The Podcast Fast Track

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

Okay, so I recorded this episode driving in my pickup truck on the way to Denver.

And the issue I’m going to cover was so much on my mind, I decided it was worth recording with substandard audio… on the go… which is kind of ironic considering what I'm going to talk about.

GOOD QUALITY AUDIO!

In this episode I cover why audio levels are SO important, how you can fix them easily (or for free) and what's going to happen to your podcast if you don't.

Main Points : Turn Away Listeners

[1:18] The story behind this episode has to do with “Masters of Scale”

[3:22] NEVER miss leveling and compression. Here’s why

[5:29] A very simple way to deal with this issue

[9:00] The slow road to the bottom happens just like this

[9:55] People are starting to make choices based on audio quality levels

 

Featured On This Episode

• www.AudacityForPodcasting.com

The story goes like this…

When I drive places, especially somewhere that's going to be just me in the vehicle driving alone for a number of hours, I binge listen to podcasts.

I download lots of stuff. And I listen one after another after another to both increase my learning also just to pass the time.

Well, in one of my recent trips to Denver, the very first podcast I listened to was one of my favorite shows. It's called Masters of Scale, hosted by the founder of LinkedIn, Reid Hoffman.

It’s a truly great show.

The production value on this show is what is amazing. They do all kinds of sound effects and different voices and interview clips mixed in with narration. It's just a really great show, you should listen to it.

But that day - the one where I was driving in my pickup - I was listening to episode number 10 of season number two. And something happened that brought this issue to my attention - again.

Because YOU are a person who's podcasting and a person who wants your podcast to serve your audience well - so you HAVE GOT to be aware of this issue.

Audio quality - in particular, audio levels.

The reason I became aware of the issue this time is because of the way that the people behind Masters of Scale do their podcast.

• Narration - which is usually Reid Hoffman himself, trying to tell a particular story.
• His narration is integrated with clips from interviews he’s done with the people involved.
• The MOS team mixes that in with sound effects, music, and all kinds of really cool stuff.

Because all of that is done, it's absolutely vital that one step in the audio post production process is never, ever missed - leveling and compression.

And on this particular episode, apparently it was missed.

Your podcast listeners care about this stuff - for this reason

I can tell you why I was able to notice this so easily on this episode.

Remember WHERE I was when I was trying to listen? I was driving in my pickup truck.

I was driving along, I had in earbuds, and Reid’s voice sounds great. The level is pretty normal.

But the first time that an interview portion comes on, it's a much lower volume level. So much so, it was hard for me to even hear it - especially since there was a little bit of road noise.

Loudness levels are incredibly important because you never know where your listener is going to be when they are listening to your episode.

They could be just like me - driving.

They could be on the treadmill.

And if they can’t HEAR what is being said on your podcast - in ALL the segments and audio elements you include - you are doing your podcast listeners a disservice.

You’re wasting their time.

And they are only going to tolerate that for so long.

You can easily fix audio level problems for your podcast listeners

I’m going to take just a moment on this episode to highlight a very simple way you can deal with this issue.

On previous episodes you’ve heard me mention an online tool call Auphonic. It has a FREE version you can use - I believe it's free up to two hours worth of audio processing per month.

Using Auphonic, you can set things like leveling and loudness levels so that your final product is entirely balanced.

You will have NO problems like I ran into on Reid’s podcast.

It doesn't take a lot of expertise. It just takes an ability to how to tick a few boxes and hit “process.”

But you can also address leveling issues in your DAW (digital audio workstation) software.

Audacity - Adobe Audition - Pro Tools - Hindenburg - all of them have a way to address audio level issues and compression issues.

All it would take for you to find out is a quick YouTube search for your particular software with the words “leveling” or “loudness level” or something like that. I guarantee that you will find a handful of helpful tutorials about how to do those things right there in your audio editing software.

Your podcast listeners will run away if you fail to get this right

I can't tell you ENOUGH how vital this issue is.

If you just slap together some audio and export it from your editing software and throw it onto your media host, you are going to experience a declining number of subscribers to your podcast over time, because the worse your audio is, the less professional and impressive your show is.

And no matter how great your content is, people are going to begin to unsubscribe from your show because the place where they listen most - perhaps it's in their car, perhaps it's on the treadmill - they can't even hear your content.

Do you get that?

Why would they stay subscribed to a show that they can't even HEAR?

Bad audio levels are something that's inexcusable in the day and age in which we live, where technology is so available and there are even free versions of the tools that we need to take care of these problems

It's becoming increasingly more important because as more and more podcast show up on the scenes, people are going to start making choices about what they have the time to listen to.

And if your audio levels are funky, you're making it very easy for them to say, “Nope, not this one. It's not worth my time because it's not done very professionally.”

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

On Facebook

On Twitter

Resources mentioned

• Auphonic
• My episode highlighting Auphonic (episode 93)

 

Subscribe to Podcastification here!

If you'd like to know what's going on at Podcast Movement 2018 - I'll be doing a number of live streams from the event over at the Podcast Fast Track Facebook page.

Join me at https://podcastfasttrack.com/facebook - follow the page, and receive notifications when I go live!

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

In case you haven't noticed - all of the directories, whether it be iTunes or Stitcher or the new Google podcasts app - all of them are getting inundated with podcasts.

You go in there trying to find something to listen to and it’s pretty crazy finding the good stuff. It’s kind of hard to know… Should I try this show? Or that show? Or what is it that I should be doing to find a good show to listen to?

What I'm going to do on this episode is this:

I've recently been looking for new shows to listen to myself, and I've tried to be observant as I've been doing that, asking myself,

“What are the things that exist in different podcasts listings and in different directories or apps that have actually been helpful to me?:

And on the flip side…

“What are the things that haven't been helpful, or that have been detrimental to me choosing a particular podcast to listen to?”

So this is my own personal case study of how to get noticed as a podcaster.

• [1:36] The issue: podcasting is getting noisier. How do you get noticed?
• [2:58] Why my opinion on what works and doesn’t work should matter… :)
• [3:52] What are YOU (or your listeners) looking for when searching for a podcast?
• [8:30] Have you thought about how people actually SEARCH for podcasts?
• [11:11] Human nature makes visuals, like cover art, stand out to us first
• [13:57] The power of a good description for your podcast
• [18:12] Poor quality audio is a turn-off to me - and it will matter more as time goes on
• [21:00] The terrible consequence of poor interviewing skills
• [23:02] If you want to get noticed, be professional
• [27:18] Gone are the days when you could record with little planning or expertise
• [29:40] Take the time to be strategic: growing should not be limited to small children
• [31:16] Optimizing your title and author field are imperative. That means important. :)
• [34:13] Do you want your audience to engage with you or don’t you?
• [36:49] There is an increasing need for audio editing as the directories get more crowded

FEATURED ON THIS EPISODE

• Chris Curran’s Podcast Engineering School (This IS an affiliate link… that means Chris gives me a little monetary “thank you” for sending you his way)
• www.PodcastFastTrack.com/101 - my conversation with Chris

OTHER GOODIES MENTIONED ON THIS EPISODE

• PocketCasts
• Apple Podcasts
• Stitcher
• My episode case study about the importance of keywords in titles: Episode 90
• Anchor podcasts
• “Just In Time Learning”
• Consulting from Podcast Fast Track
• Episode 89 with Gordon Firemark (we talked about copyrights and music usage)
• www.PodcastFastTrack.com/music - get your own custom music

What are YOU looking for when you look for a new podcast?

What I'm going to describe to you on this episode are things that might qualify as best practices.

Because as the Podcast, Fast Track Client Happiness Guy, I get to listen to a whole lot of podcasts. I get to hear some of the best work in the industry that my team is putting out for our clients.

And I also get to hear some of the “before” versions of client podcasts that really weren't so good and are the very reason they've hired us to come alongside and help them.

So I feel like I have a pretty good perspective on what works and what doesn't work.

So when I go looking for podcasts, I'm viewing it all through the particular lens of my experience, and I'm hopeful that what I’ve noticed about what I notice when I’m searching for podcasts to listen to - will be helpful to you. (If you can even understand that sentence).

So let's dive right in. First of all, when I begin looking for a podcast to listen to I'm at a place in my life that I'm looking for something that's relevant.

I believe that podcasters and podcasts that are more specifically focused - very niched-in on a particular topic, are going to have a better chance of not only winning an audience in the first place, but also maintaining that loyal audience following over the long haul.

Why? Because what you're speaking about is predictable.

I’m also looking for a show that has plenty of content. Plenty.

I mean, five, seven, ten episodes or more, because I tend to binge listen. I download a lot of episodes of a new podcast at one time because I listen mostly when I drive or when I'm out in the garage cleaning up or building something, or I'm on the treadmill.

And I listen to a lot of them.

So if I find a podcast in a directory that I'm considering, but it only has one or two episodes, I'm probably going to pass because I want to get a fair representation of what that podcast is all about. And if they don't have much content, I really just don't have much opportunity to do that.

Another thing that I'm looking for is I'm looking for a podcast that can demonstrate to me a pattern of consistency. And what I mean by that is that they're publishing regularly.

I’m not going to tell you exactly what “regularly” should mean for you and your audience that's going to be different for every niche and every subject matter that is spoken about. But consistency means consistent.

If you're doing every two weeks, do it every two weeks. If you're doing every four weeks, do it every four weeks.

Now, I'm a little more lenient on this than some people because I believe life is more important than your podcasting schedule.

So if something comes up where you just feel, “Man, I just need a break this particular week from publishing my podcast.”

Hey, I'm all for it, man. Go take your break. I'll still be around as part of your audience if you're delivering the goods. And I'll be glad that you're refreshed and ready to go with that podcast again.

What I consider NOT to be consistent is when a podcaster publishes once this month, and then once three months from now, and then once two weeks after that. That just tells me they're not really serious about their podcast. They're allowing too many things to come up and push it aside.

I'm also looking for a podcast that appears to be systematic.

I'm wanting to learn specific things, I'm wanting to grow as a person, perhaps. And so if the podcast seems kind of hit and miss - you know - they cover part A, and then part Q, and then Part B, and then part X, and then maybe L, and then back to C… I don't find myself attracted to shows like that because I like to think and learn sequentially.

So those are the things that I'm looking for when it comes to the actual podcasts.

Hang tight. I’m also going to tell you what I do PRACTICALLY when it comes to searching for a new podcast and how that relates to the content I find.

How I search for podcasts - and what makes one get noticed over another

What I'm going to do is explain to you is how my podcast search process goes - what I do as I search - and then what I'm considering as I'm listening.

I realize this is all very subjective, it's all based on my experience and my preferences, so keep that in mind. Yours may be entirely different.

My podcast app - PocketCasts - is what I use to search for new shows to listen to.

But this approach that I'm about to describe would apply to any app, or even any directory like iTunes or Google Play or Stitcher or something like that. So I'm either going to start with a topic or keyword or a category.

For example, if I'm wanting to learn about a business topic, I might go straight to the business category in the app and just scroll through the top podcasts that are there. And then I'm going to go to my topic or my keywords if I don’t find anything interesting.

I cannot stress enough here how important keywords are.

I did an entire episode on this using one of my podcasts as a case study to demonstrate how important using keywords in your titles are. www.PodcastFastTrack.com/90.

Gone are the days when two drunks recording in a basement can build a large audience

Gone are the days when you could hit record, say whatever you want to say, and just publish it with very little thought.

Those days are LONG gone. It's not that you can't do it. Of course you can do it - but they're gone in the sense that that is not considered listenable by most podcast consumers.

Most people don't want to spend their time listening to jibberish off the top of your head, they want to come and make the most of their time by getting value out of the things they're investing that time.

That means you’ve got to put some thought into what you’re broadcasting - strategy or a clear purpose behind your podcast really, really matters. When you seem disorganized or chaotic in the way that you publish, when you haven't really given it much thought you're just whatever comes to your mind is what you're talking about - even if you do know something about your subject matter - if it's not organized or structured in a way that makes sense to me, as a listener, I'm just not going to hang around very long.

People will not come just because you publish your podcast, people will come because you give them something of value - so much that those who find it are willing to tell others.

That's how you build an audience.

I'm going to find potential shows through keyword search in my app or a directory. Then within the results that are parsed out to me I'm going to look at the cover art.

It's a human nature thing. Your eye is going to be drawn to something appealing, attractive, shocking, that grabs your attention, visually speaking.

I know we're talking about podcasts, which is an audio medium but that visual component of the cover art is like the gateway drug INTO the audio.

I cannot emphasize enough - if your cover art is bland or doesn't have anything that jumps out and catches my attention, or if the text is way too small for me to read, I'm not going to be clicking on your show.

Next, the description really matters to me.

I want it to be clear. I wanted it to be a basic description of what's covered in that particular show. It doesn't necessarily need to be flashy or sales-y or use the most trendy words.

In fact, that kind of stuff is a put-off to me. I want it to be genuine and sound authentic.

If the description tells me who the host is - that matters - because I will often Google the host and find out who they are and what kind of experience they've had in the realm that they're speaking on. I don't want to waste my time, I want to listen to things that are actually valuable to me.

It also is very attractive to me if somewhere in that description it tells me approximately how long their episodes are so I don't have to scroll through all the episodes and figure it out myself.

The next thing I'm going to do is I'm going to look at the type of content that is being published.

Are they doing purely interviews? I mean is every episode an interview? If so, that's okay - even though I'm kind of tired of interviews - but I'm going to look to see who they're interviewing and what they're interviewing them about.

If it's the same old, same old people, and the same old, same old interviews about the same old, same old topics that I've heard time and time again - it doesn't matter how great the description was, it doesn't matter how flashy the cover art was, it doesn't matter how many episodes they have - I'm probably going to pass on that show.

Lessons learned from my podcast listening search about getting noticed

• Take the time to think through your podcasting strategy
• Let that strategy inform everything you do as a podcaster
• That includes titles, descriptions, cover art, and audio quality
• It includes how you market your show and present it
• It should impact the professionalism of your show
• You want your podcast to get noticed - to stand out among the thousands out there

Keep in mind - that last point is really the main thing. There is more and more competition for the ears (and minds) of those who are consuming podcasts.

You are competing with your niche (direct competition) and those not in your niche (indirect competition). That means you need as many things as possible to make your podcast stand apart from the crowd.

Do your homework. Figure it out. Make it happen.

And give your listeners a podcast they will never forget. Never.

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

On Facebook

On Twitter

Subscribe to Podcastification here!

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

All right. Alright.

In the world of podcasting, as most of you know, Apple has been the big player for a long, long, long time.

One of the things that points that out to us is that worldwide, more people by a long shot own and use Android phones than Apple phones however, it's almost exactly opposite when it comes to podcast consumption through smartphones.

The vast majority of podcast listeners consume their podcasts on Apple devices.

Now, why is that?

I believe there's one simple reason: it's because Apple has long had a native way for you to listen to podcasts on their devices. And by native I mean, it's built into the device - the podcasting app comes preinstalled on every Apple device.

Google, the company really behind the Android operating system has never done that.

Until now. Maybe. Hopefully.

Find out how Google Podcasts App for Android is moving in the right direction at least, and how you can discover if your podcast is available in it already (it just might be).

HERE IS A SUMMARY OF EVERYTHING COVERED IN THIS EPISODE

• [1:19] The Android iPhone divide - yet podcast listening is upside down by comparison
• [3:58] How Google has decided to get into the podcasting game at a bigger level
• [4:41] The best way for Google to impact the podcasting industry: a native app
• [7:06] My prediction: A new explosion of podcasting is on the way

Featured On This Episode

• Link to your podcast in Google Podcasts: www.PodcastFastTrack.com/GooglePodcasts

Resources

• Google Podcasts (in the Google Play Store)
• Google Play Music

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

On Facebook

On Twitter

Google always does thing in their Google kind of way

I’ve noticed over the years that Google is not very promotional in the way it rolls out new apps or services. They just kind of quietly do it behind the scenes, learn from those who find it and begin using it, and refine it as they go.

Over the last few months, we've been seeing this sort of thing happening again (this is June of 2018).

Google has been quietly taking steps in the direction of a podcast app for Android. First of all, we discovered that Google had kind of secretly been integrating a podcast app of sorts into Android devices, through Google search.

I don’t know enough about how the actual Chrome browser on Android integrates with other apps, but it appears that it’s an app-in-browser sort of thing. Here’s how it worked…

If you searched for the name of your podcast using the Google search app on your Android device, if your podcast webpage was set up appropriately (and any Libsyn user was already there with no effort at all - BTW), once the search results came up, you could scroll down and see some of your episodes there with a little play button next to each one.

Just below that would be a “more episodes” link that could be used to pull up a little window where you could subscribe to that show. Now, where are you subscribing to it? Well, it's right there in your phone/browser, so to speak.

And there would be a little icon at the top that looks like a little skinny stick person with radiating ears out the side of it - no, it's really the RSS feed icon that's been changed into a logo. You click on that and see your subscriptions all in one place.

That was all already baked into the search functions of Android devices behind the scenes. And we didn't even know it.

I predict Google Podcasts for Android will explode podcasting

Now Google has officially announced (kind of a rare thing for them) that all of what I just described has been transitioned into what they are calling Google Podcasts.

It's an actual app that can be downloaded onto the phone from the Google Play Store. Notice - it’s a download right now, not a native app that comes on Android devices.

BUt it’s a step in the right direction. It's Google getting into the podcasting game in a bigger way.

Right now, as I'm looking at the app in the Google Play Store, there are 4887 reviews of the app so far - and it's only got three and a half stars out of five possible as an overall rating. As I read through the reviews, there are some glitches and less-than-optimal missing features currently, which is always the case with the new app.

So there are things that Google obviously needs to keep working on. But this is a huge step in the right direction.

What I would like to see happen next - and what I predict would explode the podcasting industry (in a good way) is that this podcasting app, first of all, is refined and enhanced and made better.

But then, I want to see it is rolled out as a native app - something that comes on every Android device out of the box, just like Apple does with their Apple Podcasts app.

When that happens, when people who know nothing about podcasting see that they can begin to explore podcasts without having to download anything or find an app on their own?

That is going to be a gain for every single one of us who work in the podcasting space or produce a podcast.

Imagine, people interested in underwater basket weaving (the topic of your imaginary show) can then search, easily, on their device, for podcasts that cover the topic.

Can you say, “New listeners?” Can you say, “New tribe members?” Can you say, “Hallelujah, praise the LORD, it’s ABOUT TIME, GOOGLE!?”

How you can make use of this new Android app for your podcast, right now (July 2018)

If you’d like to begin playing around with the options related to the Google Podcasts app, you can. In fact, you can create a link to your podcast IN the Google Podcasts app, so people who want to subscribe using that app can do so easily.

Here’s how you do it.

It's very easy. Google has provided a tool to do it - at a very long and convoluted URL - so I'm just creating a short link for you so you can easily get there - www.PodcastFastTrack.com/GooglePodcasts..

Here’s what you can expect to happen if you go there.

First, you’ll be taken to a page of Google podcast publisher tools where you can drop in your Feed URL, hit the Generate button, and it's going to create a link for you that you can then put in your description, your show notes, wherever you want to put it to link to your podcast in the Google podcasts app.

What if the person who clicks on the link doesn’t have the Google Podcasts app?

It's going to take them to the download page, and they can install the app on their Android device. If they do have the podcast app, it should open up IN the app on their device.

On that same page of Google Podcast tools, you can drop your feed URL into a second field and preview your podcasts in the Google search results/ Google Podcasts app.

I think it’s worth a try. In fact, you should be able to see that option in the subscribe buttons on this very page. :)

An Android app for podcasts that just might turn the corner

So - Google Podcasts.

What do you think about that? I think this is obviously a great step in the right direction. Mainly because it’s Google doing it.

The company has the influence, the tech, the power, and most of all - the control over the Android ecosystem - that enables them to make this a really big thing for podcasting. In fact, on a recent interview, the guy in charge of their entire podcasting program (Zack Reneau-Weden) has said that they are aiming to increase podcasting significantly through this move.

I would love to receive your feedback about what you think about the Google Podcasts app and what it means for podcasting.

Have you used it? What do you think of it? What features does the Google team need to include that aren’t there yet?

I also encourage you to share about this on social media, even share directly with the Google team to encourage this to make the app native on all Android devices.

If we can give Google the help they need to understand the user experience and make changes, they’ll do a better job of getting things tweaked and ready for the explosion that they could initiate in the podcasting world.

Subscribe to Podcastification here!

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

Podcast Success is not accidental.

It happens through deliberate strategy and dedicated hard work.

Danny “Sunshine” Bauer is a former educator and administrator turned life and leadership coach. His podcast is downloaded more than 95% of all podcasts and he enjoys helping individuals launch and grow podcasts in a “sweat” environment.

He is the founder of Better Leaders Better Schools and facilitates weekly Masterminds with school leaders from around the globe. A teacher at heart, he also coaches small business owners in running profitable ventures clearly aligned to vision, mission, and values.

On this episode of Podcastification, Danny and I chat about the success he’s experienced with his podcast and how YOU can work toward the same kind of results he has experienced.

[1:12] Amazing success for Danny’s education focused podcast

[5:45] The tactics Danny followed to launch his podcast effectively

[8:05] Relational skills aid in the promotion of any podcast, no matter the niche

[10:00] How a mastermind played a part in Danny’s podcast success

[20:23] What is the best way to find your specific audience?

[23:36] The power of providing free stuff that adds tremendous value to users

[26:42] Getting past the “hard work” hurdle (none of this is easy)

[30:11] How to decide what to work on that will provide tremendous value

[34:06] How Danny delivers his free resources (the tech behind it)

Featured On This Episode

• www.BetterLeadersBetterSchools.com - Danny’s site and podcast
• Danny Sunshine Bauer’s Business Coaching: 4 Steps to Business Freedom

RESOURCES

• BOOK: The Miracle Morning
• BOOK: Option B
• Switchfoot song: The Shadow Proves the Sunshine
• Podcaster’s Paradise
• Brene Brown
• Gary Vaynerchuk
• BOOK: Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook
• Aaron Walker
• BOOK: The Enemies of Excellence
• BOOK: The Power of Moments
• BOOK: Profit First
• Jim Rohn
• Ramit Sethi
• Seth Godin
• Quora
• Pat Flynn - Smart Passive Income
• Leadpages and LeadDigits
• ConvertKIt

Subscribe to Podcastification here!

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

GDPR (the global data protection regulation) is now in effect. What does it mean for your podcast?

That’s a very interesting question - and as with many things in podcasting, the answer is going to be “it depends.”

On this episode I break down the GDPR as it relates to podcasting from MY perspective - and keep in mind, I’m not an attorney, European Union official, or compliance officer of any kind. I just read the thing and listened to a lot of people who sounded like they understood it better than me. GDPR could be a big deal for some podcasters - so get the scoop on this episode.

Main Points : GDPR as it relates to podcasting

[1:19] What the HECK is GDPR?

[2:17] At what point does an audience member become covered by the GDPR?

[3:10] Most media hosts are on the ball with this thing

[4:44] Your listeners can request to be forgotten by you. Really? Yep, really.

[5:32] Do you gather data of any kind from your listeners? Then GDPR applies.

[9:25] Making sure you cover yourself regarding GDPR (you need a privacy policy)

Featured on This Episode

• The Podcast Optimizer Email Series

Resources Mentioned On This Episode

• Spreaker GDPR stuff
• Libsyn GDPR stuff
• Blubrry GDPR stuff
• Podbean GDPR stuff
• Iubenda
• Terms Feed
• My privacy policy
• GDPR checklist
• The GDPR Guy Podcast - Carl Gottlieb’s show (check out his cool accent)

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

On Facebook

On Twitter

Why Should Podcasters Care About GDPR?

The Global Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect in late May of 2018.

What the heck is GDPR?

It's a law that is from our good friends at the European Union and it has to do with how personal data of citizens of the EU or those living, working, or traveling through the EU is collected and used.

You may be wondering, “I'm United States-based podcaster or a Canada-based podcaster or or a South America-based podcaster, what does an EU regulation have to do with me?

Here's the answer to the question.

It applies to all companies or organizations that market to, sell to, collect data from, or do business with citizens of the European Union or those who live, work, or travel there. Podcasting is global thing. I'm telling you, if you have been podcasting for any amount of time, there is no doubt someone from the EU has listened to your show.

Now the question for podcasters is really is this:

At what point does someone in your audience become a person to which the EU applies?

GDPR is pretty convoluted and it's huge - there's lots to read. So it's hard to really narrow down the restrictions and requirements as to how it applies to podcasting. But nevertheless, we as podcasters need to take this seriously.

The GDPR gives consumers/listeners certain rights when it comes to their personal data and if you do not adhere to what the GDPR says you should do in order to protect rights of those on the other end of your communications, you could be fined up to 20 million euros, or 4% of your organization’s annual revenue.

So like it or not, GDPR impacts all of us if we're collecting data of any kind. Even us podcasters.

How Does Your Media Host Help You Adhere to GDPR?

If you host your media in a place, like Libsyn or Blubrry or Speaker or Podbean, all of those places have their own GDPR team who has made sure they are adhering to all the requirements of GDPR. So in the case of your actual media distribution, you have nothing to worry about.

But if you have your own website or use some kind of email capture form that enables you to get information from your listeners - say it's an opt in form, say it's products you're selling, say it's any kind of thing where people give you things like name, email address, mailing address, phone number, anything like that - you should take a look at the things within GDPR that apply to your collection of that data, because the GDPR impacts how you gather your data, what notifications you need to give to your users about how their data is going to be used, and how you're going to both collect it and store it.

There’s a lot of stuff to be aware of. Keep listening - I give you some best practices that I’m following and suggest you consider as well.

How GDPR Impacts Listeners, Opt-Ins, and Guests

There's also this thing in the GDPR where a consumer can request to be forgotten or erased from your database completely. And this is not just an unsubscribe button, this is the equivalent of a “Delete me from your system entirely” button.

Okay, if someone’s personal data is sitting on some server somewhere that you have access to through an account, you have to erase it completely when requested. The MailChimp and AWebber and ConvertKits of the world already have their side of this nailed down - but you need to do your part too.

Listeners to your podcast who opt-in for your resources also have the right to know how their info is used and stored. And if there are brother or sister organizations that you deal with that are maybe under the same corporate umbrella, but are not the same company, you can't just pass data from one to the other anymore.

So does this apply to podcasters? Well, it depends.

Do you gather data from people?

My guess is if you have a website of your own, not the one your media host provides, but a website of your own that has some kind of a contact form or some kind of an opt in form to an email newsletter or some kind of a lead magnet, you probably need to pay attention to GDPR.

But you should also consider this - Does GDPR apply to anything regarding the guests you have on your podcast?

If you're like me, you collect data from your guests in order to have them on your show, whether that's just an email address, or a headshot or those kinds of things. You need to be able to clearly tell your guests what data you're collecting, how you're going to use that data and how you're going to store that data. It’s all a part of GDPR.

A Quick Disclaimer

Before we get into the weeds of how GDPR compliance steps can be taken, now this: I'm not an attorney, I am not a GDPR expert. I have done a little bit of research and have applied what I think are best practices for my podcast and my business. But you need to do the same thing.

Don't apply the advice that I'm giving here wholesale, because it's not really advice. It's just me sharing with you some of the knowledge that I've obtained through research.

I’m about to describe what I'm doing and why I think you need to take steps to protect yourself.

Best-Practices For Podcasters Relating to GDPR

If you have your media on your website, meaning through displaying a player or anything like that - which you should have, by the way - OR if you have any kind of opt-in forms, then you're likely going to have to put together your own privacy policy to govern your website.

The GDPR requires that you provide terms to your audience that is (and here are the terms that the GDPR uses) concise, transparent, intelligible, and easily accessible.

Your website/podcast’s terms of service are supposed to tell your users, in plain language, what it is that you collect, who is really collecting it (so the name of your company), how it's being collected, why it's being collected, how you're going to use it, who it's going to be shared with (if anybody), and/or what effect that collection is going to have on the individual.

The typical way you should go about doing that is to set up a privacy policy for your website.

If you are a newbie to understanding GDPR, like me, I think the best place to start is to use some kind of privacy policy template that is already compliant with GDP.

I’ve included some privacy policy generators and resources in this set of show notes so you can check out some of the options.

These are places that you can go to get a privacy policy customized to you, your podcast, your business, whatever it is.

I’ve also included a link to the privacy policy I've put together.

But please - DO NOT simply take my privacy policy, and just put your name on it and use it, because I did this on my own accord, based on my own research.

YOU need to do YOUR very best to inform your users that you're collecting data from, of these things that GDP are requires.

And I recommend you make it obvious. For example…

If you look at any of the opt in forms on my website, you'll notice that just underneath the form I state very clearly what it is the person is going to receive and I provide a link to our privacy policy.

That’s on every page of my website because I want it to be clear from the outset, I want you to know what I am going to do with your data.

I HATE This Kind of Stuff - But It’s Necessary

Oh, man, I hate these kinds of things. Legaleze - more acronyms - more laws we have to abide by.

But you know, that's the world we live in - and it's to protect our listeners.

So I think it's worth the effort to put together some kind of privacy policy to do that.

It may be very simple depending on what you're doing, but just put it together and make it accessible, obviously accessible to those who may be opting in to the things that we're offering as our marketing tools as our opt in offers.

We want people to know that we care about their personal data and that we're going to take care of it once we have it.

Subscribe to Podcastification here!

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

I’ve been to a handful of podcast conferences in my day - but there’s nothing quite like Podcast Movement. As my guest, Dan Franks says, “It’s the single largest gathering of podcasters in the world,” and that makes it pretty special in its own right.

But there’s so much more than just that it’s big. PM is filled with great content, attended by tons of great people, and offers an education and enthusiasm about podcasting you won’t find anywhere else. No offense, but not even at those other podcasting conferences I’ve been to.

In this conversation Dan and I talked all things Podcast Movement - from what different level podcasters might experience to the exhibit hall, to they types of sessions offered, and more.

An incredible value at any conference (even a podcasting conference) is in the hallways, not the presentations

My first experience at podcast movement was in Chicago back in 2015. It was one of those environments that was truly electric, you can feel the excitement in the air. Everyone who comes is an enthused podcaster, or is interested in becoming one. It's great just to meet people, even if you don't attend all the sessions you are interested in.

That first year, I think I only went to two or three sessions because I was so busy talking with people in the hallways. Everyone was so generous, sharing their best practices, explaining how they accomplish some amazing thing on there podcast audio, or walking you down the hall to a vendor that they personally vouch for. It really is a unique atmosphere that I recommend to every podcaster experience at least once.

I was curious how Dan and the Podcast Movement team originally came up with the idea to create such a conference so I asked him. And this conversation he shares how he and some of his buddies were very frustrated with another conference -  New Media Expo. They attended 2 years straight and both times there were more podcast of New Media publisher, but there were very few sessions about podcasting.

In a typical “can do” approach that many podcasters have, Dan and his friends decided to create the conference they wanted to attend. Podcast movement was born.

Are you a newbie podcaster? Your mind will be blown (and empowered) at PM18

Both years that I've attended podcast movement I met a number of individuals who hadn't started their podcast yet. But it was clear they were very serious about doing so. You don't spend money to go to a mega podcast conference without being serious.

New podcasters who want to attend podcast movement are going to have their minds blown. There's so much content, it is like drinking from the proverbial fire hose. But if you go about it in a smart way, you can really get a fast-track education about what it takes to create and publish a stellar podcast.

When I say you need to go about it in a smart way, what I mean is that you should do a little bit of self education first before you land at the largest podcast conference in the world. Become familiar with podcasting terms, watch some YouTube videos, you might even consider taking our starter course to prepare yourself for what you're going to learn at Podcast Movement. It only cost $99 and we'll have you speaking the language in no time so that your experience at podcast movement is all it can be and more.

But even if you decide not to purchase our course, please do something to learn what you can about podcasting. But be careful out there, there's a lot of dated information and advice that isn't based on best practices or what we come to know about podcast search, statistics, downloads, and but I would call Smart podcasting.

Advice for seasoned podcasters attending Podcast Movement: Make a plan and execute

Podcast movement is not only a podcasting conference for newbies. Even seasoned podcasters can learn a lot by being strategic.

When I asked Dan about the kinds of things experience podcasters might learn to podcast movement he said the best approach for podcasters who are looking for something specific, is to look through the sessions and be strategic about what sessions you attend and why.

Set goals for yourself. Tell yourself, “y the time I leave I'm going to know how to X, Y, Z.” Then, put your plan in place and make it happen.

The way I figure it, you're spending the money to get to Philadelphia, get into the conference, stay in a hotel room and feed yourself, you should make the most of it. But keep in mind, that doesn't only happen in the panel sessions and keynotes. You will meet people in every hallway who have more experience than you do and perhaps have learned how to accomplish exactly what you want to learn.

Don't be shy. Introduce yourself to people. Ask them what their podcast is about (That's one of the easiest ways to start a conversation at a podcast conference, you know). The more you isolate yourself and act like a junior high boy at the first school dance, the less you were going to benefit from. Guess movement.

Be bold my podcasting brothers and sisters! Get out there and meet your fellow podcast siblings and build the community you long to be a part of.

You may think that's a bit dramatic, but it's not. You really do need to take initiative.

No irrelevant non-podcast conference exhibits allowed

We probably all been at conferences where the exhibit hall is crammed full of any company or service that would pay money to be there. I was once at a Christian booksellers conference where one of the main aisles in the exhibit hall had not only one, but two massage chairs.

Yes, it might be nice to get a massage in the middle of a conference, but what does it have to do with selling Christian books? You kind of get the feeling that the organizers were willing to sell boots to anybody who had a bank account.

Dan Franks promises that podcast movement will never go in that direction. Every exhibitor is vetted before they are allowed to write the check to be in the exhibit hall. The podcast movement team wants to ensure that everything it's attendees are supposed to is relevant to some aspect of podcasting.

That's a breath of fresh air.

And one of the things I noticed when I attended podcast movement is that the exhibitors are usually there because they want to help. Yes, they believe their products or services are a valuable way to help you, but if they don't offer what you need, they are quick to point you in the right direction. That's exactly what happened to me one year as I was searching for a particular technology to solve a problem I had with my podcast. The person I spoke to going to me to another company entirely, simply because he wanted to be helpful.

That's a winning combination. But I'm going to miss my massage.

You have a responsibility to make podcasting better for all of us

Imagine that you are telling a co-worker about your favorite series on Netflix. How effective is your enthusiasm about the show going to be on that co-worker if they don't even know what Netflix is?

The same thing is true about podcasting.

All of us want to gain more listeners to are podcasts, but there are still hundreds of thousands of people in the United States alone who don't even know what a podcast is. It's going to take all of us, promoting our podcasts, explaining what podcasting is, in even borrowing our friends smartphone to pull up there podcasting app and show them how to subscribe, before podcasting will become as prevalent as well known as Netflix.

Being on par with Netflix isn't the goal, but that kind of notoriety in familiarity definitely needs to happen in the industry.

Everyone of us who podcasts is responsible to make sure that happens. It's actually pretty simple. Don't forget to talk about your podcast to people who you think might be interested in it. Mention other great podcasts that you have listened to recently, show your friends how to find it for themselves.

The more enthused we are about the podcast Kool-Aid we've been drinking, the more convincing we are going to be and getting others to drink it.

If you haven't thought about attending podcast movement, I highly recommend it. You'll come away from the largest podcasting conference in the world with a renewed enthusiasm not only for your podcast, but for podcasting in general. You will also Come Away with more than one great idea for improving your podcast, adjusting your process to make the consistent publication of your podcast possible, and maybe even a new podcasting best friend.

Main Points : The PM18 Podcast Conference

[1:16] Here’s what you need to know about Podcast Movement: The World’s Largest Gathering of Podcasters

[2:22] PM came out of frustrations with New Media Expo: What about podcasters?

[7:29] The first ever podcast conferences at sea. Really. It happened in 2015 and 2016

[10:22] Dan’s experience at Midroll Media (a major podcast sponsor company)

[13:22] What can you expect at PM18 if you are a brand new or aspiring podcaster?

[16:50] Seasoned podcaster with specific questions? Set your goals and learn it at PM18

[24:20] How can business professionals interested in podcasting think about Podcast Movement?

[27:30] How to make the most of the exhibit hall

[33:10] The things Dan sees in the podcast industry that excite him

[36:19] What you can do to raise awareness of podcasting

[40:10] If you can’t attend PM18, check out the virtual pass

Featured On This Episode

• Dan Franks - www.TheDanFranks.com
• On LinkedIn
• On Twitter: @DMFranks
• On Facebook
• On Instagram: @TheDanFranks
• www.PodcastMovement.com (updated annually, so check it out)
• How To Podcast Step By Step - it’s a podcast as well (here on Apple Podcasts)

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• New Media Expo
• Midroll Media
• Stitcher
• IAB
• Edison Research
• Nielsen
• Shure
• Heil Microphones
• Sam Ash Music
• Libsyn
• Blubrry
• Podbean
• Spotify
• www.Podnews.net

Subscribe to Podcastification here!

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

Welcome back to Podcastification - on this episode I’m walking you through the step by step details of what I do to carry out MY successful podcast production workflow every single week. It doesn’t matter if you publish episodes every week, every other week, or once a month - organizationally you’ve GOT to have an effective podcast workflow to ensure two things:

Quality AND Consistency

What I demonstrate and describe on this episode is not the ONLY way to do this - but it’s the best way I’ve found after 5 years of podcasting. And if you scroll down, you’ll also notice that I ALSO recorded this one as a video - with the workflow mapped out on my whiteboard. The visuals help on this one - honest.

If there’s one thing you get out of this episode, this is what I hope it is: Process leads to Success!

[1:18] The vital importance of having a well-considered podcast workflow: consistency & quality

[3:12] Write down every step of your process - one per sticky note: here’s why

[4:01] Beginning the process, one step at a time

• Choose your topic
• Research and preparation
• GUEST EPISODES: Choosing and preparing for your guest
• GUEST EPISODES: Reaching out to your guest
• GUEST EPISODES: Your guest schedules a time
• GUEST EPISODES: Asking the guest to provide you some vital info
• GUEST EPISODES: Confirm the recording (the day of the recording)

[17:41] Do you see how the workflow enables you to be professional and consistent?

[21:45] Resuming the steps to your podcast workflow

• Create a test recording/sound check
• Record the main audio/conversation
• Record the intro and outro immediately following the recording: Here’s why
• Add the audio files to my Dropbox system (I describe it here)
• Notify the editor (or set a time to edit on your own calendar if you do your own editing)
• Create an optimized title and send to my VA (because the artwork step is coming)
• Add to Auphonic (if you don’t use Auphonic, do it now!)
• Writing the show notes and notify the VA
• Artwork/graphics are created
• Post the show notes and artwork to Libsyn and the website
• Set up social sharing
• GUEST EPISODES: Send promo info to guest

[44:15] Why process equals success

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• YouCanBook.me
• Calendly
• Schedule Once
• The list I send to guests about how to best prepare for the recording
• The form I use to ask my guests to confirm their participation here
• Google Forms
• Hello Sign
• Hubspot
• Ringr
• Zencastr
• Cleanfeed
• Skype
• Zapier
• Keyword Finder (affiliate link)
• Auphonic
• My previous episode about using Auphonic
• Episode: The Triple Power of Killer Show Notes
• Canva
• Libsyn - use the code “PFT” to get up to 1 ½ months off
• Episode: Using virtual services/assistants
• Procrastinate on Purpose by Rory Vaden
• Recur Post
• eClincher
• Meet Edgar

Featured On This Episode

• Custom Audiograms from Podcast Fast Track
• Wavve - check it out!

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

On Facebook

On Twitter

Subscribe to Podcastification here!

Here’s why you need a well-considered podcast workflow

Nothing successful happens by accident. Here are a couple of real-life examples…

Your wrist watch or smartphone didn’t just “happen.” Somebody thought it up, designed it, and made it to do exactly what it does. And you get to enjoy the benefits of their detailed, systematic approach to creating a solution you need.

Your podcast is the same type of thing.

You’re trying to reach a particular audience to teach them particular things or focus on particular topics. And it’s not just going to happen…

You need to learn how to be systematic about it so you can be effective at it.

Process = Success: and in Podcasting the process that makes it happen is a powerful podcast production workflow.

When you have a podcast workflow that is well-considered and smart, you’ll avoid two fo the biggest problems that plague any content creator: inconsistency and lack of quality.

Said another way - getting down a great podcast workflow is likely the ONE THING that will enable you to stand apart from all your competitors. The very people you want to attract and benefit will be drawn to you because something about you is very obvious: YOU CARE about the content you’re producing and the people you’re producing it for.

This audio/video episode is aimed at showing you, step by step, how to create a podcast production workflow that is unique to you and your show - and how to keep it running episode after episode to ensure you provide the value to your listeners that you really want to provide.

OK - it’s time to create your unique podcast workflow. Are you ready?

What I’m about to describe to you is MY WAY of going about this process. You may have a different way that works for you - mindmaps, pencil and paper, computer software - whatever.

I don’t care HOW you do it, I just care THAT you do it. Process equals success: remember that!

My system involves the use of my whiteboard and a handful of sticky notes. I use this system because it’s easy to see in one glance and it’s easy to modify as I go by moving the sticky notes around on the board.

And to clarify, understand this: I don’t LEAVE it in this format. I’m going to transfer what I create onto a checklist that I use for every episode, but for now - as I’m creating it, I’ll ues this systems.

So, it’s time to get into the steps.

OVERARCHING METHOD: Write down every step of your production process: one step per sticky note

It may be helpful to do this the next time you work on your podcast episodes. It will require some additional time so make sure you set aside a chunk so you can do it. And let me warn you, you’ll want to shortcut this step because of impatience or eagerness. But don’t.

This is an example of doing something laborious now that will save you laborious steps later - and in an exponentially multiplying way - so stick with it and get it done.

Be as detailed about these steps as you need to be to ensure that you don’t forget anything about what goes into it. If you’ve never detailed the exact steps that you do by rote memory that go into each of these sticky note steps, I’d suggest you bullet-point those steps on the sticky note so you can actually see them and understand them visually.

Who knows, you may be handing a lot of this work to a VA or assistant in the future, so the more you have written down ahead of time, the more easily you’ll be able to do that.

Don’t worry about getting the steps in order at this point - just get them out of your head and onto the sticky notes. You’ll have time in the next step to arrange them in sequence. You’ll also find that you likely forgot some - that’s OK too. You’ll just record them on your own sticky note as they come to mind.

STEP #1: Chose the topic for the podcast episode you’ll be working on

When I first started podcasting I shot from the hip WAY too much. That means…

• I didn’t plan my episode topics until the week of publication
• 
  
• I didn’t think them through in a logical sequence
• 
  
• I didn’t strategize for how I was going to BEST help my audience

Do you see where I’m going with this? How can you create amazing value to stand out in the crowd if you don’t plan to do so?

I had to learn that lesson the hard way and hope you don’t have to. That’s why I’m focusing on this right at this point.

Your audience deserves the very best from you - so give it to them through planning out your episodes.

Once you choose the topic for an episode, you’ve only done the FIRST thing. The next step is even more important.

STEP #2: Research your topic and/or prepare for the episode

Very few of us are accomplished enough or talented enough at public speaking to think of a topic and then effectively ad-lib as we record an episode. So don’t try it - not for a very long time.

You need to develop the discipline of researching, learning, growing, knowing your topics backwards and forwards - THAT is what will get you to the point that ad-libs are acceptable and possible.

People like John Maxwell do it all the time - but hey, he’s John - which only means he’s paid his dues over the years THROUGH the kind of diligent work I’m talking about.

So… what goes into good research? For me, it’s a combination of things, depending on whether I’ll have a guest on the episode or not...

• Read up on the topic

It’s not enough to know what I think about something. I need to know what’s being said by others who are knowledgeable on the topic. If I don’t take the time to do this I can come across as a naive know-it-all. I don’t want that.

So I typically collect links to articles, etc. in my Pocket account and then link them to the card in my Trello board where that idea is recorded (I created a video about how I do that once upon a time). That way I can easily go to the topic > click on each link > read articles without having to search for them > and begin my own bullet point outline for the episode, all in the same spot on my Trello board.

• Create a bullet-point outline of my thoughts

As I just mentioned, the next thing I do is begin my own outline of the topic. I want to include things I’ve discovered/ learned, things I believe from my experience, and what others who are experts on the subject have to say.

I want to leave no stone unturned - because it’s that kind of comprehensive quality that will get the attention of my listeners/readers AND get the attention of Google. Honestly, it does work that way.

Once I’ve created my bullet-point outline, I’ll go through it slowly to ensure it makes sense from a sequential standpoint. If I need to reorder or reorganize it, I will.

It’s got to make sense the moment a reader/listeners glances over it. If it doesn’t they’ll probably click off to something else.

• Journal/write about the topic

I don’t always do this, but if I’m dealing with a complicated subject, or one that is easily confused (in my own mind, especially), I’ll add this step - I journal my thoughts and understanding about the topic.

Why do I do this? Because as Dawson Trotman once said, “Thoughts disentangle themselves when they flow from lips or fingertips.”

Typing/writing things out helps ME understand it. When I finally record the episode I want to be speaking about the subject matter naturally, as one who has studied and understood the topic for myself (because I have).

If I shortcut this step, it will show up in the quality of my episode content - and I believe that costs listeners/fans/followers in the long run. I can’t have that.

I won’t have that. :)

• Brainstorm/decide on guests for the episode

If the topic I’m interested in would benefit from a conversation with an expert guest, I start thinking through who that guest should be. Nobody is out of the realm of possibility. My philosophy is to ask because the worst they could do is ignore my outreach or say “No.”

That’s not so bad, is it?

In a future point I’ll tell you how I go about reaching out to these experts.

• Brainstorm resources I may need for the episode

Are there any special graphics, audio clips, sound effects, or other resources that would make this episode ultra special?

If I can come up with good ideas, I jot them down. I’m going to do everything I can to up the value of the audio and the show notes to make them stand out - to my listeners and to Google. My philosophy on that is that if it pleases my listeners, it will likely please Google too.

But be careful here - don’t overdo it. I went through a season on my podcast where I did lots of cutesy sound effects just for the sake of doing them. I thought they were fun and gave the show a unique sound.

My audience told me they were annoying. (Listen to your listeners when they give you feedback).

STEP #3: Give my topic, potential guest, and resource needs to my VA/Assistant

If you don’t have a VA or assistant who helps you with this kind of thing, you’re making a list for yourself - and you have another set of things to do in order to publish the show as you have planned.

It’s a lot of stuff, but it’s worth it to do things right. I’d rather have an episode publish late and be phenomenal than to publish on time and be so-so. I believe my audience knows the difference - and is glad when I don’t shortcut the process.

So… passing these things to my VA puts a new task on her plate, which is the next step in this process - reaching out to the guest I have in mind.

If I’ve decided to approach the guest through a contact or friend, I do that legwork before I pass this info to my VA. I want her to have as easy a time as possible connecting with the person I have in mind.

She’ll also start collecting the resources I need, whatever they are, and place them in a predetermined Dropbox or Google Drive location. That way when I or my editor are ready to produce the episode or show notes, the resources are available.

STEP #4: Reach out to the potential guest

Once I’m ready for my VA to reach out - I have her do so using a template I’ve written and provided to her that she customizes to the person I have in mind, the topic I want to chat with them about, and the timeframe in which I’d like to record the episode.

I thought about providing a copy of my template here but decided against it, simply because any template you create needs to be in your voice and reflect the unique characteristics of your podcast and brand. I can’t write that for you.

So, spend quality time on this. It’s important. The first impression you give to potential guests is powerful for them and could make or break their willingness to be a guest on your...

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

For as long as I’ve been playing around and working on the internet, I’ve heard people touting the benefits of paying for virtual services - you know, VAs and that kind of stuff.

From the first time I heard it said, I got the logic of it. Sure, it makes sense to hire someone to do the things I either don’t want to do, am not good at doing, or shouldn’t be doing from a time VS value perspective.

But until this conversation, I’ve never been able to bring myself to take the leap and actually hire out some of the stuff that makes my podcast and business run.

I’ve invited Nathan Hirsch, co-founder of FreeeUp.com to be my guest on this episode of Podcastification to help convince me - and convince me he did.

BTW: The audio quality on MY SIDE of this recording is terrible. Awful. And in all other ways stinky. It’s because I got lazy and didn’t use my podcast production checklist to ensure that everything was set correctly. As a result, my voice was recorded through the built-in mic on my laptop.

BAD form. BAD form. My apologies. I guess it goes to show that even those of us who do something on a professional basis make mistakes from time to time. I’m just sorry you have to listen to it.

Main Points : Virtual Services For Podcasting

[2:06] How Nathan became desperate and turned to virtual services for a solution

[4:14] The first things podcasters might consider outsourcing to virtual assistants

[5:40] So you see the need, but don’t know if you can afford it. Listen up!

[7:35] What should you do if it’s going to take as much time to train someone as it will for you to do it?

[13:02] Making it easy: What you’ll experience when you go to the Freeeup website

[15:42] Pre-vetted candidates for your job - as many as you want - and keeping up quality

[18:14] You could even “steal” a worker from FreeeUp permanently through a buy-out

[20:13] Hiring is one thing: managing someone providing virtual services is another

Featured On This Episode

• Nathan Hirsch and www.FreeeUp.com
• Pricing: www.FreeeUp.com/Pricing

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

On Facebook

On Twitter

What ARE virtual services anyway?

I don’t want to begin with the assumption that everybody listening knows what I mean when I say “virtual services,” so for those of you who do know - hang on for just a second while I catch everybody up.

When I say “virtual services” - I mean tasks you pay to have done FOR You by someone who is not in your physical location. So this isn’t paying a neighbor kid to come to your house and mow your lawn - this is paying someone across the world or across town to do something for you - and it’s usually a task that can be done digitally.

Examples?

• Audio editing
• Artwork/graphics creation
• Transcript creation
• Accounting/bookkeeping
• Email list management
• Social media posting

You get the idea? Many of those things are the stuff that goes on behind the scenes of your podcast production. And if you’re like me, it’s likely that ALL of them are things you’re doing.

Here’s the problem - BECAUSE you’re the one doing them, they don’t always get done.

Am I right or am I right?

That’s the sad but very true, truth of the matter.

So it’s smart to at least THINK ABOUT how you can solve that problem in a way that is effective, economical, and a relief to you as a podcaster.

Virtual services may be your answer.

Naturally, Nathan is passionate about this subject because it’s what his business does. But don’t let the fact that he has a vested interest in getting you to use his company water down the fact - VIRTUAL SERVICES LIKE HE OFFERS ARE EXTREMELY VALUABLE… and you probably need them.

I encourage you to listen to this conversation with an open mind - pushing away your doubts, skepticism, and limiting beliefs (like, “I can’t afford that.”). You need to give yourself permission to think outside your current reality toward what might be possible.

Can we agree that you’ll do that as you listen? That’s all I’m asking - so please friend, forge ahead!

Yes, money is an issue. I get it. Really, I do.

Let me tell you a bit of my back story.

I started out this whole online business thing - including podcasting - without a dime to my name.

Truly, that’s how it began for me.

I was between careers, trying to figure out a way - ANY WAY - to put food on the table. I couldn’t afford most of the things I was already doing, like paying for website hosting and media hosting.

But I had to do those things anyway if I was going to build something online. There was no other choice.

And I thought exactly the same as you may be thinking right now, “I can’t afford to hire a virtual assistant,” even though I knew how valuable it would be.

That was 5 years ago. And until a week ago, I STILL had not hired a VA or contracted any other kind of virtual services for myself.

So I know where you’re coming from.

But I have to say this as well - it’s a decision I wish I’d not waited so long to make. The benefits are already apparent after just 5 days of hiring a VA. Not only is it already generating leads that will eventually produce revenue for my company, it’s given me back huge chunks of my time that I can invest in other, more important things (like these show notes and producing my podcast with quality).

So… before you get all caught up on the money-side of this topic, you’ll do well to simply admit to yourself that you only have so much…

• Time
• Energy
• Expertise/skill

And if your podcast is going to be all it CAN be, the day is going to come sooner or later when you have to get some help to make it happen.

You may wind up being like me and postponing the expense of virtual assistance until the very last minute. That’s fine. Really, it is. You have to make the decisions that best fit you and where you are in your journey.

But when the time comes, you’ll know it. You’ll feel it. And you’ll have to choose to take a step forward for your sake and the sake of your podcast, or you’ll shrink back in fear.

My encouragement is to be bigger than your fear when that moment comes. I hope my conversation with Nathan on this episode gives you a bit of courage that you can and should find the virtual services you need when the time is right.

There is another alternative to a permanent virtual assistant…

Every time I heard people talk about this issue I thought, “I can’t afford to pay someone week after week after week.” At the time, it was true.

But I never heard anyone mention the kinds of things Nathan did on this episode - that you can hire out one-time projects too, especially the things that you’re not best at doing.

Now that is a brainstorm!

Let’s get the creative juices flowing a bit here… what are one-time projects you could outsource?

• A one-time edit of a particularly complex episode of your podcast
• A special download you want to provide to your audience
• A landing page on your website
• Setting up a shopping cart or plugin on your website
• Creating new podcast cover art
• And other stuff…

Nathan’s got a point. A great way to dip your toe in the outsourcing waters is to give it a try through a one-time project.

You’ll get to see how the process works. You’ll learn a few lessons about how to communicate your expectations well and hold others accountable for the work they provide.

And you’ll probably be bitten by the virtual services bug. I know I have been.

Nathan has a lot of ideas along this line that every podcaster I know could benefit from, so be sure you take the time to listen - even if you’re not fully ready to take the plunge.

He’ll help you get your mind in the right place to take the needed steps when the time comes.

How does Nathan’s virtual services company work?

Most companies that provide virtual services work in a kind of wonky way.

Those who want to provide services submit their info and are placed into a directory - then those like you and me who need work done have to scour the directory hunting for the person we want.

FreeeUp does NOT work that way - thank God!

When you look for someone to help you virtually through the FreeeUp system, you submit the basics of what you need done - indicate how much you’re willing to pay per hour - and indicate if you want someone in your country, elsewhere, or if it doesn’t matter.

Then the FreeeUp team will send you pre-vetted, qualified people to consider for the role, usually within 24 hours.

Did you get that the candidates are pre-vetted?

Nathan says it’s actually quite difficult to become a contractor for FreeeUp because they are very picky about the quality and skill of those they employ. So there’s a peace of mind there that I’ve not seen in other online platforms like this.

Once you find the person you want - you can chat with them via video or email to see how it would feel to work with and interact with them - then you can either hire them, pass, or ask for more recommendations. It’s a pretty streamlined system that works well in most cases.

As I mentioned, I’ve hired my first virtual assistant who is helping me with some marketing tasks and it’s been a wonderful experience so far. Her name is Kris and she was the very first person the FreeeUp system recommended to me. So far, I couldn’t be happier.

Nathan goes into a good deal more detail than this in the conversation I recorded for this episode, so you’ll be able to have all your questions answered by listening.

And if you want to find out more about FreeeUp - Nathan’s contact info is in this show notes page - so reach out to him. He’s very active on social media and responds to email, etc. very quickly in my experience.

Thanks again Nathan Hirsch for reaching out to me - and for being on Podcastification. I’m glad we met and wish you all the best!

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“What’s the BEST structure for a podcast? I mean… one that really engages listeners and keeps their attention throughout the episode?”

I am asked that question - and questions like it - all - the - TIME. And while there are no dumb questions, there are questions that haven’t been thought through very well, and that’s ONE of them.

Why? Well, it has to do with the fact that you and I and Mary down the street are all podcasting about different topics and trying to reach different audiences.

I walk you through the logic and practical steps of discovering YOUR best podcast structure, on this episode of Podcastification.

Main Points : Is there a “best” podcast structure?

[1:25] The questions I receive all time and why my answer is often “it depends.”

[2:01] My walk down main street and how it can help you answer the question yourself

[3:10] Who are your ideal listeners? You need to answer that question first

[8:09] Look at the top downloaded podcasts in Apple Podcasts - they have differing structures

[8:59] How do you discover the structure that will fit your audience?

[10:37] The best-practices don’t always translate from one niche to another - so you’ll have to put in some work to figure it out for your niche

[13:02] Get out there and talk with your target audience

Featured On This Episode

Are you listening to this podcast trying to “figure it out” yourself?

You don’t have to make the same mistakes others have made over and over.

You can learn best-practices that I’ve learned from working with 100s of clients over the lifetime of my podcast production company - through The FREE Podcast Optimizer Series.

Is there a “best” podcast structure? Well, it depends…

I’m sure there are certain ways of organizing and presenting content within your podcast episodes that are more “effective” (whatever that means to you) than other ways of organizing it.

But what I’ve discovered in working with over 100 clients so far is this:

THERE IS NO ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL podcast structure you can use as a template.

That’s because there is no one-size-fits-all approach to reaching niche audiences.

Did you get that?

The operative word is “niche” - which by definition means a very specific subset of people who are interest in a very specific topic.

THOSE particular people are going to respond very differently to one episode framework than they do another.

For example: Would people interested in comic books appreciate a radio-announcer-guy type intro, or would they rather have something fun, creative, and hip? You be the judge.

But if you make the wrong decision, you could be turning OFF the exact people you want to listen to your podcast.

So what do you do? That’s the next point I cover… so stick around (or listen).

Let’s take a walk down main street to learn about podcast structure…

In this episode I decided to do something a bit different. I got out my portable recording setup (which you can hear me describe in detail on episode 86) and took a walk down main street in my little town.

My goal: Consider how each different type of business would go about appealing to its ideal customer.

The first storefront I came upon was for a lawyer’s office.

The important questions to ask when it comes to how a lawyer would go about attracting their clients are things like this...

• Who do lawyers work with?
• What sort of feeling to people want to have when working with a lawyer?
• How can a lawyer communicate trust and confident to prospective clients?
• Would a lawyer’s messaging be slap-stick or serious, or something else?

Do you see what I’m doing? Before I make a conclusion about what makes up a good “advertisement” for a lawyer, I need to first think through what would make a lawyer’s CUSTOMERS feel good about the lawyer.

That might also be done through the way the attorney sets up his/her office:

• Should they work from a card table on a laptop - OR - should there be a large wooden desk and bookshelves?
• Should there be piles of paper everywhere - OR - should the office be clean, neat, and organized in appearance?

Next, I came upon a hair and nail salon.

That’s a personal care service, right? So people coming into this place would most likely be women, they care about their appearance, and they might even enjoy feeling “pampered” to some degree.

So what kind of vibe does the salon need to give off in order to attract those kinds of people?

• Casual
• Friendly
• Attentive
• Trendy/stylish
• And the shop itself should be attractive

Why those things? Because those are the things the salon owner’s CUSTOMERS care about.

Are you getting the point here? You can’t apply any old podcast structure to your episodes because YOUR episodes are going to be aimed at a specific type of person who is very different from the target listener of the person who created the structure you’re considering.

Take a walk down the “main street” of your ideal listeners. Consider carefully what THEY are most interested in and find most helpful.

That’s how you’ll discover the right podcast structure for YOUR particular show.

TO DO: Get to know your listeners

If you want to know what the people you’re trying to serve want your show to be like, you have to ask them.

And you can’t ask them if you don’t know them.

And you can’t get to know them if you don’t hang out where they are.

So get out there and find them!

In person - if your show is centered around a niche where that is possible - or online. Either way, you need to strike up conversations and engage in building relationships with those who are keenly interested in the topics you cover on your podcast.

No podcast structure in the world, no matter how entertaining, can make up for that.

When you start talking with people who naturally talk about what you talk about on your show, you’re going to hear what they really want to know about your topic.

You’ll get ideas for future episodes.

You’ll get a feel for the things they find entertaining and fun and the structural things that might stand in the way to them really benefiting from and enjoying your podcast.

So get out there and do it!

It takes time. It’s hard work. It requires discernment and self-restraint. But it’s worth it.

Yeah - I just said self-restraint.

Why?

That’s coming up in the next section… as are my tips for finding the best places to build those relationships.

Discover your best podcast structure from those who care the most - listeners

If you podcast about topics that lend themselves toward regular in-person meet-ups, take advantage of those.

Find out where they are in your neck of the woods and go. Don’t be shy.

Introduce yourself. Ask lots of questions about the people you meet. Find out how you can add value to them.

That’s a great place to find the very people who can help you figure out this podcast episode structure thing - AND you’ll probably make some good friends in the process too.

But you can do the same thing online too…

The best place I’ve found to connect with people who are interested in the things you are interested in is to search the groups on Facebook.

• Type your main topic into the search bar at the top of Facebook
• Hit “enter”
• Once the search results populate the next page, click on the “groups” heading at the top
• You’ll get more groups than you can shake a stick at that you can ask to join.

ONE TIP to speed up the process:

• Join groups that have BOTH a lot of members AND appear to have a good number of posts being made per day. You can see those stats just under the group name.

One more thing…

In that last main section I said that once you find these groups, you’ll need to exercise self-restraint.

Why?

Because your impulse is going to be to do this…

• Find your niche communities
• Join them
• Immediately start saying, “Here’s my podcast! Listen to my podcast! I have a podcast!”

Don’t. Just don’t.

Even online, people won’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

It’s a tired saying that is nevertheless true.

So get into those communities with a desire to serve, to learn, and to grow - and you’ll discover some of your biggest supporters - and when they discover you have a podcast, you won’t even have to ask them to listen, subscribe, or share.

Once you know your audience, structure issues become way easier to figure out

It really is that simple.

The people you’re speaking to can help you know how to best speak to them - but it takes time and a lot of hard work on your part before they will trust you.

My advice: Put in the time. Expend the effort. CARE for your audience in that way.

You’ll be able to fashion a podcast they hate to miss by doing so.

And you’ll have an asset you didn’t even think about - a listener base who is FOR you and eager to share what you’re doing.

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

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