When I coach, consult, or advise a potential podcaster, I start with this—the most important rule in podcasting.
Whether you’re a beginner or veteran podcaster, this is the mindset you need to embrace
Rule 1: Your podcast. Your choice.
Because it’s your podcast, you can choose any mic, any website, any media host, any style, anything, everything.
It’s a freedom mindset. Embrace it!
Say what you want to say. Say it in whatever way you want to say it. Use a so-called “radio voice” or talk in the public radio style. Or just use your own voice. Sing and dance your podcast if you want.
Use music and a laugh track if you really, really want to. Or use nothing but your voice from start to finish.
If this makes you uncomfortable, it’s time to get uncomfortable. Seriously.
Or if it this helps, consider all this freedom thinking as brainstorming.
Think of about 10 different ways you could do a show. After that, think of 10 more ways you could make your show. And once you’ve come up with 20 different possibilities, think of 20 more. Seriously.
The alternative
If you work for someone, you have to play by their rules. If you’re a journalist for radio, television, or even print, you have guidelines you have to follow or you lose your job. Those are constraints you have to live with.
If you’re a teacher, you have to play by the rules set by other people. Again, that’s fine. Those are constraints you have to live with if you want to keep your job.
But when you make a podcast for yourself, it’s your podcast and your choice.
If you want to…
If you want to interview people, then interview people.
If you want to pontificate solo, then pontificate solo.
If you want to talk about how much you love Leave it to Beaver, go for it! Someone else in the world loves that old show, too. But even if no one did, you can still talk about what you love to talk about.
If there are topics you don’t want to ever talk about, just don’t talk about them.
If you just want to spend time with friends and chat into microphones and call it a show, you can do it.
If you want to completely change everything about your show after 3 episodes or 300, then change it.
It’s your podcast. It’s your choice.
Technical freedom
On the technical side, you have the same freedom.
Choose any mic. As long as we can hear you, you can use any mic. Or if you use an iPhone to record your show, you can go mic-less. Just use the built in mic on the phone.
If you want to host the audio files on your personal web site, you can do it. If you want to go with a professional media host, you can do that, too. Some of them even provide you with a web site so people can visit and listen to other episodes.
If you want to just promote your podcast through Apple Podcasts and iTunes, you can do it. If you want to also reach listeners who use Android phones, you can promote it that way, too. Just go to SubscribeOnAndroid.com to get it set up. Also make sure you’re in Google Podcasts and promote that, too.
If you want to get better at writing, speaking, and delivering your message, then you can seek help from those who offer that. Or just listen to podcasters you like and take notes on their content and style.
Or if you’re satisfied with what you say and how you say it, then you’re free to keep on keeping on.
Freedom is fundamental. It’s at the core of this idea of podcasting.
It’s your podcast. It’s your choice.
Embrace that mindset!
And after you fully embrace this mindset, get ready for Rule 2 in podcasting.
My Rules for Podcasting
Rule 1: Your podcast. Your choice.
Rule 2: Your choice. Your consequences.
Rule 3: Start with what you know. Learn as you go.
Rule 4: Start with what you have. Upgrade as you go.
Rule 5: Your podcast needs editing.
Rule 6: Technique is more important than technology.
Rule 7: Presentation is just as important as content.
Rule 8: “It depends” is the answer to your question.
Rule 9: Don’t talk about the weather!
