Content Creation

Overview

Time: 20 min

Objectives

Learn about content for podcasting

Learn the concepts of script writing

How To Create Interesting Podcast Episodes

Talk about things you’re interested in : This may sound obvious but choosing a topic you like talking about is the cornerstone of podcasting. It not only helps you produce engaging content but it also is a key factor in consistently creating new episodes for your audience to enjoy.
Focus on your target audience : You can’t make a podcast that pleases everyone. It’s best to narrow your focus to a specific listener avatar who will get the most value from your content
Tell lots of stories : Stories are powerful ways to connect with your audience. They create neurological responses in our brains that help us focus and empathize with the storyteller. Researchers at Stanford learned that people are also able to remember stories better than other kinds of information.
Help your audience take the next step : You have give to your listeners a reason to follow your show and this means creating podcast content that’s actionable. Actionable content explains how your listeners can do something, not just what they should do or why. It gives them practical directions that can be applied in real life to satisfy a need.
Ask your listeners questions and report their responses : Podcasting may be a one-way medium, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a little audience participation. Ask open ended questions and explain how your audience’s answers will be featured in future episodes. Direct them to a central place to collect their responses like in the comment section of your podcast’s website or across your social media channels.
Stay on topic and don’t wander too much : As you get better at podcasting you’ll start to have fun, becoming more and more comfortable behind the mic. But make sure you don’t to become so relaxed that the conversation consistently strays off topic.
Invite unique experts onto your show : Every niche has a bunch of experts who like to hit the “podcast circuit.” They’re on a different show every week. These experts make great guests because they know how to perform on a podcast, but your listeners have heard them before. Instead, go after guests who have great stories to tell, but are less well known.
Listen carefully to your guests : Even though you’ll have interesting talking points prepared, avoid being the interviewer who reads a question, waits for the guest to answer, and then immediately moves onto the next without building off the response. Create more engaging podcast interviews by listening carefully to the guest’s comments then ask follow-up questions or chime in with your interesting tidbits.
Make your audio perfect : This should go without saying, but people don’t engage with poor sounding audio. It’s distracting, unsettling, and gives a new listener a very easy reason to stop tuning in. Perfect your recordings with the proper equipment and try out our techniques to capture clearer audio the first time you sit behind the mic.
Be yourself : You might be tempted to exaggerate one facet of your personality, or embellish a behavior you think people like. But if you want to create truly engaging podcast content, it’s best to be yourself.
Post transcriptions of your episodes: This is a bonus tip to help you squeeze more value out of all the work you’ve put into creating an engaging episode. Not only does it allow those who are hearing impaired enjoy the show, including episode transcriptions on your website provides SEO value.

Script Writing

Podcast Intro (Including Music): Your podcast intro lets you give listeners an overview of the episode upfront and helps you capture your audience’s attention at the outset.
Welcome / Guest Introduction: Jotting down some basic facts about your guest helps establish rapport and avoid getting off to a rocky start.
Message from a Sponsor: Sometimes sponsors give podcast hosts a script to read from verbatim, and other times the host will be able to craft their own sponsor message.
Segue : A well-placed segue can make your podcast flow between topic changes and help create a cohesive episode. Segues can be a phrase, sound effect, or a musical jingle.
Outro and Call to Action : You can use this section to make announcements, give a teaser for your next episode, play a closing jingle, or share resources to help listeners.