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

Today I take a lesson from my nine-year-old niece who goes crazy about a Christmas toy that makes absolutely no sense at all. I also have a great conversation with Cole Raven of Podchaser to explain what it is, where it's going and how you can use it in your podcasting effort. See the School of Podcasting at https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/school-of-podcasting-64937 Here is my profile on Podchaser Table of Contents: 00:01:11.850 Question of the Month 00:02:19.600 Focusrite USB Interfaces 00:04:13.957 Different is Better Than Better 00:13:13.993 Cole Raven From Podchaser.com 00:35:01.521 How I Might Use Podchaser 00:36:56.585 Apple Podcasts Now on Alexa 00:41:09.000 Blooper Mentioned in this Show Sally Hogshead author of the book Fascinate Your Podcast Consultant Podcast Squdcast for Recording Interviews Ready to Start and Grow Your Podcast? www.schoolofpodcasting.com/start

Today I spend a small amount of time remember the past 700 episodes. Then I launch into a "Lightning Round" if you're a new podcaster or seasoned veterans you should get something out of this show.  Full show notes at  www.schoolofpodcasting.com/700

Clay Groves is one of the nicest guys on the planet. I always smile when I see him at an event. I know I'm going to be smiling and laughing soon. He is the host of Fish Nerds, and over the years when I saw him in person he would tell me a "Because of My podcast" Story and when I heard his last one, I said, "I need to have you come on the show and share these stories. In today's interview you will hear: 6:44 Clay sold some of these stories 12:11 Clay has been paid to speak 14:59 His relationships have lead to more and more opportunities 16:09 Clay launches a business doing fishing tours 20:28 What equipment does Clay use to record on a boat? 22:51 Clay builds a path to radio 28:54 Clay gets the call 39:20 Clay quits his day job. 43:24 Clay's 12-Year-old daughter is podcasting Podcasting is Like Fishing 46:58 Question of the Month for December I do this every year. Please record your response and include the following: Your name and the name of your podcast Your website where we can find your podcast A brief synopsis of what your podcast is about (who it's for, and what to expect) What is your favorite podcast from 2019? Why is it your favorite? What is the website of this podcast? I need the answers in by December 27th, 2019 so it can be heard on December 30th. Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question (I really need these in audio format) Mentioned In This Episode Fish Nerds Podcast Clays Equipment: Zoom H4n ATR 2100 Microphone 93.5 WMVW National Podcast Publishing Month Join the School of Podcasting Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/start and get access to the courses, group coaching, and private network. Put your worries about getting the wrong equipment, sounding stupid, and shaping your show behind you. Join worry-free with a 30 day money-back guarantee  www.schoolofpodcasting.com/start

Today we are talking about Plugins. Plugins are things you add to your audio editing software to make it better, more efficient, etc. The best way to avoid buying these (or using these) is to record good audio in the first place. That is not always an option (especially with interview shows with guests) so there is a company that has a bundle on sale 72% off and I put it through some tests. Please note this is an affiliate link (but also note - some of these are not great).  For videos and more information see www.schoolofpodcasting.com/era Videos and more at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/698 Question of the Month 20:00 What is bugging you? Brandy Henry from engaging on social media with Brandy Henry Karrie Bond from the Keywest Perspective Podcast  Jason Sacco from The Ankylosing Spondylitis Podcast Libsyn and Spotify Changes Spotify no longers makes a copy of your file and puts it on their website (they serve it directly from Libsyn). This makes it much easier to replace a file. This also means your stats are going to shift in the Libsyn dashboard. Instead of being in a separate section, the Spotify stats will go under the "normal" Libsyn stats (so don't panic).  Question of the Month for December I do this every year. Please record your response and include the following: Your name and the name of your podcast Your website where we can find your podcast A brief synopsis of what your podcast is about (who its for, and what to expect) What is your favorite podcast from 2019? Why is it your favorite? What is the website of this podcast?  I need the answers in by December 27th, 2019 so it can be heard on December 30th.  Mentioned In This Episode First Things First (Book by Steven Covey)  The Stephen R. Covey Interactive Reader - 4 Books in 1 (includes audio and video) Audphonic Levelizing and Noise Removal Tool Start Your Podcast - Grow Your Influence (and numbers) Join the School of Podcasting and quit worrying about buying the right equipment, sounding stupid, unprofessional, etc. We take you from idea to influencer and offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. Sign up for a monthly or yearly subscription.

So many people jump to podcast advertising when they think of making money with their podcast. This may be partially due to listening to the radio which makes its money via advertising. About Heather Osgood She started her career in advertising sales and quickly learned the valuable lessons in what it meant to be a business owner. Additionally, she has served as a business coach to hundreds of small business owners. With a background in radio advertising and a love for podcasting, Heather was in a unique position to start an agency that could help both advertisers get better results as well as assist podcasters in finding sponsors. She founded True Native Media in January of 2016 with the hopes of helping everyone find a bigger piece of that advertising pie, and acquired j/k media agency in the fall of 2017 to further those goals. Check out the Market Success with Podcast Advertising show. Podcast Advertising Insights In this episode with Heather Osgood we learn: What expectations both the podcaster and advertiser should have in place. How many downloads advertisers are looking for in a podcast. The best stat to measure your podcast in regards to advertising. What the current CPM rates are. The different types of advertising. How long you should run an advertisement Why dynamic ad insertion may be a way to get enough downloads to meet the advertiser download requirements. Key Points Going forward it may be more important when someone listens instead of when the show was published (especially for evergreen content). If you use programmatic advertising (which pays from what I've calculated .0017 cents per download) why would an advertiser agree to pay more when they know you will accept less? Check out the Market Success with Podcast Advertising [click_to_tweet tweet="Everything you wanted to know about podcast advertising" quote=" Everything you wanted to know about podcast advertising" theme="style3"] Mentioned in This Podcast Spark Christian Podcast Conference February 21-20, 2020 Houston Texas Podcast Movement Evolutions February 12-15, 2020 Los Angelas, Ca Book Me to Speak at Your Event. I'd love to hear from you Work With Me Join the School of Podcasting or let me be your podcast mentor

In the same way that kids on Halloween want candy, podcasters want downloads. How much? MORE is the only answer.  Should your list your show in (insert directory name)? Well, will it help you potentially grow your audience? Then the answer is yes. Yes, Stitcher and Luminary both run ads in between your episodes (and you get none of that revenue), but for me the potential of more listeners outweighs it. Luminary has also burned through 100 million and has received another 30 million to burn through.  Links Mentioned In This Episode Social Subscribe and Follow Plugin Podlords Text Expander Karen Jackson A long look Slow Art Your Podcast Consultant School of Podcasting Podcasting Resources More Information There are tutorials, videos, and links to directories at  www.schoolofpodcasting.com/696

How do I come up with an idea for episodes? This show just celebrated 14 years in podcasting, and I would be lying if I said it was easy to come up with ideas for an episode every week. I will say this. There are some episodes that I feel are great, and I get no feedback on, and others that I feel I took out of the oven a little early and maybe were not quite ready to go to the public, and I get tons of feedback. I've also had a few shows that finding new ideas for episodes took all the fun out of doing the podcast, and so I shut the showdown. Think Twice When Setting Your Schedule I always advise my clients to record a few episodes so they can make an educated decision. Once you see how long it takes to create an episode you can look at your current obligations and schedule and figure out where you are going to squeeze in your podcast. While you don't have to have a consistent schedule, I feel it really helps. Why? Because when you release on a predictable schedule, you become part of their routine. How To Never Run Out of Ideas For Your Episode You know I have to start with value. I can put out episodes every day and not have a problem if I don't care about delivering value. However, I deeply care about delivering value so it can be a struggle. Here are some ideas: Facebook Groups If there are Facebook groups around your genre, you can join these and just listen. By seeing what people are talking about you can create content that you know will resonate with your audience. How do you do this? Go to Facebook.com and in the search bar at the top of the Facebook screen type in whatever your show is about and see if there are any Facebook groups. Google Alerts Google Alerts is a tool where you put in a topic, it scours the web, and emails you links to stories with that word or phrase. It's not a bad idea to setup an alert for the name of your show so you can track if anyone is talking about you, or infringing on your trademark. Subscribe to Blogs on Your Topic You can use a tool like Feedly or InoReader so you can login to one place and see what is happening in your space. Following Conversations on Twitter Using Tweet Deck you can do a search for a topic and then take that search and add it as a column of information. Consuming More Content If you use Chrome there is an extension creatively named "Video Speed Controller" that allows you to watch videos faster. New Releases on Amazon You can go to Amazon and look at new releases in your category and then have that information sent to you in an RSS feed. (which you can use in Feedly or inoreader). Search Engine Keyword/Idea Suggestion Ubdersuggest is a free tool that has TONS of used, but it does have a Content Ideas tool where you enter a subject and it will spit out ideas, and show you how popular they are. Answer the Public is a very creative tool that you type in a subject and it gives you a list of questions that people may be searching for (that you can export as a CSV file). Both these tools are free. What is Popular on YouTube? YouTube is the second largest search engine. You may have heard of it. With this in mind, you can search for your topic at YouTube. Find a channel that primarily covers your topic and then click on videos, and on the right-hand side click on Sort by > Most Popular.  If you do this on my channel you will see my top videos are How to record Skype the easy way Anchor.fm Review Watch Before Using Why you should NOT use Soundcloud as a media host What is a podcast? Understanding the mechanics of podcasting. The idea here is not to steal someone's content. The idea is to see what is popular and then see if you have an opinion, insight, or story about that topic. Maybe there are a couple of topics you could combine to create a new look on an old subject. Resources For Interviews Check out the Guest Booking resources at https://podcastingresources.com/listing-category/podcast-guest-booking/ What if Someone Else Has Already Talked About This Subject? There are times when you may notice that your "competition" may have talked about a subject you want to talk about. Go ahead and talk about it here is why: In the USA every night there are at a bare minimum of six different stations reporting on politics. People want to hear what YOU think about something. You are assuming people listen to BOTH you and your "competition (and that may not be the case). November Podcasting Events   For links and information see www.podcastingevents.net Work With Me Join the School of Podcasting or let me be your podcast mentor Bonus Content/Patreon

We har about the benefits of podcasting on this show, and I attempt to get people to start their podcast and often ask, "What is the worst thing that could happen?" I wanted to hear what was the worst thing that happened to you by starting a podcast, what was the biggest regret? The Positive Side of Podcasting Here are some of the things people have reported happening "Because of my podcast:" I was able to get a dream trip to a Lambo field and watch my beloved Green Bay packers I improved my conversational skills I was asked to write a book People went to an event to meet me My face is on the cover of a comic book I raced in the Baja 1000 I got free bottles of wine I got a job I now work in media communications for the Federal Government I get to chat with my brothers on a weekly basis I get passes to the college world series They sent a Maserati to pick me up I've got to meet people I have no business meeting I have a new purpose in life I have more customers Biggest Podcast Regrets: People have gone from obsessing over starting their podcast to obsessing over the next episode(s). Dan from Podcasters Kit Clay from Fish Nerds Craig from Ingles Podcast is considering the time it takes to create a podcast Jonathon from Weekly Awesome is concerned about the time it takes to create episodes. Doug Payton from Consider This! podcast had some negative comments and a weird situation where someone sent an unpaid pizza to his house (spooky) Arnie from the Football History Dude One person is regretful about not remember the names and faces of people they meet. Question of the Month for November In honor of my first CEO that I ever worked for ( Richard Jusseaume ) who would tack on the question, "What's bugging you?" on to the employee survey, I ask you, "What's bugging you?" Leave your answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question Mentioned In This Podcast Focus is more important than microphones Podcast Review Show Next Week: 8 Tools to Help You Generate Ideas For Your Podcast. Subscribe to the show and get access as soon as the episodes is available. Work With Me Join the School of Podcasting or let me be your podcast mentor

Today we are going to take the phrase "Value Proposition" which is typically used in business and apply it to podcast. In the past few months, I've attended a fair amount of conferences and I ask people about their podcast. In most cases, people explain their show and I can see if I want to listen or not (or decide if I'm their target audience). I want to identify what people feel is valuable, and then help you shape that into your message. I learned about some of this in Tim Schmoyer's Video Creators course. The one that caught my eye was the Value Pyramid. The Things That You Should Ensure You Are Doing Before Pressing Record On Your Podcast I always say if you are not going to make your audience : Laugh Cry Think Groan If you are not educating or entertaining them, then don't press record. There is no value. The value pyramid from Harvard Research takes it even deeper. What is Value? Value is when the benefit of consuming your content is worth the time and effort it takes to consume it. This is Why It Needs to be EASY to Consume Your Content If you make someone dig for your play button, or only put a subscribe button for Apple Podcasts and completely ignore the Android side of life, the android users are likely to say "Never mind" and give up trying to get your content on your phone. This always means that if you make it easy to consume your content, they might give you a "pass" with your content if they didn't have to dig to get the content. Functional Value Do you help your audience by making things easier? Do you save them time? Do you save them money? Does it provide a way for people to connect? Emotional Value How does your podcast make people feel? Does your podcast reduce anxiety? Do you reward your audience? Does the design tweak their emotions? Does it boost their wellness? Is there a badge people could wear to show their loyalty? Life-Changing Value These values promise a personal transformation of some kind. If you can provide life-changing value, your audience will LOVE your show. If you have a community where they can belong. Can you make them feel like they've achieved a goal? Can you motivate them? Can you provide hope? Social Impact Value Are you impacting more than your audience? How Do You Tell People You Deliver Value? A value proposition explains how your audience benefits from your show. It may point out who your audience is. Why you are a better fit than other podcasts. How your podcast will help solve your audience's issues. Different Pieces of a Value Proposition Have a short but powerful headline that helps summarize a key aspect of your UVP (in less than 10 words). Have a supporting sub-headline or short paragraph to help explain or clarify your UVP. Have a short bulleted list of the benefits/advantages of using your product/service, with supporting visual imagery (for example, icons, badges, or a hero shot). Show all of the elements above the page fold (the area that visitors can see initially without having to scroll). Make It "No Thinking Involved" Clear In one article it mentions how you need to make it CLEAR to the person hearing or reading it. Here are some examples: Stripe: “Web and mobile payments, built for developers Lyft: “Rides in Minutes” Zapier: “Connect Your Apps and Automate Workflows” By looking at this, I understand what each company does. Here are some more: Stripe: “Web and mobile payments, built for developers” Lyft: “Rides in Minutes” Target: “Expect More, Pay Less” Skillshare: “Learn a New Skill Each Day” Evernote: “Remember Everything” Zapier: “Connect Your Apps and Automate Workflows” Bitly - shorten, share, measure. Spotify: “Music for Everyone” What Value Do YOU Bring Why should your ideal listener listen to YOU. What do you do differently than other podcasts on your topic? Not So Good Value Propositions Epson says, “Where there’s business, there’s Epson.” - Very generic HP says, “HP: everywhere you do business.” - Very generic Time Warner Cable says, "Enjoy Better." - Vague. Burger King: Be Your Way - Confusing. This is an example of what some like to call blandvertising. It could mean anything, and sometimes its just keywords that are thrown together. Confusing Podcasts I looked in Apple podcasts to see if there were any shows that were confusing to me. Here is one I found: the salvaged soul podcast: This podcast is a place for all things REAL. I want to help you live your best life by being true to yourself. I will share all the ups and downs of business, marriage, family and friends! The good, the bad, the ugly. The real way to reach happiness and financial freedom! It Always Comes Back to Knowing Who Your Audience Is When you know who your audience is, and what their pain points are you eliminate competition as fewer people will be doing what you do. You want to use their verbiage so its easier to connect with them. In an Apple review, someone put "The best information and experience to learn the right way to podcast from the heart of a teacher" about this podcast. Look for phrases and points that you can use to help explain your value. She Podcasts Live Revisited 34:44 Jaye From The Pot Stirrer Podcast shares her insights from attending She Podcasts Live Question of the Month I have a "Because of my podcast" segment that points out the benefits of podcasting. Do you have any negative side effects of podcasting for you? Be sure to mention your show and website when you go to www.schoolofpodcating.com/question I need the answers by 10/25/19. Mentioned in This Episode Video Creators My Stuttering Life More on Value Propositions Work With Me Join the School of Podcasting or let me be your podcast mentor

I'm back from She Podcasts Live 2019 with some insights from an all women's podcast conference. It was great fun, great conversations and LOTS of laughs. Elise and Jess put on a great event, and everyone walked out with lots of actionable items to put into their podcast. 1:57 Because of My Podcast Jonathan Bloom from Weekly Awesome 3:00 Listeners WILL BINGE YOUR SHOW with Kimberly Sumpter from Sistahs Connect 5:41 You are NOT alone - with Jason from 7:59 Because of THIS podcast 11:54 Your Voice Can Make a Difference 16:41 Speakup Story Telling Podcast with Matthew Dicks  - Women need to speak up 19:51 She Podcasts Live was Safe for Women 27:05 NaPodPoMo - 30 podcasts in 30 days 32:25 question of the Month (answer here ) 33:11 Book Update 33:47 DC Podfest - use the coupon code DJPALS 34:26 podcastingevents.net 35:52 My favorite quote from She Podcasts Live Work With Me Join the School of Podcasting or let me be your podcast mentor