Podcasting

Beginner Podcasters, What Do You Ultimately Desire To Accomplish With Your Podcast?

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Before I answer with the obvious, let me slightly re-state the question? What do you ultimately hope to accomplish with, or by, podcasting?

Is it just something that you like to do or is it a burning passion from within you to communicate your thoughts, knowledge or view of your chosen subject or subjects? Could it be that you do what you do to accommodate people that can’t read your written words because they are visually impaired? Perhaps it is because you know they want, or need, to hear what you have to say? Maybe you just like to talk and think you have something to say that others want to hear? These are all good reasons for spending the time that takes to make a podcast, but, what is YOUR ultimate purpose? What is it that will make yours ultimately unique and will set you apart from the rest?

Think about it for a moment. What is your purpose for making a podcast or being a podcaster? It is important that you answer that question before you get too far into your podcasting experience. I can tell you that without a clear direction and a love for what you are doing, you won’t last long.

Because of personal reasons, I haven’t been blogging or podcasting for a while and, honestly, I hope I was missed but I don’t think anyone much noticed. The only fortunate thing I have going in my favor when I took the extended leave is that I have almost two years of content out there. Some of it is pretty good (even if I do say so myself) and some of it … well … it’s even better. That’s because, though I do get sidetracked at times, I have a lot of interest in this thing called podcasting and the recording and editing of audio and video. You do know that this thing most often called podcasting has really only been going on in its present form for a little over four years.

Just in case you haven’t had time to notice, a lot is going on in this communication field and it is becoming more and more popular all the time. More people than ever before are finding audio and video podcasting as a means of getting their message across to the masses.

I am not so sure that every podcast that’s popular sounds like just another radio program though. It seems more and more are discovering that the message is more important than the fancy “radio-type” production. In fact, it seems that the ones that provide the most pertinent information to their audience are the ones that are growing in popularity.

That’s why I think it is important for you, the beginner podcaster, to think about what drives you to be a podcaster. Just what is it that you desire to accomplish with it? What is so important or interesting about it that makes you and your audience keep coming back for more?

I would like to be really transparent and tell you that my biggest problem more often than not is deciding what to focus on. Some people ask me what equipment to use and others ask me to try out different and diverse software. Some, by their questions, have even forced me to become more familiar with some of the technical aspects of podcasting software and equipment that I used to just take for granted or think that most people somehow just understood. Now I admit, I do have an interesting time with some of the equipment and software but honestly, I’ve discovered that some of it is just a total waste of time and energy. More often than not, whatever you choose, simple is better.

The redeeming value to all of it is that I have the opportunity to learn something new all the time. When I learn something of particular interest, (or something that really surprises me with how well it works or how easy it makes a task) I share it with you as quickly as I can. In future articles, I have some interesting things to share with you. In fact, I have a bunch of ideas in my “article oven” right now. Soon you will able to tap into what I think is some really interesting stuff right here on “Podcasting Resources” at podcastnorm.com.

For right now though, I just want to talk to you beginners about what you want to accomplish with this form of communication called podcasting. If you haven’t started yet, now is a good time to take some time and think through your plans for the future. Try to visualize yourself a year from now. Does your chosen direction still look appealing? Do you look forward to each new podcast with the same excitement you used to.

If you’ve already started with your podcasting adventure, take a little time to evaluate where you are and how far you’ve come. Does this “podcast thing” still hold you in its grip with anticipation for every new show or do you dread even the thought of having to turn your next one out?

In the mean time, take a look at why you want to be a podcaster and what you want to accomplish with your podcast and be on the lookout for the next article, “Three Questions You Need To Ask Yourself Before Making The Committment To Be A Podcaster.”

See you next time …

Russ

More Good Reasons To Use A Musical Floor

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I’m sure you remember in the not too distant past we’ve talked about using a musical floor in the main body of your podcast. Well, I have a very good reason for bringing it up again and there are more than a few good reasons to use a musical floor.

(For those of you that may just be joining in, that’s background music, or for some of you out there, a musical underlay. Others may even call it an underscore. They all pretty much mean the same thing)

Some good reasons for using one are:

  • Setting the mood for what you are presenting or talking about.
  • Enhancing or reinforcing the mood you want to set for the podcast or subject.
  • Using it with video often adds mental excitement of some sort to the visual footage.
  • It can also be used to add a calming effect after some sort of intensity.

Now, I want you to know those are just some of the reasons.

Here, I would like to tell you two of the main reasons I use a musical floor:

  • The first is to add life or set the mood for the podcast.
  • Second is to cover over a little bit of background sound that I have no way of getting rid of, (at least, not easily at the moment.)

You see, I don’t have the quietest of places to record my podcast, I just have a place that is fairly quiet. Because of this particular reason, I decided, rather than let it bother me too much, I would just, basically, make it sound as if those background sounds weren’t there or at least cover them over as best I could. Now I know that sounds as if I am cheating a bit, but trust me when I tell you, I’m not alone in choosing that method of covering some small imperfections.

Remember, this is just one good reason to use a musical floor. It gives you a bit more room for covering things that might be a distraction to you or some of your listeners.

Now, I understand there will be some that will disagree with me on this, but when the proper music is chosen for this purpose, it can do more than just cover background noise. It can cause your listeners to be more responsive to your message.

I can tell you with certainty that the music you choose for your musical floor can make a world of difference in what people take away from your presentation (what ever it may be) and what they will think of it in general. It has to do with a thing called the brain. In fact it has to do with speaking to the left side and the right side of the human brain at the same time.

Now, I am not a psychologist but I do know that this works for several reasons and just about anyone in marketing will tell you that if you can effectively relate, or link, left brain-right brain activity, the more effective and better are the chances of your message being responded to and remembered.

If you think I’m wrong, let me remind you once again, you are entitled to your opinion. I can, however, make a good argument for my case. I would merely point out to you that music can, and probably has, helped you remember twenty six somewhat unrelated items (at least if you’re from the USA). This is a classic example that many have already experienced. Yes, you’ve guessed it; It is the a-b-c’s. Surely you know the musical melody and the letters of the alphbet by now.

For another example, I’m sure you’ve already noticed, if you watch much TV or many movies, there is usually some sort of music in the background. It isn’t necessarily the same music all the time and there are times when music just doesn’t fit, but, music can make or break a message or a scene. I’m also guessing you’ve noticed most commercials, whether on TV, radio or anywhere else, have music of some sort playing in the background. (That’s right; it seems inescapable, doesn’t it?) And here’s the important thing about it. All of that music is chosen because it does what it is supposed to do. It makes the message either more memorable, or more effective.

Now, we won’t be getting into all of the nuances of music and sound effects right now, but suffice it to say, music … the right music … can make a world of difference in what you are trying to get across to your listener and what they take away from what you are saying. Music in the background … the right music in the background … can help make your message more acceptable to those listening to it. Yes, I know not all people’s taste in music is the same and I know, also, that music is not needed in every situation. Used properly, though, it can possibly make your podcast more interesting and even more exciting than it may have been without it.

Now, admittedly, the wrong music can totally distract your listener and cause them to completely miss what you want them to take away with them. It could even possibly cause them to turn off your podcast before they ever get your message. This is why you need to put a little forethought into the audience you are trying to reach. By taking the time to think about your audience — who they are what their interests are — could quite possibly make the difference in how they respond to you and your message. Not only could that make your podcast more popular, but it could possibly make it more valuable in more ways than one.

Simply choosing music you like is not the best reason for what you choose to use as a musical floor. You need to think bigger. You need to think wider or broader. You need to think about your audience and what you are trying to get across to them. Experimenting with different types will not be a waste of your time, but wise use of it. By taking the time to think about these things, you’re taking the time to make your podcast a level above the rest and, in my thinking, that is a good thing.

I’ll see you next time …

What Does Podcasting Mean To You?

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Podcasting is very popular and a very interesting form of communication. On the one hand, some think it is a way for them to say what ever they want and not have to worry about what others think. On the other hand, some think it is a complete waste of time and they would rather not have to be exposed to such an obtrusive distraction. In reality, the truth lay somewhere in between.

Somewhere in that mixture of thought processes is the question of what Podcasting means to you and before we move on too much further, you need to answer these questions for your self:

  • Have you actually considered just how powerful of a means of communication it can be?
  • Is it something you want to use as a form of communicating your viewpoint to others?
  • Is it something you simply use to become informed on subjects of interest to you?
  • Is it something you desire to use to teach, preach or reach others with subjects of interest to you or important information you think the world needs to know?
  • Do you consider the quality of the productions (podcasts) to be important or do you just like the subject matter enough to not care how good or bad it may sound or look?
  • Does your idea for a podcast include thinking about the cost it may take to accomplish your desired “end result?”
  • Do you really think you can do it?

All of these thoughts are good points of interest to consider and all of them need to be considered before you invest a large sum of money pursuing your dream. In fact, I am here to help you get started, “On The Cheap”, and I know you can do it inexpensively if you want. I also know you can start inexpensively and build from that point and only invest the amount you need to accomplish your goals for your podcast.

I understand and have to admit, it is easy to get all excited and spend more money than you need to just to get started.

What if I told you you could get started for next to nothing?

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