Podcast Freq

We have talked about how creativity and planning are important parts of podcasting. To help these mindset look at where you are podcasting….is it organised, have you got everything at hand, have you got a way of logging ideas. I have a whiteboard which I use for both planning the show and also during the week collecting ideas for the future.

I am a messy worker by nature - that works for me - but before each show I tidy round and make sure that everything is at hand and ready….helps a lot to focus on producing a podcast with value.

I enjoy Podcast Alley, I find it a really good place to find new podcasts, and they have just launched a new forum for podcasters which I will be joining.

Talking to other podcasters on line is a great way to get tips, and also feel part of a community for the days when you lose that creative flow!

Here are my thoughts on how to make a corporate podcast successful

It is about what provides value to the listener - build content around what are their issues and concerns not yours.

Invest via time in podcasting. Make sure that it isn’t an add on to an already over burdened individual.

Look to develop the existing talent within your organisation to take the project forward as part of their development plan.

Don’t think product think about the market area that you are in….so if you are a funeral director the podcast would not be on coffins but creating a wonderful goodbye and stories of how people have coped etc

Don’t do it because everybody else is doing it…do it because you believe 100% in podcasting as a communication tool.

It is about evolving so listen to feedback and fine tune the show.

If anyone wants to add to the above feel free!

* It is about the listener not the host.
* It is a wonderful free way of engaging with people across the globe.
* It is not a failure if you don’t get comments…if people are subscibing they are getting value.
* It is my way of giving something back to the world.
* It is the only way I would ever get to talk to some of my heroes - Seth Godin, Dan Pink, Joseph Jaffe, Steve Farber, Mark Sanborn, Leesa Barnes, Heidi Miller…the list goes on and on….
* It will cause pain at times eg editing but the feedback and value you are creating outways that substantially.
* It gives me a way of talking about my passion - people.
* It is all about the CONTENT

And then the editing doesn’t seem so bad…..

I often get asked what is the best tool to record on the road. There are many ways, but the 3 recording units that have either never let me down or that I am impressed with are the iRiver IFP890, M Audio Microtrack and the new kid on the block the Zoom.

The Zoom, I have only just got but it seems a wonderful product and the quality is superb. Any of these would be great on anyone’s list for Santa!

If you use another, then let me know and lets help everyone out there.

On The Engaging Brand I often interview people - this week I interview the wonderful Joseph Jaffe, of the Across the Sound podcast. Sometimes people see as interviewing as an easy way out, I don’t as I spend as much time preparing for them as if I produce my own content. Here are some tips

Google your guest and check out all the information that is out there.

Prepare questions that play to their strengths, but phrased so that they are applicable to your area.

Read their books…they will know if you don’t and it shows a total lack of respect if you try and pretend that you have!

Check out their blogs and podcasting, get a sense of their style and frame the interview around their preferred style.

Don’t cop out with standard questions….put real thought behind them, see it as a challenge to ask a question that no one else has asked.

Always send a framework of questions to them before the interview. Some people like to prepare in advance, and it allows for any feedback before the recording starts.

Podcasting is “merely” an audio file….one of my friends has gone on a months trip to South America. What he is doing is interviewing locals, recording a diary, telling a story of his 30 days. When he gets back he is going to use it as a track to fit the photos as a way of remembering all the wonderful events of his time away. He is thinking of issuing it as a podcast as well - helping others to learn about what is really happening in the world.

What a great way to record a holiday and make a difference at the same time….

I would love to find out from you all what opportunities or issues you believe face podcasting..to get the discussion going here are my thoughts

1) The growing amount of podcasts is making finding the gems more difficult…many great smaller ones are losing out to the BIG shows.

2) How to make money from podcasting - it takes a lot of effort, but how do you get value from the listeners?

3) How do we promote podcasts to the people who are not listening - although it is growing there is still an untapped audience

4) How do smaller players promote their podcasts…..is there a danger that the big players feed off each other while the smaller players disappear?

5) Although Audacity, Garageband makes podcasting easier…is there a need for a Audacity “Plus” poduct.

6) Do we need to get more interaction on the podcasts or are they really a monolgue than a dialogue?

Have you any thoughts in response or ones to add?

I have spoken before of getting some business cards to promote your podcast - well, I have just ordered a set via Gaping Void which really stand out from the normal kind of card. Hugh Macleod is one of the great bloggers…pushing the boundaries and understanding how to use Web 2.0 to build a business.

I love these cards - great that not only do people get the detail of your podcast but actually smile when they see the business card….

If you are looking for a way of making money from your podcasting work. One idea that is becoming more popular is teleconferencing. Hold a teleconference, invite people to attend then either

Sell the teleconference to non attendees after the event
Sell the transcript
Sell a follow up set of teleconferences on the detail of what you talk about
Market and promote on the free teleconference items on you website or blog that they can buy

The key part is ensuring that the content has value, that you speak passionately about the subject and that you create content that is different, based on what the listeners want.

Music & SFX for Podcast Production $59 Use what the radio pros use to create attention-grabbing introductions and segment transitions. Includes royalty free music and sound fx.

Here is a link to the Pew Internet Report on podcasting, well worth a read. Here are some main points that struck me as important or surpising…

12% of internet users say they have downloaded a podcast so that they can listen to it or hear at a later time (Up from 7%)

Men or more likely to download than women (15% vs 8%)

In November 2004 Podcast Alley had 1,000 listings they now have more than 26,000!

The most likely to download had over 6 years on line experience

In terms of household income it was very close but the highest downloaders were $30k - $50k

The 3 popular directories were iTunes, Podcast Alley, and Podcast.net

The fabulous podcaster Neville Hobson has an interesting story about using a FM transmitter with your iPod in the car. It would seem it is now legal which is great news and will help me substantially.

Radio is on the decline with 12-24 year olds showing a 24% decline in time listening to radio and about 11% of teenage boys not listening to radio at all.

So what is replacing radio, well MP3 players, podcasting, internet audio.

The world is changing, people want individualised content. Being at the forefront will help you in the long run. The time to get on board is now, and help shape the future.

I received an e-mail asking about sampling rate, here is my explanation.

The sampling rate is how many times that the program takes a picture of your sound. The more times it “takes a picture” then the more bass and treble is recorded. For example I use 44.1khz which means that it takes 44,000 pictures a second.

Therefore the higher the richer the sound - most podcaster use 44.1.

Hope that helps