Viral Podcasting

The biggest problem I've had doing my podcasting career is the quality of my Skype connection. For such a well established service, it has a number of deficiences. Dropped calls, fadeouts, clicks, latency issues, etc. And yet it appears to be the cleanest shirt in the laundry. Other services promise the moon and the stars, but can't deliver. Worst part is that they rely upon you sending a connection link to get your interviewee on the call. This is often problematical. As a host, you want to be in control of the call. You don't want to be sitting around waiting for your guest to remeber to connect. With Skype, unlike all the other services, either party to a call can initiate contact. 

For seven years I've looked for a solution. Finally, my good friend Joe Messina has found one. Used properly, it will reduce your Skype issues by a large percentage. It's called QOS - Quality of Service. Found on your router settings, it enables you to allocate bandwith to different apps, programs and devices, either dynamically or in a fixed priority listing. It works amazingly well. If you're using a cable company combo modem/router you probably don't have access to DOS. However, you can simply configure your modem to shut down the built-in router and then connect an after market router. I'm using a Netgear AC1900 Nighthawk. It's way faster than my cable co's router and has QOS. Thus far I'm using the dynamic QOS setting and it's working like a charm. You might also want to consider it, especially  if you're having too many Skype issues. 

Jay Soderberg has been a podcaster since 2005. He was a producer at ESPN and his boss ordered him to become the resident podcasting maven. Not having a choice in the matter, Jay took to the challenge with the passion and intensity he's know for. Now he works for Voxnest, a company which recently acquired Blogtalkradio and Spreaker. He's now working with 10's of thousands of podcasters around the world. The company will be releasing an ad insertion tool that will work with other podcast server sites and allow individuals to monetize their shows. Jay has followed the careers of many well know podcasters and believes that passion is the driver. Knowing your audience and how to communicate with them will go a long ways towards success, but you've got to learn the craft and live it. Podcasting keeps getting more popular and as smartphone automobile integration continues to advance, so will growth. There's a lot more growth coming down the pike.

When it comes to podcasting, everyone knows John Lee Dumas. He's a modern day legend. From starting a podcast with modest goals, he's built an empire. After serving as an officer on the battlefields of Iraq, he went through a number of profitable careers, but always lacked a sense of fulfillment. But he kept at it and eventually gravitated to podcasting. We first connected during a Cliff Ravenscraft mastermind group, when he was just getting started. Fast forward 6 years later, John is living the dream and has taught thousands of others how to master the art of podcasting. As John puts it, "You start out with very few people actually listening to your show. You keep at it and then all of a sudden 2 years, you're an overnight sensation." But remember, just because you know how to talk doesn't mean you can be a podcaster. There's a lot more to success than being able to string a catchy sentence together. You need that something extra and John has obviously found it.

I've said it many times before, podcasting can be a solitary profession. Much of the day, you're at your desk working on future episodes, writing articles and trying to figure out ways to be successful. It's not unusual to have self doubts and question whether your decision to become a podcaster was a wise one. Especially when you're trying to monetize and nothing seems to be happening. On a recent episode of my Financial Survival Network Podcast I shared with my audience that my sister was in the last phase of a chronic illness  and that her impending death had led to a number of family reconciliations. I urged them not to put it off, if you're estranged from a loved one or a friend, take action and get back together. After all, in the end the only people you can really count on is your family. Several days later I received an email that moved me to tears. 

John, a long term FSN member, told me that he was so moved by my words that he immediately texted his son, with whom he had had no contact with in past 10 years. His son texted back along with pictures of a grandchild John didn't even know he had. They're talking again, taking the necessary steps to restore and improve their relationship.

The next time you're wondering whether what you do matters, think again. You have more impact upon people than you would ever believe possible. You make a big difference, so start acting like it.

Once you've perfected your interview skills and you've developed a list of companies who you'd love get on board as sponsors, your work has just begun. But use this technique properly and it's virtually guaranteed to work. First, research out everything you can find on the company and it's CEO. All those small details. How did the company start? Where was it founded? What are their sales? Make a list of facts. Then on to the CEO. Where did she grow up? What college did she attend? How did she wind up with the company? Study this info and become a virtual expert on the company and the CEO. Now listen on to learn how to turn that information into gold. It's guaranteed to work. And it will make your podcast a financial success. It's so simple and yet so powerful.

Michael Harrison, owner of Talkers Magazine and Talkers.com joined us. Michael has been watching out for internet radio since before the advent of the RSS Feed. The moment someone got the bright idea of hooking up a pair of speakers to a computer, Michael knew what was coming. The idea of so-called nonprofessionals doing a radio show was something he welcomed. Now, traditional 20th century media is slowly eroding and making way for a more democratized media marketplace. All you have to do to join is have a modicum of talent and a willingness to work your butt off to get noticed and build an audience. Perhaps anyone can do it, but not everyone is willing to invest the time and frustration into it. It could be years before you realize a monetary profit. But somehow, against all the risks, it's worth it! That's why we do what we do. Michael also believes that 21st century media is part of humanity's evolution. As our media outlets evolve, so  too do we as individuals. In a few short years, the Internet will be the major source of all media distributed world wide. Think how things will look then.

I came across Tina Conroy at Podfest 2018. Last year she was on the fence about rebranding her podcast and website. Her show was entitled Get Into It. From that title, no one could tell what she was selling, what her podcast was about. I implored her to rebrand. It was a difficult process for her but finally she came up with The Intuitive Woman. This title oozes power. You know exactly what it's about and why you should be listening. And best of all, success almost immediatley followed. She's getting thousands of downloads and has an active Facebook group with hundreds of women following her. It's not always this easy, but it certainly can be. Rebranding and reinvention is a part of life. Embrace it now!

Chris Krimitsos is the founder of Podfest. I've been to a number of podcasting conferences and new media shows, but this one is by far the best! Chris puts his heart and soul into producing it. And the end result is amazing. Podcasting is a solitary profession. Most of us slave away in our home studios producing shows and content and forgetting about the world around us. Podfest gives you an opportunity to connect with kindred souls from around the globe. And this year promises to be the best Podfest yet! With nearly 1000 attendees, Chris is doing his best to keep the show's intimate feel. He's arranged a number of activities to insure that you get to meet and greet your fellow podcasters. And the fact that it's set in beautiful Orlando Florida in February gives you a great excuse to escape the cold weather and join in the fun and learning. Sign up now at Podfest.us.

I belong to a podcaster mastermind group. It's a group of experienced podcasters who are right in the thick of things. We had a guest on last week, Michael Harrison, owner of Talkers.com. He was very pessimistic about the future of terrestrial radio. Over the last 15 years, what used to be local independently owned radio stations have become part of massive radio station empires. This led to a decline in programming, especially local, and the rise of the bean counter. Management no longer listens to the radio shows that their companies must produce to succeed. Their only concern is cutting costs and paying off debt. They're dinosaurs heading for the dustbin of history. Podcasters are poised to make great inroads because they are original, focus on their content and show production and they are flexible. Live radio and podcasts aren't relevant unless they deal with breaking news. Otherwise, following the video model of YouTube and the DVR is where it's at. People want to listen to their shows at their convenience, whether on their drive to work or when they're at the gym working out. This is why the future belongs to podcasters. Check out our site ViralPodcating.

Rob Walch started out podcasting in 2004. The field was wide open. He quickly learned that it's all about the content. Invest the time to make a great show and the world will beat a path to your doorstep. And it's been working out that way ever since. He's written two books on the subject that have become bestsellers. While there's a lot of people out there plying the trade, Rob believes that the opportunity to excel is greater than ever. It just takes the right mix of getting the technology right and total commitment to excellent content. Successful podcasting is never an accident of fate, it's the result of hard work and effort.