Podcast Freq

Life, work and even podcasting needs goals. I started podcasting as a hobby, as a way of understanding more about technology. Then I enjoyed it so much that I carried on podcasting and today I posted my 60th show!

During that time my goals have changed. Firstly, it was about knowing and understanding what podcasting actuall was and how it could benefit me as an individual. Then, I realised that I enjoyed it and wanted to think about how I could use podcasting to give something back to the business world. I hope I do that but on top of that I have used it as a tool to introduce people to my company.

Each goal may be different but each has merit. Goals help you to keep focus and stop you from podfading. Goals also help you to get a greater understanding of why you are spending all this time in front of your computer. So I would suggest that you need to answer the following:

1) What do you want personally from podcasting?
2) How will you measure the success of (1)
3) What do you want listeners to get from your podcast?
4) How will you measure the success of (2)

This helps you to ensure that both YOU and the LISTENERS gain value from all your hard work.

Podcasting can be tiring, the constant search for new ideas, the desire to produce new, fresh content. How do you keep your motivation and inspiration high? Well, here are some tools that I use:

1) Noticeboard. I have one near my desk and when I read anything that inspires me I cut it out and pin it to the noticeboard. This may be a story, a quote, a blog posting,a picture - anything that stokes emotion in me and causes me to think.

2) Notebook. I am never without my trusty notebook. When I am inspired by something I see, ideas from (1), conversations I write them down….before planning shows I look through all the ideas that I have been having…if you don’t write them down then you can lose some of the best ideas that you ever had!

3) Blogs. I use Google Reader to subscribe to many blogs. These blogs are not just in my chosen area, they cover marketing, news, psychology, management, nature, hobbies etc…..and it keeps me thinking wider than my usual sphere.

4) Books. I know this sounds old fashioned but I still like to read, especially before I go to sleep. When I am reading I use either my notebook or the little highlighter tabs to earmark ideas I want to explore from my own perspective.

5) Podcasts. Again as in (3) my iTunes collection is filled with an array of different subjects, with one aim to inspire my thoughts.

6) Networks. Speaking to other people really inspires me, bouncing ideas, exploring concepts…..is a great way to stimulate the mind. If you normally podcast alone, try inviting someone on the show to talk with you about a subject and just feel the increased energy.

7) I look at objects and think about how they relate to my podcast. So for example I am now looking at my keyboard! So that immediately makes me think of putting key objectives for the week on a noticeboard for the team! (The Engaging Brand podcast coaches leaders to boost profits through engaging people)

What do you do to keep the ideas flowing….?

Recording a podcasting promo is a good way of introducing your show to new listeners. Many podcasters will allow you to swap promo’s to help both of your audience build. The key is to make the promo fun, and see it as your “shop window” for why people should listen to your show. It needs to give a taste of what the listeners will hear, but in an authentic way.

Think of it as taster, an appetiser for potential listeners. If you don’t feel comfortable recording this kind of audio then you can always ask a friend or check out elance.

There are also directories and sites that run an exchange program.
Kiptronic offers a network exchange

DigitalPodcast
Podcastspots
PodcastPromos

I prefer however to contact people in my niche, or podcasters that I listen to and ask them if they will play the promo. Remember also that asking a question on someone else’s podcast via audio, and mentioning your podcast is fine too.

A large part of my podcast, The Engaging Brand is interviewing. Most of these are conducted over Skype and therefore I have looked for various packages.

Today I came across another free piece of software (as long as you keep the conversation under 30 minutes) and that software is Pretty May. I am delighted with the audio quality, which records at 48khz and it also brings in each conversation in a separate audio track to help post editing.

My mainstay audio recording is Hot Recorder. I have to say this has worked really well and I have no issues other than the recording rate. This program records at 12khz which means that the audio quality is reduced. When I increased the quality, I had more issues with the program and therefore kept it at the medium quality.

Another program that comes highly recommended is Skylook. A couple of other podcsaters swear by this package and because it is built for Skype it is very stable and good quality. The downside for this package is the cost - which I believe is $100.

If you are trying to make podcasting your living then it may well be worth investing in Skylook or Pamela another similar package. Of course, recording each part of the conversation on the individual PC’s remains the strongest way, but not all interviewees can record the chat. If you just want a good package then I don’t believe you can go wrong with Hot Recorder or Pretty May.

Anyone else use other packages that are worth mentioning - especially free software.

Many people are following Robert Scoble’s lead and starting to video podcasting. The blogosphere is writing that video is the new hot format, I do agree but with the following proviso’s

1) What value does the video bring to your show?

Moving to video has to bring value. For instance, Robert Scoble uses the video for demonstrations of products, to visit shows…that adds value. I am not a fan of his face to face interviews being video as I don’t think it adds to the listener experience, I have it on my PC in the background and don’t watch the video. A way round this for potential video podcasters would be separate RSS feeds for the video and audio content. This would also help the mobile phone download community as well.

If you are going to just sit in front of a camera and “talk through your content” I am not sure why you would move to video, except for your own reasons. But podcasting is about the listener, and if you move then you will be increasing the download time, decreasing the flexibility of use (can’t watch while driving) and also taking more space on often packed computer discs.

2) The World is flat…but some places are flatter than others!

Many parts of the US even do not have broadband access, and this worsens across the world. So you may shut off more of your potential audience by going video. Even when people ahave broadband, it is often via the telephone socket which means that people are sharing the facility. Download times may well be a problem.

3) Video editing takes more time

Unless you are experienced in the area, it will take you significant time to learn and more time week on week. The importance thing is the consistency of producing your show, if you cannot afford or commit to this extra time..then think twice about the shift to video.

It sounds as though I am negative about video, not at all. I love it when it adds to the experience - being able to see a product, a presentation, sightseeing etc….I hate it when it adds no value and just increases my download time. My best advice is to do it when it creates value for the listeners, not just for your personal satisfaction.

Setting up a teleconference is getting easier all the time, and great value for money. When I attended the international business podcasting expo
there was a great presentation from Alicia Forest on how to hold a teleconference. She gave us an outline for the event

0-2 mins Ask participants to introduce themselves
2-5 mins Introduce yourself and give an outline of the event
5-30 mins Cover Points 1 and 2 of the topic
30 mins Mark the halfway point. Plant a seed for people to take action after the event…3-5 sentences of a teaser or promotion that they can take action upon

31-40 Ask for feedback and questions so far
40-50 Cover point 3
50-55 Give 3 takeaways
55 Thank them, tell them they will get notes….and as soon as the teleconference has finished e-mail them!

Again this is a great way of communicating with your podcast listeners, and creating an income stream for your podcast. It also allows you to build an email list for future events.

Some great tips here, and I believe that you can still get the slides.

Looking for podcasting inspiration, I think we all are! This weekend as I have said I attended the Online Business Podcasting Conference held by Co-op World. At the event was Penny Haynes who is one energetic podcaster, I think if you cut her skin podcasting audio would flow out.

If you are looking for trends in podcasting, for podcasting support or some great podcasts…well worth checking out her work. During her session it really made me think about SEO, podcast promotion and also how to grow an audience on a budget.

They are planning a new conference in April, and I would strongly recommend signing up for it as the sessions have great content, but the strength is that they are interactive either via voice of text messaging.

For me these kind of podcasting conferences are great, despite time dfferences we had people on line from Australia, Hong Kong Denmark, UK, US and Canada - a truly global event and perspective.

I attended the online business podcasting event this weekend and it was great fun. There was some great tips and one session looked at why people with business ventures fail. I thought I would share this with you as many podcasters are looking at how they can make money on-line and it would be worth avoiding these pitfalls.

1) Lack of persistance. A great one with podcasting…the word podfade is one that we all dread. But if we are determined to succeed then we need persistance, to fend off the apathy, the slow rise in listener numbers, the less than constructive feedback etc. If you want to make this work then you need to persist through all the technical and creative barriers. Best tip: Have some very positive people around you to keep you going.

2) Lack of a plan. What are you wanting to achieve with the podcast? What will success look like? How is the show delivering value….you need to write down your goals and actions to get you there.

3)Lack of knowledge. Podcasting is new to most people, you learn much of the time on the job! But you can quicken it by tutorials, e-mailing other podcasters, reading blogs, reading books all to help you learn about the new technology.

4) Indecision. In podcasting, decide your format and your subject….and deliver great content. If you keep changing the topic or the format this will confuse the listeners. Evolve yes, constant change not based on feedback, no.

5) Lack of a mastermind. In podcasting it really helps to have a mentor, to help you decide how to move your podcast forward. Networking is vital to develop a strong network of people to guide you through.

There is a great conference this weekend which is on line which means that you can dip in and out depending on the seminars. You can find the Business Podcasting conference here, and the entry fee is $50 which covers all 3 days so is excellent value. Included in that price is access to all the powerpoint and audio files after the show.

Some of the seminars are

Navigating New media

Powerful Networking

Business Podcasting

Increasing Search Engine Rankings with Podcasting

Why video podcasting

and many more…..

I will blog about some tips next week, and share with you my findings. But if you get chance as I attended the last one and Co-op World host a great show.

I believe that podcasting can be a powerful corporate communication tool and my consultancy work helps companies with how to leverage podcasting as part of their culture. Here are some ideas

1) An external podcast to connect with your customers or prospective customers. The key here is that it should not be a product catalogue, it should provide value to listeners. So stories, tips, thinking around your market.

2) A senior management communication tool. Audio is great at communicating the passion for your vision. You can put it on your intranet and people can download at a time convenient to them.

3) Communicating with a dispersed team. Send it to their mobiles or again on the intranet for them to download. You could send out the goals or a motivating cast each monday morning.

4) Learning and development. Audio allows for people to learn on the run (literally, often!) but to utilise potential downtime like travelling to expand their minds.

5) What about as a communication tool upwards - allow people to put together an audio for the senior management team each month.

6) Video tutorial for how to…. within your company.

7) Video for new products to keep the teams up to date with launches.

We all struggle with communication…too little time and all that. Podcasting is a great management tool to touch all of your team on a regular basis. I also like the idea that podcasting could improve the dialogue within your company…i.e. don’t forget to use it for upwards rather than downwards communication.

Music can enhance a podcast but I think there are several things that you need to consider.

1) Don’t make the intro music too long if your content is spoken word. People want to hear the content not the music - just 10-15 seconds is long enough to give a relaxing feel.

2) If you want to play a longer track to highlight a musician then play it at the end.

3) Ensure that the music track is at a podcast player rate otherwise it will distort the track. The standards are 21.05 or 44.1khz. If you don’t do this when people play it on line then it will sound like a chipmunk - I know to my cost!

4) Ask whether you need the music - I have taken it out on The Engaging Brand because listeners told me that they were fast forwarding through it. If it doesn’t add to the show, then take it out.

5) Listen to the feedback from listeners - are they enjoying it?

6) Ensure that you understand the rules of copyright - and that you are using legal music. The podsafe network is a good place to start.

7) Fade the music into your voice, or if you talk over the music, ensure that the music is turned down. You don’t want your voice competing with the music.

Levelate to ensure that the file is at the same sound level throughout.

Music can enhance it can relax the listener ready for the show, and bring them in gently….almost like an athlete warming up for a race but follow these golden rules.

When I started podcasting I found it very ….”odd”. I was not used to speaking into a microphone and it did not feel natural. This is often the way with new podcasters. In this situation, I think a script helps if you are not used to speaking or presenting. The problem is, it can sound scripted and you have to work hard at not just reading your notes otherwise it can sound dull. After about 3 shows I moved to a mind map which set out the outline of the show and had notes to remind me of the content. This gave a much better feel to the podcast. Now I have an outline but I speak from the heart and know that if I make a mistake then I can edit it out.

So should you use a script -many experienced podcasters would say no, but here are my thoughts

1) If you are new or nervous then use a script to gain the confidence in producing the show.
2) Stand up whilst reading the script to encourage an energy in your voice.
3) Aim to come away from the script in the medium terms to give a more conversational tone.
4) There is no right or wrong - it is your show, your content and therefore whatever feels comfortable to you…goes!
5) If your podcast is technical then a script will help you to remember what you want to say.
6) A script can be good for people who waffle - waffle is not content. So if you need to ensure that you are succinct and to the point…use an outline or a script.
7) Use a script to record a show as a practice run. This helps to firm up the content in your mind, then record live.

Also remember that the one thing that will help more than any other is …TIME. Over time you gain the experience to increase your confidence. Don’t be too hard on yourself at the beginning…you are on a learning curve.

One of the questions that I get asked regularly is how long does it take you to edit…my answer too long! Not my favourite part of podcasting. But I do know that I spend a lot less time editing now than when I first started. Your first 10 shows take an eternity because if you are like me, you are learning on the job and you are trying to get it spot on. Then for me at the show no 20 mark, I realised that if I didn’t find a way of reducing it then I was liable to podfade. So now I record and try and let the conversation flow, I only edit mistakes, long gaps, or if an interviewee starts to ramble.

When I listen now, I find that the shows are more natural…more human and I wonder why I ever got hung up on the perfection hook. Yes, you must paint your interviewee in the best light or yourself but don’t over edit that you lose the “humanness” of the audio.

Networks are important in all forms of life. They provide support, encouragement, learning, and friendship - this is just as relevant in podcasting. So do you manage your network? I have recently interviewed 2 people for my show about this and it has made me realise that networking is not a “nice to do” it is an important tool in creating your future and developing your mind. (If you want to listen to Shows 51, 52 and 55 you can learn more)

For me podcasting is about relationships, it is about having one to many conversations and I would strongly suggest that you look at how you can manage this as part of your podcasting work.

There are 3 mian tools that I use which are LinkedIn, also MyBlogLog as a way of seeing who is reading my blog but also listening to the podcasts and one that I have only just come across but think it may be a good tool to manage the relationships is JibberJbber. Jibber Jobber is a tool for you only.

When you are podcasting building a network to support is vital, to keep from podfading and also to inspire you to evolve your podcast even further.

People often think of Technorati but it is also important to understand how it helps you as a podcaster to drive more traffic. Technorati does not look for the audio but it does browse your blog to look for podcast references within your text. This is why show notes are important as a way of ensuring that Technorati is picking it up as a podcast. Keywords are then very important in the show notes, and also maybe referring to your podcast in other posts in between.

It is also important to ping technorati using services like pingoat or ping-o-matic. The ping is a way of telling Technorati that there is new content and that it needs to look at your site and get the information.

Remember a link to your podcast can be found at Technorati as part of a search result or when someone has searched tags - so don’t forget those tags on your posting.

Lastly, I always set up a watchlist for a new podcast so that I can see who is linking to it or any comments people are making.

Technorati is a great tool, don’t forget it is a PR tool for your product.