School of Podcasting - Learn "How To Podcast" with Podcast Coach Dave Jackson

Today I am looking at the mental skills that you use in podcasting. I takes focus, dedication, patience, and passion. I discuss how losing focus can steal you passion, and destroy your attitude. Because of Podcasting... I got a Job [1:30] I spoke about this on the Power of Podcasting (http://powerofpodcasting.com/2009/08/podcasting-helped-me-land-a-job/)podcast (which is no "podfaded" with those stories now being told here). I was up for a job at a local Cleveland University, and when I mentioned that I was a podcaster it gave me an edge over the other candidates. I explained how we could create a podcast for the college spotlighting news on the University, as well as tips on being a better student. They loved the idea. I got hired, but sadly they never implemented the idea (and moved me into admissions - so I found a new job), What's Coming Future Episodes[4:09] I will be reviewing the Seismic audio mixers, and I will be interviewing people who started podcasting in 2004. Stay tuned! Dealing with Your Podcast "Competition" In the latest episode (http://podcastanswerman.com/322/) of Podcast Answer Man Cliff Ravenscraft (someone I consider a friend) explains how he is making six figures as a podcast consulting. Cliff is my friend, but obviously we are both compete for students looking how to podcast. For the record so are Daniel J Lewis (http://www.theaudacitytopodcast.com), Ray Ortega (http://www.thepodcastersstudio.com), and many other podcasters who podcast about podcasting (http://www.podcastsaboutpodcasting.com). When someone has success you can either rejoice or get down as your ego flies out of control. You might feel angry, hurt, rejected, sad, etc. You're self esteem might take a hit. You might fall into one of those "Nobody loves me, everybody hates me, I'll just go eat worms" moods. You get down. So we focused on our negative emotions, and I then ask you a very important question (answer: they don't) Obsessing on your competition does not help you create a better podcast. What Helps You Grow Your Podcast Audience? [9:32] 1. "Driveway Content" - Content that is so awesome that when you audience who is traveling home listening to you in the car will sit in the driveway to hear the end of the podcast rather then go in and be with their family. 2. The Best Audio Quality (or video) you can afford. As I write this my favorite microphone is the Audio Technica 2100 (http://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/2100) 3. A consistent schedule (it shows you are reliable - which leads to people relying on your show). A Negative Attitude: 1. Steels your focus. You are not looking for "driveway" content". You are obsessed on your stats, etc. 2. Steels your passion 3. Doesn't grow your audience. Your Competition Might Have Different Goals You may be trying to do what your competition is doing, but you don't know where they want to go? Your goals may not be going where you want to go? So if you do what they do, you may not end up where you want to be. A Common Ingredient I Noticed in Full Time Podcasters Cliff Ravenscraft (http://www.podcastanswermancom), Jaime Tardy (http://www.theeventualmilloinaire.com), Jason Van Orden (http://www.internetbusiness mastery.com), and John Lee Dumas (http://schoolofpodcasting.com/how-john-lee-dumas-earns-18000-a-month-with-his-podcast/) had little to no debt when they made the switch to doing podcasting full time. With this in mind, comparing yourself to your fellow podcasters may not be fair as they have different circumstances. They may have the ability to work more hours. They may live in a location where they have access to resources. You may be comparing yourself to a situation that is NOTHING like yours. You with this in mind, its not a bad idea to listen to your competition. You can "check in" with them. Don't obsess on them. Instead obsess on making good content. The Positive Approach of Handling Your Podcast Competition

In today's episode we hear about a suspenseful event taking place as the studio as Dave is forced to do his show without any notes. His computer will not reboot. We also hear about how he assembles a podcast, and his opinion after playing with Podcast Artwork Slicer (http://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/slicer) for an hour or so. Podcasts Out Perform Radio Shows in Advertising [2:58] In a recent episode of the New Media Show, Norm Pattiz from podcastone.com (http://www.podcastone.com) (who started westwood one for radio) explained that the right podcast and product can out perform traditional radio. You can hear the full interview (very informative) at newmediashow.com  (http://www.geeknewscentral.com/2013/08/10/new-media-show-16-norm-pattiz-of-podcastone-com/) Norm is helping the "big dog" celebrities by organizing sponsorships. we want Norm to succeed. We really want Norm to succeed. Dave's Podcast Workflow [12:24] 1. Get content that excites me via my life, my audience, or other websites via feedly.com (http://www.feedly.com) What do you want people to do with your podcast? What do you want them to feel? Think about your audience. 2. Record my whole show into a Roland R-05 portable recorder. 3. Import the file on to his computer while he starts his show notes. 4. Use Adobe Audition to assemble clips, into, and the file I just created. I have a session (project in Audacity) saved with all the files I use every week (intro, outro, etc). 5. Export to a an mp3 file. I continue to work on show notes. 6. Add ID3 tags. 7. Upload file to Libsyn.com (http://www.Libsyn.com) as I listen to it at 2X speed in windows media player as I add time tags to show notes. Copy the file location from libsyn and put it into the blog post. 8. Run a spell check, and add a "pretty link" to make it easy to find the episode (today's show is schoolofpodcasting.com/369 (http://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/369) 9. Schedule a tweet in Hoot suite to go out the following day. Podcast Artwork Creator Reviewed [42:45] First thing first. I don't take my car to the dentist to get fixed. With this in mind, its often not the tools, but the person behind the tool that creates magic. With this said, I looked at pixlr.com (http://www.pixlr.com) and Podcast Artwork Slicer as tools to help create inexpensive album artwork. Of the two, I prefer Podcast Artwork Slicer due to its ability to easily resize artwork and text. It doesn't do a ton of things, but what it does do it does it well. Things that could be improved: 1. The ability to resize an image. 2. The ability to save your settings (there is an options to save settings ,but not to load them). 3. The ability to center, or put a grid on their to line things up. The podcast artwork slicer is $10/month. You can sign up, create your podcast and then cancel your subscription. I personally use Becky at podcastdesigns.com (http://www.podcastdesigns.com) and have her create custom artwork (typically around $40) be sure to let her know you came from the School of Podcasting "Let the Pigeons Loose" Contents In a moment of spontaneity, I said whoever emails first with the answer the question, "What old American TV show had an episode where a character kept screaming "Let the pigeons loose". The answer was "Happy Days (http://youtu.be/TwgBuiaMv6M)" and the winner is Tim Thomspon of www.timthompsonshares.com (http://www.timthompsonshares.com). My apologies to anyone who went to youtube and were subjected to video after video of some female wrestler's butt (http://youtu.be/6Z5BS5uR73k). Mentioned in this Podcast The Audacity to Podcast (http://theaudacitytopodcast.com/) Podcasters Studio (http://thepodcastersstudio.com/) New Media Show (http://www.newmediashow.com) Podcasters Roundtable (http://podcastersroundtable.com/pr016-podcasting-is-back/) Davidjackson.org (http://www.davidjackson.org) oncepodcast.com/ (http://oncepodcast.com/)  

Today we talk about the freedom that podcasting provides, we hear about a pothole with Microsoft Word we should avoid, we hear the wonderful tones produced by the Aphex Project Channel, a resource for $10 Podcast Album Artwork, and we talk about the joy of community. Because of my Podcast... I Get to Share What is Important [2:00] Caleb of the Man Show explains how he works in the "main stream" media but truly enjoys the freedom of podcasting and the ability to share what he feels is important to a global audience. He gets to help motivate and connect with his audience at www.manschoolshow.com (http://www.manschoolshow.com) I apologize for getting your name wrong. We Need Podcasting [4:30] Jamie Oliver has got McDonald's to change their recipe for making hamburgers after it has been ruled "unfit for human consumption (http://politicalblindspot.org/hamburger-chef-jamie-oliver-proves-mcdonalds-burgers-unfit-for-human-consumption/)." Now the media isn't covering this story. Why? because it is estimated that McDonald's spends 1 Billion  dollars a year in advertising. If you are a network, would you bite the hand that feeds you 1 billion times? Watch this video (http://youtu.be/twOj0XNCyaY) from Jamie Oliver that explains what happens to beef. School of Podcasting Member Spotlight (http://schoolofpodcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/outsidehealthandfitness.jpg)On the Outside Health and Fitness Podcast we explore new and fun ways to get fit on the trail, on the water, on the slopes and outside. Check it out at www.outsidehealthandfitness.com (http://www.outsidehealthandfitness.com) Find the Outside Health and Fitness podcast in iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/outside-health-and-fitness/id620286952) Don't Use Microsoft Word To Do Your Show Notes [9:30] I was listening to The Feed (the official "podcast about podcasting" from media host Libsyn.com) and it is just chock full of info, one tip was not to use Microsoft Word to write your show notes and then copy and paste them into Wordpress. In a nutshell Microsoft Word includes a bunch of extra code that when pasted into Wordpress can make your feed invalid. For more great tips check out The Feed at blog.libsyn.com (http://blog.libsyn.com) For more Podcast about Podcasting check out www.podcastsaboutpodcasting.com (http://www.podcastsaboutpodcasting.com) Aphex Project Channel Review [14:28] The Aphex Project Channel is a mic preamp with an optimal compressor and patented Aural Exciter and Big Bottom. The compressor is super easy (one knob) and you simply adjust it up for more compression. You can see in the meters how much the compressor is working. It also has phantom power and a low cut filter. My favorite is the big bottom and aural exciter. Why? Because you can choose what frequencies to boost (so you can Taylor it to your voice). This works for both the "big bottom" and the Aural Exciter (adds clarity). Aphex is all about making things easier, and sounding great without having to be a sound engineer to use their products. The Aphex Project Channel is listed at $499 at Amazon If you just want a unit that provides the "big bottom and Aural Exciter" they have those for $299 I currently use a DBX 286a (http://astore.amazon.com/sop-20/detail/B004LWH79A) (which they replaced with the 286s), which has a vocal enhancer, and a noise gate (cuts out background noise) but I don't get to choose the frequencies (only the amount of the boost). If I wanted an Aphex unit with the ability to to dial in the frequency along with a compressor and a noise gate, you would want to purchase the Aphex Chanel Master (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004MQQVCY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004MQQVCY&linkCode=as2&tag=sop-20) which has about every bell and whistle on it for $799 (currently at Amazon). In the same way that the Heil PR40 (http://astore.amazon.com/sop-20/detail/B000BQXOEM) is the "Cadillac" of podcast microphones,

In today's show we talk about podcast media kits. How to make one, what tools to use, and what to do if you're number s are on the low side. We hear about a free software horror story, we hear what five podcass Miss Ilene has been listening to and I talk about the worst audio I've ever heard. Because of Podcast - I'm Seen as the Media [1:50] Brian at the pbnjnetwork.com (http://pbandjnetwork.com/) where he produces the Survival Guide for Christian Men (http://pbandjnetwork.com/asg4cm/) will be attending a promise keepers event as part of the media. He will be doing interviews and hopefully get to chat with some of the speakers. Kevin from the yesmusicpodcast.com (http://www.yesmusicpodcast.com) is celebrating 100 episodes and says he has been able to: * connect with Yes fans across the globe (including places like Latin America, Australia, Indonesia and Japan!) * interview up-and-coming progressive rock bands * interview book authors and Yes-related website owners * interview a former live member of the band * apply for a press pass for the Yes concert in Birmingham next year (I'll let you know if that comes off!) * be rated one of the top 20 personality podcasts in the UK in the 2012 European Podcast Award * start a side career as a professional podcast producer (launching a new education podcast in September) Tips On Creating a Media Kit and Getting Demo Equipment [5:53] If you are looking to demo products on your podcast here are some tips. * Contact the marketing department, not the sales department. * Give them  the ability to stop the review if its bad. * Let your audience know that you didn't buy the equipment (honesty is still the best policy) Tools I used. You can get great download stats from both Libsyncom and Blubrry.com. You can get audience surveys at podtrac.com (http://www.podtrac.com) and blubrry.com (http://www.blulbrry.com) (I believe Libsyn (http://www.libsyn.com)has one as well). You can make your own using the Surveys (http://www.bin-co.com/tools/wordpress/plugins/surveys/)plugin. When Making a Podcast Media Kit Here are Some Items You Can Include * A description of your podcast * How often you publish * Who Listens (demographics):Age, Gender, Education, Marital Status, Household Income, Number of Children * What do they buy online (so use the tools above to ask those questions of your audience) * Any notable quotes from the press, or from listeners from iTunes * Your rating in iTunes * Total number of downloads (ever, per year, month, episodes, etc).  Libsyn.com and Blubrry.com provide these numbers * Total number of monthly unique visitors to your website. * Total number of RSS subscribers * What sponsorship includes (what type of advertising, where it will be located) * About the host(s) Lead With an Impressive Number When I looked at podcast media kits, many people quote the "total number of downloads" which looks impressive and makes a good first impression. You can always wait for the potential sponsor to ask how many downloads per episode that means. Whatever you do, do NOT inflate your numbers. I could say the Feeding My Faith podcast has 4000 downloads (in reality I'm getting about 200 downloads per 20 episodes). It is more impressive to hit people with 4000 downloads than 200. Again, this is NOT false. Its true. The goals it to make a good first impression. If You're Podcast Doesn't Have Impressive Numbers Then... If you don't have a large amount of downloads (over 1000, typically over 8000) how do you sell your podcast? You sell the podcasting platform instead. Explain the power of Podcasting such as: Edison Research 2010 71% of Podcast listeners visit a sponsors website. 40% purchased a product 37% have used a promotional code 28% have listened to a podcast. Approximately 70 million. 67% of podcast listeners listen in their car 2006 11% Listeners 23% in 2010. Awareness has doubled since 2006

In today's podcast I'm playing with all sorts of tools . I recently purchased the Yamaha MG102C mixer and I really like it. It's very flexible, and comes in right under $100. I'm also playing with Radioboss software that allows me to mix in music, jingles, etc and broadcast LIVE to a service like listen2myradio.com. I'm also sharing new from iTunes, Spreaker (http://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/spreaker), iHeartradio, and more. Because of My Podcast.. a New Co-Host [1:55] This week we reconnect with Wayne Henderson of mediavoiceovers.com (http://www.mediavoiceovers.com) shares how his podcast not only got him great sears a Green Bay Packers game, but it also introduced him to a person who is now his co-host of his new podcast about the television show under the dome. Check it out at http://underthedomeradio.com/ (http://underthedomeradio.com/) Yamaha MG102c Mixer Review [5:51] One of the reasons I live the Audio Technica 2100 is its ability to grow with the podcaster. Other usb only microphones turn into a paper weight if you buy a mixer (i.e. blue snowball, blue yeti - usb only). I love Behringer mixers and they fit into most people's budgets. I saw the Yamaha MG102C mixer at Guitar Center which has four XLR inputs, and two of those have a built in compressor, and "inserts" which makes adding additional effects like a noise gate super easy (you don't need inserts to add effects, but it is easier with them). With this in mind if you want to add effects via an insert jack, you have two. You also have additional channels if you want to grow (plug your phone into the mixer, your ipad, or other sound creating devices). The Behringer mixer I was using (Xenyx 802 (http://astore.amazon.com/sop-20/detail/B000J5XS3C) ) is perfect for one or two people, but it doesn't have any inserts or compression (or an on/off button). If I later purchased something like a noise gate, I would plug my mic into the noise gate and the noise gate into the mixer. If you have the extra $40 and you are just starting out, this mixer is a great podcasting mixer and it's (as I write this) $99 at amazon.com (http://astore.amazon.com/sop-20/detail/B000Z7C9T8) iTunes Has One Billion Podcast Subscribers [17:22] When you opened iTunes this week you saw a banner stating that they now had one BILLION people subscribing to podcasts. Some times stats come in and out the ears without a lot of thought. I was teaching at a facility this week that probably had 18 rooms on the floor I was on. Each room had 30 people. That means there were 540 people on that floor if it was full. If we took all the people from itunes who subscribe to podcasts and put them in that building it would be 1,851,858 stories tall. So not only are people listening to podcasts, they are subscribing to podcasts. Not sure how to subscribe? Check out www.learntosubscribe.com (http://www.learntosubscribe.com) Podcast Spotlight Let's Reverse Obesity [21:09] I like to spotlight members of the SOP. This week we are spotlighting Let's Reverse Obesity. This is a great podcast filled with inspiring words of encouragement, front line tactics, personal insights, and brutally honest stories. John is admittedly obese, and you are along for his journey as he shares his progress, and talks about great articles and stories that he has found on the web. Check it out at www.letsreverseobesity.com (http://www.letsreverseobesity.com) IHeartRadio App adds Talk, and Spreaker Holds the Key [24:37] iHeartradio (http://www.iheartradio.com) which has an estimated 30 million registered members has added talk to their app and website. Spreaker has a way to submit your podcast to be listed on this app. According to an interview with a Spreaker executive on the Music Radio Creative podcast this is the "only way" to get into iHeart radio. In looking at the iheart.com site see plenty of podcasts in their talk section that are NOT listed on Spreaker (many of these people i.e. are already famous).

Today we are focusing on creating engaging content that will help you grow your podcast audience. I discovered Erik K Johnson on the New Media Expo blog. I contacted him and he was nice enough to come on the show and discuss creating great content. Member Spotlight Win The Diet War [1:28] (http://schoolofpodcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/winthedietwar-150x150.jpeg)Dr. Nina Savelle-Rocklin is a psychoanalyst and licensed psychotherapist (California License MFC43526) who specializes in helping people stop dieting and start living their best lives. Dr. Nina provides a fresh and new understanding about what triggers bingeing and compulsive overeating.  If you or someone you love has an unhealthy, unhappy relationship to food, she can help! Dr. Nina came to me as a coaching client and professed, "I don't know a thing about audio recording." I worked with her over skype, and she joined the School of Podcasting. She has been listed in iTunes "new and Noteworthy and delivers great content. If you are trying to lose weight, I highly recommend her Win the Diet War podcast (http://www.winthedietwar.com). Podcast Talent Coach Erik K Johnson [4:33] I discovered Erik on the New Media Expo blog (http://www.blogworld.com/author/erik-johnson/)and I really enjoyed his articles and contacted him. YOu can find him at podcasttalentcoach.com (http://www.podcasttalentcoach.com) and erikkjohnson.com (http://www.erikkjohnson.com) Erik has been topping the charts in Radio since 2000. It's one thing to get to the top, and its another thing to stay there. Erik's station even bumped off a rival that had been winning in the ratings for over 20 years. WOW. Today Erik helps use define great podcast content. (http://schoolofpodcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/podcasttalentcoachlogo.jpg)If you're audience isn't responding, then you may not be creating engaging content. Make sure you are talking to your audience not AT your audience. You should avoid words like "Everybody." Talk like you're talking to one person as that is the way its going to be consumed. Have a clear idea of your audience. This is sometimes called "Your Avitar." You have to give to your audience before you can take. For you to be interesting, you have to be interested. Start off your story with an engaging setup. Make "Theater of the mind" "Chit chat" needs to be relevant to the topic of your show. Have a point and have a purpose. Trying to connect with Men and Women requires separate strategies. Your show should be consistent in length. It doesn't depend on what that length is as long as its engaging. Last 5 in 5 The last 5 podcasts Erik listened to were: Responsible Sports  (https://www.responsiblesports.com/media/podcasts-1) Eventual Millionaire (http://www.eventualmillionaire.com/blog/) School of Podcasting (http://www.schoolofpodcasting.com)(this podcast) Dave Ramsey Show (http://www.daveramsey.com/radio/home/#podcast-tab) (saving money) 48 Days to the Work You Love (http://www.48days.com/category/48-days-podcast/) You can find some great cheat sheets at www.podcasttalentcoach.com (http://www.podcasttalentcoach.com) Good Content Is Not Easy [33:41] Rick Mulready produces the Inside Social Media (http://rickmulready.com/podcast/) podcast (itunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-social-media-podcast/id627489143?mt=2)) and in episode 13 he spoke with a Ash Brown from Coke about their use of social media. Adam reinforces that you can't be too "salesy" in your content and remember that the content is for your audience (not you). He also makes a great point that great content is not cheap (it costs time and/or money to create). Ira Glass creates the iTunes chart topping This American Life (http://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast)(itunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/this-american-life/id201671138?mt=2)). I checked out an episode that must have taken him weeks.

Today we hear how mega star Jerry Seinfeld looks at his "job" of being a comedian. How life is great if you're work is doing something you think is a gift. Jim Collison shares insights into an experiment he has been doing to grow his audience, as well ...

Today we are looking at a shrinking industry to see what locations are growing and why - and then apply that to podcasting. Start a Podcast in Six Weeks I will be launching my first live training class called "Start a Podcast in Six Weeks. Here is a very quick outline: Week 1 - Planning Your Podcast Week 2 - Podcast Equipment Week 3 - Recording Your Poddcast Week 4 - Your Podcast Website Week 5- Publishing Your Podcast into iTunes Week 6 - Podcast Monetization Techniques We are only accepting six students. The price is $99. If you were to do this class one on one it would cost you $1200. (https://www.eventbrite.com/custombutton?eid=7368622749) Member Spotlight The Computer Tutor Podcast [9:20] Every Monday morning I tell about a quick computer tip or trick - something that makes you say, "Wow, I did not know that!" I want to make it easy and safe for you to use your computer, and I avoid all the "tech talk". Most of my episodes are less than 10 minutes. You can find this podcast at http://ComputerTutorFlorida.com (http://ComputerTutorFlorida.com) What Podcasters Can Learn From Churches Regarding Growing Your Audience [12:54] Churches are shrinking. Each year Outreach magazine puts out an issue that spotlight those churches that are the fastest growing. 95% of Churches have under 500 members. Depending on what you read, 60% to 71% have less than 100 members. The church I grew up in has 26 members. In OUtreach magazine they spotlight churches that are growing while many others are not. What is their secret? 1. They GO into their community. They do NOT wait for people to come to them. 2. They then find out what the biggest needs are in the community. They listen and pool their resources to help meet the need of that community. So you see that they don't wait, and they are going to their community (not sitting and waiting for people to show up). They then find a need and meet it. This gives the church a purpose. People can SEE the actions they are taking and how they benefit people. This gets both the recipient talking about being helped as well as the person who did the helping. As Podcasters We Can: Go into our communities. This can be on facebook twitter, or an actual face to face meetup from meetup.com and find out what the needs of the community are and try to help them. If you are a business podcaster, think of your customers as your community and find out what their biggest need is. Then see if there is a way to answer those questions in a podcast. Help Save Podcasting [22:49] Today we hear a clip from the Patent Podcast (http://thepatentpodcast.com/savepodcasting) about how we can help fight the podcast troll. Mentioned in this Episode theaverage.tv (http://wwwtheaverageguy.tv) Riff Station Software (http://www.riffstation.com/)  

John Lee Dumas started his Entrepreneur on Fire podcast in June of 2012 (about a year ago). Fast forward and John now has a podcast that is in the top 5 of business podcasts in iTunes. He is making 18,000 a month, reaching HUNDRED of THOUSANDS of people each month in over 145 countries. He did it using the organizational tools and courage he learned in the Armed forces (he served 13 months in Iraq) and with passion that is infectious. He was consuming a large about of podcasts in the car, but he needed more content. What did he do? He filled his own void by creating the podcast he wanted to listen to. Your Podcasts Downloads Stats All In One Place - Stitcher News [3:00] (http://schoolofpodcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/stitcher-radio-150x150.png)Stitcher announced that they will "pinging" your media host. In a memo that was sent out they outlined the changes as follows: You should begin to see a change in your stats via your hosting provider dashboard when our iOS update is live in the App Store within the next few days. The magnitude of the change will vary based on the specific show but should be noticeable immediately via your hosting provider’s metrics dashboard. We are also updating the Stitcher Partner Portal to reflect this change. We will keep you posted on timing but anticipate seeing this new Download number included in you Stitcher metrics within the next few weeks. The old Downloads stat, which was measuring actual listens, will still be in the partner portal but relabeled “Listens” This means that we no longer have to login to (for example) Libsyn.com or Blubrry.com (two of the top media hosting companies) and then later also check into Stitcher. This will make is easier to quote numbers to potential sponsors. Congratulations Marcus Couch [7:21] If you are a regular listener of the School of Podcasting then you know Marcus Couch and I go way back to the early days of Podcasting with companies like Mevio, Juice Software, and iRiver recorders. Marcus is an SEO expert and a Wordpress Guru. He wanted to get more traction in the Wordpress World. His goal was to get on to the dashboard of every Wordpress user and this month he landed there. How? By doing what Marcus preaches - creating good content. He has his music show the Scene Zine, and recently became a co-host of Wordpress Plugins A to Z (one of my favorite podcasts). You an now read him on the official Wordpress Tavern blog (http://www.wptavern.com/author/mcouch). Congrats to Marcus. John Dumas of the Entrepreneur on Fire Podcast - Light Up the Sky! [9:02] (http://schoolofpodcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/johnleedumas.png) John Dumas is the passionate podcaster behind the microphone on Entrepreneur on Fire. He is also the author of the Book Podcast Launch, and is now rolling out an inner circle mastermind group call Fire Nation Elite (http://www.firenationelite.com). In today's interview you will get inside the mind of John and see his commitment to his audience. You will see where his drive is to inspire his audience to take action. You will hear how he is building his audience through dedication, commitment, and a determination to build his audience (called "The Fire Nation") one person at a time. John shares what lessons he learned during his 13 months in IRAQ. "It's better to make a good decision now then make a great decision later." John spent $3,000 to hire a personal mentor (Jaime Tardy (http://www.eventualmillionaire.com/blog/)) and says if you don't have that much to invest in your podcast start up that you could check out master mind or online groups (I'm a big fan of some of the groups on Google+ (https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/102333709604116814839), LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Podcasting-Technology-Resource-Group-134357?trk=myg_ugrp_ovr)). A One on one coach can be helpful because of the personalized approach. Mastermind groups (which you might find at meetup.

In the last week I've been interviewed and conducted interviews. One of those podcasts was Entrepreneur on Fire  (http://www.entrepreneuronfire.com/)(iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/entrepreneur-on-fire-seth/id564001633?mt=2))and the other was Urbanism Speakeasy (http://www.urbanismspeakeasy.com/podcast/podcast-to-spread-your-message-with-dave-jackson/) (itunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/urbanism-speakeasy/id639357023?mt=2))Podcast. In today's show I share tips and insights from both sides of the interview. Podcast Clip of the Week - Your Audience Is Excited When They Find Your Content [3:28] In episode 5 of the "My Digital Life with Rob Greenlee" podcast (website (http://www.robgreenlee.com), iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/my-digital-life-rob-greenlee/id650684607?mt=2)), host Rob Greenlee (who has been on the show before (http://schoolofpodcasting.com/podcast-statistics-from-blubrry-com/)), talks with Nicole Simon, Author, Social Media and Podcast Consultant at nicole-simon.eu (http://nicole-simon.eu) from Berlin, Germany about the global aspects of podcasting. In the clip you hear how Nicole felt the first time she discovered podcasting. Member Spotlight - Cool People Podcast [5:23] (http://schoolofpodcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/coolpeoplepodcastfinal-150x150.jpg)If you're tired of hearing the same people being interviewed over and over, check out the Cool People Podcast hosted by Robert Chazz Chute. Rober has interviewed some "outside of the box" people. These include: a judge at a marijuana competition actors authors an erotica author who was a judge feminist porn they talk drugs in America, Middle East politics, if your a cool person you might like it. Check it out at coolpeoplepodcast.com (http://www.coolpeoplepodcast.com) (itunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cool-people-podcast/id611766002?mt=2)). Tips for Doing a Podcast Interview - Being the Host [9:40] (http://schoolofpodcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/28076-150x150.jpg)I was Entrepreneur on Fire (http://www.entrepreneuronfire.com/)podcast with John Lee Dumas. John does a DAILY podcast. That is a lot of work. These are all interviews. That is a TON of work. With this in mind, John needs to run an efficient ship, and when I was asked to be on his show I was really impressed with his work flow.  John invited me to be on his show two months in advance for a show that will air one month after it was recorded. By inviting people months in advance, you have a smaller chance of people being "booked." John's Invitation Was Straight and To the Point John's invitation was short, respectful, explained what his podcast was, explained why I was a good fit for the show. It also explained the "tone" of the show (it's all about inspirational stories). It provided statistics of his audience (about 225,000 downloads a month), and provided information to show John as a credible source. John also let me know how long the interview was, so John Sent Me a List of Some of the Questions that He Would be Using By sending me the questions ahead of time it let me be prepared so the interview had great content. It turns out these were not ALL the questions, but it gave me an idea of what type of content fits his podcast. I previously worried that providing the questions ahead of time would leave me with an over prepared guest who had memorized their answers. I have changed my mind. Provide some of the questions ahead of time. This leaves you room for an honest conversation later during the interview. After all, you don't want the interview to be ruined because you guest is somewhat slow on their feet. For some people this is a nerve wracking situation, and allowing them to be prepared is going to result in better content. Automate the Scheduling Process (http://www.vcita.com/images/banners/logo_125x125.jpg)If you want to take some of the hassle of scheduling interviews,

In today's show I share some stats from a recently published white paper that shows how a podcast audience is more likely to spend twice as much time on a website, and click on three times as many pages on your website. We also hear from top influencer Chris Voss about his early years on the Internet. We also hear about how podcasting helping producers land television shows. Podcasting Success - "I've Got Three Television Shows [3:00] (http://schoolofpodcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Producing-Unscripted150.jpg)Biogio and Joke say that because of their podcast they have had help getting three television show ideas put on the air. They did this by looking at their audience and thinking, "What pain does my audience feel that we could eliminate?" That would be getting access to people to pitch their ideas. They used their podcast to solicit ideas from their audience, as well as train them on how to pitch an idea. They launched their podcast and using the skills learned at the School of Podcasting, they were listed in the "New and Noteworthy" section in iTunes. They are getting better submissions than when they used just a blog. They created their podcast just for you, and it will answer all your questions. Every two weeks or so they’ll deliver episodes to help you: Understand unscripted television and how to work in it Find great potential reality tv shows and documentary series Develop your ideas into sellable pitches Team up with them You can find them producingunscripted.com (http://www.producingunscripted.co) Member Spotlight Urban Shooter Podcast [9:20] (http://schoolofpodcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/kennblanchard-150x150.jpeg)The Urban Shooter is a pro-rights variety show and fun resource for all law abiding gun owners. Kenn Blanchard passionately, positively and persistently does this podcast as a ministry to encourage, educate and enlighten people around the world that want it. He sings.  He jokes.  He interviews interesting people he has met or heard of that are not afraid of coming on a show where they might find a new friend. The show is apolitical and he lets his positive vibes shine.  All are welcome. Find it at kennblanchard.com (http://kennblanchard.com/tusp) A Podcast Audience Stays Six Times as Long a Organic Traffic [13:35] Organic traffic is traffic that comes from traditional Google/Search Engines. They type in your topic, and you show up. Then they come to your website. In a new white paper from Mike and Troy at topmarketingstrategies.com (http://topmarketingstrategies.com/how-to-podcast-for-traffic), they point out how. * A good number for organic traffic is when a person stays on your site for 2 minutes. A podcast visitor to their site stayed 12 MINUTES. That's six times as long. * When a visitor clicks on TWO pages when they visit, it is considered "good." A podcast visitor to their website clicks on 5.3 pages. That's twice (almost three) times as many. In their report they state, "You really can't get better traffic than that. An average visit of over 13 minutes clicking through to nearly 6 pages on your site is just insanely high quality." You can find the report at topmarketingstrategies.com (http://topmarketingstrategies.com/how-to-podcast-for-traffic) Chris Voss Thought Nobody Was Listening For Two Years [31:47] Chris Voss of the the Chris Voss Show (http://thechrisvossshow.com/) was recently interviewed on the Music Biz Weekly Podcast (http://www.musicbizweeklypodcast.com) and explained how he thought nobody was listening for the first few years of his blog. Chris is now recognized as a social media leader by Forbes, CNN, Huffington Post, Alltop and others. If you wonder if anyone is listening, just remember so did Chris Voss when he first started. Voicemail From Listeners[34:20] Kevin from Passing Spaces mentioned he is using cp-googlemaps (http://wordpress.org/plugins/codepeople-post-map/) to put maps on his website.

Today I talk about a topic I DON'T Believe in, and that is podcasting without using Wordpress. However, there are those occasions where someone already has a website on another platform, they don't want to move their website to Wordpress, and all they ...

Today we continue our conversation with Daniel J Lewis of the Audacity to podcast. We also hear some great stats from Rob from www.podcast411.com and we get some insights into podcast flow from Adam Curry. Podcast Success: Wayne Henderson's Priceless ...

Today we have some great podcast success stories. If you are looking to start a podcast, click the join now button and join the School of Podcasting - you're audience awaits. Because of My Podcast I Had No Problem Getting a Book Deal [3:30] (http://schoolofpodcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/CL-AppIcon-gr-150x150.jpeg)In our podcast success story we hear from heather of the Craft Lit (http://www.craftlit.com) podcast. She combines niches of knitting with literature. She later "spun off" a "just books" option for those who loved the literature but weren't too keen on the knitting part. As a teacher, Heather loved the ability to enhance people's understanding of literature and help create a community that was talking about great books. Later she took the relationship she created with her audience and offered premium content for those looking for more literature information. She also easily found a publisher for her book What Would Madame Defarge Knit? (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0979201756/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0979201756&linkCode=as2&tag=sop-20)(http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=sop-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0979201756) This is a great story of embracing a niche, listening to your audience, and moving them with your content. In her case she is helping people understand the books, giving insights, facilitating discussions, and enhancing the overall consumption of literature. You can find her at: CraftLit.com (http://craftlit.com/) - Just the Books (http://crafting-a-life.com/books) • Knitting Blog: MamaOKnits.com (http://mamaoknits.com/)• What Would Madame Defarge Knit? Books 1&2 Available now: WWMDfK.com (http://wwmdfk.com/) Harnessing the Power of Influence with Award Winning Podcaster Daniel J. Lewis [20:15] (http://schoolofpodcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/danieljlewis.jpg)Today we hear part one of my interview with Daniel J. Lewis of the Audacity to podcast. In today's interview you will learn where Daniel grew up, and how his early hobbies turned into his day job. Daniel is a very talented designer and does web design, as well as presentation designs. Daniel decided to start podcasting after he realized that he had something to say. The podcasters he was listening to were using skype and other tools that Daniel had worked with, and he thought, "I could do that." He started out by writing out the entire podcast, but quit doing that after the first 9 episode as it just took forever to produce a show. He still does the Ramen Noodle Clean Comedy Podcast (http://cleancomedypodcast.com/), the Audacity to Podcast (http://theaudacitytopodcast.com/) and the Once Podcast (http://oncepodcast.com/). You can find them all at www.noodle.mx (http://www.noodle.mx) He recently released his first wordpress plugin that makes it super easy to add icons for sharing and subscribing to your podcast. You can find it at subscribeandshare.com (http://www.subscribeandshare.com) Winning a Podcast Award In the interview Daniel explains the steps he took to rally his audience into nominating (and eventually wining) a podcast award (http://www.podcastawards.com) in the "Technology" category. By directing his audience through specific steps, Daniel was able to sharpen their effectiveness and maximize their potential. Daniel did this via video that showed them exactly what to do, and reminded them regularly to help out and vote. He then promoted across all of the podcasts. His Ramen Noodle podcast was the ONLY clean podcast in the category. By doing this he avoided being disqualified by being nominated in too many categories. Through his networking efforts he was able to have other podcasters tell their audience to vote for Daniel. Connecting With Your Audience Daniels says to be in those network where it makes sense. If you can be on a site like Facebook or twitter and be able to engage your audience on that platform then be there. If you can't do it well,

In today's show we hear about some of the subtle items Americans (or other people) can do that may not translate well in other countries. I share with you the insane number of countries that consume this podcast. It is amazing to think that I'm in a room near Cleveland, Ohio and I'm reaching hundreds of people in China, Canada, Germany, and many, many, many other countries. Pinterest Podcaster Lands Television Spot [2:00] Cynthia Sanchez of the Oh So Pinteresting (http://www.ohsopinteresting.com) Podcast has been podcasting for a little over a year, and was recently asked to appear on local television to (see the clip (http://www.ohsopinteresting.com/oh-so-pinteresting-hits-the-airwaves/)). This is another example of podcasting helping someone be seen as an expert. New Subscribe and Follow Plugin [4:10] My friend Daniel J. Lewis of the Audacity to Podcast (http://www.theaudacitytopodcast.com) has authored a plugin that makes sharing and subscribing to your podcast super easy. You can easily go in and input the links to sites like iTunes, stitcher, miro, and more then customize your colors, and if you want to feature one network over another you can do that as well (for example make the iTunes button bigger than the others). Best of all these will look great at any resolution. Check it out at subscribeandfollow.com (http://www.subscribeandfollow.com) Through the end of may Daniel has it on sale for $27 ($10 off the regular price) so hurry. I cam currently using it on my Weekly Web Tools (http://www.weeklywebtools.com) site and will be using it on this site shortly... How Podcasting Can Boost Your Business [6:30] I appear on the Photo Biz Expose Podcast talking about how podcasting can boost your wedding or portrait photography business. Listen to it here.  (http://photobizx.com/how-and-why-to-start-a-podcast-for-your-wedding-or-portrait-photography-business/) Special thanks to Andrew for having me on the show. Reach a Global Audience with Podcasting [7:23] Today I bring an interview that was conducted on the floor of the New Media Expo last year. I interview Karin Høgh of podconsult.dk (http://www.podconsult.dk) She mentions that we need to remember that there are holidays, products, etc that don't always "translate" well to a global audience. For example, while you can make $15 for every new audible subscriber on your podcast (details here (http://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/audible)), Audible is a very "American/Canadian" type of offer. She also mentions the Yender Law which is an unwritten law that promotes everyone being equal. Think of it as an "Un-ego" law, and that we should think twice before touting our accomplishments, or openly "selling" a product. In looking at my stats, 85% of my audience is from the US, with the second option being "other" at 7% followed by China at 4% and Canada at 2.5%. It is interesting as I look at my Libsyn.com stats that there are very few counties on the planet (Iceland being one) that I do not get at least 1 download (get a free month at libsyn.com using the coupon code sopfree). The reach of podcasting is amazing. The image at the top of this page represents my listeners. You will see where most of the map of the WORLD is some shade of blue. Clip of the Week [19:13] This weeks clip of the week is from the New Media Show featuring Paul Colligan (http://www.geeknewscentral.com/2013/05/05/the-new-media-show-4-paul-colligan/). Paul mentions how his young daughter was a little confused when her Dad said, "I guess we'll have to listen to the radio." He response? "What's that?" Using More Than One Blue Snowball Microphone A listener asked, "Can I use more than one Blue Snowball Microphone?" and the quick answer is "No." At least not easily. Blue snowball microphones are USB ONLY, and do not work with standard mixers. They are also condensor microphones which means they pick up more room noise. A better choice is the Audio Technica 2100 microphone.