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Learning how to podcast like a pro! - Danai Ratisai
How I learned to record a podcast:
My name is Danai Ratisai and I was given the very exciting opportunity to facilitate a podcast for International Women’s Day with the Girl Power Effect. I will share my experience of how I learned how to facilitate a podcast. While I am not yet a pro, I had fun learning a new skill and discovering another way to reach people.
I started the process by using the Google Search engine. I started by googling; “how to start a podcast for beginners”. Google offered a myriad of resources, which truthfully was slightly overwhelming. I decided to search for “podcast apps for beginners”. This search also brought up so many options that offered a number of features. Due to my lack of knowledge, I was not sure what I needed and what I could bypass. Suggested applications were Audacity, Forecast, Riverside and Podbean. After reading through a number of blogs and articles, I chose to go with Anchor FM. Anchor FM firstly is free but it also gives the option to post across a number of platforms such as Google Podcast for free. It also links to Twitter which is a platform the GPE uses to engage. Anchor FM is owned by Spotify which I am familiar with so this also encouraged me to proceed with this option.
My second step was to download the app and to start figuring out how to use it. As I was working through the app and figuring out the functions, I watched Youtube videos to help me understand the functions I was not familiar with. I proceeded to attempt to start recording. The app as I learned also allows guests to join through a link without having to open an account or provide an email at all. I thought this would be a bonus so that participants are not forced to commit to an application they may or may not use again.
I sent links to my friends and we had a short recording session. Through this session, I learned that background noises can easily be picked up. Even small children who were downstairs could be heard. I also realized that it is best to use a phone versus a laptop for the participants. The sound came through better this way and was clearer. There did not seem to be a time limit and participants were able to hear each other clearly. One of my friend’s network dropped but after changing to her mobile data, this also worked better for her.
I went on to try to learn how to edit the recording. This was the most challenging part for me. I was eager to start so I was trying to edit it on my cellphone through the app. What I found is that the interface was too small for me. I was struggling to coordinate pieces and was finding it challenging to edit and delete sections. I decided to try the editing part on my computer, after again consulting Youtube videos. The one that I found most useful was by CMAC – Recording, Editing and Publishing Podcasts in the Anchor App. While he uses the app, my personal experience was easier to use my laptop. Editing the podcast takes quite some time; trying to ensure that there is no overlap and to make sure that it is cut off at the exact place to ensure a smooth listening experience for the audience.
Another great feature that Anchor offers is there is a selection of music that can be used for free without the worry of copyright concerns. There are a number of intro, outro and interlude short tunes to choose from that add character to the podcast.
After this trial run, I was more confident with how Anchor works and felt comfortable enough to tackle our own recording for International Women’s Day which you can find at the link below.
How to #embraceequity in male dominated industries
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