Podonomics

Here’s some quick tips on how to grow your podcasting audience. I look at offline, online and community building tools as excellent ways to promote your podcast. Listening time is 10-minutes.

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Resources

Promoting Your Podcast by Jason Van Orden

Online Media Success Workshop (sign up for early bird announcement)

For Immediate Release Twitter page

Mitch Joel’s Six Pixels of Separation Facebook group (login required)

Waiting for Your Cat to Bark online press releases & book

Discussion

What other promoting your podcast tips can you offer? What questions do you still have? Click on the Comments link to discuss.

I came across this little gem on Michael Bailey’s website. He recorded a session at Podcamp Toronto with me talking about his podcasting gear. It’s 10-minutes and it clearly shows how not to video podcast. For example:

• Don’t try to focus on too many conversations at once (0:11).
• Don’t look bored or distracted.
• Don’t rub or pick your nose (1:30).
• Don’t wipe the sleep from the corner of your eyes (2:24).
• Don’t have side conversations with your co-host while someone from the audience is talking (5:50).
• Don’t look dead into the camera when someone is asking you a question (especially if the camera and the person are in two totally different places).

Any other don’ts you’d like to add after watching this fine piece of video?

I was on a client website this morning and saw the following sentence on their contact us page:

“Our Down-to-Earth Team Operates as a Partner, Not a Vendor.”

I thought about this after getting off the phone with a client (not the one related to the website mentioned above) who’s not happy with my service. It’s the first complaint I’ve had to deal with in 12-months. She was unhappy that she didn’t get any responses to her podcast and she felt that the podcast wasn’t a good use of her time or money.

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A few days ago, I recorded a virtual roundtable with about 8 podcasters from Europe. I wanted to get their perspective on podcasting for profit because one of the chapters in my upcoming book will present a global viewpoint on the subject.

Many on the call shared with me that the constant upselling found on websites, blogs and podcasts are actually a turn-off for many Europeans. In other words, they were not really attracted to the integrated way of making money podcasting and instead, felt very comfortable with the direct and indirect methods of podcasting for profit. (See an explanation of all 3 methods here)

This is a conundrum for me. I make it no secret that I make money podcasting. I made money early through podcasting using the integrated model - that’s where I used the upselling technique to sell thousands of CDs. On the other hand, podcasts are not an infomercial and if you use it to sell, no one will listen.

What a dilemma. Until I came across this article.

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“The one sure way to know something someone tells you about podcasting is bullshit is that they are convinced that they can’t be wrong.” The most experienced podcast experts know only slightly more than the least experienced. If you march to their beat too closely, you’ll never invent your own dance moves.”

Said by the ever so clever contrarian, Dave Slusher on his blog recently. He was commenting on podcast length, frequency and formats after listening to someone else say that no podcast should be longer than 10-minutes.

I no longer believe that there are any rigid rules you need to follow when it comes to podcast length and frequency. I commented on podcast frequency recently, saying that being infrequent with new podcast episodes will actually encourage more people to subscribe.

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Interesting debate happening in regards to the Marie Claire podcast. There’s seems to be very little difference between an advertorial and editorial in their podcast.

I had a short freelance journalist career while in university which continued a couple years after graduation. I even took a few night courses at Ryerson University to learn about the magazine publishing process.

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Title doesn’t make a whole lot of sense as I didn’t want to put everything there when I’m going to explain what I need below. Follow along.

As I’m writing the chapter on measuring your podcast, I’m trying to explain feed requests. Now, feed requests are any request made to your feed from anything. Anything is quite broad, so let me narrow it down. Anything could be:

1. A person who added your feed to their feed reader. That’s a feed request.
2. A person who opens your feed in their feed reader. That’s a feed request.
3. A person who plugs in your feed into their browser. That’s a feed request.
4. A podcatcher updating its directory with new details from your feed. That’s a feed request.
5. Any errors or failed attempts (sort of like a 404 error when a webpage can’t be found). That’s a feed request.
6. Any others?

Now, when a feed request is made, is a download registered in my stats because the audio file is enclosed in the feed? Or, would that more accurately be considered a download request?

My thinking is yes, if an audio or video file is enclosed in your RSS feed, then if there’s a request made for your feed, it’s also considered a download request, but not an actual download. If that’s the case, how does this then skew your podcast statistics?

Let me know if I’m on the right track. The most intelligent response will make it into my book with full attribution.

Tags: feeds, RSS, podcasting, technology,

A few weeks ago, I commented about the continuous, tired debate of how to get women speaking at technology conference. I know a big part of the reason is because women lack the ability to self-promote. Alot of men have this difficulty, but alot more women suffer from this. I used to coach women on how to raise their self-esteem, so I got a ton of data to throw at you for anyone who wants to contest me on this issue.

I have no problems promoting myself or my work. None. I enjoy the marketing and business development portion of my business, preferring to leave the implementation and support to my very capable Production Manager.

Okay, so what happens when you do everything to let someone know you’re interested and you’re still passed over? But not just passed over, but given the lamest excuse ever as to why they passed women over?

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There’s very little in life that pisses me off. I’m pretty open minded and I have thick skin. Yet, when iTunes is trying to sabotage me, that’s when the gloves come off.

About 6-months ago, I separated my blog and podcast feeds after getting some complaints that people couldn’t find my podcast. I thought everything was hunky doory until my publisher told me he couldn’t find my podcast in iTunes.

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Michael O’Connor Clarke, a fellow Canuck, offered some really great advice on how to keep your audience happy. He has 5 tips:

1. Stop preaching to the choir.
2. Stop preening.
3. Lead with value.
4. More voice less noise.
5. Plan your spontaneity.

He offers an expansion on the five points above in his blog post. Go over and take a quick read. You’ll love his sage advice.