Month: January 2021

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podcast

483- BONUS – Podcast workflow and planning vs spontaneity recording

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we discuss a couple of styles of podcasting for those who have already launched their shows — and sometimes, these may appear to be extreme opposites. This type of debate has been active since 2004 when the podosphere took shape.

One style is that of a planned workflow, with planned topics or interviews. The key elements for the podcaster here are:

  • selecting a topic that will provide VALUE to the listener;
  • planning the sub-topics or elements of the discussion;
  • planning for quality show notes for each episode;
  • planning for good SEO aspects of the episode for the show;
  • ensuring that the recording will result with the best audio possible;
  • if interviewing, ensuring that a release is provided and agreed to;
  • if with a co-host, ensuring that they are both on board with the topic, style, format, flow and questions to impact the episode;
  • planning for good transitions (either in spoken audio or music);
  • after recording, doing the best editing possible for quality episodes;
  • planning for workflow steps to ensure quality mp3 is finished;
  • uploading the episode to your media host provider;
  • planning for quality announcement to your media channels or social media platforms that you have published an episode;
  • preparing follow-up tasks or surveys or feedback conversations for your audience;
  • receiving, responding and following up on your own replies to any feedback from your audience;
  • planning how this episode will impact your brand and your show and your business;
  • preparing for the next episode with VALUE to listeners in mind.

Another style is the age-old “spontaneous” type, where the podcaster usually will:

  • have very little or no planning (not even with a co-host or interviewee);
  • just hitting the “record” button and begin talking;
  • being able to change topics or go to a spontaneous discussion other than what was started;
  • having no planning for music or audio intros or outros;
  • having no plan for timing or length of the episode;
  • finally, stopping the recording when completed;
  • doing very little or NO EDITING, because the podcaster wants to deliver “reality” content that has not been altered in any way;
  • uploading to the media host and
  • publishing the episode with a title that is conceived just prior to publishing, usually not planned;
  • having no plan for follow up or feedback from any possible audience.
  • going on to the next episode in the “stream-of-consciousness” method for more “reality” podcasting.

So, if you are a hobby podcaster and are just starting, you may be deciding which type of podcaster you can be.

With all the courses and videos that instruct you how to prepare for a podcast episode, and then how to launch your podcast show, you may be confused about which is the best way to start and proceed.

For this podcaster, I have had a background in events and communications marketing. Thus, I have seen the value in planning and preparation — the essence of strategy and discipline to launch a show with an objective of audience growth and monetization.

So, in this relaxed atmosphere of communications due to the mandates of the phony virus crisis, we would like to ask you to reflect for yourself which type of podcasting you will like to do in the near future.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2020, Matrix Solutions Corporation . All rights reserved.

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podcast

482- What it means to RETIRE from Professional Podcasting

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we discuss the situation of retiring from professional podcasting, but yet not leaving the podosphere either as a podcaster that creates and publishes content, and still enjoying the arena of creating and distributing your messages.

I was listening to an earlier podcast from Adam Schaeuble’s show called Podcasting Business School, and in one episode, I realized the idea of being a successful podcaster and reaching your objectives both in audience growth and monetization — but now what? How does this fare for me for the future? And what’s next for me, both as entrepreneur and podcaster or screencaster?

For this podcaster, I had a maximum of 18 podcast shows — and 16 of them at the same time in 2011. However, as the themes and topics for content dwindled because of the nature of the shows, I had to podfade them until I only had one left before I added two more.

Now, did ask myself if I had accomplished what I set out to do. I also noticed that there were more than a million podcast shows published in the podosphere (1.3 million to date, I think). So did I figure that I would continue on the road to audience growth and monetization?

Not really. And why?

Because of my health problems that hit me 3 years ago with a vengeance, and because I no longer wanted to compete with others for monetization, I realized that I had learned a lot with my experience to help others, as well as relax any stress of working harder and podcasting more — but enjoying it less.

So I thought that I could still publish my content and distribute my messages to deliver VALUE to my audience, while really feeling as if I had RETIRED from being a professional podcaster that had to make a certain amount of money from podcasting or generate more listeners. This feeling of being RETIRED came from a presentation in 1978 from Lem Jones, an instructor in the IBM Systems Science Center, in which he stated that “if you enjoy what you are doing, you are basically RETIRED for your own good, or retired from your job which you can define.”

This feeling of being FREE from the stresses of publishing content to compete with others and to compete with the environment of the podosphere led me to create even two more podcast shows (after podfading 15 of them previously due to my taking care of my own health and that of my poor mother who was suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s). And they are still going strong, without any marketing or advertising on them. In fact, one of the shows was republished on the No Agenda Stream and the speaker referred to this show as a “quality podcast.” And I did nothing to promote or market my podcast show.

So, as the very old TV sales commercial in the 1950s and 1960s said in their advertising hook “Are you smoking more but enjoying it less?”  And this tag line struck a chord with me to know that I was competing in podcasting more, but enjoying it less.

Therefore, I retired from the stress and tension of the business of podcasting — but I did not retire from the enjoyment of podcasting.

Even though I am screencasting and creating training videos for other clients, I still keep podcasting almost daily, because for me, “PODCASTING is a labor of love” in which I can get my message into content that will bring value to other podcasters and to my audiences.

So even though I still do research and create and publish content that can be of VALUE to my audience (especially lessons learned from my past and present experiences in business and podcasting), I do so on MY TERMS that result from my passion.

So, I hope that you perhaps will be thinking of your future in podcasting. What is your strategy for “retiring”? And does it contain the ability to retire, yet still continue podcasting because of your Passion for it? Remember — in the beginning of the podosphere, most of the podcasters in 2005 were passionate enough that they wanted to enter this arena and share with others their message only because they enjoyed it and many did not have any desire to monetize it.

So I will keep my passion of podcasting alive and well with this show, as well as my other two shows, even though I am basically “retired” from the podosphere as a professional podcaster.

I hope your future also includes “retiring” from the stress that may be caused by podcasting, yet enjoying the freedom to podcast in your “retirement.”

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2020, Matrix Solutions Corporation . All rights reserved.

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505- Third try for Podcast University — hoping to get it right

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we present to you the invitation that was sent by the folks at Podcast Movement for PMU (Podcast Movement University).

Now, this program is now on its third try for entering the podosphere with some success — since the dark days of 2007, when Jason Van Orden first published the Podcast University program when his book was on sale in the first Podcast and Portable Media conference in Ontario, California.

The promotion was sent out via email to members who had attended or registered for the Podcast Movement Conference in the past. And here is the pdf document that described this new program:

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/fgcastgain/505-_Invitation_for_PMU_-_a_third_time.pdf

If you want to sign up for this, you have to choose between two plans. Since this is a paid offering, you may choose for the monthly or annual offering. Yes, although the first month is free, you still have to give the site your credit or debit card information and then begin to be charged after the first month.

I, myself, did not want to sign up for this program for a third time (the first 2 were failures), and so I chose not to enroll nor give my financial information.

However, as you will hear in this audio episode, the benefits for pro podcasters may not seem to be as rich as in prior offerings. At least, they were not for me when I did my cost-benefit analysis (which I also based on past experiences from the last “University” offering).

I hope that you can also compare and contrast the benefits and the return-on-investment for this offering of the program so that you can see the possible benefit of this program for your own podcast show. And if you do sign up for it, I wish you the best of luck in achieving your goals as a participant of this program.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2021, Matrix Solutions Corporation and podcastmovement.com. All rights reserved.

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podcast

481- Four years to Profitable Podcasting — a case study

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we refer you to a recent podcast episode in the Podcasting Business School show, namely episode 113 that is about five necessary steps that a podcaster must take toward monetization success (as well as the pillars, etc.).

The host of this episode, Adam Schaeuble, tells the story of how he was able to become a profitable podcaster after four years. There are a lot of best practices, as well as land mines that he found along the way. And he recounts them to you, the podcaster and listener, in his episode #113 of his show.

As you will hear in his audio episode, Adam addresses the desire for monetization by a podcaster who sold his current business and went in full-time as a professional podcaster with a desire to do the correct steps toward monetizing his shows. He stresses the long-term creation of a show that will provide VALUE to audiences, as well as giving you the monetization categories. These are very important in the planning stage of going full-time into podcasting with the idea of creating your shows as a business — after all, you will become an entrepreneur.

But what is important is the series of roadblocks that needed to be overcome during the 4 years of his podcasting experience that we use as a case study for this episode.

Adam gives the good, the bad and ugly of creating a good podcast to deliver VALUE that results in monetization for full-time podcasters. And we hope that this can answer some questions for the new and aspiring podcasters — such as, “how long until I can get money from my episodes and show?” and “how long until I can quit my day-job and go full-time into podcasting with a profitable podcast?”

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2020, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Adam Schae . All rights reserved.

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480- The real value of Podcast downloads and reviews and subscriptions

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In this episode of the Podcast Reporter show, we discuss a recent interview with Rob Walch, VP of Podcaster relations for libsyn. This was done by the audio podcast show called Podcasting Business School.

The main theme throughout this 48-minute audio interview by Adam Schaeuble was the REAL value to a podcaster of downloads, reviews and subscriptions of a podcast show and its episodes.

Now, I have known Rob Walch since 2006 when I met him at the very first Podcast and Portable Media Expo in Ontario, California and had a great conversation with him. I have read his book, and I have also interviewed him on this podcast show in the past, especially at conferences where he was representing libsyn.com. And because I respect so much his talent and his leadership and his contributions to the podosphere, I treat him like the “EF Hutton” in podcasting — that is, when he talks, everyone stops to listen. He has also had an early podcast show in 2004 and following called Podcast411.com. This was the audio podcaster’s version of “Inside the Podcaster’s studio” that mimicked the similar version of the television show for actors and directors.

As you will hear in that audio episode from the Podcasting Business School show, Adam inquires mainly about dowloads and their value to the aspiring and new podcaster mainly. However, Rob takes it a notch higher and explains the REAL VALUE to the podcaster of:

  • podcast episode downloads
  • podcast episode and show reviews, and
  • podcast show subscriptions.

For myself, I had never really got caught up in the mental fantasy of having zillions of downloads, as I chose NOT to advertise on any of my 18 podcast shows that I have had in the past 15 years. Instead, I chose to follow the path of monetization and discover value in feedback from other podcasters and listeners. And I chose to be involved in the value of live events and podcasting conferences.

I would very much suggest that you listen to the interview with Rob to see where you would land on the spectrum of reality in podcasting — whether you are drinking your own Kool-Aid in podcasting by believing some of the myths that Rob points out, or whether you are really chasing the value-based targets that can help to grow your podcast audience and lead you to make a success of your podcast show.

The answers have been delivered by Rob Walch and other very early podcasters in the podosphere for the past 15 years, but many of the new and aspiring podcasters still want to defy logic and reality and follow their passion as they try to convert their dreams into what seems the road to success.

We hope that you, as a podcaster, can get value from what Rob explains — for he has the credentials, the logic, the experience and the reality of what it does take to grow your show.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2020, Matrix Solutions Corporation . All rights reserved.

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504- Podcasting future for me is NOT clubhouse

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we discuss a recent episode from Evo Terra of his PodcastPontifications.com show, in which he talks about his answers to five key questions that he is receiving about the new social audio enviroment, Clubhouse, for which the title of the post and episode is “Is Clubhouse the future of podcasting?”

Now, after knowing Evo Terra since I personally met him in 2007 at the 4th Podcamp session in Phoenix (in which he did attend my session on monetization of podcasts at that conference), I have tremendous respect for him, his businesses, his love of podcasting and his “disruptiveness.” And I have interviewed him several times in the past in a prior podcast show called The Struggling Entrepreneur (which has podfaded). So he has been a lighthouse for me in the podosphere since then.

And the five questions he answers are the ones which he has been receiving since January 1, 2021, when he installed and ran Clubhouse. And he makes sure that you understand that this is NOT video, but rather ONLY AUDIO in the environment of new and modern media.

Now, my opinion of this new entrant into the audio-sphere that is pure live-conversations with a “moderator” is purely from others’ descriptions and opinions of it (like Evo). Social audio, yes. But for myself, NO. I have seen the deterioration of social media to the point where “moderators” can deplatform those who do not share their ideologies (e.g., the face-bag or facebook deplatforming and shadow-banning any conservative voices, as well as twitter and google, etc.).

The five questions answered in this 10-minute episode by Evo are:

  • Is the future of podcasting Clubhouse? (Evo says “no”  — but the real question is that Clubhouse will be a part of podcasting’s future;
  • Is it a distribution channel for audio? (reply: it is not designed for that, as it is real-time)
  • Will Clubhouse kill Podcasting?  (reply: no — and Evo gives several examples in the past about other media introductions)
  • Should podcasters invest time in this new environment? (reply: probably not, as history proves that the new ideas may not be as successful as you may imagine)
  • How should podcasters use Clubhouse?

Now, with the details about this new environment are contained with his answers in this almost 10-minute episode. I do suggest that you listen to it, as he has impressed me with straight answers and not going for the “shiny new object” that catches everyone’s attention, even to go forward (remember “blab”?).

Thus, if you wish to try it, you can go to the site for this tool and you can get an invitation to it and try it out yourself.

As a podcaster, I do NOT wish to spend all my time in a real-time “party line” of podcasters who may end up being moderators to promote their social justice warrior themes and begin to ban and deplatform and prevent any discussion or promotion of ideas or themes for which you, the podcaster, may have a passion. To tell you the truth, I am sick and tired of the “karens” and the SJW themes that only will shout-you-down with their rhetoric and inability to carry on a conversation, because they are only promoting their agendas and cannot tolerate any logical thinking or discussion that does not agree with their own ideologies.

For myself, I will keep podcasting, and I will NOT be clubhous-ing, because I feel that this, too, may have a short life (like blab and others).

However, your opinion and your experiences may determine if you want to try it and possibly keep it going. Remember, your mileage may differ, especially if it does go the way of blab.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2021, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Evo Terra at podcastpontifications. All rights reserved.

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podcast

479- Podcasting business school — interview with Ben Krueger

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In this episode of Podcast Reporter, we discuss a recent interview that took place at the Podcasting Business School and Ben Krueger (of cashflowpodcasting.com). It was episode 122.

In the podosphere, I myself have known Ben since 2014, when we both shared an exhibitor table at the very first Podcast Movement conference in Dallas. And I have followed him, since he has delivered value to listeners by his advice (most of it for free from his blog) on how to improve your podcasting and get benefit as a profitable podcast.

As you may know, Ben Krueger is the Podcast Educator, Founder & CEO of Cashflow Podcasting and he’s dedicated to helping Industry Advocates to start, launch and grow world-class podcasts for their businesses. This article spells out the value that Ben brings to new and aspiring podcasters:  “He believes podcasting is one of the best tools to help leaders reach more people, connect more deeply and make an impact because it allows them to educate, motivate and advocate at scale like nothing else.”

Ben Krueger

So this episode 122 of Podcasting Business School as Ben discusses these sub-topics:

  • How he got started in podcasting.
  • Why he things more brick and mortar businesses need to have podcasts to grow their brand.
  • His top tips for podcasting growth.
  • His top recommendations for podcasters that are just getting started.

For this podcaster, I found the concept that Ben delivered that podcasters can be of several categories — and one of them is “riffers.”

Also, Ben describes his beginning journey into the podosphere, including his education into podcasting, and his experience in creating a brand and producing a podcast that will support a business brand — especially with an “internship” in podcasting.

What was very interesting in this interview was Ben’s advice on new or aspiring podcasters “applying blinders.” As you will hear in that interview in episode 122 of Podcasting Business School, this is a description of a trap that the neophytes can fall in when they want success to occur faster than is occurring

Another point that is key to understanding formula for monetization is to find out (from research and survey info) what your audience is willing to pay for. Because very few podcasters don’t — they are so involved (and enamored) with their show, that they do not look beyond their passion. They equate success with their own emotions in finding real value for their listeners.

We hope that you can find come good gems for your podcast show from this 51-minute interview with Ben Krueger.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2020, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Ben Krueger and Podcasting Business School. All rights reserved.

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podcast

478- Podcasting tips on audience development

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In this episode of PodcastReporter.com, we discuss the theme of “audience development” from an earlier post in pacific-content.com called “What is audience development, anyway” by Jonas Woost.  This was from a link in an earlier post at podnews.net.

For new and aspiring podcasters, this topic may be of vital interest, because it tries to address a key success factor in audience reach. As Jonas mentions: “our Audience Development expertise is key to the success of our clients as it ensures we reach the intended listenership with each podcast.”

Now, this article delivers several key ideas for implementation and care. And after a key paragraph of describing the idea of “audience development,” Jonas gives the benefits of success in this area: “In other words, Audience Development is what brings listeners to a podcast, and it’s the job of the content to win these people over. Audience Development is crucial, but it needs to be combined with a solid and well-thought out editorial plan.”

Thus, Jonas then lists the best of these ideas — of which are the following:

  • The purpose of Audience Development;
  • The right audience
  • Podcast marketing
  • Research
  • Product packaging
  • Measurement
  • Distribution
  • The right time to work on Audience Development

For this reporter, the ideas and sub-topics covered in this article have got a good reason for being included in a podcast business plan or podcast marketing plan. Without them, you can easily find yourself diverted to another idea or create another podcast show when you have not even begun to see the “fruit of the podcast tree” come to life yet.

Having the discipline to know about these, plan these out and execute them in an organized manner (within your organizer or planner) can help you reach your goals quickly and measure your success.

However, many new and aspiring podcasters get caught up in the new excitement of publishing their podcast shows and forget that discipline is a key trait that can make your show successful. That is why we suggest that you attempt to spend some time in the planning of your show with these ideas in mind, before you go off and stray into the tempting world of creating yet another podcast show (because you found your first show so satisfying and exciting) — believe me, because I know that from my experience and the “school of hard knocks.” So, perhaps, Jonas’s advice can help you to get a step closer to a good podcast with proven success.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2020, Matrix Solutions Corporation and blog.pacific-content.com and Jonas Woost. All rights reserved.

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BONUS- 475A-Reverse benefit of podcasting — how your sphere of influence can grow YOU

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we deliver some thoughts from an old benefit of starting a podcast. Initially, you were told by such pundits in podcasting like Dave Jackson of the School of Podcasting that podcasts can help you grow your sphere of influence (as well as grow your audience).

Well, after some thought, I have a case study that proves to new and aspiring podcasters, that podcasting can help your sphere of influence to GROW YOU.

Case study is a podcast show that has been around since 2014 — The 2030 Podcast. And, as a short story, this podcast had absolutely NO promotion or marketing or sales calls-to-action. In fact, there was not even a SUBSCRIBE button on the web page of its latest episode, or on the web pages of its prior episodes.

This podcast show grew when its episodes were picked up anonymously by a current podcast show, Grumpy Old Bens, by one of the co-hosts (Sir Ryan Bemrose) and included on a 24-hour online stream (noagendastream.com). It was played as a published episode in which the producing managers found value in what was said and knew that the current audience of noagendastream.com would find it as having great VALUE to the current stream audience.

Now, I myself, as a subscriber to the Grumpy Old Bens show, had heard during various hours of this 24-hour stream my episodes being played and broadcast on the stream. What a wonderful surprise it was to me — and I quickly informed my co-host, Matt Cox of the podcast show called Brunch with the Brits, of that activity. He was surprised and glad of that activity.

But again, there was NO marketing, no promotion, no sales, no bumpers, etc. of any sort to try and increase our audience, and thus to GROW OUR INFLUENCE.

The results: well, since that time, over several months, our download numbers have grown — sometimes to 3,000 downloads per week per episode or more. And all this due to like-minded listeners receiving the stream and hearing our podcast show episodes. And they, then have downloaded the episodes and listened to them.

So, as Dave Jackson said in a recent podcast episode of his School of Podcasting show:  “podcasting can help grow your sphere of influence…”

And now, we have seen that, in our experience, podcasting can help your sphere of influence grow the PODCASTER and the SHOW.

As you will hear in this audio episode, we have included a recent small clip from a show, Grumpy Old Bens, that describes the VALUE of our 2030podcast.com show, in which the co-hosts actually promote the show to their fan base of listeners (that is, to their own sphere of influence).

 

So, as you can see, there is no absolute rule that your podcast must have a plan to drive listeners and increase your audience numbers by growing your sphere of influence. There is always a situation that defies conventional wisdom by having your sphere of influence grow YOU.

We hope that this episode could give you another proven method for you, as an aspiring or new podcaster, to improve the results of your podcast show and episodes. And we wish for you the best in podcasting.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2021, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Grumpy Old Bens. All rights reserved.

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podcast

497- A broadcaster and his journey in podcasting — a look back

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we deliver a look back at one of the original podcasters who came from the area of radio and internet broadcasting. This is Richard Cleveland, who had his production company called Naked Ape Production (the twitter handle is @naked_ape_prod). We were lucky enough to interview him from his site in Canada and learn what the difference would be in the world of “internet broadcasting” and podcasting.

And so, from almost a decade ago, we look at a moment back when the people in the internet did not understand podcasting. And here is how a veteran of over 20 years was able to launch successfully podcast shows with the intent of monetizing businesses in the podosphere.

This was originally an episode from an earlier podcast show called The Struggling Entrepreneur. And we thank Richard Cleveland for his time and his talent. By the way, later on in the years, Richard was a guest podcaster who contributed to one of the “rounds” of the Podcasters’ Roundtable podcast show, created and hosted by Ray Ortega.

In the early days of podcasting, we were forced to educate inquisitive minds about podcasting — we had to explain what a podcast was, and how subscriptions to shows did not necessarily mean a paid amount to subscribe, etc. And thus, Richard found an eloquent method of education so that people initially understood the concept of podcasting — it was an “internet broadcasting show.” And he has always been a proponent of the question: “are we podcasters or internet broadcasters?”

Now, although some of the links or sites may have changed or faded out from the podosphere, we owe much to early podcasters like Richard Cleveland who paved the way for today’s successful platform of new media in podcasting and getting it close to today’s broadcasting on the internet.

Thus, we hope that you will enjoy this repurposed episode from the archives of the early podcasters. And you can see, then, how much has changed, but how much has also stayed the same.

Thank you for your attention as we deliver some memories of podcasters in their journeys from the past.

Copyright (c) 2020, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Richard Cleveland. All rights reserved.