AI is finding it's way in a wide variety of applications pertaining to almost every industry. This AI driven rapidly evolving landscape has created a demand for a unique blend of technical, creative, and interpersonal skills highly sought-after by employers. Listed below are some specialized AI-related skills that are becoming increasingly valuable in the modern times. 1. AI Models Development Understanding how AI and ML work including the underlying algorithms, and learning to develop ML powered apps using tools like TensorFlow or PyTorch is a highly desirable skill to master in the age of AI. Furthermore, the skills in fine-tuning and adapting large pre-trained models (like GPT, BERT, or Vision Transformers) to specific use cases are also useful, allowing you to create specialized applications without starting from scratch. Leveraging pre-trained models and adapting them to new tasks with limited data is particularly useful in NLP and computer vision. 2. AI Models Deployme...
Podcast is an episodic series of recorded digital audio files, that a subscriber can stream or download for convenient listening. Podcasts have become mainstream content delivery platforms today, with listeners growing everyday. Starting a Podcast is not difficult, however, making it successful requires some serious effort. This guide will explain step-by-step instructions for starting a Podcast and the resources required during the process.
The term Podcast is actually a portmanteau of iPod and Broadcast.
What is a Podcast and How Does it Work?
A Podcast contains a series of episodes listed with a Podcast directory application such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and iHeartRadio. Users can listen and download their favorite Podcasts using above-mentioned apps. Moreover, users can subscribe to Podcasts, so that they get notified when new episodes are released.
Google Podcasts Mobile App
What Equipment do You Need to Start a Podcast?
The equipment and setup may vary from simple to professional. You can get a simple and essential setup for $200-300 and a professional setup for more than $1,000. The final selection of equipment depends upon your budget and the goals of your Podcast. You can plan to start small and upgrade later.
1. Microphone
The first thing you need is a good microphone, as the laptop or headset microphones may not be sufficient. A special purpose microphone records a good quality digital audio, unlike the laptop or headset microphones which has a lot of background noise. You can buy either a USB or an analog microphone. USB microphones are cheaper and convenient to use, as they can be plugged in the USB port. Analog microphones have better quality at the expense of cost and require some extra equipment. You can get a good budget USB microphone well below $100.
2. Audio Interface (Optional)
This is required only if you buy an analog microphone, used to connect the microphone with computer. If you buy a USB microphone, you don’t need an audio interface, since you can plug the microphone into your computer directly. Audio interfaces can cost from $100 to $1,000. For podcasters, low-end audio interfaces will be good enough in most cases. Audio interfaces which produce higher quality sound and accept more inputs are aimed for musicians.
3. Pop Filter (Optional)
A pop filter is placed in the front of microphones to reduce the popping sounds. A pop filter is not necessary, it totally depends on the specific microphone and recording setup. Pop filters are cheap (around $10), so it is a good idea to test one if you are new to podcasting.
4. Headphones
Headphones may not be essential for recording a Podcast, but they are highly beneficial for the following reasons:
- You can maintain a consistent tone as you can hear yourself clearly.
- You will easily know if the microphone is picking up any background noise.
- It is useful if you are interviewing someone in your Podcast.
It is suggested to choose the headphones which are comfortable for long time and provide a good isolation. You can get good quality headphones for around $100-200.
5. Audio Editing Software
One of the essential parts of creating a good quality podcast is professional editing. There are plenty of audio editing software tools to choose from. Few of the most popular options include:
Audacity
Platform: Mac, Windows, Linux
Price: Free
It is a free and open source digital audio editor and recording software. It is highly recommended because it is free, easy to use, available for multiple platforms and includes powerful set of features.
GarageBand
Platform: Mac, iOS
Price: Free
GarageBand is a powerful Podcast creation studio developed by Apple, which comes preinstalled on all Mac computers, and is available as a free download in App Store for iOS devices. GarageBand includes a huge sound library which you can use to add an extra flavor to your episodes.
Pro Tools | First
Platform: Mac, Windows
Price: Free
Pro Tools | First is a lite version of Pro Tools, which has good enough features for creating Podcasts. It has a good library of samples, loops and sounds. Avid, the company that makes Pro Tools | First, offers a cloud syncing option that makes collaboration streamlined and simple.
Adobe Audition
Platform: Mac, Windows
Price: Free as part of Adobe CC or monthly subscription
Audition by Adobe is a complete digital audio workstation which includes a multitrack, waveform and spectral display for creating, mixing, editing and restoring audio content. If you have subscribed for Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite of softwares, you may likely have Audition available for you to use.
Alitu
Platform: Web-based
Price: Monthly or yearly subscription
Alitu is a simple web-based tool which takes raw audio recordings and helps to create professional Podcast episodes. Alitu contains a library of music and jingles which may be used as theme music or during transition between various segments.
Equipment Required for Podcasting
Now that you know the equipment required before launching your first episode, here are the basic steps in sequence to get going in your Podcasting journey.
STEP 1: CHOOSE A TOPIC FOR YOUR PODCAST
You need to find an interesting topic for your Podcast which may attract a steady stream of listeners. Choose a specific topic on which you can conveniently create more than 100 episodes. Your selected topic should neither be very narrow nor too broad. Highly specific topics may have low demand and general topics may be very competitive. For example, you may plan to create a Podcast on 'Software Testing', or something more specific such as 'Automated Software Testing', instead of choosing a broad topic such as 'Software Engineering'.
STEP 2: CHOOSE A NAME FOR YOUR PODCAST
Your Podcast name is one of the things listeners would see once they are browsing a Podcast directory. Therefore, it should be very catchy and closely related to your topic. Moreover, the name should be broader than your chosen niche to allow expansion at some later stage.
Google Podcasts Main Page Listing
STEP 3: CHOOSE A FORMAT FOR YOUR PODCAST
Before recording and publishing your Podcast, you need to plan the suitable format which includes the duration, style and sequence of your podcast.
Duration. Do not make your Podcast longer than necessary, because it may get boring in the later part. Popular Podcasts range from 5 minutes to more than 3 hours duration. Choose any time duration which seems to work for you and go with it.
Style. There are many popular Podcast styles, such as: interviews, solo-hosting and multi-hosting. Some examples for various Podcast styles are: Lex Fridman Podcast - interviews, Simple Programmer Podcast - solo-hosting, Scrum Master Toolbox - multi-hosting. Choose a style using which you can fill the gap for your listeners in your niche.
Sequence. You need to finalize the layout of events and activities in your Podcast. One example of sequence is Teaser → Intro Music → Welcome → Ad Spot → Main Recording → Review Us Note → Outro Music. It is important to get creative in finalizing the sequence of events in your Podcast. While finalizing this part, remember that in each episode you may have new as well as repeat listeners.
STEP 4: CREATE COVER ART
The cover art of your Podcast is one of the things listeners would find when browsing through a Podcast directory. If you look at the cover arts of popular Podcasts, as in the image above, you will find that they typically contain the title of the Podcast and one image related to the topic. It is better to outsource the design of your cover art to a professional artist via different platforms such as Fiverr, Upwork, Podcast Design Company or 99Designs. If you are skilled enough to do it yourself, spend enough time on it to make it look attractive. You can use the tools like Canva, Snappa, Stencil, Desygner or Adobe Spark to design the cover art yourself. Remember to follow the image size and format guidelines specified by the listing directories (Apple, Google, iHeartRadio).
STEP 5: CREATE INTRO AND OUTRO
Spend enough resources to create a very professional and attractive intro and outro music, as it is repeated in each episode. Music Radio Creative is an excellent collection of Podcast intros and voiceovers. If you are looking for free music, Free Music Archive and Free Sound are a good resource. If you have some budget, you can purchase some good quality music and tracks from Audio Jungle or Premium Beat at a small cost. You do not need a subscription, but one or two clips of royalty-free music for creating your Podcast intro and outro. If you have a higher budget, you can hire a professional service such as Tim Paige, to design a complete intro for your Podcast.
STEP 6: PREPARE FOR RECORDING
Before recording your Podcast, make all the necessary arrangements, including:
- Connect all the equipment including microphones, computers and other devices.
- Arrange any other people required for your Podcast such as co-host(s) and guest(s).
- Open the requisite recording and editing tools on your computer.
- Test that everything is working perfectly.
Typical Podcast Recording Setup
STEP 7: RECORD PODCAST EPISODE
Once all the things are ready, you can continue to record your first episode. You can use any audio recording software such as Audacity or GarageBand to record your Podcast episode. You may also create a template which can be reused every time you record an episode. The recording setups may vary, depending upon the style of your Podcast i.e. solo or interviews. For solo recording, you can simply start recording using your favorite software application. For face-to-face interviews or multi-host recording, you should have the appropriate hardware with sufficient audio inputs and software which supports recording multiple tracks. For remote interviews, you may use Skype with Ecamm (Mac only) or Pamela (Windows) recording plugins, Zoom or Squadcast (good quality).
STEP 8: EDIT PODCAST EPISODE
Editing your recordings to create a final episode requires mastery of related tools and techniques. If you want to avoid doing the editing yourself, you can use Auphonic, which is an automatic post-production web service employing signal processing and machine learning techniques. If you plan to do the editing yourself, you may need to perform the following steps:
- Import all the required audio clips in editing software such as Audacity.
- Arrange the order of clips or cut a certain portion of a clip to paste it somewhere else.
- Apply effects such as 'Noise Reduction' on different audio tracks.
- Export your audio tracks as an MP3 Podcast episode ready to be published.
Applying Audio Effects in Audacity
STEP 9: SELECT PODCAST HOSTING
You need a Podcast hosting provider to upload your episode files. There are many popular hosting providers, some of which are: Buzzsprout, Spreaker, PodBean, Simplecast and Anchor. Select a suitable hosting provider, sign up for an account and upload your Podcast episode files along with the associated information.
STEP 10: SUBMIT TO LISTING DIRECTORIES
Listeners use different apps or listing directories such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Podchaser, TuneIn or iHeartRadio to listen to, download or subscribe to their favorite Podcasts. Your Podcast must be listed with popular directories so that it becomes available for your intended audience. You can submit your Podcast to the above-mentioned directories from within your hosting provider website such as Buzzsprout. You can simply generate RSS feed for your Podcast and submit the RSS feed to listing directories. From there on, when you upload new episodes on your hosting website, the RSS feed will also be updated, thus automatically updating the listing directory.
STEP 11: PROMOTE YOUR PODCAST
Publishing your Podcast and hoping that users would find it automatically is not wise and sufficient. You should try different marketing and promotion strategies to increase your chances of success. Few of the effective marketing tactics include:
- Get your Podcast featured on the front page of listing directories.
- Create teaser audios or videos to share via different networks.
- Create transcriptions of your Podcast to share on your website or blog.
- Share the links to your Podcast on social media networks and related forums.
- Advertise your Podcast on other related Podcasts.
Conclusion
Podcasting has become a popular medium to build strong relationship with customers and audience. According to recent surveys, the number of Podcast listeners has grown substantially over the past few years. Podcasting can provide a powerful way to reach new audiences and foster the existing ones. If you are planning to start a successful Podcast, follow the steps listed above.
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