Essential Audio Imaging For Your Podcast

With so many podcasts of all styles and subjects emerging, the need for sparkling production quality and audio branding is one way you can make yours stand out from the rest. Audio Imaging might sound like a contradiction in terms at first, but is a description long used by conventional radio to describe the small bits of audio within a show that identify what that show is. It could refer to jingles, sweepers or idents, intro’s and theme music.

Think of your podcast as an office, the Imaging is the audio equivalent to the sign above the front door to let people know where they are and the corporate branding around the office to remind them once inside.

Before Podcasting, I was involved with the production of Imaging for local Radio Stations, during which time I learnt some important principles that can be carried forward into the professional approach to podcast production. The first is the content itself. Great scripts that contain compelling, entertaining and informative content are where it all begins and I really follow this on from my previous blog here. The bells and whistles that a producer adds to a podcast can only enhance what should already be great content.

The introduction to a podcast is always important. The first 30 seconds should act as a preview and a promo all in one and needs to be a draw to grab your listener and make them want to listen on. A great script delivery and an effective voiceover for this are crucial, then the bells and whistles that give it impact and appeal are added.

The next consideration is to tailor the little bits of audio that brighten up your show for your audience. A show for teenage girls will obviously need a much different sound to a financial show for middle age men. Youthful imaging needs to be aggressive and punchy, whereas for older audiences more ambience and subtlety may be required.

The final consideration is to decide where you will source your music and effects from. You must not use sounds from other shows or Podcasts as you will find yourself quickly in hot water. It may take years to build up libraries of sounds, or you can buy them in. Either way a professional quality of production is essential.

If you wish to know any more about the importance of imaging in your podcast or how we can go about producing it for you, get in touch.