Podcasting: Because Your Audience Wants To Hear From You

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Podcasting is the natural next step in relationship building. They know and trust your voice. They feel like they already know you. Knowing that your audience, your target market, and your clients truly want to hear from you is the most compelling reason to get started with your own podcast.

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They know and trust your voice. They feel like they already know you. Your podcast is just the natural next step in your ongoing relationship.

You already have at least two-thirds of the structure you need: your blog, your audience. The other third would be your email autoresponder series. Podcasting is the natural next step in building relationships online and offline.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves!

Radio Tales

When is the last time you listened to the radio, as in AM/FM? This morning? Last week?

Personally, I don’t listen to AM/FM radio much these days at all. But it so happened that I was visiting a friend on a Sunday morning and she had her radio tuned to her favorite weekly old-time gospel program. What struck me was the line-up of songs: they didn’t appeal to me in the least but it got me to thinking about how the radio station chose the songs to play.

They play what the people want to hear.

What This Article Covers:

  1. We Are Listening
  2. What (or Who) Are We Listening To?
  3. Podcasting: Natural Next Step in Relationships
  4. Why ME?
  5. Resources & Podcasts About Podcasting

A few months back, I’d watched a movie about an up-and-coming singer who was a favorite with the people but had a hard time convincing the local radio station that his music was worthy of airtime.

As his promoter and the station owner watched him record a song, the station owner emphatically rejected the notion, citing James Brown’s strange lyrics (Please, please, please!) and unconventional style as problematic.

In the final analysis, the promoter convinced the station owner by proving, “THIS is what the people want to hear!”

In both cases, it’s all about what the people want to hear.

We Are Listening

In our digital age of iPads and tablets, mp3 players and Sirius, iTunes and SoundCloud, we’re listening less and less to traditional radio.

We’re not turning the dial to line up a station. We’re not calling up WKVT to request our favorite song or talking head on-demand. (Talking heads don’t do on-demand, anyway.)

But we are listening. And we’re listening at increasing rates, on-demand (much to the chagrin of regular radio, I might add.)

For the first time, we can report that podcast listeners are now listening to more podcast audio than any other form of audio. . . [T]he total share of podcast listening amongst all Americans increased by 18% over our Spring [Share of Ear] study, which is a significant jump. — Edison Research

According to Edison Research’s groundbreaking Share of Ear Study, we have evolved into an army of avid podcast listeners — consuming spoken word broadcasts at an unprecedented rate. But the slice of pie for podcast listeners seemed low (1.7%) when compared to the overall numbers, so Edison created a special 5-minute webinar on why podcasting is a bigger deal than it appears to be at first glance.


A 5-minute webinar on why podcasting IS a big deal, with data from the new Share of Ear study by Edison Research.

We can glean much from the statistics presented in the study and we can add our own observations.

  • “On-demand” appeals to us
  • Busy life styles demand we insert useful activities into ever-shrinking time slots
  • The landscape is so broad even the most narrow interests can be met
  • Desire for learning hardly ever wanes — we want to go from beginner to intermediate to master to expert to teacher
  • We continually transfer our habits – listeners to audio tapes went to CDs and DVDs, then shifted to mp3s and online apps

What (or Who) Are We Listening To?

Platforms vs Programming

Ask any of 100 people what they listen to online and one of the foremost answers you’ll get will be “YouTube.” YouTube is one platform among many, but it is known more for video that pure audio. Audio listening platforms include SoundCloud, iTunes, LibSys, Blogtalk Radio, Blubrry, Stitcher — to name a few.

But the “what” you and I are more interested in is what type of programming or channel (rather than which platform) is capturing the minds and attention of our target markets, and our readers.

Overwhelmingly, you will find your readers, your clients, your potential customers and your colleagues are avidly listening to podcasts covering business, social media, content marketing, productivity, SEO, analytics, inspiration, website design, effective habits, entrepreneurship, big data . . .

The list goes on and on.

And just in case that list didn’t hit near enough to what you write about, consult about, talk about, try out these: parenting, gardening, coffee, crafts, natural remedies, farming, equestrian care, elder care, dog training, personal development and increasing YouTube engagement.

See, the list goes on and on!

Podcasting: Natural Next Step in Relationship Building

Podcaster Jamie Green, who was working on her MFA in creative writing, shares her unlikely foray into podasting on a Kickstarter video, Talking Shop: How to Get Started in Podcasting:

I don’t come from a radio background. I don’t come from a media background. The short answer is I bought a microphone and got a LibSyn hosting account and started recording the thing.

Since we are listening, we should be producing. (And we are producing, at an alarming rate, much to the chagrin of regular radio, I might add!)

Listen to the first few minutes of the video below to get an idea of where a new wave of podcasters is coming from and how their choice relates to radio.

We “Should Be” Producing

Time to change this up a bit:

They are listening.
You should be producing.

You probably hear that enough, said in a slightly different way: “You should be podcasting.”

The question you struggle with is not so much “how do I create a podcast,” but “why should I create a podcast?”

To be clear, the emphasis is not on “I” in the sense of why you should be the one to do it. Assuming that you already want to create a podcast, the emphasis is not on whether or not you’re procrastinating or if you need to be persuaded.

No, what I’m getting at is what is it that is important enough to make you push aside any challenges (including equipment, money, and time). That important thing is usually “why” — why I should, why I want to, why it’s useful, why it’s needed.

Why is all about motivation — it’s the force to be reckoned with moreso than “what” or even “how.”

Your Audience Wants To HEAR From You

audio-podcasting-workstation

In sales we’re taught, if they buy once, they’ll buy again. In ecommerce we’re told, if they’ve purchased something from you, they’ll purchase something else, too. And in the real-world hustle and bustle of life, we understand if you want anything done, ask a busy person to do it.

Whatever it is that they’re already doing, they’ll do <it again.

Getting to “why” is not as hard as it seems. Scroll back up to the section “Who or What Are They Listening To” and one answer to “why” becomes clear immediately: because your clients, visitors, potential customers and readers are already listening to audio online.

Let’s bring why a little closer to home.

Why ME?

If your audience reads your blog, subscribes to your newsletter, responds to your surveys, follows you on Twitter, Likes you on Facebook . . . They probably think you’re groovy! (No snarky remarks about my age here, OK?) I think I’ve made a case for “why me” … why you . . . Your audience wants to hear more from Y.O.U.

They’re already reading what you write.
They’re already engaging with you in social media.
They’re already inspired by what you share.

In short, they already know and trust your voice. Although they might not have actually heard you speak, it’s akin to how we feel when we can finally put a face to a voice — only in reverse.

The bottom line? They feel like they know YOU. They want to hear from and talk with you. Your podcast is just the natural next step in your ongoing relationship.

Wrap Up

Be encouraged. The podcasting space is so huge there remains room enough for the one you’ve been thinking about — and putting off — creating.

Resources

Embedding in different types of sites

By using plugins, it’s easy enough to embed your podcast into a WordPress blog, Joomla! site or even your Concrete5 CMS. But not everyone is using the same platforms, especially DIYers who shun the idea of using a blog or CMS for business sites.

So when Sherryl told me she was creating a site on SquareSpace, it reminded me that content management systems and blogs are not the only types of sites where you might want to host your podcast. Your site might be built as standalone pages or you might be using a website builder. Don’t worry, you can still share your podcast in those spaces!

For example, you can publish and syndicate a podcast with Squarespace by using their audio block within blog posts. For your standalone html site, you can also simply cut-and-past plain-old HTML to get your audio properly embedded for sharing with your audiences.

How to create

With so much freely available information on how to create a podcast, I’m seeing that as less of an issue, but just in case that’s what you need, here are four top resources:

  1. Kevan Lee on Search Engine Journal: Podcasting 101: The Complete Guide to Getting Started covers the gamut, including how to promote your new podcast
  2. Pat Flynn offers a free smart podcast player that’s responsive, works on mobile devices and was created out of his own need to share and showcase his popular podcast series. (There are also paid options for the player.) Not to disappoint you in the resources area, Flynn also teaches you how to podcast with his free 6-part video series.
  3. The Formula for Creating a 1,000,000 Download Podcast: James Schramko, guest of Tyler Vawser’s over on Okdork, created a comprehensive podcasting checklist including possible formats. Not to be missed!
  4. Looking for a different cup-o-tea? The Podcast Movement Conference, happening July 31 – August, Fort Worth, TX (USA)

Podcasts about podcasting

Tune into one (or all!) of the podcasts that focus on podcasting.

  • The recognized authority on all things podcasting is Podcast Answerman Chris Ravenscraft;
  • The Wolf Den’s Adam Sachs interviews Lex Friedman about the maturity of advertising in podcasting;
  • The Audacity to Podcast is a podcast about podcasting with the open source audio tool, Audacity; and,
  • The aptly named Podcast About Podcasting, hosted by Mike Russell and Izabela Russell, is both informative and entertaining. They’ve covered the mics on it (archives-only now) but have unveiled their new show featuring pro podcasters, Music Radio Creative.
  • Jay Baer’s team produces the Content Pro Podcast; this one features Daniel J. Lewis on Everything You Need to Know About Podcasting

There are scores more, just do a search to turn up some interesting ones.

Podcast presentation

Finally, I want to mention Ed Gandia’s interview with podcasting master Chris Ravenscraft for two reasons: (1) he’s interviewing Chris πŸ™‚ and (2) Ed’s “show notes” page exemplifies how to present your podcast to drum up interest in listening to a specific episode.

And because he provides a downloadable PDF transcript, our auditory-challenged friends get the meat of the episode even if they can’t hear it.

Podcast Analytics

Even before you finish recording your very first podcast, you’ll want to know all about the stats! How to measure engagement, how many downloads, how long are people listening, are the same people downloading every episode, where are new subscribers coming from . . .

I asked veteran videographer and podcast producer, Deborah Anderson of Social Web Cafe, to share her own experience with podcasting measurement and analytics:

There are many challenges with podcast stats and analytics … As you know, there are many different platforms, and each has its own analytics. I personally love to promote that people listen on iTunes, but there is no real way to measure it. My favorite stats are the LibSyn stats. I can see them as I log in to my favorite podcast hosting and can see right away if my most recent podcast resonated with people. I realize that that isn’t going to reflect all stats, but it tends to provide an adequate snapshot to see what is going on with the podcast.” — Deborah Anderson, @SocialWebCafe

So, your analytics will depend on the platform you use. When you’re ready, doing more research will turn up other ways to gather stats independent of the platform you choose.

Conclusion

Ah podcasting!

It’s a good business strategy. It helps with content marketing. It contributes to the economic bottom line. But when you ask some of the most enthusiastic podcasters about the true underlying reason for starting an online talk show, you’ll find the common denominator is heart-and-hearth, not dollars-and-cents.

Podcasting is the natural next step in relationship building. Knowing that your audience, your target market, and your clients truly want to hear from you is the most compelling reason to get started with your own podcast. Talk to me (I left room in the comments below for your voice.)

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Author: Vernessa Taylor

Vernessa Taylor is a micro and small business champion who helps owners choose and use smart technologies in their businesses. She writes for a variety of business publications including SmallBizTrends, Business 2 Community, and Smart Data Collective.

60 thoughts on “Podcasting: Because Your Audience Wants To Hear From You”

  1. I agree that podcasting another great way to connect with your audience. Allow with videos it a great way to let them get a deeper sense of who you are. Listening to a person adds to what you can get from reading their ideas.

    Hi,
    I very much agree with the notion that podcasting is an excellent way to connect with your audience. Listening has a special way of making a message sink in faster, it allows for better understanding.

    Though I don’t know anything yet about Podcasting but it’s an area that I’m willing to learn and maximize its potential, Podcasts is also a great for people who have been reading your articles to hear your voice. Great article, keep up the good job. Thanks
    Obodo Charles recently posted..Avoid These 5 SEO Mistakes And Maximize Your Website TrafficMy Profile

  2. I agree that podcasting another great way to connect with your audience. Allow with videos it a great way to let them get a deeper sense of who you are. Listening to a person adds to what you can get from reading their ideas.

    I have also found it is likely to get much less traffic than your text posts. I think because it takes much more effort (granted still not a huge amount) but people have to commit to listening at all (which is a barrier) and then audio is still sequential – you can’t just scan to find where they mention the items you are most interested in (as you can with text).

    Podcasts are great for people that already are big fans of yours and want more. It will deepen their connection to you.
    John recently posted..Curious Cat as a Celebrity in Yogyakarta, IndonesiaMy Profile

    1. Hi John,

      That’s interesting that you find that you get less traffic with podcasts than text posts. I wonder if that’s common to find that. I suspect that it’s related to your audience/niche. I don’t know that for sure but that’s my suspicion anyways. πŸ™‚

      I know that some people absolutely love videos. I usually prefer text but when I think of videos, Rand Fishkin’s Whiteboard Friday series pops into my mind. I find that series educational and entertaining at the same time. It’s one of my favorite ways to keep up to date on SEO.

      On the other hand, when I’m looking for tutorials, I usually prefer text as opposed to YouTube. While, YouTube is my husband’s go-to when he’s learning something, I shy away from them myself. Ideally, bloggers mix it up.

      As always, thanks so much for taking the time to weigh in on this. I always appreciate your insight.
      Sherryl Perry recently posted..SEO Resources Bloggers Can Use #FridayFindsMy Profile

      1. I suspect it is nearly universally true. Based on what I have seen on client sites, hear from others in a wide variety of niches and gleaned from comments on popular sites.

        My guess is for things you are a big fan of the extra commitment of video or audio pays the listener back much more (Rand’s videos for example) and reinforces their “brand” creating a much stronger bond with users.

        And sure there will be a few people that actually prefer audio or video files. There is a use case with longer audio podcasts to use them at times when browsing text or watching videos is hard or impossible (while running, driving…).

        And there are some niches where audio and video beat text and photos but I would bet those are the rarities rather than the other way around. Personal vlogs mainly about what I do today are likely more popular than diary type text. Music related stuff, etc..

        We read much much faster than we can talk so listening slows down how rapidly you gain information which normally makes it less appealing, though there are exceptions.

        Audio and video offer some great advantages but for most people the numbers are way lower than for text content. For extremely popular content audio and video can be greater than text.
        John recently posted..Temple of Literature (VΔƒn MiαΊΏu – Quα»‘c Tα»­ GiΓ‘m, ζ–‡ε»Ÿ) Hanoi, VietnamMy Profile

        1. Hi John,

          Rand’s whiteboard Friday series definitely reinforces his brand. (His quirky mustache does to.)

          I’m not a runner and I like β€œjamming” to the radio when I drive but I do see how some people enjoy audio.

          I find that when I sign up for webinars, I often prefer to β€œwatch”/listen to them after they’re recorded. That way, I can have a document open and take notes while I listen. Simply keying them into a document reinforces what I’m learning. Plus, I have the notes to refer to. I wonder how many other people prefer learning this way.

          Thanks so much for the feedback. I visited your site and your photos of the temple are lovely. Have a nice weekend!
          Sherryl Perry recently posted..Do You Want to Consolidate Multiple Websites?My Profile

  3. Hey, wait a minute. At about 1:20 in the first (Edison) video above, the narrator says he’s only awake for 8 to 9 hours a day.
    Really?
    Give me that guy’s day!!!
    (I think I’ve just proven your point: We ARE listening.)

    1. LOL Amanda. You are listening!

      The only way I can get 8 to 9 hours of sleep in a day is if I nap.:) Can you imagine only being awake that long? I’m willing to bet that for most of us here our work days are much longer than that.

      Thanks for taking the time to join the conversation and for making me smile. Have a nice weekend!
      Sherryl Perry recently posted..Want To Improve Your Social Media Game? #FridayFindsMy Profile

  4. Hi Vernessa,
    Thanks for collecting all these information at one place. I think that Podcast trend is good only if it is with small video otherwise according to me it is not that much liked by people. Because I also listened to radio but if advertisement comes in between that makes me angry. But I don’t know what other think about it. But yes Business person can use podcast to increase their market.

    1. Hi Eve,

      I’m so sorry that I haven’t replied to you! Somehow, I missed it. I have mixed feelings about listening to Podcasts myself. I do listen to them but I really prefer reading the transcripts. By having both, bloggers can make more people happy!

      Thanks so much for taking the time to let us know that you enjoyed Vernessa’s post. I appreciate the feedback. I hope you’re having a wonderful week!
      Sherryl Perry recently posted..Ready To Take Your Blog to the Next Level? #FridayFindsMy Profile

  5. Hi Vernessa,

    Thanks for this deep insight into podcasting. I haven’t ever used the strategy but after going through this post. I think it’s time I
    embraced this strategy. I will be taking this β€˜natural step’ in building relationship with my audience.

    Thanks for this valuable post and the inspiration!

    Have a great weekend!
    Nisha Pandey recently posted..Google Search Operators for WebmastersMy Profile

    1. Hi Nisha,

      Thanks for letting Vernessa and me know that you found her guest post valuable. I have to admit that I haven’t started podcasting myself. It always comes down to time and I’ve been so tied up with a client site that
      I haven’t been blogging much lately.

      I hope to see you podcasting! You know I’ll be happy to spread the word for you!

      Thanks so much for taking the time to join us. I hope you had a nice weekend and have a great week ahead.
      Sherryl Perry recently posted..SEO Resources Bloggers Can Use #FridayFindsMy Profile

  6. Hi Sherryl and Everyone!

    It’s been a long time (in internet weeks) since I’ve had free-flowing, unthrottled, unhampered internet access! πŸ™‚

    The reason? Well, that’s a story in itself but the short version has to do with rural areas of these United States that still have poor telecommunications service. And for many, many weeks, I had to be in a rural area.

    Interestingly, about 15 years ago I worked with a non-profit who was spearheading a campaign to increase access to telecommunications (esp. the internet) for small towns and deep rural areas. Let’s just say that they were successful but there is still a long way to go.

    Thank you all for your comments. I’ll respond to each of them over the next few days (yes, I finally have steady, solid access for more than a few hours a day, yay!).

    Sherryl, thanks for pinch-hitting … and as always, I’m grateful that you shared the article with your network of cool and savvy people.

    1. Vernessa,

      It’s so good to see you back online! I’m glad that you were able to get one email in to me to let me know that all was well with you. (Other than not having Internet access which would drive me nuts.
      )

      Even with Internet access, I’ve been neglecting my own blog while working on a client site. We just launched it a few days ago and then I took a much needed break. I think there will be some posts coming with some insight into that project. πŸ™‚

  7. Hi Vernessa and Sherryl,

    It’s a long time since I last stopped by here and I’m glad I’m here today and reading about podcasting – I subject I’m very curious about.

    However, for long (it’s a shame, really), I’ve been putting off starting my own podcast series…however, more than ever, I am convinced that this is the wave of the future – this is surely where content marketing is headed especially when one factors the ever busy lives we all lead in this age and time.

    I’ve got a question though: is there any (direct) monetization procedure with podcasts – or must they be integrated with other form of content to bring in revenue?

    Do enjoy the day, Varnessa and Sherryl!

    Always,
    Akaahan Terungwa
    Akaahan Terungwa recently posted..NTP Customer Week And An Unusual Give-AwayMy Profile

    1. Hi Akaahan,

      It’s so nice to see you here again. I’m glad you dropped by and enjoyed Vernessa’s post.

      I wish I could answer your question about monetizing podcasts but I honestly can’t. I’m not podcasting yet either.

      I’m hoping Vernessa will be back online soon and that she will be able to weigh in on this. She’s temporarily living in a remote area where she has no access to the Internet.

      I know Vernessa is a strong believer in the value of podcasting. So, I hope she has a suggestion for you. Meanwhile, thanks for dropping by and joining the conversation. Let us know if you podcast!

      Have a great weekend Akaahan.
      Sherryl Perry recently posted..What Blogging Tips Are You Missing?My Profile

    2. Hi Akaahan,

      This article was already quite long so I didn’t get into podcast monetizing strategies so your question is perfect and right on time. (Thanks for the vote of confidence, Sherryl!)

      Here are some places to start:
      First off, start listening to ProfitCast, a podcast about how to monetize your podcast. It’s on iTunes (and if you find it useful, leave the guys a review).

      Take a look at Mixergy.com. Find one of their “free” podcasts and check out the “announcements” at the beginning. Guess what they are … paid sponsorships … another way to monetize your podcast.

      And while you’re over there, you’ll notice that lots of podcasts are NOT free. Why? They’re behind a paywall, in a membership site … another podcast monetization strategy.

      Thanks for your question. There are many other ways, some of which you will discover by listening to the experts at ProfitCast. πŸ™‚

      1. Thanks a million Vernessa,

        The options are certainly VERY brilliant. It will be fun adding a stream of income via my Podcasts while enjoying the unique attention having one’s voice on air provides.

        Do make the day great – and once again, a million thanks πŸ™‚

        Always,
        Akaahan Terungwa
        Akaahan Terungwa recently posted..NTP Customer Week And An Unusual Give-AwayMy Profile

  8. What an eye opening post Sherryl!

    And as much as I hate to admit it, I’ve still not yet taken the plunge
    into Podcasting.

    I definitely need a beginners course, to really get up to speed on
    the most effective way to use these popular medium.

    Thanks or sharing so many resources.I think I’ll definitely check out Pat Flynn’s
    beginning guides, because I know he knows what it really takes!Thanks!
    Mark recently posted..Three Proven Email Marketing Techniques Far Too Many Newbie Marketers Ignore!Part TwoMy Profile

    1. Hi Mark,

      Thanks so much for letting us know that you found Vernessa’s guest post valuable. To be honest, I haven’t taken the plunge into Podcasting either.

      That’s why when Vernessa suggested this as a topic, I jumped at the opportunity to have her blog here again. She did a wonderful job researching this.

      BTW – I”m not sure if you know Vernessa Taylor but she is a great person to get to know. Normally, she would have responded to each and every comment but she is in a remote area without access to the Internet. Otherwise, I am certain she would have responded to everyone.

      Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts with us. Good luck with Pat Flynn’s beginning guides. If/when I decide to podcast, I’ll be starting there too.
      Sherryl Perry recently posted..Do You Comment for Backlinks on DoFollow Enabled CommentLuv Blogs?My Profile

  9. You and I have talked about this before, but I’m supporting the post. lol

    Frankly, I doubt anyone wants to listen to a podcast of me. Heck, I can’t get anyone to watch my videos, traffic is down on all my blogs, and no one’s reading things I put in other places. I think if someone’s looking for a new outlet podcasting could work but I’ve thought about all the things I’ve downloaded and how little of it I listen to when there are so many recorded books for me to work through. I’m not sure anyone would find me interesting enough to listen to overall, and it’d be another medium I’d be frustrated with.

    Yeah, that sounds defeatist but at least I keep trying the other stuff…
    Mitch Mitchell recently posted..Are You As Popular As You Think You Are?My Profile

    1. Hi Mitch,

      Well, I know that you’ve had this discussion about podcasting with Vernessa (not me) but since Vernessa is still in some remote part of the country with no internet access, I’ll throw my two cents in. (We both knew I would have thrown it in anyways. πŸ™‚ )

      It believeit always comes down to our target audience. If they like listening to podcasts, then, it would probably be in our best interest to podcast. Then again, if we’re already feeling as though we’re as stretched out as much as we can be (resource wise), podcasting could come at the cost of not doing something else well.

      I don’t podcast. I’m not a huge fan of listening to podcasts either. Then again, I’d rather learn by reading. When I think about my favorite videos – Randy Fishkin’s “Whiteboard Fridays” comes into mind.

      His videos are loaded with illustrations and always include the complete transcript. Randy could never convey that amount of information in a podcast.

      If you do decide to create a podcast, I would listen to it. Depending upon what your topic is, I can imagine listening to you tell us some of your stories. Honestly, they might work for you.

      As for me, how would I use a podcast for one of my Friday Finds posts that depends upon links to outside resources?

      As always, Mitch, thanks so much for contributing to the conversation. I hope you are enjoying your weekend. Let us know if you give it a try!
      Sherryl Perry recently posted..How Can you Improve Your Website Blog? #FridayFindsMy Profile

        1. I have checked out your video channels before Mitch but it has been a while. I’ll have to get back their soon. For now, I’ll check out your 6 answers to questions from bloggers.

          I hope you have a great week!

    2. Hey Mitch,

      Yes, we’ve talked a bit about this before. I’m still of the opinion that your podcasts would go over well. You already do the videos (I know your stats have been dismal but today’s “failures” are tomorrow’s successes under new packaging).

      Frankly, I almost always enjoy the topics you choose. Your delivery is personal, transparent and conversational. Your guests, when you have them, always seem to be having a good time. I’m not a video person (I’d rather listen to a podcast); often I don’t exactly “watch” a video, I listen to it while doing something else.

      While listening to and reading stories from other podcasters, the consensus was just do it and just get it up on some platform (that already has hungry listeners).

      You’ve got a head start on some of us: the audio from your videos can be ripped and repurposed as a podcast. Woohoo!

  10. Great post! Well done! Just wondering if you would have any recommendations on a not-to-serious audio recording device set, as currently started on YouTube and now making some money looking to invest in it more.

    Thanks!

    1. Hi Charles,

      I’m glad to hear that you found Vernessa’s article helpful. Vernessa always does a lot of research and shares the best tips to get us started.

      I wish I had a recommendation for you on equipment but I don’t. I’m pretty sure that Vernessa could point you in the right direction but she’s been “off the grid” since the day before I published this.

      The last I heard, she was living in a remote area with no Internet access. She had been traveling to a library for free WiFi but I haven’t had any contact with her in over a week. (Honestly, I’m starting to get a little concerned.)

      Hopefully, she’ll be back online soon and then I’m confident that she’ll drop by here and catch up with everyone. Meanwhile, thanks so much for joining the conversation. Congratulations on making some money on YouTube! That’s no easy task.

      BTW – I followed you on Twitter. It looks like you share good content!
      Sherryl Perry recently posted..What Blogging Tips Are You Missing?My Profile

    2. Hi Charles,

      For recommendations on audio equipment, check out the Resources section above. Follow links to Chris Ravenscraft (The Podcast Answerman), Pat Flynn, or The Audacity to Podcast. Any of them will give you the low-down on equipment and what to expect concerning prices.

      As for the not-so-serious moniker, why not skip over to Amazon.com or Best Buy or Radio Shack (online or offline) and pick up equipment according to your budget?

      Thanks for your question.

  11. Hey Sherryl,

    Well I made it by to see what Vernessa had to say about podcasting. Glad to have read this one.

    Hey Vernessa, great job with this. Now I know plenty of people who started podcasting but haven’t kept it up because of lack of time and things to say. So I know with everything else they have going it can be hard.

    I haven’t done podcasting only because I myself don’t have time to listen to it so I hate to promote something I don’t even have time to listen to myself. Does that mean my audience wouldn’t want to hear me? Probably not, you said if we have people who love what we do then they probably would but I hate to bite off more than I can chew and be one of those people who starts if but doesn’t continue.

    I’ve thought about it just like I need to do more videos but I guess time and putting way too much on my plate isn’t something I’m interested in doing right now. I have my clients to take care as well as everything else but I also know that I can get left behind if I don’t start including more ways to get what I share out there too.

    Gosh, there you go making me have to think again.

    Thanks ladies for this one and hope you both have a great week.

    ~Adrienne
    Adrienne Smith recently posted..Magical Monday: Vision, Clients, Comments, Influencer Marketing, Successful BloggerMy Profile

    1. Adrienne,

      It’s refreshing to hear from someone else who feels the same way I do about taking on too much. Vernessa did a wonderful job and it’s hard to not get excited about the prospect of reaching people who may prefer listening to a podcast rather than reading it.

      As it is, I have a very industrious “to-do” list and I’ll keep podcasting in mind but my priority now is finishing up a major project for a client and then keeping my other clients happy as well. Podcasting is going to be on the back-burner for me for a while.

      Thanks so much for taking the time to drop by and weigh in on this. I know how busy you are. Hopefully, you’re still feeling rested and revitalized from your vacation with your family. Now, we have the 4th of July quickly approaching! It’s amazing how quickly time flies by. πŸ™‚

      BTW – You may have read below in the comments where I’m telling everyone that Vernessa has been MIA for a while. Last I heard, she was (temporarily) living in a remote area without Internet access. She had been trekking to a library for free WiFi and that’s how she got this post queued for me but I haven’t heard from her since I published it. I know Vernessa normally replies to every comment that is left for her. I think I’ll shoot her another email and see if I can reach her this time.

  12. Vernessa,

    You have made a great case for podcasting! Thanks! I started with podcasting in 2006. I have been struggling with publishing material on a regular basis, but I am not giving up. 2015 will be my break! πŸ˜‰

    My next (short) episode will have the title: EGO NetCast is NOT podfading
    Martin Lindeskog recently posted..EGO Interview with Erik EmanuelliMy Profile

    1. Hi Martin,

      Thanks for letting us know that you enjoyed Vernessa’s post. She did an awesome job on it. Unfortunately, she must still be without Internet access because I know she would love to be part of this conversation! She’s temporarily living in a remote area but she had been able to drive to a WiFi hot-spot the last I knew.

      Anyways, thanks for sharing your podcast of your interview with Erik Emanuelli. I’ve been following Erik for a long time now. It was good to get to know him better. I knew he was a sports enthusiast but I didn’t know just how much.

      Thanks for taking the time to join the conversation. I hope you’re having a nice weekend.
      Sherryl Perry recently posted..How Can you Improve Your Website Blog? #FridayFindsMy Profile

      1. Sherryl: Thanks for feedback on my podcast interview with Erik Emanuelli.

        Maybe we could have a conversation on EGO NetCast sometime in the future?

        I like the name of your hometown, Freetown. I studied in Manchester, NH, between 1997 – 2000.

        I am having a nice weekend. I hope you are having a jolly good time on the east coast!

        This time I include a link to TrendPal podcast show. Lotta Gergils Aston and I are talking crowdfunding, lifehacks and how to unplug now and then. We have done 25 episodes so far.

        All the Best,

        Martin
        Martin Lindeskog recently posted..Pod Clear Ring Sound in the CloudMy Profile

        1. That sounds good Martin. I haven’t created any podcasts yet.

          Freetown is a very rural small town. We do have access to a highway though. It always makes me smile when I see the sign marking the the local “attractions”. We have three of them listed: a forest, a farm stand and a rock! πŸ™‚

          Thanks again for dropping by.

    2. Hi Martin,

      Nice to see you here. Thanks for weighing in.

      Sadly, “struggling with publishing material on a regular basis” is the lament of bloggers, too, but your commitment will spawn ideas.

      Yay! You have show notes for your podcasts. Aside from being functional (as I listed in the article), you know that’s a hallmark of the serious podcasters, right? πŸ™‚

      I’m sure Sherryl won’t mind if I share the link to your podcast. Smart move to be hosted on both Stitcher and SoundCloud => http://egonetcast.com/podcast/

  13. Great job of explaining people why podcasting can be so effective Vernessa!
    I was wondering if you have checked out Spreaker (www.spreaker.com) as a podcasting platform. We are trying to create a “WordPress for Podcasting” tool, because we think that by making the workflow easier a lot more people will discover and use podcasting.
    I would be interested in knowing what you think of our approach!

    Thanks
    Francesco

    1. Hi Francesco,

      Thanks for letting us know that you liked Vernessa’s article. I honestly have not created a podcast yet. (Although, Vernessa is very convincing that I should!)

      Vernessa is currently living in a remote area where she doesn’t have Internet access. I’m sure once she can get to a WiFi area, she’ll weigh in on this.

      I was curious though. So, I Googled on Spreaker and found a 2011 review on SocialMediaExaminer.com. They said it was easy to use but that, (at the time), it “caters to music mixing”. I’d be interested in your response to that. A lot can change in 4 years!

      Thanks so much for joining the conversation!
      Sherryl Perry recently posted..SEO Resources Bloggers Can Use #FridayFindsMy Profile

      1. Thanks for the reply Sherryl,
        as you said the article on Social Media Examiner is a bit old. As our name says, we are more interested in spoken word content and I guess the misunderstanding was due to the fact that – at the very early stages – we had a lot of people who were creating “radio shows” mostly made of music.

        We will be glad if you give it a try when you decide to start your podcast!

        Francesco

    2. Hi Francesco,

      Although I don’t have any real experience with Spreaker, our good friend and blogging colleague, Ms. Ileane Smith, maintains her podcast on your platform along with her presence on iTunes and others (https://www.spreaker.com/show/the_ileane_show) … So, that’s enough recommendation for me!

      (I said real experience because I probably have a free account from 2010 or thereabouts.)

  14. Alright Vernessa!

    Great kick in the bum for podcasters out there to record more shows and for non podders to get their fannies in motion. I love doing my Blogging from Paradise podcasts on Soundcloud. Fun way to bring people with me to Bali and podcasts add that personal touch to your brand. I feel my energy shines through too; I hope it does πŸ˜‰ Thanks for the helpful share!

    Ryan
    Ryan Biddulph recently posted..Are You Short on Time? Download this eBookMy Profile

    1. Hi Ryan,
      I read your blog and I know that you create podcasts. I’ll have to listen to one. πŸ™‚ I tend to prefer reading over listening but I think your podcasts would fall into the “easy listening”/”entertainment” categories. I don’t know if I would want to listen to a podcast that was loaded with statistics or detailed info though. I tend to be more of a reader.

      Thanks for letting us know that you use Soundcloud for creating your podcasts. That’s good to know. As always, thanks for joining the conversation. I hope you’re having an amazing week!

    2. Hey Ryan,

      I read your (first-ever?) short-form blog post. LOL I’m tickled at how much Lorraine ribbed you about no longer writing 7-thousand word posts.

      So, podcasts all the way, eh? (With ebooks for good measure.)

      Adding your latest podcast (episode #6) to my queue …

      Yeah, SoundCloud is a cool platform. Do they have a monetization option?

  15. Great post — thanks for all the information. Living in NYC, I don’t drive much which is when so many people use the time they’re in the car to listen to podcasts. I also don’t listen to the radio. I know some people can’t work without the radio in the background but I find it a distraction. However, I know that readers of my blog DO listen to podcasts, so it’s time that I started recording them. I am happy that you listed so many resources.
    Jeannette Paladino recently posted..Timing Isn’t Anything, It’s EverythingMy Profile

    1. Hi Jeannette,

      Now that you’re in FL, will you be needing a car?

      I’ve lived in rural areas all my life. The only time I have ever had access to any kind of public transportation is when I’ve gone into a city. Where I live now, there aren’t even taxis. Actually, I can’t get a pizza delivered here! πŸ™‚

      Still, when I’m driving, I like rocking it out. I don’t even listen to audio books in the car let alone podcasts.

      As you say, since our readers listen to podcasts, we should record them. That’s why when Vernessa suggested podcasting as a topic for her guest post, I jumped at the chance. I know she thoroughly researches her topics. So, I knew that we could count on a blog post chock full of resources to get us started!

      BTW – speaking of rural areas . . . Vernessa is currently living in a remote area where Internet access is virtually non-existent. She has to drive somewhere to get access. Usually, I let my guest bloggers reply to comments first (and then chime in). I’m sure we’ll suddenly see Vernessa replying to everyone here at once! πŸ™‚

      I hope you’re having a great weekend. As always, thanks for dropping by and weighing in on this.

      1. Sherryl — I’m off to Florida next week. Was there last week rented an apartment, and leased a Honda Civic EX — my first car! I drove my parents car when I lived at home on LI and then I moved directly to NYC where I’ve always rented. It will be fun to have my own wheels and just take off when I feel like it!
        Jeannette Paladino recently posted..Timing Isn’t Anything, It’s EverythingMy Profile

        1. That’s exciting Jeannette! You’re going to love it. There’s definitely no need for a car in NYC. I have to admit that I refuse to drive into any major city. I drove to Boston once (in the late 70’s) to pick my husband up at the airport. I got there, parked the car and leaped into the passenger seat for him to take over the wheel. I find that much traffic too nerve wracking. Plus, I have no sense of direction. That just compounds the problem! πŸ™‚

  16. Wow, how great to have two of my favorite people, Vernessa and Sherryl, together talking about one of my favorite topics, podcasting. I’m a big podcasting fan but I’ve never really thought about starting my own podcast. I thoroughly enjoy podcasts, I listen to many of them every day. But I’ve often thought of podcasts as about immediate news. I listen to tech news podcasts and podcasts about TV shows I enjoy. It would be a lot of fun to do a podcast myself!

    Thanks so much for this excellent explanation, Vernessa. You’ve given me food for thought!
    Carolyn Nicander Mohr recently posted..How to Find Podcasts for Any Topic!My Profile

    1. Wow Carolyn! I think starting your own podcast is a great idea. Please let us know if you do this and I’ll help promote them for you.

      It’s great to hear how valuable both you and A.K. found Vernessa’s post to be. I think it’s great. She did a lot of research for this. (So, that we don’t have to.)

      I need to seriously think about podcasting myself. First, I want to give blogging on LinkedIn a try. In my last Friday Finds, I shared an infographic about that topic and Don Purdum shared his strategy for blogging on LI. I think that would work well for me.

      Thanks so much for weighing in on this Carolyn. It’s always great to see you here.
      Sherryl Perry recently posted..SEO Resources Bloggers Can Use #FridayFindsMy Profile

        1. That’s aweIsome Carolyn! Thanks for letting us know. I’ve listened to podcasts on my computer before but this is the first time that I’ve had to download iTunes before.

          I’m on Windows 8. I wonder if that makes a difference. I’m curious about this. I’ll try to access this tomorrow from my other computer to see if I need to download iTunes to listen to this. I do want to hear your podcast!
          Sherryl Perry recently posted..2 Powerful Strategies You As A Blogger Desperately NeedMy Profile

            1. Thanks for letting me know Carolyn. I’ll do that! This is why I jumped at Vernessa’s offer to write about this topic. I’ve never used iTunes. πŸ™‚

              BTW – I just got in touch with Vernessa. I had started to get worried about her. She confirmed that she hasn’t had access to the Internet since she let me know that her post was ready to publish. Nowadays, when someone goes silent online, it’s easy to think there’s something wrong.

              1. Hi Sherryl,

                I’ll take this opportunity to share the links on two other platforms where Carolyn’s episode can be found:

                Going Home With Tony: Celebrating the Wonder of Tech with Carolyn Nicander Mohr

                Listen at BlogTalkRadio
                blogtalkradio.com/goinghomewithtony/2015/06/25/celebrating-the-wonder-of-tech-with-carolyn-nicander-mohr

                Listen on Stitcher
                stitcher.com/podcast/going-home-with-tony/e/going-home-with-tony-thursday-june-25-2015-39507966

                Sherryl, in another comment you mentioned how much you like transcripts of podcasts (which are sometimes called show notes). It’s noteworthy how Tony uses his show notes. Though not a transcript, they’re useful and build goodwill …

                Noteworthy … for Podcasters doing interviews

                Tony’s “show notes” serve as a very generous introduction of his guest (in this case, Carolyn). He uses the same one on each platform (including the blog post announcing the episode) and where allowed, he finds a way to link to the many places you can get in touch with his guest (check out the BlogTalkRadio notes).

                Again, congrats Carolyn! πŸ™‚

  17. Fantastic post Sherryl & Vernessa! I really enjoy podcasts and have listened to them in a myriad of scenarios. I have always listened to the radio, tho’ like you , I do so less these days, but in part because I listen to podcasts. Thanks so much for covering such a wide range of aspects involved and some great links too. Brilliant:-)
    A.K.Andrew recently posted..Barbara Kingsolver: What is the Heart of a Novel?My Profile

    1. Hi A.K.,

      Thanks so much for letting Vernessa and me know how much you liked her post. Vernessa has been a guest blogger here several times and she never fails to do an outstanding job.

      The thing I like best about having guest bloggers here is that they bring in-depth knowledge on topics that I believe will be valuable to my readers (and to me too).

      I enjoy podcasts but I am more of a reader than a listener. So, I appreciate having a transcript available. Sometimes, I’ll listen to a podcast while I’m multi-tasking but other times, the information is so riveting (and sometimes technical) that I’ll take notes while I’m listening. (That’s why I like transcripts.)

      I know Vernessa will be by soon to weigh in on this. Right now, she’s living in a remote area with limited Internet access. (She confided in me that she reverted to using pen and paper while writing this.)

      It’s great to see you here A.K. and I hope you have a great week.
      Sherryl Perry recently posted..Ready To Take Your Blog to the Next Level? #FridayFindsMy Profile

      1. Hi Sherryl,

        We’re a lot alike in this respect: preferring reading over listening. I know video is all the rave but I’d rather read than watch a video, too.

        Your point about having a transcript available is well taken.

        In my opinion, having a transcript for videos is also a good idea not only because some of us like to read but because the larger audience (of whoever creates the video) also includes clients, colleagues, subscribers and readers who might be hearing impaired but not unable to take action on what’s shared or buy what’s offered.

        (And thanks for the kudos.)

    2. Hi A.K.,

      Please forgive me for taking so long to reply to you. As Sherryl explained, I’ve had limited internet access for many, many weeks. Living online as I’ve done for the past several years, you can imagine the culture shock!

      I’ve been a fan of podcasts for a long time but would have to say I’m an on-again/off-again listener. I’ll pick a few series, listen to them for a while (some weeks), then grab a few others.

      Since watching TV online has become commonplace, I have a routine for how I watch my favorite programs (during downtime, of course). I’ll watch a slew of episodes back-to-back (as much as whole season) of one program, then another program, then the next one … Sometimes this is how I listen to podcasts, too.

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts, A.K.

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