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

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        

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  

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.  

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 world

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/start

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

Podcast Question Of the Month If there is a slider between 1 I LOVE PODCASTING and 10 is I HATE Podcasting, where are you? Are you feeling like a three? Seven? Lets us know and WHY you are feeling the way you are. If you want to record something and attach it be sure to put September question in the subject line and send it to dave “at” schoolofpodcasting.com (trying to avoid spam with the spelling), or go to our Contact page for more options. I need your answer by 9/21/18 Slick Text Update 3:09 In a previous episode, I talked about testing Slick Text. This is a texting tool that creates an autoresponder. So when you text " sop " to 31996 you get an autoresponder from me with a link to my show in Apple Podcasts as well as a link to my show on Google Podcasts. I did a presentation for an "intimate" group at Podcast Midatlantic (probably 80 people) and I had five people sign up on the spot. With a month behind me, I've had 38 people sign up. You can try their free program, or upgrade to their $29 plan and save 15% off when you sign up for a paid plan using the coupon sop15.  For more information check out www.schoolofpodcasting.com/slicktext   What is LibsynPro Libsyn.com is a great solution for the independent podcasters (with pricing starting at $5 per month, with the most popular plans being $15 or $20 a month). This week I spent time at Content Marketing World (an event with 4000+ attendees) where most of the clients were companies (not individuals) who were looking for enterprise solutions (and in some cases used by marketing agencies or networks). Here are some of the features of LibsynPro. You can have different levels of access for multiple users. Stats per show or for your whole NetWork A higher monthly fee and you pay for your bandwidth (see VP of Podcaster Relations at rob@libsyn.com) Dynamic ad insertion Addition Podcast Configurations You can also have a private podcast. This means you can set up a podcast for your company, add the users, and have an app created for your podcast. This also gives you the ability to see if your employees are listening to episodes, and in the event, you terminate an employee you can remove their access to any files.  Social Media Marketing World Dumps Podcasting Due to Slow Growth 11:05 Recently Tom Webster wrote an article on Medium what podcasting needs to spur more growth. Michael Stelzner replied to the post and stated, "Great read Tom. Your data seems to backup what I have noticed over the last 6 years since I have been in podcasting. I was very excited and there was pretty nice growth about 5 or 6 years ago. Then I noticed a shift that started maybe 3 or 4 years ago. I noticed the NPR style shows coming on the scene, in force. And of course Gimlet. My first concern was that people who already listened to “other” podcasts would go over to the high production shows and slow their listening of shows “like ours.” I was concerned it would send a signal to new podcasters that “you have be like those guys if you wanna get in this space, forget about it!” I also noticed a significant number of podcasting evangelists starting to “podfade,” and no one filled the gap. I started to notice my own numbers stop growing (but still be very healthy and stay that way for years) despite my other media properties growing. I started to notice less interest in podcasting sessions at my conference, less interest in podcasting articles on my site, etc. So all the data came together and made it very clear. Podcasting was not growing. We made the strategic decision to eliminate the podcasting track from Social Media Marketing World a few months ago. So what I saw happening through my lens in my industry is also happening in the entire podcasting industry it seems. And I am not sure it’s a language issue (as you suggested towards the 52). I actually think it’s a social media issue. People spend a ton of time consuming content with audio. It’s called video. And I’m sure you have access to data that shows video consumption is way up, especially on social networks. The times, they are a changing. Just my two cents. Thoughts??" While Michael has his opinion based on his stats this does bring up one question: Who are the Podcast Evangelists? ( I know both Cliff Ravenscraft and John Lee Dumas pivoted their marketing to reach a wider audience) but what is a significant number of podcast evangelists? Keep in mind, this is through Michael's Lens.podcasting was dead Which will be different than YOUR Lens. It reminds me a bit of when Leo Laporte had said Podcasting wasn't' growing, it was too hard, and that lead to people saying Leo Laporte said that podcasting was dead  ( see https://mashable.com/2009/10/03/leo-laporte-video/#9DEMgJjZmaqs ). If you talk to Rob Walch, Todd Cochran or Rob Greenlee, I think they will report that podcast consumption is up (it may not be up in Michael's Niche).  Mentioned: Trends in Newspapers https://houston.cbslocal.com/2012/10/15/study-less-than-a-quarter-of-americans-read-newspapers/ Trends of Radio in the Car http://www.edisonresearch.com/radios-reach-in-cars-unchanged-since-2011/ Insights from Podcast MidAtlantic 2018 23:10 I just came back from Podcast MidAtlantic 2018. Were around 100 podcasters got together for a few days to talk podcasting. I met some great folks who will be guests in the future. Matthew Passey did a cool presentation about promoting your show and turned me on to Blip Billboards where you can get your show on an electronic billboard for $10 a day. A blip is anywhere from 7.5 to 10 seconds on a rotating billboard. The cost depends on the locations and times you choose. Any budget is fair game. Content Marketing Is Content Marketing I was listening to Tim Schmoyer's Video Creator's Podcast and let me summarize some of the concepts I heard: Know who your audience is. Focus on making great content Don't focus on the YouTube Algorithm Write good titles Be yourself and don't blatantly rip off other shows Be consistent in quality and schedule Connect/Engage with your audience It takes time to build and audience I've been investigating the Twitch video platform so I listened to a few Twitch podcasts and heard Know who your audience is Focus on making a good show Follower counts don't matter Don't do spammy "follow for follow" exchanges Be Yourself and don't rip off other shows. Be consistent in quality and schedule It Takes Time Sadly almost all of the Twitch podcasters are using horrible media hosts like Soundcloud and Anchor When I was at Podcast Midatlantic I heard similar themes Know who your audience is Focus on making a good show Reviews don't move you up the charts Don't do spammy review swaps Be Yourself and don't rip off other shows. Be consistent in quality and schedule It Takes Time Combining Logic with Emotions In Your Podcast 26:30 Words are fun. Picking the right words can trigger emotions in your audience. When you combine logic with emotions, it may inspire your audience to tell their friends. Today I play with words to show how different words can trigger more emotions.  If you get emotional, your audience LIKES YOU and give you grief. See this video of Vince Gill singing at the funeral of George Jones. At the end, the audience (lead by Garth Brooks) stands to show their support as Vince starts to slowly lose the ability to sing. Watch the video and see how you feel at the end of the song.  Notice the audience was rooting for him, so if you share something personal your audience is pulling for you.  Keep in mind, the Internet writes in Ink. While you have freedom of speech, you do not have freedom of consequences. Sometimes we say things when we are emotional that can get us in trouble ( so it's a fine dance). Here are some examples: What is more likely to trigger your audience? The phrase, "the 44th President of the United States," or the phrase "Barack Obama" or even more, "The First Black President." What is better, "A Unique Situation" or "You're not going to believe this." Another example is "A Historic book," or "Based on a true story?" Don't forget to use images on your show notes as those can trigger emotions as well. Mentioned: Pat Flynn Smart Passive Income  Ready To Start Your Podcast? I have multiple plans for multiple budgets see www.schoolofpodcasting.com/workwithme

Today I talk with Noah Tetzner who starts the History of Vikings five months ago, and when the average podcaster is getting a little under 2,000 downloads per episodes, Noah is getting 10,000 downloads per episodes. I wanted to know what he's doing to grow his audience so fast.  Noah Tetzner Wanted a Show About Vikings But Couldn't Fine One He Liked 1:58 Like many podcasters, Noah found some podcasts that weren't bad, but they didn't really fit 100% of what he was looking for. What did Noah do? He started one of his own. Is he a big tech nerd? No. Did he come with a pre-made audience? No. He found guests that had more than a heartbeat (like some shows) he found guests who could bring value. In this interview you will also hear how: Noah is buying ads on other history shows to promote his show How much Noah is spending per show How reviews seem to be boosting his chart position, but may not do much for downloads How he appears on shows as a guest even if they are not about history He is building relationships with fellow podcasters and his audience His strategy is to do your research and be genuine Not everything he tried worked How he overcame Imposter Syndrome to start his show How he is now pursuing monetization His main priority is growing his audience. Check out his show at www.thehistoryofvikings.com  Mentioned: www.newandnoteworthy.info Podcast Rewind: Where Has Dave Been? 19:15  Big Podcast: Podcast Longevity, Failures, And How To Know If You'll Make It In Podcasting Podcast Envy: Dave Jackson, School of Podcasting, on Impostor Syndrome and Podcasters Hall of Fame Unstructured Podcast: Dave Jackson The Word From Mouth: SEARCH, ADOPTION, AND MOVING THE NEEDLE IN PODCASTING – WITH DAVE JACKSON Want to interview me on your show? Contact Me What I Learned From My Podcast Focus Group 24:54 I am in a "Mastermind" with a graphics person, a lawyer, audio editors, and more. We are all podcasters and share our opinions on how to grow each other's podcast. It's free (you don't need to spend 5,000 a day to be in a mastermind - start one today).  Here are some of the things I learned: I don't expand enough on what people get so they see the value My bullet points were out of order and I put the best bullet point at the bottom of the list You're not really saying what people are getting I had too many options to choose from I need to take my testimonials and sprinkle them through the sales copy So What's This Have to Do With Your Show? Sometimes you need an OUTSIDE opinion to find things that are RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.  We Need To Talk: Setting Your Podcast Expectations 31:30 There are people with 10 downloads who want to monetize their show.  There are people with five episodes that want to quit their day job.  Here is another way to think about this and set expectations A musician has written their first five songs. Can they make a living? An actor has gone on five auditions and might have a lead on a commercial. Can they make a living acting? An author has five manuscripts and an agent. Can they make a living as an author? The answer? It depends. The odds are not in your favor, but it's going to take TIME. Many "overnight successes" took YEARS to get their big break. If your sole reason is to make QUICK MONEY, and you are bringing NO AUDIENCE, the odds are stacked against you. STEP ONE OF MAKING MONEY WITH YOUR PODCAST So many people hear crowdfunding and focus on the funding, and forget that step is one is create a crowd. They put the cart before the horse. How do you build your audience? In a nutshell, it boils down to this. 1. Identify who your audience is 2. Listen to them and determine what content they want to hear. 3. Create content that will inspire them to tell a friend (in other words, its good). I refer to this is "deliver value." 4. Go to where your target audience is 5. Make friends with them, and bring value to every conversation, listen for ideas for future episodes. 6. Then tell them about your show Step 7 would be repeat steps 2-6 Ready to Start a Podcast? Get coached by an award-winning, Hall of Fame podcasters Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/workwithme  

In episode  633 of the School of Podcasting, we are looking at Podcasting Events and asking, "is it worth attending?" We also touch base with Danny Peña who has created a movie about his story and his show Gamer tag Radio (that is now winning awards at Movie Festivals) to help introduce people to podcasting and to his show. Danny can point to one thing for his success, "Community." We first spoke with Danny back on episode 506 (definitely check it out) Sponsor: Podcast Engineering School 3:45 Podcast Engineering School – next semester starts September 18th and runs through October 30th. The classes are live and Chris packs the 2-hour classes with tons of information Today I did a quick search on Indeed.com for “podcast engineer” and saw quite a few options Program Includes: LIVE Interactive Online Training Two Mentoring Sessions with Chris Curran Major Discounts on Software and Plugins Lifetime Access to the PES closed community Certificate of Completion EARLY BIRD PRICING IS NOW – SIGN UP TODAY AND SAVE BIG https://podcastengineeringschool.com/ Danny Peña is a Walking Make a Wish Foundation for His Fans 5:36 Danny first appeared on the School of Podcasting back on episode 506 and he has ALWAYs been about his audience and building community (he still is).  I drove down to Columbus to Ohio to hang out with him (along with Daniel J Lewis from the Audacity to Podcast). Danny met some of his audience and brought them backstage at the event and introduced them to some of their favorite gamers. Think about how huge that is for the audience members. Think about going backstage at the Super Bowl to meet Tom Brady. In this conversation you will hear: Danny put together an award-winning movie about his story and the rise of Gamertag Radio using iMovie. How he taking steps to embrace those who are not currently listening to podcasts and to help them understand how to start listening ( www.learntosubscribe.com is something I put together) Danny has multiple revenue streams in addition to his sponsors His relationships lead him to leave CBS Radio when things got a little shaky. For more information see www.gamertagradio.com Mentioned: Edison Research  Danny's first appearance on the School of Podcasting on episode 506 Daniel J Lewis from www.theaudacitytopodcast.com   Are Podcast Conferences Worth It? 34:53 I asked you, "Are podcasting conferences worth it?" and today I play answers from Ed Ryan from Podcasting For Radio Dummies is starting a magazine for podcasters, was inspired to start TWO podcasts and has already received a three-figure boost of support for his Beach talk Radio show that he does with his wife 33:22 Emily from The Story Behind and E Podcast Productions (check out her Book) 40:54 Marco from marcobernard.ca got to meet all sort of people at PM18, and has been inspired to start THREE new podcasts 42:58 Jennifer from Podcast With Jennifer as a podcast editor she has picked up clients and boosted relationships 44:10 Win Charles will attend when she can finance it. She looks forward to having the loving support of the community 45:13 Michael Delany from Caregiving for Dementia got direction and focus for his show, and met a lot of great people. Hear his appearance on the Podcast Review Show 47:50 Hilda from Wise Traditions Podcast has attended two events and came away with practical tips, and relationships. It's super encouraging. 50:03 My thoughts on podcast events 51:13 I got a shout out on the Podcasting For Radio Dummies (Thanks Ed!) Question of the Month 55:00 If there is a slider between 1 I LOVE PODCASTING and 10 is I HATE Podcasting, where are you? Are you feeling like a three? Seven? Lets us know and WHY you are feeling the way you are. If you want to record something and attach it be sure to put September question in the subject line and send it to dave "at" schoolofpodcasting.com (trying to avoid spam with the spelling), or go to our Contact page for more options. I need your answer by 9/21/18 Ready to Start a Podcast? I've got multiple plans for multiple budgets at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/workwithme

Today we are looking at not taking no for an answer. We are looking at trying new strategies for old problems. My friend Marcus Couch heard "No" multiple times every year when he tried to start a Chicago Bulls fan cast. He didn't give up. He tried and tried again. We hear his story of asking a sponsor to help. We all want more subscribers, will using a text tool like slicktext.com help by putting your subscription one click away? Speaking of new strategies, should you put together a focus group to see if your show is headed in the right direction? All of this is covered in this episode 632 of the School of Podcasting Sponsor: Podcast Engineering School 1:35 Podcast Engineering School – next semester starts September 18th and runs through October 30th. The classes are live and Chris packs the 2-hour classes with tons of information Today I did a quick search on Indeed.com for “podcast engineer” and saw quite a few options Program Includes: LIVE Interactive Online Training Two Mentoring Sessions with Chris Curran Major Discounts on Software and Plugins Lifetime Access to the PES closed community Certificate of Completion EARLY BIRD PRICING IS NOW – SIGN UP TODAY AND SAVE BIG https://podcastengineeringschool.com/ I'm Playing with Slick Text To Grow My Subscriber List 3:39 They even have a whole tutorial on growing your list via text Pros: I can try it, or revert back to a free account (and I don't have to worry about codes in an episode years later) I can capture email addresses (and birthdays) I can upgrade to a paid program and my un-used messages roll over to the next month You can upgrade and downgrade any time you like Your listeners can unsubscribe from your message by texting " stop " Cons: Only works in the US and Canada (for me that is 76% of my audience based on my Libsyn stats) Some people listen in the car (or other activities) can't text immediately. See Slick Text In Action Text  " sop " to 31996 to get links to follow me in Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts. Then when a new episode is published it will be available in those apps. Here is a video of the backend of Slick Text https://schoolofpodcasting.wistia.com/medias/u9dzehifr0 For more information see www.schoolofpodcasting.com/slicktext   Marcus Couch Heard "NO" 20 Times But Didn't Give Up This is a conversation that I had on my Ask the Podcast Coach show which I do with co-host Jim Collison of www.theaverageguy.tv  11:21 I've known Marcus Couch since 2005 back when he lived in Chicago. He now lives in California where writes, coaches, and podcasts (see Marcus Couach.com ). Marcus wanted to do THE OFFICIAL FAN podcast for the Chicago Bulls. He's had the domain bulllspodcasts.com for years. He asked the team, and they said "No." He asked the next year and the year after that. This went on a while. Marcus reached out to one of the Bulls Sponsors. Marcus was now part of the Sponsor's package.  He turned a No, into a yes. He saw where one way was blocked, and kept looking for another path.  He also used the strategy that bands do when trying to find a band member, he went to YouTube and found someone who had an audience on YouTube talking about the bulls.  Marcus had the podcasting knowledge, a sponsor, and a passion, and his co-host Wyse Black had an audience. The two worked out a deal and now have launched the podcast with a sponsor, fan giveaways, and an audience.  Check it out at www.bullspodcast.com  Check out Marcus on his other podcasts: WordPress Plugins A to Z WordPress Weekly Industry Night Question of the Month 22:49 Have you attended a podcasting event? Was it worth it? I need the answer by 8/24 Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/contact if you use email, please use the subject line, "August Question."  Why Your Podcast Needs a Focus Group 24:45 Rob Walch often uses this story of Marketing your podcast and how marketing will not save bad content (The Lone Ranger vs The Sixth Sense movies). So I decided to dig in deeper. Dave's equation for more listeners is The value in an episode multiplied by the amount of smart promotion = Total Downloads In a nutshell, it boils down to this. 1. Identify who your audience is 2. Determine what content they want to hear. 3. Create content that will inspire them to tell a friend (in other words, its good) 4. Go to where your target audience is 5. Make friends with them, and bring value to every conversation, listen for ideas for future episodes. 6. Then tell them about your show My advice before you start promoting it is to get someone who is not named Mom to listen to your show. These should be your target audience. You need people who will tell you if it’s good, or it’s not. The best marketing won’t save bad content (Think American Idol winners, think The Lone Ranger movie with Johnny Depp). The Lone Ranger According to Wikipedia, “The film grossed $260.5 million worldwide against an estimated $225–250 million production budget and an additional $150 million marketing costs. That means it lost approximately $10 million. On the other hand, great content will inspire word of mouth (Think the Sixth Sense). The Sixth Sense - per Wikipedia The film had a production budget of approximately $40 million (plus $25 million for prints and advertising). It grossed $26.6 million in its opening weekend and spent five weeks as the No. 1 film at the U.S. box office. It earned $293,506,292 in the United States and a worldwide gross of $672,806,292, ranking it 35th on the list of box-office money earners in the U.S. as of April 2010. Box Office Mojo estimates that the film sold over 57.5 million tickets in the US. In the United Kingdom, it was given at first a limited release at 9 screens and entered at No. 8 before climbing up to No. 1 the next week with 430 theaters playing the film. Why was this so successful? Because everyone who saw the Sixth sense told someone about it. They said, "You Must See This move." People who saw the Lone Ranger (myself included in this one) told their friends to NOT go see that movie. Before you go promoting it, you might want to make sure your content is going to resonate with your audience. Promoting a show that brings no value will only allow the world to know how your show should be avoided sooner than later. Get Some Coaching If you want an unbiased opinion, I have two options. I can go over your show into on the Podcast Rodeo Show, or myself and Erik K Johnson an go over your entire podcast on the Podcast Review Show. If you're looking for private mentoring, I 've got packages for that at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/workwithme