Podcasting Smarter

Effectively Grow Your Community with Wolf 359's Gabriel Urbina (Time Bombs, No Bad Ideas)

You can have the most state-of-the-art equipment, the most professional audio processing software, and the best podcast host in the game, but that doesn’t mean anything if your podcast doesn’t get listened to.  You should always create for yourself, make something that you’re proud to go back and listen to at the end of the day, but the biggest draw of podcasting as a medium is the idea that you can share the stories you want to tell with the people around you and interact with them as they experience your content.
No one knows more about the power of listenership and community than Gabriel Urbina, creator and head writer of Wolf 359, Time Bombs, and No Bad Ideas.  During Podcast Movement in Orlando, Florida, we got the chance to sit down and chat about effective growing your community of listenership.  

Using Private Podcasts For Training and Internal Communication - VMware

While there’s nothing wrong with newsletters, emails, and group conference calls, some companies like VMWare haven taken a step further and have implemented internal podcasts for communication and training purposes.  According to Marty Boyzuck, Director of Enablement Technology Architecture & Design of VMWare, it’s not a new concept.  Out of all the careers he’s had and places he’s worked, several things led him to use podcasting for internal communications through audio and video podcasting.  Listen to Marty's interview and find out how VMware uses private podcasts for training and internal communication across VMware to keep his employees engaged and informed!  

The Throughline of True Crime: Josh Hallmark on Empathy, Inverting Genre, and Making The Most of Podcast Advertising

What does it mean to be human?  That’s not the question Josh Hallmark set out with when he first started his podcast Our Americana.  It probably wasn’t even the question brought up with his following podcasts Playlist or The Karen and Ellen Letters.  But it’s the question he answers in his true crime podcast, True Crime Bullsh**: The Story of Israel Keyes. Of all the tools at his disposal, he says PodAds helped him do more than raise money - it helped him save time.  Enjoy the interview!Check out Josh's network of podcasts at http://www.our-americana.com
True Crime Bullsh** at http://www.our-americana.com/truecrimebullshit/

Focus On Valuable Content Before Monetization with AdapNation

 
You might just live a little longer after this episode. That is because I am joined by Steve Katasi, the host of The AdapNation Podcast. AdapNation is an honest and raw British Podcast, focused on helping you practically improve and optimize your health, body and mind – inside and out. Luckily, he is also willing to help us optimize our podcasts too! 
Steve's Podcast Confession: For this first 20-30 episodes his audio quality rubbish due to EMF interference. All he had to do was move a cord, and the sound issue was resolved. 
 
Steve's Podcasting Smarter Tips: 
Although he did very well working in IT Sales, he realized it just wasn't his passion. However, the study of self optimization was a passion, and he decided he could offer something unique in that space with a brand supported by a podcast. 
 
Steve's natural curiosity drives his interviews and in-depth content on a variety if subjects related to optimal health and wellness. 
 
Steve taught himself podcast editing, and although his skills are adequate, he is finding it time consuming, and would like to outsource that piece of post production. 
 
He gauges his success with patience. His growth in 2018 was slow, but skyrocketed in 2019 as a result of being a featured Podbean podcast, being featured on the Podbean app, and booking higher profile guests on the show. 
 
He gets his high profile guests to share the episodes by make them look good. He researched their previous podcast interviews and finds topics and questions that have not been covered in other interviews so he can deliver a fresh conversation. He also makes it effortless for them to promote the show by giving them social media assets, to share and links to their episode. 
 
He is using his podcast to feed a revenue-producing product by siphoning the best content from his podcasts into a paid, 100 day self optimization program delivered via daily email which is complemented with rich, curated content that takes the customer on a journey. He also sees a book in the future. 
 
Steve has purposefully gone slowly in pursuing monetization because he wanted to focus on the quality of the content. 
 
Steve engages on social media to promote his show, and is considering running ads for the show via PodAds. 
 
Steve is working on growing his community and you can be part of it by joining the AdapNation Community Facebook Group. 
 
His biggest piece of advice for new podcasters: You have to know who you want as a listener, and how you will deliver to them continuous, real value. 
 
Steve's theoretical podcast about his life: "Obsessive"
Steve's Fantasy Podcasters: Nelson Mandela and Albert Einstein 
 
You can find AdapNation wherever you listen to podcasts including Podbean. You can also follow AdapNation on Facebook and Instagram. 

Jen & Shannon Spill The Podbeans: The Best Way To Promote Your Podcast That You Haven't Tried!

Shannon Martin is Podbean's Communications Director, and she joins me on this episode! Shannon and I attended the PodFest Multimedia Expo and Proclaim conferences together, so we had lots fo time to chat with podcasters, and record a podcast together! 
On this episode we discuss some impressive Podbean features that are so good, they need a little extra attention from us to make sure our Podbean Family knows all that they have to offer. 
You will learn more about Podbean's programmatic ads platform, PodAds, and how it can benefit you as a podcaster! 
You will learn about a couple of features in the Podbean App that will help you produce better podcasts, and engage with your audience. 
Finally, we talk about how the expansion of Podbean's Affiliate program makes it easy for you to earn some extra income when you recommend the platform that you enjoy, to your pod pals. :) 
 
If you want to share what you've learned as a podcaster, have a podcasting question, or are interested in having a topic covered on the show, please email me at jennifer@podbean.com! :) I'd love to hear from you. 

Finding Your Podcasting Groove with The Sane Show

 
Hey there Pod Pals! I am thrilled to be talking to another member of our Podbean Family. Cliff Waddell is the host of The SANE Show, where he, along with his guests and friends, discuss a variety of random topics that are fun, entertaining and thought provoking.
 
Cliff's Podcasting Smarter Tips: 
Get a head start on your podcast production. Get your interviews pre-scheduled and recorded on a schedule. 
 
Cliff is constantly trying to make his show better. One way he does this is by studying what other successful podcasts are doing. 
 
Cliff focuses on content creation, content quality, content promotion, and content. 
 
He realized that after he nailed down his process, it freed him up to elevate the quality of his show. 
 
Having a podcast has improved his conversation, interview and sales skills. 
 
People want to be involved, and have a say in your show. 
 
97% of his social media engagement comes from Instagram so that is where he spends his ad dollars. 
 
Cliff spends about 3-4 hours a day on his podcast. 
 
Cliff has podcast advisers! 
 
Celebrate the small wins. They will keep you motivated, and remind you why you are doing this. 
 
Cliff's advice for new podcasters is to always be planning. Don't get so comfortable that you forget about taking your podcast to the next level. That takes continuous planning in order to grow. 
 
Cliff's hypothetical podcast about his life: "Cliff Hanger" 
 
Cliff's fantasy podcaster: Jerry Seinfeld 
 
Please be sure to listen to The Sane Show on Podbean, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also follow Cliff in Twitter and @sane_show on Instagram. 

Find Your Audience Offline: Justin Herman of Controlled Chaos Podcast

Hey Pod Pals! On this episode we are joined by Justin Herman (@heyjustinherman on FB, TW, INSTA). Justin runs the youth ministry at Sandals Church and is the host of the Controlled Chaos Podcast (@PodcastChaos Twitter, @ControlledChaosPodcast Insta) in partnership with Christ In Youth.  Find out more about the Controlled Chaos Podcast or Christ In Youth at ControlledChaos.fun or CIY.com/Chaos
 
Justin's Podcasting Smarter Tips: 
Justin didn't find any podcasts speaking to the needs of junior high youth ministry. Being a youth minister himself, he knew he could help people working with junior high students in a Christian leadership capacity, with a podcast. 
 
The name 'Controlled Chaos' was inspired by the title of a book by Justin's mentor. When he considered using the name, he reached out to his mentor who gave his blessing, and has even come on the podcast. Now, they've co-authored the revised addition of the book which is now for sale on Amazon. 
 
Justin engages his audience further by providing a curated discussion guide for eveery episode for church leaders to use for their groups. 
 
Justin got approached by sponsors early thanks to his extremely defined audience. He asked for double what they suggested they pay for a sponsor spot. 
 
Justin asks his guests to suggest other guests which keeps his guests spots booked out well in advance. 
 
Justin found a podcast partner, Christ In Youth, who put the podcast in front of youth ministers. That partnership grew into a financial partner so Justin can now showcase the podcast at CIY events, and is even more integrated into the organization where he is front and center in front of his ideal audience. 
 
Justin purposefully set out to find his audience offline. He started by approaching a Christian college and offering them valuable resources in exchange for sharing a link to his podcast along with the resources. The school ended up wanting to be more involved.
 
Justin's podcast has led to more speaking opportunities. 
 
Video is on the horizon as well as another book!  
 
During a recent strategy meeting they considered expanding their podcast to include high school ministry, but in the end they decided to stay focused on their original audience and turned to them via their Facebook group to find out what else they needed and in what formats.
 
Justin's one piece of advice for new podcasters is to stick with your vision, and don't let an opportunity tempt you away from that vision.    
 
 
Justin's hypothetical podcast about his life: Life By Accident 
Justin's Fantasy Podcasters: Jesus, General Patton, and individuals stuck fighting in a war they don't support
 
Want your podcasting question answered on Podcasting Smarter? Send your question to jennifer@podbean.com and include a links to your podcast on Podbean and social media so Jen can give you a shout out on the show! 
 

Jen and Vernon Chat Podcast Resolutions, Twitter Advice, and Predictions For 2019!

Jen and Vernon are back to spill some Podbeans! We are on the cusp of 2019, and we got some great advice on Twitter from some fellow Pod Pals. We also share some podcasting predictions for 2019. It's been a great year for podcasting, and we can't see what the next year has in store. 
 
Podcasting Smarter Tips From Our Pod Pals on Twitter:
 
From @HeyJustinHerman of @podcastchaos
“Be sharp on social media, follow people that follow you and DM people so they know there’s a real person there.  Offer some free stickers and encourage every person to leave you a reading and review!Be scrappy at the start to get momentum going!!”
 
From Shlomoh Samuel of @ThePanenkaView
“Be consistent with your episodes. If putting out an episode on a Sunday, make sure it goes out.”
 
From Heather of @SunPowerPod
“Take your Why, the reason you started and hold it close! Learn and adapt, make connections and celebrate the good ones...and when the going gets tough come back to your Why; what gave you the passion to begin!”
 
From @DJMetiMajor of the Let’s Do It Major Podcast
“Be yourself, don’t put on a persona for the podcast, find a topic and stick to it.”
 
From our Pod Pals @netflixnswill  
“Do it for yourself first, the audience second. If you aren't passionate for, and engaged with your topic, people will be able to tell and they won't be interested either.”
 
From @slnhpodcast
"Be consistent. Ask questions. Support other podcasters. Have fun!"
 
Thanks for memorable year of podcast conversations! Don't forget to listen subscribe to Vernon's Podcast, The Space Between, HERE! It's a great one. :) 
 
Have a question or topic for the show? Email Jennifer at jennifer@podbean.com
 
 
 
 
 

Eric Hunley from Unstructured: Go Into It Giving Because It's All About Relationships

 
Hello podpals! On this episode,  I am being joined by Eric Hunley of the Unstructured Podcast! Jen and Shannon were interviewed on his podcast at Podcast Movement 2018, and it was about time Jen returned the favor. You can check out Jen and Shannon's episode all about Podbean HERE. Podcasters will learn a lot of from this interview--including how Unstructured got to over 10,000 Facebook fans. 
 
Eric's Podcasting Smarter Tips: 
Eric is a fan of this podcast. Smart! :) 
It tool Eric 10 yrs to launch because of imposter syndrome. Now he is about to publish his 100th episode in just 9 months. 
He finds his guests in a variety of ways including facebook groups, previous guests, events, and reaching out to people he finds fascinating. 
Although he has been lucky to bank episodes, he prefers to publish them as quickly as possible so that of his show is going in a direction that isn't working he can catch it sooner. 
Eric uses Squadcast to record remote interviews and really likes the video feature that allows you to see your guest during the interview.
It's a long game. 
Eric does hours of research on each guest to ensure that his episodes are very high quality. Just because a podcast has a modest audience does not mean it is not a quality podcast.  
Eric puts systems in place to save him time by always scheduling his social media posts at the same time so he maintains consistency in his podcast promotion. 
Eric bought a Facebook ad which resulted in him having over 10,000 fans on Unstructured's Facebook page. He outlines the process. Although he ended up with an unengaged audience, he finds value in the vanity metric for attracting high quality guests. 
Eric also has a Facebook group which has become not only a resource for great interview questions, but the members have become real friends. 
Although Eric spends hours preparing, he does not provide guests with pre-interview questions because he wants an authentic conversation. 
He uses social media to market his podcast, and has noticed some increased traction on LinkedIn. He also chooses his release time so that it reaches the most time zones at an ideal time for listening. 
Guests don't always have professional headshots. Bummer. 
He subscribes to a service called Dlvrtit to help him with the quality of his Twitter content to free up some of his time for engaging. 
When you attend a podcast conference don't look to get anything out of it. Go into it thinking, "What can I give". 
Eric is writing a book about how to be a great podcast interviewer! Stay tuned for that! 
 
Eric's Theoretical Podcast About His Life: Pattern Recognition
Eric's Fantasy Podcaster: Mark Twain
 
Follow Unstructured on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! 

Radio Futurologist James Cridland: Podcasting Is Not An iPhone-Only Thing & Other Nuggets Of Wisdom!

We've got an industry expert joining Jen on this episode! 
James Cridland is a radio futurologist - a writer, consultant and public speaker on radio’s future. He is also the Managing Editor of podnews.net, a daily podcast newsletter, and runs media.info, a media information website.
In this episode James shares: 
What is exciting him about podcasting. 
Stats that will blow your mind! 
The relationship between radio and podcasting 
His podcasting pet peeves. 
How podcasters should define success
How smart speakers can impact your podcast 
The truth about stats
How podcasting is different from radio, and how we need to understand how that impacts advertising on podcast 
His wildest, most controversial media predictions! 
Listen to James' podcast HERE
You can also find him on Twitter, Linked In, Flickr and last.fm.
 

Jen & Vernon Spill The Podbeans On International Podcast Day: Season 05 Ep.1

Happy International Podcast Day! It's also Vernon's birthday--how fitting! We couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than producing a podcast on our favorite day of the year. It also gave Jen and Vernon an opportunity to spill the Podbeans on some recent Podbean updates as well as some podcast industry news. Thanks for joining us! 
 
Spilled Podbeans: 
Podbean recently enhanced its FREE podcast hosting plan to make it even more friendly to the beginner podcaster. 
You can now see your listener comments in your dashboard (in addition to the Podbean app.)
We've made our Podbean stats even better with comparison views and more geo data! 
Have you considered making an Alexa Flash Briefing for you podcast? Learn all about it on this guest blog post by The Alexa Guy! 
Speaking of smart speakers--as podcasters we may need to adjust our shows as people start listening to our shows differently. Thanks to smart speakers, family and friends can now listen to podcasts together in a more social way. 
Have you heard talk about a podcast bubble? After Buzzfeed laid off its podcast team, we started hearing murmors of a podcast bubble. We chat about our take on those rumours. 
 
Do you have a podcasting question? Feel free to email Jen at jennifer@podbean.com. We will be sure to discuss your question on the show and mention your podcast too. :)  
Thanks for listening and subscribing. You can listen on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and wherever you listent to podcasts. 

Podcast Your Passion and Find Your People: Season 04 Ep. 10

 
Today I get to chat with Podbean podcaster, Mike Troy who is the sole host and producer of the American Revolution Podcast: A chronological history of the Revolutionary War. Although Mike's family isn't into history like he is, he found a community of people who love history, and his podcast. Mike also shares a secret..one that is deeply buried on the internet. 
 
Podcasting Smarter Tips From Mike: 
To prep for the launch of his podcast, Mike wrote 100, yes 100 episode scripts in advance of his first recording. Impressive! 
As a solo podcaster, Mike imagines people listening and responding which got him comfortable solo hosting. He also has a script prepared and edits on the fly as needed with Audacity. 
Podcasting helped Mike become a better everyday speaker--another benefit of podcasting! 
Because Mike is very organized and well planned, Podbean's scheduling featured allows him to produce his episodes in advance of his publish date, and schedule them accordingly. Smart podcasting! 
The podcast helped Mike get out of his shell. Introverted and shy by nature, Mike found a community of fellow history buffs on and off line thanks to his podcast. 
Mike is active on social media and successfully connects with his audience online. Without the podcast, his knowledge of social media would never have happened. 
Don't focus on your downloads for the first 6 months. Just focus on producing a good episode every time. The numbers will come. Be patient. 
 
Hypothetical Podcast About Mike's Life: "Keep Plugging" 
Mike's Fantasy Podcaster: Thomas Paine
You can listen to the American Revolution Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts including Podbean, Apple Podcasts, and Stitcher. Follow the podcast on Twitter and join the Facebook Group! 

Planning A Successful Podcast Launch With The RoShamBo Podcast: Season 4 Ep. 09

 
On this episode Jen gets to chat with Kim Drobes who is the co-host and executive producer of the RoShamBo podcast which features unique competitions and extraordinary competitors. Only ten episodes in, Kim's background in radio and a previous podcast gave her all the skills she needed for a successful podcast launch! 
 
Kim's Podcasting Smarter Tips: 
Treat your podcast like a business. Set money aside to spend on the show, and come up with a launch plan. Kim and her co-host Ted each contributed $1,000 to invest in the podcast. Find out how they spent the money! 

Plan a launch party! Not only is it a way for you to celebrate the work that went into starting your show, but it also gives you the opportunity to get friends and family excited, thank the people that helped you, and even attract your first fans. 

Consider a long running Facebook ad. We aren't talking about boosting a post. Kim spent several hundred dollars on a long running, highly targeted ad through Facebook Ads Manager. But first, they produced a nice video using the Headliner App. 

Kim and Ted also spent time creating a nice website on Squarespace. Check it out.

Having a launch plan also gave them time to work out mistakes. For instance, Squarespace was great for their website, but didn't work so well as a hosting platform. That's when they switched to Podbean. :) 

The launch plan also included distribution--before officially launching, they made sure their podcast was in all the places--including Apple, Google Play, Stitcher, iHeart, Spotify, etc. 

They also produced a lot of content in advance so they could launch their show and schedule their pre-produced episodes smoothly. 

Kim wanted to produce the kind of show that she likes to listen to. Her episodes are highly produced, and thanks to her radio background, she has the skills to produce her ideal show. 

Kim's advice to new podcasters: Just start! Starting is the harder part. Don't get bogged down in all the nuances and the desire for it to be perfect. Have a plan, make it happen. You can always delete it later. 
 
Surprise Questions:
Kim's hypothetical podcast about her life: Travel and Ping Pong
Kim's fantasy podcaster: Her grandmother! 
Kim's Favorite RoShamBo episode: Frozen Dead Guys Days' Coffin Race
 
You can listen to RoShambo wherever you listen to podcasts and you can find them on social media @roshambopodcast on all platforms. 

Jen and Vernon Spill The Podbeans On PodAds: Season 4 Ep. 08

 
Jen and Vernon are fresh from their experience at Podcast Movement 2018 with lots of news to share! After 5 years producing The Social Strategy Podcast, Vernon calls it quits and tells us why. He is also excited to announce the launch of his new podcast, The Space Between! We also learn that there is no shame in pod fading, there is only shame in doing something that no longer inspires you. 
Podbean recently launched PodAds, and it has a lot of podcasters talking! PodAds was designed to help the indie podcaster monetize their show, and help the local advertiser reach audiences located in specific areas of the United States and the world. It's all very exciting and Jen and Vernon break down how it works, and encourage you to check it out for yourself. 
Podbean contributed to Rev's FREE Podcasting 101 Guide along with Resonate Recordings, Samson, Podcast Engineering School, and Social Media Rescue. The guide is available on Rev's site--no email required! While you are there you can enter for a chance to win a podcast launch package with items from all the contributors, including a year of free hosting (Unlimited Audio Plan) and a featured spot on Podbean's App, from Podbean! 
Vernon is excited about speaking at B&H Photo on August 2nd at 1pm in New York City for their recorded workshop: Connect, Communicate and Create: Starting Your Podcast Sponsored by Samson 
 
Thanks for listening to another episode of Podcasting Smarter! Be sure to subscribe on Podbean, iTunes or Stitcher! You can message us through Twitter @Podbeancom if you have any questions you want answered on the show. :) 

How A Podcast Can Build Community And Open Doors In Your Profession with Jon Thurmond: Season 4 Ep. 07

 
On this episode of Podcasting Smarter, Jen is joined by Jon Thurmond. Jon is the co-host of the HR Social Hour Podcast where he and fellow HR-pro Wendy Dailey talk to other HR professionals about connecting, giving back, and building your network. Jon is also a co-host on the long-running Star Joes Podcast which is a show dedicated to Star Wars, G.I. Joe, and everything in between.
 
Jon's Podcasting Confession: Jon failed to hit record on his fourth episode with a great guest. Luckily his guest was happy to record again, and improve on his first podcast interview. 
 
Jon's Podcasting Smarter Tips: 
Before he hit record for the first time, Jon and Wendy hopped on Skype and practiced so they could work on their timing and be confident that their podcast was professional sounding from the beginning 

Jon knew there were a lot of HR podcasts out there already so he know it was important to find a hook. He and Wendy chose to concentrate on humanizing their industry and building community. 

The HR Social Hour Podcast came about after Jon created a weekly Twitter Chat, #HRSocialHour in order to connect with other HR professionals that like him, were not able to attend SHRM, a large, annual HR conference. That twitter chat was so successful, that it inspired the idea for a complementary podcast. 

Podcasters may want to consider starting their own Twitter Chats as a way to connect with their audience. Be sure to advertise the date/time, and attach a hashtag to it. Jon uses the tool, Wakelet, to capture the content from his Twitter chats. 

Jon has benefitted professionally from his podcast. He even got invited to be part if the Blog Squad for this year's SHRM Conference in Chicago. This gave him the opportunity to connect with respected leaders in his industry. 

His biggest piece of advice is to do our homework. It is easy to start a podcast, but difficult to keep it going unless you prepare by organizing your time, planning your content, and committing to being consistent. 
 
Jon's Hypothetical Podcast About His Life: "The Professional B.S. Podcast"
 
Jon's Fantasy Podcaster: Hal Needham
 
Check our the HR Social Hour Podcast on Podbean, iTunes, and Stitcher! Follow HR Social Hour on Facebook, and you can find Jon on Twitter too!  You can also listen to Star Joes Podcast in all the places as well! :) 
Remember, you can join Jon and Wendy the 4th Sunday of each month at 7 PM Eastern for the #HRSocialHour chat on Twitter!  See how they do it, and consider starting your own! 

Paying Attention To Audio Quality Pays Off with Netflix 'N Swill: Season 4 Ep. 06

 
 
This week Jen talks to Dan Brenic, co-host of Netflix 'N Swill. Dan and his podcast partner, Caleb started podcasting after being inspired by their friends, The Epic Film Guys--another podcast in the Podbean Family. 
 
Key Podcasting Smarter Tips From This Episode: 
Dan prefers remote recording with Discord much better than Skype, and he tells us why he likes it so much better than Skype. 
Use decent mics--Dan uses the ATR2100 (so does Jen!) #micbonding
In the competitive genre of movie and T.V. review podcasts, it helped them to specialize in Netflix programming, and it happened to work for them as active Netflix subscribers. 
To market their podcast, Dan and Caleb use their Facebook Page, Twitter, and some Instagram. They also contribute to the community associated with the hashtag #PodernFamily. Twitter is working for them the best. 
They are constantly searching for new ways to market their show in order to reach new listeners. He feels they can only go so far with an existing audience. 
You are doing yourself and your listeners a disservice if you don't listen back to your podcast episodes. It is the most efficient way to improve your broadcasting skills, and speech patterns. 
They are currently monetized through listen support via Podbean's Patron program and Patreon. However, their podcast is not dependent on listener support, but it lets them know they are doing something right to have it. 
They got creative with their Patron rewards by coming up with rewards that engage their listeners by allowing them to choose what painful movies and shows they have to watch next. Fun! 
Dan's most sage piece of advice to concentrate on good audio quality because good content doesn't matter if it's painful to listen to. 
 
Dan's hypothetical podcast about his life: "Oh Boy: The Dan Brenic Story"
Dan's Fantasy Podcaster(s): The Founding Fathers
Please connect with Dan, and listen to Netflix 'N Swill here: 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/netflixnswill
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/netflixnswill/
Podbean: https://netflixnswill.podbean.com/
Website: https://www.netflixnswill.com/
  
Thank you so much for listening to another episode of Podcasting Smarter! If you have an idea for a topic, or know a Podbean podcaster who has something to share, please email Jennifer at jennifer@podbean.com 
 
 

Jen and Vernon Spill The Podbeans On Why Listeners Stop Listening To Podcasts: Season 4 Ep. 05

 
Jen and Vernon from the Podbean team, co-host this episode, and delve into the reasons people may be unsubscribing to your show based on unscientific data from a Reddit thread. After that they discuss more scientific data derived from the 2018 Podcast Consumer Report by Edison Research. 
 
Podcasting Smarter Tips For Not Losing Listeners: 
Make sure your audio quality is good. It doesn't have to be studio quality, but it should be pleasant to listen to and easy to understand with a consistent, level volume. 
Unless you have a political podcast, be careful how much time you spend on your political opinions. 
Listen back to your show so you can catch vocal ticks, mouth noises, heavy breathing--all things that can distract from yoru content. 
Show your personality! If you are a boring host, your listenership will suffer despite the content quality.
Put on your positive pants! Being angry, ranting, and sharing a lot of negativity might be entertaining at first, but that negative energy can repel listeners. 
Too many ads can cost you listeners. Sponsors are great, and we love to see shows attract sponsors, and even most listeners understand that sponsors help keep the shows they love going strong. But, there seems to be a tipping point when the ads start detracting from the content. 
A couple we didn't get to on the show:
Hosts that constantly talk over each other are a big listener turn off. 
You may lose listeners when you stop releasing on a predictable schedule. 
Listeners get annoyed when hosts don't stay on topic and forget about what the fans are tuning in for. 
 
Thank you so much for listening to another episode of Podcasting Smarter! If you have an idea for a topic, or know a Podbean podcaster who has something to share, please email Jennifer at jennifer@podbean.com 

More Than A Few Customers Through Podcasting: Season 4 Ep. 04

 
Hey pod pals! After having the privilege of being a guest on her podcast, Lorraine Ball is joining me on this episode for a friendly episode swap! Lorraine is the host of the podcast, More Than A Few Words, a marketing conversation for business owners, AND a production of her marketing company, RoundPeg. Lorraine is a great sport during "podcast confessions", and is generous with what she has experienced and learned after years of producing a show to complement her marketing agency. 
 
Podcasting Smarter Tips From Lorraine: 
Don't be afraid to experiment with formats for the longevity and success of your show. Keep what works and dump what doesn't.

Initially, her podcast allowed her to showcase companies she worked with, and they would often return the professional favor by mentioning her company on their marketing channels.

Live call in shows are a bad idea. 

Longer shows are not always better. Her show improved when she gave herself permission to do a shorter show and to edit out the less compelling parts of a recording. 

Know why you are podcasting, and let that direct all of your decisions. 

She started including the podcast in RoundPeg's weekly newsletter and it drastically improved the open rates. 

Her podcast has helped her land clients.  

She now makes social media graphics for her guests. The images showcase them nicely, making it more likely for them to promote their episode. 

More than anything else, have fun. If you are enjoying the show, your guests will too. 
 
Lorraine's hypothetical podcast about her life: "Well, I Didn't Expect That!"
 
Lorraine's Fantasy Podcaster: Ruth Bader Ginsburg 
 
Listen to More Than A Few Words on Podbean, iTunes, and Stitcher! 

Podcast Credibility Comes With Visibility And Reliability: Season 04 Ep. 3

On this episode Jennifer speaks with Chris Stafford, the President & CEO of  WiSP Sports Inc. which was formed in 2015.  Chris is a veteran sport’s broadcaster and journalist with more than forty years experience covering international sports and has reported at Olympic Games, World and European Championships and World Cups. Chris leads a team of women from around the world that produce and host 25 different podcasts reaching a global audience with more than 760 episodes covering all women’s sports and topics.
WiSP Sports tells the stories of sportswomen with integrity and respect while promoting gender equality, diversity, fairness and access. We celebrate women’s achievements both in and out of competition through articles, video, blogs and podcasts. As thought leaders we are shifting the narrative from a mainstream perspective of women in sport by enabling women to tell their own stories without bias.
 
Chris' Podcasting Smarter Tips: 
You want you guests to say, "Wow, I forgot we were recording!". 
Chris passed on the mainstream sports and focused on the fringe sports that weren't getting their stories heard, and whose followers were hungry for the attention. 
Chris was able to find a lot of knowledgable atheletes who made perfect podcast talent for her network. 
While interviewing atheletes, she would often find talented hosts for her shows. 
Chris describes herself as the narrow end of the funnel and still does the production for all the shows in the Wisp Network. 
As they've grown, they have developed partnerships and co-productions with relative organizations which helps with attracting sponsors. 
Although, Wisp began two years ago, Chris wanted to build a robust website with quality content and a large audience before approaching sponsors. So, they just recently started getting sponsorships. 
Chris has a business plan, but it is always evolving so she has to shift as opportunities,  technology, and trends change unexpectedly. 
It's hard to be patient when she sees the potential for the network. She would like a show for every female sport on the network. 
Keep your antenna out or you might miss an opportunity! 
The more visable and reliable you are, the more credibility you will achieve
Twitter is her best social media platform--this is where they get the conversations going
Do your research on the content you are planning and be familiar with your competition 
Know your topics and book great guests
Know your voice--what it is capable of and how it changes throughout the day
 
 
Chris' hypothetical podcast about her life: "She Tried" 
Chris' fantasy podcaster: Martina Navratilova
 
You can listen to Wisp Radio on Podbean, iTunes, and Stitcher. 

Podcasting In A Car Named Betty With The Podbean App: Season 4 Ep. 02

 
On this episode I get to chat with Lisa and Sam from the very fun and funny podcast, I Shake My Head with Lisa and Sam. Their show follows their friendship as two funny women in their mid 40’s who find themselves having some of their best conversations in the car! They have opinions and they love to laugh about everything that life throws at them! They throw a lot of great stuff at us in this episode! 
Podcasting Smarter Tips from Lisa & Sam: 
You don't need a fancy studio to produce a podcast. Lisa & Sam record from a car named Betty using the Podbean App and a Zoom H1 for back up. 

Podcasting was a natural extension of their rich conversations they were having anyway. 

The key to their podcast success is their authentic friendship

Do your homework and try to be something unique. 

Be true to your vision, but not so true that you aren't open to constructive feedback. In the beginning they got some hard-to-hear criticism that they couldn't ignore. 

Be part of the podcasting community. Join Facebook groups, and connect with other podcasters on social media. 

Listen to your episodes and learn from them. 

Lisa and Sam are very active on social media--Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Their most successful platform is Twitter, but they are on their a lot. 

They are using Podbean's Patron Program as a means to monetize their show. 
 
You can listen to I Shake My Head on Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, and iHeart Radio. You can also join the fun on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!  Look forward to an episode every Friday!