Elevating The Audio Quality Output of Your Business
If your company uses audio communications you should make sure that the AUDIO quality issue is not overlooked.
Whether you record a podcast or host an offline conference, the clarity and audio quality are vital – and it’s been proven by scientific research. So, if your company uses audio communications you should make sure that the sound quality issue is not overlooked.
In this article, we will give you some actionable advice on improving the quality of sound you produce. But first, let’s discuss why your business even needs audio.
How Audio Can Help Your Business Grow
People love listening. In terms of spoken-word audio, 45% of the US 13+ population listen to it daily. And over 70% listen to spoken-word audio at least once a month. Among the main reasons they name multitasking, self-improvement, and the fact that audio makes it easier for them to process information.
No business should ignore this trend, and here is how your company can make use of audio.
Audio Marketing
Probably the easiest and least expensive way is to enrich your marketing strategy with audio content. Podcasts and webinars are on the rise. Producing them is relatively easy and cheap compared to video production.
Just as with any other type of content, the main goal is to provide value to the listeners. Your podcast’s main goal should be to help the audience by sharing your expertise and covering relevant topics.
In general, audio marketing can help you to increase brand awareness and create a strong community of listeners who may become your brand’s advocates in the future.
When you create audio content, the importance of production value and sound quality cannot be stressed enough.
Offline Events
Never underestimate the power of networking. In-person events help to create strong bonds with your customers and market leaders. Over 60% of marketers consider them the most critical marketing channel.
After two years of COVID restrictions, today the offline events industry is back on track, with the level of demand getting back to the pre-pandemic level.
Tech is vital for organizing a successful meetup or conference. Clear audio is an integral part of a positive offline event experience.
Audio Quality Enhancement Tips
In this part, we will provide advice on how to mitigate the most common audio quality problems.
When Recording Audio
Find the Right Place
You don’t necessarily need a professional studio to record high-quality podcasts. There are just a couple of simple rules to follow:
Don’t record sound in a spacious room with many reflective surfaces such as windows, tiles, and high ceilings. Your voice will bounce off them creating a reverb that may be very annoying. Adding soft items such as pillows, cushions, and carpets around your recording point will help to eliminate this effect. Another option is using a closet. It is small and full of soft materials – those are perfect recording conditions. Don’t have a closet around? Just record under a blanket. Yes, it works.
Minimize background noise. Close doors and windows and remove everyone from the recording room. Make sure there are no other people or pets around. Turn off AC and other equipment.
Use Proper Hardware
Again, “proper” does not mean “expensive” in this case. An absolute minimum of equipment is just a microphone and headphones. That’s it.
Mic stand, windscreen, and mixer will all make your life a bit easier and/or improve the quality of the recording, but you can produce a good podcast episode without them.
However, your laptop’s built-in or a headset mic will not suffice. You still will need to spend some money on a dedicated microphone. The good news is that you can find a pretty decent one for less than $100.
Edit and Enrich Your Audio Content
Audio editing software is a must for any audio production. There are plenty of such programs on the market, and – here’s the best part – some of them, such as Audacity, are free. Just take a few YouTube lessons and you’ll be ready to create a masterpiece.
When Hosting an Offline Event
Sound quality may make or break your in-person event. Regardless of its scope, laptop speakers probably won’t suffice. You will need a sophisticated sound system to make it work the right way.
The venue size and acoustics are among the main factors that will affect the choice of audio equipment you’ll need to keep the sound clear and vibrant. Another factor is the number of attendees. Depending on those, you will most likely need the following pieces of audio equipment:
- Microphones
- Speakers
- Amplifiers
- Equalizers
- Monitors
- Sound mixers
All of these must be properly connected and looked after by a technician.
Managing audio for an offline event is a complex task that requires professionalism and experience. That’s why we at Audio Video Group offer you our help in putting together an in-person event of any scope and scale.