
School of Podcasting - Podcast Tips to Plan, Launch, Grow Your Podcast
You want to start a podcast, but you’re unsure where to start. You need advice on how to grow or monetize your show, and stop being so scared that it won’t work! I can help by showing you what mistakes NOT TO MAKE and much more. Subscribe to the show and soak in the 18+ years of podcasting experience from Podcaster Hall of Fame Inductee Dave Jackson.
Latest episodes

Nov 19, 2018 • 43min
The Courage to Make Mediocre Things - Cathy Heller from Don't Keep Your Day Job
Cathy Heller is a talented musician. She's been signed by two major record labels, but unfortunately, she's also been dropped by two record labels. I've always told podcasters to go to their potential audience and find out what kind of content they need. That is exactly what Cathy did, and it worked. She found out what type of music was being licensed into commercials, TV, and movies. When she created the type of music her audience (producers) needed it worked to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. When things were going great, how did she pour gasoline on her success? She started a podcast (Don't Keep Your Day Job). A Podcast Started in the Closet Now Has Three Million Downloads Here are some points from my talk with Cathy Heller: People are thirsty to hear what is really going on their life as social media shows a filtered view Cathy shares how as a musician she got a record deal twice and was dropped twice - how she pushed through She was making a decent amount of cash working a job that didn't fit her purpose She looked into what was working in the music business and the politely persistent She created 30 mediocre songs as she worked on making the type of music that would work in commercials, movie, TV, etc and threw them away. The difference between a hobby and a business is when you think of doing something for other people. Everyone has to start off being mediocre. It takes time and courage to start mediocre and then work on polishing your craft. Her success was in an area that she never planned on, but people starting asking, "How do I do this?" She said, "What the heck, let's see what happens with this." Her music leads to licenses which lead to her agency, which lead to her course, which leads to live events and all of these item fed each other. She started her podcast 21 months ago in a close and now has over 3 million downloads She had to do something that made her stand out. She did what she said she would do. For more information check out her website at www.dontkeepyourdayjob.com How To Go “All In” on your Dream Job Tim Paige has done what many podcasters have dreamed of, he quit his day job. In a podcast on Facebook, he shared how he did it. Some people feel that the one thing keeping them from “Making it” is this really inconvenient thing called their day job. Their “side hustle” is currently bringing in $34 a month, but for some reason they think that if they only quit their job the pressure of seeing your life's savings being caught on fire will inspire you to leap into action to find a way anyway to make a living “Doing what they love.” So I love this report from the front lines on how Tim actually quit his day job. Check out Tim at thevoiceoftimpaige.com or www.makemyintro.com Here are some key points: Don't quit your day job until it is costing you more money than keeping your day job. So if you turned down 40,000 worth of work because it conflicted with your 30,000 jobs, then it's time to quit your day job. This was the case for Tim. Tim also has a TREMENDOUSLY SUPPORTIVE Spouse. For more on this check out my last episode, The Three Things Every Podcast Needs (positioning yourself for the long haul). Tim got out of debt so that his expenses were minimal after quitting his job. He had three jobs doing anything he could to get out of debt and it took him three years. For the first three years of his side hustle, he reinvested in his business. Be open to opportunity. He didn't turn down jobs – even if he didn't want to do it. This makes him appreciate it when “dream jobs” come along. Get your mind right. When he panics, finds himself envious of others, he is not doing his best work. This hurts his business. Mentioned In This Episode Episode 100 of Cathy's show Podcast Mentorship Program Monthly Membership to Start Your PodcastMentioned in this episode:2025 Audience SurveyI Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey

Nov 12, 2018 • 50min
Positioning Your Podcast For the Long Haul (Three Things You Need 2018 Version)
How do I do so many podcasts? I get that question all the time. How do I stay consistent? How do I set my podcast up for the Long Haul? I'm fresh back from Speaking at DC Podfest, and I did a new version of the presentation called "3 Things Your Podcast Needs That Have Nothing With Microphones, Downloads, Or Hosting" and this is a revamped version of an episode I did years ago (with new information and new insights). 2:45 How podcasting is like an iceberg, and today we are talking about the part of the iceberg that is under the water, but still important Podcast Mentorship and Launching Pad I have a mentoring program where I work with you, but as the new year is right around the corner I wanted to create a limited time program with limited access. Here are the details We meet for six weeks to get your podcast up and running. These calls will be recorded. I will help you research your topic to help ensure you contact impacts and inspires your audience You will have clearly defined goals for your show You will have the best podcasting gear that fits your budget You will have instant Access to me during this six weeks. With this in mind, I'm offering this to a very few people. Our coaching calls will be used to produce a new podcast spotlighting the making of your show, and giving your more promotion. You also get a year of membership at the School of Podcasting (which includes more group coaching, private Facebook group, and courses) If you are interested, go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/youpodcastlaunch Homework: Question of the Month 5:55 At the end of the month, I like to feature a podcast with your voice in it. I ask a question, and we all learn together. This month's question is "What is the book you refer the most?" I'd love to hear your answer. Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/contact and submit your answer (put "November Question" if you email me). I need the answer by November 23rd, 2018 Also, if you have found love via podcasting, I am working on the question of the month for February. 3 Things Your Podcast Needs That Have Nothing With Microphones, Downloads, Or Hosting (2018 Version) 7:52 The three things you need are Attitude This is the "I think I can, I think I can." It does take some time to get your podcast momentum going (your podcast is a bit like a Locomotive - not a race car) It's not all about downloads, and think about being in front of a room of "only 200" people 11:55 Why monthly download stats are crap (or at least misleading) 14:25 What podcasters can learn from Oprah 16:10 How to calculate how many downloads you should be getting Health We are going to dig down, work longer, work harder, and go, go, go, and we end up burning ourselves out 21:05 Robby Tonins the great motivational speaker who loves to push you to sleep when you're dead 23:00 The suicide rate has risen 30% since 1999 in America. Podcasters/Entrepreneurs may be more prone to become depressed 25:15 There is no such thing as "multitasking." 26:20 Avoid the drive-through 26:50 Dave's new wife Alexa Support 28:30 Relationships can cause Stress 30:15 Marriage Advice from the Divorced Guy 31:05 Be sure you know what your partner is thinking instead of guessing 33:30 How much time do you have a day to devote to your podcast? 35:15 Generalities of Men and Women 37:05 The Crazy Cycle 38:20 How to respond to Zingers 39:18 Handling Stalemates 39:50 Date Night on Steroids Final Thoughts 41:43 Fast food is Not Fast 43:05 I love Evernote 44:05 I love Todoist 44:30 Do not read your email first thing in the morning Mentioned in this Show DC Podfest Love and Respect Book The Seven Habits of Highly Productive People Get Free month a Libsyn.com using the coupon code sopfree School of Podcasting Your Podcast Launch Mentorship ProgramMentioned in this episode:I Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey2025 Audience Survey

Nov 5, 2018 • 1h 14min
How to Start a Podcast Network: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly
We all want more listeners. We feel we have tried everything (have we?) and one option that all the "big" shows seem to have in common is they are part of a Podcast Network. Many of these require large amounts of download that your show may not achieve. You may be thinking of starting your own Podcast Network. I've interviewed some friends of mine recently (and some over the years) about their networks and assembled all that information into this episode. If creating a podcast network is not for you (it is a lot of work) you may be thinking that joining a network is a better choice. I share some things you might consider before joining. Sponsor: Focusrite I got to play with a Focusrite 2i2 and if you are looking for an easy to get your microphone into your computer (and have the option to have a co-host as well) without having to look at a TON of knobs, check out the Focusrite 2i2. As I'm on a PC, I downloaded a driver, plugged in the unit, and was ready to record. If you're on a Mac computer, you just plug it in. If you want a backup copy of your recording, plug a cable into the monitor out and send the signal to your portable recorder. It's built like a tank and is a lovely shade of red. Check out the interface selector tool that helps you pick the right model for you at their website. Podcast Network Interviews: Glen Hebbert - Horse Radio Network Daniel J Lewis - Noodle.mx Network Mignon Fogarty - Quick and Dirty Tips Christopher Brian Jones - Trek.fm Stephen Jondrew - Gonna Geek Chris Nesi - Education Podcast Network So You Want to Start Your Own Podcast Network 5:10 You need to be able to answer the question, "Why do you want to start a podcast" There are two type of networks. One is run as a business, and the other is focused more on cross-promotion (or a mixture of both). 14: 40 A network where the shows are around a single niche (Horses, hiking, dancing, education, microbrews, etc) are easier to monetize, easier to optimize on the web. Naming your network should be obvious. A cryptic name will slow the growth of your network. 16:17 Create two logos (square and rectangle) and keep it simple. Make sure it looks good small, or huge. Don't make the logo yourself unless you're a designer. Check out podcastdesigns.com (tell them the School of Podcasting sent you) and there are other services like Kappa 99, 99 Designs, where many artists create your artwork and you select the best. I recently used Kappa99 for my Six Shooter podcast and used their "one time jobs" (under the More menu) to have my artwork done for $49. 20: 40 Define what your podcast network's purpose is. Define what your network will do for the members of the network. 23:00 How to add a show to your network. Start off with a general show, and then expand out and niche out. Have your criteria in place to help you decide if a podcast fits. For example, Daniel J Lewis only wants clean shows on his network. 26:58 How to add hosts to your network. Glenn and Christopher audition their hosts by bringing them on the podcasts as a guest. Most hosts don't want to work with a brand new show as you are not bringing anything to the network ( they are looking for a win-win situation). 34:15 Create a contract between the network and the hosts. This defines what is expected, how people get paid, what will get you fired, and every other situation you can think of that may happen. By having these (at times) awkward conversations you avoid really awkward conversations in the future. When people know what will happen if they want to leave, they can plan accordingly, and expectations are set, and you can go through that situation without sacrificing the personal relationship because the business relationship didn't work. 40:36 Paying hosts a percentage of the advertisement (in some cases based on downloads) is a nightmare you want to avoid. Glenn pays his hosts a flat rate. Daniel also bills primarily using a flate rate. 43:26 Glenn has it in his contract that he can edit a show if they say something offensive that does not fit the network's brand. 44:33 Another way to pay the hosts is through a profit sharing program which allows them to keep a larger amount of advertisements that they bring to the network. 46:50 The more shows you add, the more work is involved chasing advertisers, doing paperwork, editing shows. 48:30 If you have too diverse a set of shows, you won't be able to sell ads across your entire network. 50:30 How do you handle the website? Does each show have its own website? Are all the shows under one website? Who is in charge of updating it and managing the backend? 54:54 The positive side of having a network for building community, focusing efforts, and having sponsors that keep coming back. 57:55 Harnessing the power of your audience. 59:45 The benefit to the podcast listener 1:02:38 A Network can be as simple as a page that shows all of your podcasts (such as powerofpodcasting.com ) 1:03:51 The Bolden theme from Second Line themes is built for a network. Marcus Couch of the Bulls Podcast uses it for his new Bulls network see http://Bulls.fm He used the WP-all import plugin and has it automatically pulling in everyone’s show by checking the feeds every hour automated. Should I Join a Podcast Network? 01:04:07 Here are Some Things to Consider When Pondering Joining a Podcast Network: Is your show a good fit. In the same way that if you want to be a guest on a show YOU NEED TO DO SOME HOMEWORK Are they taking submissions Do you have to change media hosts? You might lose your stats... Do you have to redirect your feed? Can you take your feed with you... Find someone on the network and ask them about before and after numbers? Ask them for the details if you bring a sponsor of your own. Is part of the bonus an advertisement rotated on the site? Really? Is the platform built on a non-free service? Does being on a network help? When cross-promotion is done right sure. I know personally, I've heard or pre-rolls on other shows and never been inspired to check them out. If the host says something that proves they listen, and gives it a stamp of approval, I might. Conclusion: Podcast networks that are run like a business are a lot of work When all of the shows are of the same niche, it helps the network grow faster and may be easier to monetize Get all the details, all the scenarios in writing takes some planning, and strategic thinking for the future, but can save you headaches down the line. If your goal is sponsorship, you better brush up on your selling skills. Don't create your own logo unless you are a graphic designer. Make sure you have a good fit if you are bringing on a new host, or joining a new network. Mentioned in This Podcast If this Then That Divi Wordpress Theme/Plugin Bolden Wordpress Podcast Network Theme Focusrite 2i2 see their Website Ready To Podcast? Join the School of Podcasting and get access to: Step by Step tutorials from idea to iTunes Private Facebook Group Live group coaching Priority email support (you are never alone Join The School of Podcasting Today or work with me and let me be your podcast mentorMentioned in this episode:I Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey2025 Audience Survey

Oct 29, 2018 • 48min
Do Audiograms Boost Podcast Podcast Discovery?
This week I'm going to give you some lessons I learned from Speaking at We Are Podcast 2018 in Brisbane Australia. We also talk about the effectiveness of Audiograms. Sponsor: PodcastGuests.com – Get More Guests -Be Featured on More Podcasts PodcastGuests.com helps you find guests for your podcasts for free PodcastGuests.com will feature your podcast to its over 6,500 users to find qualified guests that meet your requirements You can also find 200 expert guests anytime in the directory at podcastguests.com/directory Sign up at PodcastGuests.com/sop Get a Mentor - Ask For Help I know a few people who love to travel. Monica Rivera from the You Wanna Do What? podcast gave me a great tip to download any episodes from Netflix to my iPad. George Hrab from the Geologic podcast (who gets to go to all sorts of cool stuff because of his podcast) gave me some heads up on a voltage converter. It's Rarely as Bad as It Seems When I heard the phrase "17 hours on a plane (along with some shorter flights for a total of 20 hours)" I thought it sounded like a horror story. I pictured some little punk behind me kicking my kidneys while their parents order another jack and coke from the flight attendant. In the end, even in coach, I was able to stretch my legs. I had two seats between my fellow passenger in my row and slept off and on. There were probably 3-5 small children who would occasionally cry, but it was not the nightmare I had envisioned. When I think of things that I have dreaded in the past, they are rarely as bad as you think you're going to be. Erode Your Comfort Zone I can be shy. When I go to a restaurant I'm not looking to think outside the box. When I was told that a large chunk of my schedule was planned for me, I got nervous. I didn't know where I was going, and except for a few people, I didn't know who I was with, what we were doing, and what I needed to be ready. We had assigned seats both days including assignments on who to go to lunch with. One day, Sean Desouza was going to cook authentic Indian food (I have never had Indian food). The Know Like a Trust Factor I talk about this all the time. When you create valuable content on a consistent basis, your audience trusts you and likes you. If you can share a bit of yourself, they get to know you. When people know, like, and trust you then you have influence. I know Ronsley Vaz from his "Should I Start a Podcast" show. We may have bumped into each other. I finally got to talk to him at Social Media Marketing World where I was speaking. He asked me if I would speak at We Are Podcast. I said yes on the spot. Who doesn't want to go to Australia? I saved up my pennies (and busted out a charge card) and made it happen. As I mentioned above, I was nervous. This was a new country, a new conference (for me), with new people. The first day was very good. I got to meet a lot of people. It was somewhat of the "warm up act" for the main event happening the next two days. Every speaker at this event was awesome. Every person I met was super friendly and shared my love of podcasting. The hotel I stayed at was great. By the end of day one, you could color me impressed, and I was ready for day two. By the end of day two, I believe I had met about 95% of the people there including Jules from Hong Kong Confidential. By the end of day two, where I once felt uncomfortable I now felt relaxed. The Speakers Retreat When I realized that I was going to be living with a bunch of people I had never met, previously this would have put me way outside my comfort zone. By this point, Ronsley had not let me down and I just went with the flow. Here again, it was not as bad as it seemed and was actually kind of fun (in the end we just slept here, and all the speakers hung out at a second house). I would start the day with some sort of healthy pancakes made from buckwheat and for toppings I had some sort of berries instead of maple syrup. Different? Yes. Delicious? Absolutely. The conversations were awesome, and the jokes and laughing were endless. More New Things The following day I had Indian food for the first time. As I was told I was a "Picky Eater" growing up, I assumed I would not like this. I loved it. Sean is launching a course in the future to show people how to cook these types of meals quickly. I'm in. I was scheduled for a session of Holographic Kinetics. I had no idea what it was, but I had heard that "it was a bit woo-woo." All I knew was Ronsley had selected a few people to do it, and I was one of them. I was not here to judge. I was all in. Holographic Kinetics is an advanced Aboriginal healing technique based on an ancient understanding of Lore, the universal laws that govern the creation, and the knowledge that everything in nature is alive and can be communicated with. Thoughts and emotions from difficult experiences in the past can become trapped in a person’s body to create realities. When experienced in the past they affect the present, which in turn affects the future. Once trapped, these energies are carried through time, negatively affecting people’s lives. These trapped energies interact with the external world, and following the law of attraction, like attracts like, they will attract to themselves similar negative experiences. More Info This was the first time I had ever tried it, and it did help me connect some dots from my past. If I'm a better, more confident person, I don't care how I got there. My New Australian Family For me, this was an experience that was truly hard to put into words. I rarely checked email, got almost no sleep, and just enjoyed the beauty of Australia, and the friendship of some truly great people. Jordan Harbinger is hilarious and his wife Jen is a walking firecracker of energy. Check out Jordan's show ( I love feedback Friday) and I went through his level 1 (free) of his Human Dynamics course. Jordan is all about learning and he shares some great insights in his course. Nicole Baldinu and Omar Zenhom are the team behind $100 MBA which I had heard of, and I had also heard of Webinar Ninja software. These two are the brains behind both those entities. I enjoyed talking books with them at breakfast one day and Omar's talk on building teams really opened my eyes Steph Taylor creates the podcast Socialite. She is always smiling and with her accent its a bit like learning about Instagram from Mary Poppins. I LOVED her presentation on having a plan for your podcast launch. Sean D'Souza - Sean is not a know it all, but yet, he seems to know everything (he is the man behind Psychotactics). His presentation on developing skills was very cool ( Energy + Confidence = Skill) and has me rethinking how I present things at the School of Podcasting. He has a podcast called Three Month Vacation. I can't wait to learn how to cook from this guy. Leanne Hughes was the Co-MC of the event and has a smile that will light up the room. She was also my hero as the volunteered to take myself, Ally, and Pat to the airport at six AM. I wish I had more time to pick her brain as she is all about making great presentations. Check out her podcast First Time Facilitator Byron Dempsey is another hero. I had plugged my iPad into to keep it as charged as possible and then forget to put it back in my book bag. Bryon was nice enough to ship it back to the States for me. Byron is a super talented videographer and helps people grow their brands with video. Laura Peterson is someone I kind of knew as I listen to her Copy that Pops podcast. She was the trooper who had to deal with a presentation clicker that did not want to participate. She is super funny and if you are in front of her, please have her to her "California Girl" imitation. If you are thinking of writing a book, she's your gal. Ange Henderson is a business consultant that is super friendly, outgoing, and was always there when we needed a food run. THANKS ANGE! She's worked with huge companies like Netflix and I could go on, but just know she's done it all. Travis Chappell dropped knowledge bombs during his presentation on how to follow up without being a pest. He's one of those guys that doesn't say much, but when he does it is hilarious. Carl Taylor seemed like a nice guy and was in a pretty good mood considering he had just had his wisdom teeth pulled. This mild-mannered guy had sold three businesses and wrote a #1 business book by the age of 25. Every time I hear the phrase Koala Bear, I will think of Carl who let me know Koala's are not bears. They are marsupials. Allison Melody is someone I had met at other conferences, but just getting to chill with people builds that relationship deeper. Her presentation on monetizing you podcast had some new strategies I had not heard of. Check out her Food Heals Podcast. Shannon Morrison is the head of operations at Amplify Media and the founder of Mighty Social World. A super nice guy, and always willing to help with anything and everything. Jason Malouin is nuts. He has a great laugh and was the co-MC of the event. Jason was a great American to Aussie translator and stopped me from getting a sunburn that would've been on a whole new level. If you're in Australia and need a portrait photographer, he's your dude. Check out his Communicator podcast. Harry Duran and Natalie Jenkins are my partners in crime at many conferences. They both make me laugh, and occasionally snort. I love them both very much. You know Harry from Podcast Junkies, and Natalie is often taking head shots at events you attend. If she can make me look good, she can make you look amazing. When I found out I was going into the Hall of Fame, Natalie was one of the first people I called to see if she would photograph it. James Cridland is another person who has been on the show and his the host of the Podnews podcast (And newsletter which has more stories). James was the one who said, "I know a place where you can pet Koala's and Kangaroos" for which I will be eternally grateful. Check him out at www.podnews.net Pat Flynn - I've had Pat on my show. I bump into him all the time at events, but never really got a chance to hang. Pat Flynn (much like Harry and Natalie) makes me laugh a lot. I'm here to tell you the guy is hilarious. He is super chill, and he turned the groups on to some great games such as Psyche! and SpaceTeam. Both games are a lot of fun. He has Smart Passive Income, his book Will it Fly is a MUST READ, his Smart Podcast Player, and he is now teaching people how to podcast with his Power Up Podcasting. Shayde Furlong was the "Audio Engineer" for the whole week, and was cool enough to BRING A GUITAR! I enjoyed all out talks, super nice guy. Ronsley Vaz - The man behind the whole thing. The man behind Amplify media. If I am the Gandalf of podcasting, you are the Jared Easley of Australia. EVERYBODY KNOWS YOU. Check out his Content Amplifier it's amazing (and it's free) as well as his podcast "Should I start a podcast" at http://wearepodcast.com/shouldistartapodcast/ Rochelle Fernandes is always happy. How do you do that? Anytime we needed something, there she was. Amazing. Katherine Maslen of Brisbane Natural Health - Thanks for sharing your team. Your passion for helping people lead healthy lives is amazing. You're a great Mum. Quick Hits Jackie Campbell of Breaking Business podcast had a great story that sometimes you have to STOP to start Every author/artist has the same keyboard Viral Sweep looks like a cool tool for growing your list if you have $49/month UTM Links in Google Analytics allows you to track where your listeners are coming from (kind of) Laura's link to her Show notes template Check out his Content Amplifier If you use Stripe for payment processing you won't believe the information you get from Profitwell (free) Conclusion Sometimes you have to stop gathering data and start with what you know It's rarely going to be as bad as you think it is Where I Will Be November 5th Libsyn Podcasters Meetup 5-8 PM ET November 9-10 DC Podfest - Keynote Speaker How Effective are Audiograms at Growing Your Audience? Check out the previous episode where we discuss how to use an audiogram (Episode 616 ) Elikqitie from Travel Gluten Free - has not found shows through audiograms Daniecae Next to Nothing Podcast (gaming Podcast) twitch.tv/danicae Vanessa from Vanessa's View Podcast Garret Godfried - Good Patron Emily Prokop from the Story Behind Podcast - and the Hate to Weight Podcast Jonathon from Weekly Awesome Steve Stewart from Stevestewart.me mentioned Powtoons and Bobbi Rebell here is her tweet example Bryan from engagingmissions.com Mentioned: Episode 616 on Three Audio Gram Tools Ready To Start Your Podcast? Are you lost in a sea of noise when it comes to podcasting? Are you watching old YouTube Videos that may be outdated? Do you ask a question and get 14 responses (but no answers ) when you post on Facebook? I can help eliminate the noise, and listen to what you want, and help you get what you need. Join Today to take my step by step tutorials on your own schedule If you are looking for a one on one podcast mentoring program, I can do that as well . Testing the Payment Link for Next Week's Show http://www.patreon.com/davejackson"> Support this podcastMentioned in this episode:I Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey2025 Audience Survey

Oct 22, 2018 • 27min
11 Things Podcasters Can Learn From Netflix
Today on episode 641, I'm in Australia at a conference but I'm still here giving you ideas and insights to help you with your podcast. I've been spending a fair amount of time on Netflix, and I've noticed something. Sponsor: PodcastGuests.com – Get More Guests -Be Featured on More Podcasts [1:36] PodcastGuests.com helps you find guests for your podcasts for free PodcastGuests.com will feature your podcast to its over 6,500 users to find qualified guests that meet your requirements You can also find 200 expert guests anytime in the directory at podcastguests.com/directory Sign up at PodcastGuests.com You Should Run Your Podcast Like Netflix 3:45 130 Million Worldwide 4.2 million are still shipping DVDs Projected to pay 7 billion for content 11 Billion in Revenue in 2017 23% of Us adults stream daily 70% of users binge-watch shows A user avoid 160 hours of ads per year 6.7 days 6:38 They make it easy to get to the content and skip how the sausage is made 9:30 Many of their episodes leave you wanting more, and tease the next episode (see Making Oprah ) 9:53 They aren't doing typical content, and they are being creative 11:47 They changed their format to fit their audience and their business plan 14:08 You should watch your industry and niche and see if there is a place for your show 17:35 They seems to be easy to work, they aren't jerks, with which is attracting talented people 18:55 They monitor what their audience is viewing and make similar content (including a teenage tangent) 22:41 You can get Netflix on ANY device. 23:10 Don't hire pedophiles and alleged rapists 23: 20 It doesn't always work. 24:14 They put out content to see if it works BONUS LESSON: They charge for their service. Media hosts like anchor are doomed to fail as bandwidth is not free. Ready To Launch and Grow Your Podcast? Join the School of Podcasting at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/start Work with me as your podcast mentor at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/workwithme Never Miss an Episode Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/subscribe to get the next episode the minute it is released Mentioned in this episode:2025 Audience SurveyI Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey

Oct 15, 2018 • 45min
Don't Dump Your Podcast For Facebook Live Just Yet
Today on episode 640 of the School of Podcasting we are looking at Facebook Consumption and how it stacks up against YouTube and Podcasting. Paul Colligan has a new report and it's fascinating. Because of his Podcast: Troy Heinritz had his name in the Blacklist TV Show Troy Heinritz has been mentioned on this show many times and today on episode 640 is another time. I was getting caught up on the Blacklist Television show on Netflix and in the "Nicholas T Moore" episode they are looking at the background of a "bad guy" and explain how at one point he had stayed at the Heinritz Psychiatric Center in Concord. Troy also explain how they had mixed in a fan's name into an episode who had died of cancer. If you have a "Because of my Podcast" Story, please go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/contact and share it. Sponsor: PodcastGuests.com - Get More Guests -Be Featured on More Podcasts 3:18 PodcastGuests.com helps you find guests for your podcasts for free PodcastGuests.com will feature your podcast to its over 6,500 users to find qualified guests that meet your requirements You can also find 200 expert guests anytime in the directory at podcastguests.com/directory Sign up at PodcastGuests.com Podcast Consumption Trounces YouTube and Facebook Consumption 4:40 Today we talk about a report that Paul Colligan (of the Podcast Report) did on consumption metrics comparing Facebook Live against YouTube and Podcasting. In looking at a video he did live on Facebook he found that "The average watch time of my 11 minute and 37-second broadcast was only 22 seconds — just 3% of the video. " Later he put the exact same content on YouTube and "YouTube was 36% Facebook’s 3%. On YouTube, viewers tuned in over 11 times longer on average than they did on Facebook." He again took the exact same content and put it out as an audio podcast. He checked his stats in Appel's Podcasts Connect and found, "On Apple Podcasts, the audience listened to a whopping average of 94% of the episode … more than 31 times the percentage on Facebook and slightly less than 3 times the percent on YouTube." While Facebook consumption was much lower than the other platforms, Paul is not saying Facebook is bad. It just may be that this is not the place where people go for long-form content. It seems like it is the place consumers go for "quick hit" information while they are waiting in line or taking a quick break. He approached other people and they all had similar results. Read the full story here. What Facebook is for Me I know for me, I saw where Dan Klass was going to record an episode of the Bitterest Pill live. I was excited and had planned on watching it live. I forgot to write it down and listened to the content when it came out as his latest episode. I often start a video as I'm on Facebook, but as I scroll down it becomes distracting. I'm looking for quick updates from friends, family, and colleagues. In Conclusion It is hard to argue with the data. Granted this is a very small sample, but enough data to spot some trends. If you have a large following on these platforms you need to look and see what your consumption analytics show. You may be very, very surprised. How do You Find Facebook Stats? To access Facebook video metrics, click Insights at the top of your Facebook Page and navigate to the Videos tab. The Video Views graph shows you the number of times people viewed videos for longer than 3 seconds (as shown below). More information on understanding Facebook stats can be found here. How Do I See My Consumption Stats on Apple Podcasts? Apple has a tutorial on this topic at https://itunespartner.apple.com/en/podcasts/videos#podcast-analytics Podcast Rewind 39:34 I was featured on the Computer Tutor show on a special International Podcast Day episode (great podcasting 101 stuff and some stories I've never talked about) Listen Here I was featured on a two-part interview on the Get Clients Now Podcast. You can find Part 1 and Part 2 at http://getclientsnow.libsyn.com/ In part one, I talk about how having a podcast can help your business and part two is more focused on monetization strategies. Podcast Mentoring Programs Available If you are looking to work side by side with me, I know how programs in place to do just that. See www.schoolofpodcasting.com/workwithme If you want to work at your own pace (as fast or as slow as you want) check out the School of Podcasting at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/start Mentioned in this episode:2025 Audience SurveyI Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey

Oct 8, 2018 • 50min
Vicious Listener Comments That Were 100% True
Today I share the story of some pretty harsh criticism I received, and how I had to deal with the fact that my listener had a point. Welcome to episode 639 of the School of Podcasting Sponsor: Podcastguests.com 3:47 PodcastGuests.com helps you find guests for your podcasts for free PodcastGuests.com will feature your podcast to its over 6,500 users to find qualified guests that meet your requirements You can also find 200 expert guests anytime in the directory at podcastguests.com/directory Today I'm talking about branding, and I could've invited Greg Corey (Corey says, I love to talk to audiences about how creating better branding for themselves and their products can skyrocket their sales). It took all of three seconds to find Greg, and we know he's looking to get on podcasts. Sign up at PodcastGuests.com/sop Fat Fingers Can Cause More Them Embarrassment 5:06 In the last episode, I mentioned that I had brought up a controversial subject (Collin Kaepernick) and that people might tune out (the subject was controlling the conversation). What is offending is not the episode but rather your poor grasp on basic spelling and grammar throughout many pages on this website.. By the way, if you want to sound like an authority, please learn basic spelling and grammar or hire someone (fiverr) to do it for you.. How do you have an education degree when this is how you write and communicate? By the way, in the sub-title, “Freedom of Speach is Not Freedom from Consequences”- The word “speach” is spelled Speech. Any sixth grader knows that and certainly a g college graduate should know that as well.. It is not that hard. At least have your written copy proof read by someone who does know how to spell and write decently before publishing it to the world. Geez! I think that is pretty basic.. How again can you confidently charge $200 an hour for consulting when you have such poor spelling and grammar skills in your written web copy? You are a joke sir! What college granted you a degree when you consistently cannot write legibly? and you are tying to sell yourself as an expert? Please! I will say again.. Please! At least hire someone to cover your mistakes and not try to promote yourself as some sort of “expert” – You look like a damn fool sir So I sent Mark Doyle and Email Dear Mark, Thanks for the comment. My Apologies for the typos. You're right I'm a damn fool and a joke of a human being... Dave Mark Sent Me a Reply Mr. Jackson I would like to take a moment and apologize for my comments and harsh criticisms. It was unwarranted and uncalled for and not like me at all to post something like that Please accept my apologies Best of luck to you sir Mark Made a Really Good Point in a Really Crappy Way I hold no ill will toward Mark. Mark may have had a really bad day, and I have forgiven him. He did get me to check into why these typos got through (I was using two spell checkers, and Grammarly does a GREAT job). In a nutshell, I had logged out of Grammarly and it no longer was checking everything I typed. There is Probably More Than One Way To Fix Your Issue I had typed my show notes about an hour before I published them. I did this to "flush out" ideas before I pressed record. Then I thought, would this not work a day or two (or a week) in advance so I could come and look at the copy with "Fresh eyes." Yes, this could be done. Another option would be to type shorter notes. This makes sense to a certain extent. I always want to have at least 300 words. I am currently at 1591. If I pushed thing back even further than a few days, I could hire someone to look over my posts. This is not an unsolvable issue. It just means I can't keep doing what I've always been doing. Your Podcast Is Your Brand In looking up different items about what makes a good brand, I kept seeing things that I saw that I had dropped the ball on. Neglecting Public Perception: The public’s perception of your brand might not be the rosiest, but instead of chalking it up to bad luck or pointing fingers, it’s time to get serious about turning that frown upside down. (source). Another article mentioned this as "Not providing great brand experience." Brand experience is not only about your stuff, but also your website experience and every other touch-point where customers come in contact with your brand. Another article stated, "Many savvy consumers judge credibility by grammar and attention to detail." Why Branding Matters The audience might feel: You value quantity over quality when you get sloppy You appear irresponsible You appear uncaring You think the audience stupid (as they won't notice) You're not the most intelligent person on the planet. The Internet Writes in Ink While many blunders appear on the news and are replaced by tomorrows new headlines, don't plan on everyone's short attention span. Just ask Louis C. K (Sex offender), Chi-Fil-a (homophobic), Uber (employee Harassment), Target, Facebook, and many others (data breach), as well as other companies that have had topics that left a black eye. It's Just a Podcast 22:15 You may be tempted to think, "It's just a podcast." That kind of talk will keep us in the "Minor Leagues" of content creators. We end up with a stereotype that sounds a lot like this video or this video where we are all giant nerds. Building Your Brand You need to develop a brand strategy, and understand your business objectives and shift focus to that instead of designing a beautiful logo that won’t work. Also, realize your business strategy may be "THIS IS NOT A BUSINESS." With that in mind, you may want to blow off your brand. I would recommend you don't. When you launch your podcast you are creating your brand. In looking at a TON of articles about branding, here are some things to consider: 22:35 Pat Flynn talks about the Four P's. These are: Places: You want to create your list of places where your target audience exists. This could be online or offline. I like to go to conferences, meetups, and events. My goal is to tell you the eye color of my target audience. It's not just in person, look at what publications they read (those kinds of things). People: Look at the people in your space who already have a following. You don't do this to rip them off, but to see what is working. You can see what they are covering. Products: Make a list of all the products and their prices. Position: After you look at where they are, who they are following, and seeing the products, you can see if there is any place where you can take your unique perspective (where you explain things in a way that immediately obvious or cliche). I love the quote by Seth Godin, "Don’t find customers for your products, find products for your customers.” If you haven't read the book "Will it Fly" by Pat Flynn, you should. You can even listen to Pat Read it on Audible (you can get the book for free if you're a new customer) go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/freebook You need to research your competitors, look for points of differentiation, then define who you are, who your customers are and how to connect with them The Podcast Brand Experience Some 23% of consumers say they would stop using a brand after a bad experience. (source) In that report, they were talking about dealing with rude employees, etc. However, in podcasting what is part of the experience: Your intro/outro Your audio quality Your logo Your voice (tone, accent) Your grammar How quickly you get to your topic The relevancy of advertisements if you have them Your volume levels The quality of your content. Are you boring? Your show notes (we did a whole episode on do people look at these?) I'm Worried About This Post As I write this in October of 2018, people are freaking out about the little things that often don't matter (what font on your artwork, what theme for their website) and while all of that is your brand, if you try to wait until everything is perfect you will NEVER start your podcast. Keep in mind you can change your brand (Dunkin Doughnuts is changing their brand to Dunkin, Starbucks used to have BOOBIES in their logo. BOOBIES! What I Want You To Take Away From time to time you may get some negative feedback. Some of it may be constructive, and some it may be cruel. Today my point is, no matter how feedback is provided you need to ask yourself, "Is it true? Do they have a point?" and in the case of Mark Doyle - he did and I thank him for that. Ideas For Adding Merchandise To Your Podcast I have an interview with James from Tee Public from the last day of Podcast Movement (hence the lack of voice, and the loud background). Ideas on how to integrate merchandise with your show How to sell without being "salesy" There are more products - not just t-shirts Now with coverage in the UK More features coming very soon. Ready To Start Your Podcast? Join the School of podcasting and don't just get access to tutorials, but join a community of podcasters who all work together to help each other grow their audience Join today. Mentioned in this episode:2025 Audience SurveyI Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey

Oct 1, 2018 • 37min
Your Spin Free Zone
Today on episode 638 I am talking about controlling a conversation from two different angles. Bonus Content Why Squadcast is the Best Tool for Recording Interviews I speak with Zach Moreno one of the founders of Squadcast (save 50% off using the coupon code sopfans ) who explains Why he (a programmer) and his brother (an audio engineer) started Squadcast How they had an issue, but it has been solved and they may have their solution patented What is coming in the future Squadcast is super easy. You put in the email address, the date and time of the interview and it does everything else. The big key is your guest(s) need to use chrome to use the system. The system prompts them to use chrome if they are not. It records their side of the conversation locally to their computer and then QUICKLY uploads it when the conversation is done. If there were any glitches where the speaking was cut out during the call, the local recording does not have any of those glitches. Squadcast is currently $20 a month. You get save 50% using the coupon code sopfans at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/squadcast How To Ensure Everyone Knows Your Intent I was watching Comedian in Cars Getting Coffe with Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Bur. Bill voiced his fear of how people are having careers taken away becomes someone took something you said as a joke seriously and they are now TELLING YOU what YOUR intent was. As Bill put it, "You don't get to decide that you're in my head and you know my intent." One example of a company who ensures you understand their intent is American Airlines who has a podcast called "Tell Me Why." For example, one episode an American Airline representative explains the changes in their policy regarding support animals. I think this is an awesome job as a lazy journalist (where people just Google a subject, do no research and copy and paste an answer - even it is entirely untrue). could easily spin this as "American Airlines hates all animals." The good news is American Airlines through their podcast has a DIRECT CONNECTION with their audience (their customers). They don't have to worry about anyone from the mainstream media putting a spin on it. I personally found it strange when people began burning their own shoes in protest to Colin Kaepernick is a new spokesperson for Nike. So I did something people use to do called "Journalism." I listened to Colin's first press conference. It turns out. He doesn't hate the troops the flag, or the country. What he hates is the alarming rate of police brutality that he sees and hears about, and yet it is never covered on the news, and there seems to be no justice for the victims. In fact, the news just kept repeating how it was disrespectful for the troops and the flag. Even though in his press conference later he said, "People thought it was about the flag or the troops and it's not." So when you go through the mainstream media, your message has a potential to get very distorted. This is why Colin Kaepernick needs his own podcast. Then people could go directly to the source and here what his intentions are, why he is doing what he is doing, and maybe get a better understanding. For me, I urge all white people who group up around white people (you're not racist, but it just so happens there were no black people in your neighborhood to watch the documentary movie 13th on Netflix Freedom of Speach is Not Freedom from Consequences Just because you can say it, doesn't mean there weren't be consequences. For example, I believe it is illegal to scream "FIRE" in a theater. You are free to say it, but you will go to jail. Keep this in mind that stating your intentions and opinion will exercise your right to free speech. It may also introduce you to the law of consequences. One A Side Note There was a time when you were allowed to have a difference of opinion. You might actually have a "dialogue" so you and another person could examine both viewpoints to see if you agreed on anything, or might gain an new insight and expand your knowledge. It seems harder and harder to do that today. As I bring today's slight controversial topic, please note I don't support sexual predators, racists, or anyone spreading hate speech (cause racism is learned from your parents are friends - you are not born a racist). If this episode offended you I'm sorry. My goal is to show how you can get your unedited point across on your podcast and have it reach the worldMentioned in this episode:2025 Audience SurveyI Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey

Sep 24, 2018 • 60min
Is Podcasting Frying Your Brain?
Because Of My Podcast - The Family Travel Podcast Michael, He is on podcast number two, and this one is allowing him to make some money http://abigpeacheyadventure.com.au/family-travel-podcast/ Question of the Month: Where Are you With Podcasting? 6:28 Clay from the Fish Nerds Podcast is a 4 7:30 Paul from the Fighting Through Podcast is a 1 8:48 Andrea from Union Podcastera is a 1 12:18 Darwyn Dave from Dealing with My Grief is 1 13:59 Brad from The Cinema Guys is a 1 15:23 Jared from The Fire Rescue is a 3 16:52 Micah and Dustin from Tales From Bedlum -5 17:55 Jonathon Bloom from the Weekly Awesome Podcast- 1 19:07 Kim from Teachers Need Teachers is a 1 23:21 Josh from the Corner Cutters Podcast (about the Rubik's cube) - 1 25:10 Ryan Nelson - Conspiracy Theoryology is a 1 27:27 Master Kuldryn's from Kuldryn's Krypt is a - 1 28:28 Seth from Geekville Radio, www.twbpodcast.com and Classic Wrestling Memories is a 1 31:01 Timothy kdoipodcasting.com was at a 5 and is now at a 3 34:52 Vanessa from Vanessa's View is at a 1 (or UNO) 39:41 Win Charles is a 6 Check Out Joe Today in Orlando Tuesday (this coming Tuesday...September 25th) The Improv Orlando Florida Doors open at 6:30 - Show starts at 7:30 $10 LOTS of people in the cast. We EVEN have an opening act, the awesome 15-minute long Popcorn Finance podcast (up for a personal finance Plutus Award for Best New Podcast in that space) at next week's award show. http://stackingbenjamins.com/tour Update on Michael Stelzner and Social Media Marketing World In episode 635 (Logic and Emotion) I had mentioned how Social Media Marketing World has pulled their podcasting track. I wanted to clarify while Leo Laporte at one point had said "podcasting is dead" and then later took it back, Michael Stelzner never said podcasting is dead. He simply said his statistics show that his socials media crowd that attends his audience is less interested in the subject of podcasting. Michael still uses podcasting to promote Social Media Marketing world. If you can't afford the trip, some of the top experts are speaking at this event, and you can purchase a virtual ticket I just got done binging on Michael's YouTube series "The Journey" as the second season has just started (so I have to binge the first episode) and this once again proves that "behind the scenes" information is often "not boring." Check it out at journey.show Sue Jennett Your chat about choosing words that evoke emotion was interesting for me, as I like to choose my words carefully for both my podcasts and my blog. I hadn’t before thought about trying to evoke any emotion, but more to inform in an easy-to-listen-to manner. As often happens when I hear your podcasts, I’m at that time working on something to which I can apply your advice. I was, last night, ready to record my speaking portions and edit a podcast about the sacrament of communion for those on a ggluten-freediet. Earlier in the evening ,I chaired a meeting of our local celiac support group, and out of the blue, someone stopped me before I left to ask if I knew any solutions for this exact problem. She didn’t know I had researched it, and spoken to a guest about it. I felt good that I could impart some useful information to her, but what was more impactful on me was her emotional investment in the issue. I left the meeting and came home to “infuse” my podcast with small tugs on the emotional fabric of my listeners. I also used the same strategy to write my social media for today. Small changes, small words, strategically placed to evoke emotion, when the subject is suitable is something I now have in my arsenal of podcasting tools. Thanks Dave – BTW my social posts are getting more comments and interaction than I have ever had on any particular podcast – and guess what – they are mostly emotionally driven! PS – I started a second podcast over the summer on gluten free weight loss/management so you’ll soon see my comments on your Logical Weight Loss Podcast, as I’ve binged on it for a few months now. acanadianceliacblog.com Ready to Start a Podcast? I'd Love to Help You! Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/startMentioned in this episode:I Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey2025 Audience Survey

Sep 17, 2018 • 57min
The Ultimate Guide to Launching Your Podcast
You want to launch a podcast, and in the past, I've talked about how there are 27 steps to launch a podcast (you might want to read that first). Today I want to cover this episode from a new angle and address some of the mistakes I am seeing on episode 636 of the School of Podcasting. If you missed the previous list it was Step 1: Pick Your Topic Step 2: Decide if you're podcasting solo or with cohost(s). Step 3: Pick how you will podcast. Step 4: Pick where will you podcast? Step 5: Pick a name. Step 6. Buy the Hardware Step 7. Buy Software Step 8 is purchasing web hosting Step 9 is installing WordPress Step 10 is to get your WordPress installation ready to podcast Step 11 is making your website look good. 12. Domain Name 13. Graphics 14. Intro Music. (optional) 15. Media Hosting (for your mp3 files) 16. Organize Your Content 17. Record Your Content 18. Edit Your Content 19. Assemble Your Episode 20. Add ID3 Tags 21. Upload your media 22. Write Your Show Notes 23. Copy the Media URL and Paste It Into Your Post (optional) 24. Click Publish 25. Set Up Tags for iTunes 26> Make Sure your Feed is Valid 27. Submit Your Podcast to Apple Podcasts What is the Goal of Your Podcast? You need to know this. How will know if it's successful? Is it a certain number of downloads? Is it a certain number of sales? Is it to position you as an expert? Does Your Podcast Move You Toward Your Goal? So if the goal of your show is to help build an email list, did you remember to tell people about your list. If it's to build your consulting clients, did you mention you are available for consulting? Has Someone Who Is Your Target Audience Given You Honest Feedback? Have You Checked to See If You Are Unique? There are at least five shows named "outside the box", and six shows named, "The Feed." If you name your show identical to another show, not only may you be opening the door to legal action, but these people have a head start and you will have a hard time ranking for that phrase. What you NEED to Launch a Podcast Artwork: The artwork is SQUARE with a minimum dimension of 1400X1400 and a maximum dimension of 3000X3000. The FILE SIZE needs to be less than 500 kb. Failure to meet these specifications can get you rejected, and cause your show not to update, and in some cases get removed from Apple. A Valid RSS feed. That feed will have a description of your show. Along with the author/hosts(s) of the show, categories, and an email address. This is typically entered into your media host (more on that later) or whatever tool you are using to create an RSS feed A media host. I was a Libsyn customer for 10 years before being a customer, but I feel Libsyn.com is the best. For other thoughts on podcast media hosting see this post A quick note: Stay away from Anchor or any other free media hosts. I've seen multiple attempts at free media hosting over the years and it always ends badly One published episode. You can't upload a bunch of episodes as drafts, submit your show to Apple and other directories, and the flip a switch. While many people will tell you to launch with 3, 4, 10, 30 episodes, I'm here to tell you that you can launch with as many as you want (please note they DO NOT automatically download when someone subscribes, your audience needs to manually download them) but you only NEED one. The Podcast Launch Schedule I see so many people picking a launch date and then trying to fit their podcast into it. This is like picking a time for Thanksgiving dinner and you've never cooked a turkey before. You need to have a knowledge of how long it takes to cook the bird, and likewise, you wouldn't call everyone to the table if the meal wasn't done. They would all come running to the table and ask, "Hey, where's the food?" I spent last week with Rob Walch the VP of Podcaster Relations at Libsyn.com (the oldest, largest podcast media hosting company - get a free month using the coupon code sopfree ) and he recommended to start submitting your show to directories ONE MONTH in advance and I agree and here is why: While it may take 3-5 days to be listed in Apple, in some cases it takes a few extra days for the artwork to show up (after you've been approved) and in some cases even more, time before you are shown in the results of a search You want to have your show listed in as many apps as possible. Right now I recommend Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Podcasts, and if it's still alive Google Play Music. As I write this in September of 2018, Google Play Music is on a respirator and I would worry about it last. The reason for this is people get comfortable with their apps and devices. I use Overcast on my iPhone. If someone wants me to listen to their podcast and it's only available in Stitcher, there is a very strong chance I will never hear their episode. It costs nothing but a few minutes to submit your show to these places. I've got tutorials on how to do all of this at the School of Podcasting Once Your Ready Pick Your Date Once you are listed in the directories, then you can pick your date and start building the buzz (OK, you can start building the buzz when you submit to the directories). A musician is not going to plan a CD release party (remember those), or an author won't setup a book reading and autograph session until they have their products in their hand. With this in mind, I strongly suggest you do NOT pick your date until you are listed in all the directories. Teach Your Audience How To Subscribe Don't just tell your audience, "I'm in Apple podcasts." SHOW THEM how to subscribe. You can take screenshots on your phone (on an iPhone hold down the button on the right side of the phone and press the home button). If you have an android phone just press the Volume Down and Power buttons at the same time, hold them for a second, and your phone will take a screenshot. You want to guide your audience into being subscribers. This is the difference between a clerk at Home Depot answer the question "Where are the plastic tarps?" by saying "Isle 8" or taking me to aisle 8 and putting one in my hand. In that scenario, the clerk knows I'm walking out of the store with a plastic tarp. You want your audience walking out with a subscription. If you want you can use a video I made that explains how to subscribe to a podcast in Apple podcasts at www.learntosubscribe.com One thing I should mention here, while I'm assuming you have episode(s) recorded is I also assume you have a domain name. Do you have your own website? That's up to you ( I recommend it) but at least have a domain name so your website is Did You Know Siri Can Help You Subscribe to podcasts? Get on Facebook live and ask Siri on your iPhone to subscribe to your podcast. Most of the time she gets it right. Get Your Social Media Ready To Go Make sure you have your Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc ready to go with graphics, etc. There is a tool called thunderclap.it which enabled you to work with your friends so you can post a tweet on their account and so your message goes out to a huge group of people at the same time. As I write this thunderclap.it is having issues with their website (and may have gone out of business). With this in mind, supply your group of friends with a pre-written tweet that they can retweet, etc. Get Your Attitude in Check If you want your podcast to be a business eventually, then you better write a business plan on how you're going to be different, better, and more successful than your competition. I will say that it takes YEARS to generate a sizeable income. In the book "beyond powerful radio" by Valerie Geller she points out that it takes three years to build an audience on radio. Wil Schroter is the Founder + CEO @ Startups.co say that it takes at least 4 years just to get pointed toward a real business. According to a post on Quora.com Amazon started in July 1994. They reported their first profit in Jan. 2004 for the last quarter of 2003. With this in mind, get ready for the long haul. This is not a sprint. It is a marathon. How Many Downloads Should My Podcast Get? I have said the equation for downloads is Total Value in the Episode Multiplied by The total amount of intelligent promotion = Total Number of Downloads Also, keep in mind, it's not all downloads. You can see so many benefits of podcasting. I spotlight them in this podcast as a "Because of My Podcast" segment Conclusion Make sure your show is good. Get your target audience to give you feedback You only need one episode to launch, but many people launch with three. Use the right tools, and make sure you are following image guidelines. Don't start promoting your show until you are listed in the top directories Get everyone to SUBSCRIBE to your show when it launches Realize it will take time to grow your audience Common Podcast Launch Mistakes Using the wrong tool for the job. Podcaster who host their media on a web host (instead of a media host), free media hosts, companies that minor in podcast (Squarespace, Soundcloud) Only promoting Apple. In May 2018, 54.4 percent of U.S. smartphone subscribers were using a Google Android device. Apple was the second most popular smartphone operating system with a 44.3 percent market share. source Picking a launch date a few days from today (and not knowing the time frame it takes) Horrible titles of episodes ( putting the name of the show in the title along with the episode number) Overthinking everything and Underthinking the process Not checking to see if the podcast name is already in place. Not knowing how to use their equipment (bad mic technique, and bad microphones like the Blue Yeti, Blue Snowball, that are not bad, but you need to know how to use them) Thinking a "Big launch" equals a big success. This is like saying a big wedding will lead to a happy marriage. Worrying about Apple charts, and new and noteworthy. Focus on your audience, and make it easier to interact with you instead. The charts do not deliver much of a boost, and their validity is under suspicion at the moment. Rating and Reviews are nice to have, but SUBSCRIBERS are the better thing to cultivate (which is why you want to lead them) People are spamming their name. So if I had "School of Podcasting" |make money podcasting, Pat Flynn, John Lee Dumas that would be spam. Apple hasn't given any Mentioned on this show Dave on the Podcasting for Radio Dummies Show Slick Text Podcast Review Show Bond Fire Studio Idea for International Podcast Day (9/30) See Video Want Some Help Launching Your Podcast? I would love to sit down with you and help you plan your launch strategy. Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/schedule to schedule some one on one time, or Join the School of Podcasting Mentioned in this episode:2025 Audience SurveyI Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey