Streamlined Podcaster: Tips to Help Solopreneurs Improve Their Podcast Systems

One way to grow your podcast audience is to leverage the audience you have on other platforms. Short-form video can be a particularly effective medium here because many of those platforms, like TikTik, prioritize discovery over followers. So here's what you do: 1) Record a short-form video (vertical, 60 seconds long) taking about one thing from a recent podcast interview or episode. I try to do this right after I record the episode so it's fresh in my mind. 2) Upload it to TikTok, Instagram Reels (which can also post to your Stories and Facebook), and YouTube Shorts. 3) Include a CTA and link to subscribe to your podcast or newsletter so they don't miss the episode. This will add 5-10 minutes per episode, but if it doesn't right, can funnel people to your show and create new fans.  ★ Support this podcast ★

One low barrier for entry these days is asking for donations from listeners. It likely won’t be a huge money maker at first, but it’s an easier sell than a membership. When a listener really enjoys your content, they can send you a few bucks.So what are some platforms that make it as easy as possible for listeners to donate? Here are three: Buy Me a Coffee : Popular among podcasters, Buy Me A Coffee allows you to create a profile, connect a Stripe account, and start accepting donations (usually in $5 intervals) super fast. ConverKit: ConvertKit is the ESP for creators, as evidenced by the fact that they have a ton of features to help creators. That includes a “tip jar” on a custom domain for people to send you money – on the free plan GiveWP : If you use WordPress for your website, GiveWP is a fantastic option. It’s free, you can set your own donation levels, and everything neatly integrates with your WordPress site.Once you select your donation platform, you can add it to your show notes (a big benefit of GiveWP is embedding the form on the show notes page), make it your CTA, or include it in your newsletter. ★ Support this podcast ★

The #1 question potential listeners will ask when they find your podcast is, "What's in it for me."Optimize for that question and that experience and you will get more listeners.This was the crux of what we covered when Hollie Arnett  hired me for a podcast audit of her show, Brand Your Podcast. In this episode we'll cover the Top 8 takeaways from that audit, as well as what Hollie should do next. If you want to get your own Podcast Growth Audit, you can do so here: https://podcastliftoff.com/auditAnd if you want to watch the entire, unedited audit, check out this video.  ★ Support this podcast ★

Something that many new podcasters are resistant to is transcripts, and it’s perfectly understandable why. The free/cheap AI-generated ends up taking more work because they aren’t super accurate, and human-written ones cost a lot of money that many podcasters feel they don’t have.But if you want to grow your podcast, you need transcripts. And let's be honest: the AI-generated transcripts are WAY more accurate today than even 6 months ago.Not only do they make your show accessible to those who physically cannot listen, but they also provide more text and content for Google (and even podcast apps) to search.Luckily, there are some helpful tools when it comes to transcripts. If you’re interested, I wrote all about it here: Why Your Podcast Needs Transcripts  ★ Support this podcast ★

We’ve all had the experience of an over-eager salesperson. The moment they see you, you're marked as a potential sale and you’re immediately asked if you want to buy whatever they’re selling. And even if you walked into the store, expressing some level of interest, it still feels icky.That's kind of what it feels like when you open your podcast with a CTA.  ★ Support this podcast ★

People love bonus content. They love a look behind the scenes. And they love exclusivity.For these reasons, and plenty more, private podcasting is a great way to make money. But what is a private podcast?Put in the clearest terms, a private podcast is one that only certain people can access. Maybe they are students in a class, employees at a company, or members of club.Use CasesWith a private podcast, you can charge for access and give people a private link to your feed. This works super great for memberships where you want to offer bonus episodes or ad-free episodes.But if you’re a coach or consultant, you can include a private podcast as part of your fee. Maybe you send regular affirmations, or even supplementary advice based on your last call.If you teach a course, you can release bonus or additional lessons in a private podcast, or answer student questions in a way that’s easily consumable for them.Where to StartThere are several ways to offer private podcasts, including built-in support through Apple and Spotify. Other more accessible options: Transistor  Hello Audio  Memberful  Patreon Are you interested in starting a private podcast? Let me know, and send along any questions you might have! ★ Support this podcast ★

A few emails ago I told you to stop putting episode numbers in titles because it doesn't entice listeners. It doesn't give them any information about the episode. The same thing goes with starting your descriptions with, "In this episode..." I understand why you'd want to use it, but people looking at podcasts will already know this is an episode. "In this episode" takes up precious space in search engines that could be used for something better...something that is more pertinent to the listener. ★ Support this podcast ★

It feels fitting that Justin Jackson and Jon Buda referenced 37signals in their very first episode of Build Your SaaS because they were “eating their own dog food,” or “dogfooding” their product.They were launching a podcast about building a podcast hosting company, which they were using to host their podcast.What does this have to do with 37signals? They are perhaps the best example of dogfooding in the modern era1.But the podcast became more than just a way for them to dog food their product. It became a chronicle of how they created a new company — a new SaaS. And one in a crowded field to boot.And since building in public is hugely popular, the podcast has benefitted them in a ton of other ways too.Build Your SaaS is really a testament to how beneficial a branded podcast can be to a company.Let’s take a look at why, and what lessons you can take from them.IN THIS EPISODEBuild in public. You never know who’s going to extract value from your story.Cut down on research by picking a topic you already know, or are actively learning.Consider lesser-known, niche-specific promotional channels for your show.Read the article here: https://podcastworkflows.com/transistor-brand-podcast/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Don't you love a good peek behind the curtain?I do. It helps me get a concrete look at how to do things, and by extension, how I can do things. That's why you should do a Behind the Scenes episode.Show your listeners how you built a product, service, or process. Be detailed about it! It will prove that you think through your problems to find good solutions. This is another trust-builder.Bonus idea: Use these episodes to build your list. Maybe do a 2-parter, where listeners get the second part exclusively by joining your email list! Your turn: what's something interesting you've done that would make for a good BTS episode. It can be anything from a blog post you wrote, to a site you launched, or even how you make your podcast! ★ Support this podcast ★

Imagine being told you need to get your wedding, and that’s it. No time. No date. No location. Just, “You need to get to your wedding.”You’d feel kind of stuck, right? Surely there are people who know that information. You’d think it would be part and parcel with, “You need to get to your wedding.”That’s kind of how it feels when someone tells you, “You need to automate.”What should you automate? How should you automate it? How do you know if you can automate it?Well, there are a number of questions you can ask yourself to figure our what you don’t have to do, but the are also categories of tasks to help you figure out if a task is worth automating.Read more here: https://soloautomator.com/how-to-determine-what-to-automate-c4ff99e9413f  ★ Support this podcast ★