Buster Ratliff

Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum Website

What Makes a Good Podcast?

What makes a good podcast? That is a question that I get asked a lot, especially by people or institutions getting ready to make their first podcast. This is a topic I covered in my last article so there may be things in here repeated. While there is some repeat, I do feel these are steps that I have learned that can be valuable for those starting out in podcasting.

What I am going to do here is basically give you the outline of a talk I gave in April at the Texas Association of Museums conference. I spoke at a session called Riding the Wave of Technology II:  Podcasting. So without further ado, here is the outline to make a good podcast.

Again I have to ask, what makes a good podcast? To be honest with you, I do not really know. Each podcast is subjective. What is good for one may not be good for another and vice versa. We have been fortunate enough to win several podcasting awards. Our two most recognized and awarded podcasts were on the opposite ends of the spectrum for me. One was my all time favorite podcast; well my favorite so far. The other, was one of my least favorite podcasts. That is why I say that each podcast is subjective. I do however, think I have a system that works to create exactly what we here at the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum (PPHM) need; and I think this system will work for you.

When I create a podcast, whether its audio or video, there are six steps I follow. The first step is to create the goal of the podcast. Make sure that what you are doing with the podcast fits the mission of your particular institution. You do not want your podcast to be contrary to what your institution is trying to accomplish.

The second step is to know the abilities and characteristics of those involved. When I do a podcast here, each curator, if they are involved, have different strengths and weaknesses. One curator gives great openings then really has nothing else to say. Another is extremely intelligent and at times can sound like he is talking down to you when he is really not. Yet another will try to give you every minute detail and bog you down with details. Knowing that, I know that as the producer of these podcasts, I have to take what they can do, and twist them to what I want. This takes time and practice but if you give the effort, it is pretty easy to accomplish.

The third step is to know your audience. Our audience here at the PPHM is the quote unquote iPod generation. That is why in each podcast I will have one to three college students taking part to keep the conversations at their level. The mix of curators and colleges students works out well and gives a nice dynamic to the whole process.

The fourth step is to outline the podcast. Some will script their podcast but I hate scripts. Our goal is make each podcast sound like a conversation. To me, a script interferes with that. For us, scripts have people read instead of respond. I want their thoughts and words to sound original and not planned. We had one podcast that had a script and that podcast instantly became my least favorite of all the podcasts I have done. Outlines give you a sense of what needs to be said but leaves the door open for original and new thoughts.

The fifth step is to practice. I cannot emphasize this enough. Even if your participants are great speakers, most of the time if you put a microphone, recorder, or camera in front of them, they freeze. Practicing will allow them to get over their nervousness and become more comfortable with the equipment. However, it usually takes most people two or three podcasts to get fully comfortable with the process.

The sixth and last step is to get feedback. Feedback is extremely important. Seek sources that will give you honest opinions. You do not want somebody that will constantly stroke your ego. Find people that if something is bad, will tell you so. This feedback will help you correct what you are doing wrong and make your next podcast that much stronger.

Again, no podcast is guaranteed to be great; and what you consider good may be bad to someone else. But, if you follow these six steps, you will have a strong foundation to create your podcast with. Also, continually check the Museum Pods website (http://www.museumpods.com) as it is a phenomenal source.