TalkShoe Support Live: Recent Episodes
tsusersupport
TalkShoe Official Support Call. Show ID 77 hosted on https://www.talkshoe.com/ Ask the TSL Team your TalkShoe podcasting questions! Monday 7 PM ET & Wednesday at Noon ET. Guests & Members welcome! Participants will hear audio once the stream starts on the hour.
'Change my Dear, and not a moment too soon!' Sometimes real life changes mean an adjustment in the virtual world as well - and this is one of those times. (Sixth Doctor to Peri) Uploaded audio file
I can be upbeat as mentioned on Monday's Support Call episode but let's open it up to the topic of 'Mood, Style & Delivery' in the way a Host runs their live show.
Does your next episode clash with a 'Big Event' ? Well then you have three choices. Continue as normal, sfift to an earlier or later time slot - or postpone to a different date.
It's a New Year - Time to let people know you are still broadcasting your Show ... and this year it will be better than ever!
No Energy? Well try to find some ... try to inject pace and enthusiasm into your delivery!
As usual you have had a great Live episode - you are on fire and no slipups and then right on the final whistle you drop the ball! Remember to exit your show in style. Thank the attendees, thank, listeners and after saying when you will be back remember 'End the Recording' (you will hear 'recording paused' and End the Room for All.
Switch, Bank & Upload -for the holiday season. Switch away from a Live Show, Bank a few episodes ahead of time and Upload them one at a time during your holiday break!
You may be listening to your old podcast or in these times you have listened more and more to other podcasts. So will January 2021 be the time to re-launch your Show. That doesn't mean you stopped doing it but maybe a fresh coat of paint is needed - ready for 2021!
Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not - you could still take a moment to thank your listeners
Keep Banging on! Or .... keep banging out those episodes. You never know which episode will get attention (or traction) and then your numbers can double or treble almost overnight. Using Social Media at that point will magnify that even more!
Blank (I'll skip) Next? Blank ... Likely no good, I'll give it a miss Blank!?! Well if the Host can't be bothered ... I'll Pass HOSTS get that Show Badge done BEFORE your next episode .... Please!
'Title Added Soon' !!! Well that's OK if you are scheduling a number of episodes ahead but if you do that then remember to return to TalkShoe nearer the due date - and insert the actual episode title.
We are here to help ... and for us to do that please make sure your contact email address is up to date, listen back to this Show, view our active Blog page and of course there is our Support/Help/Feedback page. Thank you!
As quiet as a mouse? Yes during your live call you can do many things ... as quiet as a mouse!
Following on from Monday's addition of 'TalkShoe Support Live' Hosted by Jeff TS - let's talk more about TalkShoe's Recent Announcement.
For once - I will leave you guessing - Have a listen live - or later - to discover my topic for today :-)
Has something happened or come to your attention such that you need to consider switching topics near to your start time? If so what considerations should you make should you decide to do just that?
Apologies from TalkShoe for a small current issue with adding images into the live Studio - a fix for which should be added shortly. However, for now - 3rd time lucky works - and they will display!
Compilation episodes can be great. They can be a showcase for past content. A way to re-package some of those great podcasting moments. But they are not an easy way to provide 'filler' content - they require work!
Asking the questions is only part of the interviewers job - listening back to the answer is key. It may lead up to an interesting place!
From time to time take note of how your Show is doing and one measure of that is the individual episode downloads. Why? Well let's see ...
Prep is good. Getting your stall in order, ducks in a row - questions or maybe answers prepared. But there can be outside influences that impact on your episode.
Sometimes you may be forced to ease off or Croak? By that I mean a 'croaky voice' Or, take a break & just Rest?
What's new for TalkShoe? Well it could be You! Maybe now is the time for you to jump onboard and start your Show.
New to TalkShoe ... or did you just Forget? Yes, even happened to me yesterday. Had to be reminded of two TalkShoe functions I should have remembered! Which two? Listen to find out ...
New for TalkShoe - When in the Live Studio - Look to the Right. There is more help & info than before. Today we look at the Green Symbol!
When you search 'Browse' often over half of the shows listed will not have a visible Graphic (Show Badge) and we believe many potential listeners will probably just ignore them! Add your Badge & don't get ignored!
Just an example of how keeping that older content and come in handy ... sometimes even many years later!
Last Minute Change of Plans? How can/how should - you proceed? A review of some options.
907 we covered ;Mind' your content. 909 we covered Mine your content - today on 911 we cover Creative Commons (CC) and your content
Mind your Catalogue or more correctly 'mind your back catalogue' for .. the following reasons.
Adapt or Fade Away! In these times a Host has three choices - keep to your routine but maybe add a news section, take a break or maybe do more regular shows.
Why not add a News Section? In these times of global uncertainty perhaps you could consider adding a short 'News Section' to the early part of each episode. Maybe give updates for your local area, re-state your area's local advice and possibly invite 'isolated' listeners to join you on these future live meetings.
For Hosts who make a Video meeting we strongly suggest for the next few weeks of very high internet demand drop the video quality you set your Web Cam to. ie if using 1080p please drop back down to 720p To do this in the Studio look for the Cog symbol to the right of the main window to bring up 'Settings' Use the dropdown Menu to alter the video quality. Thanks!
This topic may not be what you think!! If you think you know, come on the show and find out if you were right! More description after the show!
... is now the time? If you always thought you would start your own Show on TalkShoe - is now the time?
Everything you need to know about Usernames, Passwords, PIN's, and Show ID's. What are? When to use them? When do you not use them? Going PIN-less? Let's find out about these...
'Please state the nature of your medi .... err TalkShoe Emergency' Need to contact TalkShoe Support via our 'Submit a Ticket' option on the Help Page? Well please include the following ....
'summary' & 'episode' - the url of your newest episode - double check before tweeting or blogging the final link. Here's why ...
Who Listens? Maybe knowing the range & makeup of your 'likely' listeners will help you focus your call.
Note Replacement audio uploaded - Check Twice! And today we are talking about double checking your scheduling of episodes
Show Badge - have you added yours yet? Giving your Show/Call/Podcast a distinctive badge will both help it stand out and indicate of your topic focus, perhaps even entice people to join. A square jpeg at least 1400 x 1400 pixels required.
OK, we are now well into the New Year so let's cover the routine tasks of being a Show Host.
Did you miss me? The Wednesday edition is BACK to it's regular slot. Let's recap some basic TalkShoe facts
It is possible to record and pause record and pause - however one recording is perhaps best!
If you are hosting your Show as a Live Call try to prep - but also be flexible to allow a discussion to develop or verge away from your planned topic of the day
As we get near to the year end as a Host you may decide to take a break or you may wish to push out more content in the form of 'bonus' episodes. If you plan carefully you could achieve both goals!
Have a Show on TalkShoe that you always enjoy? Remember, that although you can Stream it after the event you could choose to download the audio file itself!
Sign in with care! To further ensure your security and that of TalkShoe please note that when signing into the Site you must exercise care. After five failed attempts you will be locked out for at least the next 30 minutes
Today we finish off our look at a TalkShoe PDF Booklet 'How to Start a Podcast' - with replacement audio
Today's topic follows an email reply sent out to a Host on how to restore some older episodes.
Do changes involve risks? For the last few Wednesday editions of TalkShoe Support Live I've talked about possible changes a Host can make - but do they or any other such changes come at a risk?
Changing your format. Maybe you find you are having difficulty attracting live callers or issues with having episode themes that that suggest shorter or longer episodes. Maybe 'real life' means you need to change from live to prerecorded content or maybe you feel the need to reach out for a 'co-host' of sorts to help with your show.
Changing ... your Show Description - every now and then it's worth checking the exact wording of your Show page description and make any changes you feel required.
Yes it helps if you have an episode topic but 'life happens' Maybe that guest you had booked can no longer make it this week. Maybe there is 'breaking news' which means you need to postpone your original topic. Maybe a story is still evolving and you want to wait until the dust settles. If you can use Social Media to update your listens on any such topic changes.
Keeping ... becomes Changing ... Yes, I've finally run out of 'Keep' & 'Keeping' topics (for now at least) hence the switch to - Changing ... and since our Show Badge has changed lets start with that.
Keeping it quiet ... other than speech that is! Your listeners what yo hear your speakers - but not 'pots & pans' - dogs, TV's etc, in the background - or even overwhelming that conversation
If you do your Show Live you will know your regulars are aware of your past content. But what if you just upload content? Those weekly downloads could be from a loyal band of followers or many one-off listeners. So every now & then give a re-cap of your topics covered. Remind them you have a whole back series of great content!
Having your Show on TalkShoe is fantastic! Having a supporting Blog can help greatly in getting that show wider coverage ... a 'Shop Window' if you will - of what your Show is about, when it's on - or provide extra just news and background. TalkShoe's Blog does exactly that!
Checkout the new updated 'Landing Page' on TalkShoe - yes, keeping things fresh is a great move!
It's likely that whatever your area of interest is - there will be changes, updates, discoveries or occasional notable events. Try to follow the news in your subject area and keep your show relevant!
Keep on improving - as New TalkShoe starts it's 2nd Year! As of yesterday, July 23rd 2019 New TalkShoe is one year old! So here's to a second successful year of your Podcast - hosted free and with plenty of Help & Support here on TalkShoe.
Your Shows are your content. For security you should keep a copy of your audio/video locally. Keep on your PC Drive & with at least one further backup on external media. PCs can fail with the loss of your valuable data. Our Cloud storage is as secure as we can make it but TalkShoe should not be considered the custodian of your work. Keep backups of your content.
Reminder Note for Wednesday July 10th - TalkShoe User Support Episode 831 will not be a live show but will be done as an uploaded episode (after the event) - sorry for any inconvenience to our listeners
Keep on track - Next Wednesday I unfortunately can't do a LIVE TalkShoe Support Call (Wednesday July 10th 2019) but as a Host there is another option available to me. I shall upload a pre-recorded episode after this date but will put it in the usually time & date slot for the Show! Job done!
Another 'Keep' or 'Keeping' topic today - this time 'Keep an eye on ...' On what? Well that's what we shall talk about hopefully!
Most Hosts will be very interested in their show topic - if they are not, their show will soon will soon disappear. But one important skill a Host needs is to convey that interest & excitement over the air to their listeners.
Since we had a little play about with this Show's numbering - let's cover 'Keeping Count' in general!
Back to back Wednesday episode after Monday's holiday weekend break.Today 'the sport of podcasting' is our strap-line :-)
It's your show - so approach it in your way. Be that either 'fully planned out' or just 'flying blind here' - but I would argue that some prep will help you with it's success!
Click on the Browse Button to view a selection of TalkShoe shows. Which attracts your interest most? I'm guessing it won't be one of those shows missing its badge. Get your Show noticed - design & upload your image now!
Hosting a new show it can be discouraging sometimes. Done 10 or 15 episodes and yet seem not to be building up an audience? Well depending on your subject area and any promotional effort made - it can take time. At least 3 to six months of weekly shows are normally needed to gather momentum! Keep at it & good look!
As title suggests .... today we talk a little about a Host's choice to go Live or to Upload content
The Live Hosting of your Show is important - but it's just the start! After the episode itself - the promotion begins!
To clean up the phrase - 'Life Happens' - Sometimes events conspire to mike things difficult and for those times having a Plan B may help. Today we put our Plan B into operation with Dave TS logging in as the Host. The thing is ... do you have a a backup plan?
Sometimes when things are not co-operating, going so slow - it's those background tasks at work! Updates & other resource hungry Apps eating up those clock cycles.
You may have heard the saying 'Build it and they will come' but what about 'Record it and they will listen' Just maybe ... you have to get the message out (yourself) that your show exists at all!
Today's topic title is a 'play on words' using that Fairground ride saying 'Scream if you want to go faster!' But 'Stream' .... as the TalkShoe Show streaming page is the first place your episode will be available ... faster!
As we head to TalkShoe Support Live Episode 800 - let's talk 'Anniversaries & Milestones'
Two Shows are better than One - especially if the second one is an 'Unlisted' Show. Having a second show (or call series as they used to be called) provides a place for you to do some testing or maybe conduct an interview without others present, giving you an audio file that could then be edited before uploading to your main 'Public' show!
Show style - Is always on Point best? Should your show episode keep a tight focus and stay on point or can you have a more relaxed approach and digress from your chosen topic from time to time? Well as the Host you get to decide but do take notice of any feedback you get.
Just now and again draw your listeners and followers attention to your past content. Give out a few details such as the topic, episode title and the date recorded. And why not at the same time mention some of Social media outlets that support your Show.
Is your show mainly a prerecorded one? Is it slick, entertaining and edited to death? That's great - but how about reaching our to your fans & your followers with the occasional L I V E episode. Keep if brief but let listeners know you appreciate their support and give out some tit-bits of news and a preview of what's up next. A little bit like this show! Thanks for your support!
Did you know our 'Help' page has a 'User Guide Button' ? Well it does! And clicking on it opens up a a lot of PDF goodness ...
On TalkShoe we often talk 'Community' but that doesn't mean you can't produce, run and 'appear' on a Show just by yourself. Some shows have a fairly regular & mostly fixed group - others are a sort of 'open house' & yet others are a 'lone voice' talking on a topic that to them is of great interest or concern. They may 'do' their show alone but their 'community' is following - and if the show is interesting that following will grow.
Welcome to 2019 with TalkShoe! With Podcasting becoming ever more mainstream now might just be the best time to give your Show a lick of paint & get promoting it out on Social Media!
Lets look at some of the Top Level Tabs that you see on the TalkShoe pages plus our 'Help' section link
This is a replacement version of Episode 776 due to issues with my PC audio (following major updates) & posted with apologies to our 'Guest 3'
Some people may say 'No Second Chances' ie. no second chance to make a good 'first' impression - but in the 'Podcasting World' there is always a second chance - you just have to have the 'audacity' to try - again!
Community calls are likely to be 'Live' shows - a Host, other TalkShoe members and a sprinkling of guests all coming together and talking on a topic of mutual interest. But does your show have to be live for every episode?
Taking a break for the holiday season? Well try to mention that to your listeners - try keep them informed. And if not taking a break? Well let them know about that too!
After just recording a new episode and whilst still logged into TalkShoe your Streaming page link will read /conf/summary/ but at a later date thelink to give out to general listeners will show /episode/
Time for a 'Mid-Term' Review? Login & go to your Show page. Click on the '3Dot' icon & choose Edit (to 'edit' the whole Show not just a single episode) Then check Status, Description, Rating & Category. Click Save' if needed when done.
On Halloween we are not Walking - but we are Talking Dead .... air! So if my doorbell should ring during this show I may have to conjure some 'ghostly sounds' to play whilst I go to face some form of 'Trick or Treat' on my doorstep! Yet this trick may help Hosts avoid 'dead air' on any of their future shows ... that is - if I live to tell the tale!
Has Halloween come early? Does something in the neighborhood - neighbourhood for us Brits - sound scary? What could it be?
We Want Your Feedback. If you want us to keep improving TalkShoe in the way you think is best, then let us know! We can't promise to implement all your feature requests - but it will help us prioritize those improvements!
... on our 'HELP' page there are not just two Blue Buttons as we now have added a 'User Guide' Blue Button link!
Recording 1/2? What? I only have half a recording!?! What does this mean? What can I do?
Maybe it's time to change, update or even upgrade your Show's Image (or Show Badge) as here on our new TalkShoe site the limits have been relaxed somewhat.
Today we talk a little about episode length. It's not one length fits all! A round-robin discussion can easily run two hours - however a person running a call where they are the only one talking? Perhaps 30 to 40 minutes is more suitable.
Hopefully hosts can now give over more of their attention to the actual content of an episode - where the old guidelines still apply. Let's remind ourselves of a few of those 'guides'
Sometimes you may run your show solo - or even you be the only one on the call at all. If so try not to have 'dead air' and maybe switch to a shorter than normal run-time
Chat room participants will hear audio once the stream starts at the top of the hour. Join Studio to hear audio early
Chat room participants will hear audio once the stream starts at the top of the hour. Join Studio to hear audio early
Our new TalkShoe service is getting closer! Please keep an eye on our 'Ticker-Tape' - as seen on a most TalkShoe pages (including your own Call Series page) for upcoming announcements to be made within days not weeks!
Did you know (repeat) ... that TalkShoe was getting a big makeover? If you are active on TalkShoe you may have already heard us talking about this - a new & improved TalkShoe on it's way. Today we can give out a link to a 'keep me informed' page.
Did you know ... that TalkShoe was getting a big makeover? If you are active on TalkShoe you may have already heard us talking about this - a new & improved TalkShoe on it's way. Today we can give out a link to a 'keep me informed' page.
We will discuss some of the new features that will be on the new generation of TalkShoe
Did you check the info on your Call Series and on your TalkShoe Hosting Profile? Please do in preparation for our updated service. Monday's Live TalkShoe User Support will be sharing a few likely features of our new improved service.
Did you plan for just you ... being the only one on audio? Some Hosts will always have others join their call and with more than one person on audio they can get a discussion underway. However many Hosts - especially those with new or newish call series made need to plan for just themselves on audio. Indeed some hosts may pre-record their show on their own. However it comes about make sure you are prepared to keep talking!
Did you remember to ... enjoy hosting your call? If you aren't looking forward to your next show or are finding it difficult to get enthusiastic about your topic area then it may be time to invite if a friend to help out or maybe just change things up a little or even broaden the field of your topic somewhat.
Did you plan to have a Summer break? Or maybe just a short break for a Public holiday? If so let users know- mention it on the call itself ahead of time. ie. 'Sorry guys but there will be no live call on Memorial Day - but we will be back the following week' Or maybe you upload a pre-recorded episode in place of your normal live meeting.
If you joined TalkShoe a few years back you may need to update some of your TalkShoe User Account details .... what about your email address for instance? Is it still valid because if not that will be a problem if you forget your Password
An old saying used to be 'have you listened to your self? Coming out with all that 'rubbish' So you end an episode feeling slightly smug 'Well I smashed that! It was 'banging' .... We;;, go on have a listen back and maybe next time be more mindful of your 'long pauses' 'rambling' 'rattles & clangs' etc. etc.
Did you illustrate it? Did you add a Call Series badge or icon to your show? Plus we have an important notice to mention - as currently displayed via our 'ticker-tape' link.
Let's have a few 'episodes' of Did you .... ? Last Wednesday we asked 'Did you TERMINATE it?' and today we ask 'Did you Promote it? as a reminder that it is up to the Host to promote their call series 'Community Call'
Did you TERMINATE it? As well as remembering to 'end your recording' please remember to 'Terminate' the session to close out the call so that the audio can be processed
Should a Host be succinct or loquacious? Community Calls are afterall really about one, two or more people conversing on topics of mutual interest, either on a live show or via a pre-recorded chat uploaded for others to further enjoy. Is the host there to keep things focused and on topic? Or are they there to allow free flowing discussion, the expounding of ideas, the injecting of insightful observations and/or interesting or amusing asides?
'I'm Tall Slim and Handsome' ... well you may be all that BUT on TalkShoe the section under 'Show Category' is for a Description of your Show! In the case of this show it reads: Speak with the TalkShoe User Support Team who can help answer your questions on how TalkShoe works! Just join the call during a regularly scheduled episode. - So as a Host please take the time to add a suitable Show Description please.
What? A Live TalkShoe User Support Show without an appropriate title? What is going on? Well, it's quite simple. We had a different host today as the usual host couldn't call in on the hosting account. So, we talked about how a host can have someone else fill in, what the logistics are for doing so, and some advantages and disadvantages of it (such as confusion on who will put in a title for the episode!)
Sometimes issues are not background noise but background tasks on your PC. Try to minimise what processes are going on with your PC whilst running your call.
Please note Daylight saving time 2018 in United States begins at 02:00 on Sunday, 11 March but other countries can & do change on different dates. ie. Daylight saving time in the UK (United Kingdom) begin at 01:00 on Sunday, 25 March
To edit or not to edit - that is the question! Last wednesday we started with a 20 second section of silence - which I could have edited out - but in the case of this call series I felt it better to leave 'as is' - but should you do that - discuss!
Are you still in Love .... with Hosting? On this special day lets think about the enjoyment to be had from having a live call. The things that got you started that you may have lost track of in recent weeks or months.
Last Wednesday we covered letting your listeners know your upcoming topic - to keep your followers informed. But at the last minute ... there could always be breaking news that demands you change your plans.
... and on our next call/show/episode/instalment ... yes, at some point during your live show let your listeners know what you expect to be covering 'next time' and if some breaking news/event alters that plan - add that new info into the show notes where possible.
Community Call or Podcast? TalkShoe connects people, casual user or member, in text chat and/or speech when live or in speech only when streamed or when enjoying an uploaded show produced earlier by the host.
... in fact help is reached via the 'Help' Button at the top right-hand side of any TalkShoe page. This button takes you to our Support Center
It's a New Year, so is it time ... to ring the changes. If you want to shake things up now might be the best time to do that. Maybe your regular day & time no longer fits well with your work routine & family life or maybe just moving your show an hour or so (either way) might restore harmony to your home life.
Now it could be your call series is on a holiday break still going into the new year - but with no live show to prepare or put out why not use the time gained to plan for 2018!
... doppelganger ??? Just be aware as a Host that instead of 7 or 9 different guests being in your text chat - you may have mixed in there someone who has joined more than once. That maybe at the same time or if as 'guest 3' they are blocked from text chat they may re-appear as 'guest 7'
Taking a Holiday Break? Then ... now is the time to let your followers know. Give them a date for your last Call of 2017 and a also try to let them know when you will be back in 2018 - and don't forget to wish them all a 'Happy Holidays!' Happy Holidays everyone!
As a host what if anything should you write down to use during your call? A full script, notes, just backup questions or bullet points?
Sounds, noises and volume - taking care on audio whilst unmuted plus the good and bad of using the 'mute' button!
Thinking about the holiday season coming up - what are your plans? Do you put out 'Specials' ? Do you bring in guests? Do you go longer? Or do you too simply take a break?
Standard Time & Standard Facts: Just this last weekend Eastern Daylight Time became Eastern Standard Time. Let's just cover that briefly plus a few other 'standard' facts about TalkShoe.
Talking content wise, on your own PC remember to keep backups of show content. That's your past epsodes, your Show Icon (Badge) your Avatar image & maybe more ...
Content always comes first but the tone & style of a show is important too! They say 'Content is King' but a Host's delivery, the way they conduct their call & their overall 'tone & style' is important too!
Flags & Streamers - what on earth could they be going on about this time? Catch this episode live or listen back later to find out! Live TalkShoe User Support - is live on Mondays at 7 PM Eastern & on Wednesdays at 4 PM Eastern (except national holidays)
Adding a show description will not just inform visitors to your Call Series page but it will also help in the general promotion of your call. It will help you define just what you are about. Also if you submit your call series elsewhere ie. podcast directories - you do that via your Call Series RSS Feed which will have that description embedded within it. If you don't provide that description all your RSS Feed will state is: This Podcast was created using www.talkshoe.com
We always suggest Hosts should stick to a regular start time for their Call Series so that their listeners, who want to join live, will be ready. But that start time itself can be an odd time. It doesn't have to be 'on the hour' or 'at the bottom of the hour' and also please remember your Call Series will go live 15 minutes before whatever start time you set.
If you do a regular Live Community Call on TalkShoe always try to have an alternate idea to hand. Today we talk about a 'Plan B' in terms of the practical issues of running a call.
If you do a regular Live Community Call on TalkShoe always try to have an alternate idea to hand. Today we talk about a 'Plan B' in terms of show content.
'Content is King' is the standard message to all show creators and it is especially true where Hosts on TalkShoe are producing their Community Call as a general 'Podcast'
Re: 'Notice to all Call Series Hosts' ... including general info & advice on current recording issues.
OK, for Hosts who took a Summer break - long or short - and getting back into their regular show, lets think of a 'check-list' of things worth reviewing with your call series
Having a Summer Break - but just from your live shows? Then try to let your listeners know just when that will happen and when you expect to return. Explain they will see new episodes - but these will be uploaded 'pre-recorded' content shows without any live Chat Room to join.
Having a Summer Break? Plan to take a couple of weeks off? Then try to let your listeners know just when that break will be and when you expect to return.
Missed of of your episodes? Your options are ... as follows: leave a gap, record a short audio piece either live or pre-recorded, do a show at the next soonest moment or record a 'studio' show 'after the fact' but give it the 'time & date' of the missing episode
Your Call Series icon can be your 'Badge of Honour' please just keep in mind the following suggestions & requirements.
TalkShoe time, your going live time, your show time, your own time & your listeners time - often these are different times to be aware of ...
'Voice not just words' What does THAT mean? Well here we are thinking about how you 'deliver' your content. Not what you say but how you say it. Let your vocal delivery match your content!
Are you topical? Why the question? Well some call series are geared to events, TV Shows, conventions etc. whereas others are about faith or are knowedged based etc. Do they require different styles or planning procedures?
Distractions! Well maybe you do want to continue doing your 'weekly' call but there can be 'distractions' - either demands on your time for preparation or during the call itself ... maybe children off school in the home or outside activities such as grass cutting during the Summer season.
RSS stands for 'Rich Site Summary' and is a very important part of getting your TalkShoe Call Recordings listed around the internet.
Spam, Spam, Spam ... - Spam Filter! If you contact TalkShoe Support via email make sure you will see the reply we give you. The first place to check if you don'r see a reply within a day is your Spam Filter.
Revisited Topic: Keep a local copy. Producing a community call can be a simple - hit record and talk. Or it can take up lots of the host time in preparation before the call even starts. But in both in both cases the recorded show would be hard to re-create if lost. So - like with all your our photos, music and/or videos, keep yourself a local backup copy of your recorded shows. Preferably - keep two copies! :-)
Revisited Topic: Two browsers better than one? Are two browsers better than one? Well they can be as it allows you to double check if there seems to be an issue with your Call Series. The culprit is often your browser cache - testing with a different browser can sometimes reveal that an update did go ahead even when your first browser doesn't seem to show it.
What matters most? Well it is often said that 'Content is King' That doen't mean you as a Host shouldn't be concerned with anything else - far from it. Hosting requires a number of skills from the Host but to have a great show a call needs good content.
Live Community Calls have a text chat room and the text from that call can be viewed at a later date. Why? Well maybe to grab a number of Web Links, URLs were posted during a call that you now want to checkout or copy. And to do this you have a choice - you can 'Grab' or 'Fetch' that information.
Looking back to a subject from two years ago. The show notes then were: Can I just turn up? Laidback, serious, informative or Call In episode - it's your show and you can choose how to run it. However, some prep before showtime can help to smooth things along once that Record Button gets pressed
Why not be different and have an odd show .. No not 'odd' meaning 'strange' altthough you could do that too - but an odd start time. But why would you try that?
Don't let the fear of making mistakes stop you from starting your own call series - basically that's how you learn to get better. One useful method to help s to start with recording your shows beforehand on your PC, edit it and then upload!
Some things to bear in mind when shooting off an email to Support. Including relevant information may help you get the answers you seek that bit more quickly.
For Community calls that are say under 1 hour, covering a tightly focused topic, then having a start, middle and end will work fine. But if your call series episodes generally run as long as two to three hours it might be best if you split the whole up into shorter segments ie. A welcome, our format, a news section, the main topic, a supplementary topic or two and finally a wrap-up segment and goodbyes.
To 'get satisfaction' can we now encourage our users to go, not to 'Get Satisfaction' our older community support page - but to go straight to our new 'Supprt Center' via the 'Help' button - top right of TalkShoe pages.
Did the time change catch you out? Well it caught us out a little bit too this year. Those that moved along with the time change are probably good to go - but for others elsewhere in the world there is a need to do some double checking.
Do HOW ARE you doing same old same old? Mixing things up? Taking a break? Going downhill fast? As we are well into 2017 maybe a time to plan out what you hope to do with your call series in the coming months - before maybe your listenners drift off for Summer.
... and not forgetting the White Rabbit! Yes, we are all Alice in Wonderland todayit being the 1st March - Don't be late ... for a very important date :-)
15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour or 2? Those show length times are just a guide of listeners and do not mean your call will suddenly cut off at that point.
Check that Calendar! Why not titled 'check THE calendar' ? Because what I'm suggesting is that a Host checks for news days & event days in their shows 'area of interest' Why is that? Well to help you (them) to plan some upcoming episodes to coincide with those events and in doing that hopefully generate more compelling content for listenners to enjoy.
We always remind Hosts that they need to promote their own call series - well you can promote ... via your earlier episodes! That's right don't let those past episodes languish un-heard - pick out your best & invite people to give hem a listen or re-listen
Show Badge: your Call Series Icon Part 2. If you don't often do live shows and mainly upload a pre-recorded mp3 audio to your Call Series page you can also add your show icon directly into that file.
That's an odd start time? Maybe it is but that could be a good idea! Why? Well have a listen to find out ...
Need help? Well there's a Button for that! Help or FAQs - it'a all there from a single button press.
2017! Are we Motivated? No? Then let's think about getting both ourselves and/or our listenners excited for the year ahead
OK, many of our Hosts may have been here for months or even a number of years. As we now head into 2017 maybe its a good time for us & them to take stock, update info, upgrade equipment or simply set some new goals for our TalkShoe Call Series going forward.
Keep a backup copy of all your past episodes. Why? You will have invested a lot of time, preparation & energy into producing your call series episodes and any supporting material. All of which can be referred back to - and even used for recap shows & clips in a future episode.
Recap of Monday's Announcement. On the Monday edition of 'Live TalkShoe User Support' - this Call, Call ID 77 the brand new Iotum TalkShoe FAQ Help page was unveiled! So just in case you missed it - let's mention it again today!
As we roll headlong into December 2016 it may be a good time to take stock. A time to both look back & look ahead. How has your call series fared and where do you wish to take it moving into 2017
Maybe at this time of year especially it is good to pause & take a moment to say 'Thank You' to your listeners - either live or as downloaders of your Call Series.
Specials? Yes, it's all too easy (well comparatively easy) to do your normal weekly show - BUT sometimes it helps to lift your call by having a 'Special Show' So let's talk about that
monologue - 'a long speech by one actor in a play or film, or as part of a theatrical or broadcast programme' So: can you, should you, would you - present your call as a monologue?
What's in a Name? Still not started your own Call Series? But planning to soon? Well then, consider it's name - the Call Series Title carefully. A good name may help get you show both noticed & remembered
Upcoming Time Changes ... for some Hosts as some countries and in the USA most States start moving off 'Summer' or 'Daylight' time
Had a Call Series on TalkShoe for some time? Maybe you now have 50, 75, a 100 or more past episodes. Well don't left them to be forgotten - promote that content too! ie. Tweet about your Back Catalogue. Check back to your 'greatest hits' and give them another chance to shine.
Talking about those four important Buttons at the top left of each TalkShoe page. What do they do?
Talk ... but listen as well. What do I mean by that? Well if you often do your call in an 'empty' room with just yourself taking it can be a little difficult to know what to do if someone joins on audio and not just in the text chat. So what should you consider doing?
Distractions! There are two sorts - distractions during the call itself and outside distractions completing for your attention
'Turning a negative into a positive' No topic - make it an 'open-mic' show. Weird noise or incident at the start of your call - turn it into a joke. Your 'event' gets postponed - then do a 'build-up' show etc. etc.
With there having been no Wednesday version of the User Support due to US holiday it's a chance to do a 'two-part' topic on 'Live Calls' Today it's Part 2 - 'Live Call Audio'
With no Wednesday version of the User Support call due to US holiday it's a chance to do a 'two-part' topic on 'Live Calls' Today: Live Call Text (Part 2 on Wednesday September 7th.)
Is it a good idea to prep for your call episode and if so how much & what type of prep is advisable?
Got inspiration? Record it now! What am I talking about? Well, most Hosts Schedule their calls well ahead of time but if a sudden idea, event or opportunity comes along you can do it (record it) right now.
As a Host - have youi setup a 'point of contact' with your listenners? At the very least add a 'public' email address to your TalkShoe Profile info
Training Ticker-Tape Update. Now find the TalkShoe Free Training dates correctly displayed in a number of locations.
Please use these two email addresses when contacting TalkShoe. For all support questions use support@talkshoe.com & for a request to join one of our training sessions use training@talkshoe.com
On Episode 527 I covered the Call Series Icon (Show Badge) But equally as important for a Show Host is to pick a Category for their Community Call and to also fill in a show description.
Yes, don't follow the white rabbit but instead follow the White myTalkShoe Button. Join me, Dave AC TS live on the call or listen back to the recorded show later to find out just why excactly you should do just that - for I shall be 'rabbiting on' a bit about those very reasons during this episode.
Live Community Calls offer a text chat room and the text from that call can be viewed at a later date. Why? Well maybe a number of Web Links - URLs were posted that you now want to checkout or copy. And you can do this - you can 'Grab' or 'Fetch' that information.
Share the load ... can you? Well we don't offer 'co-hosting' controls - but you can share some 'duties' with a trusted friend
They say that silence is golden but sometimes silence isn't and one of those times is on a live Community Call.
Every Call Series can and should sport a Show image that we call an 'icon' - although many Hosts refer to it as the Show or Call Series Badge. A 300x300 jpeg is fine but Hosts hoping to get their call series listed on iTunes need to go bigger! iTunes requires an image 1400x1400 pixels in size
'A little bird told me' that you have a Community Call coming up. Really? Was that birds name twitter? or tumblr? or facebook? 'I'm not sure as I follow them all - but I knew you had a show coming up and I joined it live and had a great time!'
'Hello, Good Evening and Welcome' the phrase often used by the veteran broadcaster David Frost. So how do you start your call? It's possible that people listenning to your call only give the Host a couple of minutes to grab their attention and continue on to listen to the main content.
Noises off stage ... as they say in the theatre. TalkSkoe is an audio medium .... but not just any 'audio or noise' So what do we need to watch out for during our call - in particular during the recorded section of our call.
Keep on ... keeping on. Hosting your own call series is exciting and many Hosts shart with great vim & vigour only to find, maybe 20, 30 or 50 episodes down down the line that just maybe their joy and pleasure is diminishing somewhat. But think of a marathon runner and you may get a better understanding of the demands and skill set needed for this art form. But he rewards long term can really be worth all that effort, planning & commitment.
When the going gets tough, the tough get going! Mosts Hosts will have days when, for a moment, it all seems a little too much trouble to show up, put on a smile and do that live show. Are there any alternatives to help ypu keep your show on track?
... and that Force/Fourth is actually Four! Yes today 'these are the four you are looking for...' are 4 check items for your Call Series page - Icon, Category, Description and (Age) Rating
Keeping your listenners informed ... to updates, changes, holidays or special episodes.
'Two be or not to be' is today's question. And yes I know I incorrectly used the word two instead of to - in Shakespeare famous quote from 'Hamlet' For today I want to remind our Hosts that thinking in 'twos' is a GOOD thing!
We often mention the good practice of doing a local recording whilst doing a live show as a 'safety' backup but another sensible precaution is to keep a local copy of your call recording after the call as well. For example, with a local copy you could easily 'Dropbox' a copy to the special guest you had on your call.
No, this is not an English class - just a reminder that a poorly worded or spelt title & description could put off some listenners checking out your call. They maysee it as pointing to a slap-dash approach to your Call Series
Things to consider when creating & uploading your Call Series Icon - often referred to by Hosts as their Call Series or 'Show' Badge
One of the great things about TalkShoe is that Community calls can run quite long - runnimg two or three hours or even longer! So, break it up .... into sections!
Watch & Learn! Although TalkShoe is an audio community we do have a series of videos to help you get the most out our service.
5 Top Tips! Yes, just 5 - not 500 tips on today's 500th show ... that would make for a pretty long show!! So we will stick with just 5 good ones in our 15 minute call.
Content & Style - The content of your TalkShoe Community Call may be the thing that first attracts your listenners but how you present that content (your style) can be key to them returning time & time again.
TalkShoe gives you a free place to host your Community Call. To text chat, live chat, upload chat & record chat - but it's up to you, the Host, to promote your call. Social media is the key!
As a Host you want to do as much as you can to have a great Community Call. With a Wi-Fi connections it is possible you can have 'drop-outs' - so if possible use a Wired connection when Hosting
Two Browsers. Better still two devices! With the recent news that Safari browser users have been hit with issues when carrying out searches - just a reminder it's always worth having two browsers available on your system - even better, have two systems/devices if you can
After you hear the words 'Call Recording Has Been Completed' Now What? Well there's lots to do and it mainly involves promoting your Call Series on Social Media.
TalkShoe is primarily an audio format - but as the Call Series Host one should always remember to 'Watch the Text Chat' Why? A number of reasons, questions, comments, info or disruption
How can call listenners encourage the Host of their favorite (favourite) Call Series to keep up the good work producing that Community Call (podcast) ?
New Year, New Start? Or if it's working fine .... Same old, same old? Only you the Host can decide - although asking for feedback from your listenners might be worthwwhile.
As a Host you need to both think of having good, clear spoken audio whilst also keeping background noise to a minimum.
With holiday seasons coming up for many of TalkShoes listenners its time to decide on your Call Series plans. Maybe you normally only plan a week ahead but at this time of year it can make sence to plan right up the end of the year and even into the first week of January.
Are you prepared for if or when your PC dies? Could you still Host your Call Series if your main method of getting online suddenly failed? It happenned to me last week and it could happen to any Host
Just a heads up for the upcoming Fall Clock chane - but be aware it's not the same for all your listenners
This help series is often used to inform and help Hosts, to give them support and help it producing a great call series. We covered much of that last week - but how do we try to help listenners?
This help series is often used to inform and help Hosts, to give them support and help it producing a great call series. So how do we do that? And next week - how do we try to help listenners?
Some show descriptions are better than others. Let's go through a few made-up examples to see if we can avoid any confusion for your potential listenners on just what your call series is about.
Ever have that feeling you've forgotten something right at the start of your Call? Maybe a show checklist would help?
Being in good voice is always critial on a 'community call' or 'podcast' So in case you are worried you might just succumb to a tickle in your throat - 'Speak for Yourself' via pre-recorded sound clips.
Todays word is 'Schedule' - Why? Because that what you do to add a new live episode. The options to 'Create' and 'Create & Upload Episode' do something different
When it comes to hosting a Community Call - Two is good. Basically having a second or backup option. This maybe just having a second Browser installed on your PC, a second mic or headset or a backup method of calling in - Landline/Skype Landline/Cell Cell/Skype etc. It maybe having a second PC ie. a desktop & a Laptop. Two is good
To help listenner find your Call Series and understand the nature of its content - please select a Category for your Call
How can you drink water and yet still speak? Well becoming a ventriloquist is one way - but an easier way is to record a few clips of yourself speaking prior to the start of your show.
There are many types of calls on TalkShoe and just as many ways of doing that call. One decision a host may make - whether to script their call or not.
Last Wednesday I talked about taking a Summer Break - so today let's talk about getting going again after that break ie. 'getting back into the swing of things' and maybe, just maybe, making some changes & updates at the same time.
Thinking of having a Summer Break? Then ... let your regular listenners know ahead of time.
Last Wednesday we covered the TalkShoe Users Avatar (image) - so this week we talk about the Call Series or Show Badge image requirements.
Your Avatar is not your Call Series Badge - it identifies you and not the Community Call. It should be 300x300 and a small file size - 50k or less should be fine. Even it you want to use the same 'look' for both images - it is better to design it with it's own purpose in mind.
You may have a regular weekly call - or daily even - but sometimes there is a special event coming up. So the watch-word is 'Special show - take Special Care!'
It's an Open & Shut Case! Once you go live and are ready to start your show proper please remember to hit that Record Button and later that End (Record) Button - otherwise there will be tears!
2 is the magic number ... Why? Listen and find out why ... 2 or put another way ... 1 with a with a backup option is magic and is best practice
Tune in to this episode of TalkShoe Live User Support to know when to Schedule an episode versus when to Create & Upload an Episode, and what the difference is!
Grab or Fetch - your choice. Need to have another look at the Text Chat from an older episode? Well you can look twice! As well as Chat Grabber there is Chat Fetcher but both show the same results
Are two browsers better than one? Well they can be as it allows you to double check if there seems to be an issue with your Call Series. The culprit is often your browser cache - testing with a different browser can sometimes reveal that an update DID go ahead even when your first browser doesn't seem to show it.
More than 15 episodes listed? Here a neat way to have a single page link to email or tweet - where all your episodes will be displayed
When TalkShoe Users email Support they often get replied to fairly quickly. But often that reply isn't to give you an immediate solution but to ask for more information on the problem you are encountering. So let's cover some useful pointers when emailing Support
So how was my audio? A simple question to get answered if others on your live call. Hopefully the question is asked & answered BEEFORE the record button is pressed. If noboby joins you live .... then simplly listen back to your recording and depending on what you hear you can relax or take some course of remedial action
Can I just turn up? Laidback, serious, informative or Call In episode - it's your show and you can choose how to run it. However, some prep before showtime can help to smooth things along once that Record Button gets pressed
Practice! Got an important show coming up? Want to minumise the chances of things going wrong? Then practice beforehand
Show Notes and your RSS Feed. Host need to keep there show notes to a reasonable length and use plain text only. Keeping the overall file size of the RSS Feed is important for third party submission
Are you lonely on your Call? Have you done a dozen shows to an empty room? For some Hosts that's fine but others would like a little company. That tactics could a Host employ to bring that about?
The length of your Call? How long ... well let the content decide plus factor in input from your listenners
As this episode is Episode 399 perhaps its a good time to take stock of our (your) Call Series. What do we mean by that?
Prepare .... at least some of your content - so you don't have dead air. Even if you want your show to be a free & frank discussion it's best to have a structure to fall back on.
In this 'Timey Wimey' Episode (Doctor Who reference) we attempt to cover some of the issues thrown up for Hosts by the upcoming shift from Standard to Daylight Time.
Why wait to Hit Record? Well for a start it gives you time to settle, time for guests to arrive and time for a sound check & maybe drop in a few helpful links related to your topic
Eat, Drink & be Merry ... or at least - you may be merry. The chances are that your listenners will not be and indeed will abandon your call series - maybe for good!
When the Big Hand points to 12? Do you start your Call Series 'On The Hour?' because you don't have to and there may be good reasons for picking a different start time. However for 'Help Calls' like this one, an 'easy to remember' time might still be best.
A reminder that we have online help via GetSatisfaction at https://getsatisfaction.com/talkshoe
Community calls are mainly about the spoken word and we want as little as possible of other sounds, noises and interuptions. So what is good audio etiquette?
Taking our Free Training? Then here are some points to note so that you can get the most out of it.
For Hosts, the Call itself is only part of your duties! There is much more to it than that. Think organising, planning, promoting. Think encouraging and thanking helpers. Think listenners both live and later.