TASCAM Talkback

While streamers (especially YouTubers) will benefit from this episode too, since there is talk of using the following in videos too, setting the emotion, the tone, what you want your listeners to feel – before you even speak your first word – can be accomplished by having the right music playing to intro your podcast. Listen to not only a conversation with Ryan Allen from StockMusic.net, who discusses the logistics and legalities and other considerations around royalty-free tracks, but, samples that are played in the latter portion of this episode, demonstrating the impact and effectiveness (or lack thereof) with just the right (or wrong) music to start your show.

Some podcasters say that audio quality isn't super important, that it's good content that keeps listeners coming back. However, if your audio isn't friendly to the listener's ear, it could be a deal breaker. How can you make your episodes sound better? On this episode the host and TASCAM Director of Marketing Eric Larsen talk about EQ'ing – what it is, the features and benefits, plus when, where, why, and how to take advantage of it. They also discuss the topic in relation to what was covered on Episode 21 (compression). Three sound samples are included for examples of how you can (or can't) affect your audio.

Is the content in your podcast dated? Is what you present time-sensitive, such that it's no longer relevant if a listener finds it "too late"? Listen to a conversation with someone who does a daily podcast and intentionally aims to deliver content in such a way that it doesn't have a limited shelf life. Hear how you might pivot to reposition your podcast so that a new listener that discovers it will find current and prior episodes helpful and thus be more likely to become a subscriber. This episode could change the way you prepare for future shows!

Our host did man-on-the-street interviews in Nashville, asking folks who have been interviewed on a podcast before what their experience was like. Are podcast interview opportunities welcomed in the same way that radio and TV are? Did they feel the host did a good job interviewing them? Were they pleased with the finished product (the podcast episode they were interviewed on)? What could have been done better? Hear the feedback from the five individuals who spoke to TASCAM – as well as our host noting his own takeaways – to get some nuggets that can help improve your show!

At the core of what podcasting is (or was) supposed to be for many podcasters is using it as a digital marketing tool. On this episode the host admits to first-hand straying and how podcasters can easily get sidetracked into chasing monetization channels that aren't that first one -- using your podcast to promote your business. Joining him on this episode is Mike Stewart, who has been on the leading edge of digital marketing for years and who talks about how he successfully used one of the podcasts he's involved with to establish an individual as a leader in the industry that his business serves. Stay tuned at the end for the host pulling out a key takeaway and then bringing it full circle.

As TASCAM Talkback hits the one-year mark, our show host merges his experience putting this show out every other week and releasing his other podcast every week with an on-location discussion with David Hooper from Big Podcast, who has experience releasing a podcast every day of the week, once a week, and doing a radio show too. The two address the challenges and the benefits of these various release schedules as well as how this all intertwines with audience building. And, be sure to stick around at the end to hear why your episode length ties into this in terms of building relationships, plus a closing thought about batch recording and putting episodes "in the bank" as it relates to time-sensitive versus evergreen content!

Our longest episode ever! Users of top streaming platforms discuss Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Periscope, and even one other website that has live broadcast capabilities and a monetization aspect that feels like Patreon. This episode helps podcasters consider additional avenues for getting notice for their show, for their brand, and it lets them know about hardware, software, and relevant considerations. Hear from three individuals who are using these services on a very regular basis.

Where do you record your podcast? At home? At a studio? At a library? What is the difference? What are the pros and cons of each? Our show host walks you through the need-to-know for each of those environments, based on his own first-hand personal experience. Regardless of whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or pro podcaster, this episode will help you make an informed decision on where is best for you to record, now as well as 6-12 months from now.

As a logical continuation from our previous episode -- and thanks to a listener request -- we delve into your podcast's show notes page; what it is and what it isn't, the reasons why you might or might not include or withhold certain information for it, the bare bones basics you should have, how it differs from your episode description, and relatable examples as well as some tips. This episode will help you give your listeners a reason to come to your podcast website, even if they are regular subscribers.

The Do's and Don'ts of a podcast episode title and description, including why and why not, plus results of a poll taken for this episode. Our show host also presents two exercises that a podcaster can do to help with their episode titles and episode descriptions.