Year after year, podcasting continues to grow in popularity both among listeners as well as creators, partly due to the ease of accessibility and the low bar for entry. In fact, those were significant reasons I started podcasting in 2018 knowing very little about how to engage an audience and even less about the equipment I needed to do so. There was definitely a learning curve, but the more I did it, the more I learned about how to do it. And in case it's helpful to you, here are five things I've learned since I started podcasting.

1. What DAW means and how to use one.

When I started podcasting, all I knew was that I needed a way to record into my MacBook so I could cut all of the dumb things I said before posting each episode. I chose Garageband simply because it was capable and available. Soon after that, I learned more about DAWs, or Digital Audio Workstations - one of which is Garageband - and all the additional features they offered to edit, mix and master any audio file I could throw at them. Currently I'm using Logic Pro as my primary DAW but still make use of Garageband and Audactiy when specific needs arise.

2. The difference between a condenser and a dynamic mic, and why a condesner is NOT the right choice for my space.

When it was time to upgrade from my first set of $10 microphones, the sales engineer at Sweetwater asked if I was looking for a condenser or a dynamic mic to which I replied with a sheepish "ummmmmmm." He was sharp; he quickly picked up on my ignorance and slowly and graciously walked me through the differences (which still made very little sense at the time). Without boring you with the details in this particular post, I'll just share that the type of mic you need really depends A LOT on the space in which you plan to recrod. For me and my space, the dynamic option was the better choice.

3. Your friends and family will likely NOT be your best advocates.

I am incredibly grateful to be part of a loving and supportive family who has gotten behind every crazy idea I've ever come up with... well, most of my crazy ideas anyway. As much as I appreciate their support and feedback, they are not necessarily my target audience and I can't depend on them to help grow my audience. You (and I) need to be laser focused on who you are trying to reach with your content and focus your time and energy there. They will be your best source for organic growth.

4. A polar pattern has nothing to do with the weather.

Cold front. Heat wave. Jet stream. Polar pattern. All weather related terms, right? Nope. It turns out a polar pattern has to do with how your mic picks up sound. And it's important to know the polar pattern of your mic to ensure a) you're using the right type of mic for your purposes and b) you're talking into the right part of the mic (pro tip: don't speak directly into the top/end of your Blue Yeti regardless of how enticing it may be to do so).

5. Good content is usually not enough.

I've learned that content is king when it comes to engaging and growing your audience. However, as the number of podcasts continue to increase, listeners can afford to be a little pickier with what they allow into their headphones and car stereos. So while great content should be your #1 priority as a creator, if your audio doesn't sound great or causes listeners to make too many adjustments, they will be quicker than ever to move on to the next one.

Can you relate? What have you learned since you started podcasting?

I still have plenty to share and in an upcoming blog (and video) I will share 5 MORE things I've learned since I started podcasting. Stay tuned!