The Podcasters' Studio: Recent Episodes
Ray Ortega
Learn how to podcast. Get started podcasting or improve the show you already have.
You'll learn how to record, publish, promote and grow your podcast.
Have you thought about getting the *Shure SM7B? Does it seem like every podcaster is using this microphone or saving up to buy one? On this episode you'll hear the SM7B, learn some of its history and why it's an industry standard and a podcasting favorite. Why did I buy this microphone and should you get one? Let's dive into the SM7B and find out why I think it's the most used microphone in podcasting.
Full writeup at thepodcastersstudio.com/103
Links mentioned:
- My podcasting classes on CreativeLive.com: The Gear You Need to Create a Podcast and How to Make Your Podcast Sound Great
- SM57 on Steroids: The Shure SM7(B) Story
- SM7B Output Level and Preamp Gain Specifications
- Multichannel CloudLifter
- iZotope RX Elements Version 7
- Patreon which includes "Overheard", the Patron only podcast.
Sign up to the TPS list and never lose contact with the show.
I post lots of behind the scenes content and gear tests between regular content. Follow me at your favorite!
- Subscribe via YouTube
- PATREON
See http://thepodcastersstudio.com/102 for complete links and video!
Do you have more noise in your podcast audio than you'd like? Do you know what is causing that noise? Is it your mic? How about your studio or maybe it's your preamp...if you use one. I'm talking with Julian Krause all about the latter but of course we dive into many related topics surrounding preamps and noise, including:
How to test a preamp for noise or find out what its noise floor measurement is.
How the noise you're hearing might be coming from your mic (if it's a condenser) before it comes from your preamp.
Dynamic vs condensor microphones.
Several audio recorders to include the Mixpre, Zoom H5, H4n and H4n Pro, Zoom f8 and more.
Microphone impedance and some of the standard mics you may have used or are currently using.
And how the device Julian made works for testing a preamp and how to make one of your own.
Comparing preamps to other preamps in terms of noise floor specs.
And how not to test a preamp.
Measuring noise levels (of a preamp) in software.
Using low cut filters during recording vs post production.
Gain staging—how to get the most out the device you’re using cause the noise floor exists regardless of your recording level. Can you simply lower your level to lower the noise? Not really. You’ll end up needing to boost levels in post production and the noise will then be audible because it was always there; you just couldn't hear it in your headphones while recording at lower levels.
Follow on Instagram to see lots of behind the scenes content and gear tests between episodes.
Subscribe via YouTube for more BTS videos and podcast tutorials.
This might be your very first time listening to The Podcasters’ Studio and if so, you're starting in the right place! This episode will talk you through the entire process of getting a podcast started. If this is not your first time, welcome back!
So, this is podcasting 101, the steps you need to know to go from wanting to start your own podcast, to seeing your first episode in iTunes/Apple Podcasts, we’re actually in the midst of a naming transition for Apple, iTunes and Podcasts so I’ll refer to both.
I’m going to walk you through the basics of getting a podcast started, this will be the extreme 101 version. And if you’ve been a regular listener to The Podcasters’ Studio, you’ll know this as my every 50 episodes Back to Basics refresh. How nice that it falls on episode 101, totally appropriate.
Watch the accompanying Video Series. New videos coming soon! Subscribe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLnkXFSi7atP6ZxCLAMLFKrs6ps0OeXarD&time_continue=1&v=jycUXTi2WKE&feature=emb_title
Here’s exactly what I’ll be covering on this episode:
• Choosing a Topic, you have to have something to podcast about
- best practices but it’s not for me to say or decide what a good podcast is, that’s the point of podcasting, it’s open to anyone and it’s up to you and your audience, there’s nobody to tell you you can’t. No permission needed.
• Naming your Podcast - what are you going to call it??
• The Format of your podcast - will it be just you or will you have a co-host or interviewees, how about audio vs video? yes video is podcasting too but since most of you will want and should start with an audio only podcast, that is what the focus of this episode will be. If you decide video is where you want to go, I’ll point you to a special resource for that.
• Your podcast Studio - the place where you’re going to record
• Podcasting Gear - a favorite topic but we’ll keep it really simple
- works for everyone, produces quality results and allows you to grow
• Software - this includes audio editing, post processing, creating graphics etc.
• Logos - the artwork for your show
• Recording audio - the basics of getting quality audio
• Making a podcast-ready audio file, an mp3
• Hosting audio - where do you put it online so people can get it?
• Creating an RSS feed - that thing that actually makes your podcast a podcast
• Publishing episodes
• A podcast website - a home on the web for your show - not required but I think it’s that important so it gets included here
• And getting into iTunes/Apple Podcasts which includes the Podcasts App
Before we begin going through those steps, I have to preface this with one brutally honest truth, podcasting is hard… and that’s not a bad thing in my opinion. In fact, I think, anything done well is hard work except this is the kind of hard work that you enjoy. You’ll enjoy prepping for your podcast, recording your podcast, publishing your podcast and promoting your podcast and then doing it all over again the next week. That’s not easy week after week or whatever schedule you setup for your podcast but you’ll keep doing it if you love the topic you are talking about. But podcasting is hard work, it’s not a game of fast results, it’s a labor of love that has many returns and in some cases, after putting in the hard work, those returns can be monetary if that is one of the goals for your podcast. I emphasize ONE of the goals because even if you want to monetize, money can’t be the only motivation. For those of you who aren’t in it to make money, you already have the ingredients to succeed which in our case, means to keep publishing episodes over a sustained period of time.
And to be even harsher, as it pertains to this specific episode, I actually don’t care what your podcast is about. nor do I don’t care why you are starting a podcast. That sounds mean but it’s because the one thing I want to accomplish with this episode and the one thing I car...
Podcasting 101, learn everything you need to start a podcast right now. From choosing your topic, naming your podcast, choosing gear, recording clean audio to editing, publishing and submitting to Apple Podcasts. Start your podcast today!
Visit ThePodcastersStudio.com/101 for a complete transcript and to watch the accompanying video series.
The first Podcasters' Studio that doesn't start with a zero (ex: 001, 099)! Episode 100, we made it! Thank you to everyone who has ever listened and helped the show reach this milestone.
This is a mighty episode filled with all the still relevant tips from the last 99 episodes of The Podcasters' Studio. I relistened to every episode (that was painful) and culled all the tips that I thought would still be useful in 2017. There is plenty of good content left in each of the episodes, I don't include them all here but the tips on this episode are ones that you can take back to your own show right now and grow the show you already have or start the podcast you've always wanted.
Most of the lessons in this episode where culled while listening to most of my back catalog of content. I scrubbed through all my past podcast episodes picking out those things that made me think I could of done it differently or want to change moving forward past episode 100.
See all the notes and links at thepodcastersstudio.com/100
Sign up to the TPS list and never lose contact with the show. If you want the best podcast media hosting, these are the two services I recommend. You can use promo code: podcasthelper on checkout to get your first month free.*
- Subscribe via YouTube
- PATREON
*all links should be considered affiliate links. Using these links helps support this content. I always encourage you to shop around for the best prices at the time you are viewing this. You can read my ethics statement via http://thepodcastersstudio.com/ethics. Thanks for the support!
99 podcast episodes is a lot. Hopefully, when you reach that milestone, you’ve learned a thing or two about how to make your podcast better. This episode is a collection of lessons I’ve learned over those 99 episodes. First lesson, be your own best critic. But if you’re a creative type, you probably already are;) In that case, give yourself a break, create, learn, repeat.
Most of the lessons in this episode where culled while listening to most of my back catalog of content. I scrubbed through all my past podcast episodes picking out those things that made me think I could of done it differently or want to change moving forward past episode 100.
Here are the highlights or perhaps in this case they are lowlights?;)
- Get reliable hosting from the start. I had to migrate from free hosting when it closed. Not a shock since it’s hard to keep the lights on for free. The migration can be a headache, especially if you have lots of episodes and it may end up costing you all the money you “saved.”
- A how-to show, like mine, would benefit by telling the audience to listen in reverse chronological order to get the most recent info. Consider whether or not you may need to teach your audience how to listen.
- ...see the complete list
The biggest thing I’ve learned on this 99 episode journey is to stick with it!
Yes, producing a show once a week consistently, is ideal but if you fall off that mark, don’t burn down the house you spent so much time building. Don’t stop.
Produce more episodes when you can. Your true audience will keep you in their feeds. It took way too long for me to get to this episode and many times I’ve thought it was time to stop TPS over guilt of not being here as often as I should be or that I might not have anymore to say but I know that I still love the show and still love being a voice in podcasting so I move forward and give special thanks to everyone that continues the ride along with me.
I approach this show as a hobby, its goal is not to generate the income I live off of, I don’t need it to make any money, its nice when it pays for itself but through 99 episodes that hasn’t been why the show is here. The show is here so that I can share my experience as a podcast producer with those of you who are also producing podcasts or are interested in doing so.
There’s nothing you could hire me to learn that I don’t teach on this show. So with an approach like that, just keep going. It’s better to have produced some episodes every year than to produce nothing at all.
I might give different advice to a show that was a marketing tool for a business but for most podcasters, keep going, do your best and make sure your podcast is something you enjoy doing not something you feel like you have to do. And be proud. Just starting a show and trying is a big accomplishment that most others will never achieve.
Sign up to the TPS list and never lose contact with the show. If you want the best podcast media hosting, these are the two services I recommend. You can use promo code: podcasthelper on checkout to get your first month free.*
Subscribe to The Podcasters' Studio Podcast I post lots of behind the scenes content and gear tests between videos. Follow me at your favorite!
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* FACEBOOK
* INSTAGRAM
* PATREON
*all links should be considered affiliate links. Using these links helps support this content. I always encourage you to shop around for the best prices at the time you are viewing this. You can read my ethics statement via http://thepodcastersstudio.com/ethics. Thanks for the support!
Is this the last Podcasters’ Studio? No. But staying motivated after years of talking about the same subject will be a challenge every podcaster faces if you do it long enough. How do you stay motivated? In most cases, listener feedback and a love for the topic will keep the show going for as long […]
On this fairly opinionated episode, I discuss my thoughts on “cheap” gear, advertising rates, audience numbers and who your podcast’s intro should serve. “Cheap” Podcast Gear Cheap gear is not the same as affordable gear. One I have a problem with, the other I do not. Gear that is made poorly and creates issues like noise […]
Recording multichannel audio is the best way to take total control over your audio. However, it can be difficult and/or pricey to achieve. Technically you can do multichannel with any mixer, even the cheapest ones. How many separate channels you’ll get is a different story. On this episode I talk about how to use an analog mixer to […]
You’ve created your podcast ready RSS feed so what’s next? You need to send it out to the world! There are many places your podcast can be found however you need to submit your show’s RSS feed to multiple directories and apps in order to have people find you. On this episode, I talk about […]
Google is getting their own podcast directory and they want you to submit your podcast now! In exciting news, Google is finally jumping back into podcasts by announcing that podcasts will be added to Google Play Music. “Podcasts” and “Google” are not two words that have gone together very well over the last five or so […]
International Podcast Day is September 30th, find out what you can do to support and grow the medium of podcasting. The Focusrite Scarlett 2i4* audio interface is a great little device for plugging analog gear (microphones, mixers, etc.) into your computer and getting clean sounding, high-quality audio. On the previous episode (TPS093) I discussed how […]
How do you get audio from your phone (iPhone, Android, etc.) into your mixer? The simple answer is you plug it in. You can use a basic stereo cable (I prefer this “Y” cable*), plug one end into your phone’s headphone output and place the other end into an available channel on your mixer and now you […]
What’s the value of a new podcast subscriber? Would you trade 20, 50, 100 dollars an episode for a new subscriber? Two new subscribers? A podcast sponsorship can be a hard deal to negotiate and for many smaller shows it’s not likely worth the tradeoff; having to put ads in your content for a small […]
Setting up a mixer can be a difficult task. Even on the smallest mixers there are numerous buttons and knobs that all affect the audio you put into it. Knowing exactly which knobs to turn and when can be confusing at best and can wreck your audio at worst. In this episode I talk about how […]
Of the many benefits of having a great podcast media host, having the ability to seamlessly replace a file is a nice option. With both Libsyn and Blubrry (use code: PodcastHelper for a free month at both), you have the ability to insert a new file in place of an already published one. This allows you […]
This show’s schedule is erratic at best but that doesn’t mean I think any other podcast should do the same. Not if you want to grow your show to its maximum potential. I think a show should maintain whatever schedule it sets for itself. If you are once a week then try to be there […]
Ever wonder when, how or why to use compression when post-processing your podcast? If the answer is yes then this is your episode. Randy Coppinger, professional audio engineer, talks with me about using compression for your spoken word podcast and just as importantly, when not to. We talk about what compression can do for your audio, how […]
Ever wanted to learn how to use the post processing effect EQ? This is two hours of pure EQ talk for your podcast with professional audio engineer Rob Williams. While you still need to get your hands dirty and mess with the settings to truly learn EQ, this episode will help remove the first barrier to […]
Loudness normalization of your audio is a “simple” process for measuring and processing for the perceived level of your audio. Perceived levels are how the human ear interprets levels. In recent years, new standards for measuring perceived level have arisen out of a lot of research and engineering. Georg Holzmann and I discuss the history of measuring loudness […]
Post processing your audio podcast can be a daunting task. Where do you start? What effects do you use? How to adjust the effects once you choose them? These questions and many more like them can easily scare a podcaster away from doing any polishing of their audio podcast file. But if you’re interested in […]
You’ve decided you want to record Skype interviews or a remote co-host and you’ve heard about using a mix-minus setup. How do you know if this applies to your podcast? On this episode I talk about how to know when you need a mix-minus as well how I’m using a new piece of gear to […]
If you want to record Skype using a mixer you’re going to need how to setup a mix-minus. The video below will show you how to go about setting that up and the linked post below will describe the entire process as well as show you detailed photographs of how to setup a mix-minus for […]
There are many ways to record your podcast. One of my favorites is directly to a digital audio recorder. The Zoom H6 is the newest in a long line of audio recorders but this one stands out amongst them all. With four truly dedicated microphone inputs and the ability to add two more XLR combo […]
I’m back in The Studio after spending a week in Las Vegas attending and speaking at New Media Expo 2014 (NMX). It was, as you could probably guess, a great time. If you’re a podcaster who enjoys meeting other podcasters and learning how to better your show, it’s hard not to have fun at NMX. […]
ID3 artwork is your podcast's logo (see mine on the right) that gets inserted into every episode( mp3) file you create (see below for the differences between show level artwork and episode level (i.e. ID3)).
When designing your show's artwork there are special specifications to be aware of.
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Image size should be square (300 x 300 or 600 x 600) pixels.
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Total file size should be less than 200 kb.
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Images should be in JPEG and PNG formats with an RGB color space.
Links for this episode:
Show Level vs Episode Level Artwork G+ thread that prompted this episode
Do you need a reliable host for your audio or video podcast? Consider moving your show to Libsyn.com (my chosen host) and get your first month free when you use promo code: podcasthelper at checkout. Sign up for the TPS newsletter and never lose contact with the show.
Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
Are you waiting to publish your podcast until you’ve gotten everything just right? Stop. Just publish. You’re ready. I’ve seen more than one podcast delayed by perfection. The first thing to understand is you’ll never be perfect. This episode is a good example of that. In TPS 79: An Alternative to Skype, I left out […]
Ever have an issue with Skype? Choppy connection, hiss in your audio, disconnected from your interviewee or co-host? These are just a few of the issues some podcasters are experiencing when using Skype. However, Skype, in many cases still remains one of the better ways to connect with remote interviewees and co-hosts. But what if […]
What if you need to move your podcast RSS feed? I tell you how I accomplished this with one of the feeds we have at my work via a special RSS tag (see the links section below for the code). Also discussed is the number of episodes you’ll see listed on your iTunes page. The […]
Have you run into the 512kb limit imposed on your feed via FeedBurner? This episode will give you some solutions about how to fix it or what to be on the lookout for so your feed doesn’t go down. If you’re just weary of the FeedBurner’s future and want to move your feed away, Rob […]
YouTube took a page out of the podcasting playbook and released a one-click subscription button that you can place on your website (see mine in the sidebar on the right).
While YouTube is not podcasting because you cannot host and place your hosted files into an RSS feed, I do recommend that those podcasters who have the time, attempt to leverage YouTube as a platform for your audio podcast.
YouTube is currently (as of 2013) the second largest search engine. Obviously if you're a video podcaster being on YouTube is a no-brainer. However if you're an audio podcaster wondering what YouTube may have to offer, try thinking about small segments of your audio only show that might make for good video.
You can start by making helpful videos that teach something (a quick tip), perhaps do a quick product review or feature a particular story that you think could be enhanced by getting in front of the camera to tell it.
These are just a few ideas off the top of my head and certainly there are countless ways you could dip your foot into video.
Google Hangouts On-Air are also another avenue for easily getting into video and live-streaming at the same time. Check out Podcasters' Roundtable to see how I'm using the platform for my niche.
So if you have a channel already and are creating content for it (congrats) go get your subscribe button for your website and make it even easier for anyone to get your content.
Links mentioned on this episode:
Google page for creating your YouTube Subscribe Button
I try a new way of recording my podcast (mic to Fethead to H4n, no mixer) and have a totally off-the-cuff episode filled with other thoughts about recording audio. In other words… I go off “script.” I also talk about SD vs HD video hosting and production. In my opinion, there is no reason to […]
What were the largest hurdles you had to overcome when starting a podcast? Starting anything can be tough. The first sentence of a school paper, an about page on your blog, show notes for your podcast episode, these are all hard things to start but once you do you’re off and running. A podcast is […]
When you compress/export your final edited version of your podcast into an .mp3 audio file you have a couple decisions to make. How big or small do you want the file to be versus how good do you want it to sound?
There are many factors that can lead to a final decision regarding your podcast file. Here are a few factors that I take into consideration when compressing my .mp3 for release into the RSS feed.
- How good do I want it to sound?
My personal range of quality extends from 64kbps to 128. I prefer 128 because my ear is sensitive enough after years of podcasting to hear the difference however when necessary I'll drop to 64kbps.
My show Podcasters' Roundtable is recorded at a much lower quality because we use Google Plus Hangouts On-Air to record which, at the time of this post, is still not high quality. I think the audio is around 64kbps or even lower. To send out a file that is compressed at a higher bit rate would be a waste of space since you cannot "up-res." an audio file. So in those cases when the audio from Podcasters' Roundtable is ripped from the video file, I send it out as 64kbps.
In my day job as a professional podcast producer I work on shows that can go as long as an hour to two hours. When I consider our large international audience, many of whom may have bandwidth limits, I have to consider producing a file that is at 96 or 64kbps simply for size sake.
The Podcasters' Studio podcast is my flagship podcast and recorded at the best quality possible. I release this show at 128kbps when the episode doesn't exceed 45 minutes to an hour because I love the way it sounds and the file is not so large that I get complaints from my audience.
- How much space do I have in most hosting account?
While the number of podcasts I produce has increased over the years, The Podcasters' Studio, Podcast Quick Tips and Podcasters' Roundtable, my hosting account at Libsyn has remained the same. As I mentioned above Podcasters' Roundtable is produced at a lower bit rate and thus results in a smaller file size. Therefore I'm able to fit that show into the monthly space I'm allocated on my hosting account.
But if you find yourself running out of space on your hosting account you may consider compressing your file at a smaller bit rate in order to save space. Going from 128 to 96kbps is a very acceptable compromise for me. Give it a shot and see if you notice enough of a difference to make a difference.
- How big is too big in relation to the length of the podcast episode?
As I said in point 1. if I have an episode that goes over an hour it's time to consider producing a file that will result in a smaller total file size. Podcasting is a global venture and it's important to consider your listeners in other countries who might not enjoy the limitless bandwidth you get.
Another consideration is simply the amount of time it might take to download your file. I've stopped listening to more than one podcast because the file size was so enormous that it would take way too long to download.
In this day and age of wifi and smartphone streaming, long download times aren't as much a factor but it's still nice to have the download completed for when you enter dead zones or are planning to travel by plane etc. If you're producing a podcast that exceeds 45 minutes to an hour, take a serious look at the size of your file and consider your audience.
I release my final audio file into various formats within the limits described above based on the factors I've outlined. The choice is a personal one between you, your audience and your budget. Hopefully these factors and guidelines will help you determine what size and quality is best for your show. Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
Hangouts On-Air (HOA) have been a great experiment for my newest podcast, Podcasters’ Roundtable. I’ve tried several different live-streaming options and HOA’s have been remarkably effective in getting people to actually show up and participate. The most interesting revelation about this is the live-streams tend to get scheduled only 24 hours in advance of going […]
Protect your WordPress website from malicious hackers, spam and other bots attempting to invade your site by taking some simple steps for non-coders. Plugins are a great way to enhance the security of your WordPress website. Dustin Hartzler from Your Website Engineer talks with me about some of his favorite ways to protect your website. Also included […]
Naming your podcast is kind of a big deal. Yet some people might just jump into it without ever asking anyone if the name is any good or more importantly, makes any sense? I know I did, oops.
Yes, some podcasters will start a podcast with a name that tells you nothing about the content and do quite well but wouldn't you rather have a show with a name that told everyone who heard it, in just a few words, knew exactly what that podcast was all about? Hint: your answer should be yes;)
Having a name that clearly relays the subject of your podcast is going to be, for the majority of us, a great way to help capture a potential subscriber (one who listens week after week whether or not they technically "subscribe").
When someone is searching for your content on iTunes there are very few opportunities to capture their attention. The name of your show is one. A big one. In addition, iTunes can better direct those people to your content if they know what search terms best fit your show. And trust me, with iTunes, it's ALL about the title of your show.
Guest host Dave Jackson (a personal podcasting mentor of mine) from The School of Podcasting takes over the mic to share a great tip that will help you be more effective when deciding a name for your podcast.
The answer is pretty simple, tell someone the name you're considering and see if they can tell you what your show will be about?
This simple technique will give you all kinds of insights into the podcast you are getting set to launch.
Have fun and let me know in the comments how you chose the name of your podcast.
Do you have a microphone, mixer or recorder that requires you to turn up the gain settings really loud in order to get a good signal? The FetHead might just be your answer to bringing those gain levels back down and reducing the hiss and noise you’re getting in your podcast’s audio. To be clear, […]
Microphones! Matt McGlynn from Recording Hacks joins me “in Studio” to talk all about microphones (a passion and hobby of his) and specifically those mics that work best for most podcasters. Matt’s site, Recording Hacks, is dedicated to “making audio gear accessible and useful to people.” Recently he has written a couple of great articles […]
If you have a podcast where you have on guests/interviewees, you should include those names in the title of your episode(s) for better search results in iTunes.
I've noticed that when I search for someone's name on iTunes I get results not only for their own podcast, assuming they have set up their feed correctly, but also for other podcasts on which they were interviewed and the show put their name in the title.
When it comes to iTunes SEO, titles are everything. Apparently this is true at the episode level as well. I've seen situations where a podcast host hasn't set up their RSS feed correctly to include their own name as the author of the show and my show ranks better in iTunes for their own name.
This happens because I have their name in a title of one of my episodes. So if you want your show to show up when someone is searching for that person (they could be a well known name with lots of searches) then make sure to include their name in your episode title if you have had them on your show.
For obvious reasons anyone searching for that person will also likely be interested in hearing your interview with them and that could become a new subscriber to your show. Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
I recently spoke on the topic of podcasting at Social Media Week D.C. (#SMWDC) and it presented some great opportunities to use gear that I don’t always use and speak to people face to face instead of from behind the mic. This of course led to some insights that are perfect for podcasters. Public speaking […]
Most podcasts are a hobby endeavor which usually means budgets for gear, websites, software and everything else involved in making a podcast is limited. When deciding where to put your money first, focus on the elements of your podcast that are most likely to affect the overall quality of your show.
The best place to start is your microphone. This is likely the single largest factor in getting a good sounding podcast. The best budget microphone on the market, as of the date of this post (02/15/13), is the ATR2100 from Audio Technica.
For less than $50 U.S., you get a dynamic mic (best for the typical podcast studio) that produces excellent audio quality (on par with the infamous HEiL PR40) and plugs directly into your computer via USB.
If your budget was only $50 (the minimum I would recommend to start a podcast) you could add free editing software (Audacity on Windows/OSX) and you'd be ready to record a quality sounding podcast.
When you're ready to upgrade your studio (mixer, audio interface, etc) the ATR2100 can make the transition with you employing an XLR connection alongside the USB. Your original investment is not wasted because this mic can grow with your studio.
So when it comes time to decide where to put your money, start with the mic (where the audio gets in) and upgrade from there. Next, if you decide to integrate a mixer into your production, there are affordable, quality options. Lastly you can think about upgrading your software to paid apps like Adobe Audition.
If your starting budget is larger than $50 and you want to get more gear, you'll still want to start with the micrphone. The particular model you purchase might depend on what other gear you want to get with it. If you had $200 to spend you could still get the ATR2100 and have $150 to spend on a mixer and required cables.
Shift your budget around but prioritize the most critical elements so that your podcast will be a quality production from day one.
*consider all links affiliates. Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
Your website is your podcast’s central hub, its home on the web. It’s where you have an entire archive of all your episodes, links you mentioned in any given show, buttons to follow, share and continue the conversation on social media, profiles of your hosts and easy ways to allow your community to get in […]
Learn how you can earn money when someone uses your iTunes subscription link to subscribe to your podcast.
Every podcaster should have a link to their podcast in the iTunes store on their website. You can see mine in the upper right hand corner widget area of this site.
It's important to make it easy for people to find and subscribe to your podcast when they arrive on your website. Often times when people visit your site, if they can't find what they're looking for in the first few seconds, they're gone. Likely you've just lost your chance at getting a new listener/viewer for your show.
Once you have a link to iTunes on your site, you'll want to sign up with the iTunes affiliate program run by Linkshare (now run by PHG) . This gives you the opportunity to connect your subscription icon with a special hyperlink that lets Apple know the person clicking the subscription icon came from your affiliate link.
When that person buys anything in the iTunes store (podcasts aren't free so you don't earn a commission for the actual subscription) you get a 5% commission on the total of their purchase. You'll receive credit for any of their purchases up to three days after they click your link.
This adds no additional cost to the person using your link. It simply gives you a small credit for being responsible for that person using the iTunes store.
Connecting an affiliate link to your iTunes subscription button is another way to help monetize your podcast and blog. This isn't about getting rich. With a little luck you'll be able to mitigate the costs of running a podcast such as media and website hosting. To be successful doing so, you'll likely need to have several revenue streams (affiliates, services, ads, etc) incorporated into your site and/or podcast.
The key is to choose revenue streams that fit with your content and values. In this case, having an affiliate link connected to your iTunes subscription icon is a great way for your community to help support your show without any additional costs to them.
See my blog post about the iTunes affiliate program for more in depth features such as the link maker and widget builder tools and how to get started making money with your iTunes subscriptions.
Are you using the iTunes affilate program? Did you even know one existed? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments.
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Take a behind the scenes listen to the audio workflow that I use to produce an episode of The Podcasters’ Studio. Want to learn how to shoot better video for your podcast, YouTube channel or just your home movies? I take you through the most important steps to getting a more professional look out of […]
Is FeedBurner shutting down? I cover this topic, the fear going around the Internet and the truth about what is really happening.
The key takeaway here is not to worry. Don't panic and scramble to move your podcast RSS feed(s) away from FeedBurner. If you are currently using it, there has been no official announcements that the service is going away. Some things have changed but the core functionality that it provides for your podcast is intact and stable. If Google was to close down the service, I'm sure you would have adequate options and time for leaving and/or moving your feed. But at this time, no such plans have been announced.
If you wish to move away from FeedBurner, my suggestion here (as I am planning to do) is to start migrating slowly. You can begin by using the PowerPress plugin for WordPress and replace FeedBurner's SmartCast function, which controls the iTunes tags within your RSS feed, with the iTunes options within PowerPress.
After that, you can work with the redirect system (inside PowerPress) for moving your feed permanently. Daniel from The Audacity to Podcast gives you some very detailed options for implementing this process.
If you are using a third-party platform like Blog Talk Radio, Blogger or any other where FeedBurner gives you control over your feed in place of using the third-party's feed (i.e. for iTunes submission) I would recommend sticking with FeedBurner and the system you currently have in place unless you decide to move to paid hosting (i.e. Libsyn - use promo code: PodcastHelper for a free month) or Wordpress. These options will allow you more control over your feed and can free you from the need to use FeedBurner. Control of your brand should be very important to you as a content creator. Try and have as much as possible when it comes to your content.
Let me know in the comments how you're responding to the developments with FeedBurner and what you think you're long term solution will be.
Watch or listen to a full breakdown of this topic featuring the opinions of several well known podcasters via Podcasters' Roundtable - Round 4 - What's Going on with FeedBurner? Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
Want an easy way to start making money with your podcast? Start using affilate links in your content. It may sound too simple to be effective but signing up for an affiliate program and placing links in your website’s text and/or mentioning them on your podcast is the easiest way to start monetizating your show. […]
Creating a free Gravatar account for your podcast, will allow you to automatically insert your branded logo or personal image alongside comments you make on the internet.
For example, if you leave a comment below this post and you have a Gravatar account, when you type your email into the email section of the submission, a Gravatar logo (one that you've chosen) will also appear with your comment. This alleviates the need to upload a separate avatar. Many websites won't even have that option. A Gravatar handles this for you, saving you time and increasing the visibility of your show.
This is a quick and easy way to associated your branding (podcast logo) with comments you leave on other websites. This can also apply to comments made at forums. Anywhere a website supports Gravatar (made by the makers of WordPress) your image will appear. Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
The goal of this episode was simple. Find out what happened to Zune.net and podcasts on the Zune Marketplace. To achieve this goal I went straight to the source. I talk to Rob Greenlee the Project Manager for podcasts on the Zune Marketplace. If you listened to episode 065, you heard me say that links […]
First order of business is Zune. It appears that links to my podcast and everyone else for that matter, are broken. That’s because Zune.net is gone. This means that when you click your old link to Zune (if you had one on your site) you are now taken to xbox.com. Zune is gone and so […]
Have you heard that Google might be shutting down Feedburner? Lots of people have but is it true? I have some of my own ideas and great resources for getting a much better picture of what is really going on. You’ll also hear about some resources for moving your feed away from Feedburner if you […]
Rob Walch from Wizzard Media and Libsyn.com joins us once again to talk about all the recent improvements to podcast hosting on Libsyn. Even if you don’t have a Libsyn account or don’t plan to have one anytime soon, you’ll still want to listen as Rob provides many great insights into iTunes, podcasting statistics, hosting […]
Have you ever speaker tested your podcast? Have you done it lately? Speaker testing your podcast means listening to your show the way your audience does, on many different devices.Your audience listens to your show in their car, on their mp3 player, on their computer and on many other devices and in countless environments. To […]
Listening to your podcast while you edit with headphones on might lead you to think your audio is just right. That everything sounds perfect. But what about the most important listener...your audience?
Make sure the audio you're publishing sounds as good to your audience as it does to you. Take your podcast for a trial run on as many speakers you can find. Play your podcast in your car where a large number of people are listening on their commute. Can you hear it clearly over the traffic and other sounds inherent to driving?
Try your podcast on cheap earbuds that came with your mp3 player as well as the speakers on your computer, TV, and phone.
Testing your audio in as many places as possible will give you a good gauge of how your audience hears your podcast. Make sure what you're publishing can actually be heard most places it might be played and you'll keep your listeners coming back for more. Get one month free on a new Libsyn account! Do you need a reliable host for your audio or video podcast? Consider moving your show to Libsyn.com (my chosen host) and get your first month free when you use promo code: podcasthelper at checkout.
Need helping starting your first podcast? Contact me to work one on one setting up your show today. Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
Google announces that it will no longer support their native podcasting application, Google Listen. If you are using the Listen app, you’ll still be able to listen to podcasts however after Novemeber 11, 2012 the search function will no longer work. Google says because of the proliferation of podcasting apps available in their app store, […]
From blogger to podcaster, Jeff Yin shares his experience of starting his very first podcast. Jeff attended Blogworld NYC 2012 as a blogger and quickly learned he’d make a great podcaster after attending several of the podcasting track sessions including Podcasting 101 which I was a part of. One month later, Jeff had taken some […]
Once you've edited your video you need to export it, add some metadata and then upload it to YouTube.
But before you do that, make sure that the name of your actual video file is something relevant to the information contained in the video itself. This is because YouTube indexes the file name as well as all the other metadata you include.
Doing so will help increase your visibility in YouTube search and is just another bit of insight into YouTube's algorithm for choosing which videos rise to the top.
Links mentioned in this episode SEO Your YouTube Videos in 10 Steps (blog post) Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
We’re back in the Studio with Joe Gilder, audio engineer and podcaster, for part two in our discussion about audio post production for podcasters. On this episode (part 2 of 2) Joe and I open up the audio editor and take a look at the effects we use when post processing our audio for podcasting. Specifically we […]
There’s lots of training online for audio post production. However, most of the information is focused on mastering audio for music. As podcaster’s our main post production concerns involve techniques related to mastering for voice only. Joe Gilder is an audio engineer who masters music for a living however he’s also a podcaster. So I […]
Looking around my studio, I counted almost ten different ways to record a podcast. Over the next few episode of Podcast Quick Tips, I'm going to be using each of these methods to demonstrate how you can produce a quality sounding podcast many different ways.
Recording with the H4n on-board mics about 7-10 inches from my mouth
First up is the Zoom H4n. This digital audio recorder is an amazing little piece of technology and really the only thing you need to record a podcast. You'll hear how I use the on-board condenser microphones of the H4n to record this episode.
Coupled together with some post production, you can create some fantastic sounding audio. A little compression, a limiter, some EQ and a touch of noise removal can really improve the audio that comes off the Zoom. However, this device is powerful enough to produce a show without using any post production. It can even compress your raw audio file into the mp3 format for you.
I also talk about BlogWorld NYC 2012. I'll be speaking on two different panels and co-teaching a two part class titled "Podcasting 101" along with Daniel from The Audacity to Podcast, Dave from The School of Podcasting's Morning Announcements and Dan from Podcast Like a Radio DJ.
If you're considering attending this year's BlogWorld, which will have an incredible podcasting track, make sure to use my promo code: PodRay10 on checkout to save 10% off the price of your ticket. And, if you purchase by May 15, 2012 you'll save an additional $100 off the price of a ticket.
If you're going, make sure you let me know so we can meet in person!
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Adding a mixer to your podcast studio will allow your productions to grow along with your show. As you get further along in your podcasting venture, you’ll likely want to add in more capabilities such as Skype hosts and guests, more in-studio microphones, and built in capabilities for backing up recordings to avoid loss of […]
Fresh off my return from SXSW, I share my experiences from the conference and a couple panels I saw that led me to bigger ideas about my podcast, sharing and your show’s legacy. One of the speakers I sat in on was Jason Scott from the Internet Archive. He talked about curating the culture of […]
If you weren't already aware, Skype is likely controlling your audio levels. As podcasters, we want to make sure we are in control of all our settings all of the time. This is how you can make sure Skype isn't changing your audio quality.
Skype just released (03/06/12) a new version of it's software for the Mac (version 5.6.0.143). In this release they placed a check-box (already found in the Windows version) for controlling Skype's auto gain control (AGC). What AGC does is listen to the proximity of your voice to the microphone and adjust the volume as necessary so that the person on the other end can always hear you at a decent level. However, as podcasters, we don't want anyone besides us deciding what our gain level should be and we certainly don't want it to change during recording.
Now you can simply go into your preferences audio/video settings and uncheck the "Automatically Adjust Microphone Settings" box. Then go into your computer's settings and set the level you want your mic to be.
When enabled, AGC will constantly adjust the level of your audio based on your relationship to the mic and whether or not you are speaking into it. During times of silence or if you move too far away from the mic, this can cause the "noise floor" to be raised higher thus producing an audible hiss. Disabling AGC will help to prevent unwanted noise.
Links mentioned in this episode How to disable Skype's AGC and EC with HTML code Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
You produce a podcast that you make available for free and in fact spend lots of your own money on (if you’re truly invested). So how does your podcast pay you back? A podcast pays in both tangible and non-tangible ways. In this episode I cover all of the ways I’ve found to make money […]
Blip.tv announces they will no longer accept audio only uploads. For the past six years or so, Blip.tv has been kindly hosting audio only files for free. Blip.tv is primarily a video site and now they’re cementing that with the discontinuation of audio only uploads. Here’s the official announcement: At blip.tv we’re focused on being […]
We continue where we left off talking to Dave Jackson from the School of Podcasting. On this episode Dave and I chat about podcasting software and how using old gear can be just as effective as buying brand new. I ask Dave what he thinks about having to have the “radio voice” sound for your […]
Sean Allen sent in a guest Quick Tip detailing how he increases the credibility of his podcast by using voice overs.
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An interview with Dave Jackson from The School of Podcasting’s Morning Announcements. A “podcast that talks about all things Podcasting. From planning planning, producing, and promoting your podcast along with all the tools and techniques.” With over 250 episodes published, Dave is one of the original podcasters. He was an early digital mentor for me […]
When you insert a link to a hosted audio file into Facebook's link section above the status box, Facebook will automatically create an audio player.
Below this audio player is a couple areas of information about any particular audio file you link to. They don't make it obvious that you can actually edit the information that is contained in these fields (title, artist, album) but it's an easy process once you know how.
Once your file is linked, you see that the fields display "unknown artist" and "unknown album."
Simply place your mouse over each section and the field to be edited will be highlighted. Click and place whatever text you like into this section. It's that simple. This also applies for the title of the file seen in bold lettering.
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[See Part 1 First] Continuing where I left off in part one of this two part series, I wrap things up with a discussion about the remaining basic pieces you’ll need to start a successful podcast. I’m defining a successful podcast here as a podcast that starts off with all the core elements in place […]
Learn the basics of podcasting from how to decide on a topic to choosing gear, software and hosting for your website and media. You’ve decided you want to start your own podcast and now you need to know how to proceed. In this episode we go back to the beginning and walk you through the […]
There are any number of reasons why you might need to convert a video from one format to another. In the case of video podcasting perhaps you need to make your file compatible to work on Apple devices or you need to take your original file created specifically for iTunes and make it more compatible with any type of media player. These are just two of the reasons why a video converter can be an important piece of software in your podcast production tool box.
In many cases, because the web often deals in flash (flv) files, you may need to convert them to another format which works better for your particular needs. In this episode I give you a brief introduction to some of the free, cross platform (Windows and Mac) tools I use for converting video file formats.
Free video converters: Any-Video-Converter Miro video Converter Handbrake Mpeg Streamclip Real Player VLC Media Player/Converter Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
An introduction to mixlr.com, a new live streaming dedicated to the audio only podcaster. With mixlr's easy to use app, available for both Windows and Mac, you can easily stream your show live to the web while you record it in your studio.
The advantages to live streaming audio only are many in the case of mixlr. Of primary interest to every podcaster should be mixlr's ability to put your show live into the hands of anyone, anywhere. Mixlr's live streams can be played on any mobile device with a browser effectively allowing your audience to listen live in the car, at the gym, or just waiting in line. Essentially anywhere your audience is, your show can be too.
Also, streaming audio only allows for your computer to use much less computing power and is much easier on your bandwidth.
For a much more in depth review of mixlr and it's features which include great embed players for your website and facebook page, check out The Podcasters Studio Episode 048.
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On this episode I talk about the effect that bad headphones can have on your podcast’s audio. Headphones that don’t fit properly, are not well built or are simply turned up too loud can affect that amount of feedback that your mic hears. If the audio going into your headphones leaks out and into your […]
If you use WordPress to create your podcasting RSS feed then you may have noticed that only ten or less of your most recent episodes are showing up in podcatchers such as iTunes. There's a simple fix.
Simply adjust the default syndication setting (10) in the Reading section of your WordPress settings.
Click here to see a screencast tutorial of me walking you through the process. This works for both free sites on Wordpress.com and your own installation of WordPress.
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Have you ever wanted to live stream your podcast in an audio only player? Finally a solution that caters to audio only podcasters has arrived in the form of mixlr.com. A live streaming, audio only applicationavailable for both PC and Mac. Live streaming your podcast as you record can be another great way to interact […]
When you create your album artwork the graphic that represents your podcast (also referred to as show art or ID3 image), make sure you use a high enough resolution so that it displays well on large screens.
I recommend making your show logo 600 x 600 pixels. This is a square image that will display well on HD screens as well as .mp3 players such as an iPod. Create a .jpg is still a relatively small size in (usually less than 1mb) and will be compatible across all devices.
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When you want the absolute best quality recording from your remotely co-hosted podcast, you record a double-ender. A double-ender is a type of recording where everyone on the podcast episode records their own audio. This allows for the cleanest sound possible, removing the unwanted noise problems you might get from such things as Skype or […]
Here is some audio from a test I ran using a plugin that claims to remove echo from your recordings. In other words, a plugin to help podcasters with large empty rooms facing the challenge of getting the resulting reverb out of their recordings. When listening to this, you'll want to make sure to wear some good headphones so that you can hear the reverb in the room.
The plugin seems to work pretty well which is quite an accomplishment however at over $50, I don't think I would purchase it. But that is still cheaper than sound proofing your studio.
You can download and try the De-Verb plugin for yourself at the Sound Performance Lab website.
If you enjoy the demo, "Likes" are appreciated but make sure to let me know in the comments what you think overall. Would this be helpful for your recordings?
As a podcast producer you have likely heard that you need to create good show notes for each episode. But what does this mean and how do you accomplish it? On this episode I talk about the elements that make up good show notes (descriptive, keyword rich, and supplemental links). I also discuss ways to […]
Resources for tracking statistics for your podcast and website.
By using some simple resources, you can get a clear picture regarding how many people are listening to your podcast as well visiting your website.
File hosts such as Libsyn, Blubrry, and Blip.tv all keep statistics about the number of people downloading your show as well as the applications they are using to do it (iTunes, Web, apps, etc) and where they are coming from (geo-location).
Other sites such as Facebook, give you deep "insights" into the demographics of your audience within Facebook. And installing Google Analytics on your webpage will further your understanding about how people are using your website.
Finally, Woopra allows you to see visitors to your website in real-time. When can watch the activity taking place on your website at any given time, tracking things like how some navigates your site and how they got there in the first place.
Consider integrating some of these tools into your podcast. Knowing more about your audience is not only fun and rewarding (we all love to know someone is listening) but very useful for growing your show.
links for this episode:
Google Analytics (track statistics for your website) Woopra (watch visitors to your site in real-time) Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
Wizzard Media recently announced that they are implementing a new program that will allow podcast producers, with any Libsyn.com account, to monetize their content. A basic Libsyn account can be purchased for as little as five dollars a month which would give you access to the subscription service. Each Libsyn account will have the option […]
With the recent update of the Powerpress plugin for Wordpress, your podcast can now be HTML5 and Apple device friendly.
HTML5 player for non-flash devices
This is an important point because of the iPhone's dominate spot in the mobile market and the rise of the iPad as the primary tablet device of choice (at the time of this post). This translates into many people viewing your podcast on idevices and in order for them to play your episode via a player on your site, it needs to be an HTML5 player.
Powerpress 2.0 now allows you to embed an HTML5 player along with many new features.
To see how I am currently setting up my Powerpress plugin, see the images I posted at the end of this blog post:
Powerpress 2.0 and HTML5 Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
Learn how to start preparing your podcast’s media kit and about a new affiliate sponsorship opportunity from Audible.com. I start off by answering a question from Sean who wants to know how he can improve the audio for his screencasts? He is currently using a headset but I talk about some different options that […]
On this episode I debut my new show intro and talk about how my new podcast music can affect your show’s production value. I also introduce a few new elements to the show’s introduction including an episode number and a tag-line. Learn how you can improve on your show intro and opening from a great […]
Learn what options you have when choosing a microphone for your video podcast productions. In most cases audio is as important or even more important than the quality of your video. Find out the different types of microphones that you can use together with whatever video camera you have to get the best quality audio possible out of your video productions.
Types of microphones mentioned in this episode*
Beachtek XLR camera adapter Juicelink XLR camera adapter Audio Technica Shotgun Microphone Dead Cat Windscreen for Shotgun Mics (buy the proper size for your mic) Sennheiser MD46 ENG microphone Zoom H4n Audio Recorder Audio Technica ATR-3350 Lavalier Microphone
*most hyperlinks listed here are affiliate links which help support the show
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On this episode, Soundcloud.com announces that they will soon be supporting RSS feeds for their audio hosting service. I discuss what I think of the service for use as a podcast audio hosting solution and how you can get into the Soundcloud beta to be a tester for this new feature. Learn what options you […]
On this episode I talk about how to post your podcast feed to facebook automatically including an audio player and how to keep your podcast alive after you stop producing it and paying for hosting. I also discuss the differences between using a hardware versus software based compressor/limiter/gate. This is a non-essential piece of equipment […]
Promote your podcast by contacting the people and or companies you mention in your show. Many times those people will respond by passing on your content to their community.
Whether it's through a simple tweet or facebook post, your content gets exposed to infinite amounts of new listeners when it's passed on by someone else. And typically when you are mentioning someone or something on your podcast, it's something you are a fan of, use, or plan to buy. Therefore the person who you are most likely speaking kindly about or the product which you use and love is great promotion for them or their company.
In most cases when you let someone know that you are talking highly about them or their product, they have every motivation to pass that on to their community. You see it on the backs of books and website testimonials, people like it when you talk about them and their products.
So let them pay you back with a retweet, a facebook wall post, or maybe even a mention on their own show. Market your show and get your podcast in front of hundreds of new listeners just by making someone else aware that you talked about them.
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When choosing a mixer for your podcast there are some special considerations that I think each podcaster should think about before making their purchase. Some of these include the number of mic inputs your mixer will allow. Can you grow your show with the mixer you are planning to buy? Can it power condenser microphones […]
When you're deciding on what kind of mixer to get for your podcast there are several things to consider before making your purchase. I run through the most important things I think you should be looking for in a mixer that will be used for producing podcasts.
Some of the things I like to have in a mixer include USB 2.0 or better, insert channels to properly attached effects processors, real faders, mute buttons, and a few more things you'll hear about on this episode. Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
[UPDATE] I no longer recommend this method unless you have some compelling reason to do so. The approval process is usually complete within 24 hours now and you will benefit more by having at least three episodes ready to do publish when you submit your podcast.
When creating a podcast, before you even publish it live to the internet, itunes or anywhere else, make sure to create a short 15 to 30 second promo for your show.
Creating a short promo will allow your podcast to get into the itunes store early, before your actual show's launch date which will allow you to go live with your very first podcast without any barriers to being discovered on itunes.
Because you submitted your show early, the approval process will be completed before you publish your first episode. When your first episode is published, your itunes podcast page will have already been approved and your show will be immediately searchable in itunes as well as any other podcast directories you have submitted your show to (e.g. Zune, Miro).
In case you didn't know, getting your show listed in itunes requires an approval process. Sometimes the process can take as little as half an hour but in most cases it can be days or even weeks before someone listens or watches your show and makes sure it meets requirements (valid feed, appropriate show art, etc) set out by Apple and the itunes store. So get your show submitted early, before you publish your very first episode and when you are ready to go live, your show will be ready to be found on itunes.
download this episode (4.5 mb|mp3|4.5 min.) Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
Adobe Audition is now out for the Mac. Find out what I like about it, what I think you could use as an alternative and the effects I use when using Audition to process my audio. Also discussed on this episode are virtual cart machines (soundbyte, pod producer, etc). These apps and programs allow you […]
On this episode I interview entertainment lawyer and podcaster, Gordon Firemark. We talk about the many different legal issues surrounding podcasting and podcasters including copyright, fair use, model releases and much more. Do you know your rights if your original content is taken and used without your permission or violates the copyright you have in […]
How long does it take before a podcast RSS feed is accepted into the itunes store once you have submitted it?
When you've submitted your podcast to itunes and its not showing up in the itunes catalog, many podcasters start to worry that they did something wrong. So what do you do once you have submitted your RSS feed to itunes but it's not showing up in the itunes store?
The answer is patience. In order to make sure your podcast has been submitted and is in the process of being reviewed, make sure you received the confirmation email that tells you that indeed your podcast RSS feed has been submitted to itunes. You should receive this email shortly after you submit your valid podcast feed.
Wait times for getting your podcast approved can be as long as 3 weeks or as quick as 30 minutes. Once your podcast has been reviewed by someone at apple (yes someone actually looks and/or listens to your podcast) you will receive an email telling you that your podcast has been accepted and the same email will contain very important information about your show such as links that you can use to find your show on the web and on itunes.
Make sure you save this email and archive it somewhere you will remember and access easily because almost certainly you will be looking for it again to use the important information contain within the email about your show.
download this episode's mp3 (4.3 mbs|4.2 min) Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
On this episode I introduce you to a new resource on ThePodcastersStudio.com, the newly redone blog which will be used to share emails that I receive regarding podcasting questions. Now everyone will benefit from the information I exchange with those people who take the time to write into the show. I also introduce you to […]
Submitting your show to new podcatchers is the best way to grow your audience fast. Make sure to submit your podcast to all the podcasting directories you can find and don't forget the thousands of people who are consuming, searching, and using the Blackberry Podcast store. Go to the Blackberry Podcast Store to create an account and submit all your podcasts (audio and video) today. right-click to download (3.5 MB|3.5 min.)
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The importance of having a clean, easy to read, relevant show logo. Learn why your podcast’s show art is so important and how to improve on the one you already have or create one for free. Also find out how to use Posterous to host your podcast for free but reasons why you might not […]
Learn why having a logo for your podcast is so important and how to create one for free. Also learn some of the most important elements of show logo design for maximizing the impact it has on your audience. right-click to download Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
Find out about a powerful facebook strategy I use to potentially gain a large increase in the amount of people listening and subscribing to your podcast. right-click to download
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On this episode I talk about making voice calls from within your browser via Gmail, Podcamp Philly 4 and the presentation I’ll be giving, Camtasia for the mac, Gnomedex 10, and I’ll answer a few of your call in questions. Oh and the dynamics of moving your podcast studio! Yep I’m moving to a new […]
On this episode, Vincent, host of This Week in Virology, calls in to talk about his mix-minus setup. Grant wants to know about slow download speeds from files hosted on blip.tv and I talk about having a plan to stay connected to your audience if one or more of your broadcasting channels goes down or […]
Learn the importance of using the "remember playback position" check box when tagging your podcast files with ID3 tags (i.e. metadata). This is one item I always check when filling in my ID3 information and can easily be done using the itunes software. Also, do you listen to your own show? Do you make sure it's not a damaged file before you release it to the internet? Find out why I think this is important and how, at a minimum, you can make sure you are sending out quality audio and video files to your listeners.
right-click to download
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Today I'm asking the listeners of Podcast Quick Tips to submit their very own Podcast Quick Tip that I can play on the show. If you have a 2 to 4 minute tip about how to podcast that you would like to share on this show, please submit that tip by calling 925-567-3335 or better yet, send in your audio tip via email at Ray@ThePodcastersStudio.com.
This is not only a request for content and a way for me to promote your show, creating valuable content for my own show but also a great tip to podcasters who want to get the word out about their own show. If you have some helpful feedback that you can provide to another podcast that you listen to, whether that podcast is in your niche or not, send in your audio or written feedback and likely you will get the chance to be exposed to that show's audience.
Not only will the podcaster appreciate your insight and feedback but you could reap the benefits of having another show promote and market your own show.
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Using an ITPC link to create a one-click subscribe button for your podcast on your website will exclude itunes from knowing you have a new subscriber. Don't be cheated out of your stats and thus hurting your show's ranking in the itunes podcast directory. Learn how to use native itunes links to make each subscriber count.
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Learn how to use your single Libsyn account to create multiple feeds, edit video in the cloud via YouTube, stalk that twitter account that you want but someone else has, and find out one of the most important parts of your podcast studio that you might not have considered. Right-Click to download Links mentioned in […]
On this episode I talk about progress made in my experiments with html5 for audio and video, thoughts about sponsoring your own podcast, and new ideas about how to market your show with the intent of growing your audience. We also have listener feedback sent in by Jerry of My Amateur Radio.com and Steve from […]
Learn why it's important to always publish your audio podcast in the mp3 file format. right-click to download Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
On this episode I’m talking about new gear in the studio including a Mackie ProFX12 mixer and the Zoom H4n. I also discuss how I do a mix-minus setup for recording Skype calls. And I’m curious as a podcaster, do you apologize to your audience when you miss your regular schedule? Learn about why I […]
Learn an easy way to convert your videos into itunes friendly formats. right-click to download Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
On this episode I give you a Feedburner refresher course. What it’s used for, what it does, and why you might want to use it to add some spice and flexibility to your podcast RSS feed. I also take a few minutes to discuss some of the issues that can arise when choosing a video […]
When you create a new hyperlink on your website it's always good to set the link to open in a new window or tab so that the person visiting your site is not taken away from your page prematurely. right-click to download Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
Here's some bonus video that I've placed on this post just as a test for the ipad. This is placed here using html5 code and appears to be working, playing a video on the page when viewed on an ipad.
Learn about why I like having a gmail account for each show I produce. The importance of having a recognizable avatar across all your online communities, and how to use Paypal for free. right-click to download subscribe to The Podcasters Studio Podcast
Learn how to make your podcast rank higher in search results via google, bing, yahoo, etc. By titling your episodes using relevant keywords (words that are contained within your episodes content), you are more likely to show up on the first page of search results when someone is looking for your niche focused content. right-click to download
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If your podcast was up for an award, would it be a winner? On this episode you’ll find out which elements of a podcast are judged for The Podcast Awards. Get an inside look at the voting process and use it to make your show stronger. Whether or not you are seeking an award winning […]
Whenever possible ask friends, family to help you out with your show. Podcasting requires many resources most of which is your time and energy. If you have friends or family that are willing to help you produce your show even if just once in awhile, it creates more time for you to create new content instead of focusing too much on marketing, production and whatever else you have to do to grow your show.
This is especially helpful for video podcasters. Having someone to help you monitor audio and other things occurring on set can really help the production values of your video podcast. right-click to download Subscribe to Podcast Quick Tips
When embedding your audio and/or video file into your blog and/or website, make sure to include a text hyperlink to the raw file. This will allow users on mobile devices such as iphones and ipads to download and listen to your podcast.
This is also how some people prefer to receive your content. Some people would rather go to your webpage and be able to save your file to their computer so that they can migrate the audio or video to whatever player they choose. This is yet another yet to make sure you podcast is available for anyone who wants to play it.
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Use twitter to get more mileage out of your content by tweeting about the various topics covered during an episode. For example, if on your most recent episode you talked about three different topics, you essentially should break up those topics into their own individual tweets. By doing so, you will be able to tweet about the same show, including a link URL three different times, however each tweet will be about a different topic that you covered within your episode.
This is a good way to expose your followers to the various topics you talked about on any one show. Often times we are not able to tell the listener every topic we talked about in our episode within the title of the episode. Doing so would lead to titles that were much too long.
By breaking up your topics into individual tweets, you let your friends on twitter know exactly what was covered on your show in its entirety. Often times someone might not be interested in listening to any given episode because the title of the episode only represents a portion of what you talked about and that portion might not be interesting to every listener. This way however, the listeners get to learn about topics that perhaps are interesting to them but might not have been mentioned in the title of the episode. In this way, you are not spamming your followers so much as you are giving them more detail about each show you produce. Remember to include a link to the episode mentioned.
Also, since tweets have a short shelf life (most followers don't see each tweet) this gives your friends more chance they'll actually see that you have a new episode published. Give it a shot and let me know how it works for you. Thanks for listening. right-click to download
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It’s time to start producing the best sounding and/or looking podcast possible. Stand out from the crowd by making your show worthy of its content and your hard work.
On this episode I go on a mellow rant about why I think the quality of your audio and/or video should be as good or better than the best podcast. I explain how easy it is to achieve a great quality podcast worthy of all your hard work and I discuss the benefits of giving and receiving feedback.
Visit www.thepodcastersstudio.com to listen to the complete archives, watch podcasting tutorials and listen to Podcast Quick Tips.
Where do you find statistics about your podcast? I hear this question often and with it usually comes confusion about what exactly is going on with the stats you get from Feedburner. On this episode I talk all about the different places to find stats for your show and why Feedburner may not be your […]
A presentation I gave at Podcamp Philly 2009 about how to get the skills of a professional podcaster. I talk about everything from audio to video. How to learn the skills needed to produce high quality podcasts on the level of a professional such as better audio, proper compression rates, better video, lighting and many […]
Going live to the internet is as easy as turning on your camera and connecting to any number of great free services. Broadcasting your podcast live adds a good deal of value to your show including live interaction with viewers, instant feedback, audience building, and an overall additional to your new media arsenal. As long […]
Learn how to get started in video podcasting and some fun YouTube hacks. I talk about what cameras you need as well as other gear needed to start a video podcast. Also discussed are hosting options for you video, audio for video, and editing software options for both the Mac and PC. Once you have […]
An interview with independent music artist, Matthew Ebel who generates all his income solely through premium membership based podcasting.
Matthew is a well know musician in podcasting circles and you can hear his music being played on various shows across the intertubes.
On this episode learn more about Matthew and how he makes a living from producing his own music and how he integrates podcasting into his revenue stream.
You can out find out more about Matthew by visiting MatthewEbel.com or sign up for his music at MatthewEbel.net.
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iTunes is one of the most important tools for a podcaster. Regardless of how you feel about Apple, the iTunes software and store is something that every podcaster should be familiar with inside and out. On this episode I cover some of the basics of iTunes such as how to get your show listed in […]
Steve Cherubino interviewed at Podcamp Philly 2009 about his show the Podnutz Podcast.
Steve gives us a tip from his presentation on podcasting about how to dramitcailly increase the number of viewers for your podcast with one, easy to follow method.
Steve also shares his favorite piece of podcasting software.
A presentation given at the 2009 GV Expo on strategies for deciding on a podcast show topic and developing ideas for show content. Above is the powerpoint slides I used in the presentation. Other things to take note of during this presentation and before in the introduction is the use of new podcast gear. The […]
A video interview (6 min.) with Mike from the Mike Tech Show. I recorded live to file, a few video interviews from Podcamp Philly 2009 at Temple University and I'm bringing them to you as bonus content to the normal audio show.
This was my first time with this new microphone and as you can hear I had it too close to my mouth so please excuse that. However you can tell that the mic sounds great when talking to Mike and held at least 6 inches away from the mouth.
Mike talks about his entry into podcasting and offers up some great tips for fellow podcasters.
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Jeff’s back in the studio, virtually via Skype, with part two of our interview. On this episode we talk about twitter strategies, connecting with your audience, SEO, being a more efficient podcaster, content ideas for your show, and we take a look inside Jeff’s studio including what hardware and software he uses to produce his […]
This episode of The Podcasters Studio takes a look at a variety of podcasting options such as how to record Skype calls for free (if you’re on a mac), how to make your Skype better suited for recording interviews, a great review by Neil aka @GeekwithGlasses covering the Audio Technica ATR3350 wired lavalier mic for […]
On this episode of The Podcasters Studio I talk with Jeff Roney from Roneyzone Productions. Jeff also produces several other podcasts and incorporates a whole host of voice actors in his original work, New World Army Podcast. In part one of this interview we learn a little about Jeff and his long life (141 episode […]
On this episode of The Podcasters Studio (TPS) I talk about the TPS website redesign, the importance of getting a business card made for your podcast, and some thoughts about mics, mixers, and audio interfaces. The TPS website now has a cleaner look and incorporates a tumblr blog. If you don’t know about tumblr.com, go […]
There are many ways to record and edit your podcast. In this episode I cover some of the best free solutions out there available to podcasters. I talk about products such as Audacity, Garageband, and host of great web based solutions presented by Aviary. I also talk a little about audio compression/encoding including a very […]
On this episode of The Podcasters Studio I interview Cliff Ravenscraft of GSPN.tv. Cliff is a full time podcaster meaning he makes his living, all of his income from podcasting. Listen as Cliff explains his life before deciding to turn podcasting into his career and his life after. Cliff hosts and/or produces more than 22 […]
Successful Twitter Strategies for Podcasters – How to Find, Engage, and Build Your Audience via Twitter Learn how to find the exact people your show is targeting. Get quality followers and build your shows audience with my method for using Twitter effectively. Also Check out Bit.ly for a url shortener that allows you to track […]
On this episode I take a look at increasing the value of your blog through plugins and widgets. These are some of the plugins and widgets that I use here at The Podcasters Studio dot com and the ones I feel will benefit you the most as a podcaster. If you start a blog to […]
On this episode of The Podcasters Studio I talk about Creative Commons Licensing, what it is, why you want to use it as a podcaster, and how to use it. Also I talk about some of my favorite free resources that I use to produce my podcast and as a result of Creative Commons you’ll […]
Susan Bratton is co-founder and CEO of Personal Life Media. She also hosts her own wildly successful podcast called DishyMix. Personal Life Media is a podcast network consisting of 40 different podcasts. Each podcast is unique but all are tied into a common theme, your personal life. As well, the network produces information products that can […]
Promoting your podcast can take just as much time as it takes to produce a single episode and really it’s a never ending process. However, this is an essential part of growing your community. On this episode learn the various techniques that have worked for me over the years of producing several different podcasts. Subscribe […]
On this episode of The Podcasters Studio I talk about where to host your podcast files. It’s important before you officially launch your podcast that you have a hosting solution. You need to have a place where your mp3 or video files live. Because you never know how popular your show will become, you want […]
On this edition of The Podcasters Studio Ray talks about the importance of using Feedburner if you are a podcaster. Feedburner.com, recently purchased by Google, is service that allows you to customize your feed. Once you have a feed for your show, head on over to Feedburner.com and burn your feed. Doing so will allow […]
On this edition of The Podcasters Studio I talk about the importance of having a blog site for your podcast. Having a podcast is not enough. Sure you can let your show live only in places like iTunes or Youtube but what about those times when you want to send a viewer or a potential […]
On this episode of The Podcasters Studio I talk about Skype. What it is and the different ways it can be used. Special focus is placed on the benefits of using Skype for podcasters. Learn what you will need to start conducting interviews with Skype including gear, software, and additional tips. Have you ever wanted […]
On this episode of The Podcaster’s Studio I talk about the tools (hardware, software, and tips) you’ll need to start your very own podcast. Learn about the different levels of production quality and decide where what category you fall into (on the cheap, mid-level, or all out production). For live updates make sure to follow […]
Hello Podcasters or anyone simply with an interest in podcasting! This is the first post on this blog site and I just wanted to take a moment to tell you what this site is all about. The Podcasters Studio primary goal is to take you behind the scenes of podcasting. What gear do podcasters use? […]