Behind the Recruitment On The Go podcast ft. Harver

What do you do when everyone around you is creating content the same way with no innovation or new ideas?

I've recently had the chance to catch up with the trio behind the popular podcast show, Recruitment On The Go, by Harver. Caitie McCollow, Monika Nemcova, and Mingus Xola Mkubukeli are the minds behind the show, and I was curious to know how they planned and created their show from start to finish. 

As part of our Spotlight Series at tribetactics, we're always on the lookout to balance our own research with the insights we learn from experts and practitioners in our community.

On their website, Harver is "a full suite candidate selection platform designed to enable innovative companies around the world to hire better, faster."

To help you get inspiration for your company's next show, we've asked them for tips on how to make it as a first-time show host, how to communicate ROI to management, and tips for content marketers making the shift from traditional content to show production.

Here is what they had to say.

Caitie, on tips for new show hosts:

Find your inner ‘Sasha Fierce’, or alter ego.

Caitie: "Hosting is quite difficult and different than engaging in a normal conversation. If you have your ‘host ego’, then you will always have a place to find energy and to be consistent."

Change your physical posture or location. 

Caitie: "Try to stand when you are recording, play with the lighting or the location of where you are if possibleThis will allow you to not only project and articulate your thoughts/script better but also help you get into the correct mindset."

Find a genuine interest in the topic.

Caitie: "Find a genuine interest in the topic, but be sure to remember what your audience is there for. This can be in the content development phase or also when interviewing or interacting with a guest."

"For example, I find that I sometimes want to keep going on a specific topic when conducting an interview but solely because I find it interesting, I either need to find the correct angle or table that discussion. While I personally might want to continue a discussion, this is not always relevant for our main audience and will not bring them any information that will help them."

Monika, on showing ROI on podcast production to management:

Set realistic expectations.

Monika: "Define your target audience and then cater your content based on that audience. Explain to the management what you’re trying to achieve. For example, if your goal is brand awareness, make it clear to management that your podcast is designed to grow an audience rather than achieving direct sales."

Track your podcast’s performance across different platforms.

Monika: "Podcast analytics isn’t nearly as advanced as website analytics yet but you can still use a tool (like Chartable) to see how your podcast is performing on different platforms in terms of streams, downloads and subscriptions. You can also see countries in which your podcast is the most popular. Are they your target countries? "

Collect anecdotal evidence.

Monika: "Keep track of people reaching out to you, for example, who want to be on the show. You can also track social engagement such as people sharing your podcast on social media or tagging their peers in your posts about the podcast, together with their basic details. Are they in roles or at companies that you want to attract? Show that to your management."

Mingus, on marketers making the shift from regular content to podcast show production:

DO your research, pick the right format, and stick to it.

Mingus: "This is a crucial first step. I recommend doing some research to see what format is generally used, what works, and why. Once you have this information, you will be able to provide direction and structure for your show. Researching the landscape will also help you determine how to make your show unique." 

Work with what you have.

Mingus: "You don’t necessarily need to go out and buy new equipment or software. It’s highly likely that you already have all that you need to get started. For example, if you own a Macbook, you can use Garageband as your recording software (DAW).

If you don’t have a USB mic, you can use the internal microphone on your computer. For PC uses, you can use Audacity as your recording software. Next, you can use services like Soundcloud to host and distribute your show." 

Consistency is key.

Mingus: "Once you’ve done your research and have found your angle and also have determined the format of your show, be consistent in delivering it. You must be willing to go the long haul if you want to see results."

Looking to learn more about episodic marketing and get started with a show? Check out our ultimate guide to episodic marketing.