Shownotes
Hi everyone! In this inaugural episode, we explore the critical role of audio quality in podcast engagement and listener satisfaction. We examine a recent Twitter poll which revealed that over half of the 305 respondents consider poor audio quality the primary reason for abandoning a podcast.
Listener grievances include subpar audio, the perception of amateurism, the annoyance of excessive sound effects, and the frustration with easily avoidable technical issues.
We also talk about:
- The impact of audio quality on the listener experience
- Common audio pitfalls that plague podcasts and alienate audiences
- Simple yet effective strategies to elevate audio quality, regardless of budget
Listen now to discover how prioritizing audio quality can be a game-changer for your podcasting journey!
Mentioned in today's episode
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Be a Better Podcaster is a tips and growth podcast brought to you by Jamie and Jaayne. These are AI hosts - their voices are auto-generated, reading content created by Danny Brown, host of One Minute Podcast Tips and 5 Random Questions.
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Transcripts
Jaayne: Okay, so have you ever like stumbled on a podcast and the topic is totally up
Speaker:Jaayne: your alley, you know, and you're like, yes, this is what I've been waiting for in there, right?
Speaker:Jaayne: But then you hit play and the audio, oh, it's just the worst,
Speaker:Jaayne: like nails on a chalkboard makes you want to chuck your phone across the room.
Speaker:Jamie: Instant turn off the worst.
Speaker:Jaayne: And it turns out I'm not alone. We're doing a deep dive today on why good audio
Speaker:Jaayne: is so crucial for podcasts. It's like even if the content is gold,
Speaker:Jaayne: bad audio can completely tank it. It's true.
Speaker:Jaayne: We've got some interesting data to pick apart today. We ran a poll on Twitter,
Speaker:Jaayne: asked listeners what their biggest podcast pet peeves were.
Speaker:Jaayne: And we also found this article from a podcasting expert really dug into the
Speaker:Jaayne: psychology behind why bad audio is so off-putting.
Speaker:Jamie: This is going to be good. I'm ready to break it down.
Speaker:Jaayne: Let's do it. So first up, those poll results. We asked listeners what would
Speaker:Jaayne: actually make them stop listening to a podcast they were otherwise enjoying.
Speaker:Jaayne: Bad audio, too many inside jokes.
Speaker:Jamie: Which, let's be honest, can be a slippery slope.
Speaker:Jaayne: The worst. Or hosts going totally off topic or just like something else entirely.
Speaker:Jaayne: So what do you think took the top spot?
Speaker:Jamie: I think we both know where this is going. Had to be the bad audio.
Speaker:Jaayne: Ding, ding, ding. You got it. A whopping 54% of our listeners said they'd peace
Speaker:Jaayne: out of a podcast if the audio quality was rough.
Speaker:Jamie: That's a majority for sure.
Speaker:Jaayne: It's a landslide. Way more than I expected. It beat out all the other options combined.
Speaker:Jaayne: Wow. It really goes to show how much even the smallest details matter when you're
Speaker:Jaayne: creating content, right?
Speaker:Jamie: It's huge. Yeah. Because it feeds into this whole debate in the podcasting world,
Speaker:Jamie: right? You've got that raw authenticity on the one hand.
Speaker:Jaayne: Turn it real.
Speaker:Jamie: Exactly. Versus that super polished produced sound.
Speaker:Jaayne: Right. Finding that balance is key.
Speaker:Jamie: It is. Because listeners want to feel like they're part of the conversation.
Speaker:Jamie: You know, they want that genuine connection.
Speaker:Jaayne: Absolutely. But not if it sounds like you're recording from inside a washing machine. Huh.
Speaker:Jamie: For real. Nobody wants to suffer through that to get to the good stuff.
Speaker:Jaayne: So how do we find that sweet spot where it feels real and engaging,
Speaker:Jaayne: but doesn't make people reach for the earplugs?
Speaker:Jamie: That's what we're here to figure out. And don't worry, this isn't about needing
Speaker:Jamie: some crazy expensive studio setup.
Speaker:Jaayne: Because mine is, let's just say it's a work in progress.
Speaker:Jamie: It's the thought that counts. But honestly, a little effort goes a long way.
Speaker:Jaayne: I like the sound of that.
Speaker:Jamie: We're going to give you some super actionable tips today that anyone can use.
Speaker:Jamie: But first, I think it's important to understand why bad audio is so jarring for us on a deeper level.
Speaker:Jaayne: Yeah, and you know what? Sometimes just hearing it straight from the source,
Speaker:Jaayne: like what actual listeners are saying, really drives the point home.
Speaker:Jamie: Oh yeah, for sure.
Speaker:Jaayne: And in the article we found some of these listener comments were,
Speaker:Jaayne: Brutal.
Speaker:Jamie: No holding back.
Speaker:Jaayne: No. Like one person said, if a podcast sounds like amateur hour,
Speaker:Jaayne: and I'm quoting here, if everyone's talking over each other and the volume levels
Speaker:Jaayne: are all messed up, I'm just turning it off.
Speaker:Jamie: Ouch. Right.
Speaker:Jaayne: Straight to the point.
Speaker:Jamie: They're not messing around.
Speaker:Jaayne: No. It's like they're giving you one chance.
Speaker:Jamie: One chance.
Speaker:Jaayne: And if the audio is rough, they're out.
Speaker:Jamie: Yeah, it's like a barrier to entry, you know? It doesn't matter how good your
Speaker:Jamie: content might be if people can't even get past those first few seconds.
Speaker:Jaayne: Totally. If the audio is janky, they're already clicking away before you've even hooked them.
Speaker:Jamie: Exactly. And it's not just about making a good first impression either, right?
Speaker:Jamie: There's a lot going on behind the scenes when we listen to something with bad audio.
Speaker:Jaayne: Okay, so get all science-y on me here. What's the psychology behind it?
Speaker:Jamie: So think about it. When you're listening to a podcast, you're basically asking
Speaker:Jamie: your brain to do a ton of work all at once.
Speaker:Jamie: You've got to process the sounds, decode the language, and try to make sense of it all in real time.
Speaker:Jaayne: Which is already like a lot of brain power, even with perfect audio. Let's be real.
Speaker:Jamie: Exactly. It's a workout for those neurons. Yeah. Now imagine trying to do all
Speaker:Jamie: of that when the audio is full of static, those weird hissy sounds or the volume
Speaker:Jamie: is like up and down, up and down.
Speaker:Jaayne: Oh, the worst.
Speaker:Jamie: It's like trying to have a conversation at a super loud party where everyone's
Speaker:Jamie: talking over each other.
Speaker:Jaayne: The worst. My brain is already fried just thinking about it. Right.
Speaker:Jamie: Your brain literally has to work over time just to try and filter out all that
Speaker:Jamie: extra noise. Yeah. and actually understand what's being said.
Speaker:Jaayne: No wonder I feel exhausted after listening to a podcast with crappy audio.
Speaker:Jaayne: It's a mental workout for sure.
Speaker:Jamie: It totally is. And that cognitive overload, as it's called, that can lead to
Speaker:Jamie: something called listener fatigue.
Speaker:Jaayne: Makes sense.
Speaker:Jamie: Yeah. Where you're just mentally spent. Totally. You're not going to be able to focus as well.
Speaker:Jamie: You're probably not understanding everything that's being said.
Speaker:Jamie: Right. And honestly, you're just way more likely to tune out entirely.
Speaker:Jaayne: And then there's that emotional piece of it too, right? Like it's not just about
Speaker:Jaayne: understanding the words. It's about connecting with the content.
Speaker:Jamie: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. And that's where things get really interesting.
Speaker:Jaayne: Okay. Tell me more. I'm intrigued.
Speaker:Jamie: So there have been studies on this and they've actually found a direct link
Speaker:Jamie: between how good or bad the audio quality is and how we emotionally respond
Speaker:Jamie: to what we're listening to.
Speaker:Jaayne: Really? So like, even if the content is positive or upbeat, bad audio can actually
Speaker:Jaayne: make you feel negatively about it?
Speaker:Jamie: Subconsciously. Yeah. It's kind of like, have you ever judged a book by its cover?
Speaker:Jaayne: Guilty.
Speaker:Jamie: We all have. But it's kind of like that for your ears. And on top of all that,
Speaker:Jamie: there's another layer to this that we can't forget about, and that's accessibility.
Speaker:Jaayne: Right. Because it's not a one size fits all experience for everyone. Exactly.
Speaker:Jaayne: So for anyone who has, say, an auditory processing disorder or is hard of hearing
Speaker:Jaayne: or even just sensitive to sounds, bad audio isn't just annoying. It's a huge barrier.
Speaker:Jamie: Exactly. And we never want to be excluding any listeners just because it's something
Speaker:Jamie: we can fix on our end. And, you know, totally.
Speaker:Jaayne: It's a good reminder that even something we might see as like a minor inconvenience
Speaker:Jaayne: could actually be a much bigger deal for somebody else.
Speaker:Jamie: Absolutely. And it all comes back to just being mindful and putting in that
Speaker:Jamie: little bit of extra effort.
Speaker:Jaayne: It's true. And honestly, it just makes you appreciate the podcasts that really
Speaker:Jaayne: nail the audio even more.
Speaker:Jaayne: Like, you know, they care about putting out a quality product. 100 percent.
Speaker:Jamie: And the good news is upping your audio game doesn't have to require like a ton
Speaker:Jamie: of fancy gear or anything.
Speaker:Jaayne: Okay, because my credit card is a little nervous after that last sound-dampening blanket purchase. Huh.
Speaker:Jamie: I feel ya. But seriously, a lot of it comes down to some really simple tweaks
Speaker:Jamie: and knowing a few key things.
Speaker:Jaayne: Let's get into it. Lay those audio wisdom bombs on us. What are some of the
Speaker:Jaayne: easiest wins for better audio?
Speaker:Jamie: So, the podcasting expert we mentioned had a bunch of good advice.
Speaker:Jamie: First up, your microphone choice.
Speaker:Jaayne: Okay, now this is where I get lost. is it like condenser versus dynamic help me out here.
Speaker:Jamie: Don't worry we'll keep it simple you've got the right categories though so dynamic
Speaker:Jamie: microphones those are like your trusty sidekick we love a good side right they're
Speaker:Jamie: super durable they're not too picky about where you use them and they're really
Speaker:Jamie: good at just focusing on your voice even if your recording space isn't exactly a sound booth perfect
Speaker:Jaayne: For those of us who haven't quite built that backyard studio.
Speaker:Jamie: Yet exactly condenser mics Mike's, on the other hand, these guys are like the
Speaker:Jamie: sensitive friend. We all have one. Right.
Speaker:Jamie: They pick up on everything, which can be awesome for like a super rich detailed sound, but...
Speaker:Jaayne: But they also pick up on like the dog barking three houses down.
Speaker:Jamie: You got it. Every little sigh, every car alarm, it's all go in the recording.
Speaker:Jaayne: Okay, so microphone choice check. But what about the actual recording space itself?
Speaker:Jaayne: Like, even if you've got a decent
Speaker:Jaayne: mic, there's always that weird echo or background hum that sneaks in.
Speaker:Jamie: Ugh, the worst. But you've hit on another super important point,
Speaker:Jamie: which is treating your space for sound.
Speaker:Jaayne: Okay, spill the secrets. What are we doing here? Because let me tell you,
Speaker:Jaayne: my apartment has more echo than a cave right now.
Speaker:Jamie: More blankets. More pillows.
Speaker:Jaayne: Hey, I'm ahead of you on that one.
Speaker:Jamie: You get it. But for real, you can do a lot without spending a fortune.
Speaker:Jamie: The goal is to reduce those sound reflections that bounce off hard surfaces.
Speaker:Jaayne: Got it. So like walls, floors, windows, all that jazz.
Speaker:Jamie: Exactly. And those reflections create that echoey sound that makes your audio sound kind of muddy.
Speaker:Jaayne: Okay, that makes sense. So what are we doing? Covering everything in pillows like a pillow fort?
Speaker:Jamie: Close. The blankets, rugs, even like strategically placed bookshelves can help.
Speaker:Jamie: Basically anything to break up those hard surfaces and absorb some of those sound waves.
Speaker:Jaayne: It's like interior design for your ears.
Speaker:Jamie: Right. And you can get creative with it. One of my favorite tips is to use one
Speaker:Jamie: of those clothing racks, like the freestanding ones, and drape a thick blanket over it.
Speaker:Jaayne: Like a DIY vocal booth. I love that.
Speaker:Jamie: It totally works. Okay, so we've got our microphone sorted. Our recording space
Speaker:Jamie: is looking good. What's the final piece of the audio puzzle?
Speaker:Jaayne: Hit me with it.
Speaker:Jamie: Editing, my friend. That's where the magic really happens.
Speaker:Jaayne: See, now this is where I get intimidated. Editing always feels so technical.
Speaker:Jamie: I hear you. But it doesn't have to be scary. Think of it as like adding the
Speaker:Jamie: finishing touches to your masterpiece.
Speaker:Jamie: And just like with everything else we've talked about, even those little tweaks
Speaker:Jamie: can make a world of difference.
Speaker:Jaayne: So where do we even start? art.
Speaker:Jamie: First things first, trim the fat.
Speaker:Jaayne: Oh, you're talking about my rambling tangents.
Speaker:Jamie: Maybe.
Speaker:Jamie: But seriously, listen back to your raw audio and be ruthless.
Speaker:Jamie: Cut out any unnecessary stuff, like any dead air, any repetition,
Speaker:Jamie: those parts where you got totally sidetracked.
Speaker:Jaayne: So basically channel my inner editor and be brutal.
Speaker:Jamie: Exactly. Next up, tackle those distracting noises, like any mouth clicks,
Speaker:Jamie: background hums, traffic sounds, whatever's going to take your listener out of the moment.
Speaker:Jaayne: I'm so guilty of the mouth clicks.
Speaker:Jamie: It happens to the best of us. But luckily, most editing software actually has
Speaker:Jamie: some pretty decent built-in tools for that.
Speaker:Jamie: Like, noise reduction features can work wonders. Or you can just manually cut
Speaker:Jamie: out the offending sounds if you need to.
Speaker:Jaayne: It's like you're a sound surgeon removing all the imperfections.
Speaker:Jamie: I love that. Okay, and then last but not least, make sure your volume is consistent
Speaker:Jamie: throughout the whole episode.
Speaker:Jamie: Like, you don't want people constantly fiddling with their volume knob.
Speaker:Jamie: Because one host is super loud and the other one sounds like they're whispering
Speaker:Jamie: from a mile away. Ugh, yes.
Speaker:Jaayne: Yes. The worst. That drives me crazy as a listener. The worst.
Speaker:Jamie: But again, easy fix. Most editing software has volume leveling tools that can
Speaker:Jamie: help even everything out.
Speaker:Jaayne: Music to my ears. So much easier than trying to yell at my co-host to scoot
Speaker:Jaayne: closer to the mic. Right.
Speaker:Jamie: Much less awkward. And honestly, the more you do it, the easier it gets.
Speaker:Jamie: You start to develop your own little editing style and find those tricks that work for you.
Speaker:Jaayne: So to wrap it all up, we've learned that if you want to make a killer podcast, podcast.
Speaker:Jaayne: It's not just about what you say, it's about how you say it.
Speaker:Jaayne: Picking the right microphone, treating your recording space,
Speaker:Jaayne: and becoming best friends with your editing software.
Speaker:Jamie: And most importantly, remember that those little details, they might seem small,
Speaker:Jamie: but they can have a huge difference for your listeners.
Speaker:Jaayne: It's like anything else, right? Quality over quantity. So tell us,
Speaker:Jaayne: what are your biggest audio pit peeves?
Speaker:Jaayne: Have you ever completely bailed on a podcast because the audio was just too painful to get through?
Speaker:Jamie: Let's hear those audio horror stories.
Speaker:Jaayne: Share your pain with us hit us up on social media you know we love a good audio rant until next.
Speaker:Jamie: Time happy listening
Speaker:Music: Music
