How to Plan and Produce Podcast Content

There are actually many reasons why one might want to podcast. The reasons are as varied as the people who do it. Some people just want to be heard. Some people want to increase business. Some people just want to draw attention to issues that they care passionately about. What will you say? Hopefully, you've listened to other podcasts and developed an idea about your podcast show.

Let's start with a few basics. First, how often do you want to produce a new podcast? Will this be a one time thing (hopefully not)? Or will you be producing podcasts on a regular basis? If you will be doing so on a regular basis, set a schedule for producing your podcast, so that you do it on the same day each week, every two weeks, or each month - however often you will be podcasting.

Next, let's consider what type of podcast you want to do. There are several choices. Here are the various types of podcasts:

-The Monologue: This is a podcast with only one speaker. This type of podcast can be used for multiple purposes. You can use it simply to be heard concerning topics that you are passionate about, or you can use it to teach a course, which could in turn be broken up into a series of podcasts.

-The Interview: This is a podcast where you interview another person. This can easily be done with Skype. You have a list of questions, and the person being interviewed answers them. It's a fairly simple concept, and depending on your niche and the person being interviewed, of great interest to your audience.

-The Conversation: This is similar to the interview, and is also accomplished with Skype. However, it has a more relaxed atmosphere, and instead of a series of questions and answers, the people on the call actually conversate about a topic. Think amusing and interesting morning radio shows for this one.

-The Call In Show: This is not one that you will probably start with, as it is more complex. It requires the use of a conference line, and of course the podcast must be promoted in order to get people to call in ahead of time. It could be done with Skype, but it would take a lot of work, because each call in would result in a separate recording, and then the whole thing would have to be spliced together bit by bit.

-News Podcast: You could use a news style delivery for your podcast, where you essentially hit on the top news type stories in your niche. If there is a lot of news to cover in your niche often, this is ideal.

Most people will start with a news podcast or a monologue. Determine which type will be best for you. In the beginning, you may want to follow the same platform that other podcasters in your niche follow, but hopefully as you get more into it, you will develop your own unique style and flair. This is, after all, why people will want to listen to your podcast.