments!
About Dene Menzel
With a 20+ year career in branding, as a music branding strategist, award winning composer, producer and #1 Amazon Best Selling Author, Dene Menzel is Creative Director of Music Branding Agency, Branthem Creative, and is one of Australia’s leading experts in digital brand campaigns
W: www.branthemcreative.com.au
