You Want to Podcast, Now What? - HoET097

Feedback, Shoutouts, and Links

• John Kensek via Twitter asked about podcasting on something broad or specific.
• Stella Pollard slid into my DMs and could not wait for information on a mic recommendations as I prevented her from purchasing a Blue Snowball mic with episode 96.
• Derrick Crabtree shared his interest in starting a podcast via Flipgrid
• Louie Soper via SpeakPipe wanted information about podcasting.
• Dan Kreiness shared kind words and talked about his interest in podcasting.
  • Check out his podcast, Leader of Learning
• Lynn Smargis will be at AMLE in Philadelphia and share her thoughts on episode 96.
• Beth Campbell gets us into the featured content as her question and interest in podcasting is great.

Featured Content

1. Your Topic: What Should I Podcast About?

• This is the #1 thing that holds so many people back from starting a podcast:
  Step one is to get your head in the right place: Podcasting (like so many other things) is a marathon, podcasting is not a sprint.
• Is there something you believe you could talk about for hours on end?
• Are there other people who also have an interest in your topic?
• When you do settle on a topic, make sure it is a something that excites YOU! –and not just something that excites you NOW, but something you can see exciting you in 6 months, 18 months, or 4 years from now!
• I was excited when I planned and launched HoET in 2013/2014
• Creating this podcast has been an incredibly valuable use of my time! I have approached this podcast since day 1 with the mentality of building a tribe of passionate followers like YOU around a topic I happen to be passionate about.
• Seth Godin talks about tribes often, and if you can inspire 1,000 people to join your tribe, then the world is yours!
• What is your thing? Inside or outside of education?
  If you maintain your focus, the question becomes not IF you and your podcast will succeed, but when.
• When I started, my mantra was, “Be the little podcast that could”

2. Who Will I Be Podcasting For?

• This is the biggest mistake that many Podcasters make at the onset of creating their Podcast: they don’t know who they’re podcasting for.
• Your Avatar is your ONE perfect listener.
• Your Avatar is the ONE person who will listen to your Podcast and ask him or herself, “Was this Podcast created specifically for me? I feel like the host is talking directly to me, addressing my pain points, and giving me valuable information on how to move past my biggest struggles!”
• If you try to create a Podcast that resonates with EVERYONE, you will resonate with NO ONE.
  This is back to the concept of building your tribe. Build a RAVING base of loyal listeners. Like you! You’re loyal and I thank for listening!
• This will only be possible if you know your Avatar inside and out, and base every decision from this point forward on what your Avatar would want.
• Length? Frequency? Interview-based? Topic-based?

3. Equipment: Is It Expensive to Start a Podcast?

First off, I really want to focus on breaking down barriers. Podcasting doesn’t have to and shouldn’t break your bank. Podcasting does NOT need to be done in a professional studio with glass panels, sound absorption panels, mixers, sliders, buttons, and mics everywhere. We are living in a time where all you need is a mic – preferably a dynamic one – and a computer. You can even podcast from your phone.

That is all you need in the way of physical equipment – nothing else.

The two microphones and accessories I recommend for podcasters are:

• ATR2100
• AT2005
• Foam Ball-Type Mic Windscreen
• Microphone Boom Arm
• Microphone Shock Mount
• Apple Camera Connection Kit

SHOP MY GEAR RECOMMENDATIONS

The ATR-2100/AT2005 are both dynamic microphones that are both XLR and USB, and they’re TRULY all you need mic-wise to have amazing audio quality. Want to hear what it sounds like in action? You’ve already been doing it listening to this podcast. I use the AT2005 for all my in-studio recording and the second mic here in the HoET is the ATR-2100 which I also take with me on the road.

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