The Podcasters Podcast

Are you struggling to find your voice as a podcast host and fully engage your audience? In this episode, Louis shares five essential tips to help you become a great podcast host. He explains how to build confidence, engage your audience, and manage guests like a pro.  Discover how to prepare effectively, create a welcoming environment for your guests, master active listening, deliver your podcasts with the right level of energy and fully engage your audience. Louie’s practical strategies will help you overcome nerves and deliver compelling episodes—whether you’re flying solo or hosting with a guest.  Want to get into podcasting but need a little push? Join our 3-day Podcasting event in Peterborough! – Get in touch for details! Use email: podcast@disruptivemedia.co.uk Episode Takeaways Your energy is important. If you speak in a monotone, in a low tone most people will automatically switch off mentally and click away. On the other hand, being over the top will also turn people off. Louie explains how to keep your energy high enough. Train yourself to be an active listener. Louie explains how to do that and react when your guest says something you want them to elaborate on. Preparation is vital. It helps your confidence and creates the mental head space to actively listen to your guest. It enables you to be truly present instead of constantly thinking about what you are going to say next. Pause briefly each time your guest stops speaking. If they have something else to say they will be able to do so without your talking over them. It also gives you and your audience time to think. BEST MOMENTS “Tip number one is all about energy, tone and pacing. Make sure, as a host, that you are constantly thinking about how your energy is coming across.” “Listen back to yourself and see how you feel or get some feedback from a listener and then react accordingly.” “Try and be as quiet as humanly possible whilst the other person's speaking, so you're not disrupting the airwaves.” "Make sure that they (your guests) are comfortable, make sure they know that they can pause. Make sure they know that you can edit things out. Make sure that you guide them through it. " EPISODE RESOURCES Rob Moore episode – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK7YqVdZjSY How to Handle Your Guests episode - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWoIGMKI28Q VALUABLE RESOURCES Website - https://disruptivemedia.co.uk Want to get into podcasting but need a little push? Join our 3-day Podcasting event in Peterborough! – Get in touch for details. Use email: podcast@disruptivemedia.co.uk ABOUT THE HOST Louie Rider https://www.linkedin.com/in/louie-rider1403/  CONNECT & CONTACT Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/disruptivemedia LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/disruptive-media-uk YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@disruptivemediauk Email: Podcast@disruptivemedia.co.uk

Discover how to craft an engaging podcast structure that captivates listeners from the start. Learn the art of preparing compelling introductions and pacing the main body with clear segments and transitional elements. Louie shares strategies to maintain high energy, whether it’s a guest interview or a solo chat. Don't forget the powerful impact of a well-crafted outro! Plus, tips on adapting your content for video platforms make this a must-listen for aspiring podcasters.

In this episode, Louie explains how to get the most out of your podcast guests and create shows audiences can´t resist. He explains how to prepare guests before the show, including helping them get their tech set up right, making them comfortable on air, and maximizing post-interview promotion.  Whether you’re a seasoned podcaster or just starting out, discover actionable strategies to create engaging interviews and grow your audience through effective guest collaboration. Want to get into podcasting but need a little push? Join our 3-day Podcasting event in Peterborough! – Get in touch for details! Use email: podcast@disruptivemedia.co.uk Episode Takeaways Prepare your guests early. Explain the format, share some of your questions, and make sure they understand how to set their room up to make a good quality recording or have directions to the recording studio. On the day, check that they are framed properly on the screen and that their sound is good. Help your guest to relax by having a brief chat before starting the recording. Your podcast interviews will be much more interesting. Begin the conversation with an engaging question instead of their backstory. Promote your guest’s services throughout the episode, not just at the end. Keep in touch and encourage them to share the episode by sending them clips and asking if they know any other potential guests. BEST MOMENTS "Anything, I promise you, anything, will be better than the inbuilt microphone in their laptop or webcam." “There is nothing worse than having to end a podcast early because your guest wasn't prepared for how long they were going to be there.” "Remember you are the host, and you know the most. You need to coach them through this process." "Make sure that they're sat up straight, that they're looking into the camera, that there's no weird angles or anything like that." "Promote their stuff so they feel like it was worth it." VALUABLE RESOURCES Website - https://disruptivemedia.co.uk Want to get into podcasting but need a little push? Join our 3-day Podcasting event in Peterborough! – Get in touch for details. Use email: podcast@disruptivemedia.co.uk ABOUT THE HOST Louie Rider https://www.linkedin.com/in/louie-rider1403/  CONNECT & CONTACT Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/disruptivemedia LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/disruptive-media-uk Email: Podcast@disruptivemedia.co.uk

Discover the common pitfalls that many podcasters face, from poor recording environments affecting sound quality to the importance of avoiding distractions. Learn how to optimize your microphone placement for clearer audio and why maintaining eye contact with the camera is crucial for audience engagement. Get tips on using teleprompters for better focus and how to keep your content concise to avoid rambling. The advice shared here will empower aspiring podcasters to enhance their craft and connect effectively with their listeners.

Louie talks through how to turn listeners into loyal fans and buyers by creating calls to action (CTAs) that actually get clicked on and grow your audience and pool of regular buyers. He explains exactly how to create and record simple, engaging CTAs that get your audience to take the action you need them to, whether that is subscribing, reviewing, booking an event, buying a course, coaching, or something else. Want to get into podcasting but need a little push? Join our 3-day Podcasting event in Peterborough! – Get in touch for details! Use email: podcast@disruptivemedia.co.uk Episode Takeaways  The simpler the action is, the more likely it is people will do it. Subscribing, rating, or visiting a website are examples of quick and easy actions. Think about what it is that you're doing and what it is you want your audience member to do, then make it easy for them to take that action. Your CTA needs to be short, simple and give people a reason to do it. Tailor your CTA to the platform (s) you are using. Louie explains how. Put your CTA in the first third of your content. Creating a flawless CTA may take you several takes, so put aside enough time to get the job done. BEST MOMENTS “A call to action is asking someone to do something. It's a call to do an action - this can be as simple as liking, subscribing, following, rating, any of that jazz.” “With the CTAs, you can’t ask them to do too much. You've got to make it easy, clickable, one thing - one simple step.” “Like and subscribe is more of a video thing. Rating and reviewing is more of a podcast thing. So, think about what platform you want to be on and just record something.” "You want this advert to come in early, to get the most people possible. " VALUABLE RESOURCES Website - https://disruptivemedia.co.uk Want to get into podcasting but need a little push? Join our 3-day Podcasting event in Peterborough! – Get in touch for details – email: podcast@disruptivemedia.co.uk ABOUT THE HOST Louie Rider https://www.linkedin.com/in/louie-rider1403 CONNECT & CONTACT Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/disruptivemedia LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/disruptive-media-uk Email: Podcast@disruptivemedia.co.uk

Louie talks through why visuals define your podcast. He talks about why the appearance of your podcast matters through branding, identity and more. He shares tips on how to make your podcast appealing and stand out across different platforms, and the things you need to consider when creating podcast visuals and branding. Want to get into podcasting but need a little push? Join our 3-day Podcasting event in Peterborough! – Get in touch for details! podcast@disruptivemedia.co.uk Episode Takeaways • Spend some time thinking about your branding and how you want to come across visually to your audience. • Do you already have branding, and if so, consider if this still works for you and your podcast and if it is something you want to change. • If you want to be the forefront of your brand then you need to spend some time thinking about how that will look, including quality photography of yourself. • When designing your branding, you need to think about scalability, that is that it will work larger and smaller than originally designed. • Thumbnails are one of the first things your audience will see when they are suggested your content, so it's important these look professional. BEST MOMENTS “You must avoid using any low-quality photos.” “That’s why it’s really important to get a professional to create your artwork.” “Thumbnails are on of the first things your audience sees.” "Branding is literally everywhere" VALUABLE RESOURCES Website Want to get into podcasting but need a little push? Join our 3-day Podcasting event in Peterborough! – Get in touch for details. ABOUT THE HOST Louie Rider https://www.linkedin.com/in/louie-rider1403/ CONNECT & CONTACT Instagram LinkedIn Email: Podcast@disruptivemedia.co.uk

Discover essential equipment for your first podcast setup, like the Samsung Q2U microphone and Zoom PodTrak P4. Learn tips on microphone positioning and the significance of monitoring your audio levels with headphones. Gain insights into managing gain settings to avoid distortion while recording. This practical guide ensures that your recording sounds great and engages your audience effectively. Don't hit record until you're prepared for high-quality results!

Discover the key essentials for launching your podcast! Start with the versatile Samsung Q2U microphone for great value. Learn about top-notch recorders like the Zoom H4n and Zoom PodTrak P4, plus tips on necessary accessories like XLR cables and quality SD cards. Find out why batteries are more crucial than you think, especially for multiple speakers. Plus, dive into additional insights to elevate your audio quality without breaking the bank.

Louie talks about how you can attract the right listeners to your podcast. He explains why attracting the right listener matters, sharing tips and tools on how you can figure out your audience and niche and get the right people listening to your show. ⁠https://rephonic.com/graph⁠ Want to get into podcasting but need a little push? Join our 3-day Podcasting event in Peterborough! – Get in touch for details! podcast@disruptivemedia.co.uk Episode Takeaways If you try and attract everyone, you won’t attract anyone. It’s important that you niche down your podcast enough to find the right audience. Are you a business or working on behalf of a business, do you need to take into consideration who you as a personality will attract -vs- the business Connection and relationships are built on common ground so think about what you can say that people will want to listen to. Think about who your target audience are, what are their hobbies, interests and desires? Then tailor your content and delivery to them. Don’t underestimate things like forums and Facebook groups to reach your audience. If you find yourself in a rut, then pivot, you don’t have to keep doing the same thing just because that’s what you started with. BEST MOMENTS “What do you give and how can you connect with someone?” “What are their hobbies, interests, desires? All that psychoanalytical stuff!” “Who you’re aiming for depends on what you’re making and where you put it” “People underestimate places like forums and Facebook groups, everyone is obsessed with TikTok” “Experiment with platforms and with people” VALUABLE RESOURCES https://rephonic.com/graph Website Want to get into podcasting but need a little push? Join our 3-day Podcasting event in Peterborough! – Get in touch for details. ABOUT THE HOST Louie Rider https://www.linkedin.com/in/louie-rider1403/ CONNECT & CONTACT Instagram LinkedIn Email: Podcast@disruptivemedia.co.uk

Discover why now is the perfect time to leap into podcasting, focusing on the benefits and the importance of finding your personal 'why.' The show highlights how podcasting has evolved from audio-only formats to include engaging video elements. Passionate topic selection is crucial to keep both you and your audience interested. Learn how to structure your podcast effectively, build real-world connections, and define your brand to create a thriving community.