Guest post by by Alex Schnee
You’ve done all the work of getting your guests on your podcast or scripting what you are going to say. You know your schedule and how you are going to promote your podcast. The one step you are missing is making sure that it sounds professional through editing. Knowing how to go through and structure your podcast can make a big difference in its quality and whether or not people will choose to listen.
Here’s how you can edit your podcast even when you have no experience doing so.
Know your software
Before you dive deep into the editing process, you’re going to want to know the ins and outs of your software. If you don’t know how to compress audio in Audacity, then this is the time to learn. The more aware you are of certain features that your editing software might have, then the more likely you are improve your audio and make it sound the way you want it to. Even before you record, play around with it a little so you have a good idea of what to do once you have audio you want to change.
Have a time limit in mind
How long do you think your ideal listeners will want to tune in for? Maybe they want long, in-depth interviews with thought leaders or bite-sized tips and tricks to help them learn something new. Knowing what you’re looking for can help you to cut down when interviews are too long, or you find yourself needing some padding in order to make your podcast episode the length that you want.
Tell a story
Your episodes should always have an arc to them, whether that means having guests that tell a story, providing them with interview questions that direct them a certain way, or having structure to your solo episodes. This keeps listeners interested in seeing what is coming next, and also gives them an idea of what they should expect from your upcoming episodes. This also makes it a lot easier for you to know what should go into each episode too when you’re editing.
Include an intro and outro
Having an intro and outro can go a long way toward adding professionalism to your podcast, and it can also let listeners know more about you even if they are listening to a random episode. You can either record it yourself, or you can choose to have someone else do it for you. It often doesn’t cost much to have this done, and it can add a lot to the overall feel of your podcast as well as help you with your branding.
In summary
Editing your podcast is where the magic happens. It’s where you take the conversation you have with your guests and turn it into a structured episode that you can be proud of. With these tips in mind, you can increase the professionalism of your podcast and make it the best it can possibly be.