Do you want to become the best radio presenter and create a community of listeners that are loyal to your radio station or show? To do this, it’s important to establish yourself as a reference in the audiovisual world.
1. Know who you’re talking to
2. Work on your general culture
3. Be authentic
4. Stay connected
5. Build a community
6. Prepare your shows in advance
7. Share anecdotes
8. Network in real life
9. Choose the right mic
10. Professionalize yourself
11. Work on your voice
12. Let loose!
You’ll also have to work on your personality, boost your general culture and understand various techniques that will allow you to captivate your listeners. To help you, we’ve listed some tips to help you become the best radio presenter.
1. Know who you’re talking to
In order to become a great radio host and connect with your audience, you need to know who you’re talking to!
Define a target audience
Having a target audience for your radio station will allow you to know exactly who your radio is aimed at. As a radio presenter, it’s incredibly important to know who your listeners are so that you can provide them with content they want to hear and keep them coming back for more! There are multiple ways to define who your radio station is for:
- Through the goals of your radio station: news & information, music, community needs, entertainment, educating people…
- Through demographic or geographic segments: age, gender, hobbies, language, location…
By knowing who you are talking to, you will be able to cater your radio shows to the needs of those listening!
Adapt your communication style
Once you have defined who you will be addressing on your radio station, you can choose a communication style that is best adapted to that particular audience. There are several things to take into consideration when it comes to defining your communication style as a radio presenter:
- Language: will you use formal, or informal language? Will you use slang words?
- Tone: what kind of tone will you use on your radio station? Relaxed? Motivating? Serious?
- Accent: do you have a particular accent? Think about people who don’t come from the same place as you, and how they may need you to slow down when speaking.
All of these elements must be taken into account in order to become the best radio presenter that you can possibly be.
2. Work on your general culture
A radio presenter has to study and master the different topics covered during their show!
Keep up with the news
If you are a news radio station, or provide a news segment for your listeners, it’s imperative that you keep up with what’s going on locally, nationally and internationally. These are segments that cannot be prepared too far in advance as, obviously, the news changes daily. You must be prepared to take the time to read or watch the news and take notes in order to present it to your listeners.
Be careful of your sources
It’s important that you use reliable sources when it comes to checking the news. You must be sure of the quality of your information before spreading it on your radio station. You can use social media to get your information, but you must check the sources yourself to determine if they are reliable or not. Platforms such as Twitter can be a great way to check trending topics, or even see what the public opinion on a particular topic is.
3. Being the best radio presenter means being authentic
Authenticity is another key factor to being a great radio presenter. It’s a quality that will help you attract a loyal fanbase.
Stay true to who you are
If you are able to build a loyal fanbase, it’s because people like you for who you are as a radio presenter. However, don’t let your rise to fame change your values, or how you treat others. Don’t let growing popularity go to your head, as you risk losing all of your day-one listeners!
Be humble
We obviously wish you success on your journey as a radio presenter! But remember, never take your popularity or success for granted. Continue to work hard each and every day to improve your skills and broaden your reach. It’s important that you remain approchable and are grateful for each and every listener that you have, especially those that have been there since the beginning.
4. Stay connected
We live in an increasingly connected world and if you don’t want to be left behind, you need to stay connected too.
Be present on social networks
As a radio presenter, social networks must be an integral part of your life! In addition to accounts dedicated to your show or radio station, you need to have a “Radio Presenter” account on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and even LinkedIn for more professional contacts. This will allow your fans to follow you, and get to know you better through your posts. You can choose how personal you want to get on your platforms, but behind-the-scenes content is always fun for your audience to see!
Work on your image
Having an online presence is also a great opportunity for you to work on your image. As you will be the one in control of these platforms, you have the power to choose how you will be portrayed by others. However beware, as this can also open the door to criticism, but this could potentially help you to improve and correct certain things in hindsight.
5. Build a community
Building a community is the key to becoming a successful radio presenter. Creating a relationship with your audience is essential to keeping them coming back for more.
Listen
Your audience listens to you on (almost) a daily basis. To make them want to follow you, you need to show that you’re also able to listen to them! If a listener reaches out to you via social media for example, try and take the time to respond to that person. As you grow in popularity, you may not be able to answer everyone individually, but always take the time to see who’s reaching out to you and leave a quick response if you can.
Be accessible
To become the best radio presenter, you must show your audience that you are accessible. One way to do this is to regularly invite your listeners to participate and exchange with you. This can be done by asking a question in an Instagram or Facebook story for example. You can also broadcast your listeners live on air and have conversations with them on a specific theme or subject.
6. Prepare your shows in advance
If you thought that a show could be totally improvised, you may quickly be disappointed once you are live on air…If you want to become the best radio presenter, we advise that you plan your shows and prepare them beforehand.
Prepare a radio script
Radio presenters are responsable for the smooth running of their show. Therefore, they must have a global view to ensure fluidity and keep their listeners’ attention. A radio script is essential to any radio presenter, no matter how long you’ve been in the game. Your script is essentially a template or guideline to your radio show. It will help you know where you are in the show, as well as what’s coming next. There’s no need to write out your interventions word for word, but just enough to give you prompts and key-notes so that you don’t forget anything important. It’s also a great way to make sure that you respect the timing of your show.
Practice
Practicing is also something that will help you become the best radio presenter that you can be. By running through your radio show beforehand, you ensure that you’re familiar with all your topics and have a clear idea of what you’ll be talking about. We invite you to record yourself so that you can listen back and pick up on any verbal tics such as “errrs”, “umms,” etc, and to make sure that you’re not speaking too fast for example. It’s a great exercise that will help you feel more comfortable when it comes to broadcasting live on your radio station.
7. Become the best radio presenter by sharing anecdotes
Do you like to hear anecdotes about certain celebrities or entertainers? Well, the same goes for your listeners.
Share your experiences
Share your best anecdotes with your listeners so they feel like they know you as an old friend. This doesn’t mean you have to tell your life story on a daily basis, but it can be interesting to share a bit of your personal experiences that your audience can relate to, or may find entertaining. This may be planned in your radio show, or perhaps something happened to your on your way to the radio studio that you want to share!
Know how to tell a story
Part of being a radio presenter is knowing how to tell a story. You want to keep your audience captivated and hooked from start to finish. Any good story must include:
- Exposition: give some context to your audience so that they can begin to paint a picture in their minds
- Rising action: something that triggers your story into action, whether it’s an incident, an action…
- Climax: the peak of tension in your story, this is what your listeners have been waiting for so make it worth while!
- Falling action: now that the climax has passed, you need to transition towards a conclusion
- Resolution: tie up any loose ends and bring your story to a close.
Keep this structure in mind, make sure to add some personality to your storytelling, and your anecdotes are sure to be a success every time.
8. Network in real life
Networking is another key factor to take into account when you want to become the best radio presenter possible! Know how to create opportunities for yourself and your radio station by meeting the right people.
Partners and Sponsors
Partners and sponsors can play a huge part in the success of your radio station. Finding a good partner can mean accessing a small (or large) budget for your radio station to expand and develop itself! Some partnerships simply work on a give-give basis, by advertizing your partner on your radio station, they can do the same in their newsletter or website for example.
Go to concerts and festivals
Going to music concerts and festivals can be a great way to meet your potential listeners. If you are a rock radio station, see what rock music events are in the area! It can be a great way to meet people who are likely to tune in to your radio station. Take the time to talk to them and see what they like or don’t like. This can help you plan the type of content to broadcast, or to avoid, on your radio station to attract your target audience.
9. Choose the right mic to help you become the best radio presenter
Microphones are an essential piece of equipment to any radio presenter, but make sure you choose the right one to provide your audience with the best audio quality! The first question you need to ask yourself is, do I want a USB or an XLR microphone? The answer will mainly depend on your set-up.
USB microphones
If you’re on a tight budget, a USB microphone could be a great option. Prices for USB microphones can vary from around $40 – $200, but you won’t need to purchase any additional equipment such as a mixing desk or audio interface. USB microphones work with a simple plug and play set up, meaning that you can connect them straight to your computer in order to start broadcasting. They are also incredibly practical if you’re planning on broadcasting on-the-go!
XLR microphones
Although you may need to invest a little more for an XLR microphone, as well as the additional equipment necessary to connect it to your computer (mixing desk or audio interface), they are generally built to last. By purchasing a mixer with multiple inputs, you open yourself to the possibility of plugging in more than one microphone and broadcasting live with multiple people! This is perfect if you’re planning on inviting guests to your radio shows for example.
Choosing the right microphone takes time and research. We invite you to always test your equipment before purchasing it when possible!
10. Professionalize yourself
Professionalizing yourself doesn’t mean wearing a suit and tie in the radio studio! However, there are a few things you can do to make sure you are perceived as a professional in the world of radio.
Be punctual
Timing is everything in radio! So being punctual is a non-negotiable trait that every radio presenter should have. You need to respect the timing of your radio shows, right down to the last song that will be broadcast. You obviously need to arrive on time, even if that means waking up at 4 am for those early morning shows! As a radio presenter, you must also know how to improvise or make up for lost time.
Be prepared
As a radio presenter, you must be prepared for each and every radio show. From researching topics thoroughly, to learning everything you can about your guests and preparing your radio scripts… Furthermore, it shows that you are serious about your job and your show which are essential qualities if you want to become the best radio presenter!
11. Work on your voice
Your voice the most important tool for radio presenters, so make sure that you take care of it!
Vocal warm ups
Like any other muscle, your voice needs to be properly warmed up before speaking for long periods of time in order to avoid damage. Take 10 minutes before your radio broadcast to warm up your face muscles and voice with these quick exercises:
- Chewing gum: pretend that you’re chewing a big ball of gum. Try and stretch your mouth as much as possible without actually opening it.
- Lip trills: press your lips together blow out out air to create a “brrrrrrr” sound. You can gradually start adding sound to your lip trills.
- Tongue twisters: a great way to warm up your lips and tongue, which will help improve your diction.
Stay hydrated
You can quickly become dehydrated when speaking for long periods of time. Not only can this be uncomfortable, but it can also affect the tone of your voice and even lead to vocal damage. Make sure that you have a bottle of water close by and take regular sips whenever you get the chance, (whilst a song is playing for example!)
Articulate
As a radio presenter, you must be clear when you speak! Mumbling and speaking too quickly are out of the question if you want to engage your audience and keep them coming back for more. No-one wants to struggle to try and understand what a radio presenter is saying, to be sure to take the time to pronounce each and every syllable in order to be clear and concise when addressing your listeners.
12. Let loose!
Radio is one of the few media that offers major freedom of expression, so don’t hesitate to let loose!
Let your personality shine
If people tune in to your radio station, it’s because they like you and enjoy your company on their drive to work, or to decompress after a long day. Your personality is something that comes naturally to you and should never be forced, as your listeners will probably feel it. So just be yourself and allow your audience to get to know you, and become attached simply thanks to who you are.
Don’t take yourself too seriously
Lastly, we want to remind you not to take yourself too seriously! Putting too much pressure on yourself will often lead you to lose your trail of thought, or speak in an awkward, unnatural way. Try to make each intervention and subject as interesting as possible, prepare your topics so that you feel comfortable, and just be yourself. Don’t be afraid of failure and your listeners will see in you the best radio presenter they have ever heard!
We hope that this article was helpful! If you have further questions or if you want to create your own Internet radio station, our team is here to help!
