Author: pete

You can find tons of tips out there on creating podcasts, but some of them are just rules that you need to follow in order to have a legal and engaging podcast. Creating podcasts is a creative process, so you have a lot of say over what you want to do, but you do need to follow some rules. If you are eager to get started, read this article through to the end. Here, you will learn the best rules to follow to ensure success for your podcast. 

Hard and Fast Rules for Podcasting You Need to Know

1 – Keep Your Audience in Mind

Before you start creating a podcast for yourself, you should first figure out who you want to reach with it. Think about your audience members, the demographics, and the format of your podcast. The best way to do this is to discover the podcast that appeals to you and then get started with your own podcast.

Once you know for sure who you want to reach with your podcast, you can start to determine what you want to talk about and what kind of topics you want to cover.

2 – Plan Your Podcast

Planning a podcast is the most important step in creating a good podcast. This will really keep you on track and help you create a podcast that has a consistent tone and flow. Your podcast should be easy to follow, with short segments and a clear-cut topic per episode. Your podcast should also have a specific theme and tone and be filled with interesting content.

3 – Set a Schedule

Setting a schedule for your podcast is another important step for creating a good podcast. You should know when you are going to record each episode, when you are going to post it, and when you are going to create new episodes.

You should also create a schedule for yourself to keep you on track. For example, you could decide that you will post one episode a week on Friday.

4 – Choose Your Format

Once you have set your schedule, you can decide what format your podcast will take. You have lots of options to consider, but it is always a good idea to stick with a popular podcast format that works for you. You could choose a format that is similar to formats that you know and love. You should also consider the format that you think will engage you the most.

A few popular podcast formats are a roundtable format, a solo format, or a variety format. You should read about these formats and figure out which one you prefer.

5 – Choose a Name

The name of your podcast is the first thing that people will hear about it. You should make sure that your name is unique and easy to remember. Think of a name that reflects the content of your podcast in some way.

Conclusion

Podcasting is a lot of fun and can provide you with a lot of creative freedom. When you are creating a podcast, you need to follow the right steps to make it a success. If you follow the steps in this article, you will have the information you need to create a successful podcast.

Should you need help with your audio marketing strategy for your podcast, contact Promoly. We help innovative brands promote their audio over email and social media. Track recipient engagement, drive more features, push more sales and get your brand noticed. Start now; no credit card required.

 

Podcasts need a good trailer. These trailers give your audience a small taste of what’s to come. They could be an excellent way to showcase your content, your cast, or even just your podcast’s overall vibe. Don’t take the opportunity to introduce your podcast to potential listeners for granted.

If you’re ready to put your voice out there, try these seven tips to make a good podcast trailer:

1. Start with Your Theme

What do you want to convey about your podcast? Some elements will just naturally make their way into your podcast, while other features might be more abstract. Think about what you want to get across with your podcast: what feelings do you want the world to associate with it?

2. Narrow Down Your Podcast’s Objective

Ask yourself: what is the point of my podcast? Is it to entertain? To inform? To promote a specific idea? Consider what you want your listeners to walk away with after listening, and then try and make that the focal point of your trailer.

3. Review Your Podcast’s Content

Your trailer should show off the podcast. Are there certain parts of your show that you want to be highlighted? Do you want to show a certain character’s personality? Do you want to demonstrate the natural flow of a conversation as it unfolds within your global and larger network?

4. Try to Simplify Your Podcast’s Essence

Start with the basic idea of your podcast, and try to boil it down to a one or two-sentence description. This will make it easier to develop a cohesive narrative with audio that reinforces your idea.

5. Keep It Quick

Keep your trailer to no more than 2 minutes in length. If you want to include clips from your podcast, make them short, relevant, and to the point. There’s no reason to include a clip that’s not going to engage your audience.

6. Highlight Your Cast’s Personality

Is your podcast a scripted series, a talk show, or anything else involving characters? All of these offer different options for what your podcast’s voice will sound like. Over the course of the series, you’ll reveal different aspects of your cast members’ personalities. Make sure you’re using your trailer to shed light on them!

7. Have Fun!

This should be an opportunity to get creative! Get your cast involved. Look into sound effects and background music. Don’t forget to include your podcast’s title and episode number in the trailer.

8. Start Over if You Need to

Even if your original trailer just wasn’t right, feel free to start over. It’s not what’s on the outside that counts, it’s what’s on the inside. You can always make edits or even start your trailer over entirely. Just make sure it’s a trailer that highlights how awesome your podcast actually is!

Conclusion

At the end of the day, the contents of your podcast trailer will depend on you. There’s no one way to make good art, and you know your work better than anyone. Try keeping these tips in mind to help you find your way. It’s best to put up something you believe in, just like your podcast.

Develop an audio marketing strategy that will entice audiences from all over! Collaborate with us and we’ll help you promote your podcast over email and social media. Start now to get your podcast noticed and start building a community!

 

One of the rising media channels in recent years is podcasting. This audio blogging platform started in the early 2000s, so it has a short history, but it has gone so popular that you won’t believe they haven’t been here for a long time. If you’re curious about how it all began, here are some interesting facts you should know about podcasts.

1. Twitter Was Created Because of a Failed Podcast Platform

Before Twitter was created, Evan Williams, one of the co-founders of the popular microblogging network and a developer of Blogger, tried to develop a podcasting platform. He called it Odeo. It was supposed to be a speech-to-podcast converter. However, the project struggled and failed, so Williams and the rest of the team decided to start something new.

2. Sweden Is the Top Country in Terms of Podcast Consumption

Sweden is the number one country in the world regarding podcast consumption. Out of all the respondents, 47 percent claim they listened to a podcast at least once in 12 months. Sweden has a 25% podcast audience share and is followed by Ireland and Brazil.

3. British Comedian Ricky Gervais Helped in Popularizing Podcasts

In 2005, the British comedian Ricky Gervais hosted the original podcast channel called The Ricky Gervais Show. During its first month, the show enjoyed over 260,000 downloads a week. In fact, The Ricky Gervais Show is cemented as the most-downloaded podcast in 2007 in no less than the Guinness Book of World Records.  

4. Microsoft Wasn’t Happy That the iPod Inspired the Name Podcast

When Apple introduced the iPod in the early 2000s, one of its main features was its ability to download podcasts. The name of this feature was Podcast. However, Microsoft didn’t like that the new technology was now associated with their rival. The Redmond-based company tried to make “blogcasting” mainstream, but the term “podcast” stuck more.

5. Truckin by The Grateful Dead Is One of the First Podcasts with an MP3 Feature

According to various sources, Truckin by The Grateful Dead was one of the first podcasts that you could download from the Internet. One of the pioneers of podcasting, Dave Winer, discovered how to aggregate MP3 files into RSS. And the first MP3 played was Truckin.

6. People Spend an Average of Six Hours a Week Listening to Podcasts

There are several reasons why people listen to podcasts. Some use it to learn about new things, keep themselves entertained, or stay in touch with the latest news. According to a study conducted by Edison Research, the average American spends about six hours a week listening to podcasts. The same research shows that a typical podcast listener listens to five episodes a week.

Final Thoughts

Podcasts are a great way to learn new things, expand your knowledge, gain more information about the news, and spend some time with friends and family. Many popular podcasts are simply incredible, and they are one of the reasons why the podcasting industry is on the rise.

For your audio marketing strategy, including podcasting, check out Promoly. Promoly is a quick and easy way to market music, audio, podcast to social networks, direct contacts, and email lists. Sign up with a 7-day free trial today.

 

Podcasts may seem easy to build. Many people believe it’s all about simply recording conversations about any topic. However, there’s more to the work than just having fun. So if you want to finally begin your podcast journey, then you’ve come to the right place.

For now, we’ll be covering the basics with you. At the same time, we’ll discuss the fundamentals of a podcast as well as the details necessary for you to succeed as a podcaster this year. 

Begin with the Basics 

For many years to come, launching a podcast will likely remain simple. Unless someone invents a way to transmit your thoughts directly from your brain to the ears of the world. Until then, here are the fundamentals of podcasting: 

The Personal Microphone 

A microphone will be required to begin a podcast. You can opt for premium models such as the Shure SM7B. However, if you’re just starting out, there are less expensive alternatives. 

ATR2100, Blue Yeti, and Rode’s NT-USB are all popular microphones. They’re ideal for podcasters of all genres. They’re popular due to their simplicity of use. Simply connect it to a power source and you’re good to go. 

The Quality Headphones 

While some may argue that headphones are superfluous, we strongly advise you to incorporate them into your podcasting toolkit. They make monitoring your sound during recording significantly easier, resulting in high-quality episodes. 

Additionally, high-end models such as the Audio Technica M40x are available. However, the Audio Technica ATH-M30x and the Sony MDR-7506 are both excellent alternatives.

The Quiet Studio

Another necessary component of your podcast is a private recording space. When first starting out, clocking in studio time may not always be possible due to a lack of time or funding. Therefore, if you want good audio, find a quiet area to record. 

The Podcast Host 

A podcast host can make or break the show, such as Libsyn, Podbean, Blubrry, Spreaker, and Buzzsprout. Your podcast host makes your audio files and metadata available online for download by listeners. Its main function is to spread the word about your content. 

The Niché 

Your niche is the segment of the podcasting industry in which you and your podcast will excel. Your niche is what distinguishes you from every other podcast in your category. It refers to your show’s distinct angle or approach. 

Finding your niche is critical for the success of your podcast. And once you’ve identified your niche, you must ‘niche-down’ to truly differentiate yourself from other podcasts. 

The Podcast Name 

The name of a podcast is another critical element that cannot be overlooked when getting started. Your podcast’s title should be an effective communicator. It is “the thing” that will serve as an identifier for your show. 

Finding the ideal podcast name is not always straightforward. You want a memorable name. Additionally, it must encapsulate the podcast’s focus and tone. Additionally, you want your podcast to have a unique name! It’s a tall order, but necessary for the successful launch of a podcast. 

The Captivating Cover Art 

A podcast cover art your show’s first visual impression, and thus your brand. Therefore, ensure that your cover art accurately conveys who you are and what you stand for. 

Take your time refining your artwork. If you lack artistic abilities, there are platforms such as Fiverr that can assist you. However, apps such as Canva make it incredibly simple for anyone, regardless of artistic ability, to create visually appealing designs. 

Regardless of how you do it, ensure that your podcast features eye-catching artwork!

Conclusion

From start to finish, launching a podcast means being hands-on. From choosing your equipment, your podcast name, your niched topic, as well as the cover art, know that building your show and your brand is a huge responsibility. And now that you have this list in mind, you can finally begin to make your podcast dreams come true!

If you’re in need of a music and podcast PR company, Promoly helps get artists noticed by successfully promoting their music across social media platforms and other digital features. Start your 7-day trial today!

 

Analyzing podcast metrics is not easy – not even for seasoned showrunners. In fact, this task is one of the things that beginner podcast hosts fear and complain about.

Even with all the data and metrics, you have access to, like the number of downloads, the number of starts vs. streams, and average consumption, it’s still hard to see a complete picture. They don’t exactly answer the questions you are most curious about – who listens to your podcast? Why is it not growing?

In this post, digital audio advertising experts from Promoly shares some of the reasons you’re not seeing as much growth from your podcast as you want:

The Premise of Your Podcast Is Unclear or Irrelevant

A lot of podcasters, who haven’t started a podcast before, may have a hard time identifying the core message of their show. This, in turn, will lead them to focus on producing lots of episodes rather than coming up with a few good ones.

What’s more, there’s a good chance that you’re not simply passionate about your podcast’s core message but that your podcast’s premise is built around something you’re passionate about.

Think of a few topics and areas you’re genuinely passionate about. Then, choose the one you can talk about the most (and most interestingly) during the time you’re looking to invest in your podcast.

Your Intros Are Not Good

Your podcast intros should be short, engaging, and to the point. Remember to introduce your podcast the same way each time so that listeners know what to expect. After all, consistency always helps. Withholding information from your listeners is an excellent way to keep them from lingering around.

You’re Not Doing Enough to Market Your Podcast

A lot of podcasters worry about creating compelling content but forget about the importance of marketing their podcasts. It goes hand in hand with creating content. If your podcast has a good concept, you need to make sure that you get the word out.

You Focus on the Wrong Metrics

Sure, growing your audience is essential. But, the problem is that the number of page views and downloads does not tell you much about your audience itself.

You want to focus on goals that will improve your podcast metrics. For example, a few of these goals include:

• Increasing the quality of your podcast episodes

• Increasing the frequency of your podcast episodes

• Increasing your podcast downloads

• Increasing your podcast subscriptions

If you have a good quality show, you have a good chance of increasing your downloads and subscriptions, which will lead to a good number of page views over time.

You’re Rushing Things and Measuring Too Soon

It’s common for people to want a quick win. But, podcasting is different. It can take weeks to build an audience, and there’s no quick way of doing it.

So, if you’re new to podcasting, it’s a good idea to start now and measure your podcast growth in a month or so.

This will allow you to concentrate on building your audience, who will remember you over time.

Conclusion

These are just some of the reasons your podcast is not performing as well as you expected. As you can see, all of these can be fixed. You can think of a relevant premise for your podcast, improve your intro, and nail your marketing strategies. A reputable digital audio advertising company can help you with that. 

Promoly can provide you with a sound audio marketing strategy that can help take your podcast to the next level. Contact us today to learn how our content promotion tool can help you!

 

With the abundance of online technology and social media today, it’s easy for anyone to start a podcast from their desktop, laptop, or mobile device! You don’t need clout beforehand. You build that from scratch using these handy tips:

Tip 1: Use Podcast Hosting Sites

The first step in your audio marketing strategy is to have a website that hosts or broadcasts your channel. There are dozens of podcast hosting sites you can find online, and it can be a challenge to find the perfect one for you. One way to get started is to find one that publishes directly to Spotify, the world’s largest audio streaming media service provider!

By that connection alone, you’ll be able to build a following since there were approximately 355 billion Spotify users worldwide in 2021!

Tip 2: Spread Your RSS

Once you’ve set up your podcast on a site, the site will automatically generate an RSS feed, a format that allows other websites to read your data and broadcast it on other platforms.

Your RSS is another crucial part of your audio marketing strategy because it makes your podcast available on all the other streaming platforms out there, such as:

• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Listen Notes
• PocketCasts
• RadioPublic

The fantastic thing about your RSS distribution is that it automatically updates your index once you upload a new episode on the site. Thus, it’s a one-stop-shop of podcasting since it does the work for you across the board!

Tip 3: Create Social Media Accounts

While the podcast platforms above are excellent resources to get your show up and running, those are only half of the equation. You need to get the word out, and what better way to do that through social media!

Create a Facebook Page and Instagram account for your podcast. Start with teaser posts of the following collaterals:

• Official show logo
• A teaser video from the host(s)
• A profile of the host
• A poster for the first episode

Once you’ve published the first episode, post subsequent teaser videos of the next episode to your accounts’ stories and publish only the following episode posters and repost them on your stories. This keeps your timeline looking clean and organized.

You can also choose to post static and video clips from previous episodes to invite audience members to rewatch previous episodes. Still, we leave the decision up to you because it involves more back-end work.

YouTube is also a fantastic tool for podcasting since you can upload your full audio or video for on-demand consumption. While it also means a bit more work on the back end, it’ll give viewers another accessible site to listen or watch if the only media platform they use is YouTube.

Tip 4: Promote Organically

Another critical part of your audio marketing strategy is posting and reposting your content consistently. Your feed will drown out current broadcasts or posts, or people will miss out on them because they’re too busy with work or other online activities. Resharing them on your wall will give your podcast the attention it deserves.

You can also join relevant groups to share updates or ask your close friends to post your podcast’s links on their walls.

Tip 5: Stream Regularly

Starting a podcast takes commitment, so don’t take it lightly. If you want to grow your audience base, stream once a week at most, so you don’t lose traction. The more often people see or hear you, the better.

Start Podcasting

With the technology and steps in this guide, you can start podcasting with ease! You don’t need a formal setup to do so. Make sure your topics are relevant, unique, or quirky enough for people to tune in weekly and spread the word to their friends.

But to get the most out of your audio marketing strategy, contact Promoly right now! We help innovative brands promote their audio over email and social media by tracking recipient engagement, driving more features, pushing more sales, and getting your brand noticed. Start now; no credit card required!