We’re very lucky on the NosillaCast because so many people contribute fantastic reviews or record their Dumb Questions. I often get questions on the best way to record, how long the reviews should be, and the best way to get the recording to me. These quick instructions will tell you everything you need to know.
How Long Should it Be?
My dad used to answer that kind of question by saying, “How big is a lump of coal?” I’ll try to be more helpful. It all depends on the complexity of the product. A two-minute review of an air duster for a keyboard might be good, but explaining how a Stream Deck works would need to be a lot longer.
I think 10-20 minutes long is a good frame to shoot for with most products and software. The important thing is to tell a crisp (non-rambling) story that covers the important features that gives people a good idea of how to use the product.
Write a Script
- You don’t have to read it verbatim, but we really like to have blog posts for all content
- If you don’t have the energy to write as well as record, at the very least make an outline. This will keep you from rambling and help you focus on what you’re going to say.
- Introduce yourself — many people forget to do this!
- Try to start with a problem to be solved.
- This can be a real problem, or “I was bored,” or “it was fun”
- Use the name of the product often in the review. Try to avoid saying “it” and instead keep saying the name. It may sound repetitive but it works
- It’s fun if it’s a story, so include details of how it impacts your happiness, where you might have been frustrated, how your friends think you’re a nerd (but you take it as a compliment), how you had to convince your partner that this was a good idea, etc.
- I like a bottom line where it gives me a chance to say the product name one more time and add how happy (or frustrated) it makes me
- Include pricing for products featured and links to where they can be purchased
- Tell people how they can find you (if you want). This can be a plug for something you do online, or a social media link, or your email, or even the Slack community (at Podfeet.com/slack). This is not mandatory.
Things not to Do
- Don’t record in a noisy environment
- Listen for refrigerators, fans, and dogs barking and eliminate before recording
- Did I mention don’t ramble?
How to Record
Microphone – in order of priority
- “Proper” external USB mic
- If you feel like buying something, give me a price range, and I’ll make a recommendation
- iPhone Internal mic
- AirPods-quality headphones
- Internal mic on modern laptops
- Make a test recording and listen to it with headphones and see if the audio quality is good enough for your own ears.
- Remember you’ll hate the sound of your own voice. Everyone does!
- People often send in recordings not realizing they forgot to turn off a fan, or recorded next to a refrigerator, or there was interference causing a clicking I couldn’t remove.
- I’d rather help diagnose early, before you have your heart set on it being complete.
Software to record (options)
- QuickTime
- File / New Audio Recording and choose your mic input from the downward chevron
- The advantage is it’s included on every Mac
- Disadvantage is that it’s not an editor so you have to make the whole thing in one take
- Audacity – free from https://www.audacityteam.org/
- Easy recorder and editor
- GarageBand – free on Macs. I find it weird, but many are successful using it to record voice
File Formats
Audio:
- The best format is an uncompressed format (AIFF or WAV) because when I get it, I’ll be adding it to my own recording and then compressing it.
- If you send it as an MP3, it will be compressed twice. It won’t be horrible, but why not make it the best it can be!
- Apple’s very efficiently compressed M4A format is also acceptable.
Script
- A plain text file
- It should be plain text. I don’t even have Word installed on my devices, so don’t send me a Word file!
- If you know the Markdown format that’s even better If not, just do what you can with plain text
- Include placeholders for any images you want in the post (see below)
Screenshots & Images
- Should be high resolution and can be PNG or JPG. My format is to set them to 1200 pixels wide (600 for high-DPI) so whenever possible make them at least that big. If the window capture just isn’t that big, that’s fine.
- Entitle the images so I can tell them apart easily
- This title is what I will insert in the caption for the image so make sure it explains what the image is (in short text)
- Image insertion in script
- Make a clear spot in the script for each image where you include the title you added to the image
- In that same spot, clearly identify the alt text for screen readers. You can be verbose in your alt text to give the audio reader the best understanding of what’s in the image
How to Send the Recordings and Script to Me
- The audio file will probably make it too big to email, so I’ve got a Dropbox link where you can upload the files. Put them in a folder and entitle it with your name (not mine) and the product name
- After you upload the files, send me an email at [email protected] so I know to go fetch the files
Ask Questions!
If you’re not sure about anything as you’re working on a review, send me an email or DM through Mastodon or in the Podfeet Slack. I’m glad to answer any and all questions and even do a quick review of whether the audio is up to snuff.