School of Podcasting: Expert Tips for Launching and Growing Your Podcast

In today’s show we talk about podcast media kits. How to make one, what tools to use, and what to do if you’re number s are on the low side. We hear about a free software horror story, we hear what five podcass Miss Ilene has been listening to and I talk about the worst […] 7 Comments - Read what others are saying about this post... Related Posts:Make Your Podcast a “MUST HEAR”Is Opening Chit Chat Bad? – Spreaker and BTR – Nick Seuberling from Start Talking and Recording TodayAdding ID3 tags to your MediaWhich Media Host Blulbrry Vs Libsyn OverviewMr Media Bob Andelman RSS Feed Powered by MaxBlogPress Bring My Blog Visitors Back

In today's podcast I'm playing with all sorts of tools . I recently purchased the Yamaha MG102C mixer and I really like it. It's very flexible, and comes in right under $100. I'm also playing with Radioboss software that allows me to mix in music, jingles, etc and broadcast LIVE to a service like listen2myradio.com. I'm also sharing new from iTunes, Spreaker, iHeartradio, and more.Because of My Podcast.. a New Co-Host [1:55]This week we reconnect with Wayne Henderson of mediavoiceovers.com shares how his podcast not only got him great sears a Green Bay Packers game, but it also introduced him to a person who is now his co-host of his new podcast about the television show under the dome. Check it out at http://underthedomeradio.com/Yamaha MG102c Mixer Review [5:51]One of the reasons I love the Audio Technica 2100 is its ability to grow with the podcaster. Other usb only microphones turn into a paperweight if you buy a mixer (i.e. blue snowball, blue yeti - usb only). I love Behringer mixers and they fit into most people's budgets. I saw the Yamaha MG102C mixer at Guitar Center which has four XLR inputs, and two of those have a built-in compressor, and "inserts" which makes adding additional effects like a noise gate super easy (you don't need inserts to add effects, but it is easier with them).With this in mind if you want to add effects via an insert jack, you have two. You also have additional channels if you want to grow (plug your phone into the mixer, your ipad, or other sound creating devices). The Behringer mixer I was using (Xenyx 802 ) is perfect for one or two people, but it doesn't have any inserts or compression (or an on/off button). If I later purchased something like a noise gate, I would plug my mic into the noise gate and the noise gate into the mixer.If you have the extra $40 and you are just starting out, this mixer is a great podcasting mixer and it's (as I write this) $99 at amazon.com The new model is the MG10iTunes Has One Billion Podcast Subscribers [17:22]When you opened iTunes this week you saw a banner stating that they now had one BILLION people subscribing to podcasts. Sometimes stats come in and out the ears without a lot of thought. I was teaching at a facility this week that probably had 18 rooms on the floor I was on. Each room had 30 people. That means there were 540 people on that floor if it was full. If we took all the people from iTunes who subscribe to podcasts and put them in that building it would be 1,851,858 stories tall.So not only are people listening to podcasts, they are subscribing to podcasts. Not sure how to subscribe? Check out www.learntosubscribe.comPodcast Spotlight Let's Reverse Obesity [21:09]I like to spotlight members of the SOP. This week we are spotlighting Let's Reverse Obesity. This is a great podcast filled with inspiring words of encouragement, frontline tactics, personal insights, and brutally honest stories. John is admittedly obese, and you are along for his journey as he shares his progress, and talks about great articles and stories that he has found on the web. Check it out at www.letsreverseobesity.comIHeartRadio App adds Talk, and Spreaker Holds the Key [24:37]iHeartradio which has an estimated 30 million registered members has added talk to their app and website. Spreaker has a way to submit your podcast to be listed on this app. According to an interview with a Spreaker executive on the Music Radio Creative podcast this is the "only way" to get into iHeart radio. In looking at the iheart.com site see plenty of podcasts in their talk section that are NOT listed on Spreaker (many of these people i.e. are already famous). None the less, spreaker is holding the door for us, and you can submit your podcast for inclusion. I have yet to read their terms of service, but I'm sure it's interesting.The bottom line is podcasting has another platform that gives it a chance to reach a larger audience. I believe in the future podcasting will be the "minor leagues" of media. For more information go to spreaker.comTools For Podcasters to be Broadcasters [31:20]You do NOT need to do this when you start a podcast. This is for the podcaster who wants to broadcast their show LIVE over the internet. It takes more setup time, and adds technical hoops that you must jump through.There are tools (free) that will allow people to steam your current (and past) back catalog. Site like podtrac, blubrry.com and libsyn.com all have players. You can design your own with a tool called the Wimpy Player. You can also cut and paste all the direct links to your audio and paste them into a text file and name it with something that ends in .m3u (not .txt). Then upload the text file and put a link to it.Lisen2MyRadio and SchoolofPodcasting.fmThis service starts at $5 a month. It doesn't limit how long you can broadcast, only the number of people who can listen simultaneously. You can see how many listeners you have (and where they came from, how long they listen) in your control panel. What I have done at schoolofpodcasting.fm is uploaded a bunch of answer to frequently asked questions for those people who are brand new to podcasting. These files rotate 24/7. I also have some testimonials that are played every third track. I also mix in every fifth track a "you're listening to School of Podcasting Radio".Broadcasting Live Using Listen2MyRadioWhen I want to "cut into" my live stream I can use a software call Radio Caster that will tie into my Listen2myradio account. I can talk as long as I want. If I have a mixer, I can mix in my music, my microphone, my co-host, and send everything from my mixer into the microphone input of my computer. I then can tell the Radio Caster to broadcast whatever is coming into the computer. The price for Radio Caster is $39.If you want to be able to mix in music, jingles, etc as you podcast all in one place they also produce a software title call Radio Boss. You simply enter your listen2myradio information, your DJ information (you set yourself up as a dj on listen2myradio), and when you connect your stream switches to your live feed. When you disconnect it goes back to your original playlist - automatically.Listen2myradio also provides html5 players so people can listen on their ipads, iphones, and other devices that don't like flash players.My listen2myradio account costs me $12.50 which is currently cheaper then spreaker. Spreaker is also a media host (which you can store files on your account up to 2G) but its not really meant for podcasting. I would recommend using the service for streaming and a service like Libsyn.com or blubrry.com for media hosting.You can send one output of your broadcast into your computer (Radio Caster or Radio boss) and then the headphone out of this into your portable recorder.As I said, this is not needed (or recommended) for most people. When I mentioned schoolofpodcasting.fm last week a number of people asked me how I was pulling it off. Now you know.If you order choose the Shoutcast 2 option, then choose how many potential listeners you want. You can start with 10 ($5 a month) and go from there.RadioBoss Review [41:05]Radioboss might a bit overkill for the average podcaster. While listentomyradio allows you to create playlists online, this allows you to control everything from your PC. You can set certain files to play at certain times. You can create unlimited playlists, cart walls, and much more. You can have playlists created automatically. Be very careful when thinking of streaming mainstream music (as its illegal).I like the easy of use for the creating of lists and carts (lots of dragging and dropping). It was very easy to configure to tap into my live broadcasting and now I can mix in music, sound effects and such and do everything live. Again, this is NOT podcasting - its BROADCASTING. Radioboss has different levels and starts around $199.PricingListen2MyRadio starts at $10 a month (UPDATE: I prefer Abovecast 1/26/18Radio Caster Sotware $39Radio Boss Standard $199 Dave Jackson InterviewsI was interviewed on Kenn Blanchard's Black Man with a Gun Heart and Soul, and Scott Moore's Mastermind Podcast.Mentioned On This PodcastStitcher RadioThe Feed new podcast from Libsyn.com

Today we are focusing on creating engaging content that will help you grow your podcast audience. I discovered Erik K Johnson on the New Media Expo blog. I contacted him and he was nice enough to come on the show and discuss creating great content. Member Spotlight Win The Diet War [1:28] Dr. Nina Savelle-Rocklin […] 7 Comments - Read what others are saying about this post... Related Posts:Creating Great InterviewsIdentifying and Embracing Your DifferencesGaining Trust Through Podcasting – Saving Your VoiceEmbracing Your AudiencePodcasting Delivers High Quality Visitors RSS Feed Powered by MaxBlogPress Bring My Blog Visitors Back

Today we hear how mega star Jerry Seinfeld looks at his “job” of being a comedian. How life is great if you’re work is doing something you think is a gift. Jim Collison shares insights into an experiment he has been doing to grow his audience, as well as Google Analytics, Podcasting Live and Jim’s […] 4 Comments - Read what others are saying about this post... Related Posts:Mixlr Beta Feedback, Is Dave a Jerk, Moving From FeedburnerScaling Back Your ContentYour Motivation to Podcast – the Big WhyAndrew Zarian Podcasting as a CareerFive to Ten New Leads Per Episode RSS Feed Powered by MaxBlogPress Bring My Blog Visitors Back

A brief summary of this episode

John Lee Dumas started his Entrepreneur on Fire podcast in June of 2012 (about a year ago). Fast forward and John now has a podcast that is in the top 5 of business podcasts in iTunes. He is making 18,000 a month, reaching HUNDRED of THOUSANDS of people each month in over 145 countries. He did it using the organizational tools and courage he learned in the Armed forces (he served 13 months in Iraq) and with passion that is infectious. He was consuming a large about of podcasts in the car, but he needed more content. What did he do? He filled his own void by creating the podcast he wanted to listen to. Your Podcasts Downloads Stats All In One Place - Stitcher News [3:00] Stitcher announced that they will "pinging" your media host. In a memo that was sent out they outlined the changes as follows: You should begin to see a change in your stats via your hosting provider dashboard when our iOS update is live in the App Store within the next few days. The magnitude of the change will vary based on the specific show but should be noticeable immediately via your hosting provider’s metrics dashboard. We are also updating the Stitcher Partner Portal to reflect this change. We will keep you posted on timing but anticipate seeing this new Download number included in you Stitcher metrics within the next few weeks. The old Downloads stat, which was measuring actual listens, will still be in the partner portal but relabeled “Listens” This means that we no longer have to login to (for example) Libsyn.com or Blubrry.com (two of the top media hosting companies) and then later also check into Stitcher. This will make is easier to quote numbers to potential sponsors. Congratulations Marcus Couch [7:21] If you are a regular listener of the School of Podcasting then you know Marcus Couch and I go way back to the early days of Podcasting with companies like Mevio, Juice Software, and iRiver recorders. Marcus is an SEO expert and a Wordpress Guru. He wanted to get more traction in the Wordpress World. His goal was to get on to the dashboard of every Wordpress user and this month he landed there. How? By doing what Marcus preaches - creating good content. He has his music show the Scene Zine, and recently became a co-host of Wordpress Plugins A to Z (one of my favorite podcasts). You an now read him on the official Wordpress Tavern blog. Congrats to Marcus. John Dumas of the Entrepreneur on Fire Podcast - Light Up the Sky! [9:02] John Dumas is the passionate podcaster behind the microphone on Entrepreneur On Fire. He is also the author of the Book Podcast Launch, and is now rolling out an inner circle mastermind group call Fire Nation Elite. In today's interview you will get inside the mind of John and see his commitment to his audience. You will see where his drive is to inspire his audience to take action. You will hear how he is building his audience through dedication, commitment, and a determination to build his audience (called "The Fire Nation") one person at a time. John shares what lessons he learned during his 13 months in IRAQ. "It's better to make a good decision now then make a great decision later." John spent $3,000 to hire a personal mentor (Jaime Tardy) and says if you don't have that much to invest in your podcast start up that you could check out master mind or online groups (I'm a big fan of some of the groups on Google+, LinkedIn). A One on one coach can be helpful because of the personalized approach. Mastermind groups (which you might find at meetup.com) may get you in contact with other people and become a networking opportunity. [23:55]Entrepreneur on Fire had 267,000 unique downloads in May of 2013 and June should go over 300,000. [25:25] My favorite part of the interview is when John goes to tell me some new news from Apple. He doesn't say, "This is something my audience doesn't even know yet." He doesn't say "This is something the fire nation isn't aware of." He says "I haven't even told fire nation," and to me it shows how John thinks of his audience as ONE person. John talks about the importance of having an "avatar" of your audience (picture your audience member), and then talk to that person. John asks the same questions to every guest on his show. This accomplishes two things. You know what's coming, and you never know what you're going to get (because each guest answers them differently). John has got some great guests like Seth Godin, Tim Ferriss on his show. How? He caught them when they had books available and were on publicity tours. [35:40]Industry Standard Podcast CPM Sponsors came to John when was seen in the top rankings of iTunes. According to John the industry standard is: $18 cpm (per thousand downloads) for a 15 second preroll at the beginning of your podcast. $25 cpm for a 60 second spot in the middle of your podcast. John in the second quarter of 2013 was getting 8,000 downloads per episode. This calculates to $300 per episode - per sponsor. John had two sponsors per show. This means he was making $600 per episode. John does 30 episodes a month, so he made $18,000 a month. His sponsors are signing up for the third quarter (which shows that podcast sponsorship works). John has his mastermind group that you can join at firenationelite.com John released a book Podcast Launch which is spreading his brand. John is using a Private Facebook group to manage his membership/mastermind group. John's Weekly Schedule Mondays - He had 8 straight interviews on every single Monday. He was up to midnight editing. Tuesday - Wide open. Wednesday - Wide open. Dinner with friends. Thursday - Interviews on other podcasts. Friday - Fire nation elite members. Saturday - Fire nation elite interviews before going to visit family Sunday - Splicing entrepreneur on fire interviews.  Mentioned On This Show Podtrac.com The Mid Roll Advertising Blubrry.com and Libsyn.com (get a free month at Libsyn using the cod e sopfree) Jim Collison Wordpress Plugins A to Z Stitcher App

In the last week I've been interviewed and conducted interviews. One of those podcasts was Entrepreneur on Fire  (iTunes)and the other was Urbanism Speakeasy (itunes)Podcast. In today's show I share tips and insights from both sides of the interview. Podcast Clip of the Week - Your Audience Is Excited When They Find Your Content [3:28] In episode 5 of the "My Digital Life with Rob Greenlee" podcast (website, iTunes), host Rob Greenlee (who has been on the show before), talks with Nicole Simon, Author, Social Media and Podcast Consultant at nicole-simon.eu from Berlin, Germany about the global aspects of podcasting. In the clip you hear how Nicole felt the first time she discovered podcasting. Member Spotlight - Cool People Podcast [5:23] If you're tired of hearing the same people being interviewed over and over, check out the Cool People Podcast hosted by Robert Chazz Chute. Rober has interviewed some "outside of the box" people. These include: a judge at a marijuana competition actors authors an erotica author who was a judge feminist porn they talk drugs in America, Middle East politics, if your a cool person you might like it. Check it out at coolpeoplepodcast.com (itunes). Tips for Doing a Podcast Interview - Being the Host [9:42] I was Entrepreneur on Fire podcast with John Lee Dumas. John does a DAILY podcast. That is a lot of work. These are all interviews. That is a TON of work. With this in mind, John needs to run an efficient ship, and when I was asked to be on his show I was really impressed with his work flow.  John invited me to be on his show two months in advance for a show that will air one month after it was recorded. By inviting people months in advance, you have a smaller chance of people being "booked." John's Invitation Was Straight and To the Point John's invitation was short, respectful, explained what his podcast was, explained why I was a good fit for the show. It also explained the "tone" of the show (it's all about inspirational stories). It provided statistics of his audience (about 225,000 downloads a month), and provided information to show John as a credible source. John also let me know how long the interview was, so John Sent Me a List of Some of the Questions that He Would be Using By sending me the questions ahead of time it let me be prepared so the interview had great content. It turns out these were not ALL the questions, but it gave me an idea of what type of content fits his podcast. I previously worried that providing the questions ahead of time would leave me with an over prepared guest who had memorized their answers. I have changed my mind. Provide some of the questions ahead of time. This leaves you room for an honest conversation later during the interview. After all, you don't want the interview to be ruined because you guest is somewhat slow on their feet. For some people this is a nerve wracking situation, and allowing them to be prepared is going to result in better content. Automate the Scheduling Process If you want to take some of the hassle of scheduling interviews, there are services that allow potential guests to pick the time that suits them best (again stress the time zone you are in so they know ahead of time). Some examples of these include: Vcita.com timetrade.com John uses meetme.so to automate his schedule (I use Vcita  (affiliate link)- which has a Wordpress Plugin). While you can send requests and such via Google Calendar, this tool really takes the headaches out of the scheduling piece. Send A Reminder If you're scheduling months in advance, there is that chance that your guest forgot to put it on their calendar. John's system automatically reminded me, and John sent a personal email making sure we are still on (very cool). IN that reminder, be sure to touch base on the time zone that you are using for the interview. Most scheduling systems have this automated. Times Zones Will Come Back To Haunt You When you are setting up the interview time, times zones can come back to haunt you. Be sure to let your guest know what time - and time zone - the interview will be . Provide Multiple Ways to Contact You In the future when I do Interviews I'm going to provide my phone number. This way if someone is going to be late they can tell me). If all they have is email, they may not be able to get to a computer to say "I'm going to be late" (not everyone has a smart phone). Ask the Guest For Clearance When you setup the interview, before you hit record establish anything the guest does NOT want to talk about. This avoids editing out segments later. Then either do it at the end of the interview (for a verbal version), or have some sort of form for them to sign that states you have the rights to use this content in any fashion you so choose. This will also be the time when you establish if your podcast is explicit or not (do people use "naughty" words). Edit With Your Audience In Mind As you can't see your guest (I turn off my video when recording to lesson the load on my computer), you may have a guest "over answer" your question. This is where they answer your question, but since there is a pause they provide additional information that is really not needed. Leave Giant Blanks if There is a Mistake If there is an "Edit point" where someone wants to do something over, pause for 10 seconds (it seems like forever) but this can GREATLY reduce your editing time as its OBVIOUS where the edit points are. Provide a Review Copy if Possible If possible, provide a copy of the interview before it goes live to your guest. It's not mandatory (unless they ask for one), but its a nice gesture. Have A Backup Recording Of the Interview I use PowerGrammo (PC) you can also use Call Recorder (Mac) to record Skype calls. I also have a backup of the recording by using a portable recorder. I plug an 1/8 to 1/8 cable from my headphones out of my computer into the line in on my portable recorder. I then plug my headphones into the portable recorder and when I press record I hear everything. There is nothing worse than having to call someone back and ask to do the interview again. Listen You are bringing someone on to your show because they have something you don't (why else would they be on your show). While it's a conversation, in the end your guest should do the majority of the talking. It's not always about you. Be Nice People have their own networks. Their may be other potential guests that your guest might know who would enjoy being interviewed. Mess up this interview, and they won't be singing your praises to anyone. Develop a Relationship Now that you've cracked the door and had a conversation with this person, be sure to check in and stay in touch. It never hurts to have a ton of friends. Tips For Being Interviewed on a Podcast [29:01] Know Their Audience - Sample Their Podcast Everything you do should be done with the audience in mind. If you are not familiar with the podcast, go listen to a few episodes to understand the tone of the podcast. Make it Easy To Contact You I didn't mention this one in the show, but make sure your contact information is on your website. Make sure you are checking any email that you are providing as a contact source. Touch Base Before the Interview If you haven't received a reminder from the host, be sure to touch base with them before the interview (a week, or a day before) and make sure everyone is on the same page. Be Prepared - But Not Over Prepared Yes you want to sound good, professional, and intelligent. However, if you memorize your answers it will be obvious. You may sound like a robot. Think about the audience you are speaking to, and what information will resonate with them. You may want to practice your answers to make sure they come out of your mouth smoothly (again, NOT memorizing, just practicing) Help Promote Your Appearance If someone has put you in front of their audience the leas you can do is mention it to your audience. This can be a blog post, a mention in a podcast, twitter, Facebook, or all of the above. If You Have To Cancel - Cancel Quickly If life happens, be sure to let your host know immediately that you can't make the interview. This gives them the maximum amount of time to find a guest for your time slot. Be Nice People have their own networks. Their may be other podcasts that the host might know who would enjoy having you on their show. Mess up this interview, and they won't be singing your praises to anyone.   Mentioned On this Show Average Guy Podcast Network Podcast Roundtable Episode 14 Podcasting in a Niche Entrepreneur on Fire  Urbanism Speakeasy  

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode

A brief summary of this episode