Your Pod Guy

What Do You Want to Accomplish With Your Podcast?

In the episode, I am starting to review the Podcast Checklist I developed for aspiring podcasters. The first question is the most important to define before you do anything else with your podcast. What do I want to accomplish with my podcast? You may have several desired outcomes for your podcast and defining these up front will give you the basis for completing every other task on the checklist. Get the Podcast Checklist here: YPG Podcast Checklist  Head over to yourpodguy.com if you'd like to book a free consultation and while you're there, join the mailing list for more great podcast info delivered to your email. I use Descript to produce all my podcasts. This is my go-to audio and video editor and has made my life so much easier. Check it out here:https://www.yourpodguy.com/descript If you have any questions you’d like to ask, shoot me an email to scott@yourpodguy.com You can also reach me through Ask Answer using your mobile device (I think it’s pretty cool)Ask Answer  Follow Your Pod Guy on the socials here:InstagramFacebookLinkedInTikTok Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Talking About Podcasting Burnout

In this episode, I discuss podcasting burnout. I’ve been producing his podcast, Behind the Bits, for three years. It is an interview podcast that focuses on standup comedy. Behind the Bits won the Discover Pods Award for best interview style podcast in 2020 and I was featured in Podcast Magazine in 2022. It gets about 10,000 listens per episode. He explains that burnout is a common occurrence for podcast producers and it is better to be prepared for it than to become frustrated and quit. Behind the Bits, is a podcast produced and edited by just me. I don’t use any outside help for any of the work that goes into producing the show. To prepare for each episode, I do 3 hours of research on my guest and 2 hours of editing, as well as 3 hours of social media promotion. I look for guests who have something insightful to say, and are involved in projects such as albums, books, and comedy specials.  The podcast Behind The Bits is a successful podcast, however I’ve been feeling burnout from all the work that goes into it. This includes reaching out to sponsors, scheduling and prepping guests, and dealing with technical issues. To combat this burnout, I’m changing my perspective and looking at the podcast from a macro perspective. I’m also taking stock of the connections I’ve made and the impact they have had on listeners. I’m also planning what they want to do with the podcast in the future. Burnout is a common challenge for podcasters. To combat this, I learned that it's important to keep a positive attitude and be proud of the work you have accomplished. Additionally, I suggest preparing episodes in advance and taking breaks from social media. Creating best of episodes is also a good idea and can be helpful if interviews aren't ready. I hope this episode gives you the tools to be burnout-proof and able to refocus if burnout does occur in your endeavors. Head over to yourpodguy.com if you'd like to book a free consultation and while you're there, join the mailing list for more great podcast info delivered to your email. I use Descript to produce all my podcasts. This is my go-to audio and video editor and has made my life so much easier. Check it out here:https://www.yourpodguy.com/descript I mentioned the contest that is running to celebrate the launch of Your Pod Guy. I’m excited to give away some great podcasting tools like a studio microphone, a 1-year subscription to Descript, and 2 hours of consulting time from me! Click the link below to enter:https://www.yourpodguy.com/contest If you have any questions you’d like to ask, shoot me an email to scott@yourpodguy.com You can also reach me through Ask Answer using your mobile device (I think it’s pretty cool)Ask Answer  Follow Your Pod Guy on the socials here:InstagramFacebookLinkedInTikTok Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brian Aquart From "Why I Left" Podcast

In this episode I talked to Brian Aquart, host of the “Why I Left” podcast which centers around The Great Resignation that occurred during the Covid-19 Pandemic. I wanted to talk to Brian because “Why I Left” is a podcast that has a clear mission & “Why” which I believe are the most important ingredients to make a compelling show that has a clear target audience. Brian’s story is like many others in that he had the idea for “Why I Left’ at 3AM and went right to work in creating an outline of his “Why” & mission. Brian studied employment law in the Midwest and relocated to New York to work in healthcare as Chief of Staff. Understanding the thought process that was going on with career professionals in all employment categories was important for Brian to be effective in his own staffing endeavors. More importantly, Brian wanted to connect with people and discover all the peripheral things that make people change careers, move away from their current city, and make job changes in their current field.  When Brian was planning “Why I Left”, he did a number of things that I recommend everyone does before starting a podcast: 1. He talked to friends & family about the idea for feedback.2. He found a mentor to help take his idea from concept to final product.3. He read books on podcasting and took wisdom from each to ensure he started out using best practices.4. He reserved a URL for a website for the podcast.5. He listened to a lot of podcasts of similar content for inspiration.  Check out “Why I Left” on your favorite app and check out the website for the show here: https://whyileft.co/ Head over to yourpodguy.com if you'd like to book a free consultation and while you're there, join the mailing list for more great podcast info delivered to your email. I use Descript to produce all my podcasts. This is my go-to audio and video editor and has made my life so much easier. Check it out here:https://www.yourpodguy.com/descript I mentioned the contest that is running to celebrate the launch of Your Pod Guy. I’m excited to give away some great podcasting tools like a studio microphone, a 1-year subscription to Descript, and 2 hours of consulting time from me! Click the link below to enter:https://www.yourpodguy.com/contest If you have any questions you’d like to ask, shoot me an email to scott@yourpodguy.com You can also reach me through Ask Answer using your mobile device (I think it’s pretty cool)Ask Answer  Follow Your Pod Guy on the socials here:InstagramFacebookLinkedInTikTok Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All About Podcast Hosting & Choosing a Host

In this episode I talk about choosing a podcast host. A podcast host is where you upload your podcast audio or video file for distribution to all the podcast players. It acts as a hub for all the podcast players to access your show and is distributed through an RSS feed. When starting your podcast, you should out a trailer with podcast artwork so everything is in place when you launch. He also recommends picking one podcast host and not worrying too much as most will provide the same basic functions. Different hosts may have different features like a functional podcast website, web players, and the ability to host multiple shows. Podcasting is easier than ever with a wide range of hosting services available. It is easy to switch hosts if you don't like the one you initially chose, and the process won't take more than a couple of hours. The best way to get started is to choose your host early and get your trailer out as soon as possible to ensure you're fully distributed to all podcast players. If you need help or have questions about podcasting, you can reach out to Scott at yourpodguy.com or use the Ask Answer tool in the Show notes.  Your Pod Guy is a podcast about podcasting and how to make your podcast great. You can follow Your Pod Guy is on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn. Your Pod Guy also has a mailing list for great podcast info delivered right to your email. The next episode of the Pod Guy podcast will be an interview with Brian Aquart, host of the “Why I Left” podcast. Brian has a clear mission and Why and is a great interviewer.  Head over to yourpodguy.com if you'd like to book a free consultation and while you're there, join the mailing list for more great podcast info delivered to your email. I use Descript to produce all my podcasts. This is my go-to audio and video editor and has made my life so much easier. Check it out here:https://www.yourpodguy.com/descript I mentioned the contest that is running to celebrate the launch of Your Pod Guy. I’m excited to give away some great podcasting tools like a studio microphone, a 1-year subscription to Descript, and 2 hours of consulting time from me! Click the link below to enter:https://www.yourpodguy.com/contest If you have any questions you’d like to ask, shoot me an email to scott@yourpodguy.com You can also reach me through Ask Answer using your mobile device (I think it’s pretty cool)Ask Answer  Follow Your Pod Guy on the socials here:InstagramFacebookLinkedInTikTok Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My Current Podcast Equipment & Software

In this episode I answer a question I received from a listener about the equipment and software I use for my podcasts.. My current microphone of choice is a Rode Procaster, which has a great balance of cost and quality. The Procaster is a heavy dynamic mic with a built-in pop filter, and it captures warm sound without picking up any ambient noise. It is an XLR mic, so it needs to be plugged into a soundboard, and it currently sells for around $229. The Road Pod Mic is another XLR mic that is more budget friendly, selling for around $99. The Pod Mic is a popular choice for podcast hosts and is a great quality for the price. To use with the mic, a Cloudlifter is also recommended for better sound quality.  The Cloudlifter is an optional piece of equipment that increases the volume of a mic output without having to increase the gain on a soundboard. It is necessary for some mics and can be helpful to reduce distortion in a microphone’s output. The boom arm is a must-have for any podcaster to keep their microphone out of the way when not in use and to be able to position it exactly where they want it. It should be able to hold the weight of the microphone and be quiet when positioning the mic. It should also be long enough to be able to position the mic properly. The IX Tech Boom Arm is a great choice for podcasters and is currently available for around $60. Ultimately, it is important to choose a boom arm that meets the needs of the podcaster. My sound board is a Roadcaster Pro which is made specifically for podcasting and live streaming. It has four XLR mic inputs as well as slots for a micro SD card, computer, phone, and Bluetooth device. The board also separates all audio tracks from the mics and other inputs into individual tracks, making it easier to edit for specific issues like noise or low volume. This sound board also has a ton of audio processing features to make the speaker's voice sound great in the recording. I use Descript for my audio and video editing. It’s “edit text, edit everything” interface has saved me hours of time in my editing process.  Here’s links to all the equipment and software I mentioned in this episode: Rode Procaster Mic Rode PodMic Cloudlifter IXTECH Mic Boom Arm RodeCaster Pro RodeCaster Pro II Descript Audio/Video Editor Head over to yourpodguy.com if you'd like to book a free consultation and while you're there, join the mailing list for more great podcast info delivered to your email. I use Descript to produce all my podcasts. This is my go-to audio and video editor and has made my life so much easier. Check it out here:https://www.yourpodguy.com/descript I mentioned the contest that is running to celebrate the launch of Your Pod Guy. I’m excited to give away some great podcasting tools like a studio microphone, a 1-year subscription to Descript, and 2 hours of consulting time from me! Click the link below to enter:https://www.yourpodguy.com/contest If you have any questions you’d like to ask, shoot me an email to scott@yourpodguy.com You can also reach me through Ask Answer using your mobile device (I think it’s pretty cool)Ask Answer  Follow Your Pod Guy on the socials here:InstagramFacebookLinkedInTikTok Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.