Irish Podcast Awards 2023

by | Jul 21, 2023 | Latest News, Uncategorised

Colleen O’Hare, Managing Director of Granite Podcast Studio

We are delighted to announce that our Managing Director, Colleen O’Hare has been selected as a judge for this year’s Irish Podcast Awards.

Colleen who is also an avid podcast listener in her spare times says ” I’m elated to be part of the judging panel for this years awards. We have some fantastic podcasters and producers throughout the island of Ireland and I’m looking forward to highlighting that’.

Following the inaugural success in 2022, the Irish Podcast Awards are back bigger and better than ever to celebrate the very best in Irish Podcasting.

This competition offers Irish producers, presenters, sponsors, platforms, writers and performers a space to celebrate the art of podcasting and highlight the fantastic content that they have to offer. 

The event, now in its second year, is operated by Haymarket Media Group and powered by PodPod. The awards seek to support and celebrate Irish podcasting at all levels.

The deadline for entries to this year’s awards is midnight on 27 July.

For more information visit: https://ow.ly/Ult450PgIPx

First Audiobook Launches from Granite Podcast Studio

by | Apr 21, 2023 | Latest News, Uncategorised

Colleen O’Hare, Managing Director of Granite Exchange, Marcus Donaldson, Author of The Black Knight And The Voyage To The Dark Seas and Jonathan McKeown, Founder of Granite Exchange.

A state-of-the-art podcast studio in Newry’s Granite Exchange – Granite Podcast Studio -has just launched its new audiobook recording service, with the first recording just released – ‘The Black Knight and the Voyage to the Dark Seas’ by author, Marcus Donaldson.

Offering authors and publishers a professional service to enable recordings of audio versions of books, the format of audiobooks enables authors to increase their audience and to communicate with others with whom listening to a book is a much-preferred option to reading a book.

Granite Podcast Studio

Granite Podcast Studio is already home to multiple leading podcasts in Northern and Southern Ireland, including What’s the crime?, The Public Eye and Activist Lawyer, and this is the latest service from the Newry-based studio as it looks to offer a streamlined recording service that can acter for the rising popularity of audio books.

Commenting on the new service, Colleen O’Hare, Granite Podcast Studio Managing Director adds: “At Granite Exchange, we pride ourselves on being an innovative and forward-thinking business and we’re very excited to launch this new service.

“In early 2020, we launched one of Northern Ireland’s first podcast studios, and as the business has matured, so have our facilities. This new audiobooks service is an extension to our story-telling facilities, and we’re already delighted by the interest from publishers and authors across the country.”

Making the creation of audiobooks simple for customers, the experienced team at Granite Podcast Studio manages the end-to-end process which includes recording, editing and uploading of content to Audible and other popular audiobooks platforms.

Colleen adds: “Audiobooks have become a very popular, and demand is rising, alongside the popularity of podcasts. The beauty of audiobooks is that you can take them anywhere – from listening on the daily commute to whilst out walking. It’s the convenience factor that is driving downloads, and the launch of our audiobooks recording service is a natural extension to our current sound and recording services.”

Marcus Donaldson, Author of ‘The Black Knight and the Voyage to the Dark Seas’, is the first author to record an audiobook in Granite Podcast Studio. Reflecting on this time recording his audiobook, Marcus adds: “Having such a modern studio locally is a gift for people who are seeking to expand their storytelling platforms and offerings.

“The team at Granite Podcast Studio made my experience of recording fantastic. They took all the work out of my hands – leaving me to focus on the audio delivery of my first book. Colleen, Jessica and the team took care of everything from the recording of the chapters, to the editing and uploading of my audiobook to Audible. It has been such a smooth and simple experience, which is now enabling me to reach a larger audience, including offering more accessibility to children and parents.”

For further information on its services, please see www.granitepodcaststudio.com

10 Tips for writing an Engaging Script for your podcast

by | Mar 2, 2023 | Uncategorised

Writing an engaging script for your podcast is essential if you want to keep your listeners coming back for more. Whether you’re writing a short story, interviewing a guest, or simply discussing a topic, having a well-crafted script will help you deliver your content in an entertaining and effective way. Here are ten tips to help you write an engaging script for your podcast.

 

  1. Start with a hook. The first sentence of your script should be attention-grabbing and engaging. It should set the tone for the rest of your podcast and be something that will draw your listener in and make them want to keep listening.

 

  1. Provide context. Before diving into the main content of your podcast, it’s important to provide some context for your listener. Explain who you are talking to, what the podcast is about, and why it’s important.

 

  1. Keep it conversational. Your script should sound natural and conversational. Avoid using overly formal language and try to speak in a way that your listener can relate to.

 

  1. Use stories and examples. Using stories and examples to illustrate your points will make your podcast more engaging. People are more likely to remember stories than facts, so use them to make your points more memorable.

 

  1. Ask questions. Asking questions throughout your podcast will help keep your listener engaged and encourage them to think critically about the topic at hand.

 

  1. Break up your content. Long blocks of text can be overwhelming and hard to follow, so break up your content into manageable chunks. Use transitions to move smoothly between topics and create a natural flow.

 

  1. Leave room for improvisation. While it’s important to have a script, it’s also important to leave room for improvisation. This will help keep your podcast fresh and dynamic and will allow you to respond to your listener’s comments in real time.

 

  1. Use visuals. Adding visuals to your podcast can help keep your listener engaged and make your content more memorable. Consider using images, videos, and graphics to illustrate your points.

 

  1. Include a call to action. Your podcast should have a clear goal, and you should include a call to action to help your listener take the next step. Whether it’s signing up for your newsletter or visiting your website, make sure your listener knows what to do after listening.

 

  1. Have fun. The best podcasts are those that have a sense of fun and joy. Don’t be afraid to get creative and have a little fun with your script.

 

By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to writing an engaging script for your podcast. Remember, the key is to keep your listener engaged and make your podcast as entertaining and informative as possible. Good luck!

 

 

Granite Podcast Studio charge just £40 + VAT per hour for a one-off session. Need your podcast edited too by their experts? The editing option costs only £40 + VAT per hour.

So for just £80 you can have your podcast professionally recorded and expertly edited.

For more information or to book your session visit: www.granitepodcaststudio.com

Celebrating 200,000 Podcast Downloads

by | Jun 17, 2022 | Latest News, Uncategorised

Belinda O’Neill, Host of Be Inspired to Be podcast, Jack McClelland, Co-host of Activist Lawyer podcast, Jonathan McKeown, Founder of Granite Exchange, Natsha Daryaie, Host of Tash Talks podcast. (front) Colleen O’Hare, Manager of Granite Exchange

Launched just before the pandemic in early 2020, we have marked a milestone of 200,000 collective downloads since the podcast studio opened its doors in Autumn 2020.

Built in late 2019 and opened in early 2020, just before lockdown one, it was a delayed start for the state-of-the-art podcast studio, but in just 18 months, over 200,000 people have chosen to download and listen to a podcast episode that’s been expertly recorded and edited at Granite Podcast Studios.

Home to some of Northern Ireland and Ireland’s leading podcasts, including What’s the Crime?, The Public Eye and Activist Lawyer, the podcast studio is conveniently situated in the heart of Newry, and is now attracting budding podcast creators and hosts from Ireland and across Northern Ireland.

Commenting on this major milestone, Colleen O’Hare, Granite Podcast Studio Manager comments: “At Granite Exchange, we pride ourselves on being an innovative and forward-thinking business and we’re delighted that our productions have reached over 200,000 people in such a short space of time.

“When we invested in the podcast studios before the pandemic, we were confident of the rising demand for high quality, state-of-the-art studio space, but the arrival of the pandemic quickly closed our doors during the first lockdown.

“When it was safe to do so, we relaunched the podcast studio and have welcomed many hosts and hundreds of guests to the studio. Our hosts travel from far and wide to record at Granite Podcast Studios due to the quality of our equipment, location and editing expertise.”

As restrictions eased and the trend for podcasting continued to increase, Granite Podcast Studio has noticed a significant uplift in new podcasts and enquiries. Colleen continues: “We have lots of plans for Granite Podcast Studios, and as the demand for high quality podcasts increase, we’re well placed to welcome new clients who we can help on their podcast journey.”

The ultra-modern studio features a spacious, airy space that can fit up to four participants and is equipped with the latest audio equipment and cutting-edge technology. The experienced team at Granite Podcast Studio also offer in-house editing services, which can transform any podcast into a professional, ready-to-upload show with minimal effort required from its customers.

Natasha Daryaie, also known as the Gym Guru, records her ‘Tash Talks’ podcast in Granite Podcast Studio. Natasha adds: “Having such a modern podcast studio at our doorstep in Newry is a gift for people who are looking to increase their presence or are seeking to record good quality podcasts, paired with expertise and knowledge in this space.

“The team at Granite Podcast Studio have made my experience recording at the studio fantastic. I know my audience and content, but the overall service has delivered a higher quality listening experience, and this has certainly helped to contribute to the consistent growth of my podcast audience.”

Belinda O’Neill, host of ‘Be Inspired to Be’ podcast, recorded in Granite Podcast Studio recently, and added: “Recording at Granite Podcast Studio was very easy. All I did was book my slot, show up and record! The studio is spacious and comfortable and is fitted with all the modern equipment to record a great quality podcast. I also made use of the in-house editing service, and I’m looking forward to working with the team on future episodes and building the ‘Be Inspired to Be’ podcast series.”

Granite Podcast Studio is situated at 5-6 Kildare St, Newry, BT34 1DQ. The studio is open Monday to Friday. For further information on its services, please see www.granitepodcaststudio.com or contact Colleen O’Hare on colleen.ohare@granite-exchange.com

To listen to some of Granite Podcast Studio’s podcasts, see the website where you’ll find: The Public Eye, hosted by Sarah Travers, Activist Lawyer, Just’ Cause and Loudmouthed Lawyer.

The Public Eye Podcast – Season 6!

by | Feb 10, 2022 | Uncategorised

Granite Podcast Studio are set to launch their sixth series of ‘The Public Eye Business Podcast’ Which is hosted by the wonderful Sarah Travers!

The previous five series featured some truly ambitious people, and the sixth will be no different; we hear fantastic stories from the best and brightest Northern Ireland has to offer.

The podcast aims to inspire existing business owners and ambitious entrepreneurs by providing a unique insight into the success of local businesses, its set to launch Wednesday 2nd February 2022 at 10am and will be available on all major streaming platforms.

This series, which is sponsored by Granite Legal Services, gives listeners the inside scoop on another six fascinating individuals:

Wednesday 2nd February

Episode 1- Chris Suitor, Suitor Brothers

Wednesday 9th February

Episode 2- Rachel Morgan, Owner of The White Gallery

Wednesday 16th February

Episode 3- Donal Farrell, Owner of Mourne Dew Distillery

Wednesday 23rd February

Episode 4- Tanya McGeehan, Managing Director of MCG Investments

Wednesday 2nd March

Episode 5- David Henry, Director of Spray Form

Join Chris Suitor as he tells Sarah Travers how he became a tailor, and he has launched his new company Suitor Coffee.

Sarah is also joined this series by Rachel Morgan, Owner of The White Gallery. In this episode Rachel describes how her and her husband Stephen started the boutique. Rachel also talks about all off the celebrity dresses she offers at The White Gallery.

Donal Farrell shares his journey on opening Mourne Dew Distillery. Donal tells Sarah how he got into the family business and what he looks for regarding taste when creating whiskey.

We also welcomed Tanya McGeehan onto the podcast, Managing Director of MCG Investments. Tanya tells Sarah why she took over her family business and how she feels about being recognised as one of Belfast’s leading female property entrepreneurs.  

For the season finale, Sarah is joined by David Henry, Director of Spray Form. David talks about how he followed in his siblings’ footsteps and began his career in teaching to how David started his own company Spray Form.

Launching on Wednesday 2nd February 2022, you can find the upcoming series on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Pod bean, as well as catching up on the incredible stories from the last five series!

For more information on our studio visit: www.granitepodcaststudio.com

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