Podcast Editing Service: Should You Hire One?
Over the past number of years, podcasts have steadily increased in popularity. From a small niche audience back in 2004, the podcasting industry has exponentially grown, garnering an estimated 155 million listeners in the U.S. alone, according to the latest study of The Infinite Dial.
Podcast consumption has also flourished across the globe. Voxnet included Spanish-speaking countries like Chile and Argentina, as well as Asian countries like China and Singapore, on its list of the top growing podcasting countries in 2019.
The opportunity for upcoming and even existing podcasts to become known has flourished during the Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, Spotify reported that their overall podcast consumption has doubled this 2020. Furthermore, the number of podcast listeners on the said platform increased from 19% during the 1st quarter of 2020 to 21% during the 2nd quarter of 2020.
With more people discovering this medium and becoming engaged listeners, it seems pretty convincing that starting a podcast isn’t something to deliberate about. Finding your niche and gathering the needed equipment are the basics. But some people can be intimidated by the overall process, including podcast editing.
This technical aspect of podcasting makes people think twice about starting one in the first place. Indeed, it can be a laborious process for a novice, but don’t fret, it can be achieved! Whether you’re a newbie or have tried editing audio files before, there is a wide selection of podcast editing programs available.
If things are really complicated and you still want to pursue a career in podcasting, you can always rely on companies that offer podcasting services. Smooth Sailing Business Growth, for instance, offers podcast editing and production as one of its key services, and has helped many business owners launch podcasts successfully.
What is the role of a podcast editor?
A podcast is an audio program, and therefore, everything should be clear when listening to it. This is where editing is required. This process is focused on polishing the entire podcast content. Here, you can cut or add additional audio to the original recording. The editing removes any fillers, stutters, long pauses, or strange noises that can make the entire content awkward. Some podcast creators edit their own work, while others rely on professional podcast editors.
Although the main responsibility of podcast editors is to improve the audio quality of podcast content, they are also expected to handle other tasks. Part of their job is to compress the content, make sure that the entire episode narrative flows, and occasionally, create extra material for the podcast. Simply put, these experts are knowledgeable in all the technical steps required during the editing process.
Why should you hire podcast editing services?
A lot of podcasters hire podcasting editing services to help them with their content. Check out these reasons why you should try them as well.
Better content quality
For a podcast to thrive, it should produce quality content. And this is not just about having an excellent idea or message to deliver. The listeners should also be able to understand the hosts loud and clear.
Podcast editors are professional in making sure that your podcast’s audio quality is superb. They use different programs and techniques to eliminate flaws in your raw audio files. This results in a fully edited episode that is clear and appealing to your listeners.
Focus on coming up with podcast content
One challenge of being a podcast creator is coming up with original content itself. Yes, each podcast caters to a specific niche. But it really is challenging to develop unique, relevant topics regularly.
Part of a podcast hosting’s responsibility is to take over the time-consuming research of what topics to deliver to your listeners. That is why if you hire a podcast editor, you cross off one task from your responsibilities list. You can let the professionals handle the audio quality of your podcast, while you focus on looking for appropriate themes and how you can further elaborate on them.
Save time and effort
It takes time to edit a podcast. One minute alone can eat up three to five minutes of your time. For podcast episodes that are 20 to 30 minutes long, you have to schedule at least an hour or two of editing time. Be ready to spend half of your day editing, if your podcast is an hour or longer.
As you can see, editing a podcast requires a significant amount of time to perfect. That is why podcast editors are a big help in the industry. You can trust them to ensure your podcast sounds immaculate, while you take care of your other important tasks.
Find support for podcasting problems
In any industry, it is inevitable to encounter problems occasionally. The world of podcasting is no exception. Podcast creators, even the most prominent ones, do face challenges now and then.
If you have a problem with your podcast’s audio quality, you can turn to podcast editors for help. Experienced editors are not only focused on the service required of them, but they are also willing to provide you with expert advice. You can get tips from seasoned podcast editors about how to produce a better audio presentation, as well as recommendations of what equipment or software to use to have competitive advantage. The best podcast editors should assist you regarding all the aspects of the audio production process.
Increase your revenue
According to a study conducted by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC), the podcasting industry generated an estimated revenue of $479.1 million in 2018. This figure is 53% higher compared to the previous year. Even amid pandemic, these figures continue to grow. The latest study of IAB and PwC reports a 14.7% expected growth rate in podcast advertising revenues, regardless of our current situation.
The industry wouldn’t have achieved this if not for podcasters producing quality content, both in how the message is delivered and in ensuring that the audio is audible enough for your listeners. The higher the quality level of your podcast, the greater the number of people will tune in to your show. And the more downloads you get from your episodes, the more advertising various companies will ask to run on your podcast.
You can earn as much as $25 to $40 if your podcast reaches 1,000 downloads. To reach this number of downloads, you shouldn’t miss the basics, and that includes ensuring that the audio quality of your podcast is excellent. Podcast editors are here to help you produce podcasts with quality audio that lead to high earning potential.
What to look for in a podcast editor
Yes, there are many podcast editors out there. So, how do you choose among them? Make this list your basis for choosing the right one for you:
Proficiency and experience
You want the best outcome for your podcast. It will be difficult for listeners to stay tuned in to your podcast if the recording is amateur. You will need a podcast editor that is proficient and experienced so that your podcast will sound professional.
The ideal podcast editor should be fully adept in handling different kinds of audio-editing tools and software. Also, hire someone who is preferably seasoned in audio content publications.
Turnaround time
Podcast creators follow a certain schedule. A regular time-frame is essential to a podcast creator’s work, because listeners expect podcast content to be published regularly. Failure to meet this expectation may lead listeners to “unsubscribe.”
Therefore, a podcast editor should be able to follow the agreed-upon turnaround time without compromising the quality level of the audio.
Rates
Truth be told, there’s no such thing as editing a podcast for free, unless you do it yourself. Podcast editors carry with them a vast degree of knowledge and experience. Because of this, they deserve to be paid accordingly for the value that they bring.
When it comes to podcast editing, there are three categories:
Full Production
In this category, the podcast editors collaborate with you during the entire content creation process. This means that their work is not only limited to editing the audio files. They can help in the planning and scheduling stages, as well as in looking for potential guests or coming up with questions or monologues. Sometimes, they even participate in the marketing efforts of your podcast. The estimated rate for full production editing is around $1,000 to $4,000 per month.
Technical
The role of a podcast editor in technical editing is mainly active in the post-production stage. Aside from editing audio files, an editor also includes show notes and transcriptions. The estimated rate for technical editing is around $100-$250 per podcast episode.
Setup and Launch
Podcast editors in this category are especially helpful for podcasters who are just beginning in their journey. Not only does a podcast editor help in editing audio, but he or she can also help you launch a podcast from scratch. Podcast editors who can help with setting up and launching a podcast can charge a one-time fee of $200-$500.
Communication
This is an important part of any kind of relationship, including one between you and your podcast editor. Before hiring a podcast editor, make it clear to them how you want things to be done. Discuss your recording schedule, when you are going to give them the audio files, and your required turnaround time. The ideal podcast editor is someone who will understand your needs and not waste your time exchanging files back and forth because they don’t know your expectations in the first place.
Packaged services
Companies offer packages to attract customers to them instead of looking out for other options. Podcast editing agencies also apply the same trick. Almost all podcasting services come in packages.
Smooth Sailing Business Growth (https://smoothbusinessgrowth.com/), for instance, offers podcast production packages for your convenience.
Final Thoughts
Podcast editing requires a serious amount of skills and time to master. Although editing audio files is a great addition to your set of abilities, there’s a risk that you may lose time for other vital matters of your podcast. Leave your audio production requirements to professional podcast editors. You’ll find one on https://smoothbusinessgrowth!
Learn more about how you can improve your podcast through our informative blogs. We bring you information about the latest podcasts you can get inspiration from. You can also visit our website for the latest news about business, health, lifestyle, finance, and more.