It seems that the COVID-19 has created the perfect opportunity for everyone in lockdown to get behind the mic and start a podcast of their very own. But, should you really be starting a podcast without knowing some of the hard truths? Welcome to Should I Start A Podcast,  where each week Ronsley Vaz, with the help of a star-studded entrepreneurial guest lineup, explores why you should start a podcast; build an audience, and how to keep them hungry for more. If you’re thinking about starting a podcast or simply looking for a better way to get your message out to your audience, then this is the podcast for you. Rachel is the podcast expert you want to know. Rachel Corbett has spent over two decades perfecting her craft by working professionally in media, specialising in podcasting and radio. She admits that she is a bit of a ‘jack of all trades’, earning her stripes in multiple areas of media that have now fused to become what we know as the podcast industry.  Rachel became the Head of Podcasts for Mamamia, where she painstakingly grew the podcast network from 15 to over 35 shows. These shows were and still are grabbing the attention of over 1 million listeners a month.  In fact, this colossal success has seen her and her team winning a whole bunch of awards across the globe. Not only that, but she’s also been kind enough to create the hugely successful course, PodSchool, to help people like you start a podcast the right way.  It’s safe to say, Rachel knows her way around podcast production.  In this episode, Rachel and Ronsley get down to the nitty-gritty surrounding podcasting best practices. They look at how the Coronavirus has affected the podcast industry, and whether everyone really should start a lockdown podcast.  They explore whether your podcast content is actually working, and how you can begin to amp things up, right from day one. You don’t want to miss it. Also in this episode: Rachel’s views on podcasting and who should (and shouldn’t) be starting a podcast during a pandemic Why you should lower your podcast expectations The biggest misconceptions around creating a podcast Why it’s okay not to have ads  How a podcast can build credibility and personality Why you shouldn’t rely on your ROI but strive for evergreen content instead Who you need to be thinking about before starting a podcast Is your podcast content really working? How to get the best engagement Why you shouldn’t just jump into the deep end Predicting listener behaviour during the pandemic Links: Rachel’s Website All Rachel’s Podcasts The PodSchool Course Rachel’s Instagram Rachel’s Facebook Rachel’s LinkedIn Rachel’s Twitter