Your One-Stop Guide to Recording Your Podcast Remotely

After the pandemic, organising podcast recordings from the comfort of your own home has become the norm. Some of your favourite podcasts might even be recorded under a stuffy blanket or in a cramped closet.

So what do you need to think about when recording a podcast from home? Here are some of our tips for making sure that your makeshift podcast setup is still able to impress and engage audiences.

Getting the perfect audio from home

Sound quality is more important than you think. We’ve written before about how important good audio is.

In fact, a study from 2018 by USC and the Australian National University shows that bad audio can even lower the credibility of your podcast.

So if you are producing a branded podcast – or a podcast where it’s important to build trust and authority in a certain field –  make sure you have quality audio.

Don’t skimp on high-quality gear. For crisp audio, you’re going to want to invest in a high-quality microphone. On the lower end of the price scale are microphones for about 80 pounds, whereas good microphones can cost anywhere upwards of 400 pounds.

The right environment is also important. Sitting in an echoey room is detrimental to audio quality. There is a reason podcast hosts record from inside closets or under blankets. You want to avoid hard surfaces and empty space to minimise as much echo as possible.

Once you’ve honed your sound, you can expect listeners to slowly start growing.

 

Want to record your podcast with professional gear, a producer and zero hassle?

We got you.

We can take care of the whole thing and leave you with the best audio-quality podcast possible.

How to record a podcast from different locations

Recording with a co-host

If you are creating a podcast, you might want to consider getting a co-host. For casual, conversational podcasts, the friendly co-host dynamic can make listeners feel like they are a part of the podcast friendship (what listener doesn’t appreciate a para-social podcast relationship?). 

For informative podcasts, having a co-host is a great mechanism to pose questions and provide answers in a way that sounds natural.

Also, hearing two voices helps add variation and makes the podcast more interesting from an audio perspective, which can draw listeners in as a result. 

But difficulties might arrive. When recording a podcast from 2 locations, make sure that you have properly planned the recording.

If you have especially good chemistry, it can be easy to speak over each other enthusiastically when you’re sitting in two separate locations. Establish rules about making sure to let someone finish their sentence – your producer will be thankful for it.

Make sure both hosts have put in the work. It’s important to make sure that both parties have planned the recording and gone through the planned episode you’re about to record beforehand – even if the podcast is not scripted. This will help you stay on track and save your producer lots of editing time in the long run.

Make sure that you have all the tech gear set up, and do a soundcheck before you get going. Of course, a lot of this is up to the producer. You can read more about all the things for a producer to keep in mind in our Producer’s Checklist post.

Recording with a guest

Make it easy for your guest. If you are recording with a guest in a separate location, make sure that they have technology that will work easily for them, using the apps and devices that they might already have at home.

While it’s always good to tell them to record the conversation on their end, the internet can always be spotty, you don’t want to rely fully on their audio recordings.

Always make sure you have a backup, and a way to retrieve the recording even if the internet fails you, or if you have a flaky guest who has stopped responding to your calls.

Consider their safety. If you have an interviewee who is sharing confidential information, use end-to-end encrypted messaging platforms to share information.

Scheduling

Make a schedule – and stick to it! Make sure to factor the time difference if there is any, and always call a little earlier to set up the gear.

For interviewees, give them a certain time to choose from for the recording, and send a reminder a day beforehand to make sure that they remember.

Of course, once the podcast is made, you want people to listen to it. Message Heard can help you level up your podcast and get it to reach your target audience.

And if you’re fed up recording under a hot blanket and editing your own show, the Production packages are a great way to make sure your podcast has flawless production.

Want to work with us?

Reach out via contact@messageheard.com with your ideas and questions!

How Much Branding Should My Podcast Have?

We believe in the power of branded podcasts. It takes multiple factors working together in harmony to create a successful branded podcast. But how much branding is too much branding?

Why brand your podcast?

Branding your podcast is a chance to increase the awareness around your brand in an engaging way. There are many strategic benefits to creating a podcast for your brand, including:

• Reaching a whole new audience

• Networking with key people in your industry (or other industries you want to associate with!)

• Adding flexibility and adaptability to your marketing strategy

• Growing the reputation of individuals within your business

• Making the most of your existing content strategy

• Connecting more authentically with your audience

… Amongst many other benefits.

All this hinges on creating a podcast that holds an audience – that is coherent, easy to follow, enjoyable to listen to, and which deliver on its promise to entertain or inform (or both!). That means that there’s a balance to be found. You want to let the world know about your brand, but overdo it and you might just end up driving listeners away instead. So, how do you strike the right balance?

How to maintain your branding balance

1. Always lead with the story, not the sales pitch!

While having a podcast can do a lot to teach people about your business and what it offers, the people listening to your podcasts aren’t just there because of your brand – they’re there to hear your story!

This is because a podcast is a storytelling method that can be personal and authentic – hearing a voice speaking directly to you is inherently connective. It’s an opportunity to teach, inspire and entertain.

Trying to sell your product or service too often in your podcast is bound to get tiring to listen to, and is likely to be ineffective. After all, podcast listeners have really good recall of your business or brand – they’re more likely to engage with your brand, resonate with your content emotionally, and remember your story long term. That means that you don’t really have to keep hammering home on the hard sell. Telling a great story will do all the selling for you.

So, remember that branding in your podcast should be secondary to the amazing stories of your company, or the inspiration behind your podcast. You are storytellers who are explaining the story of your brand, rather than advertisers selling a product. Show off your company in your introduction within the podcast itself (i.e. by saying “this podcast is brought to you by…”), your outro and through any promo codes you might share.

Do you need help branding your podcast? Check out our ‘Press Play’ package that will make sure your podcast is up and running with a cohesive message throughout.

2. Keep the visual branding connected – but separate

It’s good to use elements of your branding in your podcast – think colours, style, fonts, etc. However, it’s not always good to slap your logo and brand name as front and centre on your podcast’s visual assets.

Maintain a sense of your branding without the podcast looking like a repeat of your website or other visual presence. After all, a podcast is a unique medium – treat it like one!

You don’t need to mention your brand too often – either visually or audibly – for the podcast to resonate as being a part of your brand. A great example that we’ve helped to create with Buffer is the Small Business, Big Lessons podcast. You can see that the podcast is related to Buffer, but it isn’t the overwhelming message – the podcast is a distinct offering that sits alongside the wider brand strategy.

3. Plan for the long term

Brands change over time, and podcasts are growing in both their audience numbers and the creativity of the stories they can tell, every day. By viewing your podcast as a long-term component of your brand strategy, you ease the need to keep hammering home about your brand right now.

After all, with time will come new ideas, new stories to tell, and more chances to keep offering your audience the information and/or entertainment they are looking for, that will successfully introduce your brand to the world. Space out your branded moments, and focus on long-term value over the temporary sell!

There you have it – some ways to keep the brand in balance, while delivering great podcast content.

If you’re looking for more personalised advice on how your brand can use podcasting as part of its marketing strategy, get in touch with us now.

5 Ways to Grow Your Podcast in 2022

Last year all of us were thrown out of our comfort zone. We were pushed into another year of a pandemic, an unpredictable work-from-home schedule, an uncertain social calendar… and yet, something good came from a year of change, too. We all grew. We became more resilient, we took the time to listen and to reflect.

And as a company, we know we couldn't have grown without you.

Here are 5 tips that will help you grow your podcast, too.

1.     Speak to the press.

Media coverage always helps and in 2021, our shows saw their best year yet! Finding Natasha reached you through ringing endorsements by The Week, The Mirror, Daily Express, Daily Record, The Guardian, Ok Magazine, FT and BBC Radio 4 and we cannot wait to see what next year brings as we continue to focus on finding new listeners across different platforms.

Our tip: Spend at least 60% of the time you spend on production on your marketing. Marketing your podcast is a big job, but trust us, the results are worth it.

2.     Submit your podcast to awards.

Official recognition gives your podcast authority on the subject. We loved working on Untold Killing with Remembering Srebrenica that won the ‘Best Commercial Partnership' and 'The Impact Award' at the ARIAS 2021. Same goes to our partner Buffer and the Built to Last podcast that was honored at the Webby Awards. Thank you for voting, we are beyond grateful for your support that allows us to make shows we genuinely love.

Our tip to you: ALWAYS submit your show to awards. It helps to keep a calendar of all the times different awards open for submission and you will never regret being recognised for your hard work!

Do you need a marketing boost for your podcast?

We can help – check out our Amplify package that will get your podcast’s audio ad on the world’s most popular shows.

3.     Be proud of your numbers but don’t focus on them.

What matters more is the community you build around your podcast. We are very proud that Conflicted has now reached over 1 million listeners worldwide, but we certainly could not have reached that number without the community we built. The community is what grew our numbers and we invested heavily into building that bond.

Our tip to you: Remember that social media is a great way to engage your existing audience but not always the best way to find a new listener. Engage the listeners you already have and they will bring you the numbers that you aspire to see in your analytics.

4.     Build trust.

The reason why most of us love podcasts is because they are very personal. The act of listening to someone through your headphones feels intimate and for people to listen to you, they need to trust you. Through our diverse slate of shows and media coverage, we have made some incredible friends in audio. In 2021, we produced podcasts with Audible, amongst many other companies, and their trust in us is the greatest compliment.

Our tip to you: Don’t be shy about showcasing what you made. The quicker people can recognise your show, the more trust they will have. Shout about your podcast from the rooftops and then let your listeners do the talking for you.

Do you want to get your message heard?

Find out more about how we work with top brands to make their podcasts and reach out now to get started on yours!

5.     Keep going!

The Edison report that just launched its UK Infinite Dial this year reported that the UK has completely caught up with the US in its listenership. This is huge news, and it means podcasting has so much potential. The industry is booming and the best thing you can do right now is to keep your podcasts going.

“41% of the UK population (16+) listens to podcasts every month - around 23m people. The data is directly comparable to the US (41%), Canada (38%) and Australia (36%)"

The Infinite Dial 2021 UK

Our tip to you: If you have a long-running show, why not split it into seasons? This will help you catch a breath and give you space to include any of your listeners’ feedback into your feed.

Thank you again for growing with us this past year, and we cannot wait to see podcasting further grow as an industry in 2022!

Want to start working with Message Heard to grow your podcast? Find out more by getting in touch today.

The Ultimate Podcast Producer Checklist

Your guide to everything your producer is thinking about during a recording. Spoiler: pressing record is just the start…

Our clients often tell us that they have a lot of anxiety around the workflow of a podcast production. We totally get that! You’ve never done this before. 

Think of it this way, just like you get to work and check your to do list, our producers have their own little checklist. 

Remember: Their number one job priority is making you and your podcast sound good! 

To alleviate some of your concerns, we’re going to give you a sneak peek about the things they are thinking about so that you don’t have to!

The Producers Checklist

These are the questions every producer worth their salt should be thinking about the whole time during a recording. 

These are the questions every producer worth their salt should be thinking about the whole time during a recording. 

• Do you sound good? 

  • We make sure that the mic is set up and working fine. We also guide the wider set-up to make sure you are sounding your best. 

• Is your energy up?

  • The mic and producer pick up what you don’t. Authoritative, enthusiastic, conversational - whatever energy you are going for, the producer will be looking for this throughout the performance and giving you prompts when needed. 

• Are we recording! 

  • Gotta have that one. 

• Is the guest all set-up and ready to go? 

  • Where applicable, the producer will also be checking in on all of these points for your guest also. 

• Are you sticking to the script and hitting the key points you’ve planned for? 

  • It can be easy to lose sight of this when you are in the hosting seat - the producer will be across this and guide the conversation when needed. 

• Are they going off-script or ad-libbing? 

  • This can be great - but the producer needs to make sure you are staying on message!

• Are you saying the right words and the correct words? 

  • These sorts of slips are really tricky - and sometimes impossible - to fix in the edit!

• Are you speaking clearly and explaining yourself well for your listening audience?

  • This is crucial. Your producer acts as the listener’s proxy whilst you are recording. They will be listening out for comments that need expanding upon or to be made clearer, like industry jargon or unfamiliar acronyms. 

• Should you ask any additional questions for clarity or rephrase?

  • A second opinion is always helpful, isn’t it? Again, your producer is representing the listener during the recording - they will be able to catch anything missing. 

• Did you capture the recording?

  • VERY crucial.

As the host or guest, recording is your time to enjoy and have fun. The hard bit was done in the prep… and the rest… your producer is in charge of. 

If you are interested in working with a podcast producer to level up your podcast, get in touch contact@messageheard.com.

Podcast Partnerships: Building your Network with Podcast Guests

How to make the right first impression, nail your outreach and make your podcast as impactful as possible.

When creating a podcast for your brand or business, setting good metrics for success is an essential part of planning a great podcast. While it is easy to look at downloads and number of listens that you might receive, branded podcasts can have another form of ROI - the relationships you build as a result of great guests! 

If the goal of your podcast is to build B2B relationships, we would argue that this is much more important than the number of downloads you receive, as it’s an opportunity to start deep and meaningful conversations with organisations that you want to connect with in your space. This makes for much deeper engagement than a short chat at a conference or watching a presentation.

In the words of our client Ash Read, Head of Content at Buffer:

"Podcasting is a great way to build relationships and partnerships with influential individuals and brands within your niche… the relationships built from podcasting can be beneficial over the long-term. There are guests we've had on our podcast years ago that I still connect with regularly today and brands we initially partnered with for audio projects that we've now collaborated with on multiple projects."

As Ash says, there can be a number of untold benefits - and not just for your podcast, but across your business. You never know what future projects you might collaborate on, knowledge you might share or new business you might pull in, just from having the right guest on your podcast.

However, we know that securing these sorts of impactful guests remains one of the biggest concerns for our clients. In almost every project, there are anxieties around attracting high quality guests from target organisations, especially if there is no existing relationship. But - with the right approach, this shouldn’t be a concern. 

In this post we will lay out key considerations of how to attract the sort of guests you want and give you an email structure to start your outreach.

 In this article, we explore:

1. The qualities that will attract the right guests

2. A structure for starting your outreach

Qualities that attract great guests

Here are some of the qualities we’ve seen that will help attract impactful guests onto your podcast:

1. A compelling format

This is often overlooked when reaching out to guests. However, the concept or format of your podcast is key to attracting quality guests. A simple, meaty structure that compels an audience will also allow guests to really envisage their contribution. An unstructured interview can feel overwhelming or like a waste of time - the individual may feel they aren’t able to contribute deep or meaningful insights. 

For example, in our latest project with Hays, the concept is in the name of the podcast: ‘How did you get that job?’. Combining the personal and professional, we were able to attract high level guests like Shailvi Wakhlu, Director of Data at Strava and Adam Spearing, Field Chief Technology Officer at Salesforce. Future guests come from organisations like the Met Office, Google and Blizzard Entertainment. 

2. Clear alignment of goals

While inviting a guest from a target organisation shouldn’t be the only reason to invite them on, it is a powerful win/win to include guests who both align with the business partnership goals, and who have a lot to say about the topics of your podcasts. 

We suggest making a list of organisations you would be interested in speaking too but not letting that list bind you too much - if they aren’t the right voice, don’t compromise on quality. Ash from Buffer explains this balance: “Whenever we put together a new podcast series, we're always thinking about how guests can help us to tell the stories we want to tell and also help us to reach the right audiences”.

3. Having your research ready 

Why do you want to speak to this person specifically about this topic? It’s important to do your research in order to lay this reasoning out in your initial communications with them. Let them know why you chose them - and this isn’t about flattery, it's about convincing them they are the best person for the job. 

This ties in with making sure that you are inviting the guest on for the right reasons - are they the most qualified in the space? Have they led an inspiring project or published some key through leadership? You want relevant, exciting voices who will add something new to the conversation. 

4. Being clear and concise

Be direct and upfront about what you are asking from busy people. There’s no point hedging to make it seem less of a commitment - this will only come back to bite you in the back later! 

Be clear and let them know exactly how long the recording is, any prep they will need to do, and whether they will need to do a soundcheck or complete any other technical tasks. 

How to structure your guest outreach

Here is a starter for 10 to help you construct clear emails to your ideal guests. Follow these steps for a concise approach to your potential guest. After all, people are busy and don't have time to read essays. As our Head of Production Sandra Ferrari says: “Address concerns in points not prose.” Here’s how to get it done:

Step One: Write a direct and polite introduction 

This can be obvious and simple. For example: 

I hope you are doing well, I’m [NAME and JOB TITLE]. I’m writing to invite you to guest on the [BRAND NAME] podcast, [PODCAST NAME]. 

Step Two: Include your overview

Give a succinct overview of what the episode will cover and why they are the only guest for the job. For instance: 

In the episode we are looking to cover [TOPIC] and would love to hear your perspective because [DETAIL WHY] .

Step Three: Give them the background in brief

Quickly summarise why they should want to come on your podcast - this might be because of the host, listener numbers, other guests you have interviewed in the past or press you have received. Make sure to include a link to past episodes if you have them. For example:  

[PODCAST NAME] is hosted by the experienced, [NAME,] who has interviewed executives at the likes of [INFLUENTIAL COMPANIES X,Y and Z] in previous episodes. 

Step Four: Clarify the ask

Detail the time commitment required and try to preempt any anxieties they may have about the practicalities of recording. For example: 

If you would like to join us for this interview, we would need:

• An hour of your time for the interview

• 15 minutes a few days before for a quick sound check. 

• Plus any time you would need to prepare against the discussion points we would share with you beforehand. 

In terms of the recording, it will be fully remote and we will provide a microphone and full technical support to make sure you sound great. 

Step Five: Leave a good impression in your sign off

Take the opportunity to sign off optimistically and leave a good impression behind you. Leave the door open for any clarifications or questions they may require. For example: 

We really hope you can join us for this interview, your perspective would be a really valuable one to add to the discussion in the space. Let me know if you would like to have a short call or have any questions about the process. 

Here’s an extra tip: Don’t be afraid to chase up (politely!). People are busy and things do get missed in inboxes, so it’s okay to follow up in a friendly manner - just be sure to give the person a little bit of time to reply of their own accord. 

And hey, we know that booking high quality guests is hard and time-consuming work, so if you don't want to do this, Message Heard producers take care of the chase for you! Get in touch with us at contact@messageheard.com.

The Best Podcast Newsletters

Since I started in this industry nearly three years ago, podcast newsletters have been an incredible resource to help me understand the fast-moving podcast landscape.

There are a lot of options out there when it comes to deciding what to subscribe to, so we’ve created a resource to help discover and compare podcast newsletters. Whether you want to learn more about the industry, find a job or develop your craft, we’ve got a newsletter for you!

You can find a spreadsheet here which provides an at a glance look at what newsletters you should subscribe to if you are looking for: 

• Industry News and Analysis

• Job Listings

• Podcast Recommendations

• Creativity and Craft Advice 

• Career Advice

We also go into more detail below about what you can expect from each newsletter to help you decide if it is for you. 

Some housekeeping notes:

• For the sake of brevity we have opted not to include newsletters from production companies

• We have definitely missed some, please tweet us your recommendations - find us @messageheard

• And, we will update the list with new submissions and newsletters in due course! 

Podcast Industry News 

Podcasting is a nascent market, which means things move fast. Luckily, there are some really great newsletters which provide everything from daily digests to in depth analysis. 

• The Audio Insurgent - Eric Nuzum’s newsletter sits somewhere between industry analysis and advice on audio craft. Sign up for insightful thought leadership. 

• Hot Pod - In this weekly newsletter, Nick Quah and a rotating cast of contributors unpack industry news and deeper trends.

• I Hear Things - Weekly newsletter from Tom Webster covering industry trends, tech updates and audience insights. 

• Inside Podcasting - This is a handy digest of updates delivered to your inbox three times a week. A great way to stay on top of industry headlines. 

• Matt on Audio - A UK focused thought leadership newsletter by Matt Deagan, one of the founders of the British Podcast Awards. Expect a mixture of Radio and Podcast analysis. 

• Podnews - This daily newsletter edited by James Crindland is a must subscribe for anyone in the industry. It provides a daily digest that can be skimmed on busy days. 

• Sounds Profitable - This weekly newsletter is a one stop shop for updates about adtech from Bryan Barletta.

Podcast Industry Insights 

These newsletters speak to the people working or hoping to work in the industry. If you are looking to improve your craft or feel a sense of kinship with fellow podcasters, these all offer something a bit different. 

• Formats Unpacked - This isn’t technically a podcast newsletter but is a great read for anyone interested in formats and concepts. Each addition a guest contributor unpacks popular formats from across the media like and breaks down why it is successful. You can read archived additions on Drag Race, 99% Invisible, Gogglebox, Reply All and more. 

• NPR Training - This is an amazing resource for reporters, producers and audio journalists full of practical tips and clear technical guides. 

• Sound Money - In her fortnightly newsletter, Em Kwenortey anonymously interviews people in audio about their careers, money and the state of play in the industry. Subscribe for candid advice served with a side of shade.

Podcast Recommendations

• 1.5 Speed, Vulture - Nick Quah is back again. This time with his weekly recommendation newsletter for Vulture. 

• The Bello Collective - Bello do amazing things for the podcasting community, and really could have gone in any of these categories but I especially love their thoughtful, curated recommendations from wide ranging contributors. 

• Great British Podcasts - Run by the team behind the British Podcast Awards, get the best of british podcasting in your inbox each week. 

• Earbuds Collective - Each addition, a guest curates five episodes on a different theme. Recent additions have included collections on human connection, ageing, and podcasts that intersect true crime and music. 

• Hear Here - A weekly missive from The Guardian, stay on top of the latest new releases.

• Podbible - This UK based magazine also have a newsletter jammed packed with recommendations. 

• Podcast Delivery - Each newsletter they only highlight one podcast, so you know it’s a good un’.

• Podcast Gumbo - Paul Kondo writes a short but sweet newsletter each week with three recommendations. I really like the focus on episodes rather than series as it can help you discover some surprising shows!

• Podcast The Newsletter - Lauren Passel really knows her podcasts. Each week she interviews someone in the industry and shares a comprehensive list of recommendations. And all I will say about her choices: expect the unexpected. 

• Podcast Review - This weekly round-up from the LA Review of Books is always full of surprising gems. 

There you have it, our guide of podcast newsletters you should be subscribing to in 2021. If we have missed anything, please let us know - you can reach us on Twitter or email contact@messageheard.com. 

What podcast hosts can learn from chairing panel events

Having multiple podcast guests at once can feel like herding cats – everyone wants a chance to say their bit, everyone has an opinion and people can potentially start speaking over each other! But there are a lot of great benefits to this podcast style, if you can pull it off.

Panel-style podcasts are usually:

• Lively and dynamic in style – like listening to a conversation with friends!

• Good at bringing different perspectives together.

• A great way to share expertise and insight.

So, how do you make sure that everyone can be heard and understood, and that everyone contributes their best? In short: you need a great host to act as chairperson, guiding the debate. 

In this article, we break down our advice for using panel chairing experience for hosting a great podcast, including some top tips from serial panel chair and Executive Chair of Message Heard, Louise Beaumont (so many chairs!). 

Serial panel chair and Executive Chair of Message Heard, Louise Beaumont.

Choosing your guests

As is the case for any great podcast or panel, guest selection is really vital to making sure it all comes together. The best guests are those who have a depth of knowledge, are comfortable speaking on the topic and who bounce well off others. 

Being opinionated or passionate is usually a pro, and it can be helpful to select guests based on their ability to add different points of view to the same topic.

Trust-building and coaching

It’s often helpful to spend time with your panellists ahead of the day, and this also applies to a panel podcast. This will enable you to both build trust in the relationship with that individual guest and test out any avenues that might be ripe for further discussion. In the production process, we call this step the pre-interview which you can learn more about here. 

According to Louise, it’s also a chance to suss out how well your individual guest responds to some of your intended topics, so that you can ‘Coach them on how to make the answer more vibrant.’  This doesn’t mean showing them all your questions, but rather introducing in broad strokes the things you’re likely to cover.

It’s also a way to help improve their answering skills by encouraging them to ‘Add a killer fact or stat, tell the memorable anecdote. Keep it short and colourful, rather than lengthy and pedantic.’ All important for getting the most value out of your conversation.

A lot of this links to our more general tips about becoming a better podcast host, which you can read more about here.

Formulating the arc of the discussion

Another opportunity that comes from panel prep is developing the discussion arc. This translates neatly into the arc of the episode in any panel-style podcast. Louise says:

During the prep call, people can see that I’m building the story arc, and giving everyone a role in building it. They can see when and where I’ll bring out oppositional or supporting views.  And they can see I’ll be fair with airtime. Once you have a good story arc you can place each point of view in an order that will make sense to the audience – again, this makes it memorable – which is better for the panellists.

Planning your discussion arc is always a great way to ensure that you get everything you need out of the group and come away with a conversation that is dynamic but also has a flow from start to finish.

Encouraging surprising answers

The best moments in panel discussions often come out of surprising takes on the topic – ones that reveal a more passionate, opinionated or just unique sense of the subject. Prompting these surprises can be tricky, but Louise says it has a lot to do with the courage to ask more daring questions:

I’m on the audience’s side – I know I have to make the conversation sharp, vibrant and relevant for them, and also really to the point so they say ‘God, I wish I had thought of that question’ or ‘I wish I was brave enough to ask that question’ and then I have to get them really sharp, interesting answers – so the tough question pays off with an interesting answer.

It's worth also remembering that the courage to ask has to be accompanied by the right questions, asked at the right moment, and prefaced with the trust of the panellists themselves. Louise adds:

Getting surprising answers is a combination of knowing which questions to ask, and how to ask them (tone, style), but also having the trust of the panelist such that they feel they can tell that anecdote or furnish that fact

This is where the preparation really pays off, building on the trust you’ve already established ahead of time alongside the arc you’ve fleshed out, and keeping your audience in focus throughout the discussion.

Managing multiple speakers

One of the potential pitfalls of a panel discussion is losing the insights each panellist might deliver if they start to speak over each other or interrupt too often – or if one person takes up so much time, nobody else has a chance to weigh in!

It’s important to remember that, unlike a panel, you have editing on your side in a podcast. The main thing is to ensure there is minimal talking over each other by participants in the conversation. In a panel, using a device to help signal to the guests that it is time to come to a natural close could be helpful, as Louise suggests: 

‘My control mechanism is called ‘Waggy Pen’. In the prep call I hold up my bright pink pen and explain to people that when they see Waggy Pen, it’s my way of telling them to end at the next full stop. I do it so that I don’t have to talk over anyone – which is just aurally annoying for the listener, and also so the audience doesn’t realise how the conversation is being managed. Good for them, good for their fellow panellists, good for the audience.’

In a podcast, however, you can have the producer help you out here - they are able to help jump in and restart questions, as well as ensuring the flow of the entire conversation is intact. Editing afterwards can also sharpen the outcome. If you do feel the the need to interrupt, be sure to demonstrate that you are looking for clarification, or are genuinely just interested in digging into something related to that point – for instance, you might say, ‘Sorry to interrupt you, but that has reminded me…’ or ‘Building on what you were saying…’

Use the combination of good preparation, a switched-on producer and gentle conversational techniques to help maintain the overall flow of the discussion, and make the most of your chance to edit the recording after the fact. 

Remote moderation techniques

Adding in the remote recording factor that we are all dealing with these days, can be another layer of hosting complexity. Louise’s advice is to get, ‘Everyone in the [virtual] green room at the same time, so we can re-establish rapport, run through the story arc, remind everyone of the rules (short, sharp, vibrant).’ This may mean a quick reminder of everything ahead of the recording time and being ready with the technology – keeping the setup and recording process as simple as possible will help ensure everyone feels calm and ready for discussion.

 If you’re considering a panel-style podcast, we can help make sure it all goes off without a hitch. Our Convenor package is all about bringing together thinkers in your space and cultivating excellent conversations. Get in touch today if you are looking for the support to ensure your podcast is executed with success!

Want to learn more about making a panel podcast with Message Heard? Check out our Convener package here.