Tag: Podcasting

10 Anchor Tools To Help You Make a Great Podcast

In February, Spotify announced that we acquired Anchor, a platform that makes quality podcasting easy and fun. We’re excited to increase the number of podcasts and diversity of topics available on Spotify and hope to inspire our users to start creating their own shows.

Luckily, podcasting has never been as simple—or accessible—as it is with Anchor. Whether you’re recording your fourth podcast or your first, check out 10 Anchor tools below that can ease you through the entire process.

1. Record from anywhere—literally.

  • Record episodes wherever you are by using the Anchor mobile app for iPhone, Android, or iPad. Or flip open your laptop and use the desktop website. No other equipment is required—unless you’re feeling fancy, in which case you can use a USB mic. You can also upload audio files to use in your podcast.
  • True story: People have used the mobile feature to record everywhere imaginable, including while climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and from a boat in the middle of the ocean.

2. Record with anyone. 

  • Anchor’s Record with Friends feature supports remote recording with up to eight people at once. Talk to people anywhere in the world and record in real time—distance never has to be an obstacle to making your podcast.

3. Edit your audio with a couple of taps.

  • Once you’ve recorded some audio, you can edit it by trimming out any unnecessary pieces or splitting it into multiple segments. Anchor’s editing tools are easy to use even when you’re on mobile.

4. Make it sound beautiful.

  • Anchor has a library of free background music that can be added underneath your audio. The app will even automatically adjust the music’s volume based on the sound of your voice, so it’s a great way to easily add texture to your podcast’s sound.

5. Customize your cover art.

  • Choose from a library of beautiful photos for your podcast cover artwork, thanks to Anchor’s Cover Art Creator (in partnership with Unsplash). Once you select the perfect image, you can add custom text to it right in the Anchor app.

6. Get your show heard everywhere.

  • Anchor takes care of distributing your podcast everywhere people are listening. With just one tap, you can get your podcast on Spotify and more.

7. Transform your words into social-friendly videos.

  • If you want to go beyond soundscapes, select a clip of two minutes or less to turn into a word video. It’s perfect for showcasing your work across social channels.

8. Make your listeners part of your podcast.

  • With Anchor’s Voice Messages, you can collect messages from your listeners and incorporate them right into your episodes. Some creators use this feature to share listener comments on a particular topic, host a listener-inspired episode, or create a Q&A-style show.

9. See how your show is growing.

  • Gain unique insights into when and where your podcast is being heard the loudest. On your Anchor dashboard, you’ll find detailed analytics so you can learn about who’s listening and how your episodes are performing. Analytics are available on mobile and web, so you can track your success no matter where you are.

10. Make money with your podcast.

  • With Anchor Sponsorships and Listener Support, you can make money from your podcast either by including custom ads (we’ll do the work of matching you with a sponsor and helping you record your own ads), or by collecting recurring donations from listeners.

Ready to get started? Sign up for Anchor today.

Everything You Wanted to Know about Podcasts But Were Afraid to Ask

Have you ever raved to a friend or family member about a podcast you’re bingeing (say, Stay Free: The Story of the Clash) only to have them ask, “Wait, what’s a podcast?” or even, “How do I listen to it?”

On the other hand, maybe you can talk all day about Game of Thrones finale theories or your feelings about the latest album drop, and you want to share your thoughts with the world. Good news: It’s easier than ever to get the word out.

Whether you’re a podcast aficionado looking to share your passion, or just looking to stay up on the latest trends, this straightforward and shareable Podcast 101 infographic is your one-stop shop for any podcasting questions.

Now that you can safely explain podcasts, why not find a new favorite? Or easily start your own by using Anchor or Soundtrap for Storytellers.


References:

  1. Edison Infinite Dial 2019
  2. Edison Infinite Dial 2019
  3. Nielson Podcast Insights: A Marketer’s Guide to Podcasting. Q1 2018
  4. Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2018
  5. Edison Infinite Dial 2019

Soundtrap for Storytellers Helps Podcasters Take Their Shows to the Next Level

Last year, seven million people in the US produced podcasts—and even more people consumed them. But the process of recording, editing, transcribing, and adding sound effects isn’t always easy. That’s why Soundtrap, a Spotify company, was inspired to create Soundtrap for Storytellers, a cloud-based one-stop shop for podcast creation that helps podcasters share their stories in a powerful and efficient way.

Soundtrap for Storytellers is a comprehensive podcast creation tool that offers recording, remote multi-track interviewing with video chat, smart editing of audio as a text document, full audio production, direct-to-Spotify publishing of the podcast, and transcript publishing to optimize SEO all in one service.

To celebrate the launch of Soundtrap for Storytellers, we brought the hosts of nine beloved podcasts together at Spotify’s NYC office for a hands-on “Pod Camp” demo of Soundtrap for Storytellers. We talked to the founders (and voices) behind favorites such as Berning in Hell, Girls Gotta Eat, Journey to Launch, and more about their favorite parts of podcasting—and what they’re excited for with Soundtrap for Storytellers.

Soundtrap demo at the Spotify office

Hannah Berner, Founder/Host: Berning in Hell

Favorite part of podcasting: “The freedom of speech. My podcast creates an opportunity for an extremely intimate experience between two people with no boundaries that I get to then share with the world.”

Why Soundtrap excites Hannah: “I think a lot of podcasters don’t have any knowledge about the importance of SEO, or getting found in unique ways, besides just promoting on our social media. So having a transcript of what you’re saying that also helps with SEO is incredible.”

Lindsey Metselaar, Founder/Host: We Met at Acme

Favorite part of podcasting: “I love getting to know someone. You can get away with asking a few questions when you first meet someone, but you can’t just sit there and grill them for an hour. As a curious person, it gives me an excuse to be able to literally do that.”

Why Soundtrap excites Lindsey: “The fact that you can record with someone when they’re not physically with you is huge. I’m not able to do that right now because the sound quality is just not the same with other programs or over the phone. But Soundtrap allows two computers to have the same recording situation set up. That’s huge for podcasting.”

Jamila Souffrant, Founder/Host: Journey to Launch

Favorite part of podcasting: “Connecting with the guests and interviewing. Honestly, when I’m in the moment interviewing, I’m just in it. So when I actually hear the final product, I’m like, ‘Wow. That was a good episode.’”

Why Soundtrap excites Jamila: “Right now, I record the interview on my computer. Then I’ve got to download the track, then upload it so my editor can take it. Soundtrap eliminates the steps and makes it easier for me just to record.”

The crew of The Need to Know Podcast

Savon, Steph, Alex, Co-Hosts: The Need to Know Podcast

Savon’s favorite part of podcasting: “I got into podcasting not just because it was innovative, but also because it was very personable. A lot of media is not personable, you know? So listening to somebody and feeling like you’re connected with them was the main draw for me. Also, just doing it with smart people whom you learn from.”

Why Soundtrap excites Steph: “Schedule-wise, we’re all super busy. Sometimes one of us might not be able to make it, or be physically there. So the fact that we can still record is very important. Listeners look for our content every week. And they will hunt us down.”

Rayna Greenberg, Ashley Hesseltine, Co-Hosts: Girls Gotta Eat

Rayna’s favorite part of podcasting: “We love conceptualizing the episodes, we love polling our audience for what they’re really looking for, and we try to pull in all of their advice. We love all the emails we get asking for certain topics, and we love trying to figure out who the next guest will be that’s so great for that, and how we can create a show around them that’s really interesting and different.”

Why Soundtrap excites Ashley: “I like that it normalizes the levels as it’s recording, and then again after. Because right now, it records all onto one track. So if someone was just way too quiet or too loud, I can go in there and do it manually, but it would take forever. So I have to use an external program. I like that Soundtrap is pretty much doing that for you.”

Try Soundtrap for Storytellers, available today online and on iOS and Android, with pricing starting at $14.99/month and an annual plan starting at $11.99/month. Or if you’re more of a listener, check out the rest of the podcasts on Spotify.