The Crazy Eight: 8 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Podcasting

I'm back at the podcast. This week's reflection is from an article by Forbes Agency Council.  According to the article, about 67 million Americans are tuning into podcasts each month.  With that large of an audience, one shouldn't just turn on a microphone and freestyle.  There has to be organization and purpose for the information being broadcast to reach eager listeners. This game plan not only applies to those using podcasts for their businesses and personal reasons, but also for teachers (like me) who create podcasts for their students or encourage their students to create podcasts of their own.  

Forbes Agency Council suggests answering the following 8 questions for yourself in the planning stages of a Podcast:

1. Who and where is my audience?

2. Are people actually listening to my podcasts? In the case of using podcasts for a class, the teacher may make it a requirement to listen and react to other students' podcasts. 

3. How will I distribute my podcast? 

4. What am I passionate about? Teachers may allow students to choose their own topics or assign one. 

5. Can I fill a niche that's not already saturated? For classroom purposes, if creating a podcast is an assignment, the teacher may opt to provide a different topic to each student in order to avoid repetition.

6. Can I make my point quickly? In the classroom setting, this would be an ideal time for students to assess their use of "filler words" such as like, um, you know?

7. Can I create podcast content consistently? It takes time to build a connection with the audience. For students, this may mean creating not just one podcast for a class, but one once a month, once a week, or whatever works best.

8. Can I translate my proposition into audio format? According to the article, it's easy to get lost in the specifics of the podcast, but sticking to the topic and providing the best explanation of what you're trying to convey is the most important key to success.

So......sit down and brainstorm I will. Maybe I'll make a podcast about how to make a podcast......

Forbes Agency Council. (2018).  Eight questions to ask yourself before starting a podcast. Forbes Community Voice. Retrieved from Forbes