Challenges Over the last 30 days of my 31 day challenge to produce and publish a podcast every day, I really started thinking about the term “challenge.” And it’s various meanings … 1 : an objection to something as not being true, genuine, correct, or proper or to a person (as a juror) as not being correct, qualified, or approved. 2 : a call or dare for someone to compete in a contest or sport. 3 : a difficult task or problem. What are some of your challenges with podcasting? I took a look at so...
Jul 31, 2020•3 min
Podcasters have a great variety of software to record podcasts and interviews remotely. The options we have available are probably the best that podcasters have ever seen and experienced. This is day 30 of my 31 Day Podcast Challenge. I have put together a list of possible options that usually offer free initial trial periods, or free versions, and premium offerings as well. Circle270Media Podcast Consultants has not tested all of the alternatives below. We see posts and comments in online commu...
Jul 31, 2020•5 min
Consumers are influenced by other people more than they realize (or are willing to admit). According to the Wall Street Journal , social norms influence consumption behavior and even private interests, including one’s taste in music and even podcasts. This is what makes the concept of social proof a powerful one. This is Day 29 of my 31 Day Podcast Challenge What is social proof? Sourcing Wikipedia... Social proof , a term coined by Robert Cialdini in his 1984 book, Influence , is also known as ...
Jul 30, 2020•4 min
You handle the marketing for your company. You’re thinking about starting a company podcast but you haven’t got round to doing it yet. Why? Don’t know quite where to start the conversation in the next marketing meeting? This is day 28 of my 31 Day Podcast Challenge. Here are three great reasons why this form of audio content is just what your business’s content strategy needs. Podcasts make marketing sense. Fewer people are reading. More people spend more time mobile devices, which means you nee...
Jul 28, 2020•4 min
A big question that comes up with our new clients is whether you should or shouldn’t plan your podcast script. We look at it a couple of different ways. Scripted podcasts can make speech feel stiff and rehearsed. Scripted podcasts can be the key to being confident, concise and keeping the content flowing. I always answer that question this way. At the bare minimum, plan out your podcast episode. It’s impossible to create great content without some sort of planning. Even podcasts which sound ad-l...
Jul 27, 2020•4 min
Podcast show notes are one of those tasks that you KNOW is essential, but you can never bring yourself to doing it, or doing it properly. This may be, and probably is, because you’ve never been told how important they are to using the power of Google. This is day 26 of my 31 Day Podcast Challenge Podcast show notes are nothing more than a blog post with an audio file attached. And they're also so much more than that. Show notes serve three main purposes The first two serve existing listeners: 1 ...
Jul 26, 2020•4 min
Your podcast description is also known as your podcast summary, or show summary. Podcast listeners have over a million potential podcast shows to listen to. So how can you help yourself be found? Have a good podcast description. This is day 25 of my 31 Day Podcast Challenge You write the podcast description inside your media hosting account, and it appears in all the directories your podcast is listed in. For example, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc. Unfortunately, many will write their podcast des...
Jul 25, 2020•2 min
You want people to share your content. So make it as easy as possible for them. The most logical starting point for this is your podcast's website. This is day 24 of my 31 Day Podcast Challenge. Many inexperienced podcasters share links to their new episodes from iTunes, Spotify or Soundcloud. But these aren't platforms you control. Why direct traffic to someone else's site? You're missing out on a lot of opportunities for podcast listener engagement and growth. Your podcast hosting provider wil...
Jul 24, 2020•5 min
If you’re a new podcaster, and you aren’t utilizing a recording or production studio, you’re probably looking for a microphone that’s affordable and easy to use. It can be intimidating. And usually throwing the question into a podcast Facebook group will leave you even more bewildered with all the “I love this one” options. If you’re an experienced podcaster, you’re probably looking up to level up your sound quality. You’re ready to spend a few dollars on a better product to boost the production...
Jul 23, 2020•7 min
Podcasts are becoming more and more popular week after week. Their range of content covers a variety of genres. As more people become interested in podcasting, the myths and misconceptions about the industry easily come to light. Especially from a Google search on podcasting while researching how to podcast. And these myths continue to plague those who are creating podcast content as well. This is day 22 of my 31 Day Podcast Challenge. Some of the common podcasting myths you need to scroll right...
Jul 22, 2020•5 min
Fresh content is key in running a successful podcast. Your listeners want to hear more of you. Plus, new content helps attract new listeners who don’t yet know how great you are! Podcast block is real, and can plague even the most chatty podcasters. This is day 21 of my 31 Day Podcast Challenge When you’re stuck and can’t think of what to include in your next podcast, try one of these ideas. Set Up Google Alerts What is a Google Alert? Essentially it’s an email you will receive whenever somethin...
Jul 21, 2020•3 min
You’re still not seeing the podcast listener engagement you were hoping for. This is day 20 of my 31 Day Podcast Challenge. I have four of the best tactics to help you see your podcast listener engagement increase. All it requires from you is a little time and planning. You should start to see the listener participation and engagement increase over time! Post your social media updates when your audience is active Understanding your audience is the key to growing your listener base. But more impo...
Jul 20, 2020•3 min
We love helping businesses start their podcast for the right reasons. What are the right reasons? They depend on the business marketing goals and how this new marketing tool is cohesive with their other marketing objectives. This is day 19 of my 31 day podcast challenge. Your business may be going into podcasting for all the wrong reasons Because a potential podcaster often doesn’t consider the work involved with making one episode. It can cause problems for the whole marketing team You might se...
Jul 19, 2020•5 min
If you happen to be short on funds there are many free design resources that can help you out to create the perfect podcast episode artwork. For your website, your podcast feed, and social media posts. This is day 18 of my 31 day podcast challenge I am talking about free fonts, templates, stock photography, icons and even videos – essential assets you may need to complete your podcast projects, all free. And freebies don't mean you have to compromise quality. Free stock images Landing Stock Disc...
Jul 18, 2020•5 min
Interviewing guests involves more than just asking the right questions. Your audience wants to hear captivating content. This is day 17 of my 31 Day Podcast Challenge Here are some strategies you can implement immediately: Research Your Guests Thoroughly If your podcast exists to educate and inform your listeners about a particular subject, it’s only respectful of your audience to learn not only about the topic but also the guest in order to create an effective episode. Do your homework. Search ...
Jul 17, 2020•3 min
You’ve probably heard the term RSS Feed, but do you know what a podcast RSS feed means and how important it can be to your podcast and its success? This day 16 of my 31 day podcast challenge. Most people don’t, or don’t understand it fully. Even most podcasters. That’s why I want to break down exactly what the term means, why it’s so crucial to getting your podcast heard and how to use it to its maximum potential for your podcast! What is an RSS Feed? Before explaining the ins and outs of exactl...
Jul 16, 2020•6 min
The COVID-19 lockdown forced lots of people to get comfortable with video conferencing in a hurry. In fact so fast, most of us weren’t prepared with the right equipment or setup from our new “home offices.” Podcasters may have had a leg up on this situation, but it has become even more important to understand what is needed for recording better podcasts. This is day 15 of my 31 Day Podcast Challenge. Here are some tips for looking and sounding more professional when you are on camera from home. ...
Jul 15, 2020•5 min
As a small business, it can be extremely difficult to find your unique voice in your niche business category and marketplace. And then successfully reach your targeted audience. Consumers’ lives are saturated by advertising on a daily basis. So how can you create brand personality and make your business heard? One answer is podcasts. Podcasts are increasingly being integrated into brands’ content marketing strategies. Do you know why? It is advertising which offers businesses the opportunity to ...
Jul 14, 2020•3 min
You’ve come up with a fantastic podcast idea and you need some tips to get heard. Or maybe you’ve already gained a good core of listeners, but you feel the time has come to expand the podcast’s reach. This is Day 13 of my 31 Day Podcast Challenge. Your efforts into growing your podcast audience is something you should do on a regular basis. Dedicate just as much time and passion as you do when crafting and recording each podcast episode of yours. But how do you do it? Here are some handy tips to...
Jul 13, 2020•7 min
Despite podcasting being widely regarded as an excellent marketing solution to reach new clients and broaden your business exposure, it is not unusual to see professionals postponing their first step in the medium until the entire operation falls through. One excuse after the other. Day 12 of my 31 Day Podcast Challenge, I am going to focus on a potential set of fears preventing businesspeople from exposing themselves through a podcast. Here are some main reasons that are stopping you from start...
Jul 12, 2020•6 min
Creating great content can take a ton of effort and time. But what if your best content could work for you, again and again, without you having to create something new? Well, you can by repurposing your content For Day 11 of my 31 Day Podcast Challenge, I am going to spotlight some creative ways to repurpose that podcast content. What Is Repurposing Content? Repurposing your podcast content is taking an episode that you’ve already written and re-packaging it so that it does double duty. This all...
Jul 11, 2020•4 min
When you get interviewed on a podcast, you can trust that you will be heard by a highly targeted and engaged audience. If someone is willing to listen to a 30-60 minute interview with you, you can bet that they are interested in your topic. For day 10 of my 31 Day Podcast Challenge, let’s cover 4 great reasons why you should want to be interviewed on podcasts. Build relationships with influencers in your industry - networking! The one thing all podcast hosts have in common is influence. They hav...
Jul 10, 2020•3 min
There are numerous ways to convert your podcasts into video format to share and embed a podcast on social media. And what a great way to share your episode, or at least a portion of your podcast episode that is visually pleasing with audio waves moving and/or transcribed text. I have a list of apps that will convert your audio podcasts into motion graphic videos known as “audiograms” that you can share on YouTube and Facebook. Audioburst Audioburst offers a set of free tools for podcasters to pr...
Jul 09, 2020•6 min
I’ve been involved in podcasting for businesses and organizations since 2016. I’ve talked to a lot of people about the medium. Over the years, here are the common podcast questions we answer. Is creating a podcast hard? The answer is no, podcasting isn’t very hard — but it is work, so be prepared to put in the time and effort to make a good one and create great content. There are over 2 million podcasts in Apple Podcasts (mid-2021), so you do have some competition. The technical side of podcasti...
Jul 08, 2020•6 min
Before we delve into the second part of my Guide to Promoting Your Podcast, if you haven’t listened to Part 1, click here to go back and listen to the episode . In the first part, I touched upon some essential podcasting questions, which include tips and tricks about creating your own website and implementing the perfect marketing and social media strategy for your podcast. In Part 2, I am focusing more specifically on DISTRIBUTION. How can you distribute your podcast to the right people? Distri...
Jul 07, 2020•5 min
Growing your podcast audience is something you should do regularly, dedicating just as much time and passion as you do when crafting and recording each of your podcast episodes. But how do you do that exactly? If you plan on building an audience and getting recognized for your work, then you should definitely consider investing in a website . Developing a Website for your Podcast Why should you create a website for your podcast? First of all, it gives you the power to create your story. A websit...
Jul 06, 2020•6 min
I want to take a look at what I provide my clients for a year end review. I call it the Podcast Year End Review. The year end review doesn't necessarily mean that you're doing this in January. It's just the year end or maybe a season end review of whenever your podcast naturally ends. And it is a great year end review to take a look at three different areas - Progress/Gratitude Process Review Goal Setting If you'd like this list, send me an email. I can send you this list of questions that we go...
Jul 05, 2020•4 min
Being the Fourth of July holiday, I thought I'd hit upon how podcasting is really the purest form of free speech in modern media. I did a podcast just recently about some thoughts about that, and I'll put a quick link in the podcast show notes about that. I think we're very fortunate to live in this time that we have podcasts that really no one can shut down, ultimately, depending on how you're hosting your audio. We're pretty lucky at this point in time. If you have a voice, you have a micropho...
Jul 04, 2020•5 min
Ten questions to ask yourself before you start podcasting so you can get a feel for it. Are you ready? Is this what do you want to do? So figure out what will you talk about? And the content you'll like consuming will typically work best in your podcasts. So what's going to give you the energy to create, to create, to create, to create? And actually as well, you know, take a look at it, can you pivot from that content as well too. I don't think the well always dries because if you have the right...
Jul 03, 2020•6 min
I want to talk a little bit about how I have always been advocating for transcriptions. Great show notes. Why it's important and namely up to this point, it's been for SEO purposes. Search engine optimization for Google to find what you're talking about. Easier and answer any queries that are made on Google that if it matches your podcast, you have a better shot of of showing up. Now a new search engine for podcasts called PodScribe. And real interesting and talk a little bit about take off with...
Jul 02, 2020•6 min
