When I started podcasting, I knew I wanted it to be something special. I didn’t want to have a wimpy, low quality podcast. I was putting my name on it, after all. It would show up when people Googled me. But perhaps more importantly, I wanted the podcast to be something I really cared about and loved doing.

I’ve learned a huge amount since starting my podcast, Twilight Histories. If I were to start over again from scratch knowing what I know now, the process would be a lot smoother. This article is my way of giving back. I want your podcasting experience to be fantastic, right from the start!

How should I pick my podcast topic?

When I started my podcast, I was trying to move into the History genre. I noticed there were a lot of history podcasts out there such as History of Rome, or History of WWII. I knew these podcasts were wildly successful. With a background in Classical Archaeology, I thought of starting a show called History of Greece. I’m sure this would have been very popular. However, I wasn’t convinced this direction was in line with my end game.

My goal was to write novels. I wanted the podcast to help market my books. So what I did was create a podcast that featured my creative writing with the help of music and sound effects.

As I quickly discovered, this format wasn’t a growth engine. I have watched other podcasters appear on the scene with more conventional ‘History of’ formats and reach dramatic popularity. The growth of my show has been much slower. It’s not immediately obvious what it is from the title, Twilight Histories. It’s also not as searchable, since it doesn’t use a keyword phrase in the title (you can imagine ‘History of Rome’ will show up in organic search results).

That all being said, it has with time become quite popular and is well regarded by a loyal fan base. When I launch my novels, the podcast has an audience that is primed for those releases—much more so than it would if I had a traditional format. Even if I’d gone for a trational format and attracted tons of followers, there would only be a loose relationship between the show and my books. A less popular yet more refined show has made a huge difference to my book sales.

The lesson is, make sure you know your end game and match the podcast to it.

How should I structure my shows?

The mother of all lessons is to make your shows consistent. Every show should be similarly structured so that the listener can expect the same quality experience each time you post.

How long should your shows be? Between 20 minutes and 1 hour is standard. If you’re following a popular format, it’s best to copy what other existing shows are doing.

What should I name my podcast?

I’ve seen a few mistakes over the years when it comes to name branding. One option is to name it within the provided conventions, such as ‘History of Music’. Another is to give it a unique name that’s catchy and intriguing, such as ‘Bach’s Corner’. Don’t go crazy with SEO keywords in your title, such as ‘History of Music Review Podcast’. It not only sounds contrived, but it’s hard to remember.

How should I name my episodes?

When I started, I used naming conventions I quickly realized weren’t helping me, for example ‘Show 1: Rome Industrial’. After a few shows, I realized the part ‘Show 1’ was completely redundant. I didn’t want people to listen to my shows in order. I wanted them to listen to shows because the title intrigued them. Also, that numbering system took up a lot of valuable title space. I ended up dropping it down to ‘Rome Industrial’. This might not be appropriate for your show.

How much preparation should I do?

Most podcasters I see appearing on the scene jump in too early. They don’t buy a good microphone. They don’t bother editing out their ums and ahs. They read from a script with errors. They use a boring monotone voice.

I’ve been coaching one of my listeners and have watched him painstakingly go through the process of creating his own podcast. He bought a good microphone. He wrote and re-wrote his scripts. He asked lots of questions from podcasters who are successful. He’s spent months preparing, and when he finally launches, I have little doubt he’ll be a hit. You should do the same.

When should I launch?

I had the problem of stalling. I waited two years before finally launching my first show. While I’m glad I used that opportunity to create something really special and unique, it almost got to the point where I recognized I was stalling. I was making excuses not to start.

If you find yourself at the point where you’ve got everything you need and at the quality you feel is adequate… and you’re stalling… head these words. Just do it!

When you first start, you’ll probably be excited by the ten downloads you see in your first week. You don’t want to lose your fans by messing around with your shows and format. However, I’d say don’t worry too much. This is the time to experiment and tidy things up. In a year from when you start, you’ll likely have between 2 and 10 thousand subscribers. Experiment now and in a year you’ll have a great thing.

What microphone should I use?

If you want a decent entrance level microphone, the Blue Snowball USB Microphone is not bad. I know many podcasters who use this, such as Jamie Redfern from the History of Hannibal podcast. For a bit more money, you can get the Rode Podcaster USB Dynamic Microphone. This is what I use for my own shows, and I highly recommend it.

What software should I use to record?

If you’re on a Mac, Garage Band will do fine to begin with. There are a few annoying things about Garage Band which just aren’t there in professional software like the ultra-slick Adobe Audition. That said, Garage Band is a fine place to start.

If you’re on a PC, there is some free software available such as Audacity. This is a bit antiquated and takes some effort to figure out, but it does the trick.

Where can I get good intro music for cheap?

Browse through Audio Jungle. The music is very inexpensive and there’s loads of it.

How about the voice actor for the introduction?

Try Fiverr. You can hire a voice actor for $5. You probably aren’t going to get the quality or enthusiasm of a professional voice actor, but you might be surprised. For $5, you can get a 30 second intro that will do you just fine to start.

How about the artwork for the podcast?

Your best bet is oDesk. Browse through their contractors and find one with a portfolio you like. The dimensions are 1400 x 1400.

How do I record interviews over Skpye?

Most podcasters use Call Recorder.

How do I get my podcast on iTunes?

There are plenty of syndication feeds out there. Liberated Syndication is the highest quality I’ve seen.

What if I want to host the podcast myself?

You can host your own podcast and syndicate it to iTunes. Be aware that this involves purchasing a domain and hosting, building a website, installing a plugin and properly configuring it, uploading your shows into your website through something called FTP and then going through the steps with iTunes to get your podcast feeding properly. Instructions to do this would involve a long article in itself.

What’s the advantage of hosting myself?

With a syndicated feed, you are relying on another company to manage your podcast. If that company goes out of business, or if they simply stop supporting or updating their software, there’s nothing you can do about it.

Hosting it yourself means it’s yours. Your podcast is completely under your control. If you have a reliable hosting provider and you know something about web sites (or have a web company that can help you), you’re in a good place.

For Immediate Release

VICTORIA, British Columbia – November 6, 2012 – Caorda Web Solutions announces a merger with Sage Internet Solutions. The combined entity boasts more than 800 clients and 17 staff members and offers an increased breadth of services including creative web design and strategy, software development for web, mobile and Windows platforms, as well as Canadian hosting solutions.

“Sage has an impressive 16 year history of providing outstanding customer service with a deep level of expertise in web strategy and design. Sage’s knowledge in open-source software development and WordPress implementations are a great complement to Caorda’s expertise in ASP .NET custom web application development”, stated Paul Johnston, Caorda President and founder.

The merger between Caorda and Sage creates a leading edge web solutions organization with immediate benefits to existing customers and becomes the go-to firm for any business looking to improve its web presence, develop a custom web or mobile application, or implement a Canadian hosting solution.

Michael Stevulak, founder of Sage Internet Solutions Ltd. states, “I’m excited about the synergies between Caorda and Sage. The merger provides businesses across BC with a compelling solution for creative web design, responsive mobile web sites, software development and custom hosting services. Since its beginning in 1996, Sage has delivered a high level of customer service for its web projects which is matched with Caorda’s client-focused approach to service delivery”.

In the new organization, services for small business web design, ecommerce, online marketing and social media will be delivered under the division, Sage Web Strategy + Design, while Caorda Web Solutions will focus on application development and hosting solutions. All staff members have been retained and the integrated team is located at Suite 100-3550 Saanich Road, Victoria, BC.

About Caorda Web Solutions

Headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia since 2003, Caorda is an innovative and experienced company providing creative web design, web development, mobile app. development, software development, and Canadian web hosting solutions. As a Microsoft Certified Partner, Caorda delivers high quality products and services to a wide variety of clients throughout North America, including CampusAuction.com, Central 1 Credit Union, the Directorate of Agencies for School Health, Vancouver Island Healthy Authority and the BC Lions Society. Caorda was selected as the 2010 VIATeC Online Strategy of the Year winner for the Canadian Olympic Committee School Program web site.

Download PDF Version

Media Contacts:

Lorne Neil, MBA Director of Sales & Marketing
lneil@caorda.com – 250.598.6772

Paul Johnston, MBA President
pjohnston@caorda.com – 250.598.6772

Apple Then: 1997

Apple Now: 2012

IBM Then: 2001

IBM Now: 2012

Microsoft Then: 1997

Microsoft Now: 2012

Google Then: 1999

Google Now: 2012

Amazon Then: 1999

Amazon Now: 2012

NASA Then: 1997

NASA Now: 2012

Friendster Then: 2004

Friendster Now: 2012

YouTube Then: 2004

YouTube Now: 2012

Yahoo! Then: 2001

Yahoo! Now: 2012

WordPress Then: 2003

WordPress Now: 2012

Sage Then: 1999

Sage Now: 2012

Visit: www.google.ca/express

iPad is shattered

That’s when we went on good old Used Victoria and did a search for ‘iPad repair’.  A company called I Fix It came up offering repair services for iPhones, iPods and iPads. We gave them a call and before you know it, our company iPad was good as new.

iPad is all better

If you have a broken iPad, iPhone or iPod, we at Sage Internet can recommend I Fix It.  They’re fast, friendly and very affordable.  Thanks Jose!

The traditional logic in advertising is based on repetition, displaying the same advertisement continuously with the intention of eventually striking an action with the consumer.

Have the consumer work for you

Results for this method are difficult to measure and when you stop your campaign your message may die. Why not think outside traditional concepts and have the consumer work for you with interactive advertising.

Checkout this YouTube video using outside the box advertising methods.

QR Code short for Quick Response Code, is a technological advancement to the traditional UPC Barcode‘s you’ve see on products.

For those who don’t know UPC (Universal Product Code)’s were first implemented in the early 70′s to streamline the checkout process in grocery stories.

A UPC Barcode contains up to 12 numerical characters. When an employee scans a barcode, the cash register accesses the store database and gathers information about the product.

The difference

While a UPC Barcode only contains 12 numerical characters and requires access to a central database, a QR Code can actually contain all the information within the actually barcode.

This can be used to display multiple types of information such as a description, call a phone number, email a company or open a web page.

Benefits for consumer

While I assume most of you don’t own the hardware to scan a UPC, everyone can scan a QR Code using your mobile device by simply downloading one of many free mobile applications.

Popular Readers

• iPhone
• Android
• Blackberry

Benefits for business

While traditional print marketing relies on the consistency of displaying advertisements to the consumer, the call to action is often lost.

Do you really want to type that long web address to win a donut?

A QR Code changes the game. You can bridge traditional marketing techniques with 21st century technology instantly.

Furthermore you don’t even have to print codes on paper; QR Codes can be read from any LCD display such as the digital advertising in taxies, malls and much more.

Lost Messages with QR Codes.

Although the technology could greatly benefit your business, using the latest and the greatest just for the sake of being cool can often work against your campaign.

Recently while reading a newspaper publication at my favourite cafe, I noticed an interesting advertisement with a QR code indicating more information… After pulling out my trusty QR Code reader, the barcode didn’t scan.

The printing process ruined the integrity of the barcode.

If it doesn’t scan, what’s the point?

Conclusion

Use the technology in your marketing campaign and make sure it works. Track the data using Google Analytics and watch your conversions fly.

After many months of squeezing production in between client projects, the new Sage website is finally here. Staff can breathe a sigh of relief now that we have a website that properly showcases our talents. In fact, this is not a simple website overhaul. This is just part of the launch of the new Sage brand.

We wanted our brand to reflect what we really do: design and build web strategies for our clients. We love the ongoing relationships with our clients and see them really as partners on a mission to satisfy their business goals via the web. Websites are just a tiny part of that and we wanted it to be clear from the outset.

We hope you like what you see.

But what happens when the store is up and running?  Ecommerce store owners often figure their job is to draw people to the site and then basically put it on autopilot, updating products and promotions when necessary.  Perhaps a wiser investment is to create an online environment where people buy time and time again over the course of their lives.

People have life cycles.  They change, go through stages.  And when they pass into a new stage, they need different products.  For example, a woman will get engaged, then she’ll  get married, then pregnant, then she has young children and so on.  If your marketing strategy doesn’t take all these life stages into account, how can you possibly keep her coming back time and time again?

People want to know you’re taking personal interest in them.  If a woman is newly pregnant, she wants you to engage her, tell her what stage her baby is at, show her pictures, give her information.  She wants encouragement during the early stages and to be consoled if she miscarries.  She wants you as her trusted consultant to recommend the right products to her, whether they’re prenatal pills, maternity wear, books or the booster seat for her new family.

We’re talking about personalized, dynamic marketing targeted to the individual throughout their life cycles.

One of the best first steps in achieving this is to have a membership area on your site.  When members sign up, they’re put into a database or CRM so their profiles will build over time.  By defining specific segments of society or life cycles, you can match your members to these segments so their marketing always appears personalized.

To draw in new member and engage those you already have, you can offer a range of membership benefits.  For instance, you can have online experts who can chat with your prospects about their concerns and recommend products.  You can offer membership discounts.  You can offer podcasts or videos on select subjects to members.  You can create an App that gives them regular updates as they pass through life stages.  You can allow members to take an active role in your community forum as opposed to simply being able to browse it.  And segment-defined newsletters are of course a must.

If you have a brick and mortar store in addition to your online store, imagine the ‘wow’ factor a customer will have when they come in and your sales rep is able to speak to their very specific needs as drawn from the database.  Now that’s service!

If you don’t engage the people who visit your site–if you sell to them and nothing more–they’ll leave in most cases.  If you do engage them, your conversion rates will improve.  And if you engage them throughout their lives, giving them valuable information, encouragement and care, you’ll create a powerful customer base and an army of consumer advocates.

The technical hurdles of getting an ecommerce store up and running are real and challenging.  It’s a bit like building a car engine from the ground up.  But what about the body of the car?  Is it one size fits all?  How about creating a dynamic solution where you can switch out bodies depending on the individual?  When they’re young, you give them a sports car body.  When they’re having children, you give them a van.  When they’re middle aged… well, you give them back the sports car.

If you were socially savvy in the days before Facebook, you probably remember MySpace.  It was strong in 2005 and for the next couple years it grew and grew.  Facebook was but a twinkle in Mark Zukerberg’s eye.

Graph showing the volume of search results for MySpace and Facebook between 2004 and 2012

Then in late 2007, Facebook mirrored the same dramatic growth.  MySpace didn’t suffer much in popularity.  People were probably jumping between accounts.  But like a ship in that eerie calm right before its stern rises from the water, MySpace was about to sink.  Half way through 2008, Facebook’s growth exploded throughout the world while MySpace slipped into the deep.

Another great example of a social networking site that thrived and then dived is Friendster.  This bit by the Onion shows what happens when software becomes unpopular:

This kind of thing happens all the time.  Great ideas are borne, people jump on the idea and then some other company develops a more trendy version. That’s all fine and well when it comes to social platforms–it’s easy to jump ship–but what happens when your website is on the line?

Five years ago, only the cool kids were using what’s called a CMS or Content Management System.  A CMS is a piece of software that allows web developers and regular folks to easily and quickly update content without the need to manually go into the code.  Pretty much everyone who builds a new site does so using a CMS.  I can’t think of anyone who builds static sites anymore.

Right now, there are tons of different CMSs available on the market.  Many of them are free.  For some, there’s a licensing fee.  But just like the early days of social media, these companies are going to rise and fall.

Although people might argue with me on this one, I’m going to say there are three basic types of CMS.  There’s an ultra-expensive licensed CMS which the bigger companies or government organizations use (unless the company is really big in which case it may just develop its own CMS!).  There’s the ecommerce CMS which isn’t much of a CMS at all—it’s ecommerce software with a CMS plugged in.  And then there’s the ‘open source’ CMS, in other words the free version for the rest of us.

Because most websites are going to be built using an open source CMS, this is where the really dramatic action is going to take place that’s relevant to most people.

At the time of writing, there are three big players: WordPress, Joomla and Drupal.  When we watch the trends (starting in 2004), we see WordPress and Drupal battling it out.  In truth, back at this time they were going for different markets.  WordPress was just for bloggers (making it quite popular) and Drupal was in the professional business website camp.

Graph showing the dramatic fluctuations in popularity between the three major CMSs: WordPress, Drupal and Joomla

In late 2005, Joomla appeared on the scene and rocketed to the top in popularity.  It stayed at the top until the end of 2008 despite WordPress’ steady and dramatic rise.  Drupal was also rising, mostly thanks to people switching from static sites to CMSs.   During those early years, there was plenty of pie to go around.

Then in 2009, first blood was spilled.  WordPress and Joomla jostled viciously for popularity.  Drupal plateaued.  By 2010, the die was cast and WordPress was on the road to the massive lead it now enjoys.

What accounted for this?

Joomla and Drupal were designed to be powerful CMSs for business websites.  But they were difficult to operate for both developers and for the people who updated them.  WordPress was a blogging platform that was very popular with bloggers but not with business owners.  When WordPress started offering business solutions, its simpler dashboard instantly made it a hit and Joomla and Drupal suffered.

The growth of WordPress (and the decline of Joomla and Drupal) was compounded by the massive community of developers that emerged to support WordPress.  They made products and sold them (or gave them away for free) like they were in a massive Medieval market.  Many Joomla and Drupal developers could see which way the wind was blowing and jumped over to WordPress.

So began a spiraling upwards of WordPress and an equally dramatic spiraling downwards for Joomla (Drupal has trudged on with an unspectacular but stable market share).

What does this mean for the future?  There are still plenty of websites out there that haven’t converted to a CMS.  Many of these will fizzle out, and the rest will redesign with a CMS.  Of course there will always be new business start-ups and websites to go along with them.  That means CMS growth will never plateau.  It will continue to rise.  And as it rises, there will be more products developed making the Medieval marketplace lively indeed.

Is WordPress set to become the Facebook of the CMS world?

Graph showing the dramatic difference in search volume between Facebook and WordPress

I would hazard to guess no.  WordPress has dominated the market for small and medium sized businesses which don’t need highly specialized functionality.  It has certainly dominated for hobby websites.  But it isn’t robust enough to break into Drupal’s market, for instance.  And in the forseable future it certainly won’t touch the hard core licensed CMS solutions used by government or larger corporations.

Will it become robust enough to tap those markets in the decades to come?  Mabye.  That depends on the decisions made by the people at the top.  Is that what they want?  I don’t know.  Right now, I don’t think that’s what they want.

Will Google try to buy WordPress?  That would be interesting.  It could happen if (in one distant year) the ‘open source’ part of the company went public.  After all, Google bought YouTube.  But Google also bought its own website platform, Blogger.  I’d imagine they’d want to see if they can grow that first. If they did somehow purchase WordPress down the road, they’d probably find a way to make it even cooler.

Will another CMS rise to compete with WordPress and maybe steal the throne?  I doubt that.  At this point, the lead in popularity is just too great.  There are tons of other CMSs out there that have tried to get a toe hold and they simply can’t.  Have you heard of MODx?  Or SilverStripe?  If anything, you’ve probably heard of DNN, Microsoft’s attempt at gaining a market share in the CMS world. Their popularity is sinking like lead.

Graph showing the fluctuating popularity of competing CMSs MODx, DNN and SilterStripe

If I were to make a prediction that was boring and unimaginative, I would suggest that WordPress is going to continue its amazing rise, Joomla is going to continue plummeting and Drupal is going to trickle away its clients over many years, holding on to its core.

If you’re thinking of getting a new website or redesigning your old one, the safe boring route is probably to go for either WordPress or Drupal–WordPress if you have a relatively simple site and Drupal if you require a bit more heavy lifting.  If you’re currently running off another platform such as DNN or Joomla, I wouldn’t cry ‘Hail Marry’ just yet.  You’re site will likely be fine for years.  Even if those platforms leak to a trickle, they’ll still trudge on.  When it’s time to update, you may want to consider updating to WordPress or Drupal to take advantage of all the products and services which are likely to improve with time.