Podcast Help Desk

This is the first post on the new Podcast User blog.  This website is going to be the home page for the Podcast User blog, Podcast and YouTube channel. I will be doing reviews of podcast apps, Podcast listening platforms and technology that podcast listeners care about. The plan is to do demo and reviews of Podcast Apps, Directories and Networks. Also some how-tos and podcast history articles. All from the listener side of things. Thanks for checking out Podcast User!

When do you know it's time to call it quits on a podcast? 

Should you do live video?  If so, where? Facebook, YouTube, Others. Riverside.fm, streamyard or direct.  Podcast Movement Review  Website caching.  Getting a bit geeky.  This podcast is posted on PodcastHelpDesk.com.  Go there and subscribe!

I will be back in September 2021.  

I had the opportunity to talk to Dave Jones from Podcast Index and the Podcasting 2.0 show about PodPing and other podcasting stuff. 

itunes:subtitle, itunes:summary, or description tags - Today I talk about Episode Notes tags  (Show Notes).  This is part 1 of an experiment.  Please email me and let me know what app or apps you see this in and what tags (at the top of this text) you see and where.   This is a LINK to something cool.    https://mikedell.com

One thing you can always say about how podcasting works, it's always changing.  The last couple of weeks it seems that there is a sort of shift in how it works on basic levels.  Or, does it work the same and only some apps are changing? Apple changed Subscribe to Follow for free podcasts. Apple added "Subscribe" for premium podcasting. Spotify say "Me too!" and adds Premium Podcasting for a very limited number of people. Apple may have changed how their app works when it comes to "followed" (ie. subscribed) podcasts work. *still not sure about that Apple really hid the "Add show by URL" function in Apple Podcasts. What do we indie podcasters have to do to insure our shows remain free of gatekeepers and the cancel culture? This podcast is posted on PodcastHelpDesk.com.  Go there and subscribe (or Follow)!

Apple announced "Subscriptions" after changing the name of subscribing to a free podcast to "Follow".  We have more details about that system.  Today I will attempt to tell you, technically, how this is going to work and what it will not do. 

100% my opinion. I air my podcasting grievances.

I love it when people correct me! Andy Lehman tells me all about what I didn't get quite right about the Podcast Namespace.

In the history of podcasting, there have been a few Namespaces added to RSS to make podcasting work.  Apple added the namespace, Google added the namespace and even Blubrry added the namespace.  Now there is a new one done by independent podcasters, app developers, companies and other interested people called the namespace.   It's done by the Podcast Index people at  https://podcastindex.org.   I explain what a namespace is and go over the new tags being added by the "podcast" namespace.

Today I want to go back to the REAL basics of how podcasting works.   So, without going into a history lesson,  podcasting has worked the same way since it started  16 years ago.  (some say longer). 

Why would build your podcast on someone else's platform when you can build your own?

In 2020, the podcast industry added over 1 million shows.  Out of 1.7 million shows listed on Apple, 60% (ish) are inactive. 

Here is what I do. I do more show prep.  It seems I get more motivated to podcast if I do show prep on a show I'm about to record. 

There are lots of apps you can use to play podcasts.   As a podcaster I'm sure you are also a podcast listener.  Here is my top 6 (in reverse order of use).

RSS is what powers podcasting.  In fact, this is why podcasting even exists. The enclosure tag in RSS2 allows you to “attach” a media file. Mainly an MP3 but you can also attach just about any media like a video file, a PDF or ebook file.  “Podcasting” is mostly audio but there are some that do video via RSS. 

Podcast Index: "Lets preserve podcasting as a platform for free speech!"

I failed miserably at completing the NaPodPoMo 30 episodes in 30 days this year.  OH well,  Such is life getting in the way.  The Good News and part of the "big" announcement I teased is this show is going 2 times weekly starting on Dec. 16, 2020.  

I'm not only a podcaster, but an avid podcast listener.  I have something like 30 shows that I subscribe to plus I listen to a lot of one-off shows that I don't subscribe to.   Here is my top 8 (as of late November 2020) Also, not in Rank order.

Keeping it simple makes it easy for you to produce your podcast and not worry about waisting a lot of time if you don't have a lot of time.  

YES, I really did just say don't look at your stats for 3 months! THIS MEANS YOU!

So, who exactly is your show for?    When you try to make a podcast for EVERYONE, you really are making a show for NOBODY.  

There are many things about a podcast that a podcaster needs to know even if you don't do everything for your show.  A lot of indie podcasters do everything.  Prep, Talent, Recording, Editing, Producing, Publishing, Booking guests and ALL of it.  Some only do the parts of it.  Sometimes it's a whole team.  BUT, YOU as the owner of your show, need to know some things no matter if you do them or not. 

As a Podcaster, your RSS Feed is your connection to the world for your podcast.  The transmitter for your "Radio Station".  Your RSS feed address is just like a "Frequency" Like "101.9 FM".  

Do you use ID3 tags? If not, no worries. It's only used in very unique circumstances.

There are reasons you might want to number your episodes in the title of your post. Also, there are reasons you might not want to.

We talked yesterday about why you need a website.  Here are my top 6 web hosting platforms and why (Plus a few I don't recommend). 

Do you need a website for your podcast?  YES! Here are my 5 reasons.

Do you do advertising in your show?  Do you WANT to do advertising in your show? 

I don't care how you listen to Podcast Help Desk.  I just want you to listen. 

How long should your Podcast Episode be? Only as long as it needs to be to get what you want to say, said. Period.

Do you need good shownotes? Yes, you should put SOMETHING for the search engines to find.

Today I talk about keeping your podcast simple.  Simple to use, simple to subscribe, simple to produce, simple to post and keeping the website easy to manage.  Complicated always turns out to be harder than simple. 

I go into the history of Podcast Help Desk and why I am doing #NaPodPoMo in 2020. This podcast is posted on PodcastHelpDesk.com.  Go there and subscribe!

I I will be joining with a bunch of other podcasters this year doing National Podcast Post Month in November. That is 30 episodes in 30 days for the entire month of November. This will be the 4th or 5th time trying it for me.  I've succeeded once a couple of years ago on Mike Dell's World. On November 30th I will tell you some exciting news (To me anyway) about Podcast Help Desk going forward. Check out NaPodPoMo.org for what it's about.  You may want to do it too! See ya on the 1st! #napodpomo

Free Speech,Spotify, Podcast Index, REAL podcast apps and more on today's show!

I'm doing an experiment for Show Notes. This text is typed in the Description tag.

Just a quick note to let you know I will no longer be on Spotify with this show. IF you are listening there, please go to podcasthelpdesk.com and resubscribe using another platform by September 7th, 2020. Thank You!  

I took my portable setup on a walk in the woods in a industrial park. I talked about RSS, big shows vs. Indie shows, Joe Rogan's deal with Spotify and a bunch more. Recorded using a dynamic clip on microphone from Shure. (SM11 - Not 10 something like I said in the show) More from the studio on the next episode!

The results are in!  Thank you for those that reported what you saw in your app of choice. I put different images in different places. I put a Green logo image in the ID3 tags (embedded in the mp3 file),  A Blue logo image in the RSS image ( Called "iTunes image" in the item level of the RSS feed) A  Green and blue imgage in the body of the post (Featured image) and the feed has the normal Orange logo image for the overall podcast artwork. Here is what we have found so far:   (will be updated as I get more info)     This is from Episode 129 Apple Podcasts (on Mac and IOS):  No episode artwork shown (other than directory search under episodes results which show the RSS image) iTunes desktop software (on older Macs and Windows):  No episode artwork shown (other than directory search under episodes results which show the RSS image) Antenna Pod (Android):  Shows artwork from the post (Weirdly) and then in the player shows the RSS image Podbean Player App (Android):  Main show artwork.  No episode artwork shown. Himalaya (Android and IOS):  RSS image shown Spreaker Player App: (Android and IOS):  RSS Image Shown Google Podcasts (Android and Web): Main podcast Image Shown everywhere. No Episode image Pocket Casts (Android, IOS, Web):  Main Podcast Image shown.  Strangely, it does show featured image posted in the post as well but only the main image in the player. Podcast Republic (Android):  RSS image shown Podcast Addict (Android):  RSS image shown.  Also image from the body of the post shown. Beyond Pod (Android):  Featured image shown in the episode list and the main podcast image shown in the player Overcast (IOS):  ID3 tag image shown in the player, if you click show image in the shownotes, the featured image will show Updated! Spotify (IOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Web): RSS image on all when playing the episode  *** Also RSS image in the embedded player form Spotify (Thanks James!) Stitcher (IOS, Android, Web):  Only the main image shows everywhere Tunein Radio (IOS, Android, Web):  REALLY Old main image only (they didn't update my image for over a year!) Pandora (IOS, Android, Web): RSS image shown iHeart Radio (IOS, Android, Web):  Main artwork shows everywhere Deezer (IOS, Android, Web):  Main artwork shows everywhere Skipcast (IOS):   Main artwork shows everywhere CastBox (IOS, Android):  Featured image in post shows everywhere Blubrry Directory (Web):  Main Image only TechPodcasts.com Directory: (Web):  Main image only New! iCatcher (IOS): Uses the Main image for streaming but the ID3 image for downloaded episodes.  (Thanks Jeremy!) New! Player.FM (IOS, Android): Uses RSS image in the player and the featured image in the listing for the episode (Thanks Michael!) New! Podchaser.com (web):  Uses RSS image in the player and the featured image in the listing for the episode. (Thanks Dave!) If you have seen anything different than this list or have another player I didn't list, let me know.  mike@mikedell.com Bottom line.   If you are going to put in an episode image.  The best places to do that is in the post (featured image or the first image in the post) and the RSS (iTunes) image at the episode level.   ID3 tag image only shows up in 2 places.   Overcast and "iTunes" desktop (which is dead other than windows and older mac OS).  Maybe still worth doing in the ID3 if it's not too much work.

In today's episode I am testing what episode artwork shows up in which apps and directories again.   Things are changing and I want to see what apps show which artowrk.   I have an RSS image for this episode with blue type, an ID3 tag image with Green Type and the normal orange type from my logo in the main show level artwork.   Let me know which one you see.  email Mike@mikedell.com I will report back what I have found.

I am going to leave PodcastHelpDesk active.  Just going on 'indefinite Hiatus"  or "once in a while" mode.    So no expectations of an episode every week or even every month, but I will put stuff in this feed once in a while.    Stay subscribed! Thank to everyone that contacted me and your thoughts and suggestions were appreciated! You will always be able to find me at MikeDell.com and PodcastInsider.com 

Looking for some help here.  What do you think I should do with this podcast?   I am not consistent (as you can tell) and I want to pair down the number of shows I feel obligated to do. Should I leave it online and just let it podfade and exist?  Or should I kill it and erase it’s existence? Let me know, mike@mikedell.com I will continue to do Mike Dell’s World (mikedell.com) but as for the rest of the shows, I don’t think so.   (Of course, PodcastInsider.com will continue)  

What is going to happen to podcasting in 2020? Who knows, but i make some predictions and ramble about podcast topics at random in this informal Podcast Help Desk episode. Catch me on Evo's Podcast Pontifications as the Guest-host. Use my promo code at Blubrry.com for a free month. Catch you next year!

This is typed into the Post Content box in WordPress *** Please let me know what you see above this line in the "show notes", "Episode notes" or "Description" on your app and what app you are listening on.  mike@mikedell.com. This should be a live link  Today I talk about Anchor, Spotify and if they are "bad" or good, and if it's good to have one dominant platform that people listen on.   You should promote your own website for your podcast and give everyone links to the platforms you are on from there. Do not send people to a particular platform.

RSS Description  

Every part of my studio, other than the mic boom and cable is new.  The Rodecaster Pro has replaced a whole rack of stuff.  I gush about how much Love this thing.  It may not be perfect but man-o-man does it make things a bunch easier for most average podcasters. I also talk about the other podcasts I'm doing including the new (ish) one I'm doing for Blubrry Podcasting called "Podcast Insider" (www.podcastinsider.com) with Todd Cochrane and sometimes Barry Kantz or MacKenzie Bennett.  It's the Official Blubrry Podcast. I talked about Podcast Movement 2019 in the Sauna that is Orlando in August (Lucky there was no Hurricanes coming). Also much more!   ** Note: the intro was inspired by Brett Butt (http://thebuttpod.com/).  Check out his occasional podcast :)   Also "Corner Gas" now available in the US on Amazon Prime Video.

A quick update of what is going on with Podcast Help Desk and Blubrry. Will be at Podcast Movement with "Podcast Help Desk" office hours.  Stop by the booth if you need some help with your show's tech. Win a Rodecaster Pro by entering Blubrry's record a promo contest at the Blubrry booth. Podcast Help Desk News RIP.    I killed it.  It was fun while it lasted on Alexa.   Check out Blubrry's new official podcast at PodcastInsider.com