People

Make your voice heard with a podcast

CPL’s Hazel Stabler (left) and Maia Parratt created their own comedy podcast, In Theory, in 2020, and it's still going strong. Here, they share some tips on the best way to start your own podcast, no matter the topic.

A podcast is a great, low-budget way to engage an audience. All you need is a chosen topic, equipment and a dynamic host. 

Anyone can listen to a podcast anywhere, at home or on the move, with a huge range of podcast hosts including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. Audiences aren’t held back by subscription fees or multi-platform logins. 

There is a podcast out there for everyone, whether it’s comedic, factual, or somewhere in between. With the right marketing, for every podcast there’s an audience willing to listen.

If you think a podcast could be the right thing for you, you might be wondering where to start. There are four main steps to success:

The kit

For beginners it’s easy to find an affordable microphone from many online and in-store retailers (Amazon, Argos, for instance). You will need to plug this into a laptop or computer with a recording system. There are many different applications you can buy, but the free ones, such as GarageBand  and Audacity, are just as good for beginners.

Recording

To record clean audio, make sure you are in a small, quiet room without echo or background noise. Your microphone should be no more than an arm’s length away, and you should check that it is connected properly before recording.

It’s often a little bit nerve-racking to start recording for the first time, so give yourself a moment or two to warm up and get comfortable. Make sure you have the subject clear in your mind, a breakdown of the points you want to talk about at the ready, and an introduction to start off the episode.

Editing

There’s no need to get too fancy when it comes to your podcast. Keep your edit short and sweet, and be confident in your decisions to cut out certain points to keep your audience engaged. 

An editing top tip would be to try to cut where a sentence naturally breaks, or when it ends. 

Marketing

There are several methods of marketing your podcast, but the best way to start is by using a host such as Acast or Buzzsprout. This will make your podcast available on the largest platforms for listeners with a click of a button. 

You may want to consider creating social media channels for your podcast, such as Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Many podcasters create short trailers and soundbites for their shows and use these for advertising across their social media channels.

Podcasting is one of the many ways you can expand your reach and communicate with like-minded people on subjects about which you care. As a digital marketing agency, CPL is always looking for new ways to engage with our clients’ audiences. Podcasting is by no means a new medium, but it is a growing platform for businesses to showcase their expertise.  And in a crowded marketplace it’s more important than ever to stand out.

Take a look at some of the podcasts CPL has helped create for our clients including Taylor Vinters, the Chartered Institution of BuiIding Services Engineers and the British Parking Association.

CPL senior account executive Maia Parratt has been at CPL for three years working with clients on a range of print and digital marketing projects. Hazel Stabler has worked for CPL for five years as our production designer, focusing particularly on magazines for membership clients. 

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