How to Create a Podcast That Can Compete

A top-ranking podcast producer shares tips for success.

Bryson Barnes knows great storytelling. After helping create over 20 Apple No. 1 podcasts, including Pulitzer finalists as part of the day-to-day production for NBC News Audio, he is stepping into a new role as director of podcasts and livestreaming for Versant. Versant is a portfolio of brands across news, sports, and entertainment including MS NOW, CNBC, USA, Oxygen, Syfy, E!, Golf Channel, Fandango, and more. In this Q&A, Barnes discusses the changing media landscape, the evolving podcast medium, and how to create a podcast that thrives in a competitive market.  

Q: When podcasts came on the scene, they changed how we tell stories. Why is podcasting now so important?

Barnes: It’s an exciting time to rethink how we’re telling our stories and connecting with others. Companies that aren’t utilizing podcasting in a meaningful way are missing out on a younger demographic that might get their news or entertainment from apps or streamers.

Q: Speaking of those apps and streamers, many are creating independently-produced content. What advice do you have for someone producing their own podcast?

Barnes: It’s all in the preparation. If we’re talking about a two-way sit-down podcast, which many podcasts are, choose your guest carefully. If you can find a news peg or other contemporary pegs, that’s really helpful. Always write more questions than you think you need.

A pre-interview with your guest is paramount, and yet people almost never do that. Pre-interviews help guests identify the topics they want to cover. It will also give them a sense of what questions will tighten up a story, what people are comfortable with, and what they are passionate about. Your guests may even give you a great idea you hadn’t considered. This helps you understand how that person will respond to certain types of questions during the interview and give you ideas for content. 

Make sure that your production value is as high as possible, because it’s really just you two sitting there and talking. If you want to boost your listeners’ engagement with your content, it needs to sound professional. If it doesn’t, it reflects poorly on your attention to detail. 

Buy a podcast microphone. Buy two! One for yourself and one to send to your guests, and have them mail it back to you. Always use headphones during a remote interview, and insist that your guests wear headphones as well. They don’t have any? You’ll wait. Their kid probably does.

Listen to how podcasts use music. You have a main theme song and an intro, and you do it the same way every time. Then, in the interview, if you’re tossing to a mid-roll, add some music and cut to the break. 

It doesn’t take much effort to show the world that your podcast sounds like it belongs in the podcast ecosystem. It stupefies me how many podcasts don’t do any of this! 

Q: Many people think of podcasts as video content only or audio content only—not both. How do audio and video come together in podcasting?

Barnes: Podcast is a term for a format that’s evolved a lot. Many people still listen to audio-only podcasts. But it’s exciting to see that it can extend beyond the boundaries of an audio-only medium, morph into something new, and become a video format as well. 

For two-way, sit-down podcasts, seeing the hosts and their reactions adds a lot to the show. Certain psychoacoustic phenomena occur when you listen and watch simultaneously, creating a more engrossing experience. It doesn’t surprise me that video has become so popular. 

Q: How should creators think about distribution today? Is the use of every platform, like YouTube, TikTok, etc., essential or optional?

Barnes: It really depends on who you’re trying to reach and who your target audience is. Do your research. See where the demographics you’re trying to reach consume content the most, and start there. At the same time, being able to repurpose and redeploy your content across platforms is also very important because overall, the digital media market is so fragmented. Have longform anchor content, and then derive a dozen or more shorter pieces from it. And those shorter pieces, deployed across social, can point back to the main piece. The future of media is always-on, giving fans the opportunity to engage in the conversation 24/7.

Q: What advice would you give to those who want to create a podcast with the potential to last or create a larger social impact?

Barnes: Put in effort: planning, booking, production, distribution, marketing. Also, don’t be afraid to build community with other podcasters in your space. Have each other on as guests, suggest bookings to each other, do promotional swaps. And be consistent. Keep releasing. And if you don’t grow immediately, be patient. Finally, be true to yourself. Podcasts, at their best, allow your personality, expertise, and vision to really shine, so lean into what makes you special and unique. It’s the unfiltered, honest nature of the format that really attracts people and will differentiate you from the crowd.

Q: More creators are using production companies to help turn their podcast vision into a reality. What should they look for?  

Barnes: Find at least three contenders and really listen to the content they’re making. Do you like the sound and style? When you’re deciding who to hire, make sure to talk to the folks who will be making your show every week, and assess fit for communication style and responsiveness. Do they understand what you’re trying to make?

Finally, make sure pricing, revisions, and responsibilities are all spelled out. Are you paying per hour of work or per episode? How many revisions are included? Are they helping with distribution and marketing, or just editing? All this legwork ahead of time will help ensure you’re happy with the product, and that your vision is being brought to life in the way you want. 

Originally published on Inc.com