{"id":986,"date":"2024-02-29T08:55:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T16:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/?p=986"},"modified":"2024-02-28T14:24:28","modified_gmt":"2024-02-28T22:24:28","slug":"the-technical-side-of-podcasting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/the-technical-side-of-podcasting\/","title":{"rendered":"The Technical Side of Podcasting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A great podcast idea can become a <em>terrible<\/em> one if you\u2019re not familiar with the technical ins and outs of podcasting. From uneven sound levels, awkward pauses and shuffling, and unpleasant noises, all of these small mistakes can easily be remedied to create the professional-sounding podcast you\u2019re envisioning in your mind!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h4>Don\u2019t Forget to Press Record<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Arguably the most important part of podcasting is the actual recording of the audio! There are <a href=\"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/all-the-equipment-you-need-to-start-a-podcast\/\">plenty of ways to prep your recording<\/a> between investing in specific equipment and customizing your space. But the preparation goes beyond your physical space and delves into the digital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The best way to ensure your podcast sounds as smooth as butter is to ensure you\u2019re following audio leveling standards. Let\u2019s take a closer look at what we mean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6><strong>What is audio-leveling?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Put simply, audio-leveling is what makes your podcast sound high-quality and consistent. It helps in creating episodes that have a balanced sound. These techniques are used by professional podcasters to create those pleasant-sounding episodes we love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Audio-leveling consists of adjusting volume levels both in the recording and the editing stage. Some programs even allow you to monitor your audio levels while you\u2019re speaking! Which can be a helpful reminder to speak at the same volume throughout your episode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But what\u2019s considered a \u201cgood\u201d audio level? First, we need to explore how audio is measured. The standard way to measure audio is through <strong>loudness<\/strong>. Loudness is measured in LUFs (\u201cLoudness Units relative to Full Scale\u201d). We recommend adjusting your volume to <strong>-16 LUFs<\/strong>, especially if you\u2019ve opted in to our Ads Program as that\u2019s the volume level our dynamically inserted Programmatic Ads are set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6><strong>How to monitor audio levels<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Some audio recording programs (even free ones like Audacity) can monitor your audio levels in real-time. When you\u2019re recording audio, you should see a waveform of peaks and valleys:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/lh7-us.googleusercontent.com\/ok6KaSeaeRfbDIHthQKJ1GChTr4VpUcUPqpZ3HL-aTc4jToKgbccJvZYG0AV8v-j9wnCwdONWjZtiQR22fuXL39im664HpcxMAdMEQFzLMFAWZHR4hS_3eBQyC47CLcHvIXCtca2n_XE6EqFJUMQA6g\" alt=\"\" width=\"-98\" height=\"-65\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Courtesy Godfrey Nyangechi<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>These peaks and valleys are your voice visualized! You can keep an eye on your volume level by monitoring the waveform in your recording software. You want to keep a steady stream of speech. So, no loud outbursts or whispering (unless that\u2019s your content!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another way to ensure that your speech is consistent is to pop on a pair of headphones. This way, you can hear what you sound like in the recording. If you work with multiple people, then you can have someone monitor in real-time while you chat away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6><strong>Edit in post<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, there\u2019s always the option of editing your voice after you\u2019re done recording! The two technical options you want to focus on are <strong>Equalizing (EQ)<\/strong> and <strong>Normalizing<\/strong>. Equalizing is used to clarify your voice and reduce background noise, while Normalizing is used to adjust the volume of your voice to ensure it isn\u2019t too loud or too quiet. Adjusting both of these creates consistent and high-quality audio across your entire episode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4>Editing Makes Perfect<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>By now you have your recording completed and your voice properly adjusted! The next step is to introduce all of the extras: intros and outros, music, ads, announcements, and whatever else you want to include in your episode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While you <em>can<\/em> manually edit in extra audio to each of your episodes in your recording software, it\u2019s far easier to utilize tools like <a href=\"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-dynamic-insertion\/\">Dynamic Insertion<\/a> to do the heavy lifting for you. At RedCircle, our Dynamic Insertion allows you to insert <em>any<\/em> audio you wish into your episodes. Even better, though, is the fact that you can swap out the audio with a few clicks of a button. This can help to keep your content fresh as well as saving you dozens and dozens of hours editing your podcast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The editing stage also allows you to isolate clips from the episode to utilize in your marketing materials. You can create audio clips that highlight crucial parts of the episode that can then be shared through social media. This can help to further the growth of your show as one of your clips could go viral!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4>Ready for Liftoff<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have your episode ready, the final step is to upload it to your selected hosting platform. If you\u2019re new to podcasting, then you\u2019ll absolutely want to make sure that you\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/the-top-5-places-to-distribute-your-podcast\/\">distributing to all of the major listening platforms<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Struggling to pick a hosting platform? Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/how-to-select-the-best-hosting-platform-for-you\/\">our blog<\/a> on how to select the right platform for you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4>Always Something to do in Post<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The work isn\u2019t done when you post the episode! A great way to grow your show and build your audience is to share frequently on social media. Create clips of your show to share on your favorite social media sites, embed your episode on your personal blog, and even create a newsletter for your dedicated audience. There are so many different ways to share your craft with the world!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/tips-for-growing-your-podcast-in-2024\/\">how to grow your podcast<\/a> in one of our early 2024 blog posts!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p>Creating a compelling podcast goes beyond <a href=\"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/how-to-start-your-own-podcast\/\">ingenious ideas, beautiful artwork<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/the-art-of-storytelling\/\">masterful storytelling<\/a>, you also want to ensure the experience is an audibly pleasing one. Otherwise, your potential audience may be quickly turned off. These tips should help you to create an audio masterpiece!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ready to take your podcast to the next level? Sign up for a free 7-day trial and explore our best features!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"hs-cta-embed hs-cta-simple-placeholder hs-cta-embed-153284447887\" style=\"max-width:100%;max-height:100%;width:150px;height:44.6875px\" data-hubspot-wrapper-cta-id=\"153284447887\">\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com\/web-interactives\/public\/v1\/track\/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLKrSNtUPcfkOB7kA6i19hh2ezkGe%2BQwykAT%2FF%2Fm%2BN1HEmZxXNSPW6Mr%2Fsp8odgcunQL1l97pxKEKgj%2F4Wj5cGTUbp3fhF0NgtTHkSpksX%2B0Uc%2F7m0dGWNceUzNKDGTXfpoFeC9AHYps9cmtzgwrzd64Y%2Fp6nlTLSttfcv%2BBcPk8&amp;webInteractiveContentId=153284447887&amp;portalId=21507950\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Sign Up\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/21507950\/interactive-153284447887.png\" style=\"height: 100%;width: 100%;object-fit: fill\">\n  <\/a>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A great podcast idea can become a terrible one if you\u2019re not familiar with the technical ins and outs of podcasting. From uneven sound levels, awkward pauses and shuffling, and unpleasant noises, all of these small mistakes can easily be remedied to create the professional-sounding podcast you\u2019re envisioning in your mind! Don\u2019t Forget to Press [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":988,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[108,107,43,91,25],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/986"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=986"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/986\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":989,"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/986\/revisions\/989"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/988"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=986"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=986"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=986"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}