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Podcasting Series: Part 2

January 31, 2008 | Author: Rob | Filed under: SEO and Marketing

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Last time, we discussed the most basic facts of podcasting. Now, it’s time to start getting into the nitty-gritty of exactly how you do it.

Equipment

Obviously, the most basic requirements for podcasting are a microphone and recording software. While some will tell you to invest in a top-quality microphone from the outset, I would suggest a cheaper version to begin with, such as you might find in the computer section at Wal-Mart or Target…a headset model intended for voice chat. Once you get a few podcasts under your belt, you’ll probably want to upgrade your mic to a better model. A warning, though…shopping for “just the right microphone” can become addictive, and the highest-quality broadcast-level mics can cost thousands of dollars.

For recording software, again there are many options, with some costing hundreds of dollars. However, to get your feet wet, it’s perfectly acceptable to start out with the free Audacity software, which will do the job at no cost.

Recording

And now, the moment of truth. You have your microphone, you have your recording software installed, and you’re ready to go. Now what?!? This question, at least, has a very simple answer: record something. If you’ve never done this before, anything will do. Read tonight’s T.V. Listings, your shopping list, yell at the kids…your purpose at this point is to get used to your recording software. However, once you’ve made your first recording, you’ll have two questions which I’ll now answer for you.

● Yes, you really do sound like that.
● No, that does sound like you.

No one ever likes the sound of their own voice when listening back to it. That’s the first thing everyone runs up against. You can work on your voice if you like, but if you try to sound like “those radio guys”, you’ll wind up sounding phony, fake and (at worst) like you’re doing a bad parody of “those radio guys”. Just be yourself. Remember…you’re not recording a podcast, you’re talking to a friend….imagine your best friend sitting in front of you. Talk to them, not “the listeners”. No matter how many subscribers you eventually wind up with for your podcast, it’s still a one-on-one medium. You are talking to the person listening to your podcast…singular. Now, try it again.

Yes, I know…you still hate the way you sound. Welcome to podcasting! And remember, if voice quality was the key to success in broadcasting (which is all podcasting is…delayed broadcasting), then Casey Kasem would be selling used cars in Poughkeepsie.

Okay…you’ve got things set up, and you’re slowly starting to realize you don’t sound like Don LeFontaine. Actually, that’s great! The more you sound like “you”, the more successful your podcast will be.

Practice recording and sounding natural, and next time we’ll discuss “But what do I say?!?”…it’s both easier and harder than you might think.

If you want to know more about podcasting and would like to discuss it click here.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, January 31st, 2008 and is filed under SEO and Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

1 person has left a comment

Cool .. nice blog .. keep your touch..
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Business Advices wrote on February 4, 2008 - 12:48 am | Visit Link

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