© 2022 Laura Christianson
I was interviewing a guest for The Professional Writer podcast when the sound of a blender on high speed flooded my headphones.
I paused the recording. “Can you hear that sound?”
“Oh, that’s my husband making a smoothie,” my guest replied. When guesting on a podcast—particularly when the host invites you to talk about your books or writing-related services—your voice does the selling.
These six tips will ensure that your voice (and not the blender) shines through, crisp and clear.
1. Use an external microphone.
The internal mic on a laptop, tablet, or phone produces a tinny echo that makes you sound as if you’re underwater.
If you guest frequently on podcasts or host a podcast, invest in a dynamic podcasting microphone (around $100) that plugs into your computer’s USB port. Less spendy alternatives include a gaming headset that plugs into your device, or earbuds, like the ones that come with a smartphone. They provide higher quality sound than your device’s built-in microphone.
2. Wear headphones.
Headphones help you hear your own speech, and they prevent your microphone from picking up ambient noise and creating an echo chamber effect.
3. Be in a quiet, sound-absorbing room.
Never record from the kitchen, which is full of hard surfaces such as countertops, cupboards, appliances, and windows.
A walk-in closet is an ideal recording location because you’re surrounded by soft surfaces. Bedrooms are also good, because they usually have carpet, pillows, and a comforter. For extra sound absorption, close the door and curtains and lay towels or blankets over hard surfaces.
4. Silence alerts.
Turn off your phone’s ringer and vibration and silence audio notifications on all devices in the room.
5. Hydrate and lubricate.
Before and during recording, sip room temperature water or warm tea. (Cold drinks strain your vocal cords and milk gunks up your voice.)
Apply lip balm to lessen clicking, smacking sounds.
6. Rehearse.
Before your recording session, warm up your vocal cords by rehearsing your responses out loud.
Be aware of your favorite filler sounds (um, ah) and phrases (absolutely, right, so, you know, at the end of the day). Some podcast hosts do little or no editing, and fillers annoy listeners.
If you script your responses, add inflection to your voice so you sound natural and conversational. Smile occasionally as you speak—listeners will “hear” your smile!
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Laura Christianson helps writers confidently create a polished, professional online presence. She owns Blogging Bistro, a business that builds custom WordPress websites and provides brand, e-newsletter, and content coaching. Laura hosts The Professional Writer podcast and has authored several books and thousands of articles. Click here to download her Podcast Guest Guidelines.
