Why oh why repurpose my valuable content by radio for you, my reader friends?
Who do I think I am? A voice talent, a radio personality, a podcast in the making? Not at all.
It turns out no such visions of stardom ever crossed my mind. Nor did the fact that doing a regular, even quickie, radio broadcast can be both fun and hard to do.
More compelling to make me jump in audio, ears first, is a challenge presented. A challenge is sometimes irresistible, don’t you think?
But, as I’m learning, a challenge isn’t a challenge if some challenges don’t pop up. And content by radio presents a few but, it’s also a useful exercise in content distribution and amplification.
Further, repurposing content by radio expands your digital outreach for new audiences while giving an existing audience a new option.
As an opportunity:
- to hone your message,
- to practice speaking in public,
- and to add another content asset to your content hub and media mix
—well, that’s not just chopped liver either!
The biggest benefits to tackling the Sue-Ann Radio challenge goes beyond what you may expect.
I hope you’ll find my story a useful exercise to discover real business clarity by experimenting with the content by radio realm for yourself.
I’ll walk you through a few valuable lessons and useful concepts in this article.
Anchor to the Rescue
The first step in my audio escapade starts with a tiny gem of an app, called Anchor.fm. The app calls itself, “radio reinvented” but I call it easy radio with little to no barriers to entry.
It’s available as an app from the Apple App Store or from Google Play and also on your desktop. Did I mention the Anchor App is free?
It embeds easily onto your website, like this example of my very first, maybe awkward, radio broadcast:
My first decisions were to call the new Show, the MIX/SIZZLE&SHAKE Radio Broadcast, and to identify my topics as “everything business and content.”
I know creating a podcast about “all things business and content” is casting a wide net and not the best way to differentiate myself in the podcast world but, it gives me room to experiment.
Since audio content is a new practice for me and a learning device, allowing a bit of an open door to test, upgrade, and evolve seems okay for now.
I’m also seeing a pattern emerge as I plan and create small increments of valuable (I hope) content. Now, I think I’ll use some of the scripts as repurposed content in the form of blog posts.
What’s really working for me in this regard is the scripts are written on a consistent basis so I’m really building my writing skills with vigorous editing.
And, because they’re so succinct, stringing a topic out over a few broadcasts seems to work best. The bonus, of course, is the way a topic is crystallized into a logical informational order.
I feel like this translates into extraordinary written blog content opportunities while serving as a spinning wheel of ideas and topics worth covering.
My audio escapade starts with a tiny gem of an app, called Anchor.fm. The app calls itself, 'radio reinvented' but I call it easy radio with little to no barriers to entry.Click To TweetLIVE Radio oh No!
For me, playing with audio and sharing it with the world isn’t nearly as terrifying as video production though I continue to work on that, as well. When you create content, think about how to share it further using recontent, as Ana Hoffman of TrafficeGenerationCafe likes to call it.
Audio is one heck of a great way to repurpose anything of quality you produce so, adding Ancho.fm to your content arsenal surely can’t hurt!
So far, I am working mainly on content already created and discussing quality business ideas while giving real-world examples to expand on the subject of the broadcast.
Hopefully, these stories add a new dimension of understanding and also some personality to the shows.
A couple of episode successes are from shows discussing an idea about business sparked from other people’s posts and thoughts. Here’s an example.
Content by Radio: Freestyle
Obviously, starting with a challenge and jumping right on into broadcasting means flying by the seat of your pants.
Well, at least at first!
But soon enough, the bitter reality of creating to make a meaningful impact makes the challenge so much more. Thinking about things like a core purpose, content strategy, scripting, and speaking technique comes into play.
Not to mention other presentation considerations, all adding up for producing your perfect audio content picture.
For now, experimenting is my main focus and it’s a great way to learn and grow. If you’ve thought about podcasting, this is one way to easily get it going, allowing you to test the waters before investing, financially. Did I mention Anchor is free?
Further, time constraints (due to Anchor’s five-minute segment concept) force you to focus your thoughts and words. This exercise alone is healthy for powerful content creation.
As it turns out, although segments are limited to a five-minute audio recording, you can string them together to play seamlessly on your station.
Creating a longer show has merit, but for the most part, I’m still shooting for a mere segment of 5 minutes per day, consistently. Try it.
So far, I love it but, admit there’s still a challenge to creating something powerful and engaging.
But engagement, with Anchor’s unique social interactive interface, helps bolster your ability to interact with both listeners and other stations.
Social sharing of your station is also easy as pie, giving you another simple way to build interest and audience. Your audience can share your work just as easily.
Repurpose your content by radio broadcast using @anchor app. #podcasting #recontent Click To TweetRadio Active
Just a few minutes of quality audio content produced each day potentially gives you up to thirty-five minutes per week. Hmm.
Hey, that’s a nice size show for say, a weekly podcast.
And guess what, you can do just that using the Anchor.fm App. But, there’s more than one way to skin a cat, and luckily, I’ve uncovered a few handy tricks to share.
First, are you new to producing audio content, like me? Or, are you already a podcaster looking for an easy way to create content and collect usable audio clips, even on the fly? No problem, Anchor has you covered, either way!
Experimenters, like me, can take the no-tech, low budget, route. Just turn your segments into episodes with a click or two.
Add a thoughtful title to your episodes and then, to create a podcast from an episode or series of episodes, it’s again as easy as a click or two.
The first time you click to create a podcast, you may have to wait a short time for Anchor to prep and submit it. But, when ready, Anchor notifies you via your email and you’re set.
After that, every episode you produce and save to your station is automatically added to your Apple Podcast.
Besides via Apple Podcasts and iTunes, listeners can hear your podcast or station through Google Apps, the web, or with the Anchor App. Wow!
Social capabilities and integrated platforms like mad make this method for starting your audio content creations a dream.
Even as a beginner or, if you’re a non-techie.
Content by Radio to Pro Podcasting
If you want to take it up a notch or make your way to an owned podcast media, Anchor can help you get there.
For starters, you can record or use recorded clips from Anchor on your podcast by exporting your segments. When you hit the drop-down button and export from your segment recordings, your audio file is automatically delivered to your inbox.
You can download them to your computer, edit them as you like, and incorporate them, without the Anchor ads, for podcast use.
As a strategic plan, I’m maintaining audio files I create on Anchor for future podcast repurposing.
Right now, I’m outlining topics from my key subjects and I’m brainstorming on bullet points to create material for Anchor content to produce a series.
Then, when ready, I’ll collate the best work into podcast content easily by editing and uploading to podcast software.
From what I know so far, it seems the podcast hosting leaders for WordPress sites are Libsyn and Brubrry. I’m still investigating more…
If you have call-ins to your station or do interviews with the Anchor App, you also get those audio files when exporting. Today I learned that your anchor interviews can exceed the five-minute limit. Hmm.
The Anchor Radio App offers more flexibility than first meets the eye. (Or maybe I’m just not technologically inclined.) So while I’m testing, learning, and experimenting, I’m also creating potentially awesome Podcast content.
As I learn and grow, this comes in handy. It’s taking steps to progress, right?
My first strategic move for upgrading to a podcast was to adjust my radio show title. (on Anchor, I’m just Sue-Ann or Anchor.fm/sue-ann) Think about this. In the myriad of Podcast titles and topics, ask yourself, “Does my show title at least hint at what I’m about?”
In truth, the more direct your title or the better your hook, chances of getting noticed increases. (Not sure if I’m ready [ha] to get noticed—I’d love your input!)
Introducing:
MIX/SIZZLE&SHAKE Your Business
In a snap, thanks to Anchor, my Apple Podcast is LIVE! What? Now I’m now on iTunes? Whoa. Pretty cool and amazingly easy.
The name identifies the podcast as one about Business. I know that’s broad and, over time, this may evolve.
For now, I’m spinning this name from the one I started my Anchor broadcast with. The name MIX/SIZZLE&SHAKE matches the name of the Write Mix for Business Content Insights Newsletter.
(Sign up below, if you haven’t already!)
I think it’s a mix of something I hope sounds a little exciting, includes a user-centric attitude and offers an understanding of the umbrella topic, “Business.” I’m also using original photography (thanks and kudos to Carole Robinson) that ties directly to my website.
So, that’s it! Now I’m doing it and having fun with it.
I’m learning and writing and practicing both speaking and teaching while creating valuable audio content. You can, too.
Plus, I’m repurposing already successful content in a new way and potentially to new audiences.
Maybe it’s just me, but I’m feeling a few unexpected benefits from taking on this Radio broadcast challenge.
Are you jumping into new ways to #recontent too? How about the idea of content by radio with the Anchor App? Feel free to pipe in, in the comments below:)
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