The Podcast Fast Track

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3 Ways to NOT Kill Your Podcast Growth Curve

Warning - warning - warning. There's a rant ahead!

I have seen this same mistake on podcaster’s websites over and over and over now, so I plead with you… listen to this episode, learn from this episode, and NEVER do this stinkin stupid thing again.

Main Points : 3 Ways NOT to Kill Your Podcast Growth Curve

• [1:26] What I’ve discovered while tooling around the Apple Podcasts website
• [2:15] It’s INSANE to send people to Apple Podcasts (iTunes) to listen to your show
• [3:59] You’ve created tons of goodies. Why send your audience AWAY from them?
• [6:21] There are ways you can tell Google that you have GREAT resources - sending people away from your site is NOT ONE OF THEM!
• [9:09] How you may be telling Google NOT to send people to your website
• [11:02] How you can apply this lesson right now.

 

So I spend a lot of time in the Apple Podcasts directory. You know, that place that used to be called iTunes but now is called Apple Podcasts.

And what am I DOING in the Apple Podcasts directory? Honestly, I’m looking for clients, for people who are producing great content and want a great production partner to take the podcast time suck off their hands so they can do better things with their time.

One of the things I experience while in the directory is that I usually click the little link that says website, right there next to their podcast listing, and I'll go to visit the website. I want to check them out and see their show. Who knows? Maybe there’s a way we can work together.

Here’s the problem - the way people are killing their own podcast growth curve. Ready?

Podcasters often put a really cool looking show notes page up for particular episode. I go there. I scroll up and down, up and down up, and down that page trying to find a stinkin’ web player so I can actually hear what their podcast sounds like.

And do you know what I find?

I find that silly little piece of artwork that says “Listen on Apple Podcasts” and that's the only way they have for me to listen to their show. I have to go OFF their site to listen on somebody else’s platform.

It’s one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen and in this episode of Podcastification I walk through 3 important reasons you should not be doing that on your show notes pages.

That’s my rant and I’m sticking to it.

#1 REASON: You’re forcing people to listen to your podcast in a way many are unable to listen

Not everybody has an Apple phone. GASP!

It’s true. What’s the point? There are many, many, many people, who will not be able to listen to your podcast at all if you send them to Apple Podcasts to listen. Why? Because they don’t have the Apple app on their phone that you’re trying to send them to.

OK, what if they are on a computer. It could be a very similar issue. If they don’t have the iTunes software installed, they’re going to be sent to a webpage that has NO players on it at all. So they’ll either get frustrated and turn away (most likely) or they’ll get frustrated and turn away.

Hmmmmmm.

In short, people using android phones are not going to be able to listen to your show simply by clicking on that Apple Podcasts logo.

So don’t send them there in the first place!

OK, OK - if you want to include the logo on the page and you want the logo to link to Apple Podcasts, go ahead. But don't make that the only way someone can listen to your show when they come to your shows notes page. It's ridiculous because you're not making it easy for your listener to actually be a listener.

Does that make sense?

#2 REASON: You’ve got lots of good goodies on your website - and you’re sending people away.

On purpose.

Time after time after time when people land on your show notes page.

You’re sending people away from all the goodies you've created for them to see. Listen now, this is important. If your goal as a podcaster is to get your target audience listening to your show and becoming familiar with you as a resource around your topic, that’s EXACTLY what you should be doing. But if you send them away from your site, that’s not going to happen. They're not gonna to get to get to see all the cool goodies you have for them.

They've not had the opportunity to see things you’ve got - like books, and courses, and consulting, and things like that, the things that you offer that you're actually wanting them to get from you.

May I say this bluntly? You need to keep those people on your website if at all possible - and the best way to do that is to include actual web player from your media host - NOT by sending them to Apple Podcasts.

And it's not that hard to insert that player.

For example on Libsyn, a player code is provided to you for every episode. You just click a little green button and it opens a window, and there's the code.

• You copy it
• You go to your Wordpress website or even your Wix website or your Squarespace site
• You go into the code section where you want that player to appear and you paste in that code.

Walah! You have a clickable web player right there on your page.

And don’t worry, all those plays count as downloads in your stats.

REASON #3: You get to tell Google you’ve got great resources when you DON’T send people to Apple Podcasts

Here’s a little fact about the way Google search works.

The longer people stay on your web page after coming there from doing a Google search, the more Google thinks your particular page was a great answer to the question they were searching for. It’s that simple.

Let me give you a scenario” Say Jimmy John is searching for something about social media marketing and he finds an episode of your podcast through searching Google, that IS about social media marketing.

Okay, he comes to your web page and right there on your page is your great episode title. your great art work, your great podcast player and he decides to click the play button. He's gonna to stay on that page at least for a while as he listens to the beginning of that episode to see if it is going to answer the question has has about social media marketing.

You’ve got Jimmy John on your page - so to speak - as a captive audience for at least a little while.

Naturally, that means you've got to be making great audio content that draws him in right away and makes him appreciate what it is you have to share, but that's kind of beside the point here.

The real point is this: As that searcher is on your webpage - Google is tracking him and is saying, “Hey, Jimmy Johnson searched for “social media marketing.” Jimmy John found this page and now Jimmy John is staying on that page for two minutes, three minutes, five minutes, seven minutes, however long he listens.

Google's algorithm is making some digital assumptions based on Jimmy John’s behavior while he’s on your page - the biggest assumption being that your page is a good resource for people who are searching for the topic of social media marketing.

And you know what's going to happen then?

The next time someone searches for social media marketing, your particular show notes page that Jimmy John found is going to be pushed higher in the search for those people to find. That's just the way the search algorithms work at this point in time.

And for that reason alone, you want to make sure you're not sending people off your page - because that does exactly the opposite.

Let me give you that same scenario again in reverse:

• Say Jimmy Johnson searches for “social media marketing.”
• Say he finds your web page.
• Say he scrolls through the web page like I do day after day and can't find a web player but he only finds a piece of artwork that says, “Go listen on Apple Podcasts” and he clicks on that artwork.

Within 10 to 15 seconds Jimmy John has come to your page and immediately bounced off your page.

What do you think Google thinks in its digital mind?

It thinks, “This was not a good resource for people searching for the term “social media marketing.” And so it's actually going to diminish your ranking in Google search.

Do you see what's happening?

You are killing your own podcast growth curve. Don’t do it.

How to stop killing your podcast growth curve.

Now that you know the mistake, it’s time to do something about it. This is just one of those ways we make a mistake periodically, not even thinking it through in terms of the impact it's going to have, based on the knowledge we already have.

Make changes.

Get rid of that artwork or the links to Apple Podcasts. Or if you absolutely have to have it, ensure that people who land on your page can STAY on your page, by having a player right there for them to use.

Look at your show notes pages and see if there's anything you're doing that is keeping people from staying on your page longer - and FIX IT!

Rant over.

RESOURCES MENTIONED iN THIS EPISODE

 

• www.Libsyn.com - get up to 1 ½ months of hosting free by using the code “PFT” (affiliate)

Leave your question for me to answer!
Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

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Subscribe to Podcastification here!

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There are all kinds of crazy names people give to their podcasts in the Apple Podcasts directory, but I don't believe most of them are good podcast names.

This episode of the show is all about how to properly name your podcast. When I say properly, I don't mean there is some kind of etiquette around podcast naming, what I mean is there are best practices that make your podcast name work for you instead of against you.

Intrigued? You've got to hear what happened in this case study that I didn't intend to be a case study.

Main Points : Good Podcast Names Matter

• [0:53] What do I mean when I say podcast names matter?
• [3:22] The case study I did that wasn’t intended to be a case study
• [4:49] Little promotion, one Facebook share per morning, amazing results!
• [6:42] The name I chose for the podcast is the only thing that made the impact
• [8:20] The deliberate steps I took to discover a good podcast name
• [10:01] Why RELEVANT keywords in your name are a HUGE consideration
• [11:27] The reason I thought a good podcast name would matter: Algorithms!
• [13:40] The STATS that prove that good podcast names matter
• [18:50] Why you’re NOT sunk if your podcast name is not keyword rich
• [19:30] Best practices for episode names - keep keywords in mind!

What’s in a name? When it comes to a good podcast name - a LOT!

I have to admit that there are a lot of strong opinions in what I have to say on this episode. They're strong opinions I've had for a long time, not just about good podcast names but about a lot of things including company names, brand logos, and other stuff.

I'm no expert, so what I have to say doesn't usually hold much water, but in this episode, I'm going to walk you through the statistics of what has actually happened from choosing a good podcast name in order to show you that in this case, I think my opinion does hold some water.

Podcast names are not only the way you identify your show to others. They also communicate something about you, your message, the people you have as guests on your show, and the topics you cover. In my view, if your podcast name doesn't express those things clearly, what's the use?

Of course, there are many large brands and successful people who have done this whole podcast naming thing differently than what I am going to suggest on this episode, but we are not them.

Most of us are average people, without big followings, without the benefit of being a household name or brand that others have known about forever.

So we have to go about this a little bit differently. Our main objective is to get people to pay attention, to notice our podcast in the first place. That is why I a good podcast name makes a lot of difference.

In this episode I not only explain why it's true, I also demonstrate it through those stats I was talking about. You really need to hear this.

How do I know it was a good podcast name that made the difference? It's the only thing I did.

The situation I described as my case study in this episode is one where I was launching a new podcast, but the content is something I had created previously. It's a daily show so I didn't want to spend all my time promoting, promoting, promoting. That means my only promotional attempt on any of the episodes is an automatic post from my Libsyn media host account to Facebook. That is it.

No Facebook ads.

No email blasts.

Nothing else.

On this episode, you're going to hear the way the numbers increased to well over 600 downloads in less than 30 days. It's remarkable, and I'm pretty convinced it only happened because I approached the name of my podcast with a keyword-centric mindset.

If that doesn't make sense to you, listen to this episode. I describe exactly what I did, why I did it, and how it appears to have worked.

If you are going to use keywords in your podcast name, make sure they are relevant.

When I say that the keywords you use in your podcast name need to be relevant, do you know what I mean?

Well, let's take this example as a way not to do it…you’ve probably seen podcasts in the Apple Podcasts directory that use this approach.

“Business Tips That Rock - interviews with people like Dave Ramsey, Jay Papasan, Cameron Herald, Tony Robbins, and more.

That is the opposite of a good podcast name. In fact, it is a VERY BAD podcast name. Why?

Because it is keyword stuffed. That means the person who wrote that name used words they assumed other people would be searching for that really have NOTHING to do with their actual podcast.

Not only is that unethical, it simply doesn't work like they think it's going to work. Apple has also been known to boot shows right out of their directory for doing that kind of thing.

So when I say you need to have a keyword-centric approach to the way you create your podcast name, I'm referring to the use of relevant keywords, the words that truly have to do with the topics and items you will be covering on your podcast.

That is a LEGITIMATE use of keywords, and it makes for a good podcast name that actually benefits you and your audience.

It's all about algorithms.

The reason I thought that taking a keyword-centric approach to creating a good podcast name would actually work is that I discovered a little-known fact. The Apple Podcast directory only considers three things when someone does a search for a new podcast to listen to. Here they are…

1. Your podcast name
2. Your episode names
3. Your author field

That is it.

So, if you want to rank in the search results for the words “content marketing” you had better have those words in the name of your podcast. At the very least you should have some episodes with those words in the title.

I guess you could figure out a way legitimately use “content marketing” in your author field, but it feels like a stretch to me.

The point is this: You have to play within Apple Podcasts rules if you want your show to actually rank for the things people are searching for. It's NOT gaming the system to do that, it is playing according to the rules laid down by the system. There's a big difference.

Make sure you listen to this episode to hear the amazing results I got from this little experiment that I didn't really mean to be an experiment.

Leave your question for me to answer!

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Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

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Questions about the proper use of podcast intro music and outro music are some of the most common things people ask me about.

Can I use this popular song? What if I only use 20 seconds of it? Doesn't that fall under fair use Doctrine? What if I get somebody to compose music for me, can that work?

These are only a few examples of the legal side of what it takes to do a podcast in a way that reflects your personal integrity and keeps you out of trouble.

I decided it was time for me to invite someone on the show who could give us clear answers on these kinds of issues.

Gordon Firemark is an entertainment lawyer who specializes in helping theater professionals, producers, big media companies, and podcasters do the right thing when it comes to copyright law, legal working agreements, and lots of other things that are important for anyone publishing content.

This was a great conversation and I personally learned some things I didn't know, which you’ll hear me admit on the episode. Gordon is very generous guy who has provided some great free resources which you can find in the show notes links for this episode.

I only used 20 seconds of a song. Isn’t that OK to use for my podcast intro?

If you are depending on the Fair Use Doctrine often mentioned as support for using a small section of a copyrighted music on podcasts, you could be on very shaky ground. In this conversation Gordon addresses the Fair Use issue head-on as it relates to podcast intros and outros. His insight into what Fair Use really means and when it is applicable is very helpful, because it's very complicated.

WHAT IS FAIR USE?

There are actually four criteria that are used to determine if use of a copyrighted work falls under the Fair Use Doctrine and is therefore oka:

1. How much of the copyrighted work is actually being used? - which is typically the only thing people talk about
2. How substantial is the use of it?
3. What is the nature of the used portion of the work (the most catchy part of the song VS an obscure section)
4. What impact will the use of the work be on the marketing of the original work?

As you can see, it's much more complicated than you typically hear about and smarter minds than mine have had a hard time figuring out what actually falls under Fair Use and what doesn't.

So what should you do? Unless you have deep pockets filled with cash that you can use in the likelihood that you are sued, I would suggest you steer clear of using copyrighted works for your podcast intro or outro, unless you have clear permission to do so.

And what does it look like to have clear permission to use a copyrighted work? Gordon clarifies that as well, on this episode.

Podcast intro music is not the only legal issue podcasters need to be concerned about

Well it's clear that we podcasters need to be using music appropriately for our intros and outros, it's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to legal issues we've got to be informed about.

The most helpful part of this conversation with Gordon Firemark (in my humble opinion) has to do with how we go about informing our potential guests about the ways we will be using the recording that we make of our conversation with them.

Gordon provides great insight into what a guest should be agreeing to when they come on your show so that you don't wind up getting sued by them over a technicality. Gordon also provides a copy of a legally crafted podcast guest released form which you can download and tweak to your heart's content.

I told you he was a generous guy.

But that's not all Gordon has to offer. He's also working on resources for digital entrepreneurs - you know, those people who create online courses and coaching sessions and seminars and webinars and resources for others to use. His desire is to help content creators like you and me stay out of the legal woods and on the clear path of integrity.

You don't want to miss the things he has to share on this episode.

Is that affiliate link you're citing in your show notes being used in illegal way?

It's not uncommon to hear a podcast episode referring to affiliate links. Heck, I do it time.

But there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. Much like the issue of how to find and properly use podcast intro music, you also need to make sure that the disclosures you make about your affiliate relationships is done properly. If you don't, you can wind up in hot legal water.

Gordon Firemark shares the right way and the wrong way to use affiliate links, how to do it both in the text of your show notes and in the audio of your podcast episodes, and whether or not you should call an affiliate a sponsor of your show - all on this episode.

There's a lot to learn about the legal side of podcasting and Gordon is the guy to tell us what we need to know.

I encourage you to share this episode with other podcasters you know so that they can learn how to do this thing we call podcasting, the right way.

Main Points :

• [1:08] Why Gordon believes podcasting is the wave of the future for entertainment delivery
• [2:18] The basic foundation of copyright law and how it applies to podcasting
• [6:07] What is royalty free music and is it a good option to use for podcast music?
• [7:38] Podcast music obtained through a composer or artist: How to do it right
• [13:34] Issues surrounding the rights and liabilities of having guests on your podcast
• [15:36] Types of things to be concerned about when having guests on your show
• [18:07] Legal issues of working with a co-host and how to avoid problems
• [24:25] Can an email agreement stand up in court (if needed)?
• [28:25] The legalities of monetization and affiliate relationships and how to handle them
• [30:29] Is it OK to say that an affiliate company is the “sponsor” of your episode?

Connect with Today’s guest : Entertainment Attorney Gordon Firemark

• www.GordonFiremark.com - all of Gordon’s products and services
• www.Firemark.com - Gordon’s law practice website
• Gordon’s Podcast: Entertainment Law Update
• www.PodcastRelease.com - get Gordon’s free guest release form to tweak

RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THIS EPISODE

• Podfest Expo in Orlando - Gordon is speaking there about music rights for podcasts
• Podcast Music that is legal for you to use - Podcastification episode 32
• Audible (NOT an affiliate link :) )

Leave your question for me to answer!

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

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Subscribe to Podcastification here!

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

Pinterest itself has been a mystery to me for a very long long time, so to talk about having a Pinterest strategy for my podcast is like asking me to be a girl. I don’t know anything about it. :)

Pinterest is fun to look at - I’ve gone there on occasion to get great ideas for DIY projects or workshop and garage renovation tips, but I kind of view it is this food, clothes and fitness kind of a network. But the more I spend time on the platform, the more I’ve thought it has got to be usable for podcasting on the promotional side of things.

So I thought I'd reach out to a gal named Kathryn Moorhouse - she's a self-proclaimed marketing lover and an obsessive planner. She sounds like my kind of person. Her entire business is dedicated to helping people grow and maximize their Pinterest following. So… I think we podcasters have got a lot to learn from Kathryn today.

 

Main Points : A Pinterest Strategy for Podcasting

• [3:48] Pinterest is powerful because it’s a search engine (isn’t Kathryn’s accent great?)
• [9:40] How Pinterest helps you know what keywords to use on your posts
• [14:12] Good news: You can effectively start over on Pinterest if you’ve botched it up
• [16:04] If you’ve never set up a free Pinterest account: here’s how to do it
• [25:47] The power of pinning the same image multiple times over time
• [29:45] Group boards: a powerful way to expose others to your content
• [33:23] What makes for a good Pinterest image (size, what’s on it, best practices)?
• [41:10] Templates can save your bacon when it comes to image creation
• [43:07] What Kathryn does to help people make the most of Pinterest

Pinterest is a great platform for promotion because it’s a search engine that focuses on evergreen content - which is exactly what podcast episodes are

Think about how you promote your podcast. Social media makes it easy - sort of - but it’s getting to be very crowded. But it is still true that visual content is what catches the attention of the people you’re trying to reach more than anything else. That means developing a Pinterest Strategy to make the most of the visual nature of the platform could be your ticket to getting new eyes on your content.

And keep in mind, Pinterest is an evergreen platform. That means that what you share today will be searchable for the keywords associated with it long into the future. So it could be like investing in something now for a tremendous return in the days ahead. It’s priceless. It is so easy for podcasters to actually put content out there in a way that is suitable for their ideal listeners.

Kathryn Moorhouse has lots to share about developing a Pinterest strategy for your podcast promotions, so be sure you take the time to listen to this episode.

Your ideal listener is searching Pinterest for inspiration, encouragement, ideas, or answers. How can you create a Pinterest strategy that offers what they are seeking?

When we create an episode of our podcast we usually have in mind how we believe the content we're sharing will help those who listen. We have to think along that same line when we create promotional materials that we will use to distribute the show. Are ideal listener is looking for inspiration, encouragement, ideas, or answers. We got to figure out how to share the answers we have for them in a way that matches how they are seeking for it.

Kathryn Moorhouse Shares that people go to Pinterest for the very same reasons: encouragement, ideas, inspiration, or answers. But they are searching on a visual platform which means we podcasters have to think in terms different than recorded audio, which is what we are used to thinking. But never fear, Kathryn is here to help us. She's got some great tips for using templates and free services like canva to make our social sharing faster, easier, and more effective on visual platforms like a Pinterest. Be sure you take the time to listen.

Connect with Kathryn Moorhouse 

• Kathryn’s Pinterest page - great for how-to examples of best practices
• Kathryn’s Facebook Page
• Kathryn on Instagram
• Kathryn’s FREE Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/pintereststrategy
• Get Kathryn’s discount for her Pinterest course - $50 off - use the code “Podcastification”

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED iN THIS EPISODE

• Tailwind

Leave your question for me to answer!

 https://www.speakpipe.com/Podcastification  

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

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Subscribe to Podcastification here!

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Podcast marketing - getting your show noticed by the audience you’re trying to reach - is a tough thing to figure out.

You don’t want to be the smarmy guy or gal who’s in every channel screaming, “Listen to my show! Listen to my Show! Listen to my Show!” - but you also don’t want to be guilty of a Field of Dreams approach that believes if you build it, listeners will come. It simply doesn’t work that way.

But - when you take podcasting seriously a lot of amazing things can happen. My guest today is proof of that - Kyle Bondo is a guy I met Kyle at DC podfest a couple of years ago when I was there to speak and we just hit it off. Kyle has focused on making excellent content and being helpful to the people he meets and its enabled him to market his podcast through the relationships and trust he’s built.

Kyle’s got a cool story that should be encouraging to anyone who wants a broader reach for their show. Hit the play button, would ya?

Main Points :

• [2:20] Kyle’s podcast “Merchants of Dirt” and the story of building it
• [4:10] The story of how GagglePod came to be
• [7:22] The best feeling Kyle’s gotten from his efforts to help podcasters so far
• [9:00] Reach a bigger audience with a podcasting strategy
• [13:20] Content comes first, selling stuff comes second
• [35:45] How GagglePod can help you (local to D.C. especially)

Your podcast can reach a bigger audience if you apply a specific strategy to what you do

One of the many lessons that Kyle Bondo has learned in the past three to four years as he's been podcasting is that nothing really happens by accident. You have to plan and shoe towards something specific if results are going to come.

He's written an excellent blog post on his Gaggle pod site that is about how to reach a bigger Audience by applying a very specific strategy to your podcast. It's a podcast marketing approach that you wouldn't necessarily think of as a marketing approach, but it makes total sense.

In this conversation Kyle and I chat about what it means to apply strategy to your podcast, all the way from the way that you producer episodes to the way you promote them to the audience you're trying to reach. Kyle had some amazing insights for a guy who hasn't been doing this very long and I know you're going to like him, and the advice he has to share.

Great content needs to come first. Making money from your podcast has to come second

When you think about marketing your podcast there's a foundational mindset that you should make sure is always part what motivates you to do Marketing in the first place. That mindset is this: great content needs to come first. Making money or bigger download numbers from your podcast has to come second.

Following that principal will enable you to care about the people who listen to your show first and foremost. It means you create incredible resources that truly benefit their lives and as a result, they turn to you for exactly what you have to offer them, paid or not.

It's not wrong to make money from your podcast, and it's not even Shady to have that as a motive behind the scenes of the interactions you're having with people, but you need to genuinely care about them. There's no human relationship in existence where you give benefits to the other and don't get anything in return. It's just a natural part of the way God made the universe to work.

Find out more about the way Kyle does this through his Gaggle pod meetups on this episode of podcast application.

Fast and easy doesn’t work when it comes to producing a quality podcast. Find out what it takes to make it happen the right way

we live in a culture that wants everything fast and easy. The problem is that fast and easy don't create valuable, lasting, truly impacting things. You've got to put in the time and you've got to put in the effort to build something worthwhile.

When Kyle Bondo brought up this topic on this episode of the podcast he was speaking my language. I've been working hard to ensure that I'm doing more of the work required to add value that I am wishing for bigger results. The first thing leads to the second thing, and marking my podcast tirelessly won't do a bit of good if my content isn't worth Marketing in the first place.

You can learn what Kyle has learned as he's built his podcasts from the ground up by listening to this great conversation. He's a genuine guy you will learn a lot from.

Promotion of your podcast happens best when you answer questions, solve problems, THEN tell people about your podcast

If you want to Market your podcast effectively you need to first of all get into the communities where your ideal audience hangs out. But don't jump in there and start screaming about your podcast. Stop to assess the situation and get to know the people involved in the conversations.

Answer questions, solve problems, help people with the things that are obstacles in their lives. When the time comes and if it's appropriate, feel free to offer your podcast as a resource to help them, but only if and when it will help them. They don't want to know how much knowledge you have until they know how much you care about them.

This is one of the main points Kyle Bondo drives home in the conversation we recorded for this episode and I hope you will take the time to listen to what he has to say. It's proven to be true in his experience, and I can attest to the fact that it's been true for me as well.

Don’t be that smarmy podcaster who’s interacting with people just to get them to do something YOU want. Care about people and genuinely offer help

You see people like this all the time in Social media communities you frequent - a guy or gal immediately starts talking about themselves, their podcast, their blog, their product, their everything, and everyone else is cringing under the barrage of self-oriented junk.

You don't want to be that smarmy person because that's Mari person is the person you don't want to be around, right? So why would you do to others what you don't want them to do to you?

Learn how to add value. Learn how to give before you get. And learn how to do it all by producing great content. That's the best podcast marketing that exists and it comes through the genuineness of your efforts to be a benefit to others.

Connect with Today’s guest: Kyle Bondo

• www.Reckoneer.com - Kyle’s blogging site
• Kyle’s podcast: Merchants of Dirt
• Kyle’s other show: Get Lost Racing Podcast
• GagglePod - Kyle’s Podcasting Resources
• The GagglePod Meetup
• Kyle’s post: Reach A Bigger Audience With A Podcasting Strategy
• Kyle’s post: Find Your Audience, Earn Their Trust, THEN Lead Them To Your Podcast

 RESOURCES MENTIONED iN THIS EPISODE

• Podcastification Episode #69 - Cleanfeed co-Founder Marc Hills
• DC Podfest
• BOOK: So Good They Can’t Ignore You by Cal Newport
• Stacking The Bricks
• www.AudacityForPodcasting.com

Leave your question for me to answer!

https://www.speakpipe.com/Podcastification

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

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Mobile Recording can be hard to figure out, especially if you don’t have a money tree growing in your backyard. I’ve given a lot of thought to this from a “lean budget” perspective and have tried a LOT of things over the years I’ve been podcasting.

What I demo in this episode is the best MOBILE RECORDING solution I’ve discovered yet. It only requires one piece of software that is app based (phone or smart device) and one additional piece of hardware that is portable and costs less than $100. Interested? Play the stinkin’ episode!

Here’s What You'll Learn In This Mobile Recording Demo

• [0:51] Why I wanted to discover a remote or mobile recording solution for my podcast
• [2:20] How you can use the Auphonic service to set up for mobile recording
• [4:49] DISCLAIMERS: Audio quality at the source is still an audio quality limitation
• [5:55] How you can leave me a question that I can answer on this show!
• [6:47] The episode within the episode - DEMO of what my mobile recording solution produced (recorded in my freezing cold back yard)
• [9:02] The mic I used: The Rode VideoMIC ME
• [9:39] Ahead-of-time steps you need to take within Auphonic (see below for details).
• [14:35] How to get your smartphone app and connect your microphone - turn on AIRPLANE MODE
• [18:15] The perks of doing mobile recording this way - inexpensive, easy to transport, easy to pull off
• [21:51] How the Podcastification team will give you a %10 off discount ongoing

First step toward this mobile recording setup is this: you need to connect Auphonic to a storage account - they call it an “external service”

Ok, let’s get to it. In order to do exactly what I did in the “episode” within this episode you’ll need to set up some things ahead of time. First, you’ll need an Auphonic account.

Relax - Auphonic is free for up to 2 hours of audio a month. That’s pretty generous given that many podcasts are 30 minutes or less. So 4 episodes per month… you do the math. You can find a link to Auphonic below.

Then, within Auphonic you’ll need to follow the instructions I explain in this episode to set up a few things…

External services like Dropbox or Google Drive

#1 - click on the “services” tab at the top of the main page

#2 - In the lower section, select the service you want to use to store your intro and/or outro files. Auphonic will pull from that location to use them each time you access the template you’re going to create (I used Dropbox in my example)

Once you’ve got that external service set up, all you need to do is setup your Show’s Mobile “preset”. I’ll walk you through that next…

How to Set up your mobile recording preset in Auphonic

The first thing you’ll do before you actually try to set up a preset in Auphonic is to place a copy of your intro and/or outro into the proper spot within your external service (Dropbox or Google Drive).

I chose Dropbox, so here’s where it has to go: Dropbox>Apps>Auphonic

Place a copy of your intro and outro files in that folder and you’re good. They will be available to you within Auphonic as you move on to the next step

Next, go back to the menu at the top of the Auphonic homepage and select the “presets” option.

Click on the big, red “New Preset” button as you see here…

And you’ll get a page that allows you to specify all kinds of things about your preset. Here are the ones I focused on to set up my mobile recording preset…

Name:

I chose “P-Mobile” (for Podcastification - Mobile”)

Select Intro:

When you click on the drop down it will give you the option to choose from one of your external services. For me, I chose the proper Dropbox account (if you have more than one, be careful to choose the right one).

You’ll see little spinner thing appear for just a second as Auphonic searches the Dropbox account you selected, and then a second drop-down box will appear to allow you to select a file from Dropbox.

When you choose that dropdown, lo and behold, there are your files to select. In this case, I selected my intro.

After you’ve selected the proper intro file, you want to set what Auphonic calls an “Overlap” duration… this simply means:

“How much (in seconds) do you want the ending of your intro to overlap the main content you upload later through the app?”

You may not want any overlap. You may want a lot. But keep in mind - this is referring to the END of your intro file and the BEGINNING of your main content to be uploaded.

You will likely need to listen to your intro file and watch the timestamp as it moves in order to determine exactly how much space you have at the end of it for an overlap. The cool thing about a phonic is that it will automatically duck your intro volume underneath the content of your main file once you upload it. No need to make any adjustments. :)

In my case, I chose 3 seconds because I only want my main content overlap The Fading cymbal crash at the end of my intro for a small portion of time.

Now you will start the same process for your outro. Using the drop-down box, select the proper external service, which should be the exact same as it was for your intro.

Once you have made your selection you will be provided a second drop down box from which you can choose the appropriate outro file.

Then you need to select the overlap time for your outro. Be careful that you think about this one differently, it's actually the exact opposite of what you did on your intro.

The way to think about it is that you are specifying how much of the BEGINNING of your outro file should play underneath the END of your main content file that will be uploaded later through the app.

In my case, I timed out how much music plays at the beginning of my out row before the voiceover begins and discovered that I had about 33 seconds to play with, so that is what I chose for my overlap amount.

The rest of the fields on the page are pretty self-explanatory. Keep in mind that things like your title and track number will need to be input later, after you have determined what those things will be. For now, you are only completing the fields for those things that will be the same on every episode.

If you would like Auphonic to automatically send a finished copy of your audio file to Dropbox, Google drive, or another external location, you can do that as long as you have already set up that location. As you see in the following image, I am having mine sent directly to my media host and to my Dropbox account.

At the very bottom of the page you are allowed to choose what processes Auphonic we'll run on your uploaded file and combined intro and outro. I typically use all four of the check boxes shown and set the loudness target to - 16 LUFS.

Once you've done everything on the page that you care to do, be sure to save the preset using the big red button at the bottom right.

That's it! You have just set up the preset that you will use when your recording from your mobile device. Let's move on to the actual recording and uploading using the app.

Next, learn your way around your Auphonic app to do your mobile recording simply and easily

The Auphonic team has provided two versions of its mobile app, one for iPhone and one for Android. It's going to be next to impossible for me to demonstrate both because I am an Android User, not an iPhone user.

But most people listening to this podcast are tech savvy enough to figure it out on their own. Just download the app (links below in the resources section) and begin playing around with it. It's pretty simple.

Before you actually open the app to do an actual recording for your podcast, be sure you have a good quality external microphone and have it plugged in.

The microphone that I used is the Rode VideoMic ME (link in resources below). It comes with an attachment to secure it to your phone, and a “deadcat” type windsock to cut down on wind noise. I have intentionally used it in high winds to see how effective it is and was pleasantly surprised.

Once you have the microphone plugged in, it's time to record.

In the case of the Android app, it opens immediately to a list of recordings you have made, and if you haven't made any it will not show any. There is a red microphone at the bottom of the screen and tapping it takes you to the recording screen.

Tap the big red record button and begin talking.

When you finish recording, press the pause button as shown in the image below. Notice that just below the timestamp in the middle of the screen is an option to save the recording. You will need to do that before you were able to send it to Auphonic and use your preset to process it.

The following screen will display your recording in a WAV file format. Tapping on the Auphonic log will enable you to access your Auponic account, name your file, and select the preset you created.

Choose the “START” button and your file will begin to upload and Auphonic will do its magic!

What you can expect from this approach to mobile recording

When I discovered that Auphonic had features that allowed me to record in this manner, I knew the sound quality of my resulting file would probably be pretty good because Auphonic is an amazing application.

What I didn't know is whether using the external mic and the intro and outro presets would work the way that I hoped.

I wasn't disappointed. As you can here on this episode, The mini-episode that I placed in the center of the main episode, which was done entirely using this mobile recording method, turned out very good considering that I was standing outside in my freezing backyard.

Of course, there are other ways to do mobile recording, but many of them require a bag full of equipment and I really didn't want to spend the money or the time figuring out what I would have to Lug around with me on trips. So this is my solution.

All in, this approach cost me right around $75 for the microphone, and 4 most people the Auphonic account will turn out to be free. Throw in the free app, and this is a low-budget approach to mobile recording that anyone can do.

I would love to hear your thoughts, questions, and other mobile recording approaches so be sure to connect with me using the contact information on the page.

Resources and Items I mentioned in this episode to help you set up your own mobile recording solution

• Auphonic - an incredible audio processing service
• Get the Auphonic app for iPhone and Android
• The external mic I’m using - The Rode Videomic ME (caution: make sure the mic you get fits your smart device)
• Dropbox
• Google Drive
• My Melanzana pullover hoodie was purchased here :)

Leave a question for me to answer!

https://www.speakpipe.com/Podcastification

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

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Subscribe to Podcastification here!

 

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If I were to insist to you that you are your best PR manager, you would probably think I'm crazy. Why? Because you don't know anything about PR.

But my guest today, Josh Elledge says that anyone can be their own best PR manager if they are willing to put in the effort that it takes to do PR the right way and expand their brand through the exposure that comes from promotions to, and through traditional media.

This episode is a gold mine for those who know how to work and are willing to do it for the sake of their podcast and brand. I think you're going to love me for giving you this conversation.

But I forgot - you love me already, don't you?

 

Be Your Own PR Manager: Here are the Main Points

• [2:35] Why I invited Josh on the show - his unique path to being a PR Manager
• [3:35] Why Josh feels a moral imperative to help brands with PR
• [7:38] How you can pitch yourself to traditional media as an independent podcaster
• [13:05] What should podcasters include in their media kit to lend authority to their brand?
• [17:15] The difference between a press kit and a media kit - and why it matters
• [19:20] The best way to make your pitch to any media outlet - and it works every time
• [26:08] Why would a podcaster want to take the PR route to get more exposure?
• [28:58] Where do we start in determining what media outlets to target?
• [32:01] How can a person with multiple “personas” or areas of specialization build their brands with equal power?
• [34:32] How Josh turns digital entrepreneurs into digital celebrities - and how you can get his $1200 course for free

Exposure is everything, so if you get enough exposure from your PR management, everything else is going to be alright.~ Josh Elledge

Most of us who have been podcasting for any length of time understand the importance of exposure. I'm talking about the magic that happens when your name or brand becomes synonymous with the service or products that you provide.

THAT is right next door to celebrity status, and Josh Elledge says that's exactly what he does for people like you and me.

Public relations is all about that kind of exposure. Josh Elledge is a self-taught and incredibly successful PR manager who teaches digital entrepreneurs how to become media celebrities. And in his words, he has a moral imperative to do exactly that.

Honestly, I'm quite astounded at Josh's willingness to share what he knows with peons like us.

He's got years of experience doing exactly what he teaches and is willing to put that experience to work for you through giving you an incredibly generous gift. If you want to know what it is - hint: it a $1200 value - you will have to listen to this episode of the podcast.

It’s relatively easy to get exposure on traditional media outlets. But you’ve got to be willing to do what it takes. Learn how to crank up your PR machine, from Josh Elledge

There are lots of hyped-up statements on the internet these days so it's hard to know what you can really believe. But after talking with Josh Elledge on this episode, I came to believe that what he says about being able to successfully manage your own PR is absolutely true.

What is it he says? THIS: It's relatively easy to get yourself and your brand exposure on the small-scale media outlets around you. That means your local newspaper, local television, and other similar media outlets. And here's the thing you really need to know - those opportunities are the stepping stones that take you to bigger and better things, like regional and national media exposure.

But there is a catch, you have got to be willing to do the hard work required to get those kinds of results. In this conversation, Josh shares exactly what you need to do to accomplish those things, including how to develop your own Media Kit, how a Press Kit can help you, and exactly how to reach out to and pitch the media outlets you want to be featured on.

It sounds too good to be true, but it's not. Don't miss this episode. If you are not allergic to hard work this could be the answer to finding and reaching the niche audience you've been after.

Where do you start when deciding what media outlets to make your PR pitch to? Figure out who brings the money into your business

If you take the time to walk through the exercises that Josh Elledge shares on this episode of Podcastification, you are going to have all the tools you need to make an effective public relations pitch to the media outlets that can help you reach your target audience.

But how do you decide which media outlets you should target?

I asked Josh that exact question and he came back with the perfect answer: First look at where the money in your business comes from. Then, consider which media outlets are most likely to reach that target audience. That's the way you will be able to determine which of them you should focus on first.

It makes perfect sense, but it's not something I would have thought of on my own. Josh is a very generous guy and I hope you will take the time to learn from him, apply what he teaches you, and watch your podcast audience and potential sponsorship opportunities explode.

How can a person with multiple “personas” or areas of specialization build multiple brands with equal effectiveness?

One of the things I was very curious about when talking with Josh Elledge is the fact that he has two businesses and both operate with the same level of effectiveness. How does a person manage the PR and exposure of two very different brands and keep themselves from seeming disjointed and unfocused to those two different audiences?

Josh admitted that it's not an easy balancing act but that it can be done. In this episode, he reveals how he goes about keeping his two brands distinct and also keeps himself on track with each of them in ways that keep his PR machine rolling along smoothly.

You're going to get so much out of this episode - so take notes and begin taking action on the things that Josh shares.

Connect with Today’s guest

Josh Elledge is on a mission to help entrepreneurs attract their perfect audience! He is Founder and Chief Executive Angel of SavingsAngel.com ®, and has emerged as one of the nation’s leading experts on consumer savings.

• UpEnd PR - Josh’s PR Agency
• Savings Angel - Josh’s first successful site (and PR challenge)
• The Saving Angel Show - Josh’s podcast
• Get Josh’s $1200 course for free

SavingsAngel.com has become a major operation employing up to 50 employees and grossing more than $5 million in sales over the past eight years with less than $500 spent in advertising. Hint: It's all PR.

Josh has shared his successful couponing and savings expertise with millions of families, both online and in person as a dynamic public speaker, as a weekly syndicated columnist for nine newspapers (with total readership above 1.1 million readers), and on a number of radio stations, and regularly appears on more than 75 TV stations across the country.

All told, Josh has appeared on TV or radio more than 2000 times.

Josh is also a podcaster. That should give you special respect for this guy - he knows just what you’re going through as a podcaster.

His show, The SavingsAngel Show is the number one consumer shopping and savings lifestyle podcast on the planet. Josh shares life hacks, deals, and researched strategies for earning and saving more money.

But that’s not the point of him being on Podcastification today - through the years, Josh has consulted hundreds of successful entrepreneurs – assisting them in creating the same sort of success he's earned. That consulting eventually led to the creation of upendPR.com – which is designed to inspire and provide a road map for entrepreneurs who want to dramatically increase their own sales by attracting the perfect audiences without the typical expense associated with a PR firm.

upendPR is a software as a service / membership-based website providing step-by-step video coaching, live training, direct access to over 1 million media contacts, media monitoring for ongoing story-ideas, agency-level journalist inquiry monitoring, ongoing pitch creation, and impactful consulting for entrepreneurs and startups seeking to exponentially increase sales & traffic.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

John Livesay - podcast: The Pitch Whisperer

 

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

On Facebook

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Subscribe to Podcastification here!

 

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There are quite a number of easy wins you can get to make your podcast better.

Is there any reason you wouldn't want to do them?

I have the privilege of spending a lot of time checking out the resources podcasters are producing, from their podcast episodes to their websites and promotional material. Do you know what I find? Lots of obvious mistakes that I guess aren't so obvious to the podcaster in question.

In this episode I share with you 8 of the things I've noticed that many podcasters are messing up when it comes to their websites, the way they present their brand, and the way they interact with their following. I'm certain you will find something in here that you can tweak to get an easy win for your show.

Main Points : Easy Wins (by avoiding 8 common mistakes)

• [1:22] How I come across the obvious mistakes podcasters are making
• [3:14] Things about your website you need to understand
• [4:23] MISTAKE 1: Taking people AWAY from your website. It’s an EASY fix
• [8:02] iTunes ranks podcasts on one thing only. Do you know what it is?
• [9:05] MISTAKE 2: No subscription options
• [12:53] MISTAKE 3: Wonky episode titles that ignore keyword optimization
• [16:52] MISTAKE 4: Where is your contact info? Social only? Really?
• [19:48] MISTAKE 5: Podcast listens are happening more and more via mobile - can those people easily contact you?
• [22:18] MISTAKE 6: Cover Art that makes me want to throw up or yawn
• [27:52] MISTAKE 7: The website link in iTunes should go…. Where????
• [30:22] MISTAKE 8: Brand names or Cutesy show names

Your podcast player can be like the glue that keeps people on your page

It seems like many podcasters don't understand how and why Google chooses the websites it serves up to people who are searching for various things. It all has to do with Google's perceived value of the resources that are provided on that webpage.

But Google is a computer algorithm, how does it know?

Google's designers, as well as the designers of Bing and Yahoo, have programmed their systems with algorithms that look for certain indications of whether searchers are actually finding the content they discover on web pages to be valuable to them, or not.

One of the most important of those indicators is the time a searcher spends "on page" once they make a selection from the search results.

That simply means if you want to tell Google you've got valuable content, you need to keep people on your show notes pages as long as possible.

In my opinion, a podcast player can be an incredible tool to use simply because it DOES keep people on your website pages longer. It's like glue - as long as they are listening, they are not going anywhere.

So can you see what mistake number one might be? You got it! No web players on the page.

In fact, some people are even sending searchers away from their websites to listen to their episodes on Stitcher or Google Play or iTunes. Find out how I suggest you remedy this problem by listening to this episode. And hey, you'll help Google know this page was helpful to you!

Subscription options: Are you including them on your show notes pages and player descriptions?

It doesn't seem to be common knowledge, but iTunes determines which podcasts to rank highest in its search algorithms primarily by the number of subscribers there are to that show. That means if you are not asking your listeners to subscribe to your show, specifically in the iTunes platform, you are missing out on the opportunity to rank your show higher in iTunes organic search.

But that only has to do with Search in iTunes.

There's a related issue here that you need to be aware of as well, and that has to do with whether people are subscribing to your show at all (no matter the directory or app).

In this episode I explain why asking your listeners to subscribe is important and how it can benefit you, providing an easy win for your podcast promotion.

Episode 27: Bobby Smith. - What’s wrong with that title?

That's a pretty stupid episode title, don't you think? All it tells the reader is that some person named Bobby Smith is being interviewed on that episode. There's no topic, there's no appealing headline, in fact, it's so boring most people will simply click away without giving it a second thought.

You don't want that for your podcast episodes. So take the time to name them effectively.

In this episode of Podcastification - you can click the player above and hear it for yourself - you are going to hear what goes into a great episode title, why it is important, and how easily you can fix them the moment you're done listening.

If that is not an easy win I don't know what the words mean.

If you have no easy contact info on your website - you’re telling me you don’t really want to talk to me

When I go to a website and want to connect with the person who has created it, I expect that I will be able to click on the contact tab and send them an email, fill out a form, or some how reach out to them directly.

What do I find most of the time?

Social media profiles linked from the website. And in some cases, nothing at all.

It makes me think that the person behind the website doesn't really want to talk to me, no matter who I am.

What if I was their ideal client with my pockets full of money? What if I wanted to hire them to do business with me?

The only option I have is to reach out to them through social? Really? There has to be a better way. And there is. You'll hear about it on this episode of Podcastification.

Here’s an experiment to demonstrate how important good cover art is - and how you can get an easy win by fixing yours

Cover art changes are an easy win for every podcaster who needs it and to prove the point I have an experiment for you to try.

I have a little experiment for you to try. Next time you're seated at your computer…

• Open up the iTunes directory.
• Go to the business category
• Then click on the "see all" link.
• Scroll through the images you see there that represent the various podcasts available.

What do you notice?

Some of them stand out right away, others make you want to yawn, or worse yet, throw up. Which kind do you think is more beneficial for your podcast?

Creating good looking cover art for your show is an easy win. It's one of those ways you can stand out in a very crowded podcast niche. Seriously, I will click on a nice looking piece of cover art over a boring cover art selection any day. It's just human nature.

The good news is that anytime you want to update your cover art you can do so inside your media host and iTunes and all the other directories will pull that information almost instantly.

You can find out more great tips like this for getting easy wins for your podcast on this episode of Podcastification.

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

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As a person involved in doing podcast production, it is fairly often that someone asks me if my company offers a service to help them discover and book podcast guests.

Our company doesn't, but I know someone who does. ;)

My guest today is one of my podcasting clients, Andrew Alleman, and for a while now he has been offering a monthly newsletter that highlights opportunities to both be a guest on podcasts and find guests for your podcast.

But now he has upped the game. This episode explains the new directory Andrew has created and how you can use it to find the perfect guest for your podcast and how you can be found as a podcast guest for someone else's show.

Don't miss out on this one. It's simple, but many of the greatest ideas in the world are simple.

Oh no! My podcast guest just canceled! What do I do?

Have you ever run into a situation where a person who was booked to be a guest on your podcast has to cancel at the last minute? What do you do when you were counting on that conversation to fill the next slot in your podcasting schedule?

Now you have a very real possibility of finding a replacement guest for that episode of your podcast within minutes. Podcast Guests is a website that provides a directory of professional experts in a variety of niches. You can scan through the directory to find the person, or the people, who perfectly fit the audience you are trying to produce content for.

In this conversation, Andrew Alleman and I talk about the new service at Podcast Guests, including the various payment options, and all the bells and whistles that are included in each of the plans.

If you were looking for an easier way to find guests for your podcast, or a way to be found as an expert guest on someone else's show, this episode is for you.

Everybody likes a discount. Here is how you can get 25% off the directory listing service at Andrews new website, Podcast Guests.

If you would like to try out the new service at Podcast Guests, Andrew Is offering a 25% off coupon that will continue to give you the discount month after month as long as you stay subscribed.

Isn't that a great deal? Andrew is a great guy and it doesn't surprise me that he's being so generous.

Look below to get the coupon code that you can use to get this fabulous discount. And please know, Andrew has set up the code to link to my account within his service, which provides me a little bit of change for extra coffee anytime you use the code to receive the discount... and you still pay the same 25% off price. What a deal!

COUPON CODE: p25 (affiliate offer)

Main Points : Get More Podcast Guests

• [1:23] A new service from Podcast Guests - no longer just a newsletter!
• [4:25] How the pricing works: FREE baseline services with upgrades for $$
• [7:01] Andrew’s giving you a coupon code to try the service out!
• [9:00] The feedback being received so far (it’s pretty good!)
• [12:02] How the format works - it’s user-friendly
• [19:49] Get your coupon code for 25% off the monthly subscription!

Connect with Today’s guest

• Andrew Alleman
• www.PodcastGuests.com
• Sign up for the FREE newsletter
• ** Get a subscription ** to be featured in the newsletter and online directory - and this IS **my affiliate link** - use the coupon code p25 to get 25% off a monthly subscription “in perpetuity”

resources mentioned in this episode

• My Profile on Podcast Guests (to show you what’s possible)
• Andrew’s previous episode (#39)

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

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Subscribe to Podcastification here!

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

Are you experiencing the struggle to make time for your podcast?

You are definitely not alone. Perhaps the most common question I receive for appliance and others who find out that I am a podcast producer and Coach is how they can find time to actually do the work required to put out a great podcast.

There are no easy answers. I hope you're not listening to this episode expecting that. But there are approaches you can take to the issue that can help you do better than you're doing now, perhaps.

This episode is aimed at the podcaster who is working a full-time job while trying to build and grow a podcast audience. It's my best tips for how to go about making the time for this thing you love called your podcast.

Main Points : Making The Time for Podcasting

• [1:19] The reality of the time-crunch every podcaster faces and why YOU have to figure the issue out for you
• [2:28] BACKGROUND: I started podcasting while I worked a full time job
• [3:44] The elephant in the room: something is going to have to go - you have to decide
• [7:09] The two options I’ve discovered: early morning and late evening
• [9:12] Make it happen by starting small
• [11:20] Applying these principles to different types of show formats
• [15:59] The vital nature of getting your family on board - and my suggestions for how to do it
• [18:00] Why you need to think through your own tendencies to put off your podcast

Almost everybody I know has more time than they think they have for the things that are important to them.

You may have heard that said already on other podcasts, and the reason you have is because it's true. We all have the same amount of time in a given week, and some of us accomplish incredible amounts of stuff during that time while others don't.

What's the difference?

Obviously, it's not that one of them has more time. It's that they have learned what it takes to make the most of the time they do have.

This episode is not about productivity, that was episode 78 with Ari Meisel (so make sure you go back and listen to that one to get some great Automation and productivity tips.)This episode is focused more on helping you make the hard decisions you're going to have to make in order to create the podcast that will fuel your vision and serve your audience at the same time.

You won't do it by being lazy, and you can't do it by making excuses. Somebody's got to say it like it is, and I'm not shy about that sort of thing, so there you go.

Do yourself a favor of listening to this episode. Even if what I suggest doesn't fit your situation exactly, it should get your creative juices flowing and your motivation going so that you can learn where in your schedule you can make the time to get your podcast produced and out there for your listeners to enjoy.

The ways I suggest you make time for your podcast are not a one-size-fits-all solution.

You may very well find out what I suggest on this episode doesn't fit your circumstances. That's fine, I don't know your life so it is impossible for me to speak exactly to it. But the principles behind what I share apply across the board with no problem.

You have the time to do the things that are important to you. If that's your podcast, then you have time to podcast.

My suggestions in this episode are examples of what it might look like for some people. So figure out what it looks like for you and make the adjustments necessary to produce that great podcast you envision when you first started.

You can do it. I know you can because I have seen hundreds of podcasters now who have done it. If they can, you can.

What about your family? Did they understand how important your podcast is to you?

One of the most important things about figuring out how to do your podcast week-to-week is making sure that the people in your family not only understand what a podcast is implying you are podcasting in the first place, they also need to be on board with you in making the room in your schedule for it to happen.

If you don't make the time to have these kind of important conversations you will find yourself frustrated by the people you love the most, and you don't want that.

In this episode is outline some of the important things you need to consider when having a conversation with your family about the commitment you're making to your podcast journey. They don't have the benefit of your enthusiasm and your knowledge about what a podcast could do for you or your audience. It's your job to let them know.

Don't shy away from having that conversation, even if you think it might be hard. In most cases, the benefits you derive from getting things out in the open and getting everyone on the same page are going to far outweigh the discomfort you feel when you initially start to talk about these things.

Your family wants to support you, and you need to go into the conversation believing that. Think the best of them and you'll get a lot further then you would if you expect resistance.

Leave your question for me to answer!

resources mentioned in this episode

• SpeakPipe - a place you can receive recorded comments from your audience
• You Can Book Me - the scheduling app I use. The free version is very powerful.

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Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

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