#just a small sentence telling me what actions are progression-based and what aren't. SOME of them are color-coded but not all

[biteapple]

i do also feel like The Pale Beyond holds your hand TOO much in some aspects but not enough in others

#there are parts in the story where literally a popup appears telling you why one of your traits made a character say something to you #and thats something i would MUCH rather like. interpret or figure out on my own. in a story-based game #and also makes like ... makes me feel like i can SEE behind the curtain of the game. that should be secret to me. #let ME think about why someone said something or did or didnt do something. dont TELL me why in a convenient popup #and in some parts of the game doing certain actions seemingly arbitrarily ends the day or is final when i really wish the game was like #just a small sentence telling me what actions are progression-based and what aren't. SOME of them are color-coded but not all #there was one point where the game was like ''you can choose one of these'' and then prompted me to assign someone to something #so i thought *I* could choose one and assign a person to another because a prior event had me do that #and me assigning the person WAS my one action. just wish it was clearer in some aspects in wording its finality. #espectially when it mirrors what the game has taught me prior and then does the opposite of what the expected outcome is #there are certain mechanics that feel unfair where (potential spoilers ahead) you can assign people to the med bay to rest but... #if there's open beds and you forgot to assign someone else into the bay you're out of luck and cant pull up the menu again #like. why cant i? the engineering panel allows me to pull it up again. as does the cooking pot. as does every other panel. why not this one #that specifically just feels like an oversight. that among OTHER things #like special items not proccing twice when they should #there's one item that when warming up freezing crewmates #the engineers will warm 2 instead of 1. but. if you assign two engineers to the task the same time #then they'll only heal 3 people total because the code accounts for the action preformed not the amount of engineers assigned to the action #and if you assign them in succession they'll do it successfully. which is annoying to have to remember and a huge oversight

[thepodcasthoard]

How to Start a Podcast Guide for 2024: Launch, Attract 100 Listeners & Cover Costs - No Jargon! - Captivate FM

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The sixteenth article Sydney gave me is by captivate FM, which is a website that helps podcasters start and grow.

This article is extensive- there are five phases. This is going to be a long post, so buckle up.

Phase 1- Planning

1. Find your why

Once you have your why, you'll be able to figure out what you can bring to the podcasting world.

Write down your goals and set mile markers along the way to track progress towards them.

2. Topic

Choose one you're passionate about, one that excites you.

Don't feel pressured to be an absolute expert on the topic you choose- as long as you go into each episode with good research and a plan, you'll be ok.

Once you have a topic in mind, look into podcasts already in that area. What can you do differently? What will make your podcast stand out and make listeners choose yours over the however many other podcasts on the topic?

3. Name

Use research you conduct to find out keywords people are searching for that are relevant to your topic

Get creative

Descriptive name

Use your own brand if it's recognizable

Make sure it's not taken

Keep it short

Don't shove a list of keywords in. Weave them in naturally, and only keep a couple for the title. The rest can go in the description.

4. Avatar and XYZ statement

Create an avatar of your ideal listener

'I will do X for Y so Z can happen.'

Your 'Y' part will always be your listener avatar.

So the sentence will go something like 'I will do [podcast topic] for [listener] so that [listener experience].

Phase 2- Designing

5. Format

Solo, cohosted, interview are all formats of podcasts.

6. Design your flow

AKA create segments within your episode.

7. Calls to action

Anything you ask a listener to do, such as review or tell a friend, is a CTA. Decide on one or two to start with.

8. Script

This article includes examples and templates of scripts for you to use and take inspiration from.

9. Art

Keep it simple. As my old English teacher would say- KISS the work. Keep it simple, silly. The logo will be small most of the time, and you still want it to be legible and clear.

Make it relevant to the podcast.

Be bold about choices, based on what you've seen from other podcast artworks.

Don't fall back on stereotypical and overused imagery, like microphones and/or headphones.

Use your face if you're comfortable.

Remember it's not set in stone. You can always change it down the line.

There are also resources in this section to do the art yourself or outsource it, but I'll let you click through in case the author receives a commission.

10. Music

Jingles work for a reason. If you can get someone to recognize your podcast from the music alone, that's perfect.

Keep the music short. The listener wants to listen to a podcast, not a song.

There are some resources on where to find music here, and again you can find those on your own.

11. Categories and description

The description is how to draw people in, intrigue them, make them want to click and listen.

Categories are how people search through podcasts to find one to listen to. Make sure the primary category really describes the show because sometimes the two secondary categories aren't used in the algorithm.

12. Schedule and length

There's no magic answer- just think about your audience and how they might react to certain lengths, plus take into account your own time and how much you can handle.

13. Pick a launch date

Having a fixed end goal is the best way to get yourself to do this without procrastinating any more than you already have.

Phase 3- Recording

14. Microphone

It is necessary. Get one within your budget with good reviews, you can always scale up.

15. Headphones

For both recording and editing, to make sure everything is sounding good.

16. Record

This article goes over some general tips

Otherwise, the main article just talks about some differences in equipment and software if you're going solo or cohosting.

17. Editing

This goes over general tips for beginners

The main article seems to take a pretty minimalist approach- remove silences and re-takes, add music, and that's it.

The article also goes over the technical stuff related to exporting the audio file.

18. Understanding podcast hosting, RSS feeds, and directories

All I need to know is that podcasters need a hosting site to give them an RSS feed, then they can submit to directories and get heard.

Phase 4- Building

19. Trailers

This article gives you a guide on how to make one, but there are basics covered here.

Who are you and why should the listener listen to you?

What can the listener expect from the show?

How can the listener listen?

20. Choose a hosting site

Different ones will have different features, so do your research into which one will work best for you.

21. Record

Don't worry about mistakes- they can be edited out.

When you make a mistake, stop for a few seconds, then start the sentence over. You'll be able to see the silence in the wave form later.

If you wrote a script, you already know what you're going to say.

You can record in batches, which means record multiple episodes in a row.

Just because the final episode is a set time, that doesn't mean recording it will take that same amount of time. It will take you significantly longer with breaks, mistakes, and re-takes. Don't stress about it.

22. Website

Think of it as a central hub for your podcast, or a home.

You can use a website to further search engine optimization for discoverability.

It allows you to control how you show off your podcast and brand.

It also lets you build an archive of episodes, so listeners can find the earlier ones.

You'll be able to build a community around your show.

23. Social media

You don't have to worry about posting to every single social media site ever, but you should lock down the handles and usernames.

Phase 5- Launching

24. Uploading and publishing

Use your podcast host to do both.

If you choose Captivate, they have a whole instructional video of how to do this step.

25. Submit to directories

Your podcast will have generated the RSS feed you need, so you just need to plug the feed into the appropriate field.

Sometimes, your host will have a one click submission, which means you just have to click the 'submit' button and you've done it! It takes time for the directories to accept the podcast, so now you just wait. Up to a week for Apple Podcasts, specifically.

Once you've submitted to the directories, the RSS feed does the work and you won't have to do it again. The directories will just automatically get your episodes as you upload without you having to do any further steps.

26. Plan the launch

The article recommends a launch week, not day. This will give you enough time to build more excitement for your podcast. There are a few things they recommend:

Research and join three to five relevant groups or boards where your audience gathers.

Set up a podchaser profile and claim your podcast. Podchaser is like the IMDB of podcasts, so listeners can leave reviews.

Create a graphic that teaches people how to leave a review.

Get in touch with seven podcasts in your niche and ask to swap trailers. You promote theirs on yours, and they'll promote yours on theirs.

Record and release a teaser episode. Shout out listeners who left reviews, ask for feedback, thank everyone who helped you along the way, and provide listeners with a view of what's coming up.

27. Celebrate!

You've worked hard on this project, and you've finally launched. That's a huge milestone. People all over the world can now listen to you talk about your topic.

Now you can think about your growing community, develop your skills, and think about your goals.

Bonus phase- after launch

28. How to keep motivated

There's a video under this, too.

Most podcasters don't make it past ten episodes because they don't see the results they expected. You have to push through and keep going.

When a celebrity launches a podcast, it's an instant hit with tons of downloads. This is because they're already famous. Don't compare yourself to them.

Podcasters sometimes feel like no one's listening, but people are. You started a podcast because you have something important to say, so keep saying it.

Podcasting is a slow industry for non-celebrities. You have to work on bettering your skills and growing your community.

Ignore the perfectionist in your head. Nothing will ever be perfect, so stop fiddling with episodes. Stick to your release schedule you set for yourself.

Having a goal in mind helps at this point. Making your own mile markers to track your progress helps a lot, too. Make sure to celebrate victories, however small you may deem them to be.

29. Understand the data

Many beginner podcasters look at the early data and expect to see numbers in the hundreds and get discouraged when that isn't the case.

Captivate advertises that they show their users data points, including unique listeners, download averages over time, listener behavior, downloads per episode, and demographic data.

You might wonder what's a 'good' number for each of these. The truth is success is so subjective that your idea of good won't be anyone else's idea of good.

Look at your listeners and cultivate a relationship with them. Ask them to leave kind reviews and spread the word.

Celebrate any upward trend, no matter how slight.

30. How to reach one hundred listeners

Market, market, market.

Share with your core group of friends and family, they'll listen and share it with people they know that will appreciate the show.

The article also recommends treating each episode with a week of publicity. The day before you release the episode, they recommend posting short clips to tease content on your socials. On release day, create other content to share on social media. The rest of the week, use what you already created and keep posting about the episode.

Try for two to three posts per social media site, every day for the week. This might feel like too much, but social media goes so fast that things get buried. Just keep the episode in your followers' minds.

This routine will build habits and confidence, and then once the routine is set you can research more advanced ways to get more ears on your podcast.

31. Monetizing

Podcasting takes time, but you most likely invested some money into it, too, plus the upkeep if you have a paid hosting account.

Captivate offers subscriptions and tipping, but you can use other sites for the same things (patreon and ko fi come to mind).

You shouldn't feel guilty about trying to make your money back- you put a lot of time and energy into this, and some of your listeners will certainly want to help out if they can.

#podcast help #beginner podcaster