How to produce a podcast to be proud of
Everyone seems to have a podcast these days, but there’s more to it than plugging in a microphone and hitting record. Any amateur can have a go, but a professional production company can make sure your podcast is engaging rather than embarrassing!
At C60Media, our producers have been creating award-winning audio content for decades. We believe that every podcast deserves the same high-quality production that we put into making programmes and documentaries for BBC Radio 4 or the World Service. We can help you to produce a podcast to be proud of.
Getting started
It doesn’t matter whether you’re brimming with ideas for the perfect podcast or haven’t got a clue how to tell your story. We’ll work with you to create audio to appeal to your audience. I personally love a brainstorm, hand me the whiteboard pen. Don’t tell Geoff Lloyd I used that word though he can’t bear it! There is no set template to follow and we’re not restricted to what’s been done before. Your podcast could break new ground or open up fresh conversations.
Ready to record?
For some podcasts, a simple studio interview fits the bill, but that isn’t the only option and sometimes it’s good to get outside in the open air. Our producers have worked all over the world, carting their recording kit to other continents and climates from Iceland to Mexico.
As a listener, I enjoy how podcasts can instantly transport you somewhere that you may never get the chance to visit in real life to hear from people you would never otherwise cross paths with. In The Return we travelled to Ghana to share the compelling stories of African-Americans choosing to move there.
A passion for podcasts
Podcasts have the power to help us make sense of the world, to better understand people whose lives may be different to our own or to find our kindred spirits.
For That’s Me On Screen, we brought together a diverse range of guests for a down-to-earth chat. This fascinating series for the charity OKRE explores how people from minority backgrounds are represented in the entertainment we consume and create. OKRE’s initial idea was to feature a robotic voice posing a series of questions for interviewees to answer. I am so glad they trusted our advice to find the right host. Having worked with a comedian on a Facebook Live programme in 2019, we knew she was perfect for this podcast format.
Evelyn Mok describes herself as Scandinasian; she was born in Sweden to Chinese parents. She has a really warm, witty personality and isn’t afraid to talk about anything from being pansexual to growing up in an immigrant family. Evelyn encourages her guests to relax and that makes for some really frank discussions. You feel as if you are being invited to eavesdrop on an intimate conversation between friends.
In this episode, she is joined by actor and writer, Waleed Akhtar and games developer, Dan Bernardo. Both queer and brown, they talk about how as storytellers they feel a responsibility to create authentic characters. As they reflect on the misleading stereotypes we often see depicted on stage or screen, I realised how those familiar portrayals have shaped my own assumptions. It’s a podcast that helps to educate and inform but never feels like a lecture.
Crafted by experts
It goes without saying that a podcast for the brand Red Bull has to be high energy. The Red Bull Basement Sessions is all about global innovators, entrepreneurs and athletes sharing their mindset and motivations. This is definitely a podcast to get you feeling pumped up and ready to take on the world! Take this episode with Team Principal and CEO, Christian Horner. He has overseen one of Formula 1’s most remarkable success stories so what’s his secret?
I was gripped by this podcast when tech entrepreneur and pitching powerhouse Sam Jones recalls his life-changing encounter in the Dragon’s Den. The atmospheric music and effects engulf you as the story unfolds. You can feel your heart beating faster as the tension builds. It takes a highly-skilled sound designer to achieve that production quality. Hats off!
Sound good?
The thought of starting your own podcast is bound to feel daunting but you don’t have to do it on your own. Why DIY when an expert would make a better job of it? That reminds me to call the painter. My last attempt at decorating was a bit on the shoddy side. If you’re going to do it, you may as well get it done properly!
Have a listen to more C60Media podcasts and talk to us about getting yours up and running.