You might be a fan of some podcasts, or you might never have listened to one, but podcasts continue to grow in popularity. There were an estimated 120 million podcast listeners in the country in 2021. Forecasts suggest that the number of podcast listeners will surpass 160 million in 2023 after increasing to around 20 million each year, according to statista.com. That is a lot of people!
One reason that podcasts are continuing to grow is their convenience. People can listen to audio episodes while running, cooking, and driving, along with numerous other scenarios. Podcasts also allow listeners to educate and entertain themselves without spending lots of money.
“Educating” is where you come in. A podcast is a way for you to inform potential customers about your industry and how you can help them. Starting a podcast could be a fun and different way to promote your business. There are a few essential tools you’ll need to get started. Which you “tool up” will depend on your budget and goals. If you want to dip a toe in, you could begin your podcast with just your computer or your phone. You could use Zoom to create a podcast. All you need to do is set up a regular virtual call with your co-hosts and guests. Once everyone has entered the call, and you’re ready to record, click the “Record” button on your dashboard. Zoom will automatically save the mp3 audio and mp4 video files to your computer when you end the meeting.
There are apps and services you can explore for various benefits and costs. The better your sound quality, the more enjoyable the podcast to your listeners. For the more serious podcaster you’d need:
- A sound-proof (or at least distraction-free) recording space – Create a space in your home and place podcast recording equipment in an area that will only pick up your show’s audio. This can make all of the difference when getting the best podcast sound quality.
- Laptop or desktop computer
- Microphone
- Optional: Podcast camera – A resolution of 1920×1080 (1080p) and a frame rate of 24fps or 30fps would do the trick for most podcasts. Higher resolutions and frame rates have larger file sizes, which may not be ideal for live podcasts if your upload Internet speed is slow or streaming to a platform (e.g., Facebook) that does not support higher frame rates. A still camera plus a capture card or a camcorder plus a capture card would be your best bet to get the best video quality.
- Noise-canceling headphones – A quality set of headphones are essential to a good podcast. They help cancel ambient noise and let you hear yourself better. The way you hear yourself talk is not the way you sound to others, so hearing yourself as your microphone is recording you will help you make adjustments on the fly rather than realizing post-recording that you were too close to the mic, popping your p’s and k’s, or speaking too loud.
- Podcast recording software
From listening to various podcasts, it seems the most important thing is to have fun. Check out Inspect Point’s own co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Drew Slocum, on The Fire Protection Podcast or as a guest on The Fire Sprinkler Podcast. You can tell how much Drew loves what he does. It makes a big difference.
Podcasting is a newer medium that can allow your business to reach a wider audience. People inherently appreciate content that is easily accessible, and they seek out convenient ways to do so. Podcasts may and do appear in search engine results, making it even easier for your customers to find you.
