Inside the Podcast Studio
Nancy Durrant and Alexandra Steinacker are two dynamic voices in the cultural sector, each hosting their own unique podcasts: The London Theatre Review and All About Art Podcast. In this session, they shared their top tips on everything from essential gear and storytelling techniques to making your podcast stand out from the crowd.
Key Considerations Before Starting a Podcast
Be Original: Consider what topics you haven’t seen elsewhere. What do you want to hear that’s missing? This will make your podcast stand out.
Prompts: Write down your professional experience, expertise, and personal interests to help generate fresh ideas. Use these prompts to pinpoint your podcast’s focus and your unique voice as a host.
Short-Term or Long-Term? Decide if your podcast is a short-term project or a long-term commitment. A minimum of 5-6 episodes is recommended to build engagement.
Choose the Right Format: Make sure your topic lends itself well to the podcast format, or if it is more suited for a panel discussion.
Planning Your Episodes
How to approach them? You need to be aware that the length, flow, and structure of each episode will vary depending on your topic.
Engage Listeners: A strong script and compelling storytelling are crucial to keeping your audience interested.
Pre-Plan Your Questions: Outline your question structure and flow in advance to ensure your conversation stays on track.
Interviewing on Zoom
Technical Tips:
Choose a quiet space for recording.
Ensure both you and your guest use headphones to improve audio quality.
Record your conversation using the voice recording function on your phone as a backup. This gives you a clean audio track in case of Zoom glitches.
Equipment and Distribution
Start Simple: You don’t need expensive gear to get started. Free editing software and an iPhone can yield great audio quality.
Storage: If you’re recording with video or using larger audio files, consider using an SD card for storage.
Hosting Platforms: To distribute your podcast widely, use hosting platforms like Acast. This will get your episodes onto Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.
Choosing Guests and Guiding Conversations
Pick the Right Guests: Having guests with public speaking experience helps. Remember that if you're interviewing people, it is also on you - “think very hard about your questions, you have to make sure you've done the research”
Practice Makes Perfect: Practice your questioning and listening skills to create smoother, more conversational interviews. Doing it out loud is helpful.
Guide the Conversation: Learn to steer the conversation without interrupting or being too abrupt. A good structure can lead to stimulating dialogue, and make your guests feel more comfortable.
Bonus
Use your podcast as a platform for exchanging knowledge and networking. It's a powerful tool for growing your career and expanding your contacts.