Start Talking and Recording Today - A Podcast about Podcasting

New Media Expo Dates Announced Attending New Media Expo in 2013 was one of the biggest highlights of my life. Yes, my life. I got to meet so many incredibly talented people in Las Vegas that I can't wait to get back to Vegas and see them again in 2014...

Rest in Peace...Google Reader By now most of you may have heard that Google has decided to shut down Google Reader effective July 1st. This really hits home with me as I am an avid user of Google Reader not only to read my many blogs that I'm subscribed too but also the podcasts I listen to. A few months back Google stopped supporting Google Listen so I've been getting by with a previous version of the app and still using Reader to sync my shows. Now I am being forced to find a new podcatcher and feed reader. I welcome your suggestions so please email me at feedback@spnt.tv. What podcast apps do you use to listen to shows? Podcasting and Weight Loss with John Bukenas I still remember to this day where I was when I heard John Bukenas and his now infamous voice/email he sent to Cliff Ravenscraft, THE Podcast Answerman. I was driving a box truck at the time for a local electric supply company and I was heading down the interstate. I remember feeling incredibly inspired to do more with my podcasting. I also remember feeling wow, I've been pretty lucky. John Bukenas has been through an awful lot in his life. From working in college radio, coping with his fear of electricity and heights, to now facing lifestyle changes in weight loss, John is a pretty happy go lucky guy. "The whole idea of just came to my head one day as I was walking to my truck, can I do a podcast?" says John who's a lifelong Philadelphia sports fan. "I had recently just discovered podcasts and I had always wanted to do broadcasting, I had always wanted to do a talk show. So I started to Google how to podcast and was just amazed by the whole thing." John actually got his broadcasting start when he was 25. He became the station manager at student radio station WBDK 91.5 FM in Philly. He would run the station AND served as a DJ on Monday night's. He eventually had to leave radio because of elevator technician career that was too lucrative to pass up. John discovered podcasts once he got his first iPhone and he was looking for things to listen to while walking. "I listen to a lot of podcasts about podcasting, Cliff Ravenscraft, Dave Jackson, Ray Ortega, Daniel J Lewis, I listen to all these." John began his latest endeavor this past summer at LetsReverseObesity.com where he podcasts about his struggles with his weight loss and interviews others who have had success in losing weight. "Do something you're passionate about. It's something I've never been able to conquer before and I figured that if I did a podcast about losing weight, it would hold me accountable and that there a lot of people like me who have given up. I took a chance because it wouldn't let me quit." says John who has lost 62 pounds since September! Way to go John! Be sure to check out John's podcast and if you'd like to follow him on Twitter, he's @JohnBukenas. If you want to sit on the Hot Seat for Rapid Fire, email me at feedback@spnt.tv Review the Show in iTunes Please rate and review the show in iTunes! If you're listening to us on an iOS device or you have an iTunes account, please leave a review today at startpodcastingnow.com/itunes. We'd love to hear your feedback good or bad! This week I CHALLENGE YOU to go and leave 5 reviews on the podcasts you listen to. Or try 5 new ones and leave reviews. Podcast Consulting If you’re looking for some one on one podcast consulting, I am available for hire. You know sometimes you can listen to all the podcasts and read all the books and all the tips on the web, sometimes its just nice to sit down and talk it out. Don’t hesitate to email me I am here to help. If this is something you’re interested in shoot me an email or give me a call at 404-946-3397. 10% OFF AT MUSICRADIOCREATIVE.COM Need some audio production to help make your podcast sound top notch? Check out the folks at MusicRadioCreative.com! They'll help you with script writing and provide you with the best sounding intros in podcasting.

Tawny Fineran and Beth Round are on a blazing path to podcasting success. These lovely ladies make up half of the cast at Mommy's Cocktail Hour where each week they unwind with a cocktail and talk about the joys of parenthood. They recently just released their 45th episode and are making some big plans for their 50th in just a few weeks. This week, I sat down with both of them as we discussed their podcast, how they're finding a delicate balance between parenthood and podcasting, and of course Rapid Fire! Tawny is a California girl at heart but lives in the countryside of Illinois where she and her husband, Corey Fineran, produce their podcasts. "At first we played some local music that we were into and my family lives really far away so it was like a way to keep our family up to speed." says Tawny. Both Tawny and Beth were introduced to podcasting by their husband's who BOTH record the Ivy Envy podcast. It was here where Corey suggested doing a "mom" podcast and immediately Tawny thought cocktails and girls night! It's been a big year though for MCH as they were finalists in both the Podcast Awards and the Stitcher Awards. "That was fun, we had a much bigger year than we expected. I was able to watch both of the awards shows online thanks to the magic of the internet and it was still pretty fun to hear our name announced. Everyone thought our show name was hilarious!" says Beth who works in design for her full time career. "Our go to audience is going to be busy moms. Whether they are working or not they ARE moms and apps like Stitcher and Pocket Casts are ways that they're listening to podcasts and I think that's why Stitcher has been a huge part of our success because of its portability." The ladies do admit that they didn't start consuming podcasts until after they started their own show but now both are hooked and are subscribed to quite a few them. "I find myself listening more and more because it is kind of hard to find downtime at home so I listen to podcasts in my car on my commute." says Tawny. "I was listening to podcasts but I was always more into music and its amazing to see our iTunes make a paradigm shift. Our podcast tabs are exhausted!" says Beth. Tawny also hosts another podcast called The Vampire Diaries Podcast which is a fan podcast of the tv show The Vampire Diaries. Let's give Beth some major props as well, she showed up for the interview and Rapid Fire despite a lingering migraine. What a trooper! Follow the girls on Twitter today @momscocktailhr. If you want to sit on the Hot Seat for Rapid Fire, email me at feedback@spnt.tv Review the Show in iTunes Please rate and review the show in iTunes! If you're listening to us on an iOS device or you have an iTunes account, please leave a review today at startpodcastingnow.com/itunes. We'd love to hear your feedback good or bad! This week I CHALLENGE YOU to go and leave 5 reviews on the podcasts you listen to. Or try 5 new ones and leave reviews. Podcast Consulting If you’re looking for some one on one podcast consulting, I am available for hire. You know sometimes you can listen to all the podcasts and read all the books and all the tips on the web, sometimes its just nice to sit down and talk it out. Don’t hesitate to email me I am here to help. If this is something you’re interested in shoot me an email or give me a call at 404-946-3397. 10% OFF AT MUSICRADIOCREATIVE.COM Need some audio production to help make your podcast sound top notch? Check out the folks at MusicRadioCreative.com! They'll help you with script writing and provide you with the best sounding intros in podcasting. What are you waiting for? For the month of March, MRC is giving loyal fans of the START podcast a 10% discount on any purchase on their website! Be sure to use promo code "START" when checking out to receive your 10% off. Podcast Cover Art AND Google Hangout On Air Lower Third Designs Maybe you need some cover art for your podcasts?

Ray Ortega has been producing podcasts for years. It started with his video podcast about picking produce and eventually led to The Podcasters Studio. Ray's success in podcasting can be attributed to his investment in himself. "I go into things 100%, I go into learning something new and I just soak it up. It's in my nature to just learn every detail possible about something." says Ortega who recently just booked a trip to Manchester (not New Hampshire, but England) for a podcast he produces for his company in Washington D.C. It's exactly why out of 1,200 applicants, Ray found himself #1 in his graduation class for the Police Academy in California. After a few years on the force, Ray knew he needed a change. So he headed to D.C. with his girlfriend in hopes of a fresh start. He landed a job working in the produce section at a local grocer when he came across something new in his iTunes software. "I was like Podcasts? What is this? So I clicked on it and heard some dudes talking and I thought, whoa I need to do this." The Produce Picker Podcast was born. It was a video podcast that would help shoppers learn how to pick fruits and vegetables correctly. He landed an eventual full time job with a local company in D.C. producing their video podcasts which are now live streamed. One of the perks about this new career path? The commute. "My commute is now 25 seconds its just a quick walk down the stairs." In 2012 Ray also launched a new podcast utilizing Google+ Hangouts on Air. The show is called the Podcasters Roundtable and each "round" a new issue in podcasting is discussed and debated. To hear the journey that Ray has been on is very inspiring. Ray is a tremendous example of how hard work, perseverance and a little bit of luck can pay off for you and your podcast. If you want to sit on the Hot Seat for Rapid Fire, email me at feedback@spnt.tv Review the Show in iTunes Please rate and review the show in iTunes! If you're listening to us on an iOS device or you have an iTunes account, please leave a review today at startpodcastingnow.com/itunes. We'd love to hear your feedback good or bad! This week I CHALLENGE YOU to go and leave 5 reviews on the podcasts you listen to. Or try 5 new ones and leave reviews. Podcast Consulting If you’re looking for some one on one podcast consulting, I am available for hire. You know sometimes you can listen to all the podcasts and read all the books and all the tips on the web, sometimes its just nice to sit down and talk it out. Don’t hesitate to email me I am here to help. If this is something you’re interested in shoot me an email or give me a call at 404-946-3397. Podcast Intro's Sweepers ID's and More Need some audio production to help make your podcast sound top notch? Check out the folks at MusicRadioCreative.com! They'll help you with script writing and provide you with the best sounding intros in podcasting. What are you waiting for? Podcast Cover Art AND Google Hangout On Air Lower Third Designs Maybe you need some cover art for your podcasts? Logon to podcastcovers.com and for just $125, I can get you setup with some custom cover art designs. If you’d like to see some examples of our cover art, just log on to SPNT.tv. I also now can custom design lower third graphics for your Google Hangouts! 1and1 Affiliate Signup If you’re looking to start up your own podcast and you’re in need of a host server, please use my affiliate link with 1and1.com. I’ve been using 1and1 for years and I must say they have the best customer service I’ve ever dealt with and I do get a generous commission for everyone who signs up using 1and1, just logon to spnt.tv/1and1

Wordpress Themes and Scripting Your Show This week I received an email from Paul in London asking if I do any scripting of my show and he also had a question about Wordpress themes. As for scripting out my shows, I honestly don't do much scripting at all. The only scripting I do is my Rapid Fire questions. I have a list of about 20 different questions that I store on Evernote and when I do come up with a new question I quickly add it to the list. As for the content, I don't script any of it out mainly because I don't want to sound like I'm reading I want it to sound natural. I have a format down where I know in the opening of the episode I'll answer emails/feedback or provide a quick tip on podcasting and then in the 2nd half of the show I'll be talking to my guest and doing Rapid Fire. As for Wordpress themes, I'm pretty sold on Thesis 1.8.2 and it's the version I'm using on most of my sites. I know that Thesis is currently in the 2.0 phase but I don't like that look and I know that some podcasters have had a hard time with the new version. Another theme for Wordpress that I've had success with is the Streamline Child Theme from StudioPress. The version I am running for our site is 1.0.1. You can see what it looks like here. What themes are you using? Do you script out your shows? I'd love to hear your feedback! Email me at feedback@spnt.tv or leave comments down below! Starting Over with Scott Eiland Scott Eiland has been podcasting for a little over a year now and he's experienced the high's and low's of podcasting in a short period of time. He got his start in podcasting with The Baseball Experience Podcast talking about the week's top new stories in the world of baseball. He started off strong and had some really great episodes but then Scott will tell you he hit a wall. It was tough coming up with weekly content all the while working his full time day job, and even better, working part time as a local wrestling announcer. Which had it not been for podcasting, he may not have gotten the gig in the first place! This week Scott sits down and tells us how he reinvented his podcast and we learn about his guilty pleasure this week in Rapid Fire! If you're into wrestling, make sure you check out Scott's podcast This Week in Wrestling as well. If you would like to promote your podcast, sit in the Hot Seat on Rapid Fire! Email me at feedback@spnt.tv if you're interested! Review the Show in iTunes Please rate and review the show in iTunes! If you're listening to us on an iOS device or you have an iTunes account, please leave a review today at startpodcastingnow.com/itunes. We'd love to hear your feedback good or bad! This week I CHALLENGE YOU to go and leave 5 reviews on the podcasts you listen to. Or try 5 new ones and leave reviews. Podcast Consulting If you’re looking for some one on one podcast consulting, I am available for hire. You know sometimes you can listen to all the podcasts and read all the books and all the tips on the web, sometimes its just nice to sit down and talk it out. Don’t hesitate to email me I am here to help. If this is something you’re interested in shoot me an email or give me a call at 404-946-3397. Podcast Intro's Sweepers ID's and More Need some audio production to help make your podcast sound top notch? Check out the folks at MusicRadioCreative.com! They'll help you with script writing and provide you with the best sounding intros in podcasting. What are you waiting for? Podcast Cover Art AND Google Hangout On Air Lower Third Designs Maybe you need some cover art for your podcasts? Logon to podcastcovers.com and for just $125, I can get you setup with some custom cover art designs. If you’d like to see some examples of our cover art, just log on to SPNT.tv. I also now can custom design lower third graphics for your Google Hangouts! 1and1 Affiliate Signup If you’re looking to start up your own podcast and you’re in need of a host server,

Podcast Intros Your intro to your podcast is very important, much like we talked about cover art last week, the first ten seconds of your podcast tell your listener a lot about your production. If you don't have a catchy intro, you've gotten off on the wrong foot with your listeners. The most important thing I've found with podcast intros and what makes the most effective is the music selection. Keys to Music Selection If you're doing a podcast on rock bands, obviously you're going to want to consider using music that's closely aligned to this genre. Consider your audience when choosing your music selection. Also, be sure to use Royalty Free music in your podcast. Too many times I've downloaded podcasts and I've heard music that I know these producers did NOT get permission to use the music or could afford to pay the license fee associated with it. There are plenty of royalty free music and sound effect sites on the web you can check out. A couple that I recommend are MusicBakery.com, MusicAlley.com and neosounds.com. If you have questions about what music you can and can't use in your podcasts, feel free to get in touch with me and I'd be glad to assist. Not all podcasts have a musical intro at the beginning and sometimes that too can be just as effective. For instance, I listen to a podcast called the Manchester United Redcast and the host of this show Eddie usually brings the show in just with his voice. In fact there is no music played at all on this podcast. Its effective because he doesn't waste time bringing the show in. He usually comes in with a quick joke and then introduces himself and his guests and they get right into talking about Manchester United. Keep it Simple Silly or another word If your podcast intro is more than a minute, there's a problem. People are downloading your show for your content. If your show is sponsored and they're paying you for their ad then that is an exception. Each ad though shouldn't be longer than 30 seconds. Another effective intro style is the cold open. This is where the host starts off talking and gives you a hint as to what the show will be about and then leads into the podcast intro. It doesn't hurt to experiment either, what style do you use for your intro? Email me at feedback@spnt.tv or leave me a voicemail at 404-946-3397. I'd love to share with the audience different examples of podcast intros and what most podcast producers and consumers prefer. You Sound Like You're From London Mike Russell is the man. If you haven't heard of Music Radio Creative by now, you MUST check out this website today. Mike and his wife Izabela do great work with podcasters. Mike discovered his love for radio at a young age and audio editing/production has been his lifelong passion and it really shows. Mike has traveled across his native England and worked at different radio stations. He even worked at an Australian radio station as well. Mike gives us a few tips on what makes a podcast intro effective and also sits in the hot seat this week for Rapid Fire! He was really sweating bullets too! Check out his podcast today at musicradiocreative.com/podcast. Do you have a podcast that you'd like to promote? Come sit in the hot seat! It's always great telling the story of other podcasters and how they got their start in podcasting. If you're interested email me at feedback@spnt.tv, get in touch with me on Twitter, or hit me up on Google+ as well. Rapid Fire is a great way to promote your show and website, plus its fun to learn more about fellow podcasters. Click here to view my previous Rapid Fire guests. Review the Show in iTunes Please rate and review the show in iTunes! If you're listening to us on an iOS device or you have an iTunes account, please leave a review today at startpodcastingnow.com/itunes. We'd love to hear your feedback good or bad! This week I CHALLENGE YOU to go and leave 5 reviews on the podcasts you listen to. Or try 5 new ones and leave reviews.

Apple's GarageBand First and foremost let me be up front with you. I am a PC user. GASP! Yes, I know. A podcaster that doesn't use Mac? That's unheard of. Now I have heard of GarageBand and I know that for you Mac users it seems to be really handy sof...

During last week's episode you may or may not have noticed some issues with the audio quality. During my interview with Daniel J. Lewis my audio levels were extremely low. I was able to come to the conclusion that it was due to me wearing earbuds for the first time ever. How can you tell? In the opening segment of the show and in the closing I wore my over-the-ear headphones which eliminates a lot of outside sound. Those levels were perfect and I had no issues with them. While I was wearing my earbuds during my interview with Daniel, I was hearing EVERYTHING, well everything BUT my audio coming from my mixer. Because I couldn't hear myself coming from the mixer very well, I didn't notice that my levels were low until I popped in the audio into Adobe Audition. Lesson learned. I also made another small gaffe last week. I kept referencing in the show notes that the episodes would be posted at startpodcastingnow.com/06. Well, I number my episodes with 3 digits. Oops. I thought that I was going to have to go back in and re-record myself saying the correct URL. NOT SO FAST my friends. I use a handy little plugin called "Pretty Link" that lets me make URL's of my own that will be appended to my domain name. In this instance, I took the shortlink URL from my blogpost, pasted it into Pretty Link Lite (the free version) and gave it the URL startpodcastingnow.com/06 so that whenever someone types in that URL, it would automatically forward them to my correct URL startpodcastingnow.com/006. Simple. Easy. I was able to save about 10-15 minutes of audio recording, editing and publishing just by using this plugin. The Hot Seat Dan Hayes from the Simple Life Together podcast stops by START this week to tell us how he got started in podcasting. He also fills us in on some of his biggest guilty pleasures. Dan and his wife Vanessa have started an awesome little challenge called "Edit and Forget It". It's a neat little exercise that can help you simplify your lives. The goal? Eliminate 2013 things, items, files, etc. from our lives here in 2013. Think you can do it? Check it out today. Neat little fact about Dan, he built his very own recording studio and its in his SHED in his backyard. This week he talked to us from his "world shedquarters" in San Antonio, TX. Rapid Fire This is where I put the podcaster on the hot seat and ask him OR HER the hard hitting questions all of you want to hear! If you would like to be on a segment of Rapid Fire to promote your podcast or blog, email me at feedback@spnt.tv and we'll get you on the program! Review the Show in iTunes Please rate and review the show in iTunes! If you're listening to us on an iOS device or you have an iTunes account, please leave a review today at startpodcastingnow.com/itunes. We'd love to hear your feedback good or bad! This week I CHALLENGE YOU to go and leave 5 reviews on the podcasts you listen to. Or try 5 new ones and leave reviews. Podcast Consulting If you’re looking for some one on one podcast consulting, I am available for hire. You know sometimes you can listen to all the podcasts and read all the books and all the tips on the web, sometimes its just nice to sit down and talk it out. Don’t hesitate to email me I am here to help. If this is something you’re interested in shoot me an email or give me a call at 404-946-3397. Podcast Reviews I’m also available for podcasting reviews if you have a show that you currently produce and you’d like some honest feedback with constructive criticism, you know the drill, email me or call. Podcast Cover Art AND Google Hangout On Air Lower Third Designs Maybe you need some cover art for your podcasts? Logon to podcastcovers.com and for just $125, I can get you setup with some custom cover art designs. If you’d like to see some examples of our cover art, just log on to SPNT.tv. I also now can custom design lower third graphics for your Google Hangouts! 1and1 Affiliate Signup

This week's episode focuses on the use of Feedburner to manage your RSS feed. I teach you how to use Feedburner for your podcast feeds and how to submit your show to iTunes. I also had the chance to sit down this week and talk to someone who I look up to in the podcasting world. He's one of the biggest influencers on my podcasting and he's coming off an exciting Podcast Awards win in Las Vegas at the New Media Expo. Daniel J Lewis of The Audacity to Podcast and the Noodle MX Network will stop by and talk about why you should consider NOT using Feedburner. Thanks to everyone who took the time to review our show on iTunes and send us feedback. If you'd like to get in touch with me you can email me at feedback@spnt.tv or follow me on Twitter @nickspnt. If you'd like to leave a review for our show in the iTunes store, you can get to it by logging on to startpodcastingnow.com/itunes. Now that you have a podcast, we've uploaded our audio. Now we need to make the RSS easy to find. There a number of ways to do this. Getting Started with Feedburner If you're running a blog that is NOT a self hosted Wordpress blog, I highly recommend using this as your method of submitting your feed to iTunes. "What if I'm using Wordpress.com?" You will want to use Feedburner to submit your podcast feeds to the directories. If you're hosting your podcast feed on a site like Blogger, you're also going to want to use Feedburner. If you're self hosting a Wordpress blog, you have the luxury of options at this point. You could either use the Blubrry PowerPress plugin OR you could burn your RSS URL at Feedburner and use their services. Podcast Directories You SHOULD Be In I highly recommend getting your shows submitted to Microsoft (formerly Zune), Stitcher Smart Radio, and the Blackberry Podcast Directory as well as iTunes. These are the four major directories. Why You Shouldn't Use Feedburner Daniel J. Lewis stops by and talks about Feedburner and its place in podcasting history. He also talks about moving forward with your podcast and why it may be best to move away from using the Feedburner service. Rapid Fire This is a brand new segment I'm really excited about on START. This is where I put the podcaster on the hot seat and ask him OR HER the hard hitting questions all of you want to hear! If you would like to be on a segment of Rapid Fire to promote your podcast or blog, email me at feedback@spnt.tv and we'll get you on the program! Review the Show in iTunes Please rate and review the show in iTunes! If you're listening to us on an iOS device or you have an iTunes account, please leave a review today at startpodcastingnow.com/itunes. We'd love to hear your feedback good or bad! Podcast Consulting If you’re looking for some one on one podcast consulting, I am available for hire. You know sometimes you can listen to all the podcasts and read all the books and all the tips on the web, sometimes its just nice to sit down and talk it out. Don’t hesitate to email me I am here to help. If this is something you’re interested in shoot me an email or give me a call at 404-946-3397. Podcast Reviews I’m also available for podcasting reviews if you have a show that you currently produce and you’d like some honest feedback with constructive criticism, you know the drill, email me or call. Podcast Cover Art AND Google Hangout On Air Lower Third Designs Maybe you need some cover art for your podcasts? Logon to podcastcovers.com and for just $125, I can get you setup with some custom cover art designs. If you’d like to see some examples of our cover art, just log on to SPNT.tv. I also now can custom design lower third graphics for your Google Hangouts! Special thanks to Ray Ortega from the Podcasters Roundtable for plugging LowerThirdDesigns.com which is a venture I started not too long ago with the advice of Ray. Thanks again to Ray for mentioning me on his program last week. 1and1 Affiliate Signup

Yes I'm back after a brief hiatus. My schedule got a little overwhelmed there and so START had to take a back seat for a bit. But now that I'm back, I'll be posting episodes much more frequently. I just got back from an amazing trip to Las Vegas whe...

Today we record and save our very first podcast audio file. Today I’m going to tell you how to actually hit the record button and save your audio. What file format to use, what bit rates to save your audio in. Yes we’re starting from square one on this one so you advanced podcasters out there this episode may not be your cup of tea. Question from a Listener This week Scott emails us and asks us a couple of podcasting questions. Scott has a sweet pair of headphones that he'd like to actually use when recording his audio. He wanted to know where he needed to plug his headphones in on his mixer and what kind of adapter he'll need in order to hear what audio he's mixing together. You can plug your headphones into the "Phones" or "Headphones" or the "Aux Out" outputs of your mixer. You'll more than likely need a 1/8" jack adapter to convert the headphone jack to 1/4" to fit in the input of the mixer board. Here are some helpful links that helped to answer Scott's second question. How can you get the audio from an iPad (or other external device) into the mixer and what kind of soundboard apps or software do you recommend for the iPad? I personally am a Windows user so I use this great software from Black Cat Systems called Sound Byte. It's only $39 and I love it. There are apps out there for iOS users, one simply named Soundboard. startpodcastingnow.com/soundbyte startpodcastingnow.com/gear These were some GREAT questions from Scott. If you'd like to have your podcasting questions answered, feedback@spnt.tv or click on our feedback page. Saving Your First Audio File I'm not kidding when I say I went into this assuming that I was going to be teaching my mom how to make a podcast. In this episode I briefly show you how to record, edit, normalize and export audio to an mp3 file. I also shared with you how I choose my file naming conventions. Software Links: Audacity Levelator The Future In future episodes I’m strongly considering interviewing other podcasters about their podcasting backgrounds and their philosophies. Is this something you’d be interested in hearing? This is YOUR show so please if there’s a podcaster you’d love to hear from, email me at feedback@spnt.tv. Podcast Awards 2012 and New Media Expo Vegas! Please vote for my podcast, Who-Dey Weekly, in this years Podcast Awards! You can vote once per day through November 15th. Here are some other shows that we endorse that we strongly encourage you to vote for! The awards ceremony will take place in Las Vegas at the Rio and will be hosted by TWiT's very own Leo Laporte. If you'd like to attend, please use our affiliate link at spnt.tv/nmx. Here is a list of the other shows I'm currently voting for! Comedy The Ramen Noodle Entertainment ONCE Podcast Religion Encouraging Others Through Christ Sports Who-Dey Weekly You have through November 15th to get your votes in so hurry! Technology The Audacity to Podcast Podcasting Resources Blog Please rate and review the show in iTunes! If you're listening to us on an iOS device or you have an iTunes account, please leave a review today at startpodcastingnow.com/itunes. We'd love to hear your feedback good or bad! Podcasters Roundtable Yours truly was a guest on Episode 5 of the Podcasters Roundtable! Check it out today! Podcast Consulting If you’re looking for some one on one podcast consulting, I am available for hire. You know sometimes you can listen to all the podcasts and read all the books and all the tips on the web, sometimes its just nice to sit down and talk it out. Don’t hesitate to email me I am here to help. If this is something you’re interested in shoot me an email or give me a call at 404-946-3397. Podcast Reviews I’m also available for podcasting reviews if you have a show that you currently produce and you’d like some honest feedback with constructive criticism, you know the drill, email me or call. Podcast Cover Art

You're getting set to record your very first episode, you're chomping at the bit to finally have your voice heard. BUT, before you can hit record, here are some things to consider before starting your first episode. Also, us podcasters aren't perfect. This week I share with you a story about a goof up that I made with Episode 2 of START. Things To Consider BEFORE Hitting the Record Button Research Research to see if there is already a show with your passion/niche out there. Maybe you thought of this great show title and you're really excited to use it. You should research first to see if its even available. Domains/Hosting Strongly consider buying the domain name for your show. If you have the means, purchase your domain and a Linux hosting package. Here is our affiliate link to 1and1.com who I strongly recommend using. Great support, great customer care. Also don't be afraid to use a self hosted Wordpress blog. If you don’t know how to set one up, I can also be hired for assistance. Wordpress.org is free and really easy to install. But wait Nick you told us to use Blogger last week. I know I did, but to get the most out of your blog, Wordpress is the way to go. It's highly customizeable, has great themes and plugins that in the future will help your podcast grow. Structure Make sure your show has a structured format. Even if you’re doing a show that’s off the cuff, it can still sound very disorganized and very unprofessional if there isn’t some structure involved. Introduction with background music 2-3 minute break midshow. Use this time to give shoutouts, news, announcements etc Briefly recap the first half and come back strong with a new topic/debate Close out/wrap it up (with music) Feedback Make sure there is a way for people to leave feedback on your first episode. a dedicated show email address a Twitter and/or a Facebook account Comments section on your post Feedback forms Optional - voicemail feedback, phoneline, SpeakPipe plugin Podcast Awards 2012 Please vote for my podcast, Who-Dey Weekly, in this years Podcast Awards! You can vote once per day through November 15th. Here are some other shows that we endorse that we strongly encourage you to vote for! Comedy The Ramen Noodle Entertainment ONCE Podcast Religion Encouraging Others Through Christ Sports Who-Dey Weekly Technology The Audacity to Podcast Podcasting Resources Blog Don't forget to check out our Podcasting Resources blog. There we have ideas for podcasting equipment, if you’re in the market for podcasting equipment, I’ve got some affiliate links setup for Amazon.com where you can make those purchases, simply logon to spnt.tv/amazon. Podcast Consulting If you’re looking for some one on one podcast consulting, I am available for hire. You know sometimes you can listen to all the podcasts and read all the books and all the tips on the web, sometimes its just nice to sit down and talk it out. Don’t hesitate to email me I am here to help. If this is something you’re interested in shoot me an email or give me a call at 404-946-3397. Podcast Reviews I’m also available for podcasting reviews if you have a show that you currently produce and you’d like some honest feedback with constructive criticism, you know the drill, email me or call. Podcast Cover Art Maybe you need some cover art for your podcasts? Logon to podcastcovers.com and for just $125, I can get you setup with some custom cover art designs. If you’d like to see some examples of our cover art, just log on to SPNT.tv. 1and1 Affiliate Signup If you’re looking to start up your own podcast and you’re in need of a host server, please use my affiliate link with 1and1.com. I’ve been using 1and1 for years and I must say they have the best customer service I’ve ever dealt with and I do get a generous commission for everyone who signs up using 1and1, just logon to spnt.

This week I’ll talk about how I’ve currently got my studio setup and I’ll tell you 3 easy tricks to help you get your podcast started for under $50. You may think that’s impossible, but its not I’ll show you how in just a bit. Lets start with the basics, here are some of the things I'm using in my studio to record my podcasts. HB-1 Heil microphone boom* Sennheiser E835 dynamic vocal microphone* Electro Voice PL-24 dynamic microphone* Mackie 802-VLZ3 analog mixer* TASCAM DR-05* Logitech 9000 and Logitech C650 webcams* Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio Sound Byte sound board Skype * can be found at on our Gear page But I'm here to tell you that you don't need a BIG budget to get your podcast off the ground. In this episode we give you 3 easy tips to get your podcast started for LESS THAN $50! I'd love to hear your feedback on this episode, things I can improve. Maybe you have questions you'd like to ask about podcasting. Please email me at startpodcasting@spnt.tv. Feel free to email audio mp3 files with your questions or if you'd like to leave a voicemail you can dial us up 24/7 at 404-946-3397. Podcasting Resources Blog Don't forget to check out our Podcasting Resources blog. There we have ideas for podcasting equipment, if you’re in the market for podcasting equipment, I’ve got some affiliate links setup for Amazon.com where you can make those purchases, simply logon to spnt.tv/amazon. Podcast Consulting If you’re looking for some one on one podcast consulting, I am available for hire. You know sometimes you can listen to all the podcasts and read all the books and all the tips on the web, sometimes its just nice to sit down and talk it out. Don’t hesitate to email me I am here to help. If this is something you’re interested in shoot me an email or give me a call at 404-946-3397. Podcast Reviews I’m also available for podcasting reviews if you have a show that you currently produce and you’d like some honest feedback with constructive criticism, you know the drill, email me or call. Podcast Cover Art Maybe you need some cover art for your podcasts? Logon to podcastcovers.com and for just $125, I can get you setup with some custom cover art designs. If you’d like to see some examples of our cover art, just log on to SPNT.tv. 1and1 Affiliate Signup If you’re looking to start up your own podcast and you’re in need of a host server, please use my affiliate link with 1and1.com. I’ve been using 1and1 for years and I must say they have the best customer service I’ve ever dealt with and I do get a generous commission for everyone who signs up using 1and1, just logon to spnt.tv/1and1

Hello and welcome to the debut episode of Start Talking and Recording Today! This is a podcast where we teach you HOW to podcast. Whether you’re already an advanced podcaster or you’re looking to begin your very first episode, I’m here to help START you on your path to podcasting success. I have been podcasting since 2006 and have produced over 260 podcast episodes. I got my start in podcasting with a show called "The Tripsleft.com Sports Shorts". Surprisingly, this show only lasted 6 episodes. In January 2012, I launched the Sports Podcast Entertainment Network (SPNT.tv) with just one show on the network. The success we have seen over the year has been remarkable, the network now features 10 different podcasts! I started START because so many people over the years have come to me for my podcasting expertise and I thought who better to start a "How-To" podcast than I. There are a few rules that I live by and in this week's show I fill you in three important questions you must ask yourself prior to starting your podcast. I'd love to hear your feedback on this episode, things I can improve. Maybe you have questions you'd like to ask about podcasting. Please email me at startpodcasting@spnt.tv. Feel free to email audio mp3 files with your questions or if you'd like to leave a voicemail you can dial us up 24/7 at 404-946-3397. Podcasting Resources Blog Don't forget to check out our Podcasting Resources blog. There we have ideas for podcasting equipment, if you’re in the market for podcasting equipment, I’ve got some affiliate links setup for Amazon.com where you can make those purchases, simply logon to spnt.tv/amazon. Podcast Consulting If you’re looking for some one on one podcast consulting, I am available for hire. You know sometimes you can listen to all the podcasts and read all the books and all the tips on the web, sometimes its just nice to sit down and talk it out. Don’t hesitate to email me I am here to help. If this is something you’re interested in shoot me an email or give me a call at 404-946-3397. Podcast Reviews I’m also available for podcasting reviews if you have a show that you currently produce and you’d like some honest feedback with constructive criticism, you know the drill, email me or call. Podcast Cover Art Maybe you need some cover art for your podcasts? Logon to podcastcovers.com and for just $125, I can get you setup with some custom cover art designs. If you’d like to see some examples of our cover art, just log on to SPNT.tv. 1and1 Affiliate Signup If you’re looking to start up your own podcast and you’re in need of a host server, please use my affiliate link with 1and1.com. I’ve been using 1and1 for years and I must say they have the best customer service I’ve ever dealt with and I do get a generous commission for everyone who signs up using 1and1, just logon to spnt.tv/1and1