Podcasting Guide - Inspiration
So you understand what podcasting is. But what do you do with it? Here's Podcast FM's quick guide to getting started podcasting.
What To Podcast About?
Coming up with an idea can be the toughest part of podcasting. Fortunately, because the potential audience for podcasting is worldwide, you can be sure that whatever you're interested in, there's going to be other people out there that share the interest with you.
Try thinking about what you like to talk about with your friends, what you choose to do with your free time and what books you read or TV programs you watch. The best topics for your podcast spring from your interests.
Twenty Podcasting Ideas
Still stuck for an idea? Hopefully this list of twenty possible aubjects will provide some inspiration.
1. Are you involved in the community? Podcasting updates about your projects and plans provide fantastic ongoing material. Plus, you have a ready-made audience. Community groups, residents associations, churches, support networks, charities, hobbyists, sports clubs and youth groups would all make excellent podcasters.
2. Do you have good knowledge of any subject (whether cats, catwalk modelling, doll's house modelling, house repairs, house music or anything else)? Many people prefer to learn by listening rather than reading. Short, easily-digestible podcasts allow people who want to learn more about your area of expertise to find out more at their own speed.
3. Local knowledge makes for good listening. Walking tours, local history, places of interest, recommendations for pubs, restaurants, events or day trips - the wealth of topics mean you will never be short of content for your latest local podcast. Local news also good, and who better to report it than someone who knows the area?
4. Are you a budding musician? Why not podcast your own or your bands performances? It worked for the Arctic Monkeys. For established musicians, podcasting is a great way to keep in touch with your audience. Previews of new works or live performances can really help in maintaining your profile and are very easy to spread with podcasting.
5. Sport is another area that makes a briliant topic for podcasting. You could offer a fan's eye view of your team, provide commentary, keep others up to date with the latest news, results and signings. Or if you are a sportsperson yourself, why not record a diary of what it's like for you, updates on your training and progress, training tips and gossip from the inside?
6. Political podcasting is a great way to make your opinions known. Whatever your leanings, podcasting gives you a soapbox for the cyber age. Speeches, thoughts on any subjects, replies to policy or current events, news, events, feedback, the possible subjects for a podcast are limitless.
7. Do you have children? Recording them speaking their opinions and telling stories lets them participate in the world wide web and can be really exciting for them as well as entertaining for other kids to listen to. Plus it'll provide great memories in years to come.
8. For creative types, podcasting can be an opportunity to share the works of your imagination. Poetry, stories and song make good podcasts but, equally, sharing techniques, thought processes, tips or sources of inspiration can be equally useful and interesting.
9. Planning a holilday, trip or expedition ? Why not podcast your preparations and progress? This works especially well when combined with a blog or photo gallery, the different media really letting your audience feel what it is like to be there.
10. Is there something that you feel strongly about? Whatever your passion, Podcasting allows you to air your thoughts. Whether your outraged, saddened, excited, shocked or overjoyed, why not share your views with the world through podcasting.
11. Ever noticed how many cookery programmes there are on TV? That's because there's so much subject matter. Whether it's favourite family recipes or picks from your cookbooks, cooking podcasts allow others to keep their hands free to follow your instructions.
12. Reviews work well for podcasts, whether it's restaurants, beers, technology, gigs, books, or, well, anything, people like to hear what others think before committing themselves.
13. Business podcasting is increasingly popular. Whether it's market news, views from the inside, predicted trends or merely sharing stories from your profession, why not share your expertise. It'll definitely drive traffic to your company site - after all, you're the expert - and by podcasting, you'll be offering something your competitors aren't.
14. Comedy is always better when listened to, so why not provide recordings of your own jokes or routines (or anything else you funny you can come up with). There's already lots of websites providing a joke of the day by email, why not be one of the first to do it by podcast?
15. How about an educational podcast? Even if you're no expert now, by the time you've researched a subject you will be, and research isn't even too hard with internet resources such as Wikipedia. From fact of the day right through breaking down complex subjects to lectures or tutorials, podcasting is a great means of helping others learn.
16. Do you speak a foreign language? There's no better way for others to learn than by listening, so why not create some tutorial podcasts? Or maybe you just want to speak to those who share your language? There's very little podcasting in non-English languages. Why not be one of the first?
17. Stuck for ideas of your own? Copyright for written works expires 70 years after the author's death, so why not perform works by classic writers? Speeches, poems, short stories, plays, letters and the like all make great podcasts.
18. Perhaps you don't have opinions of your own you want to share but you know others who do? Interviewing people about their opinions and interests can create a dynamic that would be missing from a one-person podcast. Or how about interviewing people on current or local events, providing the world with the real word on the street from your area? Or just recording different local accents?
19. Even everyday life makes for great listening. Why else are soaps so popular? Besides, there's no such things as an ordinary, so why not let others into your own personal drama.
20. Of course, podcasts don't have to stick to just one subject. You could mix and match any of these ideas to create something uniquely you. After all, our interests shift from day to day (or minute to minute in some cases). How about a different top five list with each podcast (you've seen High Fidelity, right?), current loves/peeves or a thought for the day?
Phew. And don't forget this is just the tip of the iceberg. Anything that interests people, that has ever been used for TV, radio or film, or ever written about, is open for podcasting. And with the massive audience out there, someone is sure to want to listen.
