For the last few years, I've been recording in a room full of foam and blankets. The results were good, but not great.   I wanted something better, so I just installed some new panels based on a DIY panel design by Marcus dePaula.   This episode is the first I recorded with the new setup. It's a conversation with Marcus about how you can sound your best with the space you have, regardless of whether you record in a spare bedroom, a closet, or a temporary location.
Topics:

• "Room within a room"
• Recording with a monitor – what you need to know
• Setting up a portable studio that sounds great
• Recording in your house? This is the best place to do it...
• Why books are a great thing to have in your studio
• Packing blankets
• Bedroom vs. Closet
• What you need to know about ceiling panels (clouds)
• Studio Comfort vs. Function
• What is good enough?

Links To Things We Talk About:

• The "Old" RED Room
• Panel Build
• Marcus' DIY Acoustic Panel Plans
• Me Only Louder / Podcast Audio Lab

  Don't Let Your Podcast Be Ignored - Download my free "Podcast Growth Toolkit" to double your podcast audience.

     

This is the audio companion to Issue 46 of Big Podcast Insider. If you're interested in more info on what I talk about on this episode and also links, that's where to go.   Big Podcast Insider is a weekly newsletter on podcasting. If you like the content of this episode, consider subscribing – it's free and you can unsubscribe at any time.   Topics:

• The "Instant Audience"
• Google for podcasters
• Sound effects for your podcast
• What happens when you get "personalization" wrong
• Gen Z (and how to talk to them)

  Links To Things I Talk About:

• Big Podcast Insider - Podcasting Newsletter
• The Hive Index
• How to Use Google

  Don't Let Your Podcast Be Ignored - Download my free "Podcast Growth Toolkit" to double your podcast audience.

     

This is the audio companion to Issue 45 of Big Podcast Insider. If you're interested in more info on what I talk about on this episode and also links, that's where to go.   Big Podcast Insider is a weekly newsletter on podcasting. If you like the content of this episode, consider subscribing – it's free and you can unsubscribe at any time.   Topics:

• Herbie Hancock vs. City Girls
• Lyft vs. Oscar Mayar
• A captive audience for your podcast...
• Tag Team, back again!
• My "adult" membership site for podcasters
• Custom, royalty-free music for podcasts (generated by AI)

Links To Things I Talk About:

• Big Podcast Insider - Podcasting Newsletter
• Miti Productions
• Soundraw

  Don't Let Your Podcast Be Ignored - Download my free "Podcast Growth Toolkit" to double your podcast audience.

     

It's been a wild 18 months, especially for people like podcasters and broadcasters, who often do in-person interviews in very small spaces.

For 15 years, I did 99% of interviews sitting across from my guest in the studio. But COVID-19 changed that – it was too risky to bring somebody in to an 8'x8' space with me, an engineer, and a producer.

So we switched all interviews to remote...

But that brought a few problems with it. And on this episode I talk about how we've worked around those problems as well as the "good" that has come from doing remote interviews.

  Don't Let Your Podcast Be Ignored - Download my free "Podcast Growth Toolkit" to double your podcast audience.

     

This is the audio companion to Issue 44 of Big Podcast Insider. If you're interested in more info on what I talk about on this episode and also links, that's where to go.   Big Podcast Insider is a weekly newsletter on podcasting. If you like the content of this episode, consider subscribing – it's free and you can unsubscribe at any time.   Topics:

• How to take "calls" from your audience – even if you don't stream your podcast live
• The value of "mystery"
• A podcasting lesson from ZZ Top
• Why to never put your photo on your podcast artwork
• How to make big money with a small podcast
• The "most successful" podcast I've ever been part of
• Your podcast "enemy"
• A podcast production lesson from Facebook
• Looking for a job in podcasting? I'll show you just where to go...

Links To Things I Talk About:

• Big Podcast Insider - Podcasting Newsletter
• Voiceform

  Don't Let Your Podcast Be Ignored - Download my free "Podcast Growth Toolkit" to double your podcast audience.

     

This is the audio companion to Issue 43 of Big Podcast Insider. If you're interested in more info on what I talk about on this episode and also links, that's where to go.   Big Podcast Insider is a weekly newsletter on podcasting. If you like the content of this episode, consider subscribing – it's free and you can unsubscribe at any time. Topics:

• Stealing marketing ideas from broadcast radio and other "old school" media formats
• Middle-aged white guys at Costco – what they can teach you about podcasting
• How to record an effective "episode promo" for your podcast
• Podcasts are now available on airplanes – what this means for your podcast
• 5 pillars of podcast monetization

Links To Things I Talk About:

• Big Podcast Insider - Podcasting Newsletter

  Don't Let Your Podcast Be Ignored - Download my free "Podcast Growth Toolkit" to double your podcast audience.

     

This is the audio companion to Issue 42 of Big Podcast Insider. If you're interested in more info on what I talk about on this episode and also links, that's where to go.   Big Podcast Insider is a weekly newsletter on podcasting. If you like the content of this episode, consider subscribing – it's free and you can unsubscribe at any time.   Topics:

• How to make $25,000/month from your podcast
• How much "free" content should you give away? Why you should and shouldn't give away content...
• Time management for podcasters – how to get things done
• Why you should be emailing your podcast listeners (and how to do it)
• Cheap WordPress hosting for podcasters

Links To Things I Talk About:

• Big Podcast Insider - Podcasting Newsletter

  Don't Let Your Podcast Be Ignored - Download my free "Podcast Growth Toolkit" to double your podcast audience.

     

This is an important episode for all podcasters.   If you say something on a podcast and that podcast gets released, what you've said it out there forever – it will not go away. It doesn't matter if the podcast has just a few listeners or you're not listed as a contributor.   Mike Richards learned the hard way. Just this week, he was fired as the Executive Producer for Jeopardy because of comments he made on a podcast (and probably a few other things).    If there is a mic in the room, assume the mic is hot and what you're saying is being recorded for broadcast. Also, whether there's a mic in the room or not, consider the power of your words.    Don't Let Your Podcast Be Ignored - Download my free "Podcast Growth Toolkit" to double your podcast audience.

     

This is the audio companion to Issue 41 of Big Podcast Insider. If you're interested in more info on what I talk about on this episode and also links, that's where to go.   Big Podcast Insider is a weekly newsletter on podcasting. If you like the content of this episode, consider subscribing – it's free and you can unsubscribe at any time.   Although the newsletter is almost a year old, this is the first companion podcast episode. As of now, I plan to do these weekly, just like the newsletter itself. Links To Things I Talk About:

• Big Podcast Insider - Podcasting Newsletter

  Don't Let Your Podcast Be Ignored - Download my free "Podcast Growth Toolkit" to double your podcast audience.

     

Has somebody who has done a lot of outreach to podcasters, trying to get myself or others booked as guests on those podcasts, I probably have as much empathy for podcast booking agents and others doing this job as anybody. It is a very tough job.   It sucks to be ignored. And it sucks to be rejected, even when somebody does it in a kind way.    This is especially true when you're doing your own booking and it's you or your project that is being rejected.   But as a podcaster, it also sucks to get form emails from people who see you and your podcast as number. And then get followup emails from these people...again, and again, and again.   This is one of the reasons so many podcast guest pitches get ignored.   Want more success with your podcast guest booking? Listen up... Links To Things I Talk About:

• Build a Big Podcast - Podcast Guest Application

  Don't Let Your Podcast Be Ignored - Download my free "Podcast Growth Toolkit" to double your podcast audience.