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

Show #124 originating from http://shownotes.schoolofpodcasting.com Today's show is has a fair amount of news. It does make the show come off like a giant SOP commercial, but you should know how the School of Podcasting can benefit you. If this is not your cup of tea, come back next week when Rob Walch of www.podcast411.com and Wizzard Media will be talking about the technology has available. Is Podcast Promo Swapping Dead? We asked and the following podcasters respondedAnthony from www.BetterGolfwithFitnessPodcast.com  and www.strengthcoachpodcast.com who said its not quantity but QUALITY of promo swapping. Mike from www.mikeshotdish.com is discouraged when other pdocasters won't play his promo. NEW REWARDS AT SCHOOL OF PODCASTING MEMBERS25% off from Mad Town Aces Audio Production www.madtownaces.com REWARDS FOR THE MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS LISTENERSGain Control of your Day Course only $129 using the coupon code SOPURDAY (normally $249) LAST 5 in 5 Our last 5 in 5 comes from Ray the Produce Picker (www.producepicker.com ) He listened towww.TotallyRadShow.com (fun show)www.diggnation.com (lasted news from Digg.com )http://www.vidpodcaster.com/ (Producing a Video Podcast)www.geekbrief.tv (Happy Shiny Tech News)www.StugglingEntrepreneur.com (Starting your own business?) Don't forget that www.Podcastclicks.com is holding their grand reopening with some videos to help prove its effective. Only $10 a year (going up to $20 soon). Dave Jackson www.schoolofpodcasting.com Mentioned in this episode:Can You Do Me a Favor? Vote For Me!This only takes a minute, if you could go to www.podcastawards.com and vote for the School of Podcasting in the education category -it would mean the world to me. Podcast Awards2025 Audience Survey

Show #123 Originating at http://shownotes.schoolofpodcasting.com Today we talk about Promo Swapping. Is it dead? Is it useful? We also talk about making a great promo. We play some promos and ask, "Does this make you want to know more about this show?" We also get some listener voicemail from Alex the Podcast junky UK www.podcastjunky.co.uk and I'm sorry Alex. You are a DUDE. Check out his blog (some great insights from an avid Podcast Listener). Promos www.KidsCast.co.uk www.podcastpromoshow.com 15 Tips for Better Podcast Promos 1. Get a domain name (no blogspot, no typepad, etc). Use the Godaddy promotional code cooelr3 and get it for 6.95  at www.godaddy.com2. Put on your marketing hat3. What is it?4. Don't Get too Cute5. Make the First Sentence Count6. Repeat your pdocast name in a natural tone.7. Make it Sound Great8. Let Somone else Hear it9. Include a Call to Action10. The Last Impression Shold Be Your Website11. Save your promo in a quality format12. Name the File so Podcasters Know What It Is13.  Test Your Link14. Pos it On Your Blog15. Ask Read the Whole ArticleMentioned in this episode:2025 Audience SurveyCan You Do Me a Favor? Vote For Me!This only takes a minute, if you could go to www.podcastawards.com and vote for the School of Podcasting in the education category -it would mean the world to me. Podcast Awards

#122 This podcast originates at http://shownotes.schoolofpodcasting.com Today we have an interview with Evo Terra who is the Author of Expert Podcasting for Dummies (as well as Podcasting For Dummies) and one of the master minds behind Podiobooks.com (Please note a new updated version of Podcasting for Dummies is coming out this fall). In today's show we talk about what to expect from Expert Podcasting For Dummies (you are read the Table of Contents at Amazon.com ). We also hear how Authors are giving away their ENTIRE book and still making money. (some very interesting numbers on the number of books sold, and how podcasting is leading to being publsihed). Find out "All things Evo" at his site www.funanymore.com   Evo mentioned buying a domain. You can buy a .com domain name for $6.95 a year using the Godaddy Promotional Code "cooler3" at www.godaddy.com   I first heard a great interview with Evo and Fred Castenda at The Struggling Entrepreneur at http://strugglingentrepreneur.com/2008/01/19/evo-terra-author-and-wwwpodiobookscom/   Have a show promo? Submit your podcast to the Podcast Promo Show coming 2/14/08 at www.podcastpromoshow.com I also have an article "15 Tips For Better Podcast Promos" avaial at the Podcast Promo Show Website   If you are looking to start a podcast, or take your podcast ot the next level in record time check out our website www.schoolofpodcasitng.com Mentioned in this episode:Can You Do Me a Favor? Vote For Me!This only takes a minute, if you could go to www.podcastawards.com and vote for the School of Podcasting in the education category -it would mean the world to me. Podcast Awards2025 Audience Survey

This show originates from www.schoolofpodcasting.com Today I explain how I received my second microphone arm (the one that cost $39 on ebay and it works better than the one I got for $29). However, now with my computer closer to my microphone I've decided to put some foam around the computer (leaving it room to "breathe") to cut back on the noise. The lesson learned? A) I'm listening through the ears of a podcaster. Listen through the ears of a LISTENER. Your noise may be unoticable to most people. B) Sound Soap From Biad ($80) does a good job removing it (but does take some tweaking. Buy it from Amazon for $79 LAST 5 IN % from Fred Castaneda of www.strugglingentrepreneur.com and www.gaincontrolofyourday.com Tech 5 Infor World Daily Weekly Web Tools The Morning Annoucnements Logical Weight Loss Stereo Junkies Fred interviews the US Podcast Junky www.podcastjunky.com in episode #21 and we got some tips on "Cyber clutter" (a previous episode) from the UK Podcast Junky.  http://www.podcastjunky.co.uk Looking to keep your site simple, check out these resourceshttp://vandelaydesign.com/blog/design/how-to-make-minimalistic-design/ http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/design/minimalistic-web-design/ http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/design/minimalistic-web-designs/ Thanks to Podcast Junky UKNews, Views, Tips And Reviews Of Podcasts, Podcasting, Gadgets For Your MP3 Player And A Bit More Besides.www.podcastjunky.co.uk www.PodcastClicks.com is 50% off now through 3/1/08 see how this system delivered close to 27,000 clicks to podcasters in the last two years. Got a promo for your podcast? Send a LINK to your promo to podcastpromoshow "at" gmail "dot" com (a new show coming from Dave Jackson) Looking for some custom Podcast Production? Check out www.podcastfastpass.com and leave all the "technical stuff" to someone else while you focus on the content of your show. Mentioned in this episode:Can You Do Me a Favor? Vote For Me!This only takes a minute, if you could go to www.podcastawards.com and vote for the School of Podcasting in the education category -it would mean the world to me. Podcast Awards2025 Audience Survey

This podcast episdoe #120 originates at http://www.shownotes.schoolofpodcasting.com One of the benefits of being a member of the School of Podcasting is our weekly roundtable / live Question and anser sessions (typical 60 - 120 minutes long). In the last session one of the members talk about how his business is growing due to podcasting. Podcasting is: Enabling him to reach a global marketHelping qualify his leadsEnabling him to reach customers in a "no pressure" formatEnabling customer to "try before they buy." Also in this podcast I talk about how you can save money buying a collapsable microphone (sometimes called "Scissors, or Broadcast") boom stand To See Rich's business in action go to www.dearaddie.com Other podcasters involved in the roundtable snippet Tim from www.sleddogpodcast.com ) The Rode PSA1 Swivel Mount Arm Microphone costs $90 (and the cool thing about Same Day Music is there is no tax most of the time) The Heil Sound PL-2T Overhead Broadcast Boom goes for about $125 bucks. If you look on ebay. You can find "microphone arms" for $29 CLICK HEREFor now at or one with three bases for $39. at CLICK HERE I currently have the $29 model and I love not having a stand next to my desk and the ability to move my microphone out of the way. I did have some issues as the stand holds the microphone in place, but when I first added a pop filter, the stand couldn't handle the weight. After really, really tightening the screws it seems to be working. I will get the $39 model later in the week and let you know how it goes. If you would like to participate in the Podcaster Roundtables go sign up at the School of Podcastint www.schoolofpodcasting.com Mentioned in this episode:2025 Audience SurveyCan You Do Me a Favor? Vote For Me!This only takes a minute, if you could go to www.podcastawards.com and vote for the School of Podcasting in the education category -it would mean the world to me. Podcast Awards

Show #119 originating from www.schoolofpodcasting.com Today I talk about how having a clean website at www.logicalloss.com lead to me getting a new advertiser. I've relaunched Podcastclicks.com and from now through the end of February you can use the Podcast Clicks Promotional System for $10 a year (Price goes to $20 a year on 3/1/07). We also talk about moving a site from blogger.com to using a hosted Wordpress site to run your podcast. Sites Mentioned: A1 Artist Spotlight www.a1artistspotlight.com Jewish Teen Podcast www.jewishteen.net Audio Gumshoe www.audiogumshoe.com Mentioned in this episode:2025 Audience SurveyCan You Do Me a Favor? Vote For Me!This only takes a minute, if you could go to www.podcastawards.com and vote for the School of Podcasting in the education category -it would mean the world to me. Podcast Awards

Episode #118 Today I talk about some of the lovely podcasts I've run across that I feel are awful. It seems people are falling into certain areas: The person who thinks they are going to make thousands of dollars next week. The person who gets into podcast becuase they hear its cool, but have nothing to say. Ask them what their podcast is going to be about and they will say, "I don't know." I've heard no less than four podcasts stating "how to make money in podcasting" and it turns out to be nothing but 40 minutes of talkshoe.com spewing. (nothing against talkshoe.com, but I've heard that podcast enough). If you have a recording from a buinses meeting back in 1992 and think it would be a great podcast (that is if you can hear the speaker over the air conditioning) - you don't need to podcast that. You CAN, but the question is should you. If you got into podcasting because you heard you can do it for free - you don't need to podcast. There are singers who sing for free. You can hear them at karaokee bars offending ears every Thursday. Spend a few bucks and take your podcast to the next level. Thinking of starting a podcast in 2008? Remember that not only do you need the time to record the podcast, but you need the time to promote the podcast. Currently I have seven podcasts (www.podcastcoach.com ) and I don't spend enough time promoting my podcasts as I did when I had 2. Consequently, my numbers are growing slower than when I had a few podcasts. If you are looking to start a Podcast, if you are looking to learn how to podcast, then please let me be your personal podcast coach by joining me at www.schoolofpodcasting.com    Mentioned in this episode:2025 Audience SurveyCan You Do Me a Favor? Vote For Me!This only takes a minute, if you could go to www.podcastawards.com and vote for the School of Podcasting in the education category -it would mean the world to me. Podcast Awards

Today I talk about some of the items I see that confuse new podcasters. 1. The Podcast and Episode Delemna. There is a "Podcast" name (Think "Friends"), and there is an "Episode" name (think "Monica and Chandler's Wedding). So while you may put in all sorts of iTunes information into your Wordpress settings (either via Podpress, or Feedburner) those apply to the "Show/Podcast." So if you have a show come into your aggregator (like iTunes) and there is no album art its because each EPISODE has "tags" for each mp3 file (or video file). In the example I was working with, the mp3 didn't have any album art. (Even though the SHOW did, so again the EPISODE didn't have album art). 2. RSS Feeds. Most podcasters use Wordpress.com to maintain a blog (typically on their server like www.coolerwebsites.com ) that has a "side effect" of outputting an RSS feed. So when you update your blog, you update your RSS feed. So how do I update my RSS? I update my blog. Its that easy. However! You may be using Feedburner (www.feedburner.com) which will look at Wordpress (to watch the RSS feed). This is what people call "Your Feedburner Feed." Then to list your podcast in iTunes you ay submit your "Feedburner feed." So now when iTunes starts it checks for new episodes. It woudl sound like this: iTunes: Hey are there any new episodes? (Its asks Feedburner)Feedburner: Hey Wordpress any new episodes?Wordpress: Yeah, there have been two episodes put out since the last time you checked. The mp3 files are right over there...Feedburner: Thanks. Hey iTunes the mp3 files are right over there..iTunes: Got it. I'm downloading them now. So when you update your Wordpress, you (through some handshaking) update iTunes. Don't forget that you can get 25% off your membership fee at the School of Podcasting using th coupon code " santa " when you subscribe now through December 25, 2007. Sites Mentioned: www.wordpress.orgwww.feedburner.comwww.itunes.comwww.schoolofpodcasting.com www.coolerwebsites.com Mentioned in this episode:2025 Audience SurveyCan You Do Me a Favor? Vote For Me!This only takes a minute, if you could go to www.podcastawards.com and vote for the School of Podcasting in the education category -it would mean the world to me. Podcast Awards

Podcast #116 of the School of Podcasting Morning Announcements originating from www.schoolofpodcasting.net Today I talk about a tool that will take the power of Wordpress and turn it into a Giant GOOGLE MAGNET. You can find it at www.wordpresstool.com  It is a boosted version of wordpress (it installs OVER your current wordpress install that you could purchase from www.coolerwebsites.com ) it has all sorts of meta, tags, site maps and more to drive traffic to your wordpress install. It is $297 but you can use it on ALL of your blogs/podcasts. I've used it in the past, and wasn't sold on it. However, with the new version they have added LOTS of documentation, and the ability to drag and drop almost EVERY aspect of your blog layout (very, very cool). The down side? You need to know a bit of CSS to get the colors and look of your site the way you want it. While Denis (the owner) is a great guy and very supportive, if he gets hit by a bus....... The great news? You can change the layout with the drag and drop interface and the colors and style of your website stay the same (very cool). If Wordpress updates - your website will look the same. All the plugins have been tested to work together. For more information about semiologic, go to www.wordpresstool.com Question for the group? Do you feel that producers who have been around for a while can drop to a "not so regular" schedule without losing listeners? CHRISTMAS SALEGet 25% off your membership fee by using the coupon code " santa " when you check out at www.schoolofpodcasting.com Try it risk free for 30 days. If you don't like the great information, cancel your subscription for a complete refund. (Now through December 25th, 2007). SHOWS / SITES MENTIONEDwww.newmediamettersshow.com www.thebitterestpill.comwww.digitalflotsam.orgwww.internetbusinessmastery.com www.coolerwebsites.com Mentioned in this episode:Can You Do Me a Favor? Vote For Me!This only takes a minute, if you could go to www.podcastawards.com and vote for the School of Podcasting in the education category -it would mean the world to me. Podcast Awards2025 Audience Survey

Get 25% off your membership fee using the coupon code santa now through December 25, 2007. Today I show how you can find out who is linking to your competitors using google. Then you can see if these same people might want to link to you. When a whole bunch of sites link to you Google may give you a higher ranking (and thus place you higher on a search). To see who is linking to you simply type link:http://www.yourcompetitors.com  So to see who is linking to the schoolofpodcasting.com it would be link:http://www.schoolofpodcasting.com Your listeners may want to link to your website. So you go into whatever program you're using (wordpress, front page, dream weaver) and you make a link to your website (either graphic aor text). You view the source code and when you past that into your website, it may  not display. Instead it will simply show the graphic/link and NOT the text that you want people to copy and paste. (Now here I was able to simple coy and paste the code, this won't work with all systems, it WILL work for most people using Wordpress). so to fix this, you need to replace the "" so substitute the following: < = < (lt for less than) " = " (quot for quotes) > = > (gt for greater than)  so <a href="http://www.schoolofpodcasting">School of Podcasting </a>  will show up like this School of Podcasting If you're not sure how to make a link, I have a detailed answer in the Frequently Asked Question section of the school of podcastingMentioned in this episode:2025 Audience SurveyCan You Do Me a Favor? Vote For Me!This only takes a minute, if you could go to www.podcastawards.com and vote for the School of Podcasting in the education category -it would mean the world to me. Podcast Awards