Episode 1: An Introduction to Podcasting

In the first episode of Pod Like A Pro, veteran radio presenter Mark 'Sparky' Colerange and Sound Rebel's director Ben Anderson give you an introduction to podcasting and talk about why podcasts are such a great communication tool to connect with audiences across the globe.

Podcasts are booming, with 25% of people now listening to podcasts in the UK every week. Brands, businesses, charities, personalities, trade bodies, universities… There’s such a wide range of organisations who are now using audio to reach the audiences they want to reach, and we hope that this episode inspires you to want to give podcasting a go!

Sparky and Ben also talk about the podcasting landscape and how major players like Apple, Spotify, Google and Amazon are making big moves to invest in it as a medium. Podcast listeners are engaged, they’re immersed and they’re responsive: and the world’s biggest brands understand just how powerful they can be.

As Sparky says towards the end of this episode, “if you think that a podcast is just a source of entertainment to pass half an hour whilst you’re doing the washing up, you’re wrong!”

Episode 2: Your Podcast Idea

In the second episode of Pod Like A Pro, veteran radio presenter Mark 'Sparky' Colerangle and Sound Rebel's director Ben Anderson talk about where to start when it comes to creating your podcast idea.

People who are passionate, people who’ve got something to say, people with opinions… These are the people who could make really great podcast presenters. At the same time, for your podcast to be successful you need to have a format, and it’s something you need to think about long before you order your microphone.

Who is your target audience? What do you want them to do? How do you want them to feel after they’ve listened to your podcast? What is it about you or your brand that makes you interesting and unique? What value are you adding?

Sparky and Ben give some examples of formats that Sound Rebel have helped to create, from agony aunt entertainment podcast Dilemmas with Jess Ellis to Sound Rebel’s podcast about menstrual and gynaecological health, The Vagina Monopod. They talk you through the creative process, and discuss how important it is that the audience you want to target lead everything that you do when it comes to thinking up your podcast idea.

Episode 3: Podcast Production Values

In the third episode of Pod Like A Pro, veteran radio presenter Mark 'Sparky' Colerangle and Sound Rebel's director Ben Anderson are joined by Sound Rebel's audio and music producer Tom to talk about podcast production values.

What equipment do you need?

Why is the environment you record in so important?

Why is it important to create bespoke music for your podcast?

There are new podcasts being created every single day, and listeners are becoming more discerning - of course, the content is the most important aspect of your podcast - but you want to make sure it’s packaged as professionally as possible to give you the best chance of growing an audience.

Episode 4: Recording Your Podcast

In this episode of Pod Like A Pro, veteran radio presenter Mark 'Sparky' Colerangle and Sound Rebel's director Ben Anderson are joined by Sound Rebel podcast producer Gemma to talk about recording your podcast.

Unfortunately, it isn’t just as simple as sitting down and pressing record… And in this episode, Gem runs through the role of the podcast producer and what they bring to the table when it comes to recording your episodes.

We were radio producers before we were podcast producers, and produced shows for the biggest commercial radio group in Europe. The presenter and producer relationship is a vital one when it comes to getting the most out of your content… And choosing the right one can be the difference between a podcast that successfully builds an audience and a podcast that doesn’t achieve what it initially sets out to do.

Episode 5: The Basics of Podcast Presenting

In this episode of Pod Like A Pro, veteran radio presenter Mark 'Sparky' Colerangle and Sound Rebel's director Ben Anderson are joined by radio presenter and presenter coach Ed Nell.

Ed has nearly 20 years experience on BBC and commercial radio stations, working on flagship shows in major markets at Key 103, Hallam FM, Free Radio, BBC Nottingham, BBC Coventry & Warwickshire, Beacon Radio, Wyvern FM & BRMB. As an event host Ed has worked for West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City football clubs, Warwickshire County Cricket Club, Cancer Research UK and Sport for Life International.

In this conversation, Ed talks about how to frame your content and how to build your confidence in delivering it. Podcasts are all about the relationship you build with your audience, no matter when they’re listening or where they are in the world - Ed’s tips will help you to learn the skills to connect with them as effectively as possible.

Episode 6: Marketing Your Podcast

In this episode of Pod Like A Pro, veteran radio presenter Mark 'Sparky' Colerangle and Sound Rebel's director Ben Anderson talk about the best ways to market your podcast.

Podcasts are booming, with more and more people discovering their podcast app every day. With this has come a growth in the number of podcasts that are being produced - which means that you need to be top of mind for your listener.

In this episode, Sparky and Ben talk through the different ways that you can market your podcast to stand out, and discuss some examples that have worked really well for some of our Sound Rebel podcasts. One of the best things about podcasts is that marketing them doesn’t need to come at a huge financial expense… Instead, you can invest your time in promoting your podcast and successfully grow your audience.

Episode 7: Private, Internal and Premium Podcasts

In this episode of Pod Like A Pro, veteran radio presenter Mark 'Sparky' Colerangle and Sound Rebel's director Ben Anderson talk about private, internal and premium podcasts.

Podcasts can be a great way to communicate information, because of how they’re listened to - 92% of people listen to podcasts on their own, and because they can choose when to listen to them, audiences give them more time than they give other forms of media. Of course, this information can be incredibly valuable - and more and more creators are choosing to release their content as premium content behind a paywall.

Podcasts also give you the opportunity to communicate information in your own voice, which is why more companies are turning to podcasts to communicate internal information. Rather than sending an email, these organisations are recording an internal podcast episode instead which can only be accessed by the people you want to access it.

Episode 8: Meet The Podcasters with Steve Hadley

In this episode Ben talks to Steve Hadley, the host of the Breaking Ground Podcast which is produced by Sound Rebel.

Steve Hadley talks to Ben about why he started a podcast for the Federation of Piling Specialists during his time as Chair of the organisation, and how that became the Breaking Ground Podcast to engage and bring together a wider audience from the geotechnical community.

If you’d like to work with us, then we’d love to hear from you - email hello@soundrebel.co.uk, or use the contact form below.

Episode 9: Meet The Podcasters with Sharon Hartley

In this episode Ben talks to Sharon Hartley, the host of the Over The Influence podcast which is produced by Sound Rebel.

When Sharon started Over The Influence around a dining room table in Liverpool, she wanted to spread the message that life without alcohol is anything but boring.

She talks to Ben about how that message has now been heard hundreds of thousands of times by people all over the world.

Episode 10: Meet The Podcasters with Tom Hayes

In this episode Ben talks to Tom Hayes, the CEO of Elmore Community Services who have now created a number of different podcast series which have been produced by Sound Rebel.

He talks to Ben about the different podcasts they have created together to target different audiences, and how the medium of podcasting has had some unexpected benefits for the charity.