Welcome back to Castos Office Hours, our weekly podcast webinar focused on answering your most pressing questions live. Everything from gear, launch plans, audience growth, to Castos feature updates, we’re covering it all!
In this edition, we featured a live editing demo in Audacity and went over some quick tips on how to remove unwanted pauses and fade in musical segments. For the last 45 minutes, we charged ahead answering your questions discussing what makes for engaging podcast content and if using Audacity for recording and editing is beneficial.
Check out the full webinar below for every last detail or our summary of what went down. And don’t forget to RSVP to our next session on Wednesday, October 2nd at 12:00pm EDT here.
Podcast Software Questions
Audacity allows for recording and editing my episodes. Are there advantages to using their software to streamline my process?
Deciding if Audacity is the right recording software for your podcast comes down to your needs. If you host a solo show and only need to record locally, Audacity is the perfect choice. You’ll absolutely benefit from a streamlined process–capture the audio, move it right into editing, then export your final mp3 file all from the same place. Hindenburg and Adobe Audition are also softwares that allow you to record and edit within the same platform and offer more advanced editing features.
However, if you need to utilize remote recordings, Audacity isn’t the right software for you. Here, you’ll need to use Zoom or SquadCast to record you and your co-host or guest on separate channels then drop those raw audio files into Audacity to start editing.
Do you recommend any specific laptop or computer when starting out?
Whether Mac or PC, we don’t have strong feelings either way but make sure to confirm the softwares you want to use are available on your operating system (QuickTime, for example, is Mac only). Another important consideration is your internet provider, especially if you utilize remote recordings. The better your connection, the higher quality audio you’ll be able to capture which can make all the difference in producing engaging episodes.
Podcast Content Questions
My podcasting peers generally follow an interview-style show but I’m thinking pivoting to a storytelling format. Is it worth the investment to change courses?
Let’s consider the pros and cons transitioning into a storytelling podcast format. In this scenario, the biggest benefit is differentiating your show from the competition. Storytelling formats are among the least common type of podcast so you’ll immediately separate your show from the pack. Since you’re competing with your peers for the same audience, offering a new type of content can help entice more listeners to your show.
But it’s also worth mentioning the biggest con. It takes a bit more work upfront than other formats as you need to create the story from scratch. If you’re new to podcasting, this could deter you from consistently publishing episodes which will make it harder to build a loyal following. Consider the time you have to commit to producing your show before making the transition.
Where should I include musical elements or sound bites in my show?
Musical segues are typically included in podcast intros and outros or when transitioning into new episode segments. Another interesting angle to try is repurposing an audio snippet, say from your guest’s interview or a lead into a funny anecdote, from the episode into the intro. You can reuse the same musical introduction for every episode and use these cold inclusions to add a new unique element for your audience to enjoy. As a bonus, it’s not a difficult editing trick either–just copy the audio snippet you want to include and add it to the beginning of your episode.
