Do you have something to say? Does the world get you angry? Is someone toasting bread in the completely wrong way? Maybe you just want to have a laugh with your friends or you want to share your art with the world. Whatever you want to accomplish, you should start a podcast.
Making a podcast will connect you to a broad audience and help you express yourself better than ever. If you need any help getting started, Saw and Sine are here to make the process simple, easy and even fun.
START A PODCAST BECAUSE IT’S FUN!
If you’re like us, you like learning new things. While it may be challenging at first, podcasting is a lot like other skills. The more you practice, the better you become, and the more fun you have.
Ok, you might not like audio editing or finding the best platforms. It might not be the best time of your life when you’re writing the show notes for ten episodes in a row. Well, Saw and Sine can help with those parts you don’t find so fun.
No matter what, there are parts of making a podcast that is just magic. Through interviewing people, you will see a completely new side to someone. You’ll share ideas and laughs. You’d be surprised how many people love sitting down and chatting with you, especially friends and family.
Another reason why you should start a podcast is you’ll find surprisingly fascinating aspects. For example, when starting my first podcast about Scottish films, I discovered I loved doing background research, watching director interviews and going to film locations. I’m sure there will be something that will surprise you as really fun when making your podcast too. Your audience will also have a lot of fun which brings me to my next point.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE
Humans are social creatures. No matter if we’re introverts or extroverts, we crave some sort of human interaction. Podcasts can be a great way of forming social connections and sharing knowledge and happiness.
I bet there’s something you’re really good at or can geek out about. Maybe it’s a film or French food, yoga or 19th-century art history, but whatever it is, there are others who are or will be interested in it too.
Even if you don’t know anyone personally who is interested in your passion, someone out there is, and you sharing your passion can make a big difference in others’ lives. I know it is for me.
Just last month, I was going through a highly stressful moment, but I came across a podcast which really helped. It was a Reply All episode where they were talking about my favourite game as a teenager, Team Fortress 2. Hearing an entire episode devoted to this really lifted my spirits and let me escape from the world for a while. Podcasts are magical in this connective and escapist way.
Ok, yes, this one might be a little vain, but it’s also totally natural for us to want to be noticed and even admired. A lot of work we do in our lives goes seemingly unrewarded, but a podcast is a public work you can show.
Yes, some podcasts don’t have a ton of visibility, but you’d be surprised how many listeners a new podcast with a good angle can get. Sometimes, it’s because your subject has a hole in the market, other times your angle is just so dang interesting, or maybe people just really like to hear you talk. If you want to be heard, you should start a podcast.
It’s important to think about your audience also. I have a friend who made a podcast with her brother which is really only meant to be listened to by her, her family and their friends. And that’s great. You could want to reach professors of physics, New Yorkers, or farmers, but it’s good to have an idea of who you want to reach. Slowly but surely, they’ll notice and give you feedback.
BECAUSE YOU WANT TO CREATE SOMETHING NEW
Ah yes, you’re an artist. You want to learn and perfect your craft to make something no one has ever done before. You should start a podcast.
The breadth of creativity in podcasting is immense. Anyone who doesn’t think it is an artform obviously hasn’t listened to Welcome to Nightvale or The Paris Review podcast. You can, believe it or not, make something just as unique.
Take the Secrets Hotline podcast. It isn’t a very labour-intensive podcast like Serial or 99% Invisible, but its creativity makes every episode fascinating. Here’s the concept: people call a phone number and leave a message. In this message, they can be anonymous or give their details, but each and every one tells a deep and oftentimes dark secret.
Listening to these episodes is like reading confessional poetry or watching a drama, except these are real people letting their hearts out. It’s extremely creative. It’s art.
BECAUSE YOU WANT A NEW JOB
You read right, some people do podcasting as a job! Here at Saw and Sine, for example, many of us work to craft great podcasts for you and many different clients.
Independent contractors can make pretty good money developing great podcasts for clients. Freelancers often pitch their podcast ideas to platforms like BBC Sounds or Spotify. If you’re journalistically inclined, you could even try to get a job with the BBC working on podcasts.
If you’re interested in going this route, I recommend making a few practice (or real) podcasts so you have a portfolio to show to prospective employers. You can also make your own website which helps showcase your work. Also, get familiar with the common editing software like Audacity. Just don’t try and steal any of our clients (jokes!).
Sounds is great place to pitch your podcast. Photo credit: BBC Sounds website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds
It really can be just that simple. You want to start a podcast, so you should start a podcast.
Lots of the time, we have really good ideas for something, but thoughts hold us back like ‘what will others think’ or ‘I’m too old to do something new’, but ultimately those thoughts don’t matter when making a podcast.
What matters is whether you want to make one or not. I’ll be the first to tell you that the barriers to entry for podcasting are almost nonexistent. You can spend ten minutes on a youtube tutorial and learn enough to make a podcast. It might not be a great podcast right away, but it will be a podcast nonetheless!
CONCLUSION:
Podcasting is one of the greatest creative outlets of the 21st century. It’s also one of the most democratic art forms. Really, you can make a pretty good podcast with just a smartphone. Podcasts can help teach the world or at least make the world laugh. They can blow the lid off a murder investigation and help reunite long lost family members. Podcasts can make you famous or simply happy.
You can do almost anything with a podcast so the real question isn’t why you should start a podcast; it’s how you should make a podcast. Don’t worry, Saw and Sine have got you covered on that much harder question.
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