Podcasts about podcraft

In this episode, Wiley returns to interviews with past guests and does a deeper dive into the craft of writing. He covers everything from finding an idea to deciding on a narrator.  Email us at podcast@ourstate.com Join The New York Times best-selling author and North Carolina native Wiley Cash as he highlights great writers across the state and their work each month. Listen in on conversations between Cash and his author friends as they discuss how North Carolina inspires them on the Our State Book Club podcast.

There is no shortage of potential income streams for your podcast. But rather than telling you all the things you could try, how about some real-world case studies from ten successful independent podcasters?Our recent survey suggested that only 1 in 4 indies monetize their content, despite the majority of them wanting to build some income streams.So, on this episode of Podcraft, we're going to dig into the monetization methods and strategies that have actually worked for our IndiePod Legends, as well as the many that haven't!The aim here is to show that while some revenue streams are a good fit for some, they don't work so well for others. We'll also answer questions like:WHEN should you try to monetize?What are some great on-ramps for smaller podcasts?Can monetizing your content hamper your creativity?The PodcastsThe Joy of CruisingWild for ScotlandTravel N Sh!tBoard Game Design LabShe Well ReadFighting ThroughLush LifeThe Mindful Marketing PodcastI Should Be Writing

I've lost count of the number of recordings I've had to pause or abandon because a lawnmower, siren, or enthusiastic dog has fancied getting in on the act.Back when we ran our podcast production service, clients regularly sent over audio that was full of distracting background noises. Not the ongoing hum of an AC unit or the gentle ambience of a cafe, but things like door slams, annoying desk tapping, or phones ringing.Then came the inevitable question, “Can you just edit that out?” followed by a patient explanation from our end that the noise was happening underneath the vocals, so if one was cut out, the other would be, too.Sure, spectral view tools and earlier iterations of iZotope RX were still exceptionally powerful. But I could never truly strip out a noise from underneath a conversation without it sounding like it was recorded underwater.And this isn't just about noise. Reverb has always been notoriously hard to remove from voice recordings. On top of that, if one person sounded very obviously off-mic, it was impossible to bring them “on-mic” in post.But in 2024, audio software has suddenly evolved to the point where almost anything is possible. Reverb is no longer a huge issue, it can correct poor mic technique, and most background noise – even the intermittent stuff – can be removed without many folks being able to tell it was ever there in the first place.The beauty of this, too, is that the software often does it automatically. There's no need to tweak any settings or go through the trial and error of more traditional Noise Reduction tools. Experienced audio pros might consider this lack of control, but remember – most podcasters are not audio pros.A great real-world example of this sorcery in action was our recent Podcraft episode on Podcasting 2.0 with Sam Sethi. I recorded the conversation outside The Podcast Show event in London, and several fire engines hurried past as we talked. I'm not sure what was going on, but maybe they took the LIT tag a bit too literally…Anyway, this wasn't a deal breaker for the audio – the conversation was still audible. It could have been briefly distracting, but this is often the nature of on-location audio in urban areas. In a moment of curiosity rather than expectation, I ran it through Alitu, and was amazed to hear that the software had completely stripped out all the background noise. On top of that, you definitely couldn't tell we were sharing a mic or even recording outdoors at all!Sam commented on this in episode 81 of the Podnews Weekly Review and was kind to credit me for my production skills. But in truth, all I did was upload the source file. It's incredible to hear how far audio software has come. So many recordings that would once have been considered unfixable now have the capability to be transformed into studio-quality conversations.So, does that mean we can finally drop the ‘silk purse sow's ear' metaphor? Is “you can't fix it in the post” obsolete advice? Is striving to record good, clean source material just an unnecessary barrier to content creation?You can probably make convincing arguments about the above, but before folks throw out their foam tiles, shock mounts, and general audio standards, here's a countercase.Why You Should Still Record Good Clean Source Material (When Possible)If software can probably fix it, why worry about it in the first place?Good Enough Audio, or Great Audio?Whilst modern audio software can remove, repair, and rebuild bad audio, it can also enhance, polish, and optimise good audio. Taking some care to feed in the best source material possible can help your show become one of the best-sounding in your niche.Check out this case study from Lindsay's piece on What Podcasts Do for Your Brain:Study participants listened to two-to-three-minute interviews from NPR's Science Friday with altered sound quality. Co-author Eryn Newman said, “As soon as we reduced the audio quality, all of a sudden, the scientists and their research lost credibility.” Newman and Schwarz found that as soon as material required extra effort on the part of the participants, they trusted it less. Respondents rated clear information as more reliable. Software Isn't FoolproofAudio software can do increasingly amazing things, but don't rely on it to fix everything. Just because you have a smoke alarm in your house doesn't mean you'll rely on it to tell you if the toast is burning (though, if you do, at least you know you can probably edit the noise out of your recordings!).Recording Clean Source Material Isn't Difficult…says the guy who recorded a podcast interview on the set of Backdraft. But this isn't about perfectionism, and you definitely have a lot more grace when recording in the great unpredictable outdoors.Good practices are as simple as choosing a room with a decent amount of soft furnishings, getting close enough to your mic, and logging out of Slack or Discord. Don't be that podcaster recording in their bathroom, six feet away from their Omnidirection-set Blue Yeti. Software might make it sound a little better, but that's nothing to be proud of.The Danger of Slipping StandardsIf you no longer care about the quality of your source material, what message does that send to the part of your brain that insists, “I take podcasting seriously”? What other corners might you then start to cut in the planning and content side of things? One day you're dropping a crisp packet in the street; the next day, you're fly-tipping a mattress. Beware the slippery slope, is all I'm saying.Summary: Software as a Safety NetIt's brilliant that audio software can fix so many issues for us now. It makes podcasting so much more accessible. There's no getting around it that you'll make mistakes with your audio in the early days. Ten years ago, some of these mistakes would've warranted complete re-records, but not now.Even more experienced creators aren't immune to the odd suboptimal recording. Sometimes, I'm not as diligent as I could be. Other times, I'm at the mercy of an outdoor environment and all the sounds that come along with it. It's great to know that, with one click, I can fix it in post. I'll never rely on it to do my job for me, but I'm glad to know it has my back.If you'd like to check out Alitu, which was the software used in this case study, you can sign up for a free trial and begin using it right away. Of course, other great podcast editing tools are available, too, so check out our roundup if you'd like to do some shopping around.

On this episode of Podcraft, we have a special episode swap with our good friend Joe Casabona from Podcast Workflows. Podcast Workflows provides insights into how to improve your podcast systems and workflows — allowing you to create and grow a high quality podcasting by showing you how to best spend your limited time.Here, Joe will help us think about our own podcast workflows by encouraging us to think about what's missing from our existing processes. ---------One of my favorite Disney+ shows is Loki. It's a truly fascinating look at time travel, predetermined events, and controlling your own destiny.And now I'm going to give you a major (if not very simplified) spoiler, if you haven't seen it.In the finale, Loki masters the ability to “time slip,” or transport to any time, any place, in any timeline (for all intents and purposes, a timeline is a parallel universe). This also allows him to relive events over and over again.So as all of existence faces eradication, he can take as much “time” as he wants to learn how to save everything and everyone, on every timeline.He continuously, over thousands of years, learns everything he needs to learn, and practices, through trial and error, to improve his process, and his odds of saving everything and everyone.And while we don't have thousands of years, or the ability to time travel, we do have the ability to take a step back and consider the question, “What's missing?”

Hi everyone, just a quick podcast update today.Ellie and I have decided to reduce the frequency of Lively Minds to once a month. The main reason for this change is that, as you know, we produce the show in our spare time, and maintaining a fortnightly release schedule has become challenging alongside our other commitments.We aren't going anywhere! The next episode of Lively Minds, focusing on AI and mental health, will be released on the first Friday of July. Following that, new episodes will be published on the first Friday of each month.We also hope that moving to a monthly schedule will allow us to dedicate more time to each episode. Those of you who have ventured into podcasting understand the constant balancing act between regularly releasing episodes and ensuring the content is high-quality.We have some exciting ideas for future episode formats, including something we're calling "voice notes." Ellie and I will exchange voice notes over several weeks or even months, gradually building a conversation around a specific topic. This approach, the idea for which came from the brilliant Podcraft podcast, allows each of us to respond thoughtfully and research before we reply.I'm also eager to create episodes that blend previous interviews with new conversations to delve into specific themes. One idea is a show titled “The Figments of My Imagination Are Out to Get Me,” which will explore the evolutionary history of anxiety and why this essential human feeling can sometimes spiral out of control.So, please keep listening, sharing, and telling others about the show. If you are able to, please donate to us at buymeacoffee.com/livelyminds. If you haven't yet, please rate or review us on your podcast app—it really helps boost our visibility and motivates us to create new content.Until July, bye for now.

Discover how to build a thriving business around your podcast in this episode of Podcraft. Colin co-hosts this episode with the host of the Always Free podcast - Jason Graystone. They both shares their strategies for crafting a show that resonates with people and how to then monetize that content within a wider business. They discuss a whole range of things, including:If you're early stage, or pre-launch:what a BIG launch strategy looks like, with real tacticshow to make the best of the first 3 months of your showiterating your show to find the best fit for you and your audienceIf you're experienced and ready to build an income from your show:creating a product line that aligns with your unique expertisebreakdown of our own products & services, and how they tie togethercreating your first product in a few days, with real exampleshow to overcome the fear of selling as a creator and feel confident in the value you offerthe value of being open and honest with your ideas, even if it turns some people offOur goal was to give a really solid picture of how we both run businesses around content, and the steps you can take to start to build your own. Here are a few of the resources mentioned:Podcast monetisation guideOur full resources guide, including all tools mentionedHow to start a podcastJason's Always Free PodcastJason's education and other resourcesThe IndiePod podcasting support community

Today we have a good old fashioned feed drop from my friends at The Podcast Host, and their show, Podcraft. What really makes someone a successful podcaster? Is it a certain number of episodes, downloads, or reviews? Is it whether content creation has become their full-time job? Or could it be because they've been recognised with a prestigious award?That's what they'll discuss on this episode, and every episode this season. I hope you enjoy! Check out Podcraft wherever you listen.  ★ Support this podcast ★

No more Google Podcasts? George Carlin's estate reaches settlement after AI Podcast, marketing your episodes with Apple Podcasts and the new transcripts feature! Two soapboxes

No more Google Podcasts? George Carlin's estate reaches settlement after AI Podcast, marketing your episodes with Apple Podcasts and the new transcripts feature! Two soapboxes

Almost all the benefits of podcasting stem from one thing – and that’s consistency. If you publish quality content over a prolonged period of time, you eventually hit a critical mass of episodes you can now call your “back catalogue” – and it’s a powerful tool. On this episode of Podcraft, we’re going to look at the benefits of this published body of work, which includes the ability for new listeners to binge your content, as well as providing you with a tonne of repurposing options, too. Following up on our previous episode, From Doubt to Determination, we’ll also continue to explore the barriers and challenges our Indiepod Legends have faced, as well as how they’ve overcome them. It’s another value-packed programme filled with lessons, takeaways, and motivating anecdotes! The Podcasts Bring Your Product Idea to Life The Joy of Cruising Wild for Scotland Travel N Sh!t Board Game Design Lab She Well Read Fighting Through Lush Life The One Percent Better Runner The Savvy Social Podcast The Euro Trip I Should Be Writing

What really makes someone a successful podcaster? Is it a certain number of episodes, downloads, or reviews? Is it whether content creation has become their full-time job? Or could it be because they've been recognised with a prestigious award? In truth, we can gauge success in many ways, but ultimately, there's no certificate and a great degree of subjectivity. One thing we can all agree on, though, is that the best way to get to a position where you or your audience consider your podcast a success is to create quality content, consistently, over a prolonged period of time. If there's one single answer to the "How do I make podcasting work for me?" question, that's it. It's an answer that sounds way too simple and obvious. And yet, actually doing it is much harder than choosing the right mic, the best software, and getting listed in all the major listening platforms. Starting a podcast is relatively easy. Riding the wave of early enthusiasm to publish your first couple of episodes is easy, too. But to keep doing it for upwards of 300 episodes, or for over ten years? That takes something extra. In this season of Podcraft, we're speaking to some of the best indie podcasters in the game. We want to really dig into how they've kept on going, the ways they've navigated each challenge or roadblock, and the many lessons they've learned along the way. Listening to this series won't automatically pop a few hundred episodes in your own back catalogue, but it'll certainly arm you with enough knowledge and motivation to get there under your own steam. In our opening episode, our Indiepod Legends share their insights into why they started out in the first place, and in many cases, it's because they made the podcast they wanted to listen to. We're also going to talk about the thing that defeats many fledgling podcasters—quitting. You'll learn that many of our panel members have either wrestled with thoughts of giving up or taken long breaks to regroup and get back on track. Consistency over several years or hundreds of episodes isn't a straightforward, linear journey. If you do it for long enough, you'll hit many snags. But, as you'll learn in this episode, your podcast doesn't need to fall at the very first hurdle. The Podcasts Bring Your Product Idea to Life Wild for Scotland Travel N Sh!t Board Game Design Lab She Well Read Fighting Through Lush Life The One Percent Better Runner The Savvy Social Podcast The Euro Trip I Should Be Writing

As the RSS feed approaches its 25th birthday, so does the word "podcasting" its 20th. But 2024 also sees the tenth anniversary of UKPOD14. On this episode of Podcraft, we're joined by the organisers of this important event, Mike and Izabela. We wanted to catch up on the past decade, talking about what has changed in the medium (as well as what hasn't!). We also touch on what the future might hold, and why simpler is often better when it comes to your recording setup and workflow.

In this episode we're looking at Audio production software, commonly know as 'Digital Audio Workstations' in the audio production industry. We'll look at the most common options out there to give you an idea of which one might suit you. Of course, podcast recording and editing software is more than just DAWs these days. There are a lot of great call recorders and podcast making apps too. On this episode of Podcraft, we'll talk you through a range of options, as well as discuss our own personal favourites. Resources Mentioned Alitu: The Podcast Maker App Audacity Hindenburg Journalist Adobe Audition Reaper The Complete Podcast Software Guide Best Podcast Editing Software Best Podcast Making Apps The Minimum Effective Editing Approach Best Tools for Recording a Podcast Online Best Text-Based Editing Options Editing Your Podcast With a Stream Deck Editing Your Podcast With a Video Game Controller

Podcast listening isn't exclusive to podcast listeners. Podcasters need to listen to their own audio, too - both whilst it's being recorded and whilst it's being edited. We call this type of creator listening "monitoring", and that's what we'll discuss in this episode of PodCraft. Key Considerations Listen through headphones (even a cheap pair of earbuds) while recording audio to catch any real-time issues. Use headphones or speakers with a flat frequency response. Don't use gear that'll add extra bass that doesn't exist in your source material, for example. Use a headphone splitter to give guests their own headphones whilst recording. When choosing headphones, consider things like comfort, isolation, sound leakage, as well as cable length and type. Headphones are great for mixing voice, but switch to speakers to mix in your music if you have that option in your setup. Gear Mentioned Audio-Technica ATH-M20X Studio Headphones Sony MDR-7506 Studio Headphones Beyerdynamic DT770 PRO Studio Headphones KRK Rokit 5 G3 Studio Monitors M-Audio AV40 Studio Monitors Mackie MR5 mk3 Studio Monitors HosaTech YMM-261 Stereo Splitter

You most likely already carry an expensive recording device around with you everywhere you go. We're talking, of course, about your smartphone. In this episode of PodCraft, we take a look at the different gear and options available for turning your phone or tablet into a fully functioning podcast studio. Gear & Resources Are built-in mics any good? Rode AI Micro Rode SmartLav + and SC6 Splitter Shure MV88 Rode Wireless Go Zoom iQ6 Recording apps for iOS Recording apps for Android Recording podcasts with Facebook Messenger Launch Essentials Course

If you've ever used a smartphone to take a GPS-enabled audio tour, such as one available through Voicemap, you've used locative media. Locative media is a way to share digital content via GPS triggers in the real world to increase personal interaction. It puts digital content and real places together to make an experience greater than the sum of its parts. On this episode, we talk about how you can utilise it to help enhance and grow your podcast. Link to our full guide on Locative Media & GPS Audio Season 17 of Podcraft Submit a Question to Podcraft

For International Women's Day Ani's chatting to guest Johanna Isaacson about horror feminism. We're particularly drawing on her recent book Stepford Daughters: Weapons for Feminists in Contemporary Horror (2022). You can find more of Jo's work for free at Blindfield Journal, and she runs the Facebook page/group Anti-capitalist feminists who love horror films.  Crowdfunding page for queer horror short Illuminati Castrati at boosted.org.nz/projects/queer-horror-short.  Edited by PodCraft.ph's Zarah Meneses. Thumbnail image from Assassination Nation (2018). More info about the podcast at jetpack1917.info

What does it mean to take a journalistic approach to your podcast content? In this episode of Podcraft, we're joined by Katie, who is the driving force behind our new topical content offerings. Katie explains that a "journalistic approach" involves taking time to research your subjects and using a structured workflow to build stories. Some of the tips and suggestions here include using newsletters and Google Alerts as a way to source stories and using Trello boards and spreadsheets to organize content and ideas. When it comes to fact-checking and sourcing stories, Katie recommends using multiple sources and tracing back to the original source. She also talks about the importance of citing sources, and how to contact people for comment and quotes. Finally, Katie and Matthew discuss the importance of considering what value the content will provide to listeners. They suggest using the acronym WIIFM (What's In It For Me) to help stay focused on providing value to listeners.

Video podcasting is no new thing. But it's more talked about than it ever was. YouTube are in the early stages of getting into podcasting, whilst Spotify have finally jumped into the pool, too. But does this mean that everyone should now be creating video as well as audio content? Or has a lot of this stuff been exaggerated and blown out of proportion? Undoubtedly video, if done well, can be an excellent compliment to your audio and written content. But it isn't some magic bullet that's going to automatically quadruple your audience. On this episode of Podcraft, we discuss the pitfalls of video podcasting, and help you make a more informed decision on whether it's right for you and your podcast. Captivate Blog - https://www.markasquith.com/youtube-case-study/ Video Podcasting Guide - https://www.thepodcasthost.com/planning/should-i-make-a-video-podcast/

Lindsay from the content team helps produce a show called Life In The Ted Lane with her brother, Ted (apparently the name ‘Ted Talks' was taken, unfortunately). "Ted and his sister Lindsay talk about Ted's adventures, news from Broadway and Hollywood, Muppet News, and also what it's like to be autistic." https://lifeinthetedlane.buzzsprout.com/ Joining Matthew on this episode of Podcraft, Lindsay talks us through both the positive experiences and challenges of running the show, as well as the nuts and bolts of how it's made. Among the many positive aspects of this podcast is the feedback from parents and caregivers of other autistic people. Ted and Lindsay's adventures have entertained on many a long car journey, and helped give others the confidence to get out there in the world.

This Friday 11/4/22 7pm EST on our YouTube Channel LINK IN BIO! The No Ideas Original Podcast will be joined by Brooklyn Emcee, member of Sunz of Man and Wu-Tang affiliate Killah Priest. On this episode the guys will discuss how Killah Priest became a Wu-Tang affiliate, his Podcraft and his new album “Mr. Universe”. You won't want to miss this episode! #killahpriest #wutang #sunzofman #brooklyn #knowledge #podcraft #podcast #spotify #youtube #noideasoriginalpodcast #dope #nyc #hrsmn #heavymental #brooklyn

Last year we picked favourite horror movies through the decades. This year we're reviewing horror we overlooked. In Part 2 of 3, we cover the 1980's-90's. Recs: Possession (1981), The Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead II (1987), Mr Wrong (1984), Nightmare on Elm St (1984), plus documentaries Never Sleep Again: The Elm St Legacy (2010), Scream Queen: My Nightmare on Elm St (2019), Gremlins (1984), C.H.U.D. (1984), The Stuff (1985), The Fly (1986), Bad Taste (1987), Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1987), The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), The Blob (1988), Shocker (1989), Poison (1990), Hardware (1990), Braindead AKA Dead Alive (1992), Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), The Prophecy (1995), The Craft (1996), Halloween H20 (1998), Dark City (1998), Anthologies: Creepshow feature (1982), Twilight Zone feature (1983), Tales from the Darkside TV series (1984-1988), Tales from the Darkside feature (1990), Amazing Stories TV series (1985-1987), The Twilight Zone TV series (1985-1989), Friday The 13th TV series (1987-1990), Monsters (1988-1991), Freddy's Nightmares TV series (1988-1990), Tales From The Crypt TV series (1989-1996), Tales from the Hood feature (1995). Edited by PodCraft.ph's Zarah Meneses. Thumbnail image from The Video Dead (1987). More info at our new domain jetpack1917.info. Happy Halloween!

The concept is simple: You create the content your target audience is searching for, they find it, and your podcast grows as a result. But Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) isn't just as straightforward as that, unfortunately. There are nuances, best practices, and stiff competition from rival content creators. On season 16 of Podcraft we're leaning on the expertise and experience of our team here The Podcast Host and Alitu. On this episode, I'm joined by Sean, who is a full stack growth marketer. Sean knows a thing or two about SEO, and he's here to help you polish up your own search game, no matter what stage you're at. Mentions & ResourcesHow to Make a WordPress Website for Your PodcastKeyword SEO for PodcastersGoogle Search ConsoleAhrefs.comAlituCheck out the new ad, before it hits the Super BowlSupport the show

We discuss our dark pasts. Edited by PodCraft.ph's Zarah Meneses.

How do you get useful analytics to present to potential sponsors and advertisers? That's one of the questions on the mind of Karen from BankTalk Podcast. And, one that we'll try our best to answer on this episode of PodCraft. Your Apple Podcast Connect and Spotify for Podcasters dashboards can give you a good sample of listening patterns. Granted, these won't be the full picture, but, for many podcasters, this is at least 50% of their audience. Listener surveys are an optimal way to get first-hand data from your audience. You might also track conversions and clicks from advertising your own products, services, or events, too. We would also recommend using Rephonic's Podcast Audience Graph tool. This shows you the podcasts your listeners also subscribe too. You could check a few of them out and see what (if any) brands are advertising on them. Support the show

How do you get useful analytics to present to potential sponsors and advertisers? That's one of the questions on the mind of Karen from BankTalk Podcast. And, one that we'll try our best to answer on this episode of PodCraft. Your Apple Podcast Connect and Spotify for Podcasters dashboards can give you a good sample of listening patterns. Granted, these won't be the full picture, but, for many podcasters, this is at least 50% of their audience. Listener surveys are an optimal way to get first-hand data from your audience. You might also track conversions and clicks from advertising your own products, services, or events, too. We would also recommend using Rephonic's Podcast Audience Graph tool. This shows you the podcasts your listeners also subscribe too. You could check a few of them out and see what (if any) brands are advertising on them. Support the show

Laurent of the Puissante Panoplie podcast asks us about breaks between seasons. He feels that these can halt his momentum, and make him feel a bit like a headless chicken, jumping from task to task with no real plan in mind. Once the break is over, Laurent adds, he feels anything but rested or organised going into his new season. On this episode, we talk about ways to better structure your breaks in between seasons. We also cover the benefits of running an audience survey during these periods. You can even collect listener feedback in voice form, as we're doing on this season of PodCraft. Support the show

Laurent of the Puissante Panoplie podcast asks us about breaks between seasons. He feels that these can halt his momentum, and make him feel a bit like a headless chicken, jumping from task to task with no real plan in mind. Once the break is over, Laurent adds, he feels anything but rested or organised going into his new season. On this episode, we talk about ways to better structure your breaks in between seasons. We also cover the benefits of running an audience survey during these periods. You can even collect listener feedback in voice form, as we're doing on this season of PodCraft. Support the show

On this new season of PodCraft we're going to be answering your podcasting questions. Here's how to submit yours! This time around, we have a question from Brooke of Let's Talk Art With Brooke. Brooke has been podcasting for six years and as well over 200 episodes, but is concerned with lack of audience growth. This is a big question in and of itself (so big, in fact, that we actually wrote a book about it). But we find that there's always a few low-hanging fruits that can have an impact right away. These include good, compelling episode titles, Calls to Action, thorough SEO-friendly shownotes, and appearing as a guest on other relevant podcasts. Support the show

On this new season of PodCraft we're going to be answering your podcasting questions. Here's how to submit yours! This time around, we have a question from Brooke of Let's Talk Art With Brooke. Brooke has been podcasting for six years and as well over 200 episodes, but is concerned with lack of audience growth. This is a big question in and of itself (so big, in fact, that we actually wrote a book about it). But we find that there's always a few low-hanging fruits that can have an impact right away. These include good, compelling episode titles, Calls to Action, thorough SEO-friendly shownotes, and appearing as a guest on other relevant podcasts. Support the show

2022.04.12 – 0467 – Talk To TeddyWhen I'm podcasting I… talk and feel like I am having a conversation with somebody, as do other people.When I started off I actually got my old teddy bear out and I sat him in front of my computer and I talked to him. It gave me a focus for my conversation, I was explaining to him. And I did find to start off with that helped me, particularly for solo episodes to come across more naturally, rather less robotically than when I was starting!Podcaster John Colley on “The Podcraft” podcast, S4/E4John had a great analogy in this podcast. He said that your voice projection and ‘attitude' for a podcast should be the same as though you were on the phone to friend: talking one-to-one and straight in their ear (though not shouting as though hands-free in a car!). You're just changing a tele-phone, for a micro-phone… And by using the teddy bear in the studio, John created eye contact – another useful trick to sound natural. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Daily podcasts are a lot more common than they used to be. You might find the thought of running one appealing but also think to yourself "there's no way I'd have time to podcast every single day". Well, the good news is that you don't have to. You can actually create a short sharp 1-2min episode a day podcast in only a few hours a week. We've found that the scripting, recording, production, and publishing take us approximately 3 hours for a week of content (a week being Monday-Friday). As these tasks are "batched" we're not tending to this podcast every single day, even though new episodes are always dropping. There are a lot of benefits of doing short daily episodes. If you teach something then it'll give you the ability to deliver your lessons in bite-sized (or pocket-sized!) chunks. You can take a real deep dive over a period of time, rather than trying to pack together one huge lesson or talk. You might even turn your daily podcast into an Alexa Flash Brief. Short episodes are also great for repurposing. This works well if you're active on YouTube, social media, or taking a Content Stacking approach to your show. On this episode of Podcraft, we talk more about the benefits and workflows of running a daily podcast. We'll also help you answer the question of whether you should make one yourself. And as for our own case study, it's something you'll hopefully be interested in checking out, too... Our Daily Podcast - Pocket-Sized PodcastingPocket-Sized Podcasting is the ‘how to podcast' series for busy people. You'll get one short sharp tip delivered to your feed Monday through Friday, all aimed toward helping you build and grow your own life-changing show. Brought to you by Alitu, the Podcast Maker, it's our aim to make the entire process of podcasting as simple and accessible as humanly possible. Find us anywhere you get your podcasts, and be sure to hit follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode! Support the show (https://pod.academy)

Daily podcasts are a lot more common than they used to be. You might find the thought of running one appealing but also think to yourself "there's no way I'd have time to podcast every single day". Well, the good news is that you don't have to. You can actually create a short sharp 1-2min episode a day podcast in only a few hours a week. We've found that the scripting, recording, production, and publishing take us approximately 3 hours for a week of content (a week being Monday-Friday). As these tasks are "batched" we're not tending to this podcast every single day, even though new episodes are always dropping. There are a lot of benefits of doing short daily episodes. If you teach something then it'll give you the ability to deliver your lessons in bite-sized (or pocket-sized!) chunks. You can take a real deep dive over a period of time, rather than trying to pack together one huge lesson or talk. You might even turn your daily podcast into an Alexa Flash Brief. Short episodes are also great for repurposing. This works well if you're active on YouTube, social media, or taking a Content Stacking approach to your show. On this episode of Podcraft, we talk more about the benefits and workflows of running a daily podcast. We'll also help you answer the question of whether you should make one yourself. And as for our own case study, it's something you'll hopefully be interested in checking out, too... Our Daily Podcast - Pocket-Sized PodcastingPocket-Sized Podcasting is the ‘how to podcast' series for busy people. You'll get one short sharp tip delivered to your feed Monday through Friday, all aimed toward helping you build and grow your own life-changing show. Brought to you by Alitu, the Podcast Maker, it's our aim to make the entire process of podcasting as simple and accessible as humanly possible. Find us anywhere you get your podcasts, and be sure to hit follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode! Support the show

We talk a lot about audience growth in our articles. In fact, promotion and growth is the number 1 thing podcasters struggle with, according to our recent podcaster problems survey. One of the tips we've recommended for years is to see the other podcasters in your space as collaborators, rather than competition. Cross-promotion is a great example of the old saying "a rising tide lifts all boats". After all, this medium is on-demand, and it isn't like your listeners have to choose between your show and someone else's. We had the opportunity to get involved in a podcast episode swap recently with the excellent Evo Terra and his industry essential Podcast Pontifications show. It's a show I'm sure you'll love, and this episode is an ideal taster of what you can expect to hear, 4 days a week, if you hit the subscribe button. Here's the episode of Podcraft that was featured over there too - it was all about question research and how this strategy can help you create episodes to pull in new listeners. Podcast PontificationsBefore we jump into the episode content, let's take a quick look at the show's description so you can get a better idea of what it's about and who it's for. "Where plenty of podcasts about podcasting (PAPs) tell you what to do, Podcast Pontifications gives you what to think about in podcasting. These daily, insightful forward-looking episodes have one central tenet: Podcasting needs to be made better, not just easier. Designed for the working podcaster, these short-form episodes get you thinking about the future of podcasting and how you can better prepare yourself -- and your shows -- for the future. The goal is simple: help you develop critical thinking skills needed to make the best future-proofed podcast you can with the tools of today. Plus a few sneak previews of what might be coming tomorrow."And now to the episode itself, here's the question that Evo is pontificating on... "Nearly twenty years in, and many podcasters still have trouble thinking of podcasting as an industry. But our problem does not plague cash-flush brands looking to enter our industry. Who's perspective will win out? "Key Links2021 IAB podcast advertising revenue $1B2021 global podcast advertising revenue $1.37B2021 overall podcast industry marketing size $1.4BSupport the show

There's no shortage of things to focus on when it comes to planning, launching, and running your own podcast. From buying the right mic and choosing a hosting platform, to coming up with a show name and sorting out your cover art, these all fall under the umbrella of "podcasting". But all podcasting tasks aren't created equally. Some of the things you do can have a huge impact on your show's success, whilst others can be little more than a distraction. On this episode of Podcraft, we decided to reflect on a combined 20+ years of podcasting. Of all the podcasts we've launched and ran between us in that time, which factors do we feel helped move the needle? Also mentioned on this episode were our Podcraft community and the Portuguese translations of some of our top articles. Podcasting Factors That Move the Needle (Or Don't)We both scored each of the following out of 10 (10 for very important, 0 for not important at all), added up the scores, and ranked them into an overall list. The aim was for new and aspiring podcasters to help decide whether they were spending too much time on one thing, or not enough time on something else. 1. Defining Your Target AudienceThe most important factor was identifying who you want to reach, and why. Not spending some time nailing this down in the planning stages can lead to your content being directionless and vague. You want new listeners to hear your podcast and think "this is exactly what I've been looking for." For more help with this, check out the following articles:What's Your USP?Demographics Vs PsychographicsHow to Create a Value PropositionHow to Create Your AvatarHow to Come up With a Unique Topic2. Deciding on Your Podcast's NameNaming your podcast can feel like a tricky barrier to overcome. It's also a very important one. If potential listeners don't immediately know what your show's about when they see it, then many of them will skip past it without even reading the description. With podcast names, there's no such thing as "boring". If you come up with an ultra-descriptive "as it says on the tin" name and it isn't already taken - grab it. For more on this, check out How to Name Your Podcast. 3. Your Episode TitlesThis is another huge factor in turning traffic (your target audience, searching for your topic) into listeners. Descriptive and compelling episode titles will help your show be found, and they'll also encourage those searching to hit play. Don't waste this important space by putting the word "episode" in there. You don't need to write your podcast name beside every episode title either. For more on this, check out How to Title Your Episodes. Want to See the Full List?Head on over to the shownotes at ThePodcastHost.comSupport the show

In this episode of Podcraft, Matthew and Colin talk about podcasting and parenting. They discuss the joys of being a new dad, from early morning buggy walks, to "having a good moan" about one's kids. Brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker and The Podcast Host PlannerParents always think they're organized and resilient. The same's true for podcasters. Kids are unpredictable, and podcasting can be the same way. The key takeaway from this discussion about podcasting and parenting is to be honest with your audience. Colin recommends that new parents who make podcasts should plan ahead, but stay flexible, and be kind to themselves during this time. They discussed episode release schedules, such as podcasting in seasons, as opposed to publishing episodes at random intervals. Colin recommends lining up some episodes in advance of your child's arrival, then publishing each over time. For parents who can't leave their child unattended, don't try to multi-task. It's better to do one thing well, instead of multitasking a few things, poorly. Don't Wish It AwayThis is a big milestone in one's life. It's worth not trying to do too much for your podcast. When babies are unpredictable and need a lot of care, there's a tendency to, as Matthew says, "wish things forward until the dust settles." Colin adds that parents should try to enjoy the early days while they can. In 13 years or so, your kids will want to do their own thing. You'll have plenty of time for podcasting then. As a dad to two kids, Colin says, "the first year, especially the first three months, are hell." Plus, every kid is different. This isn't a good life stage for the results-oriented. But, he adds, the first six months are when babies sleep the most. Use this to your advantage: grab time for sleep and/or work when you can.  Colin adds that when babies are six to twelve months old, since they're more mobile, they need more supervision. They're more likely to grab things, like mixing board sliders. This is the age to child-proof your recording gear. Be realistic about your plans. Think of this time as maintenance mode. Again, communicate clearly and positively with your audience. It's not going to kill your show if you miss an episode.Work sessions with shorter periods of time can force you to really focus. Be accepting of the work that you can get done in a shorter amount of time. Colin says, “a task will always expand to fill the time allowed.”  If you only have forty-five minutes while the baby's out for a walk or napping, you can't procrastinate, overthink, or be too much of a perfectionist.Rethink your show's format. How can you bring value in less time, while still being yourself and making the same kind of show?  For example, instead of hour-long interview episodes, can you make fifteen-minute episodes of productive tips? Support the show

Hey guys casual Friday MK here and today we're mixing it up and I'm gonna deconstruct my podcast for you. Is that Crazy? I dunno. So, my process for this particular project the Mankind Podcast is pretty simple and this is the beginning of a series about creating podcasts, I'm gonna talk about preparing and launching your pod, hardware and recording equipment, music and SFX and a lot more but, let's call this “Podcraft part 1” and this time around, we're just gonna focus on building a script, recording and organizing the audio, uploading the episode and promoting it as simply as possible, easy peezy, right. So for me, I like to start with the “tag line” it's just a 5-10 word “dirty summary” of the show. Ideally it's catchy or funny and I actually write this at the end usually so I can make sure to tie everything together as much as possible but for a show like today, I'll use it t keep myself on topic. So it would be like… “It's Friday but there's no roundup, this week we're doing a podcast, deconstructed” And for pre-recorded or longer edited shows, it's fun to use a short clip from an intriguing portion of the recording, I'm trying to build curiosity and draw the listener in. I just have fun with it and try to make the tag line stand out. Even though it's technically completely optional, it's one of those details that adds loads of value. For the main body of the show I just write a few paragraphs and I try to organize topics by days of the week so like Mondays are a weekend recap and I talk about upcoming events, Takeover Tuesdays I talk about the Takeover Lounge and give you early access to who our guest that week is. Wednesday is a profile kind of day where I talk about documentarian type stuff and give updates to projects I'm working on. Thursday is podcasting about podcasting day and its starting to blend into Casual Friday which is just a no script, stripped down easy going weekly recap and I just reiterate what's happening on Takeover Lounge that night and where to find me/us that weekend and the cycle continues. When I write the scripts though, I do try to write them with the inflection of how I “talk” versus how I “write” I find there is a fine line and I'm constantly re-reading it out loud and re-writing until it's right. For the outro, I try to thank as many people as I can without being obnoxious and understanding this is a work in progress so sometimes I try to drop a quick breadcrumb or just tell you what I have planned in my mind for tomorrow's episode, something like that. I try to make it a big finale so you miss it when its over. Viola we're done writing the script. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mankindpodcast/message

Check out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast Audience Audiograms combine images, text, and audio to create a social media post. they are as memorable and attention-grabbing as video, without being as time-consuming or data-heavy. WNYC created an open-source code to accomplish this means of podcast promotion, and there are other options available to you now, too. Type: Short TaskTime Required: One hourPodcast Level: From the beginning The open-source code that WNYC created was intended to be a free resource for podcasters to use to promote their work. It's great, but it can be confusing for people who don't know how to code. Fortunately, Headliner has created an app which guides you through the process. The free version lets you make a certain number of audiograms per month. Depending on the social media platform for which you intend to make your audiogram, the size constraints vary. However, you can use the same content with different aspect ratios or time limits for different platforms. Figure out what section of your podcast you want to highlight. Much like quote images, an audiogram is a sample of a moment from your podcast. In this case, instead of a line or two of text, you're using a few seconds to a few minutes of audio. Decide on the art you want to use. For consistency, you probably want to use your podcast logo. However, you can certainly use whatever art you want, as long as it fits with Headliner's size requirements. Including closed-captioning is a wise choice. Many people browse social media with the sound turned off, and don't turn the sound on unless they're curious about a particular post. If you include closed-captioning (well done: you make your post more accessible), go through and edit it for accuracy. Headliner's mobile app honestly makes it easy for you to promote your show from your phone. You could do this while you're waiting for a coffee order or sitting in a park Task List: Go to Headliner's website and sign up for a free account. Use the Audiogram Wizard and type in your podcast's name or RSS feed.Select the portion of your podcast episode that you want to share.Follow the Audiogram Wizard instructions to create your audiogram. If you use closed-captions, proofread and edit them for accuracy. Check the audiogram to make sure it's just right. Download a copy for your archives. Post the audiogram to social media. Make sure that the post includes a link to your podcast website. Encourage your followers to share the post. thepodcasthost.com/audiograms - How to Make and Use Audiogramsthepodcasthost.com/publishtoyoutube - Publishing Your Podcast on YouTubeNext season we are running some Q&A episodes - submit your questions here!Check out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast Audience Support the show

Check out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast Audience Overcast is one of the most popular podcast listening apps in the world today. And with good reason – it's a superb app, packed with useful features.Overcast is built for podcast listeners. But, they also provide the tools for podcasters to advertise their shows in the app. These ads appear as unobtrusive little banners, which the app's users see at the bottom of their screen. On these banner ads, you'll see a podcast's name, cover art, and a little snippet description tempting the listener to click it. With Overcast ads, 100% of the folks that you reach are podcast listeners. That's why they're looking at Overcast when they see your ad. They're likely either listening to a podcast, or about to hit play on one.This means they're literally one click away from browsing your podcast inside their chosen listening app. And one more click away from hitting Play or Subscribe.There's no education needed here. There's no “what is a podcast?”, no “find us at…”. It's simply down to the snippet you write when you create your ad. The ads are unobtrusive, yet clearly visible to the user. Costs vary on topic, and on-demand, but you can usually start advertising on Overcast from around $300.Type: Short TaskTime Required: 15 minutes to set up. Runs for 1 month. Podcast Level: 3 episodes or more.You need to sign up for an Overcast account at Overcast.fm.Overcast is an iOS-only listening app, but anyone can sign up for an account on their computer.Once you're in, go to overcast.fm/ads where you'll see the full details. This includes info on current pricing and estimated reach.As you'll see, ads are broken out into different categories. Naturally, the cost is higher for the more popular ones. You can see how many slots are available, and which ones are currently sold out. If it's one of the sold out ones you're after, you can ask to be notified when they become available.Once you select a category, you'll click through to a page where you can customise your snippet. You'll want to write a sentence or two that acts as a ‘hook', to be displayed alongside the podcast name and cover art. If you leave this blank, Overcast will use the start of the description in your feed. It's much better to write something in there that doesn't cut off. Try adding “Click here to get started”, if you have the room. Then, you can preview your ad, before reviewing your purchase, and making the payment. It's really simple.Task List: Sign up for an Overcast account at Overcast.fm.Select your targeted podcast category.Customise your snippet.Preview your ad.Complete your purchase.Further Reading: Promoting Your Podcast on OvercastCheck out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast Audience Support the show

Check out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast Audience When you've published a decent amount of episodes, you might consider re-writing your scripts and notes from each one into an ebook. You can give this away as an incentive to people who contribute to you through a fundraising campaign, or as a reward for signing up for your mailing list. You can even publish it and offer it for sale through Amazon's self-publishing channels.  It's a good way to encapsulate your information, while also rewarding your audience for their commitment. Type: Big StrategyTime Required: One month to plan, compile, re-write, and publishPodcast Level: At least ten episodesSo, you have a basic script of talking points for each episode (or, better yet, you have transcripts). You have your show notes, and you also have any blog posts or visual aids. You also have an audience that's interested in your show's topic. For each episode, put together any notes or talking points you used, your transcript if you have one, any visual aids that you might have posted on your website or Instagram, and your show notes and blog post for the episode. Look at this information as a whole. What's the cohesive narrative? What did you learn about your podcast's topic, as you went through the process of making this podcast? What have you learned about it from your audience and your guests? This is a good time for you to encapsulate what you've learned so far, and what you can share with others. Edit this information into one cohesive document. A reasonable ebook usually runs about 7,000 to 10,000 words. As long as you're covering the most important points in your information, explaining them clearly, and giving your audience value, length doesn't matter. It's always a good idea to have someone unbiased and skilled proofread your document before sending it anywhere. You can find someone who does book editing services on Fiverr, or trade services with a friend. A good designer can make sure your ebook is pleasing to the eye and enjoyable to read. If you prefer the DIY route, you can make a pretty good book cover in Canva. You can save this as one PDF, and give it to your supporters directly. This makes a great gift for the people who have supported you, as well as a good enticement for a new audience. You can also publish it through Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing. This lets you set the price, earn royalties, and publish in either digital or paperback. Task List: Organize your show notes, scripts/talking points, transcripts, visual aids, and blog posts for each episode.  Take note of what you've learned through this process. Write a book, using the information you've compiled. Get an unbiased, skilled editor to proofread and edit your book. Have a designer make sure your fonts and layout look good, and design a quality cover. Share this book with your supporters. Check out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast Audience Support the show

Check out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast Audience Podcast-themed beer mats or coasters! This is a “helpful” way of distributing your podcast logo or branding around pubs and bars in your area. A little cardboard coaster is a useful thing in these places. They help keep the table dry, and some folks even collect them. If your design is intriguing enough, a person resting their glass on one may pull out their phone and subscribe to your podcast there and then. Type: Ongoing taskTime Required: One month from design through to creation and delivery. Ongoing strategy to distribute. Podcast Level: At any timeThe starting point is your coaster design. What are you going to put on there to catch people's eye? Your podcast logo can be a good choice here, just like with stickers or magnets. But, unlike those, you have a bit more time with the person looking at your coaster. They're also up close to it, so it doesn't need to work in an at-a-glance sort of way.  I actually recommend getting yourself 2-4 different designs. A typical bar or pub table sits 4 people, so you can leave 4 different coasters which could even spark some discussion amongst the folks who sit there next. Could you create one using a quote from a podcast review? Or, from yourself or an interview guest on the show? You can use humour or intrigue to make the person looking at it want to find out more. As always, it comes down to your own brand and tone, as well as your target audience. You should always have your podcast's name on each coaster. Get your URL on there too. Make sure the people who want to find out more, actually can. Cardboard coasters are relatively cheap to have made. Many online printing services offer this service, and you'll generally pick up bundles of 100 to 250 with each design. Next comes the distribution. I use this guerrilla marketing tactic myself; I'll shove a stack of them in my jacket pocket if I'm heading on a day out somewhere. Each time I'm in a pub, I'll stick coasters under all of our glasses at the table. When we leave, other folks will sit there, and who knows? One might even go on to become the show's biggest fan. You can also harness the power of your listeners by running a competition. Ask them to take a picture of their drinks proudly sitting on your coasters when they're out somewhere. You can run a hashtag for this so everyone can see each other's pictures, too. This is a fun way to market your podcast, because you never know who's going to sit down and start studying your “ad” next. Also, it's a great excuse to get some friends together and go for a drink one weekend! Task List: Have 2-4 different types of coaster design made. Use your logo, but also consider things like quotes from reviews or from the show itself. Remember to have the podcast name, or even a URL on them. Each time you're going to be in a cafe, pub, or bar, take some with you. Put them under the glasses or cups on your table as you drink. When you leave, leave them for the next people who'll sit there. Consider running listener competitions to see how many bars around the world you can get photos of your coasters “in action”. Further Reading: thepodcasthost.com/guerrillaCheck out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast Audience Support the show (https://pod.academy)

Check out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast Audience Despite the many hundreds of ways listeners can consume podcasts these days, Apple Podcasts/iTunes is still comfortably the biggest platform in the world. Over 60% of podcast listening happens there. We know from our own data that when listeners want to find new content to listen to, around 40% of them take to searching their podcast listening app first. Looking at those two stats, it isn't hard to conclude that if you were listed by Apple as a “featured” podcast, you'd likely pick up a few new listeners.  In fact, we know this ourselves first hand. In August 2017, one of our shows – Hostile Worlds – was featured on the front page of iTunes and Apple Podcasts. We'll link to the article where we break down our listening numbers from that period in the Further Reading section. Type: Big taskTime Required: Months of planning - 10 minutes to submit your podcastPodcast Level: 4 episodes or moreHow to Do ItIt's important to stress that there's no way to guarantee getting featured there. You need to show Apple you'll be publishing content that they reckon is feature-worthy. It's also important to stress that said episode is not yet published. Apple will consider featuring a podcast on their front page if it's something topical or noteworthy. For example, if a show is going to have a famous guest on their show. This person must be widely famous – “someone your mum has heard of” – and not just “niche famous”. This might be an author or musician with a new book or album. Apple sells these products, so they like to help market them.A famous guest could also be a sports star ahead of a big final, or an actor around the time of a movie premier. It doesn't need to be due to a guest though. It might be because your episode will focus on a major event or news story. That was the case with Hostile Worlds, and the Cassini Mission to Saturn.Apple Submission FormYou'll find the Apple submission form at thepodcasthost.com/appleformThey're looking for at least 2 weeks lead time here, prior to the publishing of your noteworthy episode. They'd also like to know how you're going to promote and market this episode on their platform. This might include things like linking to your show in Apple on your episode post, and tagging them in social media posts around the episode. Task List: Plan an episode that Apple may be interested in featuringFill out the submission form at least 2 weeks prior to the episode going liveLet Apple know how you'll be promoting and marketing the episode on their platformFurther Reading: Apple Submission FormPodcast Discovery StatsHow Many Downloads Did We Get on the Front Page of iTunes/Apple Podcasts?Check out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast Audience Support the show

Check out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast Audience Nope, it's not a new breakfast cereal. It's a journalism and/or marketing strategy. The name comes from vox populi, or voice of the people. It's a way of sketching out public opinion at a particular place and time. By asking a lot of different people the same question, you can get a lot of perspective on a bit of truth. This is also often used for comic effect by Jimmy Kimmel, and parodied by A Bit of Fry and Laurie. If you watch television, you have seen vox pops. Type: Short TaskTime Required: A hour to record, an hour to editPodcast Level: 5-10 episodesHow to Do ItCome up with a good episode topic, and one or maybe two related questions.  Put together a remote recording rig which you can carry easily, such as a hand-held digital recorder and a pair of headphones. Go to a place with good foot traffic, but not so crowded that you'll have to shout to be heard. Think about places where your podcast topic would be relevant. If your podcast is about fly fishing, try the parking lot of a fishing spot, or partner with a bait and tackle shop. If your podcast is about quilting, check out a fabric shop. Bring some of your podcast business cards with you so you can easily share details of where to find the show. Participants do have to give you permission to record them. But you don't have to fill out a contract, just keep a recording of them saying “yes, you have my permission to record me.”If you see people who look like they might be interested, ask if they'd be up for participating in an interview for a podcast. Be aware that people might not be, and that has nothing to do with you: they might be on their way to work, headed home, or simply wanting privacy. Some people will want to participate. Keep it light, keep it quick, and give them a card so they can listen later. Task List: Come up with a good episode topic, and one or maybe two related questions.  Practice working with your remote recording rig, and saving the sound files.  Get some business cards with your show information on them. Take your recording rig to a local spot with a reasonable amount of foot traffic. Bring a friend. Ask people if they'd be interested in participating in an interview for a podcast.Tell them about your podcast and offer them a card right away. That way, even if they say no, they've heard of your podcast. After you record them, thank them. Remind them that they'll be able to hear themselves on your podcast, and they should tell their friends. Also MentionedThe Best Podcast Digital Recorders on the MarketShure SM58 MicSamson Q2U MicZoom PodTrak P4 Podcast RecorderCheck out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast Audience Support the show (https://pod.academy)

Check out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast Audience A montage episode is a piece of audio content, made up of clips from different contributors.A tried and tested way of creating one is to build the episode around a single topic or question. Each participant records their answer to the question, and sends over their audio to the creator.You can collect clips from anyone from the general public, to your podcast listeners. In this particular instance, we want to create one with fellow podcasters in our niche. Type: Big StrategyTime Required: Around 3 months, from planning to publishing Podcast Level: About 10 episodes, or at the end of a seasonFirstly, you need to decide on a topic for your episode. Choose something that's going to be interesting and useful to the audiences of all involved. Some examples of montage episodes could includeAn episode of a travel podcast, where contributors talk about their favourite holiday destinationAn episode of a sound design podcast, where contributors talk about their favourite audio production softwareAn episode of a health podcast, where contributors talk about their morning routinesYou may be asking a single question, but it's a good idea to have some prompts alongside it.Imagine the hypothetical travel podcast creates a montage episode titled “The World's Best Holiday Destinations”, and one of the clips is someone simply saying “Jamaica”. That would be a pretty dull and pointless episode.When asking for contributions, you might expand on the question “what is your favourite holiday destination?” with any of the following;Why did you choose to go there?What's your favourite memory of the place?What's something that surprised you about it?What's your top tip for someone planning to go there in the future?This will help give yourself the best possible chance of gathering great, insightful content.Decide too, if you'd like to put an approximate time guide on answers. Between 3-5 minutes is always a good sweet spot. But don't be too strict with this, or you'll discourage folks from participating.You'll want to set a deadline for getting the clips back, so you can begin production. Lay out specific instructions in an easy-to-skim manner. These are things likeWhen you need the clip sent over byWhere or how to send itAny file format or naming preferences Once you have the clips together, assemble them in a good running order. You can then script your own parts in the episode - the intro and outro, as well as any commentary you'd like to add in between clips. When you've published a montage episode, be sure to reach out to everyone involved and ask them to share it with their own listeners. Everyone's podcast can grow with this strategy, on top of it being great content for the collective audience. Everyone wins! Task List: Identify the podcasts you'd like to collaborate withCome up with a useful and interesting episode topicReach out to them with your proposalSell the benefits to them - this can help grow their reach!Lay out your specific instructionsGather in audio clipsRecord and intro and outro, and any commentary Mix episode togetherPublish Share with all involved - ask them to share it tooCheck out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast AudienceSupport the show (https://pod.academy)

Check out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast AudienceThis is where your love of your podcast's topic will take the wheel. Let's say you have a podcast about thrift (charity) shops. So you join a group on Facebook dedicated to unusual thrift shops. People post pictures and talk about great shops they've found, unusual things they've seen or bought in thrift shops, and so on. If you come in on day one saying “Hello everyone, I have a podcast about thrift shops and you all should listen to it,” you'll just alienate people. What you owe it to yourself to do is read, watch, and see what the content and dynamic of the group are. How compatible are their discussions with your podcast? What are the big concerns? Are they talking about Goodwill vs. Salvation Army, or the prevalence of costume jewellery? You might find shop owners to interview, or topics to discuss on your podcast. When you feel comfortable, and you've added some value to the group, then mention that you have a podcast. Task List: Find a few online communities related to your podcast's topic. Join them, follow the group guidelines, read and watch the group for a few weeks. Let yourself be inspired by what's happening in the group. If there are discussions where you can honestly add value (i.e., “I know a great way to get stains out of velvet!”), then participate. Use your knowledge and expertise with compassion. Links Creating a 'Real Life' Podcast CommunityBuilding a Community Around Your PodcastDo Podcasters Need Social Media?Check out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast AudienceSupport the show

Check out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast AudienceQuestions are great. More and more, users are typing full questions into Google, rather than single words or phrases. Google can see this, and loves it when you answer them directly. If it's obvious what you're answering, they'll direct ever more users to your answers. On top of that, when you think in questions, you tend to solve a real problem. Solve someone's problem and they'll be a loyal listener for life! That's what powers real audience growth. So, where do we find these questions?“Answer the Public” is a great resource for this. It's a website which is similar, in a way, to the keyword tool discussed earlier, but it's designed to surface every possible question around a keyword or keyphrase. Type in your keyword - eg. podcasting - and you'll see a huge list of questions. You'll see them grouped by type - why? what? Who? - and you can refine it along the way. Wait till you see the questions that you never even considered!Next, let's use social media, and Twitter in particular, to see what people are asking, right now! The technique is simple: type in your keyword AND a ? or a question word. This prompts twitter to surface all tweets that ask a question related to your topic. Eg. Podcast AND ?meditation AND howNutrition AND whatAnother great resource is Quora, an entire website of questions! Type in your topic, or related keywords, and see what questions pop up.Finally, try Buzzsumo to see what type of content is really resonating with your niche right now. Type in your keywords and it'll surface the most shared content in your niche. This should give you ideas on what people are really connecting with right now. Task List: Pick at least one of the above tools and go in deep on it.Try all your topic or keyword variations and see if you can write down at least 10 of the most common questions people are asking.Use these as your next set of podcast topics and you'll increase your search visibility by a huge amount.Bonus points: use the Google keyword tool from above to check search volume and prioritise your questionsCheck out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast AudienceSupport the show (https://pod.academy)

Check out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast AudienceAdmit it: you can always use the support of your colleagues. Whether other people who make podcasts have more experience, less experience, or different kinds of experience, there's always inspiration and strength that comes from being involved with other podcasters. Creating a local group takes some work, and a long period of time, but in the end, you can build community, grow your show, and help others. Type: Regular techniqueTime Required: Put an hour a week into promoting it and an hour for each meeting. Podcast Level: 10 episodes, or when your workflow is established and comfortableYou probably participate in an online community of podcasters already. If you don't, you certainly can. You can also survey your audience to find out where your listeners are, and what percentage of them are podcasters themselves.  Find a local coffee shop, pub, or community centre that will let a few people sit around and chat over a beverage for a while.  Plan a recurring meeting, brainstorm some discussion topics, and promote the meeting to your friends and followers. It can be handy to set a topic in advance for each meeting. This can encourage people to turn up. You can also create meetups online. This gives you the option to meet people anywhere in the world, but removes the impact of face to face interaction. Whichever you choose, be open to listening, use your best manners, and empower others to do the same. Task List: Decide if you want the meeting to be virtual or actual (online or in-person). Find an online platform to use, or a venue to meet up in. Arrange a time and date. Mention the meeting on your social media, and in your podcast's call to action. You want to be able to do this for at least three episodes of your podcast. Set a topic (or topics) in advance.  Get to the meeting early, greet people when they arrive. If you meet in a physical location, make sure that you leave it clean, and in better shape than you found it. Further Reading: Building a CommunityCreating a ‘Real Life' Podcast CommunityCheck out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast AudienceSupport the show

Your current listeners are the best PR team to increase audience growth. Get to know your current listeners. They'll tell their friends about your podcast. Find out what their interests and habits are. Get them to tell you what they want your podcast to do. This way, you can fine-tune your podcast to increase your audience and reach more listeners.I'm not suggesting you take each individual listener out for a chat over a cup of coffee (though that would be very nice of you). The best way to get the information about your audience that you need, is with a short and carefully crafted podcast survey.Podcast Survey Tools For GrowthI like a free tool as much as the next podcaster, so let's start with a couple of them. And I'll include one paid option if you want to really ramp up your data gathering.Google Forms has a gallery of templates which you can use to create a standard type of form. It's easy to use, and everyone knows the brand, so it's pretty low-barrier. The look is, for me, a bit dated, but it's totally adequate for your average survey.SurveyMonkey is a lot more flexible. It's a paid product, normally, but the freemium tier will let you make a short podcast survey with ten questions or less, for nothing. If you don't need to go long, or need any of their other premium options, it could suit well.Paperform is my final recommendation, for those who want the full power of a paid product. Full flexibility and a range of beautiful templates, you can make a survey that looks great and really draws people in.One of the best Paperform features is the ability to create what they call a ‘landing form.' In plain English, it's a page creator that includes survey elements, so you can build a great looking ‘audience welcome page' which asks them questions, gets your data, but also gives them a bunch of value through episode guides, downloads, contact info and more. You can build a place where you give as value them as they give to you in filling in their data.You really don't want your podcast survey to be longer than ten questions. Your listeners are already giving you their time and mental effort. Ask for a little, and you'll get a lot.Multiple-choice questions will get you results that are focused and specific. Open-ended questions can give you results you hadn't expected. They can also lead listeners to use them as a personal soapbox or open-mic night. Limit the amount of characters responders can use, so they have to keep their response short.Read the guide at Running an Audience SurveyCheck out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast AudienceSupport the show

We're delighted to announce our latest book. It's called Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast AudienceTo celebrate, we're making season 13 of Podcraft all about podcast promotion and growth. We'll be going through the book, chapter by chapter, and picking out a single task to focus each episode around. On this episode, we're pulling from the first chapter - Enabling Your Existing Audience - and the task in question is around Calls to Action. Calls to Action (CTAs) are low-hanging fruit that many podcasters miss a huge opportunity with. There are some key questions to ask yourself when thinking about your CTAs. Questions like how does your CTA uniquely engage your listeners? And what do you want your listener to do? A specific, memorable Call to Action engages your audience and drives them in the direction you want. You should also make it easy for them to do it. If you're sending them to a particular web page, use a shortlink to get them there. If you want them to talk about your show on social media, invent a hashtag so you can track it.  Your CTAs will totally depend on your content and motivations. But some of the most common and effective podcast CTAs we see are;Subscribe to the show in your listening app of choiceShare this episode with someone you think will benefit from itLeave a rating and review on your listening app of choice, or in PodchaserGet in touch (solicit particular questions so this is more effective)Download a resource, sign up for something, or purchase an upgradeFinally, include your CTAs in the show notes of each episode, in the episode outro, and if possible, linked in a button on your website podcast player. Task List: For your next Call to Action, what do you want your listeners to do? Sum it up in a short sentence or less, such as “sign up for our email list.” Look at the ‘Creating Memorable Links' task, and practice making a short link. Practice your intros and outros. How can you fit your new CTA into your outros?Related to: Creating Memorable links, Encouraging ReviewsFurther Reading: thepodcasthost.com/driveaction - How to Drive Action From a Podcastthepodcasthost.com/outros - Introducing & Ending Your EpisodeCheck out the full book - Podcast Growth: How to Grow Your Podcast AudienceSupport the show