School of Podcasting - Podcast Tips to Plan, Launch, Grow Your Podcast

Because of My Podcast I'm on the Cover of a Comic Book Jeremy Dennis explains how he was able to commission a custom comic book cover thanks to his supporters.  New Edison Research on Podcasting Edison Research did a telephone survey of 2000 people ages 12 and older. Here are some of the results related to podcasting: 81% of the respondents own a smartphone (up from 76%). It's actually gone up 22% in two years. 50% of people have a Netflix account (more on that later) 60% of people (168 million) are familiar with podcasting (up from 55% last year) 40% have ever listened to a podcast (up from 35% last year). 10 Years ago is was 13% 24% listen to a podcast in the last month (up from 21%) 15% listen weekly (up from 13%) The people who listened weekly average five episodes per week.  Their data shows 65% is mobile (Libsyn says this is closer to 80%) 40% listen to the whole thing. 45% listen to most of it. 10% listen to less than half. 5% listen to just the beginning. 77% Click on and listen immediately (stream). 41% download and listen later. 2&% subscribe and listen later People that subscribe, are subscribed to an average of six podcasts. Each year since 2004 these numbers have gone up every single year.  Get the slides and see the presentation at http://www.edisonresearch.com/infinite-dial-2017/ One More Thing.. 50% of people have a Netflix account, and 43% of them use it on a weekly basis 60% of people are familiar with a podcast. 40% have listened to one, but 24% listen monthly, and 15% listen weekly. Why? In my opinion, you have a better chance at finding quality programming in Netflix than you do in iTunes. I'm going to do some random experiments on this going forward.  Pinecast is a new "Free" media hosting service. It is founded by Matt Basta who is an engineer for Uber.  It was founded in August of 2015 (per his LinkedIn profile).  Their free hosting has the following features: Demo accounts are limited to three podcasts per account. The podcast import tool is not available for demo accounts. An unlimited number of episodes may be added, but only the most recent ten episodes will be available to view in the podcast dashboard and the podcast RSS feed.*  Episode audio is limited to 48MB (per episode). You are free, however, to split episodes into smaller episodes. Only a small subset of the basic analytics will be available. This includes subscriber and listener counts. Episode descriptions will contain a link to Pinecast. Episodes older than the most recent ten are not deleted, but they are not available to view or edit. Upgrading your plan will make them available again. Upgrading to a plan will remove the link to Pinecast from the show's episode descriptions. All analytics data that is collected for higher-tier plans will always be collected for all podcasts (even ones owned by demo accounts), meaning analytics data will retroactively be provided if the account is upgraded. Unavailable Features The following features are not available to demo accounts: Feedback Geo analytics Import tool Ability to create networks Embeddable (HTML5) player Bittorrent downloads Podcast website or blog They have a demo (free) account, Starter ($5/month) and Pro ($50) a month.  The pro plans allow you to create a network, and allow you to receive comments on your page, as well as have multiple users on your account.  Their free (known as "Community" plans meet the following requirements: These plans may not be used exclusively for marketing, evangelical, or other promotional purposes of any sort. The user's content must provide unique creative or informational value.  Things that seem cool but aren't Subscriber counts are pointless. If I subscribe on my phone, my tablet and iTunes it's going to potentially show me as three separate subscribers. I do give them credit for being blatantly honest. On their website it states, "Pinecast will only mark a subscriber a single time in any 24-hour window. Note that this is not a great metric for measuring podcast success; there is no foolproof means of tracking the number of subscribers." There is a tip jar where you put in your bank account information, and when someone leaves you a tip, it goes to your bank. This is done securely through Stripe, but Pinecast is also going to take another 5%.  As this is not available on the free plan, I'm not sure why they feel the need to take a cut. Keep in mind that you can make your PayPal donation button in about 2 minutes.  Their podcast site needs work, and you have one shot to get it right. I uploaded artwork that was made to the spec they suggested. It looked horrible when I went to go back and upload a new version that was not an option.  So here is my checklist 1. Don't mess with my file. What I upload is what I want people to download. - Pass 2. Give me the ability to have an unlimited back catalog (unlimited storage) - Pass 3. Don't limit my audience size (unlimited bandwidth) - Pass 4. Don't control my feed, and make it easy to leave if I choose to do so. I need to be able to put in an iTunes redirect script. - Yes, but you have to ask 5. Give me support. - Yes, Matt answered my email about redirection fairly promptly.  6. Charge me for your service so you can stay in business - Yes. But there is a chance he may get overloaded with free customers.  7. Give me stats so I can see what's working. It would be nice if they were accurate. - Very basic stats What About the Almighty Stats? Listens by Source: This is a breakdown of how your audience is consuming your episodes. "Subscription" means that the listener heard an episode by using the feed for your podcast. "Direct" means the listener clicked a link and downloaded the audio file directly. "Embed" means the listener used the embeddable player to play the episode from a web page. Subscriber History: Whenever your feed is downloaded, Pinecast remembers the fingerprint of that user. Pinecast will only mark a subscriber a single time in any 24-hour window. Note that this is not a great metric for measuring podcast success; there is no foolproof means of tracking the number of subscribers. Listens by Device: When Pinecast can determine what type of device an episode was listened to on, it will break that down here. Note that some podcast software does not reveal this information. Listens by Browser: If Pinecrest can determine the software used to listen to the podcast, it will break that down here. Note that some podcast software will identify itself as other applications (e.g., some applications will identify themselves as iTunes, even though they are not). Listens by OS: If Pinecast can determine the operating system of the listener, it will be broken down in this section. In general, they remind me of podbean stats. So, yes, they have stats.  Why You Can't Rely on iTunes I started a podcast called the Podcast New Flash. It's a daily show m-f with quick headlines, reviews, etc. I made it for the Amazon Echo (you can add it to your daily news). I late added it to Twitter and Facebook. I average about 30 downloads. I kept it this way for a month. Then I added it to iTunes. I didn't tell a soul that it was now on iTunes. This way I could see the effect of "being in iTunes." What was the effect of being in iTunes? Almost nothing. Previously I would get around 30 downloads an episode (all twitter and facebook). Now I get 35. I might have 10% of my downloads coming from my RSS feed (meaning subscribers).  So what this means is that you need to go to where your audience is, make friends, listen to them, and then tell them about your podcast. Being in iTunes is not the holy grail. It's a convenient place to tell your audience where to go. A better solution is to have a subscribe button on your website.  Now granted this is a hyper-niche podcast about podcasting, but I still think you need to realize that it may not bring you a ton of listens.  Update on the Messengers a Podcast Documentary BIG NEWS: The Historic Tampa Theatre has confirmed to play our Movie The Messengers: A Podcast Documentary as one of its selection. The tickets will be $11 for anyone that would want to attend. Here is the info: Messengers Premiere: Wed March 22nd @Tampa Theatre Ticket price for family and friends $11 per person Theatre opens@ 6:30pm  Soundcloud Is Still Losing LOTS of Money $51.22 million last year. That's $140,329 A DAY see http://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/soundcloud-may-run-out-of-cash-this-year-as-it-posts-e51m-loss/ Ready To Start Podcasting? Avoid the headaches, avoid spending too much on equipment, avoid website issues, join the School of Podcasting todayMentioned 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

You can be the media. In a world where what is and is not true, you have the power and distribution to be your own media outlet. I have known Emily Prokop (of the Story Behind Podcast) as we run in the same circles, but I was unaware of her background in Journalism. So when I heard she had a degree in Journalism, I asked to come on and share some Journalism 101 insights. These include: The importance of headlines Getting to the point. How to structure your podcast using the Inverted Pyramid Give people an idea of where they are going Show notes broken into small sections using Subheadings are more informative than giant blocks of text. How she got over "going solo." How to write out your show script that won't results in tons of editing What websites are good resources. Extra steps you can take to make sure your source is trustworthy. Her thoughts on using a Libsyn Podcast Page #podernfamily hashtag The importance of not inflating your numbers Interview tips, and making sure you get the most out of your guest. Talking about sensitive subjects. How long does it take to produce a well researched 10 minute podcast? Her early days of podcasting with a microphone from the Rock band video game. Behind the Scenes of Podfading Emily's first show didn't end well, so she shares some insights into how they didn't set expectations, and in the end it didn't end well. So if you are starting a podcast with a co-host, be sure to make sure everyone knows what is and is not expected. This way you can get back to making content, and not worry about what happens if..... with your podcast as you've already set your expectations. About the Story Behind The extraordinary history of the ordinary. Do you like trivia and fun facts? Have you lost hours to Wikipedia rabbit holes? Do you ever wonder about the history of everyday things in your world? The Story Behind ... is the show for you!. Check it out on iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, Google Play Music or on her website at www.thestorybehindpodcast.com Final Thoughts Unlike newspapers and radio, we don't have those MUST HIT deadlines. While you want to publish on a regular basis, we can make sure that the episode is right before we publish it. You can get the best resources (see podcastingresources.com), whip up a great headline, and come out of the gate with great content. Mentioned In This Podcast The Story Behind Podcast How to Male Great Headlines Podcasting Resources Join the School of PodcastingMentioned 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

Today I'm back from Podfest in Orlando Florida. What a great show, there were tons of brand new podcasters looking to jump into the space. This week we share if you had one podcast episode that sticks in your brain, if so why. Joining the Podcast Family 4:28 I share how the Podcast Family came to my rescue when I had a device fail when I got to Florida. Special thanks to Marc Johanssen of the Podcast Gear Facebook Group, and Michael O'Neal of the Solopreneur Hour who let me borrow gear to make my session happen when things broke during travel. My Favorite Episode Is 09:35  Gabe from Guys and Food said his favorite episode(s) were from The Sporkful http://www.sporkful.com/calls-a-root-beer-float-to-cure-the-cancer-blues/ and http://www.sporkful.com/margaret-chos-eating-disorder-advice-to-a-teenage-girl/ Both were poignant and heartfelt depictions of people who are going through pain and the ways that they try to handle it. Their stories are told in an authentic and human way. These episodes stand on their own because of that. However, they especially stand out when juxtaposed to the other, more lighthearted episodes. It reminds me of the TV show MASH in this way. 11:42 Lee From This is Rammy loved and episode of the Social Media Examiner and one of the things he does't is recommend it to his friends. 14:12 Zack Demopoulos of the Rasing Rants Podcast loved the Story of Monty Roberts on the Relaunch Show with Joel Boggess  18:12 Kuldryn from Kuldrin's Krypt loved the emotion behind episode three of the Messengers Podcast 21:30 Emily from the Story Behind Podcast loved the story of Charles Manson's Hollywood. The Dave Jackson Two Question Challenge 25:36 The first question is what do you like about my show, the second question is what you wish I would change. Write and email with the title of "559" and send in a voicemail, or audio by 3/24 Behind the Scenes of My Podfest Presentation My presentation got off to a rocky start, this lead to many voice in my head filled with panic. Things weren't turning out the way I wanted. When I was done, as things had not gone the way I wanted, I assumed it was awful. Yet I was approached by people who told me it was a great presentation. I've said this before, if you aim at perfect and miss, you'll land on really, really good. Quit Obsessing Over Things That Don't Matter People are failing to launch their podcast because they are obsessed over things that don't really matter (color of website, the player your are using). I don't recommend a podcast based on the player or color of the website.   Mentioned in the Show Grow Great Podcast Lee Silverstein's Colon Cancer Podcast Horse Radio Network Ham Radio 360 Podcast Kenn Blanchard - Black Man with a Gun Kenn Blanchard Show Join the School of Podcasting  Mentioned 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

Today I share some insights after talking with  Jason Norris of Podcast Logical Chris Holifield of I Am Salt Lake Lee of This is Rammy Ken Blannchard from Upper Marlboro (and black man with a gun) We hear what it is like to start a local podcast including: The struggles to interview local "Mom an Pop" businesses Is it easier/harder to get a local sponsor? How they developed their format How they are promoting the show. Ready To Start Podcasting? The School of Podcasting features: Step by Step tutorials Live group coaching Private Facebook Group Join the School of Podcasting  Mentioned 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

Comments? Call them in 888-563-3228 Today we talk with Glenn Rubenstein who is the author of the book Podcast Advertising Works. Glenn worked at the TWIT podcast network in both ad sales and as the company’s Director of Marketing. He is also the founder of Adopter Media (https://adopter.media/) World Radio Day Get Hindenburgh Journalist For $1.90 You can purchase Hindenburg Journalist for $1.90 (Not a typo, typically $95) and help fight hunger. You can upgrade to their pro version for $215 (usually over $300). Need help learning the software? Check out the School of Podcasting's  Hindenburgh Journalist for Podcasting Course Because of My Podcast - I'm Going to Spring Training for Free Corey Fineran hosts the Ivy Envy Podcast, and shares how his audience is paying for him, his co-host (and their families) to go to the Chicago Cubs spring training in Arizona (in addition to making some great keepsakes for their studio). Podcast Advertising Works - Glenn Rubenstein Interview Glenn has been working in Ad Sales in podcasting for many years and today he shares some insights into: What mistakes podcasters are making What a future of dynamic advertising could look like How to overcome common objections when trying to sell advertising The book Podcast Advertising Works is great for someone who is trying to sell advertisements on their show. If you want more about advertising and monetizing your show. Check out the Episodes with Jessica Kupferman, and Glenn The Geek Hebert What Do You Mean When You Say Edit Your Podcast? Today I'm going to play some clips of a podcast (friend of mine, who has come and said he should've edited) to help demonstrate things you should consider editing out of your show. Michael Butler knows his episode was going down a dark path (he has spoken about this on his show). Luckily for those who know Michael and the Rock and Roll Geek show, we found it funny. Mentioned In This Episode Podcast Advertising Works  Rock and Roll Geek show The Bitterest Pill  Check out Dan Klass' book Podcasting Solutions Adopter Media Hindenburg Journalist Radio Day Promotion Join the School of Podcasting Risk Free www.schoolofpodcasitng.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

Today we have a serious subject that isn't so much about getting more downloads, and new cool gear, but the fact that your podcast can make a difference. I've helped people save money on fear, and help them launch podcasts. I've helped them find ways to grow their audience, and give them insights into creating better content on the Podcast Review Show. I've helped a listener of my Logical Weight Loss podcast lose 100 lbs. None of those compare to the email I received from the producer of Kuldryn's Krypt podcast. Honestly, in September of last year, 2016, I had resolved get my affairs in order and to end my life on Halloween night, the greatest day of the year. I was introduced by complete chance to you. I was on Spreaker, did a search for podcasting and you came up. I chose to listen to you because my birth name is Ryan Jackson and I have a brother name David. Keep in mind I had never heard a podcast prior to this and I have no idea how I or why I was even on Spreaker's website...but I was and there was you were. I am a Patron because you gave me the tools to start my own podcast but more importantly you, YES! YOU! "The Dave Jackson, provided me with something to live for. My podcast isn't great, it isn't even good, BUT IT IS MINE and it provides me with the outlet I need to help other's and once again have a purpose in this world. It is just a very simple fact-if I had not found YOUR podcast when I did, on October 31st, 2017 11:55p.m. a bullet from a Taurus .38 Special would be ending my life. Thank you for never giving up and fighting through...I'm sure through your divorce and the issues with your family it hasn't been easy but Dave, I am will continue to be literal living proof that it's been worth it. Thank you! So today we are going to talk about setting expectations, and crushing it, etc. Suicide Among Entrepreneurs is a Problem We Should Talk About 30% of all entrepreneurs experience depression, according to a study by Dr. Michael Freeman, a clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco. Depression among entrepreneurs is way higher than depression among Americans in general, which is estimated at about 7% — although that number could be even higher because of the stigma associated with talking about it. Of the 242 entrepreneurs surveyed, 49% reported having a mental-health condition. Depression was the No. 1 reported condition among them and was present in 30% of all entrepreneurs, followed by ADHD (29%) and anxiety problems (27%). That's a much higher percentage than the US population at large, where only about 7% identify as depressed.   Here are just some examples In May 2015, 31 year old Austen Heinz, CEO of Cambrian Genomics took his own life. In July, 29 year old Faigy Mayer, CEO of Appton jumped off a New York rooftop. 26 year old Aaron Schwartz, a partner at Reddit, hung himself in 2013. 47 year old Jody Sherman, founder of Ecomom shot himself that year. One of his colleagues, 24 year old Ovik Banerjee, followed a year later. 22 year old Ilya Zhitomirskiy, CEO of Diaspora, took his life in 2011. In Las Vegas one project had three suicides. In an article The Downtown Project Suicides: Can the Pursuit of Happiness Kill You?  they mention Jody Sherman (4/13), Ovik Banerjee (1/14), and Matt Berman (4/14) – all people involved in the Vegas Tech phenomenon. Some people are smart enough to see the writing on the wall. Rand Fishkin stepped down as CEO of Moz in part because of his depression.Rand Fishkin In 2010, suicide was the highest cause of death for people aged 15-49, in the developed world. That’s way above death from lung cancer and murder. In 2013 Newsweek pointed out that the suicide rate in America had been increasing since 1999. Why Is This Happening? We get caught up in the should philosophy. I should have more downloads, more sponsors, more whatever. The bad news is your comparing yourself to someone's numbers who are potentially altered. We look at all the people "Crushing It" on Facebook, Twitter, and nobody sees the struggle. Should is fraught with guilt and remorse. It implies that you can’t change things. So when we feel we are "falling Behind" we start to put poison in our bodies in the form of fast food, and other items that have no nutrition. We then cut back on our sleep to prove we are committed. In this instance when you need to be at the top of your game, you are filling it with junk, and robbing it of sleep. This is like buying cheap gas and punching a hole in your gas tank. Eventually the car is going to come to a quick stop. We are told to DREAM BIG, and if we just focus on our dreams they will become a reality. This puts us into an anxious state, and that is NOT the time to be making decisions. Then we all get INSANELY Focused on our launch, and how we are going to come out of the gate at this breakneck speed, but then we are supposed to KEEP this pace. Anything less than a sprint is a lack of dedication. Think of joining a marathon an hour after it started. There is no way to catch up, but if you run the marathon that is still an undeniable feat. It is still something amazing that takes months of preparation, dedication, and is something a small percentage of people could accomplish. Yet you feel bad, because you're comparing yourself to others.   How to Get Help None of this is intended as medical advice. If you need help, there are people waiting for your call, both friends and professionals:1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) A new Y Combinator-backed startup, 7 Cups of Tea, is trying to tackle one common problem: the affordability of help. When founders are running out of money for their company, that's rarely when they can shell out for a visit to a psychologist or other mental-health professionals. Tim Ferris talks about this in his latest book and he's mentioned it on his podcast that he has struggled with depression. His advice is to adopt of attitude of gratitude. Sources: http://feld.com/archives/2014/10/founder-suicides.html http://www.businessinsider.com/austen-heinzs-suicide-and-depression-in-startups-2015-7 http://thehustle.co/depression-among-entrepreneurs-is-an-epidemic-nobody-is-talking-about http://www.inc.com/magazine/201309/jessica-bruder/psychological-price-of-entrepreneurship.html Ready To Start Podcasting? Don't Just Start a Podcast, Start a Podcast Right Join the School of Podcasting and enjoy these valuable assets Step by step tutorials that work on all platforms (Windows, Mac, iPad, etc) Live Group Coaching - Get Your Questions Answered Live Priority Email Support - Get your questions answered quickly Private Facebook Group - Network, and brainstorm ideas. 30 Day Money Back Guarantee Click Here to Join todayMentioned 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

Once a month this year, I'm going ask you a question and use those answers for an episode. I want to get to under you more, and in general get a better understand of what you like and dislike. This month I asked, "What are those things that make your go "Uggh" when listening to a podcast. They might make your even unsubscribe. SPONSOR: Emerald City Productions Get your first four episodes edited for $15 each (and only $40 after that – for shows up to 30 minutes). Just go to www.emeraldcitypro.com/sop(other companies are charging $99 an episode) What Makes You Unsubscribe From a Podcast? Failure to Get to the Point 4:10 Haley Redke (Adopteeson.com) is not a fan of not getting to the point, and people that interrupt their guests. 5:33 Tracie Bonnick also hates when the podcast hosts hates it when the host of the podcast doesn't let the guest talk 6:05 Glenn the Geek Hebert of Horse Radio Network was on Podcast Junkies and said he hates it when the podcast hosts just runs down a list of questions 6:39 Brian Weber (bartenderjourney.net) hates it when people don't get to the point 7:15 Ishamael Colderon - Hates long intro 7:43 John Wilkerson (www.strugglingforpurpose.com ) hates a super long intro 10:00 Daryl hates a ton of ads at the beginning (Joe Rogan?) as in three minutes of nothing but ads. 11:00 James Aaron of https://2middleageddudes.wordpress.com/ hates people talking to hear themselves talk. 11:53 From new Father Daniel J Lewis (YEAH NOODLE BABY) from the Audacity to Podcast said, "I go "ugh" when a conversation with a guest starts with "getting to know you" stuff. I don't care about the guest's background until after I care about their message." 12:40 Riding the Volume Knob 13:10 Kathe Kline from Rock Your Retirement goes nuts when she has to keep adjusting the volume 14:30 John Hilman hates it when the hosts and guest have WAY different volume levels. 15:50 Emily from The Story Behind Podcast - Four People Around One Microphone makes her turn off the show immediately. 17:20 Kuldrin Fire (kuldrinskrypt.com ) hates the word, "Right" and having to ride the volume knob, and he hates when hosts put down other hosts. 19:50 Inside Jokes 20:15 Emily from The Story Behind Podcast when they forget they have new listeners and talk about things from past episodes 20:53 Mark Des Cotes from the Resourceful Designer  (and http://solotalkmedia.com/)hates it when TV Show podcasts refer to the actress name only (and not the character) 22:23 Emily from The Story Behind Podcast hates people who are note authentic and giant commercials. Experts Who Don't Know What They're Talking About 24:00 Connie From the Small Business 101 Podcast couldn't believe the advice she heard about starting a business 27:00 Hall of Fame Podcaster Danny Peña from Gamer Tag Radio hates it when Podcasts about Podcasting promote the importance of New and Noteworthy (see newandnoteworthy.info ) 27:30 Cedric Green hates it when people Curse.(cookingwithceddy.ws - coming soon). It unprofessional and you can't listen to it with kids in the car. 28:35 Emily from The Story Behind Podcast judges harshly when easy to remove ums are not removed. 30.17 Michael Blakston (Road Noises Podcast) hates mouth noises   32:00 Boomy Room Noise 33:14 Cheri Fields (Christian Science 4 Kids) had some show that were so boomy she couldn't understand the podcasters due to the room noise 35:07 Nivek Thompson of Real Democracy Now Podcast - hates when the host sounds like they are in a barn. 35:50 Chris Hache (chrishache.com) - If your podcast is not pleasing to my ears you are gone! 36:25 Things You Say That Drive Me Crazy Try Price (Completely Comics) hates when a podcaster will "be right back." 37:12 Rob Kerns from Living the Vet Life - When a podcast is filled with complaints, but there are no solutions proposed. 38:55 Steve Stewart - hates it when people don't edit, and when people kinda, sort of, maybe, think about, taking action. 41:27 Cheri Fields (Christian Science 4 Kids) the ultimate pet peeve is when people can't listen to your show cause it doesn't work. Start Your Podcast Today Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/start  Step by step tutorials Private Facebook Group Live Group CoachingMentioned 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

Today we go deep into running the business that is The Horse Radio Network. We talk with America's Horse Husband Glenn "the Geek" Hebert SPONSOR: Emerald City Productions Get your first four episodes edited for $15 each (and only $40 after that - for shows up to 30 minutes). Just go to www.emeraldcitypro.com/sop (other companies are charging $99 an episode) Because of my Podcast: Ravi Jayagopal Ravi is the man behind Digital Access Pass which is a great membership script if you're looking to turn your Wordpress Website into a Membership site. Ravi shares how starting his Subscribe Me and Cut to the Chase Podcasts has boosted sales, introduced him to new friends and resources, got consulting clients, and created doors where none existed. Check out Ravi's "Subscribe Me" Book, His Subscribe Me podcast, and his Wordpress Player "Cool Cast" Player Glenn The Geek Takes Us Behind The Operations of The Horse Radio Podcast Network. What a typical day looks like The rules of setting up additional shows What media group is RIPE to start their own podcast What Glenn does with his advertisers to keep them engaged Check out Glenn at www.horseradionetwork.com Glenn was on the SOP talking about Sponsorships Mentioned In This Show Dealing With My Grief Podcast Podfest.us February in Florida Podcast Engineering School (Chris was on a previous show) Digital Access Pass My Podcast Reviews Confessions of a Wannabe PodcaSTAR: The Biggest Podcasting Myths Busted Honestly: My Life and Stryper Revealed Divi Wordpress Theme Not Sure Where To Start With Podcasting? Free video course "Podcast baby steps" will show you in bite size chunks what to do.  Mentioned 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

Because of My Podcast Dana Gould I was reading an article where West Word was interviewing Dana Gould (Who I find hilarious) and they asked him he still does his podcast (the Dana Gould Hour) while now running/writing the show Stan Against Evil. Here is what Dana said, “I cite the podcast as the things that literally made everything else possible. It keeps my name out there and connects my audience. I think the reason that I’m still allowed to work in clubs is because my podcast has nurtured and cultivated my fan base to the point that people show up. Because if people don’t show up, you don’t get hired. And I think the podcast is very much responsible for that. – Full article Dana Gould Hour on iTunes Dana Gould Hour on Stitcher Spreaker Unveils Beta Ad Revenue Share Program Spreaker.com is a podcast media hosting company that has the added bonus of being ale to stream your podcast live. The recently rolled out an ad revenue program. The program right now is beta, and only for US users. It allows you to have a 30 second preroll ad (meaning it is the first thing that starts your show, it goes before the show - pre-roll). There is some new terminology Requests - The number of times your episode is called (most of us would refer to this as a download, but in this case Spreaker is streaming the file) Impressions - This is how many times an ad was in your request Currently impressions will only appear if you're using the spreaker player on your website (again, this is beta, more features coming) You won't have ads through your RSS feed Some advertisers have a geographic specification so that they only run ads in certain area. I had an ad for a college in Cleveland Ohio (I live on Akron) Podcast Glossary "L" Levelator Levelator is a free program (mac and PC) and allows you to drag a file into the software and it will adjust the volume level to be consistent. For example if you have an interview and you are louder than the guest, the Levelator software will adjust the audio of your guest to match your volume. You can find it at http://www.conversationsnetwork.org/levelator Libsyn Liberated Syndication (libsyn) pioneered the system to host and publish podcasts in 2004. And since then has grown to the largest leading podcast network with over 2.6 billion downloads in 2014. Libsyn hosts over 25,000 shows with 44 million monthly audience member. Find it at www.libsyn.com (use the coupon code sopfree to get a free month) My Podcast Launch Kit I had someone said to me, I don't want to think about it, I trust you. Tell me what to do. Well, there is no one size fits all, but here are some things that I recommend: I say use a self hosted Wordpress Website. I do not like Blue host, or dreamhost, I am moving my things to Coolerwebsites.com which is my reseller account for Godaddy. I've also used Hostgator. I use Libsyn for my media hosting and distribution. I used them 10 years before I started working for them in 2016. For my Wordpress theme I use Appendipty themes which run on the Genesis platform, or if your situation is a website that has a podcast, I like the Elegant themes Divi (which I will be using on this website later this year) The Actual "Launch" I would record a few episodes. This lets me see how much it takes to get create an episode, and then it lets me decide what my publishing scheduling. I would ask some people who are my target audience to listen, and get feedback. The goal is to ensure you are delivering value that makes people do one (or more ) of the following: Laugh Cry Think Groan Educate Entertain I would have a few "in the can" (which means recorded but not released) if possible so that if life happens you can still publish without missing your schedule. Publish an episode or two (I don't believe you need  3, 5, 8 episodes - unless you have content coming out of your ears) and then list them in the following directories iTunes Stitcher Google Play Music TuneIn Most apps like pocketcasts and overcast pull from iTunes. Then you tell everyone you know, use email, social media, etc. You might try creating a Thunderclap campaign, and then use social jukebox or Buffer.com to promote your episodes as they go out Sponsored By Emerald City Productions Get your first four episodes (up to 30 minutes per episode) edited for $15 each. From head to toe you will sound great. Go to www.emeraldcitpro.com/sop Mentioned In This Show Mark Neslon Show Thunderclap campaign Coolerwebsites.com Dana Gould Hour on iTunes Start Podcasting Today School of Podcasting - Podcasting CoursesMentioned 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

Because of My Podcast: My Family Was Fed A Giant Meal Cale Nelson of Ham Radio 360 sent in a great story where a listener told him NOTt to make dinner the Thursday before Christmas. Then sent Cale a giant box of Barbecue. When you've got a houseful of kids, and your wife is happy because the food is excellent, and she didn't have to cook it - it's a big win. Check out Cale's show at HamRadio360.com Starting a Podcast Your Customer Wants To Hear Should your business have a podcast? Probably. It's a great way to get in front of your target audience no matter where they are. I was asked to be on a new podcast coming out today (my episode is in the future) and its from Tim Sinclair. You may or may not know that name, but I'll reveal who his is in a second. I just checked out his site and then it hit me. This is a great example of using a podcast for your business. Tim Sinclair is the CEO of Ringr . This is an app and service that allows you to record both sides of an interview. If you're worried about doing a "mix minus" then you may want to check out this service. Plans start at $7.99 a month for the basic, and $18.99 for the premium. For more information go to http://ringr.com/podcastcoach The people that use Tim's technology interview people and want a good recording. There are two ways to learn things. You can be shown how to do it right, or your can bring in those two famous trainers that seem to help everyone. You may know them as Trial and Error. They are not very efficient, but their lessons cut deep. You want your podcast to do one of these things Laugh Cry Think Groan Educate Entertain If you have your show do more than one of the above, you're headed in the right direction. So what Tim did is launch a podcast filled with fun, entertaining stories that can be educational as well. The podcast is called My Worst Interview Ever.  He has interviewed people like Cliff Ravenscraft, The Mobile Pro Shawn Smith, The App Guy Paul Kemp, XM Radio’s Doug Hannah, Blubrry’s Todd Cochrane, Libsyn’s Rob Walch, syndicated radio host Brant Hansen, Dave Jackson, Dan Franks, Jeff Brown, Daniel J. Lewis. The stories I understand are hilarious. The first episode is John Lee Dumas talking about his worst interview ( a rock icon famous for selling coffins). So when creating a podcast, one strategy is to create a podcast that your target audience wants to hear. Tim identified his audience and has come up with a fun and entertaining way to produce good content without making his show a giant infomercial. Remember, nobody tunes into an infomercial on purpose. The next thing I like is Tim is already in iTunes and Stitcher. He doesn't seem too worried about the magical happy place of New and Noteworthy and his first eight weeks. With content like this, I bet he'll get listed because he didn't name his show wtf this week in cold cases on fire. He also made sure  NOT to make it giant Ringr commercial. He does a quick mention in the middle. He understands the idea is to build an audience first. Check out his show at worstinterviews.com and check out his service at ringr.com A Not Great Example The Penzu podcast is meant to help promote their company (penzu.com which I love and use) Nobody is looking for "Penzu" that doesn't know then) so how is this supposed to bring in new people? They are using Soundcloud as their platform (who are leaking money). Switch to Libsyn.com and your back catalog comes for free during the first quarter of 2017, and get a free month using the coupon code sopfree  Their titles look awful.  There is no description.  They only have seven episodes (which is fine), but they have the podcast in their software (so their customers have had "episode 7 in their platform all year) Back to the Basics Of Your Website I recently did the "Favorite Podcast Ever" show where you sent in your favorite podcasts and explained why they were your favorite. I always then go to the website of those show and share that someone thinks you're the best. I am amazed at some of the things I find. Before we get into those, you do need to decide what your website is for. By this mean I mean if your podcast is to drive leads to your business, then you might have a giant sign up form. If you're trying to grow your community, you might really be sending people to your Facebook group. So in the end, there is no one size fits all. However, there are two things I hear over and over and over. I hear, "I want more downloads, and I want more interaction." When I go to the websites of these people, there are no links to subscribe to their show. There is no easy way to contact you. One person I had to tweet at (and their twitter account was waaaay at the bottom of their screen).  I had someone who was going to hire me to help him get more subscribers. I went to their website, and said you don't need to pay me for this, but there isn't a single subscriber button on your website.  Ready To Start Podcasting? Join the School of Podcasting or Schedule some One on One ConsultingMentioned 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