How To Start A Podcast in Malaysia

A podcast is a digital audio file available on the internet for computers or mobile devices to download. These come typically available as a series, new instalments of which can be received by subscribers automatically. It has been growing in popularity especially in modern cities. Given podcasts’ ability to attract and keep an audience, it’s no surprise that business owners, entrepreneurs, and marketers are looking to capitalize on the popularity of this medium. Here is how to start a podcast in Malaysia.

Find your niche

The first step is deciding what you’d like the focus of your podcast to be. You need to find a happy medium between a topic that is broad enough that you can explore many different aspects of it, and one that is narrow enough to attract an audience with that specific interest.

Don’t try to be everything to everybody, advises Jennifer Moxley, the founder of Sunshine Media Network, whose work includes guiding clients on how to start, improve, and be interviewed on podcasts.

“By showcasing quality content targeted to a specific group of people who want that content, you’ll find your voice and start to grow your audience,” Moxley said.

Microphones

“The utmost important factor in a show is sound,” said Tom Scarda, founder and host of The Franchise Academy Podcast. “[Do] not skimp on a good microphone.” This applies especially to content that mainly uses the sense of hearing only.

Using a poor-quality mic may result in a lack of audio crispness and clarity that will brand your podcast as amateurish. Look for a USB microphone that plugs into the USB port of your computer. Do not use your computer’s built-in microphone.

Ideally, recording of audio should be in a quiet area, away from cars and nature noises. To reduce the time you’ll spend editing each podcast, consider sectioning off the room and adding dense, sound-absorbing materials.

Music

You want music in the intro and outro that suits the personality of your show. However, don’t use copyright-protected music without permission ‒ it’s a severe violation that will get you kicked off iTunes or Spotify.

One of the most extensive libraries of free-to-use music, also known as creative commons, is Incompetech. However, because the music on this and similar sites is free, it’s very commonplace and people use them extensively. If you have some money in your budget, you can get royalty-free music for a one-time fee at Jamendo. You also can access thousands of music tracks through the monthly subscription service Audioblocks.

Hosting

Once you edit the audio and add images and music for the podcast intro and outro, you’re ready to export the finished podcast to your website and the distribution platforms of your choice.

Many novice podcasters assume that you upload your podcast directly to places like iTunes. However, you need to create an account with a media host, which is a subscription service that stores your audio files. In addition to housing your audio files, a hosting service provides stats, marketing tools, and podcast websites while also serving as a link between you and podcast directories like iTunes.

Libsyn and Buzzsprout tend to be favorites among podcasters, but there are many other hosting services, including Blubrry, Podbean and Transistor.

Launch and promote

To generate buzz on launch day, have several episodes already completed and uploaded. Announce the launch in advance to your business network via email and social media. You want to build an audience before you launch. To improve your chances of being noticed and possibly featured by iTunes, encourage new listeners to subscribe to your podcast and leave a review.

To get the most out of your podcast, think of ways you can repurpose your podcast content on your blog and social media channels. Also, be open and willing to learn about your listeners’ needs by the way they respond to your content. This is especially important if your listeners are current or potential customers.

Key takeaways

There will definitely be challenges you have to face if you start a podcast in Malaysia. However, with enough determination and will, you will be able to succeed.