Description
(00:00) INTRO
The Duration, frequency of publication, subject matter... Would you like to know the recipe for an ideal podcast? The one that will instantly touch your listeners, that will stand out from the crowd, and will be on everyone's lips? We would like to give you the recipe, but a podcast requires a great deal of impulse creativity, and therefore there is no exact recipe.
There are still some basic ingredients that we can find in the kitchen so that the final result is not too indigestible. However, we cannot guarantee you that you will win the competition with the best pastry chef, but at least you will not be ashamed of the final result!
(00:38) AN EMOTION
The first essential ingredient: Time is a precious commodity, so do not waste your audience's time.
If they take the trouble to listen to you, you have to give them something in exchange. The ideal podcast should not leave people indifferent. The listener must either have learned something they didn't know before listening to you, or they must have felt emotion at least.
Emotion has different faces: the ideal podcast can be entertaining, funny, and instructive, it can provoke indignation, and can also be overwhelming. Yes, I admit, I, personally, have cried my eyes out while listening to a podcast.
(01:16) SUBJECT MATTER
Second ingredient: The theme should be broad enough so that there are many things to say.
You can also opt for a theme that is covered by traditional media but also go for a different approach that was never considered before. We can approach a subject in many different ways, and podcasts allow us to do so in all sincerity, and with personal commitment, which is impossible to do with traditional media.
This space of speech belongs to you, make the most of it. Dare to come out, defy them. Traditional media is often criticized for treating a subject too lightly and not spending enough time on the subject, digging in, to explore all the ins and outs. In your podcast, you can get to the bottom of things.
(02:04) PLAY YOUR HEART OUT
The third ingredient is relatable. In a successful podcast, there is your heart and authenticity. We have to feel passionate about the subject. We need to feel that we were the only ones who could approach the subject in this way. Choose a subject that motivates you. Share your knowledge.
Show empathy by putting yourself in your listeners' shoes. You, what would you, as a listener, want to know about the subject? Hopefully, that enthusiasm, that you would like to share with them does not make them regret the reason why they wanted to listen to this podcast in the first place.
Each episode makes an unspoken promise to the audience: They know that they will learn a lot more about the subject you have chosen to address.
Take liberties, dare to be creative, but do not lose that thread.
(03:00) INTIMACY
The fourth ingredient is to find the right tone to be used. The podcast can create real intimacy with its audience. A good podcast can be defined by the singular relationship between the podcaster and the audience.
Something cool about podcasts is that you can do anything you want. Some will seek depth and intimacy, while others will be more rhythmic and spontaneous.
The only thing to remember is that we can be close to people while still focusing on structure when addressing them. Allow yourself some proximity, but do not get familiar.
Put your audience at the heart of your project, and address them in a natural way. Do not forget, they are real people who are listening to what you are saying. Address them as if they were right in front of you.
(03:56) FREQUENCY
Another essential ingredient is frequency. You are not obliged to do a podcast every week, but there has to be certain regularity. A podcast is an appointment you make with your listeners. So whatever the frequency, weekly, bi-monthly, monthly, your broadcasts must be regular.
(04:16) TIME
For the cooking time, you should know that there is no ideal duration. A one-hour podcast can seem short due to its subject but the way it is addressed can make it captivating. But the reverse is also true. Do not talk without actually saying something. To be clear, it is better to keep it short and relevant rather than long and boring.
(04:40) IMPERFECTIONS
Finally, the ideal podcast is not perfect. Of course, you need good sound and nice content: And one should not erase the slightest imperfection. Let's go back to our cake story which represents the same idea here: I prefer a homemade cake baked with love rather than a bakery-bought cake with visually incredible frosting but, with a bland taste.
We can also compare this to social media. We tend to erase all our flaws, even the most insignificant ones, before posting a photo on Instagram. We erase a poorly placed mole or wrinkles that are too visible. We seek perfection that does not even exist and we exhaust ourselves, and in the end, do not even convince anyone. The trend is to be more authentic.
The same applies to podcasts: Eventually, you can rework everything, and do not worry too much about the squeaking sound of the door in the background, nobody will stop listening to your show because of that.
Same if you mispronounce a word, or were a bit hesitant in pronouncing a word. In a 10mins podcast, who cares? This is not important.
Do not re-record everything for a tiny detail...
Use the time gained to work on your next podcast.
