PodSchool

The question on everyone's lips when they're thinking about starting a podcast is "What equipment do I need?" Do you need a mixer? Will your computer microphone do? Do you have to buy special headphones or can you use the ones that come with your phone? Search Google and you’ll have a shopping list of podcast equipment as long as your arm. But the truth is you only need four things to start a podc...

Are you thinking about starting a podcast but have no idea about the different types of shows? In this episode I take you through some of the most common podcast types so you can choose the one that's right for you. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/podcast-types/ About me... My name is Rachel Corbett and I've worked professionally for almost two decades in radio...

When you’re thinking about how many people to have on your podcast your decision should always be based on what's best for your audience and what's best for your content. In this episode I take you through some things you need to think about when you're deciding how many people to have on your podcast. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/how-many-people-should-you-h...

If you're new to podcasting you might not realise quite how many steps there are in the process. In this episode I give yo the full rundown of all the things you need to do to get a podcast into people's ears. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/podcasting-steps/ About me... My name is Rachel Corbett and I've worked professionally for almost two decades in radio and...

So you want to start a podcast but you're wondering if you have enough time? There are lots of things that go into getting an episode from your recording device into people's ears. And every step can effect how long it takes to put your show together. In this episode I share some of the things that will impact how long it takes to put together a podcast episode so you know what you're in for. Chec...

Finding a podcast niche when you're starting out can be useful because it can help people find your show. If you're not someone with an existing profile chances are potential listeners won't be searching for you. So ideally you want your podcast to be in a niche they're already interested in. Having a defined podcast niche can also help convince listeners to give your show a try when they do find...

Getting your head around how to promote your podcast when there's no podcast there to promote can be difficult. But it can be done. In this episode I explain how to get potential listeners excited about a show that doesn't exist yet. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/podcast-promotion/ About me... My name is Rachel Corbett and I've worked professionally for almost...

When you’re starting out and you don’t have any listeners, it's hard to make decisions about what content would suit them best. Designing your ideal listener can help you make decisions about things like the length of your podcast or what kind of topics you should cover because you've got someone in mind. If you don't design your ideal listener you're probably going to make decisions based off wha...

When you're interviewing people for your podcast there's a lot that can go wrong. So how do you make sure guests leave thinking “I’m so glad I did that!” rather than “I never want to see that person again!”? I've conducted thousands of interviews over the course of my radio and podcasting career. And in this episode I share my top tips for getting the best out of your interview subject. Check out...

If you're new to podcasting you might be worried that once you start you'll be stuck churning out episodes every week for the rest of your life. While consistency is key, breaking your show into seasons can be a great way to take some of the pressure off and keep your podcast interesting. Just like television, seasons in podcasting are a way to separate your content into smaller self-contained blo...

If you want to interview guests on your podcast you might be thinking "Holy crap! Do I have to pay all these people?" Lucky for you (and your bank balance) the expectation with podcast guests is they (usually) won't get paid. So how do you make sure guests will still want to come on your podcast even if they're doing it for free? Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/...

Working with a podcast co-host can be one of life's great joys....if it's the right person. If it's the wrong person it can be as fun as performing surgery on yourself with a corkscrew. When you're starting out, having someone to bounce off can seem like the easiest option. But while there are plenty of advantages to not going solo there are a few things you should consider before you hitch your w...

Show notes are essentially a written post on your website that relates to the content you cover in your podcast. When there's already so much stuff you need to do to get your podcast out it's easy to chuck them onto the 'can't be stuffed' pile. But in this episode I explain why they're really useful and why you definitely shouldn't forget about them. Check out the full episode show notes: https://...

Getting callers on your podcast is a great way to involve your audience and make the show more interesting. Best of all, it doesn't require a complex studio set up to make it happen. So why would you want to include your listeners on your podcast and how do you do it? Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/callers-on-your-podcast/ About me... My name is Rachel Corbett...

If you're planning on releasing a podcast episode every week you'll need to have a plan in place. Because dropping shows that regularly is A LOT of work. Batch recording is an easy way to get on top of your schedule so you're not pulling your hair out when life gets in the way. So what is batch recording and how do you do it? Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/podc...

How do you make the most of the real estate at the end of your podcast episodes so you don't waste those final precious moments by saying something like "Ummmm, ok...so, that's it...BYE!"? The end of your podcast episodes shouldn't be an afterthought. You give a lot of attention to how you get into your content but it's important to think about how to wrap things up too. The people who've stuck wi...

Listeners access podcasts via directories like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify. And since getting more listeners is the name of the game you want to make sure your show is available in as many places as possible. You don't need to spend the rest of your life making sure your show is in every podcast app that's ever been created. In fact, a lot of them will automatically pull...

If you're wondering whether to include episode numbers in the title of each episode, let me save you the virtual ink. There are of course some cases where this might be necessary but for the most part you want to enter your episode numbers in the back end of your podcast host rather than in the title of your show. In this episode I explain why. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachel...

Setting aside the obvious need for a microphone and something to record on, the one thing in your podcast kit you can't live without is a pair of headphones. And that goes for everyone whose dulcet tones will be featured on your show. This is obviously a given when you're interviewing a guest via Skype or Zencastr because without headphones they won't be able to hear you. But if you're chatting to...

Most people think if they get a few high-profile podcast guests their audience numbers will skyrocket. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. Not only do guests with big profiles not guarantee a spike in numbers they're often difficult to get on if you don't have existing relationships to tap into. So, if this type of podcast guest is something you desperately want on your show. And you know it's...

Unless you've got an existing profile it's very hard to grow an audience with a podcast that's general. That's because when people are searching for shows they're usually drawn to concepts they're interested in or people they know. If they do happen to stumble across your show you want them to know exactly what it is in a couple of seconds or they'll probably walk right on by. In this episode I ta...

When you're thinking about starting a podcast it's easy to let self-doubt get the better of you. Particularly if you've never done anything like it before. Podcasting can be daunting when you don't know what you're in for but are a few simple things you can do to make sure those feelings don't stop you from starting a show. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/podcas...

A lot of people hold themselves back from starting a show because they don't think they've got a good podcast voice. But when you're trying to connect with people you've never met your content, delivery and authenticity will matter a million times more than your voice. Check out the full episode show notes: https://rachelcorbett.com.au/podcast-hosting-voice/ About me... My name is Rachel Corbett a...

A snazzy podcast player isn’t going to make up for a crappy show but it does form part of your brand. The way your podcast looks on your website can be an indication to some people of how professional it is. So, it’s important to think about the design of your podcast player. Luckily this isn't something you have to put together yourself because your podcast host will have one but which one do you...

If you want listeners to keep checking in with your show you need to set an appointment with them so they know when to expect your content. That means you need to release your podcast on the same day every week. Growing an audience is all about building a relationship and if you want people to keep coming back they have to know where to find you. Showing your audience you're committed to them buil...