Which leads everybody going well, is it okay to talk about this if it's .........? So here's my answer to that. Number one, there is no answer. It's really up to you. I'm going to talk about what the consequences are here in a second. But most of the time, if you have to ask, Is this explicit? The answer is, Yeah, probably.

Would you listen to this episode with a three year old in the car? That's another way of thinking about it. 

So let me tell you what happens when you mark a single episode as explicit. Even though it's just an episode, your entire show will be banned in a bunch of countries. And I want to thank Daniel J. Lewis, he's the guy behind mypodcastreviews.com If you mark a single episode, your show will be pulled from Apple's directory in the following countries:

Bahrain
Belarus
Brunei Darussalam
Burkina Faso
Chad
Egypt
India
Jordan
Lebanon
Nepal
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Tunisia
United Arab Emirates
Uzbekistan
Yemen

So kiss that goodbye. 

Now the other thing that can happen is if you leave it labeled clean, and somebody goes to Apple and says I would like to report this episode, there is a chance they will pull your entire show.

The third option is okay, I don't want to mark it explicit because I want to be available everywhere. Then you can bleep out the naughty words. 

Free 15 Minute Strategy Session

Click HERE to Apply for a Free Strategy session

 I'm Dave Jackson from the School of podcasting comm thanks for joining me on my mission to rid the world of boring podcasts and I look forward to being your podcast consultant.

When you do an interview, picture yourself sitting at a table with your guest across from you and your listener sitting to the left of you. This is often where the curse of knowledge comes into play. You bring up that time at the weidapit and how much fun it was with Lisa. Your audience doesn’t know what a weidapit is, and who the heck is Lisa?

This can lead to them feeling like they don't belong and this podcast is not for them. 

Need Help?
Check out my free 15-minute coaching call.

It's a little scary to ask people for feedback, but in the end without feedback, you are at risk of wasting your time creating content that doesn't resonate with your audience.

Today I have some tools to make it easy. 

Podcast Voicemail

podcastvoicemail.com is exactly what it sounds like. You get a toll-free number for your audience to call into. The good news is everyone knows how to dial a phone number and it can be as low as 7 cents a minute. The bad news is the audio is not great so if you're looking to use these calls in .your show, it's not a great choice. 

Podpage

Podpage is a great tool where you can create a great-looking website for your podcast and it has a voicemail tool built-in. 

Speakpipe

Speakpipe is the original tool for getting feedback from your audience. It's $15/month and recently went through a very nice upgrade. 

Telbee

Telbee is a bit like Speakpipe on steroids and a little more flexible for $18/month

Video Ask

Video ask is a way to get feedback via video. They have a free version, and then monthly plans start at $30

Voice Form

As I write this in September of 2021 Voice Form is on Sale for a lifetime price of $69. Not only does it make it easy to get feedback, but it also has built-in tools for surveys. I am currently testing this for my free call application.

Apply today for a free consulting call.

You can see engaged listeners (people that listen to a sizeable chunk of your episode) in Apple. You can see followers in Spotify. In Google podcasts you can actually see subscribers. However, if you look at Spotify and Google's numbers they don't seem to jive with the number of downloads. This is why I say for the most part you can't. To this, I ask, "Why do you want to know?"

I WANT TO TRACK GROWTH

If the answer is, "I want to track my growth" then I have a solution. You can use your download numbers. If you want to know who your superfans are, then use a time frame such as 7 days. In hosts like Libsyn (use the promo code sopfree to get a free month at Libsyn.com) and Buzzsprout you can look at how many downloads an episode receives after 7 days (as well as 30, 90, and all-time). This makes it easy to see what episodes performed the best.

NOT EVERYONE LISTENS! (BUT MOST DO)

I know some people shout, "But you can download a file and never listen to it." In June of 2021 Apple had a glitch where it's auto-download option quit working, and according to podnews, this represented about 11% of downloads. This means roughly 90% of people that download a file listen to it. Apple podcasts has a feature that if you haven't listened to any of the last 5 downloads it stops downloading them.

LET'S GO BACK TO YOUR WHY

Keep in mind there are more ways to measure success and that is why we are coming back to your why. In episode 99 I talked about the different ways people benefit from podcasting. I episode 79 I talked about the importance of knowing your why.

Some examples are:

• Being seen as an expert
• Getting to talk to people you normally wouldn't
• Growing influence
• Selling more products
• Getting your message out
• Growing an email list

I look at my stats once a week. I look at the last episode and compare it to the previous episode. My goal is not to drive numbers up for advertisers. My goal for this podcast (my why) is to get you to hire me as your podcasting sherpa. Your trusted guide to get you over the mountain you feel is starting a podcast. If you're more of a self-paced person, you might join the School of Podcasting.

In May of this year, my numbers took an ever so slight dip. However, my consulting numbers went up. When you know your why, you know when (or more importantly when NOT TO) to start to look at your content.

MEASURING SUPER FANS

For now, I would look at how many downloads you get the first seven days after being published if you want to use download numbers.

If you need help growing your audience, reach out to me at podcastconsultant.com and schedule a strategy session. I can listen to an episode, check out your website, and let you know if I find any hidden fruit.

1. You are not defined by your mistakes. The “I must not fail mentality” can be crippling.
2. There is one person who really needs your message
3. Not everyone will like you, and that is OK.
4. Credentials don't always mean what you think they do.
5. Find one person you know and trust and let them know you feel like a fraud
6. Instead of saying, “I don't know anything” say, “I don’t know everything…yet. I’m still learning.”
7. Yes, there is luck and timing, but there is also talent, dedication, and charisma.
8. While your feelings are real, this does not mean they are accurate.
9. Quit focusing on yourself, and instead focus on your audience and how you will deliver value.

But What Are the Magic Words That Make Impostor Syndrome Disappear?

In doing tons of research on this, there aren't any words that you can say to have your feelings "Poof" and they vanish. 

What you're going to have to do is acknowledge the nervousness, and keep going. 

I've been public speaking for decades, and yet I still get sweaty hands before I start. Once I start, I'm fine. 

What turns down the panic and nerves is taking action. I know you're saying "But I'm nervous!" 

That is normal. Being nervous is actually good. It shows you care. But letting your fear stop you is a choice. 

We have a joke at the School of Podcasting. We say, "Nobody is going to punch you in the face." You know what? So far, it's true. 

Let's Get Your Podcast Going

Sign up for a podcast strategy session today.

Here are some things to consider:

1. You feel like a fraud because of this huge opportunity that has been put in your lap. Maybe, it's not quite as important as you think. It's important to you, but you're not curing cancer. It doesn't have to be perfect
2. You have had some successes in the past. You've done hard things in the past. Think of the hardest thing you have to overcome. You did it. You're still here. Don't ignore your successes.
3. DO NOT compare yourself to THAT person. There are always people “better” than you and people worse. You are never as good as your best review or as bad as your worst.

• How is Google going to find you? When you publish an episode with text describing what is in the episode it is "Google Food."
• You want a CENTRAL place for your audience to go to. Your social media (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc) are "Satellites" but these come and go (periscope anyone?). 
• Your website is the place people to go take action. This could be to subscribe/follow to your show, join your email list, leave a voicemail
• You don't want to say "Find my show in (app)" and those apps have horrible search features and in some cases, you can't be found. By sending them to your website they don't have to search for those links. You can make it easy to follow/subscribe.

Check Out Podpage

Right now I love Podpage. This was designed on podcaster feedback and makes it super easy to create a beautiful site for your podcast in less than 5 minutes. You can try it for free for seven days check it out.

If you want a little hand-holding, I do have a course at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/learnpodpage

Need Some Help With Your Podcast

Schedule a strategy session at www.podcastconsultant.com/schedule

• Acknowledge it's your fault
• Turn it into a narrative style podcast
• Remove it, or don't publish it. 

What and How Can I Edit My Podcast?

Never forget it is YOUR Show. 

For more interview tips see

http://schoolofpodcasting.com/interviewtips

Schedule a Strategy Call Today

Go to www.podcastconsultant.com/schedule

Full show notes at www.podcastconsultant.com/97

After all YouTube is quite popular.

• 2 billion people log into YouTube Each Month
• 1 Billion hours watched daily
• In 2019 it was reported that 500 hours of video were uploaded to Youtube every minute
• It's the #2 Search Engine

Source

If you're not doing anything on YouTube - Yes

If you already have a YouTube channel with real videos (not audio with a static image) I would create a second YouTube channel for the "Fake Video" (audio with a static image) episodes. 

Some people try to find the perfect clip to use as a promo. This can be quite a time suck. Why not just come up with a tease, and say it into your web cam? Then explain where they can find the full episode. 

A very popular web cam is the Logitech C920. DO NOT use the camera's mic (or the built in microphone of your computer). The audio from those devices is awful and audio is very important to video. I can help if you're new to video. 

Three Tools To Niche Down

• Demographics (age, sex, location)
• Business (what is the topic the show is about)
• Level of Expertise (Beginners, Intermediates, Experts)

EXAMPLE:

I want to do a show about:
Being more confident
Being a more confident parent
Being more confident first-time parents
Being a more confident first-time interracial parent.

Need Help With Your Podcast?

Schedule a strategy session today

Mentioned In This Episode

Adoptees On

We Have Cancer Podcast

WHAT IS BATCH RECORDING

Batch recording is when you record a bunch of episodes in one sitting. For example, if you do a show that publishes Monday through Friday, you might record five shows on Saturday. Then set them to release over the next week. 

THE PROS OF BATCH RECORDING YOUR PODCAST

When you batch record, you have one day where you can focus and "pound out" your podcast and take the test of the week to either promote those episodes, research more episodes, etc. You have the rest of the week "free." 

The other nice thing about having a few unreleased episodes is when life happens, you have an episode to publish and keep your schedule. Having unreleased episodes can reduce some of the stress of always being on the hunt for new episodes. 

WHEN IS BATCH RECORDING YOUR PODCAST A BAD IDEA?

So I was in a Facebook group and someone said when you launch you should record 10 episodes ahead of time and then schedule your big launch. 

I will say this again, having a BIG launch and thinking it will deliver unending success is like saying having a BIG wedding will deliver bliss and happiness. In both cases, the work is still starting. 

WHEN TO NEVER BATCH RECORD

I had a client once that came to who had already recorded 52 episodes of his weekly podcast. There was one large problem. The files were in the wrong format. He had no way to go back and redo them. He had to go back and re-record them. 

If you have not found a stranger who is your target audience to listen to your show and give you honest feedback, then recording a bunch of episodes is not a good idea. 

In the business world, this is called "Proof of Concept." Before you go "all in" on a product you want to make sure your intended audience needs that product and likes the one you created. 

What if you record 10 episodes and they all have the "Lightning Round" segment, and after the first two episodes are release you get feedback that the lightning round is really annoying? You have eight more episodes with a lightning round coming down your feed in the future unless you go back and edit them. 

So I would never batch record a large number of episodes when you first launch until you know you are delivering what your audience wants. 

Ready To Start Your Podcast?

Schedule a strategy session today at www.podcastconsultant.com/schedule

Mentioned In This Episode

Episode 90 - Don't Throw Away Your Audience

Podcast Editing Service - Let My Team Edit Your Show

Tip 1: Write down your login name and password. 

There are times when we don't post an episode for a while and when we fire up the microphone we forget how to login. I use a tool called LastPass that securely stores my login and passwords. 

TIP 2: Be SUPER Specific. Here are general terms that people use. 
My Podcast (name?)
The Episode (which one)
Isn't playing (where).
Isn't displaying (where)
My Client (which one)

TIP 3: Send the ticket from the email you use to login

This way if you forget to say the name of your podcast, then the tech support person should be able to look up your account based on your email. 

TIP 4: Let Me Retrace Your Steps

So you feel something isn't working right. To recreate the problem, I need to know exactly what you've tried and how you did it. So instead of, "I can't update my billing." It would be. I logged into my account for my show (name of show) on my phone and I copied and pasted in my new credit card number. When I click save it go the error (then the error). 

Tip 5: Uncropped Screenshots Are Always Welcome

Here is an article on how to take screenshots. You can paste these into a Word or Google Doc and then attach them to a ticket. 

TIP 6: Sending Multiple Tickets Can Slow Down The Response

I know the squeaky wheel gets the grease. However, when you send in a ticket, and another, and another. Instead of having all of your information in one place, I now have to organize all of your comments and that takes more time. Be patient. We want you up and running. Also, trying to shame people by posting to social media isn't helpful either. The social media person often is not a person on the tech support team. 

TIP 7: Don't Ask Facebook

I realize you in a panic in some cases, and you REALLY need an answer. When you ask Facebook there are a few things to consider:

1. You are asking people who may not have any insights into the issue, but respond anyway.
2. The competitors of your current media host will start telling you to switch to their service. 

I'm not going to ask my Dentist how to add a new starter to my car. The best place to get the best answer is from the team of your media host. They know the system inside and out. 

TIP 8: Patience is a Virtue

I understand you're frustrated, but taking your frustration out on the person who is trying to help you doesn't help the situation. This especially goes for churches. 

Summary: 

Your tech support team wants you to be successful. They want you up and running sooner or later. No detail is too small. Many times if you log into your media host first, the information about your account is already included. 

Another Reason to have your show listed in Amazon Music/Audible is your show will start to appear in Amazon search results. 

How often do you go to Amazon a day? How many searches do you do? 

Go Play In That Traffic

Here is a resource: Episode 20 - Top Podcast Directories

If you need help growing your podcast, then schedule a strategy session today and let's get you going in the right direction. 

go to www.podcastconsultant.com/schedule

Schedule a Strategy Session

If you need help with your podcast and want to tap into my 16 years of experience, I'd love to help (my background is in teaching/education). Go to www.podcastconsultant.com/schedule

I saw in a Facebook group where someone was not happy with their progress and was going to "delete everything and relaunch"

NO!!!

I live in Akron Ohio and about 60 miles north is Cleveland, Ohio. If I start walking to Cleveland and take a wrong turn I don't go back home and start walking to Cleveland again. I readjust from where I am and keep moving in the right direction.

If you delete your show you are THROWING AWAY YOUR AUDIENCE. I don't know about you, but I work too hard to lose one single audience member. 

Launching a Podcast is Easy

I could burp into my phone and it would be in Apple next week. This is not a joke. 

Launching a GOOD Podcast Takes Thought

You have to know who your audience is, and what they want. You have to know YOUR WHY. Then figure out what you can talk about that will hold their attention while getting them to move toward your WHY. 

If you need help, come visit me at www.podcastconsultant.com

It's on iOs only. So 70% of THE WORLD can't use it.

They are using FOMO (fear of missing out) like a jedi marketer. 

Have you ever listened to "no screener" talk radio on the radio? It's pretty bad when "everybody gets a microphone."

Over the years podcasting has been declared dead so many times. And yet, 17 years later it's still here and Edison Research showed this week it's continued to grow EVERY SINGLE YEAR. 

Ready for a Strategy Session?

Go to www.podcastconsultant.com/schedule and let's get you going in the right direction. 

Is Clubhouse Competition?

Anything that can take your audio is competition. Xbox, AM/FM, Sirius, Hulu, HBO, etc is all competition. The advantage of audio podcasts is you can do other things while you listen (i.e. Drive). You can do that with clubhouse, so what does this mean? Are we doomed? No, you just have to be better than what is on clubhouse. 

Also, don't forget the power of time-shifted conversations that podcasting provides. Currently, Clubhouse is a live conversation and if you miss it, you miss it (although there are rumors recording is coming). 

How to Use Clubhouse?

For me, I'm going over to help people. I make sure my links are in my bio. Then I deliver value and hope people will check my bio. I am meeting new people and finding potential partners, guests, and more. I'm not looking to pitch. 

I could see inviting your audience to a conversation at a certain time (again realize 70% of your audience won't be able to attend as they are on Android). 

In full disclosure, I work for Libsyn.com (who does make it easy to syndicate your show - use the coupon code sopfree to get a free month - as Libsyn is short for Liberated Syndication), but assuming you've submitted your show for approval - a different media host won't boost your downloads. 

The Download Equation

Total Value X Smart Promotion = Total Downloads

If you don't have value in your episode, then no matter how much promotion you do - it won't grow. 

If you have value in your episodes, but don't promote it - it will be slow. 

The bottom line to all of this is to know your audience. 

If you need help with this, I can help. 

Schedule a Strategy Session Today

I can help with planning, growing, and monetizing your podcast. Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/schedule

In movies, plays, television, people audition to get a part and be seen. You should be no different. You don't have to set the bar super high, but the bottom line is it that it is YOUR show and how it sounds reflects on YOU. 

You can ask a potential guest, "Can you provide a link so I can hear your audio quality?" as well as, "I'd be happy to interview you. As we have never met, I reserve the right to not publish the episode if you're not a good fit for my audience, is that OK?" 

Anyone not confident enough in their ability to bring value will complain. You don't want those people. 

People will often find themselves in a situation where they NEED a GUEST NOW (and will take anyone). Don't put yourself into a situation to be desperate. You make really bad decisions when you are desperate. 

Need Help?
I can help you with your podcast (planning, launching, growing, equipment, monetization). Let's have a strategy session at www.podcastconsultant.com/schedule

ENOUGH WITH THE LINK TREES

WHY would you (in some cases) PAY to promote someone else's brand? This baffles me. If you're new to link trees, here is a definition. 

A link tree allows you to create a personalized and easily-customizable page, that houses all the important links you want to share with your audience. 

I have a name for that: YOUR WEBSITE?

When someone asks you where they can find your stuff you give them one answer YOUR WEBSITE.

Then on your website, you can have buttons to subscribe to the show on all the platforms. 

BENEFITS OF PROMOTING YOUR SHOW

You can boost your Google ranking by having people stay on your site.

By sharing a link to your site, that then gets shared on social, which also will build your Google rankings.

If you are doing Facebook advertising, you can place the pixel. 

Your audience can subscribe on whatever app they want. 

SEARCH TOOLS ARE HORRIBLE

When you are saying, "find me in (app)" you may be sending your audience into a black hole. Sending them to your website eliminates them having to find you. 

00:54 Why are you starting a podcast?
01:14 Who is your audience?
01:34 What will you talk about?
01:52 Pick a format
02:13 Order Your Equipment
02:32 Practice and Learn Your Gear
02:51 Identify Your Intro and Outro
03:48 Record an Episode
04:04 Get HONEST Feedback
04:34 Order Artwork
04:58 Order a Media Host
05:16 Create Your Website
05:50 Submit Your Show To Directories

Mentioned In This Episode

What Link Should I Use to Promote My Show?

Do I Need a Website for My Podcast?

In-Depth Episodes on Launching a Podcast

The Worst Way To Start Your Podcast Episodes

Start Podcasting

Schedule a Coaching Call

Join Dave's Quick Start Program

Join the School of Podcasting

Do I need to change my feed?
Talk to someone who is on the network and get before and after numbers
How do they select new network members?
What gets your fired?
Who owns the content if you decide to leave?
Will they redirect your feed if you decide to leave?

Full notes and bonus video at 

www.podcastconsultant.com/84

• Show Player (instead of an episode player)
• Podcast Juke Box
• Binge Box

There are WordPress plugins like Simple Podcast Press and Fuse Box but I'm also talking about the players you get from our media host. Especially one that provides multiple episodes (which is what we are primarily focused on today).

Those players are in what is known as an "iframe." The bottom line as while that player looks like it's on my website, it's actually from my media host (Libsyn). I'm not an "anti-sow player" but I am "anti - the only player on a website is the show player." Why? As those players only appear on your site, you get almost zero Google Juice (if not zero) from that type of player.

Getting More SEO and Google Love For Your Podcast

While it is tempting to have one "Set it and forget it" type of player, what I recommend in addition to that type of player is to treat every episode like a blog post. The blog post attracts Google. Google sends people to your website, and because they stay longer (hopefully because they are listening) which leads Google to think your content is really good and sends more traffic to you. But doesn't this then require more work? Yes. Yes, it does. Do you want to be found in Google? You have to do the work.

I Just Want You To Make Informed Decisions

My goal is to make sure you understand the consequences of your choices so you can make good choices.

Schedule a Coaching Call Today

I can help you plan, launch, and grow your podcast (and Monetize). Schedule a call today.

A program delivered via RSS. This can be audio (typically mp3), video (typically m4a), or a pdf file. So technically YES, you can have a video podcast 

NOT ALL APPS WILL PLAY IT

Google podcasts and pandora won't do anything with it, while apps like Overcast and Stitcher will play the audio, but not show the video, and Apple Podcasts will play the video and others will as well. 

There is a list on Podcast411.com

WHAT I ADVISE PEOPLE TO DO

Go upload your video to YouTube for free and embed the video on your website. Then take the audio of that video and put it out as a podcast as an mp3 file. If this is something very visual and it NEEDS to be video, than make a second version of the file that is tailored for a smaller screen. This will take up less room (and be cheaper to host) and it won't take up so much room on your audience's phone

DON'T MIX AND MATCH

If you have an audio podcast I would not recommend mixing a video and audio podcast in the same feed. If you're doing a video show AND an audio podcast make sure each one has its own feed. 

DO YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?

I'd love to answer your podcast questions (about any podcast topic), let's schedule a coaching session today at www.podcastconsultant.com/schedule

Just this morning, I've had three people email me this question this morning (and I heard it on my last coaching call). 

The answer is: you can't.

There's no actual way to get that number.

YouTube Vs Podcasting

Everybody bring up subscriber counts because of YouTube. Realize YouTube is centralized. If you're watching YouTube, you're watching it on YouTube.

Podcasting is different, you have an RSS feed (see the mechanics of podcasting). You can listen to the exact same content on Apple on Google on overcast on Amazon, etc. It is decentralized.

Consequently, you can't really tell how many people are subscribed to your show.

Strategies for Determining "Subscribers"

Now there are a couple strategies you can use to kind of figure out an idea of how many subscribers you have.

The Seven Day Method

If you go into an episode in whatever your media host is, I recommend Libsyn.com (use the coupon code sopfree to get a free month) and you can go into an episode filter the stats to only show the first week. So as I record this, it's November 1, I can say show me November 1 through November 8, assuming that the episode was released on November 1. A week's worth of data would give you an idea of what some people feel, are your subscribers because, in reality, your subscribers are your superfans. They are more than likely going to consume the content, the minute it's available. That's one way if you're looking for subscribers.

The Podcasts Connect Method

The other way is if you go into http://podcastsconnect.appl.com. They have stats there where you can see what percentage of your listeners (ON APPLE) are subscribed. It's not your entire audience. What I've seen some people do is they will take that percentage and apply it to their total number of downloads.

Let's say it's 70%. You get 300 downloads per episode. If you take 70% of 300. That is 210 subscribers. So that's another way of getting an idea of how many subscribers you have.

There are More Ways to Measure Success

There are more ways to measure success than downloads. You can measure reviews, that's kind of a way of measuring engagement. Did anybody email you about the episode? If you're selling products, did sales go up? How about retweets? There are all sorts of ways such as comments on a blog. There are so many ways to measure podcast success.

Why Are Your Podcasting?

I was on a call this morning with a client. I asked him, "Why are you doing your podcast?"  He said, Oh, well, I want to talk to these companies that are basically funding small businesses. I asked, Are you doing that? He said, "Yeah, they come on as guests." Then I pointed out that your podcast is successful (you are talking to the people you wanted to talk to).

That's really why you always have to know your why. 

But the bottom line is you can't see how many subscribers you have. The key is knowing who your audience is, know what they want, and give it to them and then have a clear call to action as to what you want them to do at the end of your episode. What do I want you to do? I want you to schedule a time where we can sit down and do some one on one consulting and get you going in the right direction.

Schedule a Mentoring Session Today

Go to www.podcastconsultant.com/schedule

Future Proof Your Podcast

Anytime you mentioned a date be sure to include the year (as some people may hear this episode years from now). Then throw in the additional information, "If you're listening to this episode after (whatever the date is) be sure to check out our website (and then say the website address) for the latest information." This "Future proofs" your episode.

Beware of the Curse of Knowledge

I often hear podcasters say things like, "Just go to our website," or "It's out at the website." You want to make it easy for your listeners so say your website address.  You're not saying it because you know your website, or you think, "I just said it in the last episode." Remember, you are always gaining new listeners. 

Evergreen Topics

Some people only record topics that are evergreen. A news show is the direct opposite of evergreen as the information is outdated quickly. So for example, an evergreen topic in this show might be what makes good content? Well, this really doesn't change. Good content means you are doing at least one (hopefully multiple) items on this list:

• Laugh
• Cry
• Think
• Grown
• Educate
• Entertain

If you're not doing any of those. You're boring. I can say that today, and  I'm 100% sure that is going to be absolutely true in five years, 10 years, or 20 years from now. I'm sure there are topics in your genre that are evergreen.

Using a News Story to Demonstrate an Evergreen Topic

Recently rock guitarist Eddie Van Halen died. I was a huge fan, and I really wanted to talk about it. To keep it evergreen I pulled facts from his career and used them to help podcasters. You can listen to the episode here.

Go In With Your Eyes Open

You can do episodes that will become outdated. It's YOUR show. There are podcasts that cover the news after all. Just realize the more evergreen your topic the better the chance it will connect with your audience no matter how long ago you published the episode.

Need Help Your Your Podcast?

Do you need help planning, launching, or growing your podcast? Schedule a coaching call and let's get you going in the right directions

College Students

Parents

There are many more, but let's limit the list to the two above. 

You Need to KNOW your WHY?

There are many reasons to start a podcast. These include:

• Being seen as an expert
• Getting to talk to people you normally wouldn't
• Growing influence
• Selling more products
• Getting your message out
• and more..

In this instance, the person wanted to make some money with their podcast by promoting some digital products. That's fine. Now let's look at our potential audience

When it comes to college students vs Parents which one has more money? 

Parents - hands down. 

So who do you gear your content toward? Parents. Why? Because your "WHY" is to sell digital products and you have a better shot with parents. 

If you don't achieve your why, you will get frustrated and quit. 

Let's Brainstorm Together

Sometimes you are too close to the forest to see the trees. If you need someone to brainstorm and make sure your goals line up with your content, I can help with that.

Let's schedule a coaching call today. 

Mentioned In This Episode

Profit From Your Podcast: Turn Your Listeners Into Livelihood

It wasn't until I left a comment that someone brought up making sure your content is good. Here is what I wrote:

Create content that is SO GOOD, that your audience has no choice, they HAVE TO share it with a friend. According to Jacobs media 70% of people find new podcasts through word of mouth.

Once you are positive your show is having the impact on people you want to impact (it really needs to be people you did not grow up with, and people you are not related to like your mother), THEN you can start promoting your show. 

Get Some Feedback

If you want some feedback I do offer a Podcast Review service. 

If you'd rather work on your content in private sign up for some coaching. Let me know what episode to listen to, and we can amplify what you are doing correct, and minimize the parts that aren't working. 

Publicity Isn't Always the Key To Success

Why do I say this? Do you know these names?

Samantha 'Just Sam' Diaz

Laine Hardy

Maddie Poppe

Trent Harmon

Nick Fradiani

Caleb Johnson

Candice Glover

Phillip Phillips

Scotty McCreery

Lee DeWyze

Kris Allen

David Cook

Jordin Sparks

Taylor Hicks

Carrie Underwood

Fantasia Barrino

Ruben Studdard

Kelly Clarkson

Thes are all American Idol WINNERS. With this in mind, publicity alone will not be the sole solution to getting your show more downloads. You need to make sure it resonates with your audience first. 

The "law" of supply and demand is this:

The more demand there is for a product, the more you can charge for it. There are many things that lead and boost demand, and that is outside the scope of today's show. In general, you are delivering value (or perceived value)

If you raise the price more and more, the demand may go down (as it doesn't deliver as much value for the price). 

Cover Charge

When I was a musician, some places I played would charge a "Cover Charge" which was a way of attracting people with more disposable income (as you would pay $5 to get in the door). People with disposable income might have more money to buy food and drinks. 

I believe some people are charging to be on their show as a "Cover Charge." This is for very, very, very popular shows. This is by far, not the norm. 

The Slippery Slope

If you charge someone money to appear, you might end up with some "Extra money." I don't know about you, but I remember paying of a car or credit card, and thinking I would have "extra" money at the end of the month. Somehow, you always seem to find a way to spend that extra money.

Now you NEED guests to pay you to appear to help pay for the new car, your child's new braces, or whatever it is you have now added to your assets. 

This may mean you are going to be less selective when it comes to choosing guests. As long as they can pay, then they can be on the show. 

This would then potentially decrease the value to the audience, which then lowers the number of listeners, which then lowers the demand to be on your show. People are paying to get in front of your audience. 

If you let anyone with some money be on your show, you are at risk of losing your audience. 

Potential FTC Issues

The FTC Guides, state that at their core, reflect the basic truth-in-advertising principle that endorsements must be honest and not misleading. An endorsement must reflect the honest opinion of the endorser and can’t be used to make a claim that the product’s marketer couldn’t legally make.

255.5 states, "When there exists a connection between the endorser and the seller of the advertised product that
might materially affect the weight or credibility of the endorsement (i.e., the connection is not
reasonably expected by the audience), such connection must be fully disclosed. " 

For me, by having them on your show, your audience trusts you to bring people of value. If you don't disclose that they are paying to be there, and someone purchases their product or service, you might have an issue with the FTC (I'm not a lawyer, but it gets sticky). 

Final Thoughts

While this is my opinion, I've provided the logic behind it. As always your show is yours to do with what you want. For me, I always look at better ways to serve my audience. 

Need Some Help?

Let's sit down and plan your podcast success? Already started and you got stuck on something? Need some help understanding the technology? 

Go to www.podcastconsultant.com/schedule and set up a time

Mentioned on this show. Dave on Entrepreneurs on Fire

Well, there are a couple of things to think of number one, for this to work you need an audience. So this is the first thing you need is an audience.

The next thing is the tools, and I always recommend that you have your website's setup to accept any kind of input. So I've got a voicemail number from podcastvoicemail.com

I've got an email address.

I also have a tool called speakpipe that allows people to record right there on the website if they have a microphone on their computer. No matter how they want to contact me, you can do that there and I put all those tools on one page. For example podcastconsultant.com/contact. That way you don't have to say, "here's my email address. Here's my phone number."  They just have to remember one thing.

he other thing is, are you going to do this live -keep in mind - doing a live show is a separate set of skills that you need. This also means you're going to be quick on your feet, you're gonna have to answer questions on the fly where if you get them via voicemail email you can really safely construct an answer that's going to be sure to provide value on your own timeline.

If you want to do this live my favorite tool right now is stream yard Streamyard has a free version I pay for the full version. But this allows you to automatically stream to places like Facebook, and YouTube, and Twitch and all these places all at the same time (and it records it as well). It's super easy to use. I use it every Saturday, I do a show called Ask the Podcast Coach, which in a way is an ask me anything episode

Now, the last thing is if you're having people send in their questions, and then you're going to get them on a certain date people will late until the very last minute to send them in. So keep that in mind. If you start to panic, like, Oh my gosh, nobody is sending in questions, you're probably going to get a bunch the day before. 

Mentioned In This Episode

PodcastVoicemail.com 

Speakpipe.com

Streamyard

Have More Podcast Questions?

Let's schedule a call to get your podcast questions answered and get you going in the right direction.

One of my hobbies is music. I remember as a young child going into or walking by a music store, and there were a few different guitars in the front window and I was like, Wow, look at those guitars! Those are awesome. And then I walked through the door into the store, and there was wall to wall guitars and I was like, holy cow. Look at this.

Now, you might be saying, Dave, that's a cute story and all but what does that have to do with podcasting?

Well, I've talked about how Apple podcast is a little confusing. And that's because there is a store view that basically people see when they search for your show.

TWO VIEWS OF APPLE

You'll have your first 300 episodes and archive one, your episodes from 301 to 600, in archive two, etc, etc. 

Why Do People Build Archives of Their Podcast?

When it comes to Apple search, the only things that come into play is:

• The title of your show.
• The title of the episode.
• The author field.

Those are the only three things that Apple currently uses when you do a search. So why are people doing an archive? Because when you get to episode 301, that first one that's no longer shown,  and is no longer being used for search results.

And so you now have, let's say you have 1000 episodes, you've been doing a daily show for years. And you've created three-plus archives of your show so that every episode can be used in search results. Really?

There's a study by Jacobs media that says 70% of most podcasters find out about other podcasts to listen to, via called word of mouth (not Apple search). 

What This Does For the Listener

• I have to subscribe to multiple feeds to get all of the episodes (where if they were in one feed, all I have to do is subscribe).

What This Does For the Podcaster

• You have to pay for additional media hosting so the archives can have their own feed.
• The archives have no built-in audience. 
• Your subscriber count is now divided between your archives instead of all under on show

For this reason, I don't believe in making archives (if you won't put them behind a firewall and sell them to your super fans). 

Need Some Help?

This episode was a tad bit more "Nerdy" than usual. If you need help, schedule a call and let's get you going in the right direction.

What is an ID3 Tag?

An ID3 tags is information stored inside your mp3 file. You can't see them, but some (few) apps use this information. 

This (currently) only happens when your file is removed from your feed and is not used by an app. 

EXAMPLE: Someone downloads your file to their computer and is listened to in a tool like Windows Media Player. The episode title, name of the podcast, image, and author are all displayed. 

Think of Tags Like Trees

In the same way that you can learn information about a tree by cutting it down and looking at the rings inside the tree, if you look inside the mp3 file at the ID3 tags you can learn more about it. 

To the best of my knowledge, Google and other search engines are not using this data. Obsessing over this content is a waste of time. 

Tools To Add ID3 Tags

The reason I still add ID3 tags to my files is that it takes almost no time. I use Hindenburg Journalist to add ID3 tags. If you are using Audacity (which does not do a great job) there is a free program called MP3Tag at  https://www.mp3tag.de/en/

It's free, but do consider donating. Another popular one is ID3 Editor which has a great interface and is easy to use. It's $15 

BUT DO I NEED THEM?

My knee jerk reaction is NO because so much of today's technology ignores them. HOWEVER, in the same way, that apps stop using them (and instead pull the information from your feed), they could just as easily switch back. It takes all of 15 seconds to add them, so add them. Just don't expect them to drive a ton of traffic to your site.

Need Help With Your Podcast?

If you are starting your podcast, or if you're trying to grow your podcast, I have 15 years of experience helping people plan, launch and grow your podcast. Come visit me at www.podcastconsultant.com/schedule and let's have a chat. 

Some people get nervous thinking about this and get a little "sing songy" and end up accenting words in what some might feel are un-natural places. Today I play a clip of a newspaper that puts their content out on Amazon devices. What do you think? Is this TOO MUCH? 

I always advise my clients to go up to obnoxious and back it down two notches. This is a few notches above your typical voice, but not so exaggerated it sounds weird. When you practice this, some people refer to this as finding your voice. 

Let Me Help You Find Your Voice

Lets schedule a call today to help you get going with your podcast. see http://podcastconsultant.com/schedule

How is a Libsyn Slug Used?

The libsyn slug is used as an ID for your Libsyn account. If you open a support ticket all you have to do is provide your slug and the support team can look up your account information. It is also used in the URL of your libsyn podcast page. For example, my slug is podcastconsultant. My Libsyn podcast page is http://podcastconsultant.libsyn.com/website (I don't use that page, I use this page which uses WordPress, hosted at coolerwebsites.com

It is also used in your feed. The feed for this show is https://podcastsconsultant.libsyn.com/rss 

Lastly, it's used in the URL of your MP3 file. Last weeks file is https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/podcastconsultant/ypc071-joerogan.mp3

Can I Change My Slug?

As we just stated the slug is used in your libsyn podcast page, your feed, and every mp3 file. If you change your slug - you break everything. 

Just so you are 100% clear on the consequences.

1. All your episodes will need to be fixed as the url to the mp3 will change. So whatever websites have the episodes will need to be redone for every single episode.

2. If you used the Libsyn podcast page anything linking to that page will need to be updated.

3. Your RSS feed will change, so your iTunes will be looking at a dead feed (with no way to update your previous subscribers) so you lose ALL reviews and ALL of your subscribers.

You will be starting from scratch.

If you haven't submitted your show to any directories there really aren't that many consequences. You do need to contact Libsyn support. 

If you've already submitted your show to directories, here is a quick test. 

Think of your favorite podcast. Got one? 

Now tell me their feed. 

Me Neither. 

In my opinion its not worth going back to square one. 

Why did they buy Joe? Because he is one of the top (if not THE top podcast). So why is he so popular?

• Joe has a dialogue with his guest. 
• He allows interesting people say interesting things.
• He is a really good listener.
• Joe started back in 1988
• His first comedy special was 12 years later
• His been on multiple TV shows
• His podcast has been going on for 11 years

Joe has proven that good content is valuable.

If you start your podcast today you're not going to get Joe Rogan money. Will you get Joe Rogan money in 11 years? In 32 years? There is only one way to find out. 

Starting a podcast is no hard. 

Starting a GOOD podcast is challenging. I can help with that. 

Let's talk at www.podcastconsultant.com 

But as I was in a zoom meeting, with about, I'm going to say twenty people instead of six, the bigger the zoom meeting, in many cases, the worse the information. Why? Because you've got some people that are not really cut out for whatever the topic is. They just don't fit or in some cases, and there's nothing wrong with this, we all have our first zoom meeting, but you have the people who have never used zoom. They're sitting there and you're looking straight up their nostrils, and they're asking, "Can you hear me? Can you hear me?" 

That can lessen the effectiveness of the meeting.

So what is my point?  I'm in a class right now, and there's somebody who is going to build a community, which is very similar to building a podcast. The community it was about parenting. Well, that's, that's a pretty big group. Later, he said, "Well, I want to niche down to African American parents. Then the more he talked about it, and the more you could see his true passion, he was really trying to reach male, African American fathers.

Now, when you do that, what happens? Well, you cut out a big chunk of your potential audience. But in many cases, you're going to end up with a smaller group, but a much more passionate group, a much more focused group. And in some cases, when you get those people together, there's a bonding amongst the other groups that you just don't get when you try to mix everybody in there. The point being big groups are not always the best for really communicating with people.

I do "office hours" for the school of podcasting and I get a handful of people and I help them. There are rare occasions when it's me and one student. We can dig deep into what they are working on and I end up making more of an impact with one person, than trying to help ten at the same time. 

You don't need all the people. You need the Right people.

Need Help With Your Podcast?

Schedule an Appointment today

Review swaps result in really horrible reviews that are NOT helpful to the potential listener. A good review has details as to why something was good or bad. 

Reviews DO NOT help you move up the Apple Podcast Charts.

Reviews are social proof - and that's it. 

When your audience isn't leaving you reviews, you might want to check on your content or your relationship with your audience. 

It takes courage to look at your content, and see if there is room for improvement. 

You send it out to the world and you go into Apple podcasts, and none of the links show up. Why is some of this missing?

You look in Spotify and you're like, why is everything one giant paragraph that looks horrendous? That's not how I created it.

Then you look at other apps and it looks perfectly fine. You think what do I have to do to make this look good?

Here is the sad news. You can't.

I made a quick video to show you how the links are there (in Apple Podcasts),

it just depends on where in the app you are looking at the content (you need to subscribe and be in the library)

see https://libsyn.d.pr/EEBRft

It's frustrating. My goal with this episode is to help you avoid wasting your time trying to fix something that can't be fixed as its not your fault. 

If someone asked what was one of my favorite movies? I wouldn't say "Caddyshack Movie." I would just say "Caddyshack."

If someone asked what was one of my favorite magazines to read, I wouldn't say "Men's Health Magazine." I would say "Men's Health."

So why do I see "The Ernie and Bert Podcast" as the title of shows? It seems like so many shows have the word PODCAST in the name. 

While you might say, Dave, your show is Your PODCAST Consultant. I get a pass as I'm talking about podcasting. 

The Global News Podcast could just be "Global News." The minimalists Podcasts could just be "The Minimalists."

The Generation Why Podcast could be "Generation Why."

Apple Search Has Issues

When you leave words like "The" and "Podcast" in your name you are ranked against every show with the word "The" or "Podcast" in the name. When you remove this clutter, it can actually boost your search results in apps. 

While most people learn about new podcasts via word of mouth, anything you can do to make it easier to be found in apps is a plus. 

Need Help With Your Podcast?

Check out my three-month Quick Start Program. Just have a quick question? Schedule a quick 15-minute coaching session.

There are some pros and cons of video.

First off, can your content exist without the video portion? Is this a "talking head" video? If so maybe it doesn't need to be video. 

Full show notes at podcastconsultant.com/66

Before we get to ______

Without further adu

I don't want to delay any further

The Thin Line Between Teasing and Annoying

It's one thing to take a quick 30-60 second tangent. It's a completely different issue when your tangents go on and on and the listener starts to wonder if you're ever coming back to the topic.

Whatever the title of the episode is, people have tuned in to hear you talk about that subject.

True Story

I listened to the episode where the host did a FABULOUS job of introducing their guest. I really wanted to hear what their guest had to say. Then they said the dreaded words, "Before we get t0__" and then they spent a lot of time talking about a webinar she was having. This went on for about three minutes. Then when she finally got done rambling on about her webinar, I was ready her them to get to their guest (finally), but they didn't do that.

Instead, they read a review that someone had put into Apple podcasts. Do you know who enjoys hearing those reviews? The host. The audience doesn't care. They might be happy if people leave a nice review, but the review does nothing to benefit their lives like the information that should be coming out of your guest's head.

Let Me Help You Shape Your Content

Lets set up a time for you and me to go over your podcast and find out what is working and what is not. Schedule a session today.

In it, you hear this HUGELY SUCCESSFUL music composer who has been nominated four times for an oscar. He has scored over a hundred movies, and yet he still fears failure. 

I love that he says, "It's OK to fail. It is normal to doubt yourself. There is only one way to be creative and that is to take a chance and do it, and learn from it and move on to your next project with your new knowledge. 

Watch Promo

Ready to Start Your Podcast

Why not? Go to www.podcastconsulstant.com/schedule

Want to learn at your own pace? Check out the School of Podcasting

What do you need?

If you want to add some additional information to the content, you will need a microphone like a Samson Q2U. 

You also need some artwork that meets these specs:

1400x1400px (minimum)
3000x3000px (maximum)
Under 500kb
Use rGB color space
Be a JPG, JPEG, or a PNG file

if you have a budget check out www.podcastbranding.co if you ave less of a budget check out Kapa99

Then you need a media host. I've been a libsyn customer since 2005. I became a Libsyn employee in 2016. You can use the coupon sopfree at www.libsyn.com 

How Much Space Do I Need?

You need to know how often you will publish and how long the episodes will be. 

If you want to do a weekly show that is 10 minutes long that is 40 minutes a month. 

A stereo podcast (128 kbps ) takes up roughly 1 M per minute. A mono file (64 kbps) takes up roughly .5

A 10-minute episode once a week is 40 minutes a month. That would be 40M a month in stereo and 20 megs a month in mono. 

This video talks more about this 

Got Podcast Questions?

Schedule a quick coaching session and let's get you going in the right direction with your podcast.

Three Reasons Radio DJs Should Have Their Own Podcast

• Built-in Demo

• Freedom To Talk About Whatever You Want

• Develop a Deeper Brand

Be sure to read the contract and know what you're signing. 

Need Help Starting a Podcast?

Let me help you. Schedule a coaching session today

Don't pick your "launch" date until your podcast is available to the public. If you're worried this will ruin your "Splash" into the public. It won't. 

In the same way, being in the phone book will not make you famous - being in Apple podcasts will not make you a celebrity. 

Source: The Podcast Consumer 2020 Edison Research

New Podcast Statistics from Edison Research and Triton Digital

Some new data has come out here in March of 2020, as I record this, and in a nutshell, podcasting really came on the scene in 2004. The audience for podcasting has gone up about 2to 5% every year and so came out this year 55% of Americans have listened to at least one podcast.

Now to get a grip on that number that is 155 million people have at least press play once. Now the good news is, that means there's 45% of people who haven't and why that's a good thing is this is only going to go up.

104 million people listen on a monthly basis, and 68 million people listen weekly. If you think about a classroom, that's 20 people, if you think about a small theater, maybe that's 300 people. This is 68 million people.  These numbers just represent America. Edison Research and Triton digital also do studies on Canada and many other countries.

The average podcast listener subscribes to six podcasts, so they're more or less listening to at least one a day.

Podcasting is now more popular in the car than Sirius Satellite Radio and you have to pay for that. Now, let's be honest, we have a long way to go before we pass AM/FM radio. But still, there are a lot of people listening to podcasts and  this number has gone up

Mentioned In This Episode

Learn to subscribe to podcasts at www.learntosubscribe.com

Don't Keep Your Podcast Audience Waiting

With 42 million people listening on a regular basis (and that again is JUST IN THE US, the number is actually bigger) your audience exists in a sea of 42 million people. Statistics show that once a person starts to listen to podcasts, they listen to the radio less, and podcasts more.

One is for the show, and the other is for the episode.

There are two views in Apple podcasts. One I will call the "Store view" (which is the view you are using when you search for something). The other is the "Library" view and its the view you are using after you have subscribed to a show. 

Currently, in March 2020, Apple only shows the artwork in the Apple Podcasts app if you're NOT subscribed (the "Store" view). Once you subscribe to your show, the artwork for the episode does not appear when you press play.

It's annoying.

It also shows it in the "web based" version of Apple Podcasts and in the search results of Apple Podcasts (where it is really tiny).

So if you are trying to get your artwork for a specific episode to appear in Apple podcasts, it can be very confusing..

One other little twist is the popular app Overcast uses the artwork in the ID3 tag (which is INSIDE the mp3 file).

• The Songwriter
• The Song Performer
• Whoever owns the Mechanical Rights

Without permission from all of the above parties, you can't legally play the music (and there have been some podcasts that have been sued for playing music illegally)

Royalty Free Music

Royalty-free music means you pay once for the rights to the music and you can play it as many times as you want (typically) you should always read the small print.

Here is a list of websites where you can find music. 

https://podcastingresources.com/listing-category/production-music/

You can save some money looking for "Logos" (shorter snippets of songs) or transitions that will be less expensive than buying a full songe. 

Need Help With Your Podcast?

Schedule a coaching session today.

http://podcastconsultant.com/schedule

YOU GET A MICROPHONE - YOU GET A MICROPHONE -EVERYBODY GETS A MICROPHONE.

If you don't get that, here is the clip where Oprah gave everyone in the audience a car.

See video at https://youtu.be/8CAscBCdaQg

Don't Share Microphones

Now I know they make microphones that pick up in every angle, but you DO NOT want to do that.

Today I play a clip of someone doing that. They sound like they are in a tunnel.

I know it's more expensive, but you will LOSE your audience (or neve gain one) when your audio is bad. 

A microphone I recommend is the Samson Q2U. There is a great package on Amazon

Everybody gets their own microphone.

Free Podcast Gear Webinar

Watch webinar at https://schoolofpodcasting.com/rightgearwebinar

Describe your idea in no more than ten words, and do so in a way that describes nothing else in the world. The fun part is you CAN'T use any of these words.

Amazing

Who is it for?

Is this for guitar players? Is it for people just starting out or for professional musicians? Those are two VERY different audiences. 

If its football, is it college and pro? Just the NFL or just a team? Again different audiences. The more niche you go in identifying your audience the more loyal your audience will be. 

What to Expect?

Is your podcast an overview or a deep dive? Is it a solo show or conversation? Is it funny, or just the facts? Is it long or shot? 

The better the description the better the chance you will get your audience to listen and subscribe. We REALLY want them to subscribe. 

SIGN UP FOR A PODCAST QUICK LAUNCH

I have a three-month coaching program where we can get your show up and running quicking and then fine-tune it as you make more episodes and get feedback from your audience. 

Let's work together

So Why Would People Listen to You?

Because you took the time to find out what they want, and then give it to them. You don't need to know everything, you just need to know what they want and give it to them. 

Your Audience Wants You To Succeed

Your audience isn't sitting there waiting to criticize you, they want you to succeed. Recently Demi Lavato at the grammys started a song and was overcome with emotion as she tried to sing a VERY PERSONAL song. She ended up having to stop the song and restart. 

People didn't boo her when she stopped. They cheered her on to win. We are all convinced that people are just waiting to hate our show and that's just not the case. 

You can see the video I mentioned at www.podcastconsultant.com/54

Ready To Start a Podcast?

Scheduling a coaching call at www.podcastconsultant.com/schedule or choose my three-month mentoring package.

Did I Say Six Weeks? I Meant THREE YEARS

The podcasters I interviewed for my book coming out this year took three years to be able to "quit their day job." 

Nobody wants to hear that. You would rather pay someone $7000 to have them say "Just follow your passion and the money will follow" and then sell you all sorts of equipment you don't need (but they earn commission on). 

A New Year With the Same Question

I have people contacting me asking "What is the best topic to do a podcast about that will have me making money quickly." It takes time. Think of actors, athletes, musicians. Just because I pick up a guitar doesn't entitle me to make money quickly because Garth Brooks does. It takes time, dedication, luck, and talent. 

Two Things Every Podcast Has When They Start

I could tell you I will make you a millionaire, but I have no control over that. I can point you in the direction and tell you best practices, but to say "I can make you a millionaire in six months" is just not true. As a podcaster you start with the same two things that every other podcaster starts with:

No listeners

Integrity

It's up to you grow your show and keep your integrity. Without it you'll never sell a product. 

Need Help?

Let's chat at www.podcastconsultant.com/schedule

and in the book author Eric Nuzum has a cool strategy of going to http://images.google.com and typing in some of the keywords that you might use about your subject.

Find some pictures of people and maybe print them out, and then make up their bio. Give them a name. You could have a few people. Then when you are coming up with topics you can look at your makeshift audience members and ask yourself, "Is this person going to find it engaging?" 

Oprah Winfrey (you may have heard of her) called her target audience member "Suzie Homemaker" and she would ask herself if the show's topics would help Suzie Homemaker. If nothing good was going to come from a topic then she wouldn't do it. 

Write the "back story" of the images you find and when you are working on your show you can look at the images and their story and ask yourself "Would (name of person) find this helpful? Would this make them laugh, cry, think, groan, educate, or entertain them? If so then do it. 

• Everything is going to be fine?
• Your mother is now in heaven...
• You've done hard things before, you've got this!

I don't know what would be the best thing to comfort him in his time of need and it depends on his thoughts, financial situation, and religious beliefs. 

When You Know Who Your Audience Is You Know What Content to Provide

When you know who your audience is you know what format, what content, what length your podcast should be. 

You can do this using sites like meetup.com, Facebook groups, or look for people on Twitter and Instagram and see what they are talking about (just listen and learn). 

Need Help?

Need help identifying your audience? I'd love to help you. Schedule a coaching session today. 

While it can help to get feedback from other podcasters, or your friends, but the BEST place to get feedback from is your AUDIENCE. 

Scott Johnson does the "What was that like" podcast, and he has a private Facebook group where he can interact with his audience to talk to his audience in between episodes. When he thought of doing an episode slightly different than his usual audience, he put a poll in his private Facebook group. 

Scott's audience decided they DID want to hear about what it was like to be a lighthouse keeper. 

Do you need a guide to help you through the fog of podcasting?

Let's get together and get your going in the right direction with your podcast. Schedule a session today

It's the same time every week so my audience knows when and where to find me. It never changes. If I don't feel good, the show must go on. 

If you are just starting out and you think you will field questions and interact with your audience you may need to remember you don't have an audience (yet) and only a very small percentage of your listeners will show up to listen live. 

The benefit of live streaming is the instant feedback you get when people show up. You can get feedback in podcasting, but you have to wait for it. This is instant.

Many people shy away from doing anything live due to the fear of messing up in front of an audience. Keep in mind these are your fans and they don't care if you stumble. They are the people rooting for you. When you do stumble, you're human and they may love you even more and find you more relatable. 

Video of Vince Gill at George Jones Funeral

Podcast - Livestream - DO BOTH

I use Streamyard to live stream to YouTube (you can go to a number of places) and use a portable recorder like a Zoom H6 to record out of your USB Device like a Focusrite 2i2. I currently use the Rodecaster Pro ($599) which is a great piece of equipment for anyone looking to record and stream at the same time. 

So Remember:

You don't have an audience when you start.

You need to live stream at the same time so your audience knows when to show up. 

If you are adding sound and music it makes it more technically challenging. 

Your audience doesn't judge you if you stumble. They like that you are human.

I love streamyard for streaming

What Do Superfans Want?

Superfans want more content. They love your show and they want more of it. Keep in mind they also want the same level of quality.

Superfans also want to help steer the show. This means if you do Q&A they get their questions answered first. This means if you do a roundtable maybe they get to vote on the topic. In some cases it means they get behind the microphone.

Some superfans simply want to help you create your art and do your show. They realize that it takes time and effort to produce quality content, and they want to enable you to create more of your content. 

Keep In Mind the Importance of Value

Some people offer to remove any advertising. This often doesn't' work because if you don't your job right, your advertiser fits your audience.

If you're not sure how to shape a position any rewards for a crowdfunding campaign, create a poll using Google Forms and ask your audience to fill it out. You might have to bribe them with a gift card.

Need Some Help?

I love helping people plan, launch, and grow their podcast. Schedule a coaching session today at www.podcastconsultant.com/schedule

If you want to make $60,000 (take home) you need to make $98,192 gross income. This means you need 1169 patrons. 

To have 1169 patrons you need 23,379 downloads a month or 5845 downloads a week.

Need help growing your audience? See

https://podcastconsultant.com/how-to-grow-your-podcast/

THE BOTTOM LINE

The bottom line is if you plan on using sites like Patreon to crowdfund your podcast, don't forget the first steps is to grow your crowd.

WANT SOME HELP WITH YOUR PODCAST?

Go to www.podcastconsultant.com/schedule and let's start about you starting and growing your podcast. 

In thinking about this, it sounds like you're adding an additional step for your audience to get your episode. That doesn't seem like a good plan. If you want people to go to your website to take an action (like signs up for a newsletter, etc) then give them the FULL version of the podcast, and ask them to your website to sign up for the newsletter (as only the super ENGAGED people will do that - and those are the people you want). 

Try to make keep the path between you and your audience as clear as possible. 

Need a Coaching Session?
I'd love to help you launch your podcast. If you have a podcast, I'd love to help you make it grow. 

Schedule a session today.

It Needs to Be Different

If you want your guest so share the episode with their audience it has to hold the attention of your audience, but it also has to hold the attention of their audience. It can't be the same questions they get asked over and over again. 

Make It Simple To Share

Then make it easy to share. Don't send them a link and say "Its live." Pre-write the tweet, the email, the Facebook post so all they have to do is copy and paste. 

There is a website call clicked to tweet that you pre-write the tweet and all you guest has to do is provide a link you get. 

Social Warfare is a great WordPress Plugin that makes sure that the right images is used social mentions. 

If you need to make artwork, Stencil is a great tool to use to make great looking artwork with lots of templates to choose from 

A Common Mistake with Podcast Interviews

We are not used to awkward pauses. We might even feel like they are "Dead air." Keep in mind that this is NOT live radio and any unwanted silence can be edited out. When a guest starts to take some time to think about an answer we get nervous and throw out potential answers (making what was a hard answer a multiple choice). The best answers are the answer that requires some thought. Let them think about it, and come up with a great answer.

When doing interviews you need to ask yourself:

• Why am I bringing this person on?
• How will this person bring value to my audience?

Then do some research so you can craft an interview that brings value. If you know the answers that are going to get your audience sharing the episode, then you need to make sure to ask those questions. 

Evaluate Your Interview

After the interview listen back and at the top of a piece of paper write down why you asked this guest to come on your show. Then listen to the questions you ask and see if they help move the conversation in a direction that is in alignment with your "why."

Interviews are Harder Than Just Asking Questions

The hard part of conducting an interview is listening. That seems obvious but you NEED to do a mock interview before doing a "real" one (I advise to interview your parents if they are still around). There is a "little voice" that goes on in your head as you try to remember a follow-up question in your head, try to figure out the next question, all while still listening to the guest.

In today's show, I give you my strategies on how to be a better listener.  

Get Your Podcast Going and Growing

If you're ready to start and grow your audience, I can help. Go to www.podcastconsultant.com/schedule and schedule a coaching session today. 

Mentioned in This Episode

My interview(s) with Glenn Hebert from the Horse Radio Network.

My interview with Cathy Heller from the Don't Keep Your Day Job podcast.

Some of these resources will charge between $400-$1000 per month (hundreds of dollars per episode). There are events that again cost hundreds of dollars to attend. I don't recommend paying for these as there are many free resources.

I have a list at Podcasting Resources.com

Need a Coaching Session?

I'd love to help you launch your podcast. If you have a podcast, I'd love to help you make it grow. 

Schedule a session today.

• Listen to at least two episodes of the podcast before your appearance.
• Show up on time. It is somewhat sad that I need to remind people (not you) about this. 
• Make sure to understand the technology you are going to be using.
• Wear earbuds or headphones. Do not have the sound of the interviewer come out of your speakers as it causes an echo on their end.
• Ask them when it will be released and set a "to do" item on your calendar as some people don't let you know when the episode goes live.
• The goal is to not only get interviewed but to develop a relationship with the host. Think of this as a "co-release" of your episode.
• Be the guest you want to have on your show. (Think golden rule).

In the end, you want to understand the goal of the show and understand who you are talking to so you can hit the target. 

Need Help Starting or Growing Your Podcast?

I would love to work with you. Go over to www.podcastconsultant.com and schedule a coaching session today. Want to learn at your own pace? Check out www.shoolofpodcasting.com/start 

Hello (no name),

I love your show (which one I have several). 

Here are a few paragraphs about me and why I'm so great. 

Here is How to Get Booked on Podcasts:

• Do your homework and listen to the show to make sure you're a good fit. This benefits everyone as you don't want to waste the time of the podcaster, and you don't want to waste your time appearing on a show that the audience is not a good fit.
• Connect the dots between your content delivering value and the audience. Make it a "no-brainer" for the podcaster. The less that have to think, "Hmmm, is this is good fit - the better." 
• It's all about THEM and how THEiR AUDIENCE will benefit. I don't care if you cured cancer. If my show isn't' about cancer, you're not a good fit. 
• Talk about how you will promote your appearance (As podcasters want exposure - and not all guests promote their appearance). Again, this is all about them. 
• Don't send four attachments showing how great you are. Keep it short, simple, and offer to send more information if they are interested, but you want to explain how THEY are going to benefit, and how THEIR AUDIENCE is going to benefit. You can always add a line like, "If you'd like my full one sheet I can send it over." (A one sheet has your bio and an overview of your expertise). 

Need Help Starting or Growing Your Podcast?

I would love to work with you. Go over to www.podcastconsultant.com and schedule a coaching session today. Want to learn at your own pace? Check out www.shoolofpodcasting.com/start 

Unless it is your only option, you want to avoid using an actual phone line as it will sound like, well, the phone (it cuts some of the clarity out and the bass). If you have people who will only use a phone you can get a skype to phone account (which is currently around $3.00 a month). Other options are to use a zoom.us meeting and have the person call in. The quality will be worse. Another "better than nothing" option is uberconference.com, Here again, you would connect via your microphone and your guest would connect via the phone. 

Record Your Call as a WAV File

If you are connecting via an interface like the Scarlet 2i2, then send the audio into a portal recorder like the Zoom H1, or H6. This will make it sound better as you are capturing exactly the way you hear it is. With Skype recorders (or its own internal recorder) you lose quality. It's usable, but you ALWAYS want to do what you can to preserve the quality. 

So, How Do I Record Skype

If you are on a mac check out Call Recorder. If you are on a PC check out Free Skype Recorder. In both cases, I would find a way to get a local recorder going as well so you have two recordings going. 

A Better Solution with Flexibility

If you want more flexibility, try Squadcast.fm which records both sides of the conversation, and eliminates those "skype burps" as it records both sides of the podcast locally. If you don't have the need for this, it can also combine the two sides of the conversation into one file. 

The Easiest Solution

Currently, in 2019 the easiest and most flexible way to record a phone call is the Rodercaster Pro from Rode. I have and use one of these. This unit does everything. You can connect multiple people via phone, USB, Bluetooth, and directly via a microphone (you could have a total of seven people connected). It's an amazing piece of equipment with a price tag around $600 but it also has a built-in recorder, acts as a mixer, and has built-in audio enhancements. 

Today I talk about how to do this without losing your audience. 

Mentioned in this episode The Way I Heard it by Mike Rowe

Need Help With Your Podcast?

I can help. See www.podcastconsultant.com

• Is your audience taking a break from driving to work?
• Are they not grocery shopping/walking the dog?
• Are they traveling over the holidays (over the river and through the woods).

You can record episodes ahead of time and release them later. When you release on a regular schedule, your audience makes you part of their routine. 

Let's Talk About Your Podcast

Let's schedule a session. Go to www.podcastconsultant.com

There are companies that will charge you a monthly fee to host your podcast and distribute it to Amazon. Currently, I don't recommend that as according to Libsyn, .2 (not 2 - point two) percent of people are listening to a podcast on smart speakers and set-top boxes (Apple TV, Roku, etc). 

So while it is the new sexy thing (and there are always exceptions to the rule) I would focus on listing your show in the directories before worrying about smart speakers. 

Mentioned in This Show

Episode 20 - Top Podcast Directories

Schedule a session to talk about planning, starting, and growing your podcast. 

There are times when I run across people who want to launch six podcasts starting next month. In my head (because I'm polite) I say,  "No you don't."

You want to treat starting a podcast like having a kid. You don't just have six kids. You don't have just three kids.

If you have triplets, what do you do? You need some help and you need help quick. You move to where the grandparents are, because Holy cow, are these things time consuming, messy.

There's also much more that you didn't even consider.

Let's start with one.

Let's start with one.

This way you can see exactly how long it's going to take for you to create an episode.

It Takes an Hour to Create a fifteen Minute Podcast

How?

You have to research what you're going to talk about it.
You have to record it.
You have to edit it.
You have to upload it to your media host.
You have to write a paragraph (or much more) so Google can find it.

After you've done all that, you find your fifteen-minute podcast took you and hour.

Creating Multiple Podcasts Doesn't Speed Things Up

While having multiple podcasts will make you better ate recording, editing, faster (as doing anything over and over - you get better at it) you need to remember here to think QUALITY over quantity. You want, no you NEED to have VALUE in your episodes. This means you will be in a constant state of discovery and analysis. You will be "on" all the time looking for content. This can be exhausting.

If You Build It Nobody Sees It

With this podcast, I did multiple episodes and had it listed in Apple, Google, etc. I got almost zero downloads. With this in mind, you need more than "Get listed in Apple" as a marketing strategy. This means going where your audience is and really getting to know them, listening to them, and then tell them about your podcast.

Creating a podcast isn't the hard part.

Getting people to listen to your podcast is the hard part.

Start With One

By starting with ONE podcast you get to see first hand what it takes. Then you can make an informed decision. You may have enough time to create one GOOD podcast, and if you had launched multiple shows they would not have been as good (as good content does not grow on trees).

I know you're excited. I know you have dreams.

Trust me.

Start with one.

Want to Talk About it?

I'd love to have a coaching session to help you start your podcast and grow your influence. Schedule your session today. 

I pressed start on the latest episode and was greeted with a pre-recorded advertisement. Followed by another pre-recorded advertisement. 

In fact, as I went from episode to episode, I kept hearing the exact same advertisement. Every time I pressed play, it was the exact same advertisement. It became annoying. 

I know recording multiple versions of advertisements can be more work, but YOU ARE BEING PAID. 

If you need help starting your podcast and growing your influence, come visit me at www.podcastconsultant.com

Do you know what I did? I downloaded all of his episodes (64 at the moment) and consumed them all. 

However, some of these are from a long time ago. In case he started off with a mild (I exaggerate apologies in this episode) apology.

I had just listened to his episode, and the next one starts and here is Matthew apologizing for not putting out a show last week.

That doesn't apply to me. I just heard your episode two minutes ago. There is no need for an apology.

But You Feel Bad About it

I know, I know you feel bad. That's really a good thing. You want to care about your audience. 

However, if you think about it your TRUE fans will listen to the end of the show. For me, THAT is the best place (the end of the show) for an apology. 

It's not a good first impression for anyone listening in the future.

Schedule a Coaching Call

Ready to launch your podcast? I can help make sure you avoid the common mistakes. Go to www.podcastconsultant.com

I may like your blog, but I can't read it on the way to work. However, I could listen to it if it was a podcast.

People on YouTube have audio recorded. All they need to do is pull the video into a program like Audacity and export the audio. 

You already have great content, but not everybody loves videos and blogs. You should repurpose your content and make it easy for everyone to consume their content in any format. 

See www.podcastconsultant.com/29 for full notes

There may be decisions that just you just can't come to a conclusion.

You could do more research if you want, but in some cases, you just have to make a decision and if it doesn't work out, then try something else. 

I often say your podcast is a recipe and not a statue. I can almost guarantee that your podcast will start in one direction and end up going in a slightly different one that you thought. 

I like bananas. I like peanut butter on bananas. I like Reese's cups which have chocolate and peanut butter combined. However, I never mixed bananas, peanut butter, and chocolate. On paper, it seems like I would like this but there is only ONE way to know and that's to make the recipe and eat it. 

You can guess all day if your audience will like your show, but there is only one way to know and that's to make an episode and let them eat it. Nobody will punch you in the face, and you can change anything that doesn't work. Also keep in mind that when you first start out, you probably don't have much of an audience. 

Let Me Help You

Go to www.podcastconsultant.com and schedule a session now.

Musicians

Actors

Athletes

They all have some sort of “pre-seasons, or “Dress Rehearsal” to work out the kinks and your podcast should follow their example.

I am going to Podcast Movement next week and I have the following gear ready to use/test:

Tascam DR-10X miniature recorder

SC6-L Mobile Interview Kit

Rode Interviewer Microphone

I haven't used any of this equipment and I will have TONS of opportunities to use it at Podcast movement. 

I DONT WANT MY FIRST “REAL” INTERVIEW TO BE MY GUINEA PIG

You Will Thank Me Later

If your parents (or anyone who made an impact on your life) are still around, use them as your “test” interview. There are some fun twists with this:
1) As you are “in control” as the interviewer you may feel more comfortable asking questions you normally wouldn't.

2) They may really expand on stories as this is being recorded and they want to give you good content (they are your parents still) 

3). If life goes according to plan, you will outlive them (I hate to bum you out) but you will thank me later

Let Me Help You

No matter if you start planning, starting, launching, growing, your podcast I can help with all of that. 

Schedule a Session Today

If the numbers go up, they don't believe they are real listeners

If the numbers go down, then there must be something wrong.

I host a show that I've done since 2005 called The School of Podcasting and it has over 600 episodes.

When I look at the stats for a current month, 60% of them are from shows NOT released that month.

For example, let's say I get 20,000 downloads in the month of June. The episode released in June might get 2000 downloads an episode. That means four episodes would be 8000 downloads.

Then where did the other 12,000 downloads come during June? Your back episodes.

When someone finds your show and they like it they will download more episodes.

Some apps make I super easy to download ALL of your episodes. In my case that is over 600 downloads in one day.

With this in mind your daily, weekly, and monthly stats are not a consistent way to tell if your show is growing.

How To Tell If Your Podcast Is Growing

What you want to measure is the number of downloads per episode. Some people recommend the total number of downloads for the episode after it has been published for 30 days. They use this stat as that is often the time frame sponsors use.

I like to check the total number of downloads after seven days. Why? Because it shows me my (in my opinion) subscribers and “super fans.”

As os the case always with stats you can pivot and do creative math to see what you want to see. Just keep it consistent. If you want to compare one episode after 30 days to another one after it has been available for 30 days, you can do that. Just make sure they are both showing stats for the same period of time. A show that has been published longer will naturally have more downloads.

Lets Work Together

I would love to help you plan, launch, grow and monetize your podcast. Take advantage of my 14 years of experience.

Schedule a Coaching Session

But there are some things you might want to think consider. Number one, who owns the show? So if it's the Bert and Ernie show, and Burt decides he wants to quit, does that mean Ernie can't find a new co-host and change the name?
You'll see this all the time with bands like Pink Floyd and Queensryche who spend tons of cash in court arguing over who owns the name.
Secondly, what if somebody wants to leave, let's say after nine months of doing the show, Burt says, I've had enough. I thought this was going to be fun.

How are you going to handle these situations?

FULL NOTES HERE

Here are some tips to consider:

• What role does each person play (and who is driving the conversation)
• Morning radio has a host, typically some "dork" and someone (often a female) who is the voice of reason
• You might consider adding some diversity into your team so people can identify with someone on the show.

If you would like some help planning your podcast, let's sit down and get your going in the right direction. Schedule a session today.

So you want to share to the world that your podcast episode is out there? You're not sure what link to use.

Should I share a link to Apple?

Should I share a link to Google?

Should I just share a link directly to the mp3 file?

Think of it Like a Podcast Dinner

Well, I want to use the analogy of dinner, you've decided to have a bunch of people over for dinner. And then you say, well, let's see, we can't have burgers, because one person is coming is vegetarian. It's tough to have a one size fits all solution.

The Problem with Some Podcast Links

And here's the problem. If I send you just an apple link,  80% of Europe is using an Android phone. When you send them an apple link, it's kind of like, hey, look, I don't care about you Mr and Mrs. Android user.

Likewise, if I send an Android link then the apple people are left out.

So you need a one size fits all and realize that when you do clothing, that's one size fits all is not the prettiest fit but it works.

Your Website is Your Central Hub

In the end, your website is your central hub, that is your home base. It is where you want people to go because if all these apps and websites blow up, they always know that they can return back to your home base.

MP3.com

There was a website called mp3.com and musicians were actually making a living using mp3.com to the point where they didn't have their own website. And they would just tell people, hey, go to mp3.com/DaveJackson. Well, mp3 dot com, got sold, sued, sold, and sold again and eventually right now it's worthless. And those people that didn't say go to davidjackson.org lost their audience. Go there, and you can find me and I will tell you how to get more music. They lost their entire audience. There were people that used to put all their ducks in a row on my space. Yes,

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc are all satellite offices should direct people back to your website.

The Best Link To Share Your Podcast on Social

So to get back to the original question, what link do I put in my social media? Put the link that points people to the episode on your website. So when they go there, they'll see a player, they'll see some notes about the episode. And hopefully, they'll see links there to subscribe because, in the end, we want people to subscribe to your show. That way, when you put out a new episode, it automatically goes to their devices. So what link do I put, when I'm sharing on social? The one that's going to work for everybody - the link to your website.

If they're on an Android phone, it works. If they're on an Apple phone, it works. If they're on their desktop, it works. Send your audience to your website which also reinforces your brand.

Conclusion

By using a link to the episode on your website people can click play on your player no matter what device they are using. You can also have subscribe buttons and other calls to action. If you're using Facebook, you can put "the pixel" on their device and start marketing to them. The best link to share on social for your podcast is a link to your website.

Work With Me

Join the School of Podcasting or let me be your podcast mentor

schedule some one on one time so we can get your going in the right direction.

Pros and Cons of each format

Tools to create a good video

Why you should record your audio separately

Links and more at www.podcastconsultant.com/21

Schedule a consulting session today 

www.podcastconsultant.com

My answer is, well, let's see, it's free and it will give you more exposure, and just a few minutes to submit to them.

Why would you not list your show there?

The answer is, yes, wherever you can list your show or doesn't hurt your brand. Why wouldn't you?

I've got a list of the best directories at the website

http://www.podcastconsultant.com/20

When Your Podcast Name is Bad

The bad news is that name that you chose for your podcast is falling flat, or even worse, it's confusing people. Because if you confuse you lose. You've come to the conclusion, I want to change the name of my podcast. In fact, what if I want to rebrand my show.

My First Podcast Had Three Names

Musician's Cyber Cooler

I did this three times with my first podcast, I originally named it the musician's cyber cooler. This is where musicians come to trade advice (kind of a water cooler). Back in 2005. When I started we called the Internet cyberspace. Hence, the musicians cyber cooler. Well, that confused people. Then the word cyber got attached to sex. People were talking about cybersex.

Musician's Cooler

I need to lose the word cyber so then it was the Musician's Cooler. The artwork had a big picture of a water cooler that said Musicians Cooler: where musicians come to trade advice. People still didn't get it. They asked if it was about wine coolers.

Marketing Musician

Change the name, again, to the marketing musician Podcast, where musicians come to trade advice. Finally, my audience understood.

You Can Change Your Podcast Anytime - It's YOURS

Your podcast is a recipe, not a statute. So here's what you want to do. If you want to change your name, you go into whatever system you're using to generate your feed. Remember, Apple, Spotify, Google, they're all looking at your feed. In fact, podcasting is syndicated. So if you're using something like Libsyn.com  (you can use the coupon code sopfree to get a free month there) you simply change your information (the artwork, description, name) in Libsyn.

Be Careful Changing Artwork

Now when you're uploading new artwork, make sure that it meets the specifications for Apple.

1400x1400px (minimum)
3000x3000px (maximum)
Under 500kb
Use rGB color space
Be a JPG, JPEG, or a PNG file

You want the new artwork to have a different name (so Logo.jpg is now logo2.jpg)

Don't Worry About Your Feed - Apps See Your Feed - Not People

If you're using Libsyn you might worry that your feed still have fragments of your old name. Here is a simple test:

Think of your favorite podcast. Now tell me their feed. Me neither. PEOPLE don't look or see feed addresses (apps do).

When I updated my show, I kept the same feed address.

What About Changing Website Addresses?

If you're using the feed from your media host (Like Libsyn) you can blow up your website. It won't matter. However, if you are using a feed generated by your website it is a big deal. You need to create the new website with the new feed BEFORE you delete the old website address (as you will need to point the old to look at the new). This type of operation is somewhat out of the scope of an audio podcast. I can help you with it (I help people do this every day) but it just doesn't work in Audio format.

Work With Me

Join the School of Podcasting or let me be your podcast mentor

1. Identify who your audience is
2. Determine what content they want to hear.
3. Create content that will inspire them to tell a friend (in other words, its good)
4. Go to where your target audience is
5. Make friends with them, and bring value to every conversation, listen for ideas for future episodes.
6. Then tell them about your show

If you need help growing your audience I would love to help

Schedule a Session today and let me help you get your podcast headed in the right direction

Mentioned in this Episode

Meetup.com

Subscribe to the Podcast

• About Page
• Contact Page
• Subscribe Page
• Your Episodes

Is your website a business with a podcast or is it a Podcast with a business? This is something that there is no "one size fits all" answer and I would love to work with you to sort it out. Each situation is different and based on your specific needs. 

If you need web hosting then check out www.coolerwebsites.com

Check out www.podcastvoicemail.com

Check out Speak Pipe

Ready to Get That Podcast Off The Ground?

Schedule some time with me today

https://podcastconsultant.com/schedule-a-session/

Apple and Spotify search is not great.

See videos and more at www.podcastconsultant.com/16

I am starting a podcast with a few friends and we are currently looking at different hosting sites for our show. We are new to podcasting so we're trying to find the most user-friendly hosting platform that also allows us to turn this into at least a part-time job. According to my research Libsyn is the best at monetizing a podcast. I was wondering if you would be able to answer a few questions for us to help determine if Libsyn is the right fit? (name redacted)

If this is your first concern, there is a likely chance that you're not going to make it as a podcaster.

Musicians start playing horrible places to "pay their dues." Many businesses go out of business due to lack of customers. Start a podcast is easy. Starting a GOOD podcast takes work. If you have the passion for your topic, and the passion to serve your audience, you'll make it. If your goal is fast money then you may be doomed.

In the book Beyond Powerful Radio Valerie Geller states that in Radio it can take three years to build a loyal audience. Many people don't want to hear that. It is going to take time.

How Many Downloads Should Your Podcast Get?

I have a formula for this:

The value in the episode multiplied by the amount of intelligent marketing equals the total number of downloads.

Value X Promotion = Downloads.

Go in With Your Eyes Wide Open

I don't mean to rain on your parade. I want you to know what it takes so your expectations are realistic and you make it through when many people quit. I want to help you avoid burnout, and doing things that make you seem busy but are not productive.

The bottom line is if your first question when you start a podcast is how soon can I start making money, you're headed in the wrong direction and very likely going to waste your time and money.

Work With Me

Join the School of Podcasting or let me be your podcast mentor

What Makes a Good Podcast?

When I did some research and looked at all the content I consume they all did one of the following:

1. It made me laugh
2. It made me cry
3. It made me think
4. It made me groan
5. It educated me
6. It entertained me

If you can combine two or more of those in a way that stirs people's emotions, you are on to something.

Never Compare Your Numbers To Others

When you are in a corporate setting, if you check the HR handbook I'm sure there is a paragraph about sharing payroll knowledge. Why? Because it breeds resentment. The same is true for podcasting. I had a client once that was overjoyed that they were getting 150 downloads per episode. Then another podcaster in a Facebook group announced that they had just gone of over 100,000 downloads. They were instantly defeated and wanted to quit.

There is Always Someone Better

As a guitar player growing up, I could hold my own. Then one day I saw a new guitarist in concert named Yngwie Malmsteen. He is amazing, and no matter how much I practice I feel I'll never be that good. Did I still love playing guitar? Yes. Did I still love playing in front of people? Yes. That is why I kept playing the guitar. I also had to keep in mind that Yngwie has been practicing much longer than I had, and had years of experience.

You may be listening to someone with prior experience, a prior following, and even if they started after you did, they will have a larger audience. Don't focus on them, focus on servicing your audience.

Apples To Oranges

If someone says they have 150 downloads of a podcast about pigmy ponies, that's a great number (depending on how many people are into Pigmy Ponies). If someone had 150 downloads per episode and they were doing a weight loss show (in a country where 70% of us need to lose weight) that might be seen as under-performing.

They Chose To Listen to You

Try to never use the word "only," as in "I only have 200 downloads per episode." My background is in education and a big class was 20 people so 200 downloads per episode is 10 classrooms. That was a full hallway (and then some) in the building where I use to teach.

In a world of TV, Netflix, Hulu, HBO, YouTube, Am/FM, Xbox and more they CHOSE to listen to you. If they don't want to listen there is nothing stopping them from deleting your show.

Work With Me

Join the School of Podcasting or let me be your podcast mentor

I had a client of mine came to me and said, Dave, I'm going to do a show. It's called After the Darkness. And I said, "Okay, let's run it through the test."

The Podcast Name Test

Go find your target audience. So that's step one. Find your target audience, somebody that you are pretty sure will listen to your show and say, "Hey, I'm going to do a show called After the Darkness. What do you think it's about? "

His test group answered:

Vampires

A band from the 90's

Nobody guessed what the show was about out correctly.

I asked him, "What's your show about again?" and he said, it's about life after blindness. And I said, "THAT IS THE NAME OF YOUR SHOW!"

He Tripled his Numbers with A New Name

Another client of mine had named his show FO Time. He swore that his audience would know what it meant. While this might be true, they weren't searching for "Ham Radio." When he changed the name of his show from FO Time to Ham Radio 360, his numbers tripled.

The Title of Your Episode

I work in the tech support department for libsyn.com (get a free month using the coupon code sopfree ). It's the oldest and largest podcast media hosting company.

I see a lot of podcasters put the name of their show in the title of the episode, and then give the episode name "episode 16." So if I was doing "the Dave Jackson show" (a horrible name by the way) I might name an episode "The Dave Jackson Show - Episode 16." That does not entice you to click and listen. Nobody is Googling the phrase "episode 16."

And my episode title was Dave Jackson show, Episode 16, that does not entice you to click and if you actually look at your show, in most apps, it has the name of the show at the top of the page. So there's no reason to put the name of the show in the title of the episode because it's already there (see image to the right).

Picture Your Target Audience Looking at Your Podcast Listing

The title of your show draw them over to take a closer look

Then they see the titles of the episode and think, "This is just what I'm looking for..." and they not only click a button to listen, but they click the SUBSCRIBE button (and subscribers is what it is all about).

Do You Need Help With Your Podcast?

Work With Me

I have different packages for different budgets. Everything I do helps get your podcast headed in the right direction. I look forward to working with you. 

Join the School of Podcasting at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/join

Need a Podcast Mentor see www.schoolofpodcasting.com/workwithme

1. Go to events. Some of my best guests started with a conversation at an event

2. Look for your "competition" and contact them to brainstorm and do a show together or trade interviews.

3. Do your homework. Do they do interviews?

4. Do your homework. Are you a good fit? 

5. Do your homework and listen to a show and interact with the host. Most podcasts are asking for feedback, give it to them

6. The podcast host cares about their audience, not our background. How will you bring VALUE to their audience? 

7. Use a free service like podcastguests.com 

8. Use a free service like Help a Reporter

9. Journo Requests is similar to Help a Reporter except they use Twitter Sign up or see samples.

Above all else, always deliver value. If you are on a podcast, be the world best guest and promote your appearance so the guest has a good taste in their mouth if someone talks about you. 

Mentioned in this Episode

Podcastvoicemail.com

Other booking services can be seen at podcastingresources.com

 Let Me Help You With Your Podcast

I would love to help you plan, launch, grow or monetize your show see https://podcastconsultant.com/schedule-a-session/https://podcastconsultant.com/schedule-a-session/

Hi everyone
I’m not yet on the podcast system but I’m soooo eager to start. I’ve bought a $70 microphone. Everyone recommends and have a MacBook Pro with GarageBand ready to rumble but...
Blank page
I have no niche
No passion to talk about
I did not find my “why” or “AHA” moment

Did you face something similar?
I’m a bit lost, I mean I have everything to start, I’m in the IT world, I’m not an expert but I know stuff and get unstuck on every situation in the IT ecosystem but other than that....

Help please

Your Podcast Starts With Your Idea

If you can' state your why you will never make it through the "how." I see where they are sooooo eager, and that's great but don't let your emotions get the best of you. I once had someone who had spent THOUSANDS of dollars on podcasting equipment and soundproofing, and lights and cameras. They hired me for a consulting call. What did they need help with? They had no idea what to podcast about. Don't make that mistake.

If you need help picking a topic, I can help with that.

If you need help picking a topic, I can help with that. If you have zero ideas, that is a whole other problem. Reach out if you need some help

Let's say you are a radio station and your frequency is 100.7. You could have Panasonic, RCA, Sony,  JVC all tuned to your station. When you play a song it comes out of all the radios as they are tuned to your station.

With podcasting, instead of a frequency, you have an RSS feed. Instead of radios, you have apps (Apple and Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn). So when you put out a new episode it goes to those apps. You then create a post on your website as well to attract Google so hopefully, you come up when someone searches for your topic. 

You do not upload anything to Apple or the other apps. They are all mirrors of whatever is in your feed. Most media hosts provide an apple compliant feed. There are also Wordpress plugins like PowerPress. No matter what you use for your feed, make sure you can redirect your feed (so if you ever want to leave your current situation you can take your audience with you.

You submit your show to these directories once, and once accepted they "tune in" to your feed and never tune out. You just keep making episodes and they appear in those apps. Apple is somewhat special as there are two versions. A web-based version I call your Apple listing, and the app/software versions iTunes and Apple podcasts. With Apple iTunes/podcasts any changes you make appear almost instantly to anyone who subscribes to your show using those apps. However, the Apple listing is more of a snapshot in time that is updated every 24 hours.

With this in mind, you could be looking at Apple iTunes desktop software and not see the episode you released two hours ago. Then subscribe to your show and see the episode. Why? Because the listing only updates every 24 hours (or less).

One thing I recommend to all my clients is to subscribe to your own show. This way when you see the episode appear on your device, you know Apple or other apps just need to catch up. Technically speaking your podcast is fine.

One last thing about RSS feeds. Once you are accepted into the directories you can change the location of your feed. If you change to a new website address, you need to take care to redirect the old feed to look at the new address. If you are using Libsyn.com you wouldn't want to change your slug. In both of these situations, it's like (going back to the radio analogy) moving our station from 100.7 to 98.5 and not telling any of your listeners. You are (more or less) blowing up your show and starting from scratch.

If you have any questions, I realize this is one of the more confusing items in podcasting so don't hesitate to contact me

1. What is the maximum size of the audience (If everybody on the planet that was interested in this topic listened, how many people are we talking about?)
2. Do those people really care about that topic? Are they "rabid fans?"
3. How passionate are you about this topic

See the full show notes at www.podcastconsultant.com/9

1. Don't mess with my file. What I upload is what I want people to download.
2. Give me the ability to have an unlimited back catalog (unlimited storage)
3. Don't limit my audience size (unlimited bandwidth)
4. Don't control my feed, and make it easy to leave if I choose to do so. I need to be able to put in an iTunes redirect script.
5. Give me support.
6. Charge me for your service so you can stay in business
7. Give me stats so I can see what's working. It would be nice if they were accurate.
8. I need to own my content and control how it is used.
9. Be 100% Apple compatible

Here are some popular options

Libsyn.com (get a free month using the coupon code sopfree )
Blubrry.com (get a free month using the coupon code sopfree )
Podbean.com (get a free month using the coupon code sopfree ) 

What about spreaker.com, Pinecast.com? Simplecast.com? 

Simplecast re-encodes your file, "If encoded as an 128kbps or less MP3, we will not re-encode or transcode the audio. If an audio file is over we will encode it to 128kbps in MP3 format." Now I realize if you export at 128 this isn't a problem (it does add a small amount of time to publishing as you wait for it to re-encode your file). There are some music podcasters who want to export at a lower bit rate (case in point Marc Maron). Podcaster should be able to export in whatever format they want  source 

Spreaker does not offer an unlimited back catalog

Pinecast does not offer episode numbers for Apple podcast unless you have configured your show to be serial (I guess episodic shows don't have episode numbers?)

Soundcloud - Does not offer all of the Apple fields, and their stats are not recognized by many services as you can purchase plays (and are not reliable)

Squarespace - While they make pretty websites, you miss out on some great syndication options

Anchor.fm - This free service has HORRIBLE terms of service and enables people to do whatever they want with your content. They also offer to submit your show to Apple "for you" and forget to inform you that they then own your show in Apple. Most free media hosts go out of business after three years (see more information)

What Is Your Favorite?

I was a Libsyn custom for 10 years. I love their syndication option, their flexibility, their ability to make a smartphone app for me, as well as syndication into iHeart Radio, Spotify, LinkedIn, and many other options. I can sell my back catalog, or even create a private podcast for my business. 

Here is the problem. I became an employee two years ago, and now people call my credibility into question. They think I will always say that Libsyn is the best (even though I have 10 years of me saying that they were the best in 400+ episodes before I became an employee). So Libsyn, Bluburry, and Podbean are not band choices. There are others mentioned here that are not horrible. I always tell people I don't say Libsyn.com is the best because I work for them. It's the opposite because Libsyn.com is THE BEST, I chose to work for them when I found myself unemployed. 

What Media Hosts to Stay Away From 

If you are shopping for a media host, be sure to ask them if they follow the above criteria. ESPECIALLY the ability to do a 301 redirect. If they don't do that, and you want to leave, they own your audience. For me the ones I steer people away from are

anchor.fm

soundcloud.com

squaspace.com (for your podcast)

streamcast.com

talkshoe.com 

As I said before, use my criteria and make sure they pass (they should) 

If you have any questions, please contact me
 

Schedule a Coaching Call

Click here to start planning, launching and growing your audience

Bone conduction is the conduction of sound to the inner ear through the bones of the skull. In other words, there is bass added to your voice through your skull. 

Here is a test, talk while putting your fingertips on your forehead. You will feel the vibration. These vibrations add bass to your voice. When you listen only using your ears and not your skull, your voice can sound thin. This can cause some people large amounts of stress. Here is the truth:

Your voice sounds different, but different does NOT equal bad. 

The only way to get over it is to just keep recording and get used to it. I just need you to trust me and know you sound fine. 

This is just one of the tips I've picked up over my decade of podcasting and I'd love to help you. Go to www.podcastconcultant.com and lets start working together 

The Audio Technica ATR2100

The Audio Technica AT2005

The Samson Q2U

All of the above microphones with via USB or you can plugin them into a mixer.

When Do I Need a Mixer For My Podcast?

You need a mixer when:

• You have more than one person in the room with you
• You have more than one source of audio (i.e. you and an iPad that you are playing sounds through)

If you don't have one of the above scenarios you don't need a mixer (but they are nice to have around). You can add bass and treble to your voice and other items.

Speaking of the sound of your own voice, we will be talking about why most people hate the sound of their own voice in a future episode.

You might be thinking but how can that be? I just talk into the microphone for 15 minutes and I'm done. Well, you have to decide what to talk about. That might require some investigation. Then you record it. This takes time, and you might need to edit it unless every single word out of your mouth was perfect (and trust me, it won't be), Then you have to upload the file to your media host, and create a post on your website. This takes some time. You might want to make an image to go with the episode. Consequently, when you start a podcast you have to ask yourself what am I willing to give up? Most of us don't have a ton of free time, so what are you going to give up to create a podcast.

For me, I stopped watching a lot of bad TV. I might've stopped watching reruns of Friends and Seinfeld. I quit being sucked into rabbit holes on YouTube, and I turn off Facebook and Email so I can focus better.

We all have 24 hours in a day, and often the time to podcast is there. Sometimes it's not. When I get a message saying "I'm in a long-distance relationship, I'm in med school, and I'm working part-time in a restaurant. My initial reaction is you don't have time to podcast. You have a relationship that has built-in hurdles, you have homework, and a job. You have priorities that need your attention. While a podcast might be a fun hobby, wouldn't you hate to find out you got a bad grade on a test because you were up until 2 am editing when you should've been studying?

I had a similar situation. When I got my first degree in electronic engineering I was the editor of the student newsletter. I worked as a waiter to put myself through college. I had a girlfriend, and I was running the house as my father was a long distance truck driver and my mother was deceased. Being the editor was fun and exciting as I was doing investigative journalism and spotlighting policies that were horrible at my college. There was only one problem. I wasn't going to school to get a degree in journalism. My grades started to suggest, so the next semester I had to look at the big picture, look at my goals (in this case my degree) and go back to being just a writer for the Newspaper and not the editor.

I know as a podcast consultant I should tell everyone they need to start a podcast NOW, but as someone with a little bit of life under his belt, I'm here to say your podcast is not more important than your family, friends, and jobs. So there may be times when you don't start your podcast NOW, but you can start planning for it and launch it later.

Ready To Launch Your Podcast?

Are you ready to launch your podcast? I would love to help you plan, launch and grow your podcast. I want to be your podcast consultant.

Longer Podcasts Are Doing Very Well

In episode 93 of Libsyn.com's The Feed Podcast, VP of Podcaster Relations Rob Walch states that at Libsyn.com

84% of shows with 100,000 downloads are 51 minutes are longer

Those that were 2.0 hours or more with 100,000 downloads per episode or more made up 13.2% of the podcasts on Libsyn.

Those that were 30 minutes or less made up 9.9% of shows.

This Doesn't Mean All Podcasts Should Be Long

The bottom line is, your podcast should be as long as it needs to be and not a minute more.

When I reverse engineered all the content I consumed, I found that the content did one or more of the following:

It made me Laugh
It made me Cry
It made me Think
It made me Grown
It Educated me
It Entertained me

If you can do more than one of these at the same time, you're on to something. If your content does not of the above, do NOT press record.

I would love to help you shape your message. I want to be your podcast consultant.

Have you ever uploaded an image to FaceBook, or a file as an email attachment? 

Then you can upload a media file to your media host

Have you ever been listening to the radio in the car and your phone rings and you turn down the radio?

Then you know how to mix audio

Have you ever press record on a VCR, Cassette Deck, Tivo, or DVR?

Then you press record in audio recording software (hint, it's the red button with "REC" on it)

Do You Know How To Talk?

Then you can talk into a microphone.

I Use to Be Afraid Like You

Today I share a story about how I was fired for being too shy.  I reveal the advice I got from a teacher who got me over the hump, and I want to be the person who can help you over your hump.

Don't let the technology stop you from getting your message out to the world. If you want to be heard, then please let me know help

I look forward to working with you. I want to be your podcast consultant

• Their networks have grown
• Reaching a global audience
• They are getting free stuff
• They are being offered opportunities
• They are building an audience
• They are getting paid
• They are getting hired
• They are earning awards
• They are being seen as the media 
• They are speaking to celebrities in their field
• They have a purpose and direction in their life
• They are adding dollars to their bottom line
• They are changing the lives of their audience

I've been helping people understand technology for over 20 years, and I've been podcasting for over a decade and I want to help you. 

I want to be your podcast consultant