Although, this global pandemic did knock down a lot of industries like travel and hospitality but fortunately it turned out to be a boon for the podcasting industry. The number of both podcast consumers and creators skyrocketed during the lockdown.
With an expected revenue potential being estimated over a billion dollars this year, the podcasting industry has definitely become a lucrative medium for brand endorsements. As the industry is booming, the number of individual podcasters is growing radically. In addition to that, it doesn’t need any professional training to kickstart as a podcaster.
Podcast being an audio medium does require the host to have a powerful Voice and an impactful delivery style. Everyone has his/her unique voice and to make it more effective I am sharing a few voice tips which can certainly help beginners in their journey of podcasting.
1)The Pace
Podcasting is an audio medium which means your voice is your only tool to grab the attention of your audience. Each and every word that you say should be clear and communicated effectively. We need to be very careful about our pace at which we speak. You can do some trial recordings to check your pace and if it is too fast then you should deliberately try and lower your speed to ensure that listeners understand what you are trying to communicate.
2) Pauses and Emphasis
Once your script is ready, you should try and rehearse to acknowledge where you need to pause and which words need to be emphasised. Powerful words need to be expressed with an authority while the words which depict love and care should be spoken in a tender manner. Pauses are equally important as they can actually change the entire meaning of your sentence if you don’t punctuate at the right place.
3) Smile While you Talk
Would you believe if I say your smile can be heard? The answer is yes. It can be heard and felt by your listeners. It makes you sound pleasant and approachable. It has the power to increase your loyalty in your listeners and would increase the retention rate.
4) Emote through your voice
Your podcast needs to communicate with your listeners and nothing communicates better than emotions. Every emotion in your voice can be felt by your listeners. You should be able to express excitement, joy, enthusiasm even anger and sadness in your most natural style.
5) Remove fillers from your vocabulary
We have this habit of repetitively using words, phrases or making sounds like hmmm, right, you know, I mean. These fillers do not sound professional and will also make you sound unprepared. You should deliberately try and avoid these fillers. The only key to do so is create a proper framework of your script and practice.
6) Vocal Exercises
We need to warm up our vocal cords and muscles before we record. Remember your childhood and try some cool tongue twisters. Let Sally, Betty and Peter of the tongue twister world help you clear your diction and avoid fumbles.
We have some other vocal exercises like yawn-sigh technique and humming warm ups too. If you try these before recording, your voice will sound crystal clear and much more relaxed.
7) Record, Listen, Modify
When you will listen to your recorded self for the 1st time, you may find it strange but that’s normal. Always remember, you are your best judge. Record your self on any free recording software, judge your tone, pace, pauses, emotions and ensure that you are sounding as natural as you can. Initially, always practice your script before recording and eventually you will be comfortable in front of your mic and it will start coming more naturally to you.
There is nothing called as a ‘good podcasting voice’. Your voice is just perfect. You only need to practice and apply the tips I have shared with you and soon you will be a pro podcaster in no time.
Happy Podcasting!
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