This week's podcasting tip involves prepping your show (which you should always do).  Some folks prefer to have the entire episode scripted out. Others would rather go off of bullet points.  We explore the difference.

If you think your podcast is award-worthy, submissions are open for two of them - The Ambies through the Podcast Academy https://www.thepodcastacademy.com/general/custom.asp?page=Awards

and the Webbie awards, which award the best of the web:https://www.webbyawards.com/

Google Podcasts are going to start showing analytics on when your podcast shows up in Google Search Results: https://podcastsmanager.google.com/about

She Podcasts, which is a 20,000 member community for female podcasters, has launched a virtual membership: https://supersquad.shepodcasts.com/

Amazon has bought the domain Podcast.com - James Cridland of PodNews says the asking price may have been $2 million.  So far, the website just points to Audible.

Edison Research's Tom Webster says, when naming your podcast, make a name for yourself. Literally.  Don't use a common name that's going to be shared with a ton of other podcasts. https://tomwebster.substack.com/p/make-a-name-for-yourself

Podcast Heavyweights Tanner Campbell, Evo Terra, and Steve Stewart have written an open letter to Apple, calling for the removal of Apple Podcast reviews - they think it should be a heart/like system, so one bad review won't sink a show. https://medium.com/portlandpod/the-case-for-killing-reviews-in-apple-podcasts-66e735cf5f07

Finally, Spotify is beginning to play with hybrid talk and music podcasts - that can get royalties to artists when their songs are played.  So far the shows are unique to Spotify and have some kinks to work out. The first one is called "My 90's Playlist" produced by Sony Entertainment, and the first episode breaks down TLC's Classic "No Scrubs."  Here's the release from Spotify: https://newsroom.spotify.com/2020-10-14/spotify-launches-new-audio-experience-combining-music-and-talk-content/?utm_source=podnews.net&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=podnews.net:2020-10-15

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