Podcast Pontifications

This morning, I was reading an article about new “virtual restaurants” that are booming thanks to data. Though calling them “restaurants” is a stretch, as these establishments have no place for people to dine-in or even take payments from customers like a take-out stand. Without foot traffic, how can they survive? Because they’re filled with delivery pickup drivers, thanks to the likes of DoorDash and more.

On yesterday’s program, I talked about some smart book publishers and how they’re working closely with Amazon to sell huge numbers of ebooks. But there are other super-smart publishers who pay close attention to what kinds of books Amazon users are buying, then quickly create content to fill that emerging need.

The tie-in to podcasting is fairly obvious. Companies that facilitate the transaction between podcast producers and podcast listeners have data. Bucket-loads of data that uncover content holes in the market.

And just like food-delivery apps and book-selling beast Amazon, some of them are looking for smart and agile content creators to fill those gaps.

Last week, we found out that one of the Gimlet’s shows, Science Vs, is now taking small little snippets of their 20-ish or so minute episodes and boiling them down to or extracting insights out of five-minute clips, which are in turn published as a brand new show designed to fit in the “daily commute” feature of Spotify, blending them with music clips, news, and other bits for a contained but varied listener experience.

It’s a foregone conclusion that these keepers of the data are going to start creating content based on that data. Or, perhaps more likely, they're going to start commissioning content based on that data.

What would you do if you were approached by these data-rich aggregators? You can hit reply and tell me, or you can download the private app for Podcast Pontifications listeners at Flick.group/podcastpontifications and share your thoughts with ~80 people… and growing!

If you missed the news, my friends at Buy Me A Coffee just dropped version 2.0 of their app. Congrats to Jijo and Aleesha on making #1 on Product Hunt yesterday! If you want to try their new and improved service, go to BuyMeACoffee.com/EvoTerra.

And if you are in business and need some help figuring out how big data could impact your podcasting strategies, get in touch with me, as I can help you with that. [email protected] or just go to PodcastLaunch.pro to see what we do.

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Share this with a friend: https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/the-future-of-podcasting-will-be-driven-by-data

Podcast Pontifications is published by Evo Terra four times a week and is aimed at the working podcaster. The purpose of this show is to make podcasting better, not just easier.

Follow Evo on Twitter for more podcasting insights as they come.

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit PodcastLaunch.pro to see how Simpler Media Productions can help your firm. Podcasting is our only business.

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

A couple of years ago, I penned an article on Medium called Your Hatred of Apple Podcasts Isn't Helping. 

Here’s one thing that hasn’t changed since that article was published nearly two years ago: Apple still controls 80% of the podcasting world. Many apps and directories pull from Apple Podcasts’ dataset. Some don’t have a way to manually submit to them, making Apple Podcasts the de facto keeper of (statistically speaking) all podcasts. So as my friend James Cridland says, if your show gets kicked out of Apple Podcasts, you’re effectively kicked out of almost everywhere else that matters.

U.S. Presidential candidate Andrew Yang made the argument that sometimes services are the biggest because they're absolutely the best. To directly quote him: 

“There’s a reason why no one is using Bing today… Sorry, Microsoft. It’s true.”

The argument of whether or not tech giants should be broken up or not aside, there’s a reason Google is the tool everyone uses, even though there are a lot of other search engines out there. If you set up your podcast for Apple, you’ve mostly done it right for everywhere else that matters. Mostly.

Amazon has some pretty amazing superpowers. For example, Amazon can, with the near-literal push of a button, get an extra 50,000 sales of any ebook in a day. Most books never get close to 5,000 total sales for their entire life.

With those thoughts in mind, think on Apple and the incredible power they wield over podcasting.

But that doesn’t mean people should stop building competing podcast listening apps, podcast directories, and brand new podcasting services that give us something different (you could say better) than our Apple overlords.

As for working podcasters, I can’t tell you what to do or what loyalties you should have. I can only suggest that you not do silly things like try to get your listeners to switch away from Apple Podcasts, or decide to not put a link to your show on Apple Podcasts on your website. That’s just short-sighted. And rather pointless.

Speaking of pointless: I can’t think of the last time I used the raw RSS feed to subscribe to a show. And with few exceptions, I’m willing to bet you haven’t either. And we’re way more technically advanced than casual listeners. Of course, I could be wrong about that. Do you use the raw RSS feed to subscribe, or is that purely a hold-over from 2004 thinking, and I need to reset my assumptions? Go to Flick.group/podcastpontifications to chat privately on your mobile device with a small group of listeners to this program.

Maybe we should be more like my publishing friends and seek out a tighter integration with podcasting’s powerhouses? I'll be exploring this theme for the rest of this week here on Podcast Pontifications.

You’ll notice I don’t run ads on this show, but you can show your support for the program by going to BuyMeACoffee.com/EvoTerra and making a small contribution.

And if you're in business and need some help with strategic podcasting, that's what my firm, Simpler Media, does. Get in touch with me. [email protected] or go to PodcastLaunch.pro to see how we can work together.

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Share this with a friend: https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/tilting-at-podcastings-apple-shaped-windmill

Podcast Pontifications is published by Evo Terra four times a week and is aimed at the working podcaster. The purpose of this show is to make podcasting better, not just easier.

Follow Evo on Twitter for more podcasting insights as they come.

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit PodcastLaunch.pro to see how Simpler Media Productions can help your firm. Podcasting is our only business.

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

This week’s miniseries has been about leveraging your podcasting chops to make something that isn’t a podcast. We’ve covered:

• why you should consider making a fantastic live event 
• why you should consider making an amazing newsletter 
• why an amazing audio-based learning experience is a great idea

But that’s just three. Honestly, there are so many more I could cover. So to wrap the week, I’m doing a rollup of a few select other options that should be on your radar. They are:

• Write A Book - Whether you use your podcast to educate or entertain, there’s probably a path for you to publish a book. You already have a lot of information prepared. You've recorded dozens or maybe hundreds of episodes already. That's a lot of scripts written. That’s a lot of interviews gathered. That’s a lot of articles created. 
• Launch A Video Series - Making a focused and intentional video series on what your expertise is or where your passions lie is a smart idea. Especially if you are willing (and able) to make compelling video-based content that appeals to the algorithms of the given video platform.
• Create A Valuable Community - Communities are filled with people with shared interests. And whether you’re building one with Discord, Flick, Facebook, or a membership site, you can leverage all of your expertise as a podcaster to create a valuable community. Not just for listeners of your show. But for other people with similar passions and interests. 

No matter which of those six options you choose (or another) keep this in mind: 

The success of non-podcasting options for your podcast should have nothing to do with your podcast’s download numbers.

I know that sounds heretical. But I assure you it is not. Whatever non-podcast option you take, don’t tie the success of that option back to your podcast. They should be worth doing on their own merit. Clearly, I’m a podcast-first kind of guy. And yes, I want you to be podcast-first as well. 

But podcast-first doesn’t mean podcast-only.

Is there a non-podcasting portion of your publishing empire you’ve found success with? I'd love to hear about it. Head to Flick.group/podcastpontifications and share your story with the 70 or so people who have joined that free community.

As always, I'd appreciate it if you bought me a coffee. BuyMeACoffee.com/EvoTerra lets you do that virtually. And it's really really nice when you sign up for a monthly coffee purchase for me.

Finally, if you are in business and you need someone helping with the podcast strategy for your business, that's what my company - Simpler Media Productions - does. Get in touch with me: [email protected] or go to PodcastLaunch.pro to see a list of the services we offer our clients.

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Share this with a friend: https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/podcasting-precursor-to-publishing-pizzazz

Podcast Pontifications is published by Evo Terra four times a week and is aimed at the working podcaster. The purpose of this show is to make podcasting better, not just easier.

Follow Evo on Twitter for more podcasting insights as they come.

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit PodcastLaunch.pro to see how Simpler Media Productions can help your firm. Podcasting is our only business.

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

This week, I’m talking about things you can do with your podcast that clearly are not podcasting. So far we've talked about hosting live events and putting out an excellent newsletter. Today, I want to shine a light on audio-based learning opportunities.

You might have heard that people in China spend over $7 billion annually on audio-based learning experiences. (That number is often misreported as what people are paying for podcasts. But really, it’s audio-based learning experiences that people in China pay for.)

But rather than argue the “is that really a podcast?” discussion (which is pointless and painful), it sets the stage for a more interesting question:

Can you do that? 

Can you make an audio-based learning experience that is worth paying for? What would it take for you, the working podcaster, to make an audio-based learning course?

You’re a working podcaster. You have a microphone. You have all of the equipment necessary to make audio-based content. Can you do that again, but this time making audio just for people who want to learn from you? 

I'm curious about what you’d offer in your class. What skills do you have that might translate really well into an audio-based learning experience? You can tell me in the comments right here. Or you can go to Flick.group/podcastpontifications, a private and free mobile app where you can chat with other listeners of the show.

Want to show your support for my program? Great! You can buy me a coffee. I don't mean really buy me a coffee. I mean go to BuyMeACoffee.com/EvoTerra. 

And if you are in business and need to make sure your podcasting strategy is on point (maybe your business could produce some audio-based learning experiences for additional revenue streams?), get in touch. [email protected] reaches me, and you can visit PodcastLaunch.pro to see a list of services that we currently offer clients.

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Share this with a friend: https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/from-podcast-listeners-to-podcast-learners

Podcast Pontifications is published by Evo Terra four times a week and is aimed at the working podcaster. The purpose of this show is to make podcasting better, not just easier.

Follow Evo on Twitter for more podcasting insights as they come.

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit PodcastLaunch.pro to see how Simpler Media Productions can help your firm. Podcasting is our only business.

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

Today, I’m making the case why you need a newsletter for your podcast. Email is a fine distribution mechanism for special announcements and promotions. 

But there’s the utilitarian aspect of emailing, and then there’s having an intentional newsletter for your podcast.

Newsletters are having a bit of a resurgence as of late. Substack is making it super easy to create and monetize a brand new newsletter. Stoop is changing both how and where we consume newsletters, getting them out of our already crowded inboxes and into a dedicated reading app. And that’s just two examples.

As with any form of media, newsletter content should be crafted with intent. You need to consider your newsletter audience as just that: an audience. An audience, by the way, that may not listen to your podcast episodes. But they are still your audience, and it’s worth your time to create content specifically for that audience.

One of the most straightforward ways to do this is by using a newsletter as a way to catch your overspill. If your show’s episodes come out weekly or fortnightly, there’s probably a wealth of content that doesn’t make it on your show. 

The goal of an intentional newsletter is to be read. And, if you’re lucky, engaged with by the readers. 

That doesn’t mean you should stop using email as a promotional tool, or a revenue-generator, or whatever else you’re using it for that is getting results. (That final clause is important.) An intentional newsletter from your podcast brand is something different.

I’m genuinely curious how you’re currently using (and finding success with) newsletters today. You can leave a comment below, or you can go to Flick.group/podcastponntifications and say it in our private (but free) group about 70 people now. And it’s growing! 

If you want to support the show, you can go to BuyMeACoffee.com/EvoTerra. I recommend setting it to automatically buy me a coffee every month. You know, just to make it easy on you.

Finally, if you're in business and need some guidance and governance of the overall podcasting strategy and how that fits in with your business objectives, I’d love to help. That’s what my firm, Simpler Media Productions, does. Get in touch with me: [email protected] or go to PodcastLaunch.pro to see a list of all the services we offer clients all around the world.

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Share this with a friend: https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/how-a-newsletter-can-catch-your-podcasts-overflow

Podcast Pontifications is published by Evo Terra four times a week and is aimed at the working podcaster. The purpose of this show is to make podcasting better, not just easier.

Follow Evo on Twitter for more podcasting insights as they come.

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit PodcastLaunch.pro to see how Simpler Media Productions can help your firm. Podcasting is our only business.

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

I’m convinced that most podcasters are picturing Bob Ross in their head as they plan out their own live podcasting event. But no one wants that.

First, you’re not Bob Ross. And second, the final painting isn’t what was interesting about The Joy of Painting. It was the process of painting.

If the process of making an episode of your podcast is more fascinating than the actual produced episode… well then.

We shouldn’t draw too much from the live taping of TV shows. Why? Because people are watching the taping of a program designed to be consumed live or as if it were live. People who watch at home have almost the exact same experience as someone who's watching live. Sure, the live audience gets to see the set breakdowns and such during the commercial breaks, but beyond that, it’s largely the same experience from the audience perspective. 

Recently, I attended a live local podcast event put on by Kanu, the host of Real Love Real Stories. And I’ve just returned from SiglerFest 2K19, an event put on by long-time podcaster Scott Sigler. Both events were fantastic. And they were so much more than just a live taping of a podcast episode. Later on this month, BSP: Believer Skeptic Podcast is doing another live event right here in Phoenix, and I'm hopeful they do the exact same thing. In a few months, Helen Zaltzman will be here with a live event for her podcast, The Allusionist. Prior to that, I’m really considering driving over to L.A. to watch the Skeptical Extravaganza by Skeptics Guide To The Universe and George Hrab. 

It’s critical to understand that these events work because they are something more than just a live taping of a podcast. That's boring. That's really boring, and I apologize for all the times I’ve done that in the past. No wonder so few people (if any) ever showed up. 

The best way to put on a live event for your podcast is to capitalize on what you’ve built with the podcast and then build out an amazing event around that.

So all of this week, I'll be talking about things you can do with your podcast that are not podcasts or just the lazy repurposing of your content or your processes. Instead, these ideas will be of value to your current listeners and might actually bring in new people.

Have you put on or attended a great live podcasting event? Tell me about it in the comments here. Or you can go to Flick.group/podcastpontifications and start the conversation over there.

If you wish to keep the show going (because you notice we don't want ads in this program) go to BuyMeACoffee.com/evoterra and sign up to buy me a coffee, either once or every month.

And if you are in business and you need people on your side who can help you think through your strategic podcasting challenges, that's what we do at Simpler Media Productions. Please get in touch: [email protected]. 

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Share this with a friend: https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/how-bob-ross-ruined-live-podcasting

Podcast Pontifications is published by Evo Terra four times a week and is aimed at the working podcaster. The purpose of this show is to make podcasting better, not just easier.

Follow Evo on Twitter for more podcasting insights as they come.

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit PodcastLaunch.pro to see how Simpler Media Productions can help your firm. Podcasting is our only business.

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

I'm taking this week off, so that means no new episodes all this week.

Sorry. If you're looking for someone to blame, you could try Scott Sigler.  I'm attending Siglerfest2K19 later this week and I do need to do some prep work. 

But that's not really the issue.

The issue is that I'm really busy, and I made promises to clients that I have to keep. Because if I don't to that, then I'm not going to be able to keep producing episodes of the show.

So here's your 40 minutes back (well, more like 38 minutes after this episode) and I'll see you back again on October 14, 2019.

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

While it's a stretch to lump public speakers in the same miniseries where I talk about TV, radio, and print encroaching on podcasting (and vice versa), it fits well enough for me.

Since the beginning of our species, some bold people have been standing on a rock, on a milk crate, on a stage, or behind a lectern, sharing their words with crowds that number in the single digits to millions. Today, some of those people are choosing to do that virtually, behind the microphone of their podcast.

Judging by the growth of podcasting and the non-stop deluge you’ll get when you ask for podcast recommendations on any social channel, listeners want to hear the real voices of the people producing the shows they love. 

Still, lots of new podcasters struggle to find their podcasting voice. That means a voice that they, the podcaster is comfortable with and they, the audience, will like to hear. I’m not so callous as to say “get over it”. Instead, I’ll say this: get better.

Voice “talent” is like any other “talent”: For the vast majority of us, we had to work at developing our voice. We weren’t born with it. It’s not a gift from the gods. Sure, quirks of anatomy might cause one voice to be seen as more-desirable for certain applications, which in turn might give the owner of that voice an advantage. 

One of the ways you get better with and gain more confidence in your podcasting voice is to do what we did: Get on a stage. Any opportunity to speak in front of a group -- small or large -- is smart. And how you get better. Experience tells me that those who have on-stage or in-front-of-crowds speaking experience have a much easier time finding their podcasting voice. So go find yours. 

That's my message to you.

I'm curious how you, the working podcaster, feel about your own voice. You can tell me in the comments or you can go to Flick.group/podcastpontifications and tell the little group we’re building. 

How do you feel about this show? Do you feel like buying me a coffee? Because I don't run ads on the show and you’re not paying anything to listen to my crazy ideas four times a week. But you can buy me a coffee at BuyMeACoffee.com/evoterra to show your support.

Finally, if you are in business and need a pro helping on the strategies of podcasting as they relate to your desired business outcomes, my firm can help. Get in touch with me: [email protected] or go to PodcastLaunch.pro to see a list of the services we offer clients all around the globe. 

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Share this with a friend: https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/if-all-the-worlds-a-stage-i-want-better-podcasting

Podcast Pontifications is published by Evo Terra four times a week and is aimed at the working podcaster. The purpose of this show is to make podcasting better, not just easier.

Follow Evo on Twitter for more podcasting insights as they come.

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit PodcastLaunch.pro to see how Simpler Media Productions can help your firm. Podcasting is our only business.

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

Of all the old media channels, newspapers make the least sense as the one to find the most success with podcasting. Yet newspapers are winning the podcasting game over the other forms of old media. My evidence: The Daily. 

There's more to podcasting than sitting down and talking into a microphone. There’s the art of telling a clear and concise story. And print journalists are very, very good at this.

Print journalists themselves are driving a lot of print’s forays into podcasting. When they submit their column for printing in the paper, journalists are limited to a certain number of words or columns. A newspaper is a conglomeration of lots of different stories, all forced to share a finite amount of real estate. Not so in podcasting. 

Journalists can use all of the skills they were taught in “J-School” to put forth the best possible story. Not only with typed-out words on a piece of paper, but now with words that come out of people’s mouths. Words that were captured during interviews for the story that can now be presented as they were spoken, without any loss of tone that comes from print. And with the sounds that also accompanied the gathering of story, making the final story more real and immersive than could ever be possible in print.

And that makes us podcasters get better at our craft. 

We can learn from them. So if you’re worried the pro journalist will eat all of your cake, study up! Start listening to the shows -- good and bad -- produced by print journalists. Study their technique. Learn from them and improve your own show! 

What newspapers or print journalists do you know of that are making great podcasts I should know about? Let me know in the comments if you like. Or you can go to Flick.group/podcastpontifications where lots of podcasters just like you are having conversations with me and others. 

If you want to buy me a coffee to show your support for this show (you’ll note I don't run ads unlike newspapers or their podcasts) go to BuyMeACoffee.com/evoterra.

And if you're in business and need some help navigating the podcasting landscape for your business, please get in touch with me. [email protected] or go to PodcastLaunch.pro where you can see the services we provide to clients all over the world.

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Share this with a friend: https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/stop-the-presses-print-plies-podcasting-prowess

Podcast Pontifications is published by Evo Terra four times a week and is aimed at the working podcaster. The purpose of this show is to make podcasting better, not just easier.

Follow Evo on Twitter for more podcasting insights as they come.

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit PodcastLaunch.pro to see how Simpler Media Productions can help your firm. Podcasting is our only business.

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

Many people have been predicting that podcasting would be the death-blow for radio. Heck, I bet if you dug back in the archives of shows I was on 15 years ago (please do not dig in the archives of what I said 15 years ago), you’d probably find me saying that. 

Surprise. Radio is still around 15 years later, and probably not going away any time soon.

Unless you started out in or have extensively studied radio, you probably think of radio as “commercial radio”. Talk shows, music programming, news, and sports. That’s it. Because that's what's on your radio dial.

And then there’s public radio, which in many markets (perhaps not yours), is filled with ground-breaking storytellers we podcasters can learn a lot from.

Also, with more radio stations looking at podcasting, the time is ripe for podcasters to approach radio stations. Why not take what you’ve learned and address a local market with something new? That can only help build your skillset and portfolio.

Podcasting and radio can live in harmony with one another for the foreseeable future. There are advantages to both. Turn the radio on it plays. Podcasting has more content than fits on a radio dial. So let’s not worry about one killing the other. No claims of birthright matter. Both can and will work side by side.

Do you think radio and podcasting will keep working together hand-in-hand, like chocolate and peanut butter? Or do you think I’m missing a key point? Tell me right here in the comments if you like. Or go to Flick.group/podcastpontifications and get the free app where we can communicate. 

If my works have you so excited that you feel compelled to support my ad-free program, you can go to BuyMeACoffee.com/evoterra and well, you know... buy me a coffee.

Finally, if you're in business and need some help thinking about your strategy for approaching your audience, your clients, or your prospects with an audio-only medium; get in touch. [email protected] or go to PodcastLaunch.pro to see how we can help.

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Share this with a friend: https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/who-birthed-whom-radio-podcasting-for-the-future

Podcast Pontifications is published by Evo Terra four times a week and is aimed at the working podcaster. The purpose of this show is to make podcasting better, not just easier.

Follow Evo on Twitter for more podcasting insights as they come.

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit PodcastLaunch.pro to see how Simpler Media Productions can help your firm. Podcasting is our only business.

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.