I spend a lot of time listening to and working on podcasts. It’s one of my favorite hobbies. It can be pretty difficult to know where to start and what tools to use, though. Without cloud storage and backup services, podcasting would be even more difficult! Here’s some ways to use cloud technologies to get you started with your podcast:
Organization
Most podcasts I work with use Google Drive to organize their show – from conceptual idea stages, all the way through to episode-to-episode planning. You can set up a shared folder for your show to hold all of your relevant documents, images, and whatever else you might need to organize your thoughts. Set up a Document and make sure to give editing rights to your co-hosts or guests and use it to put down the topics, items, and links you want to discuss when you get together to record. This is a much simpler, more stream-lined solution than emailing back and forth sporadically. With a Google Document everyone has access to from any device they can log into Google from, it makes getting your thoughts down a breeze.
Sharing Audio
I have never recorded a podcast from the same country as any of my co-hosts, let alone the same room. It certainly doesn’t stop us though. There are a number of Skype call recording software options available, or you can each record your own audio using the free program, Audacity. Inevitably at some point though you will probably have to share audio files with one of your co-hosts at some point. I’ve always used Dropbox to share audio recordings. It’s easy enough to add the file to your account and share the link with whoever has been designated to edit the audio. This is certainly possible with other cloud storage systems, they key is to make sure it is easily shareable with those who need it. Something else to keep in mind is to make sure you don’t run out of room in your cloud storage account, as the .mp3 files can really add up.
Backing Up Audio
Most importantly of all, you can (and should!) use cloud-based backup systems to archive your older episode files. You never know when you might need to go back and use audio from an older episode for a clipshow, restore the file to your website, or re-add the file to iTunes. Make sure you use a backup service like one from our Top 10 Online Backup Services post so that you can restore your files if necessary. I definitely recommend choosing a backup service that lets you schedule regular backups so you never forget to manually backup and lose work you’ve done.
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