What Are Filler Words? Our Detailed Explanation

Helpful Summary

  • Overview:

This Cleanvoice article explains what filler words are and how they disrupt the flow and professionalism of speech, particularly in podcasts. We also share tips for avoiding filler words when recording your podcasts.

  • Why You Can Trust Us:

Cleanvoice is trusted by over 15,000 podcasters. Our expertise and advanced technology help enhance podcast clarity and professionalism, with numerous clients achieving improved audio content.

  • Why It Matters:

Removing filler words enhances clarity, improves professionalism, engages listeners, reduces fatigue, saves time, and simplifies editing.

  • Action Points**:

Practice mindful speaking, pausing, preparing thoroughly, slowing down, and using notes to reduce filler words. Also, use tools like Cleanvoice to automatically remove these words from recordings.

  • Further Research:

Visit the Cleanvoice blog for more insights into effective podcasting techniques, audio editing tips, and ways to enhance your content's professionalism.

Want to Learn About Filler Words?

Have you ever found yourself tripping over words like "um," "uh," or "you know" while recording your podcast?

These pesky interruptions, known as filler words, can disrupt the flow of your content and make even the most captivating topic sound less professional. Thankfully, there's a solution to this common problem.

In this Cleanvoice guide, we'll explore what filler words are and why removing them is crucial for your podcast's success. We will also share practical tips to help you speak more smoothly.

Then at the end, we'll share a secret hack for removing filler words quickly.

Let's get started.

Why Listen To Us?

At Cleanvoice, we are a trusted authority in the podcasting industry, with over 15,000 podcasters relying on our tool to enhance their audio content.

Why should you trust Cleanvoice? Because we empower podcasters with effective tools, just take a look at our testimonials.

When you listen to us, you’re getting information backed by experience and a genuine desire to help you succeed.

What Are Filler Words?

Filler words are those small, seemingly insignificant sounds or words we use to fill pauses in our speech. These words often creep into our conversations unconsciously, especially when we're thinking about what to say next or trying to avoid awkward silences.

Here are more examples of common filler words:

  • "Um"
  • "Uh"
  • "Like"
  • "You know"
  • "So"
  • "Actually"
  • "Basically"
  • "Right"
  • "I mean"
  • "Well"

While they might seem harmless, filler words can distract listeners and make you appear unprofessional.

For example, consider the following sentence: "I think, um, we should, like, focus on the, you know, main points." 

Without filler words, it becomes: "I think we should focus on the main points." 

The difference in clarity and impact is significant.

How Removing Filler Words Improves Your Podcast

Get To The Point

Removing filler words helps make your speech clearer and more understandable. It’s one thing to leave your listeners hanging, but you don’t want to confuse them by stammering and obfuscating your initial point.

Sound Professional

A podcast free of filler words sounds more polished and professional. It demonstrates that you are a confident and capable speaker, which can enhance your credibility.

Engage Listeners

Clean and concise speech keeps your audience engaged. Filler words can be off-putting and may cause listeners to lose interest. By removing filler words, you ensure that the listener stays focused on your content.

Tips to Avoid Filler Words

Practice Mindful Speaking

Pay attention to your speech patterns and consciously try to reduce filler words. Being aware of your tendency to use them is the first step towards eliminating them.

Pause and Breathe

Instead of filling silence with words like "um" or "uh," take a brief pause. Pausing gives you time to collect your thoughts and speak more clearly.

Prepare Thoroughly

The more prepared you are, the less likely you are to rely on filler words. Outline your key points and practice your delivery to build confidence.

Slow Down

Speaking too quickly can lead to more filler words as your mind races to keep up. Slow down your speech to give yourself time to think and articulate your thoughts clearly.

Use Notes or Prompts

Having notes or prompts can help guide your speech and reduce the need for filler words. Just make sure to glance at them naturally to avoid sounding scripted.

Record and Review

Record yourself speaking and review the recording to identify where you use filler words. Analyzing your speech can help you recognize patterns and work on reducing them.

How to Remove Filler Words from Your Podcast Using Cleanvoice

Interestingly, we’ve come up with a hack to get rid of filler words. While you should still aim to speak clearly during your podcast, don’t fret if you don’t speak perfectly.

We came up with a filler words removal tool so that you can eliminate those pesky little mistakes. Here are some reasons why our tool stands out:

  • Smart Removal:

Our AI identifies the context of the audio and adds room noise where necessary to ensure a natural flow, avoiding the unnatural gaps that simple deletion might cause.

  • Multilingual Support:

Cleanvoice can detect and remove filler sounds in multiple languages, including German and French, and works with various accents such as Australian and Irish.

  • Multi-Track Editing:

Cleanvoice can edit filler words across multiple tracks while maintaining sync, making our tool ideal for podcasts with multiple speakers.

Ready to polish your podcast? Here's how to use Cleanvoice to eliminate filler words from your recordings in just three steps:

Upload Your Audio File

Click here to access the dashboard where you can upload your audio (or video) file.

Choose one of the various upload options available. You can even drag and drop the file into the highlighted region.

Cleanvoice supports various audio formats, so you can upload files in MP3, WAV, or other common formats.

Use the Filler Word Removal

After uploading your file, you'll see a range of editing options. Select the Clean Audio option, then click on the “Start” button.

Cleanvoice uses advanced algorithms to automatically detect and highlight filler words in your recording.

Download the Edited File

After Cleanvoice has finished processing, you can download the edited audio file.

The file will be free of filler words, resulting in a cleaner and more professional-sounding podcast.

Create Better Podcasts Today With Cleanvoice

Reducing filler words can significantly improve the quality of your podcast. By understanding what filler words are, why they're problematic, and how to avoid them, you're well on your way to delivering clearer and more engaging content.

Cleanvoice makes the process of removing these distractions effortless and efficient. Ready to enhance your podcast's professionalism and appeal? Start using Cleanvoice today and experience the difference it can make for your show.