How To Be a Great Podcast Host (5 Tips that Actually Work)

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: [email protected] 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: [email protected] 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: [email protected]

Today, Louie talks about podcast structure - what a podcast should sound like, how it should be formatted, and how to ensure each element of your podcast is delivered in an engaging way. Louie explains how to prepare an introduction that will tempt people to listen, followed by a main body that covers the points you have in mind and an outro that makes a lasting impact. He does this for both guest and solo episodes and explains the extra elements you need to add when publishing on video platforms. 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: [email protected] EPISODE TAKEAWAYS If you've got a guest, maybe save recording the introduction until the end of the conversation. To make the main body of your podcast compelling, structure it with clear segments, maintain a lively pace, and keep the energy high. Break up the content with transitions, games, CTAs or quick-fire questions to keep listeners engaged. Take inspiration from other successful shows. BEST MOMENTS “Having some sort of structure will allow you to pace things properly but will also allow you to keep the energy high.” “Don't drag it out. If you feel like it's coming to a natural end, end it.” "They have three very clear sections that they move between via subtle audio transitions along the way. It really keeps the pace going." “For your outro, you might want to deliver some key points where you readdress certain things or remind people of those call-to-action points.” EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.offmenupodcast.co.uk How to add video chapters - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvkTC2xIbeY 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: [email protected] 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: [email protected]

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: [email protected] 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: [email protected] 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: [email protected]

#286 TPP – The Top Mistakes Podcasters Make and How to Avoid Them DESCRIPTION Louie talks about the top mistakes he has seen clients make during the 6 years he has spent working as a podcast editor. Some of these are mistakes that even his most amazing clients make. In some cases, episode after episode. With this in mind, Louie shares some simple ways to avoid them. Want to get into podcasting but need a little push? Join our 3-day Podcasting event in Peterborough! – Get in touch for details! Using email: [email protected] Episode Takeaways  The space you record your podcast in affects how you feel and come across to your audience, as well as the sound quality.  Your moving creates noise and vibration. Louie shares several tips to help you prevent this from ruining your podcast episodes.  Angle your microphone towards the corner of your mouth. This eliminates the plosive sounds audiences find so off putting.  A teleprompter will help you to look in the right direction and fully engage with the audience.  Wear headphones, so you can spot if your recording fails mid-episode. Make a note for the editor if you make a mistake.  Be concise. Audiences hate rambling. Working with a few bullet points helps with this issue. BEST MOMENTS “The space that you record a podcast in is very important to the sound quality and how you feel when recording.” “Imagine that the lens is a portal to your audience, and you've really got to try to look right down the lens at people.” "Avoid all costs those like sippy cup things, that's disgusting. No one wants to hear that." “At the very least, create some bullet points of where you want to start, where you want to go, in the middle, and where you want to end.” “I've even had someone do a podcast next to a runway.” 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! using email: [email protected] 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: [email protected]

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: [email protected] 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: [email protected] 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: [email protected]

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! [email protected] 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: [email protected]

Louie shares how to set up your first recording for your podcast. He gives a step by step guide on what you need to do and how to get a great podcast recording, whether that’s a solo episode or you are interviewing. Want to get into podcasting but need a little push? Join our 3-day Podcasting event in Peterborough! – Get in touch for details! [email protected] Episode Takeaways • Suggested Equipment You Will Need: Samsung Q2U microphone, a recorder like the Zoom PodTrak P4, Batteries, SD Card, 4GB SanDisk, XLR cable if using multiple microphones, Microphone stand and Headphones. For more detail on equipment head to episode ‘PODCAST EQUIPMENT 101: WHAT YOU NEED & WHY’ • Think about the positioning of your microphone as this is key to the quality of your sound. • Always wear your headphones at all times, unless you have someone listening to the recording for you. • The ‘gain’ of the microphone is essentially its sensitivity; the higher the dial, the more sensitive it is. Check that it is at a comfortable level by listening through your headphones. • It is better to be too quiet than too loud, as if you are too loud, you will distort your recording and it cannot be saved in post-production. BEST MOMENTS “You’re going to listen to it, so make sure it sounds good to you” “Listen to the recording and change dials appropriately to make sure we are coming through clearly” “We’re trying to avoid peaking or being too loud in the microphone” “If this is your first time plugging everything in, do expect some changes and tech faults” VALUABLE RESOURCES PODCAST EQUIPMENT 101: WHAT YOU NEED & WHY: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/USVL7437414704.mp3?updated=1753924125 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: [email protected]

In this episode, Louie tells you everything you need to know about equipment when recording your podcast. He shares what he would personally recommend to just get started, what provides value for money and what things you absolutely do not need for a beginner to intermediate set up. There are no affiliations here; this is just what we would recommend after working with hundreds of clients across many different types and styles of podcasts! Want to get into podcasting but need a little push? Join our 3-day Podcasting event in Peterborough! – Get in touch for details! [email protected] Episode Takeaways • Samsung Q2U microphone. This sometimes will come in a kit. This microphone is very good value for money and can be used in any podcasting set up. • Zoom H4n and the Zoom PodTrak P4 are both good options for a recorder, but consider what input you need before deciding. • There are a lot of other things to consider with a recorder. Keep a close eye on the podcast for an episode Louie is recording on exactly this! • Batteries are important for recording; you will need more than you expect. • SD card options are almost endless, but Louie recommends a relatively high speed and large option, such as the 4GB SanDisk. • If you have multiple people speaking then you need multiple microphones. You will need an XLR cable to be able to plug them all in, you need one XLR cable per microphone. Consider the length of cable you might need. • Microphone stands will vary depending on your type of set up. Its main purpose is to get the microphone away from any surfaces that might vibrate or create unwanted feedback and noise. • Headphones are forward, you can use almost anything you have already, it’s about monitoring the recording, so anyone who is being recorded needs to be wearing headphones. BEST MOMENTS “Think about what kind of podcast you are making.” “The worst thing that could happen is you guys run out of battery mid interview and don’t realise it and don’t have back up” “If you’ve got something that works, get it out, plug it in, see if it sounds ok. You don’t have to go away and spend loads of money if you don’t need to, use something if you’ve got it” VALUABLE RESOURCES Microphone: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Samson-SAQ2U-Microphone-Recording-Pack/dp/B001R747SG?th=1 Recorder: https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/200806360890025--zoom-podtrak-p4?gad_source=4&gad_campaignid=17601953470&gbraid=0AAAAAD76p-1ub2Ja6py32W1LsdqRLx5bn&gclid=CjwKCAjwv5zEBhBwEiwAOg2YKNRDfzEkrcAWQ7Sw8ARzMOFBF1rtT_FSr9j77LnVeYfe1iUNC1KlKBoCnFIQAvD_BwE SD Card: https://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-MicroSDHC-Card-Label-Change/dp/B001C0DJL4 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: [email protected]

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! [email protected] 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: [email protected]

Why start a podcast? Join Louie in this episode to discover why now is the perfect time to start podcasting, including the many benefits of podcasting and how to figure out your own ‘why’. He also shares how you can get started in podcasting and a bit about his own journey into the media and podcasting space. Want to get into podcasting but need a little push? Join our 3-day Podcasting event in Peterborough! – Get in touch for details! [email protected] Episode Takeaways • Podcasting was initially audio only, but has developed to be so much more, and video is now a key element to any successful podcast • Before starting your podcast, figure out what it is you want to get from podcasting and what you are passionate about. • Being passionate about the topic of your podcast is essential to maintain content and your own interest! • Think about the formatting and structure of your show, including how to keep it engaging to your audience. • Podcasting gives you the opportunity to create a community and bring your audience into in person meet-ups and events. • Branding matters, whether that is a personal brand based on who you are or more of a business brand, it’s important to plan and think about what this will look like. BEST MOMENTS “You want to be part of the podcasting zeitgeist” “You’ve got to be passionate about whatever you choose to do” “You’ve got to find your space” “It’s very valuable to have something that has a reputation behind it” 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: [email protected]