Have you started podcasting yet? What are you waiting for? Don't get me wrong, you have to be fearless, but don't fall in to the trap of waiting until you get everything perfect, or you'll never even start. Eventually you just have to take the plunge and do it! The best way to learn is by doing, to learn what works, and what doesn't, so you can improve with each episode. "Content is king"--you have to actually produce content. Don't let the technology become a distraction. Let your passion drive you!

Podcasting is incredibly fun and rewarding, but also inevitably requires more time and effort than you thought. Many would-be podcasters don't make it past the first few episodes. If you're just starting out, don't start actively promoting your show until you've established yourself and settled on a format that works.

This episode has to do with branding, and promotion--in that order. First impressions are important!

Making an Impression

Artwork/Logo

What message does your logo, your artwork, your web site say to potential listeners? Does it stand out from the crowd? As important as it is, "Presentation is queen" doesn't just refer to audio production--aesthetics are important. You want to attract people to click the "Play" button in the first place!

Make sure you give your logo and artwork the same attention you give to production quality. If you're going to spend hundreds of dollars on quality equipment to get that professional sound, don't use a logo that looks like you whipped it up in five minutes.

If you can afford it, hiring a graphic designer is worth it. Two talented artists who understand podcaster's needs (because they are themselves!):

 D. Joseph Design

Draw You A Picture.com

Other options:

Logo Tournament

99 Designs

You want album art that is 600x600 in JPEG or PNG format, and ideally in a high-quality format suitable not only for the screen but for printing for business cards, etc.

Music

Even if your podcast is all talk, you probably have some sort of intro or outro with theme music. You want music that's unique, that when people hear it, they instantly know that they're listening to your show.

Don't use that same music that everyone else is using! This is most common among Mac podcasters who too often use the jingles bundled with GarageBand, but they are so overused that not only is it poor branding, it's even an annoyance--especially when there are so many other options!

Be careful not to use any copyrighted music without permission or a license. Thanks to the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, in the United States, there is no such thing as Fair Use, in the eye of the law--using any amount, even "just a clip" makes you open to a devastating lawsuit. It is a myth that it's okay to use a clip as long as it's 30 seconds or less!

Where do you find music for your show?

1. "PodSafe"

There is a lot of music out there that's free to use, with few restrictions--usually attribution, and sometimes, only for non-commercial use. If you take the time to look, you can find some real gems!

Music Alley (Formerly PodSafe Music Network)

ccMixter (Creative Commons)

Incompetech

Alternatively, if you come across an independent artist (for example on MySpace or Facebook) who's music you like, just ask! Many will gladly allow you to use their music, and welcome the free promotion.

2. Royalty-Free

"Royalty-Free" doesn't mean that it's free of charge, it means that you don't have to pay royalties--once you've purchased it, you can use it forever.

A variety of companies offer production elements and royalty-free music, available either on a track basis, or in collections, for a variety of budgets:

Digital Juice

SmartSound

Music Bakery

Jewel Beat (99¢)

There is usually high-quality music in a variety of genres to fit anyone's taste easy to find. Some royalty-free options give additional options, such as different versions,