Are you a PI of a project and want to improve your public engagement but not sure how too? A programme manager who has been tasked with driving impact and think podcasting could be the way forward? Or a researcher who has an idea but doesn’t know where to start?
Got a podcast idea? We have the roadmap to get you from podcast idea to podcast reality.
Our one-day launch your podcast workshop will talk you through the 5 stages of launching a professional podcast that will engage your audience and have real impact:
- Idea & market research – this is your chance to share your idea and get expert advice from an experienced podcaster on how to create an engaging narrative with your research. We will also look at what else is out there and where your project fits into the wider podcast landscape.
- Presenting and recording – how to optimize your recording environment on a budget, what kit you need (spoiler not a lot) and how to record remotely. We will also give you top tips on how to be a compelling, engaging and effective presenter.
- Audio editing – hands on audio editing practice learning how to put together a podcast episode including recording and mixing in theme music using Audacity or GarageBand.
- Transcripts, show notes and hosting – we will show you how to get your podcast on Spotify, Apple and Google podcasts. We will also discuss the latest developments in AI and how you can use it to create a better all round package including show notes and transcripts.
- Building your podcast brand – we will encourage you to think about your podcast artwork (second spoiler it is going to be tiny), how you are going to promote your podcast and what networks are already open to you.
The session will conclude with our template for success which will develop your idea and, if you are in a team, help you think about who is best suited to what role.
Participants will need headphones, a laptop and have downloaded free to use editing software (either Audacity or Garageband) and our training materials which we send 7 days prior to the delivery.
This workshop can be facilitated online or in person. Please note, if you choose in person delivery we would require you to book a room with presenting facilities and cover our travel costs (we are based in Essex).
We pride ourselves on being flexible and creating bespoke workshops for all our clients. To facilitate this we offer a free online consultation, with no obligation, after which we will design your unique workshop to help launch your podcast!
For more details about our workshop – including a programme for the day, references and costs – please email our Director of Training Krissie Brighty-Glover at Krissie@researchpodcasts.co.uk.
Previous clients
The following podcasts were launched after the research group behind the podcast attended our one day launch your own podcast workshop and in some instances received further production support and mentoring:
Centre for Personalised Medicine is a podcast from the research group of the same name from the University of Oxford. They explore the promises and pitfalls of personalised medicine and ask questions about the ethical and societal challenges it creates.
The team knew they wanted to create a second series of their podcast but they no longer had the skills (due to a member of their team leaving) so we did a one day intensive workshop, using our template for success, to help develop their ideas and up-skill them. We still provide ongoing support through audio editing but the podcast is presented, produced and delivered by the OPM team.
Whose Power? is an innovative podcast that uses the medium of podcasts as a form of participatory research. It is a collaborative effort with Research Podcasts, Professor Abigail Harrison Moore from the University of Leeds and The Preservative Party, a group of young curators at Leeds City Museum who empower young people to break down traditional barriers and influence the way museum exhibitions and events are curated and presented.
We adapted our launch your podcast workshop for the members of the Preservative Party who range from 16-24 years old and delivered it at the very impressive new Digital Education space at Leeds University – HELIX – which has two podcast recording studios in January 2024. We then followed up with several bespoke online training sessions for the group including creating podcast music, artwork and wider podcast assets such as audiograms. Chris then attended a weekend of recording which resulted in the fantastic first series where they explored how participation can help us better understand power, who has it, and how it’s used in different settings.
There are already plans for series 2 but listen to the fantastic first series now:
Performance Science is a podcast from the Centre for Performance Science from the Royal College of Music and Imperial College London exploring the science of performing and the role of performance in society. It encourages us to think differently about the ways in which performing is part of our lives.
CPS approached us after a member of their team attended our introduction to podcasting course facilitated by the London Arts and Humanities Partnership (LAHP) and saw the potential of the medium for their research.
The Ethics Round is a podcast led by Senior Research Fellow, Dr Lisa Ballad, supported by Dr Kate Lyle and Dr Faranak Hardcastle funded by National Institute for Health and Care Research. The podcast aims to pull back the curtain on the challenges of conducting ethical research in modern healthcare settings.
Lisa and her team attended our online training day with our Senior Producer Catherine McDonald and originally planned to present the podcast themselves. However, due to other workload pressures and time constraints the team asked us to take the lead and Chris Garrington, our founder, is the presenter for Series 1. This has allowed the team to spend more time on the content leaving us to take over the burden of presenting and recording.
Soon to be launched podcasts:
Scotland Land Reform Futures research project, led by Annie Mckee from The James Hutton Institute, wrote a podcast into their funding grant as a form of impact and public engagement but unfortunately the member of their team with the required podcasting skills left. They reached out to us to fill the gap and we designed a bespoke programme, with ongoing support, to help launch their project. Catherine McDonald, our Senior Producer, led the team through the mechanics of podcasting including hosting, recording & editing and used her extensive broadcasting experience to help formulate and drive their narrative.
Another research project “Life after migration: opportunities and challenges for young Europeans in the UK after Brexit” from the School of Geographical & Earth Sciences at the University of Glasgow will be sharing their findings in a podcast in the 2024/25 academic year. The Principal Investigator, Dr Kate Botterill, approached the Research Podcasts team in 2022 to plan ahead and we visited the team at the end of July 2023 to help launch this new exciting initiative.
Watch this space!
Research Podcasts offer podcast consultancy, production and training for researchers and academics. Check out our various training workshops including an introduction to podcasting workshop, how to launch your podcast and our more advanced courses on podcast presenting, podcast editing, and how to build a podcast brand.
Contact our Director of Training, Krissie Brighty-Glover, for more information at Krissie@researchpodcasts.co.uk.