What’s a podcard?

A podcard is an audiobook about a person’s life, made up of stories told by their friends and family. You invite up to 30 people to record a one minute story on their phone and then upload the message to our website. And we edit those stories together with music to create a single episode podcast. Our podcards are given to celebrate birthdays and weddings, to say farewell, or just because you want to let someone know you love them.

How long does it take to make a podcard?

It takes 14 days to make a podcard - one week to collect the messages for your project and another week for us to edit them into the final podcard. But if you need your podcard sooner, please email us at hello@podcard.com to see if we can fast track your order.

Even though it only takes 14 days, we actually recommend you purchase your podcard 2 - 4 weeks prior to the date you require it. That is to ensure there is wriggle room in the schedule to accommodate late submissions and still be able to meet your deadline.

I’ve bought a podcard. What happens next?

Once you order a podcard, you’ll receive an email with a set of instructions that include three key details:

• The deadline date for submissions

• A unique code that contributors use to upload their message

• A link to our Submissions page, which is a page on our website that walks contributors through the process of recording and uploading their messages

All you need to do is forward the info above onto everyone you'd like to invite to contribute a message.

Each time a new message is submitted, we send you a notification via email. These notifications help you keep track of the people who have submitted and those who you may need to chase.

After the deadline passes, we send you a final list of contributors. We then edit, mix and master the podcard and send the completed podcard to you via email in the form of an MP3 download.

What’s my role in the process?

We make the podcard, but it’s your job to bring together the people who’ll contribute the stories. Once you order a podcard, you’ll receive an email with a set of instructions that include three key details:

• The deadline date for submissions

• A unique code that contributors use to upload their message

• A link to our Submissions page, which is a page on our website that walks contributors through the process of recording and uploading their messages

You need to forward the info above onto everyone you'd like to invite to contribute a message - this can be up to 30 people for a large podcard or 12 people for a small podcard.

Each time someone submits a new message, you’ll receive an email alert: ‘Sam has submitted a message’, ‘Amrutha has submitted a message’ etc. The notifications will help you identify the people who have submitted messages, and those who you may still need to chase.

It’s your job to track the messages and prompt any stragglers in the group to submit before the deadline. Once the deadline passes, we’ll send you a list of all the contributors who have submitted. Then it’s over to us to craft the messages into a single episode podcast.

My family and friends are technophobes. Can you help?

Yes, we can help.

We understand not everyone is a tech whizz, so we have designed our system to be super user friendly.

The Submissions page of our website walks contributors through the entire process of recording and uploading a message with a mobile phone. You’ll receive a link to this page after you purchase a podcard.

The resources at our Submissions page include information on how to use the voice recorder app to record a message, how to hold your phone to get a quality recording, what to talk about in your message, how long to speak for, and how to upload a message via our website.

These instructions are comprehensive and easy to follow - even for most technophobes - but in the event contributors find they need some extra assistance, we recommend enlisting the help of a willing friend or family member to guide them through the process.

And of course, you can also email us at any time at hello@podcard.com.

Do you offer transcripts for accessibility?

Yes, we do. Email us at hello@podcard.com and we'll transcribe your podcard for you.

When should I buy my podcard?

The best time to buy your podcard is 2 - 4 weeks prior to the date you need it.

It takes 14 days to make a podcard - one week to collect the messages and another week for us to edit them together into the final podcard. If you need your podcard sooner than this, email us at hello@podcard.com to see if we can fast track your order.

Some people are great planners, and want to make their podcard several months in advance. If that’s you, we recommend holding off on purchasing your podcard until you’re 2 - 4 weeks out from your deadline.

Buying your podcard 2 - 4 weeks prior to the date you require it ensures the messages in the podcard are contemporaneously recorded, that is, they don’t sound dated when you eventually present the podcard to your friend. It also ensures there's some wriggle room in the schedule to accommodate late submissions and still meet your deadline.

When and how will I receive my podcard?

You’ll receive your podcard 14 days after you purchase it via our online store.

The 14 day process allows for one week to collect the messages from contributors, and another week for us to edit them together into the final podcard.

If you need your podcard sooner, email us at hello@podcard.com to see if we can fast track your order.

When your podcard is ready, we’ll send it to you via email in the form of a MP3 download link. A podcard is a digital gift – there’s no USB or CD that arrives in the mail.

We like it this way because it’s friendlier to the planet, and it’s easier for you to share your podcard with friends and family across the world.

How do I record and upload a message?

Podcard messages are recorded and uploaded to our website with a mobile phone.

To record your message, use your phone to navigate to the Submissions page of our website. Your podcard leader should have provided you with a unique link to access this site.

Read the instructions at the Submissions page, then open the Voice Memos or Voice Recorder app on your phone. Most phones should have one of these apps already installed.

Record your one minute story using the app, then save the audio file to your phone.

To upload the message, use your phone to again navigate back to the Submissions page of our website.

Scroll to the bottom of the page, enter your details in the submissions form, and then upload your message by navigating through your phone’s hard drive to find and upload your saved recording.

If you’re having any issues uploading your audio file, please email the file directly to us at hello@podcard.com.

How do I present a podcard to my friend?

When your podcard is ready, we’ll send it to you via email in the form of an MP3 download link. Our podcards are digital gifts – there’s no USB or CD that arrives in the mail. Once you receive the podcard, it’s up to you to decide how to present it to your friend!

Here are some of our favourite ways to give a podcard.

If you can present the podcard to your friend in person...

• Head to your friend’s house, make a cup of tea, and listen to the podcard together.

• Prepare a picnic, head to the park with your friend, and use some portable speakers to listen together under a shady tree.

If you can’t present the podcard to your friend in person…

• Set up a zoom chat, then use the screenshare function to play the podcard to your friend.

• Send the audio file directly to your friend with a note requesting they listen in a quiet moment.

Podcards can also be played at big celebrations or used instead of speeches as part of a commemoration service. It’s really up to you!

Just remember that listening to a podcard can be an intimate and moving experience, so just be sure your friend is ready to soak up all the love before you hit play.

Can I choose the music for my podcard?

Unfortunately, this is a no. Copyright laws in podcasting are very restrictive - because our podcasts are downloadable, we can't use any commercial music. But don't worry, we have a library of fully licensed music tracks that we use to make our podcards. When editing and mixing your podcard, our audio producers will select some music from this library that will work seamlessly with the mood and energy of the messages in your podcard.

Who will hear my podcard?

Podcards are about sharing stories and celebrating the people we love, so once the recipient of the podcard has had an opportunity to hear the podcard, we’ll also send it to everyone in the group who contributed a message. When recording your message, it’s a good idea to keep in mind that eventually the message will be heard by everyone in the podcard group.

How will my message be edited?

Messages are edited with a few goals in mind. First, we have to keep to time, so if a message wanders we may edit it to be shorter and more to the point. Second, we clean up the audio, removing sounds that interrupt the quality of the recording. Third, we may edit out content that is considered overly personal or potentially harmful to the subject, such as stories where people break the law, or stories where people divulge intimate health, financial or sexual information. Lastly, we don’t include hateful, defamatory or prejudice content.

What if I'm not happy with my podcard?

If you’re not happy with your podcard, get in touch with us via email at hello@podcard.com. We'll work with you to figure out how the podcard can be tweaked and improved. We offer refunds at our discretion and are happy to discuss this if needed.