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Episode Notes Apple Podcasts is the "grand-daddy" of all podcast distribution outlets. 80%+ of podcasts are discovered in Apple Podcasts. Almost every "podchaser" platform in existence somehow links to Apple Podcasts as well as individual RSS feeds. If you are not listed on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes), you are missing out on a HUGE market of possible listeners! This is the audio version of a video teaching I recently provided my clients. You can receive the video file by clicking this link: WATCH THE VIDEO Support ASK BOB - Podcasting Q&A by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/ask-bob-podcasting-qa

Methods Not To Use To Increase Downloads pt 2 We have been talking about some of the ways podcasters used to use to increase their download numbers. Unethical ways. Methods that have mostly been done away with in actual numbers counting. But you still may hear of these methods by some unscrupulous people that will try to manipulate and beat the system. The IAB has implemented a series of changes that have become the industry standard in counting downloads. This is to bring almost every podcast hosting platform into compliance with industry accepted standards. This was to level the playing (and reporting) field to advertisers across the industry. In our last episode, I covered the first two unethical ways that some podcasters have tried to beat the system. Stay away from those methods. Trying to change your URL feed and trying to spam your social media accounts may give you a few more downloads, but the loss of reputation will far exceed the few additional downloads you will receive. In addition, every download now indicates 60 seconds or more of listening time. So just because someone has received your file into their iTunes (or Apple Podcasts) account does not mean they listened to the file – and will not be counted as a download. Today, I will give you two more methods to stay away from: 3. DO NOT set your online player to "auto-play!" Youtube is an example of what I mean by auto-play. Many people who see something "automatically" begin to download will stop it. Some will click off of the page altogether (and may not ever come back). I've seen some podcasters load a player to every page of their website (and set them all to "auto-play)! Why do they do this? All in an effort to get "one more download."  The new IAB rules will not count any of these efforts unless the visitor to your website listens for at least 60 seconds. So all you are really doing is “spamming” a visitor who is trying to find out some additional information on you, your podcast or your website and services. <u>DO NOT USE THIS METHOD! </u> 4. Trying to increase download numbers by increasing the publication frequency! Every episode published could increase your downloads exponentially (according to the number of subscribers you have). For example, if you have 100 subscribers and publish 4 episodes per month, that is 400 downloads (assuming they all listen to every episodes for at least 60 seconds). Now, if your increase your publication schedule to 5 days per week, that would mean 2000 downloads per month! WOW! That is awesome, right? WRONG! Statistics prove the shorter your podcast, the more listeners you will have. If you increase the number of published episodes each week, your potential listeners have to dedicate more of their time to try and listen. You may end up losing listeners in the process! All why increasing your workload! Instead, nurture your existing subscribers to share the episode link with THEIR followers. Let others do the work and you can see small, but steady increase in downloads! Join me next time as we go over a few ways (ethically) you can use to see an increase in your download statistics. Be sure to subscribe to this series so you will be notified when a new question is answered. If you have any questions about podcasting, visit my website at www.podcast-training.com and use the contact form to "Ask Bob!" If you would like to watch the video I made for this episode, you can view it on YouTube at this link: https://youtu.be/aPxO6Hgt9LU

Methods NOT TO USE to Increase Downloads pt 1 In the last episode, I covered some of the information on the Interactive Advertising Bureau and how the IAB has instituted guidelines for podcasters in relation to their download reporting. These methods have been widely accepted by many podcast hosting platforms and incorporated, basically industry wide. You would heed well to adhere with the standards if you want to be a podcaster of excellence. In order to accomplish that, here are some unscrupulous methods that some podcasters used to find popular in an attempt to increase their downloads. Here is my list of ways you should not use to increase your podcast downloads 1. DO NOT try to update your podcast feed from http to https all at once. Yes, this is a nice thing to do to update your security protocol. But if you do so for all of your episodes, you will "spam" load every single episode into your subscribers feeds as a new download! The RSS Feed recognizes the URL as "new" (because of that added "s") and will send it out to every single one of your subscribers! This could cause many of them to cancel their subscription to your show! 2. DO NOT spam your social media platforms many, many times per day in an effort to promote your podcast or your episodes! Although social media is a great way to promote your podcast, only a few times per day on each of your platforms should be used. If you are posting 10-15 or 20 times (or more) per day on each platform, you will be considered a "spammer" and may lose followers / subscribers in the process. You may get banned from the platform! DO NOT USE THOSE METHODS! DO NOT USE THOSE METHODS! In the next episode, I will cover a few more methods you SHOULD NOT USE before I get into some tried and proven methods you can use! Please subscribe to this series so you will be notified when a new question has been answered. If you have a question about podcasting, be sure to "Ask Bob" by going to my website at www.podcast-training.com and use the contact form! If you would like to watch the video I created for this episode, it is available on YouTube at this link: https://youtu.be/Rp8uTR9C9Jo

How Can I Increase My Download Numbers? Before I get into answering that question, I want to take a couple of episodes to lay a foundation upon which we can build in answering that question. The foundation is one which will help you to focus on ethical ways to increase your download numbers. First, let me give you some background on recent changes that were made (and implemented across the podcasting industry) that affect how downloads are counted. Due to the popularity and growth of podcasting, advertisers wanted in on the possible exposure a podcast audience could be given to their services. But, back in 2014, there was no industry standard and an advertiser simply had to rely on the data provided by the podcasters. In an effort to bring some conformity, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) came up with some standards that would help in this area. Although they were not mandatory, they released what is known as the “Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines” (version 1.0 in 2016 and version 2.0 in 2018). The IAB then implemented a "certification and compliance" program that has now been adopted by the leading podcast hosting platforms. It is now the "industry standard" in counting downloads. The biggest thing you, as a podcaster, should be aware of is this: Any download stat you see means someone listened to that file for at least 60 seconds or more. If someone clicks off at 59 seconds, it does not count. This means you should not use "unscrupulous methods" in trying to increase your download statistics. Stay away from scammers who claim they can give you "thousands of downloads for $10" or whatever. Your reputation is more important in the podcasting world than your download numbers! In the next few episodes, I am going to share a few ways some people are still trying to beat the system. I need to share these with you because you will see them out there. It is important for you to be able to recognize "what not to do" before you start implementing ideas to increase your download numbers. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast so you will be notified when a new question is being answered! If you have a question about podcasting, go to my website at www.podcast-training.com and "Ask Bob" by filling out the contact form! If you want to view the video I made for this episode, you can view on YouTube at this link: https://youtu.be/CiQkQ8AcojE

Last time, I started a discussion on “When You Should NOT Start a Podcast.” The number one reason I went into detail on last time was, “To make money.” I shared how approximately only 1% of the podcasters out there make a full time living from podcasting. These are podcasters who have built up a brand, a loyal following and have close to a million down loads per episode. Something most of us will never achieve. Today, I want to talk to those who think podcasting is interesting and it appears “easy to do.” Yes, it is easy to do. But if you want to produce a quality program, one that will bring in additional listeners and a podcast that will generate loyal listeners, it gets to be a little more than that! Are you a good speaker? Do you have experience at public speaking? You may notice all of the "ah's"and "umm's" you use. But I can guarantee you, your listeners will. And if they get annoyed with your grammar, they will click off and never come back. So, a way to stop doing that is to join a group like "Toastmasters." They will guide you down the path of how not to use those fillers! Next is the technology involved. Podcasting is "technology." You must become proficient at using the technology available to you. If you are putting out a terrible product, nobody will want to listen to you. Use a good microphone. Use a headset to cut down any echo (especially if you are conducting interviews). Add an "intro" and an "outro" to your podcast. Edit your program and eliminate any mistakes or "bloopers." Yes, it may take you some time to learn how to do this. But the payoff in the end will be increased listenership and subscribers! Lastly, do not start a podcast because "everybody else is doing it." That is probably not a good reason to start a podcast. Apple Podcasts reports they will soon have over ONE MILLION podcasts hosted on their platform! But, they also report that about 20% (or 200,000) podcasts have less than 7 episodes! Why? Because people started their podcast journey and decided it was not for them! Often, they spent good money in starting their podcast. Domain name; hosting platform; microphone and headsets, etc. Only to quit after just a few episodes. I hope these tips helped to clarify some seldom talked about topics concerning podcasting. Especially the reasons for NOT starting a podcast!  If you have a podcasting question, send it along to me. You can leave your questions in the comments section below. But a better way of communicating with me and making sure I am able to see your questions rapidly is by using the contact form on my website. Go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand click on the contact tab. Fill out the form and be sure to send me your questions.                                                 If your question is used on this podcast, I will be giving you credit for bringing it to our attention and you will receive a FREE download of my book, “The Complete Guide to Podcasting.”  That is a $37 value and you will receive it for FREE if you send along your questions and used on this “ASK BOB” program. If you include your website or podcast information, I will be referencing that as well and putting your information in the show notes of the podcast.  Who knows, you may see some increased traffic to your website, your podcast, etc. just from asking a question.  If I get asked the same question, the first person to ask it will be getting the credit.  So IF you have a question,...

This was a unique question and I thought it was deserving of a somewhat detailed answer!  It seems like everyone is giving information on who needs to have a podcast, why you should have a podcast and how to start a podcast. But nobody is talking about reasons NOT to start a podcast! Some of the misguided assumptions about people wanting to start a podcast includes fame and fortune. So in this series of episodes, I want to cover some very good reasons you should NOT start a podcast!  If you find yourself wandering down a few of the trails I’m going to identify here, you should rethink your motivation for wanting to start a podcast! As I covered in previous episodes, podcasting IS the new communication medium for this generation. It is easy to enter. It is fairly easy to produce. It is easy to promote. All of this makes it fairly easy for someone to just “hit record” and they are a podcaster!  But the same accessibility also means there are many, many podcasters out there. And many of them, truthfully, are not that great. Only the top 1% or so of podcasters every make enough money from their podcasting to be in a position to quit their regular job and live off of their podcast. Less then 20% of podcasters make "any" money from their podcast! So if you are looking for a way to add some additional income to the family budget, and quickly, don't go into podcasting! Spend that time working at a part time job and get that extra income quickly that way! Next time, I will discuss the “Skill and Knowledge Requirements” as reasons “When Should I Not Start a Podcast!” If you have a podcasting question, send it along to me. You can leave your questions in the comments section below. But a better way of communicating with me and making sure I am able to see your questions rapidly is by using the contact form on my website. Go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand click on the contact tab. Fill out the form and be sure to send me your questions.                                                If your question is used on this podcast, I will be giving you credit for bringing it to our attention and you will receive a FREE download of my book, “The Complete Guide to Podcasting.”  That is a $37 value and you will receive it for FREE if you send along your questions and used on this “ASK BOB” program. If you include your website or podcast information, I will be referencing that as well and putting your information in the show notes of the podcast.  Who knows, you may see some increased traffic to your website, your podcast, etc. just from asking a question.  If I get asked the same question, the first person to ask it will be getting the credit.  So IF you have a question, don’t wait!  Ask today. Just go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand fill out the contact form. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast so you can be notified every time we release a new episode and answer someone’s question! So, until we talk again, “Keep Listening, You’re Awesome!”

I have been answering the question, “Why Should I Start a Podcast?”  We have already talked about the “Growth of Podcasting” and how “Podcasts Are Better Than Blogs.” Today, I want to emphasize how podcasts will help you to “Become and Influencer In Your Market.” First, when someone listens to your podcast, it is like you are being invited into their home, office or car. You are like a guest. They want to hear what you have to say! That is almost automatic credibility! Next, reach out to a well known influencer in your market or niche! You may have to ask 10 to find one who will come on your podcast to do an interview. Don't let that get you down. One major influencer that comes on your podcast will elevate you in your listeners eyes. They figure you are rubbing shoulders with other influencers. Therefore, you must be an influencer as well. Do not think you will see significant downloads just from interviewing the other influencer. Usually, they will not be sharing anything with your audience that has not been shared elsewhere already. So the influencers audience may not jump at the opportunity to listen to your interview. But you are interviewing the other person for YOUR AUDIENCE! Always remember that! Your podcast is a way to grow YOUR BRAND and YOUR INFLUENCE. So, don’t be shy – start your podcast!   If you want information on how you can start your own podcast, or to help grow and make an existing podcast even better, visit my website at www.podcast-training.comand take a look around. If you have a podcasting question, send it along to me. You can leave your questions in the comments section below. But a better way of communicating with me and making sure I am able to see your questions rapidly is by using the contact form on my website. Go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand click on the contact tab. Fill out the form and be sure to send me your questions.                                                If your question is used on this podcast, I will be giving you credit for bringing it to our attention and you will receive a FREE download of my book, “The Complete Guide to Podcasting.”  That is a $37 value and you will receive it for FREE if you send along your questions and used on this “ASK BOB” program. If you include your website or podcast information, I will be referencing that as well and putting your information in the show notes of the podcast.  Who knows, you may see some increased traffic to your website, your podcast, etc. just from asking a question.  If I get asked the same question, the first person to ask it will be getting the credit.  So IF you have a question, don’t wait!  Ask today. Just go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand fill out the contact form. Until next time, “Keep Talking – You’re Awesome!”

How To Interview Authors and Monetizing Your Podcast Without Haggling I wanted to share with you something that I have been using in my podcasting to monetize my podcast. I was talking with a group on a Mastermind and this subject came up. And when I explained this simple hack that I use when interviewing authors about their books, I was asked if I had shared this with YOU, my listeners.  And, when I realized I had not, well – here is the information I shared with the Mastermind group.  Trying to get a new author to give up some of their sales proceeds can be a sensitive area to tread. If you do not do so properly, the author may feel like you are holding their interview hostage! If they do not agree to your terms, you will not promote the interview! Although YOU are promoting THEIR book on YOUR podcast to YOUR audience, it can still be a sensitive area. The author may not even know how to track affiliate commissions or even how to pay them out to the appropriate people in the correct amount. I have been using a work around for over three years now. It has worked for me and I believe it will work for you as well. First, you need to have a Amazon Affiliate Account (link is down below). It is free to set up and you are approved almost immediately. Next, you need to find the authors book you are talking about in the interview. Just search the name of the book in the Amazon search bar. Also type in the author name. It helps Amazon to find it quickly (it is looking just for that title and author). Next, go up to the left corner and click on "Text" for the affiliate link. Copy that. Go to your show notes and type in the name of the book (I always put "on Amazon" just so the person clicking the link knows where it will take them). Use the "hyperlink" set up to make the link active. And that is all there is to it! Every time someone makes a purchase through that link in your podcast show notes, you will get a commission from Amazon! The author gets the sale, you get a commission and everyone is happy! I was motivated to share this with by the prompting of my good friend, Sean Douglas. Sean is Master Resilience Trainer, podcaster, radio host and an in demand public speaker and coach. You need to check out his website at the link below. Tell him I sent you! Also, you will find a link below through Amazon where you can donate a small percentage of your Amazon purchases to a non-profit of your choice. This is called "Amazon Smile Program." I have included the link to our non-profit. I would appreciate it so much if you would link to our non-profit. It costs you nothing and it handled by Amazon all behind the scenes. If you made a $100 purchase on Amazon, our non-profit would receive something like 50 cents. It's not a lot, but if a lot of people did so, it does make a difference. IF you have a question, don’t wait!  Ask today. Just go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand fill out the contact form. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast so you can be notified every time we release a new episode and answer someone’s question! Sean Douglas – The Success Corps Amazon Affiliate Program Amazon Smile Charity Program

I’ve been answering the question, “Why Should I Start a Podcast?” In our last episode, I explained how podcasting has become, in my opinion and backed up by statistical data, the most popular method of communication today. How long this is going to last is unknown, but for right now, if you are not using podcasting to promote your brand and your business, your competitors will pass you. Now, some people think that having a blog on their website is a way to communicate their ideas, concepts and uniqueness to their target audience. And they are in correct, a blog is ONE WAY to do so. Several years ago, you needed to have a blog on your website for SEO purposes. But times have changed. The average blog post is about 700-800 words and takes the average person about 5 minutes to read. A typical podcast will be between 25-30 minutes in length and the average listener will listen to all of it. That is like having 5 blog posts and the person consuming all of them in one sitting! Next time, I will discuss how you can “Become an Influencer in your Market” by using podcasting. This is a way of growing your brand that using blog posts would be very difficult to obtain. If you have a podcasting question, send it along to me. You can leave your questions in the comments section below. But a better way of communicating with me and making sure I am able to see your questions rapidly is by using the contact form on my website. Go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand click on the contact tab. Fill out the form and be sure to send me your questions.                                                 If your question is used on this podcast, I will be giving you credit for bringing it to our attention and you will receive a FREE download of my book, “The Complete Guide to Podcasting.”  That is a $37 value and you will receive it for FREE if you send along your questions and used on this “ASK BOB” program. If you include your website or podcast information, I will be referencing that as well and putting your information in the show notes of the podcast.  Who knows, you may see some increased traffic to your website, your podcast, etc. just from asking a question.  If I get asked the same question, the first person to ask it will be getting the credit.  So IF you have a question, don’t wait!  Ask today. Just go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand fill out the contact form. Next time, we will talk about how “Become an Influencer in your Market”  Be sure to subscribe to this podcast so you can be notified every time we release a new episode and answer someone’s question! So, until we talk again, “Keep Listening, You’re Awesome!”

I get this question a lot. So, in the next few video's, I will attempt to answer it! There is too much to cover in just one video. So you will need to watch the next couple as well to get my answer to "Why Should I Start A Podcast?" First, podcasting is the new "wave" in media communications. Second, car makers and even airlines are now offering podcast connectivity to their customers. Podcasting has an easy entry barrier and allows businesses to build their brand and grow their client list as well. Podcasting may not be here forever - but it is the growing trend right now! In the next few episodes, I will go over some additional points that will make this clear to you. I will also explain how you can use podcasting to establish and grow your brand and your business. If you have a podcasting question, send it along to me. You can leave your questions in the comments section below. But a better way of communicating with me and making sure I am able to see your questions rapidly is by using the contact form on my website. Go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand click on the contact tab. Fill out the form and be sure to send me your questions.                                              If your question is used on this podcast, I will be giving you credit for bringing it to our attention and you will receive a FREE download of my book, “The Complete Guide to Podcasting.”  That is a $37 value and you will receive it for FREE if you send along your questions and used on this “ASK BOB” program. If you include your website or podcast information, I will be referencing that as well and putting your information in the show notes of the podcast.  Who knows, you may see some increased traffic to your website, your podcast, etc. just from asking a question.  If I get asked the same question, the first person to ask it will be getting the credit.  So IF you have a question, don’t wait!  Ask today. Just go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand fill out the contact form. Next time, we will talk about how “Podcasts Are Better Than Blog Posts.” Be sure to subscribe to this podcast so you can be notified every time we release a new episode and answer someone’s question! So, until we talk again, “Keep Listening, You’re Awesome!”

This question was sent to me by Gerald R. (thanks for the question!): "Why do I find this so difficult to do?" So, I decided to demonstrate that you do not need any special equipment to do a podcast. I recorded this episode on my iPhone while on a morning walk with my dogs! All you need to do is hit RECORD on your smart phone! I used FB Live in this episode, then downloaded it to my computer and uploaded it here to the YouTube Channel for the podcast. I also converted it to audio mp3 and uploaded it to my podcast website. SIMPLE! You can do this!  You do not need special equipment, a studio or anything else. I know of several people that record their podcast episodes from their car with their smart phone!  YOU CAN DO THIS! If you have ANY questions about podcasting, please let me know. Send me your questions by using the contact form on our website: www.podcast-training.com or email me directly at bob@bobthibodeau.me Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to this channel and be notified when new videos are posted here. AND SUBSCRIBE to our podcast on our podcast website at www.AskBobPodcast.com Until next time - Keep Talking, You're Awesome!

What Kind of Podcasts Are the Most Popular – Part Five Story Telling and Hybrid Formats Story Telling:  This is kind of like the NPR stories. It takes A LOT OF TIME to prepare!  Do not underestimate the time involved to do a quality program when you are trying to tell a story.   NPR may spend weeks gathering audio commentary, conducting interview and fact finding. They may record hours and hours of interviews and audio. Then spend hours more editing quotes from the many audio files and putting them into a sequential story that gets their message across.  Unless you have the time, ability and finances to put together a quality story that will hold your listeners attention, this is podcasting method that you may find hard to do. But if you can establish a routine that works for you – you can develop a listener base that will be loyal to you for years.  Think about the “Serial” podcast series and how popular that became. Why? Because of the amount of time they took to gather the facts, do the interviews, double and triple check the information. It was not accomplished in just a couple of days. Those podcasters worked for many, many months putting this information together. But, when done properly, you see how successful it can be. One drawback to this type of podcast preparation is never airing the podcast!  You may start gathering the information with the full intent of telling the story you set out to do. But the information you gather in the process may not lead down the path you thought you would follow. Until, ultimately, you decide NOT to go with the story. Then all of the work, time and money was wasted. So before you venture down the path for this type of podcast, make sure you have the resources, time and desire to follow through. Fictional Story Telling:  This is kind of like writing your own fictional book. But you are talking it out in audio. You can have different voice actors read the lines of various characters. If you are good at doing this sort of thing, you could find yourself with a lot of listeners. And who know, maybe a future book deal? This is a great way to promote your book if you have already written it. It is an awesome way to generate interest in your book. You may even offer it in the podcast for sale to your listeners! You can also develop a HYBRID podcast:  This is where you may do a combination of various formats, depending on the message you are trying to communicate. You could do the solo program on some topics. Bring in a guest to interview about the topic later. And maybe hold a panel discussion after you interview a couple of guests. So you do not have to be “stuck” in a mold. As a podcaster, you have the ability to develop your podcast anyway you want! Just remember, it is about the listeners –not you! Whatever format you choose – just remember one thing. Do it well. That is the only way you will become successful. Quantity over quality will only you doom you to failure. It would be better to put out one MONTHLY podcast of high quality than 30 daily podcasts that nobody would want to listen to. If you find these videos helpful, please give us a rating and a comment below. It helps others to find this information as well. Thank you in advance for helping us to get the word out! Over the course of these videos and articles, I want to answer any questions you may have concerning podcasting. You can leave your questions in the comments section below. But a better way of communicating with me and making sure I am able to see your questions rapidly is by using the contact form on my website. Go to 

What Kind of Podcasts Are the Most Popular – pt 4   Panel Discussion The Panel Discussion:  This type of format is little more complicated to manage. Not only are you going to giving commentary, you will also be asking questions of your multiple guests. One type of podcast in this method, is to have two or more guests with differing views or opinions on a particular topic.  I would recommend not more than three panel guests. Otherwise, it will be to easy to lose control of the interview. With two people, you can easily balance the time each person is talking. With three, it cuts down on the time each person can have to make their points. Plus, if one is a more dominant personality than the other two, it will hard to control the reactions and comments of the other person if they feel a comment was made they disagree with.  The important part here is the podcast is not about YOU. You must remember that. It is not even about your guests! It is about your listeners!  You must keep that as the center of your focus. You are brining guests on the panel to add value to your listeners.  In that regard, you must continue to highlight your guests over yourself. Make them feel it is about THEM (but keep the conversation centered around providing value to your listeners).  It is a delicate tight rope to walk. But those podcasters who can pull it off will see a dramatic rise in listenership! Next time, I will be discussing the final three types of podcasts: Story Telling; Fictional Story Telling and the Hybrid Podcasts! If you find these videos helpful, please give us a rating and a comment below. It helps others to find this information as well. Thank you in advance for helping us to get the word out! Over the course of these videos and articles, I want to answer any questions you may have concerning podcasting. You can leave your questions in the comments section below. But a better way of communicating with me and making sure I am able to see your questions rapidly is by using the contact form on my website. Go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand click on the contact tab. Fill out the form and be sure to send me your questions.  If your question is used on this podcast, I will be giving you credit for bringing it to our attention and you will receive a FREE download of my book, “The Complete Guide to Podcasting.”  That is a $37 value and you will receive it for FREE if you send along your questions and used on this “ASK BOB” program. If you include your website or podcast information, I will be referencing that as well and putting your information in the show notes of the podcast.  Who knows, you may see some increased traffic to your website, your podcast, etc. just from asking a question.  If I get asked the same question, the first person to ask it will be getting the credit.  So IF you have a question, don’t wait!  Ask today. Just go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand fill out the contact form. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast in order to be notified when a new episode is being published and a new question is being answered. Remember, Keep Talking – You’re Awesome! If you would like to watch the associated video for this article, please click HERE: https://youtu.be/Gaopm40EY5Q

What Kind of Podcasts Are the Most Popular – pt 3 Solo Commentary The Solo Commentary Podcast:  This is probably the easiest type of podcast you can put together. It is basically the format I am using for this podcast, “Ask Bob.” It may be the easiest to do, but is also harder to accomplish.  Many people are not able to do this type of podcast, because you actually have to carry on a conversation with other people, even though you are talking to nobody at the time!  That is what I’m doing right now. I’m talking to you – even though you are not here with me at this time!  I’m talking to the computer screen!  Some podcasters will write out the script to use on their podcast commentary. This is ok – but you need to be skillful enough to read without it sounding like you are reading! Nobody wants to listen to you just reading a script on the air!  That would be more like an audio book!   Personally, I do type out notes that I use to guide my conversation. That way I don’t waste time trying to remember what it was I wanted to talk about or forget to mention something I wanted to share. But you must be careful. DO NOT make it seem like you are only reading.  The best thing about the solo podcast is you can talk about whatever your passion is. I can guarantee you, somebody out there is interested in the same topic you are passionate about as well. It could be car repair, golf, landscaping, crafts – the topics are limitless! Next time, we will be discussing “Panel Discussions.” If you find these videos helpful, please give us a rating and a comment below. It helps others to find this information as well. Thank you in advance for helping us to get the word out! Over the course of these videos and articles, I want to answer any questions you may have concerning podcasting. You can leave your questions in the comments section below. But a better way of communicating with me and making sure I am able to see your questions rapidly is by using the contact form on my website. Go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand click on the contact tab. Fill out the form and be sure to send me your questions.  If your question is used on this podcast, I will be giving you credit for bringing it to our attention and you will receive a FREE download of my book, “The Complete Guide to Podcasting.”  That is a $37 value and you will receive it for FREE if you send along your questions and used on this “ASK BOB” program. If you include your website or podcast information, I will be referencing that as well and putting your information in the show notes of the podcast.  Who knows, you may see some increased traffic to your website, your podcast, etc. just from asking a question.  If I get asked the same question, the first person to ask it will be getting the credit.  So IF you have a question, don’t wait!  Ask today. Just go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand fill out the contact form. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast in order to be notified when a new episode is being published and a new question is being answered. Remember, Keep Talking – You’re Awesome! If you would like to watch the associated video for this article, please click HERE: https://youtu.be/XPbyLggZYz0

What Kinds of Podcast Are the Most Popular – Part Two The One on One Interview The One on One Interview: This is the most common form of podcasting. If you can book an interview with a very well known person who can give tremendous value to your particular niche audience – you can grow tremendously!   There are a lot of podcasters who use this particular format. But, you must be a good interviewer!   There are many podcasts out there where the host is not a good interviewer, and it shows. I use an interview format on my podcast, “The Kingdom Cross Roads Podcast.” I usually take at least as much time to prepare for the podcast as the length of the podcast – and usually longer! What do I mean by that? If the interview is 45 minutes in length, I usually take an hour to 90 minutes in preparation! I have an interview form that is part of the scheduling process. This form has all the basic contact information, of course. It also asks for the main topic of the interview the other person wants to discuss. The reason for that, they may be the owner or manager of a huge non-profit that is doing tremendous work. But the person wants to talk about a new book he has just published! So that is what I need to focus on during the interview!  I will, of course, discuss the non-profit and ask a couple of questions along those lines. But it is just to establish background for the authority of the interviewee. THEN, I jump into the questions about the book. In doing my preparation, I will take the information they provide, including the website, and start there. The best place to look, for me anyway, is the ABOUT ME page! I look for some interesting fact that is on the page that has almost nothing to do with the book, the business or anything else. Now, don’t get me wrong, I do not spend a lot of time on that one question. But I will insert somewhere during the interview!  It may be something like, “One question I have for you, did you really get lost for two days in the jungle while in the Amazon rain forest?” I usually get a chuckle and a comment like, “Yeah!  That was an awesome time!” or something like that…and then they explain what happened! After the interview, I’ve almost always been complimented by my guests about the quality of my questions and my interview skills. Some are icons in their areas of influence! They will tell me that it has been a long time since they had someone interview them that had actually taken the time to learn about THEM! This is how I know I am following my passion for these podcasts. I spend the time to adequately prepare for each guest individually. If I do not have the time to adequately prepare, I will try to reschedule the interview so as not to waste my guests time (which would probably cause them never to come back on again in the future). You can do this as well. But you must MAKE THE TIME to adequately prepare! Next time, I will be discussing the Solo Commentary Podcast! If you find these videos helpful, please give us a rating and a comment below. It helps others to find this information as well. Thank you in advance for helping us to get the word out! Over the course of these videos and articles, I want to answer any questions you may have concerning podcasting. You can leave your questions in the comments section below. But a better way of communicating with me and making sure I am able to see your questions rapidly is by using the contact form on my website. Go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand click on the contact tab. Fill out the form and be sure to send me your questions.  If your question is used on this...

What Kinds of Podcasts Are The Most Popular - Part One So, the question for today is, “What kind of podcasts are the most popular?” Over the next few episodes, I will be giving you the most popular methods of podcasting in use today. There may be a couple others that are used but not that popular. But I’m going to focus on the major ones. A quick summary, and remember, this is only a summary because beginning with the next episode, we go into detail. But so you can have the types here, they are: One on One Interview Solo Commentary Interview Panel Discussion Story Telling Podcast Fictional Story Telling Podcast Hybrid Podcast If you find these videos helpful, please give us a rating and a comment below. It helps others to find this information as well. Thank you in advance for helping us to get the word out! Over the course of these videos and articles, I want to answer any questions you may have concerning podcasting. You can leave your questions in the comments section below. But a better way of communicating with me and making sure I am able to see your questions rapidly is by using the contact form on my website. Go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand click on the contact tab. Fill out the form and be sure to send me your questions.  If your question is used on this podcast, I will be giving you credit for bringing it to our attention and you will receive a FREE download of my book, “The Complete Guide to Podcasting.”  That is a $37 value and you will receive it for FREE if you send along your questions and used on this “ASK BOB” program. If you include your website or podcast information, I will be referencing that as well and putting your information in the show notes of the podcast.  Who knows, you may see some increased traffic to your website, your podcast, etc. just from asking a question.  If I get asked the same question, the first person to ask it will be getting the credit.  So IF you have a question, don’t wait!  Ask today. Just go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand fill out the contact form. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast in order to be notified when a new episode is being published and a new question is being answered. Remember, Keep Talking – You’re Awesome! To watch the associated video with this article, please click HERE:   https://youtu.be/X6G4JVW8Ulc

Today, I want address the question, “How Can I Build an Audience?” The processes are wide and varied for this. I cannot cover all of the possibilities. But let me cover some of the more popular methods of building your podcast audience. First and foremost, you should be podcasting to a specific person or group. This is called your “avatar.” Every episode should be designed to bring value to that one, perfect person. The perfect individual that needs the information you are going to share. There will be others that get great value from your podcast. But your podcast should be talking to ONE INDIVIDUAL. That will make you more personable. It will make it seem as if you are talking directly to the person listening.  Next, be sure to tap into the vastness of social media!  Share and promote your podcasts across social media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube all have unique audiences. All of them will help you to reach their specific users. But if you do not share and promote your episodes, there is a very high chance nobody else will either!   Next, be consistent in your publishing schedule. If you publish once per week, be sure you continue to do so on the same day. Do not publish on Monday this week and Thursday next week and Friday the week after and Tuesday the week after that. Use a system to make sure your episodes are published the same day (and preferably the same time) each episode!  Your listeners will begin to expect to hear from you! Reach out and become guests on other podcasts!  That is a way to leverage someone else’s audience!  People that you would never interact with immediately. These podcasters have built up their loyal audience. If you guest on their podcast, you will be exposing your brand to their audience! If you find these videos helpful, please give us a rating and a comment below. It helps others to find this information as well. Thank you in advance for helping us to get the word out! Over the course of these videos and articles, I want to answer any questions you may have concerning podcasting. You can leave your questions in the comments section below. But a better way of communicating with me and making sure I am able to see your questions rapidly is by using the contact form on my website. Go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand click on the contact tab. Fill out the form and be sure to send me your questions. 

Today, I want address the question, “Will anybody listen?” The simple answer, in my best lawyer voice is, “That depends…” I know, I know, that is not really an answer. But it definitely applies to podcasting.  Someone who is just starting out may end up thousands of downloads per episode. Someone who has been doing this for years may only have a handful of downloads per episode.   But, one thing that is for sure – if you do not have a podcast, NOBODY will be listening! Now, that being said, there are certain things that will help you to build a listening audience. One is your friends and relatives.  I know, I know, that is not who you are trying to reach (or maybe it is in a limited way, I don’t know). But, by asking your friends and relatives to like and rate and leave comments on your podcast, that will actually help your podcast to grow. If you get your friends and family and coworkers, etc. to “do you a favor” and like and comment on every episode, and SHARE the episode on their social media, you will increase your reach! You will have people you do not even know coming to your page and being impressed. This will only help you to grow! But, you need to leverage you existing contacts. Which is your friends, family and coworkers. This is a great starting point. Makes sense, right? If you find these videos helpful, please give us a rating and a comment below. It helps others to find this information as well. Thank you in advance for helping us to get the word out! Over the course of these videos and articles, I want to answer any questions you may have concerning podcasting. You can leave your questions in the comments section below. But a better way of communicating with me and making sure I am able to see your questions rapidly is by using the contact form on my website. Go to https://podcast-training.com/contactand click on the contact tab. Fill out the form and be sure to send me your questions. 

Today, I want address the question, “What will I talk about?” This is topic of concern to many who are thinking of starting a podcast. It is also a topic of concern for many who already have a podcast! But it doesn’t really have to be that hard!  Let me ask you a question? What is it that people ask you to help them with?  It could be your profession. That is a definite possibility.  But let’s also say you have a hobby that you are passionate about. Your podcast could be about your hobby. You could be a medical doctor who likes to tinker with old cars on your weekends. It helps you to relax. Maybe some people are asking you questions about restoring classic cars or rebuilding their engines. Or how to find parts. You could have a podcast about that hobby, even though your profession is in something completely different.  You can also do a podcast about your profession. Many businesses have podcasts that provide value to the listener and serves as source of promotion for their business. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that aspect of podcasting. The next part of this question I want to cover is how to keep track of what you have talked about during your podcast. There is nothing worse than discussing a subject today and then cover the same exact topic in a couple of months. Unless you are taking live calls or answering questions, that is. But to schedule an entire episode, let’s say, “How to order tail lights for a classic car,” today. And then forget that you talked about that and come back six months from now and provide the same information, shows you are not being professional in your podcast topics.  Don’t get me wrong, sometimes it is needful to go over the same topics again. Sometimes the details do change and you want to bring everyone up to date. That’s ok. But to do a repeat simply because you forgot is not very professional. To help you with this, and to help me with this, I use what I call a 10 x 10 matrix. This is simply a spread sheet. Across the top, in the first ten columns, list the major topic discussions you would like to teach on. For our example with the classic car restorations, it might be topics like, “finding classic cars for sale; how to bid on classic cars; how to transport classic cars that not operational; how to disassemble a classic car; how to find parts for a classic car; how to restore parts of a car you cannot find parts for; how to overhaul an engine; how to prepare a car for painting; how to paint a car; how to add clear coat; etc. etc.” You can have 15 or 20 columns across the top. Or six or seven. I use 10 just as a guide. Now you have the major topics, under each topic, put ONE item in the block that you could teach on in that section. List them down the column. If you have 10 across for major topics and you have 10 down under each topic, that is 100 possible episodes you could have!  That is the equivalent of an entire year of podcasting if you did two episodes per week and still took two-week vacation!  You could have your entire year planned out in just a matter of a few hours! After you teach on a topic, cross it off or highlight it so you know you have already covered that topic. You can even list the episode number you taught on. That way, if you need to reference it in a future episode, you have the information right there in front of you! I have a short video where I demonstrate how to use this 10x10 matrix. You can watch the video at this link HERE. I hope this helps you in planning out what you will teach on. It has worked for literally hundreds of people that have used this system. It is the easiest and the most efficient way I know of to control what you are teaching on.  I hope this has...

Today, I want address the question, “Is it cost efficient?” One of the reasons podcasting has become so popular is because it costs little to almost nothing to get started. Compared to traditional radio, podcasting is literally pennies for every dollar that would have spent in traditional radio. Let me explain it like this… If you went down to your local radio station and asked them to put you on the radio, they would do a couple of things (believe me, because I’ve had to jump through those hoops before). First, they want to know what subject matter you are going to be talking about. They want to make sure it is a good fit for their demographics.  For example, if you wanted to talk about all things concerning the country and western music industry, but you were approaching a hip-hop station or a heavy metal station, they would probably turn you down. Next, they will want to know the budget you trying to operate within. This will guide them in determining IF they even have a broadcast package that will fit within your budget. Next, they will offer you a few available time slots. You may want to broadcast from 730-8am and talk directly to the morning rush hour traffic. When people are stuck in their cars. But if they have a morning radio show already scheduled during that time slot, you are not going to get it. And even IF they would consider putting you there, that would also be considered “prime time” and you would pay a heft fee for being able to broadcast in that spot. You may only be offered a 3-330am time slot for the budget you have in mind. One that will not have much of a listenership but they want to have programming in anyways. They may be opting into a nationwide syndicated program during that time slot. So instead of paying money out, they would rather give it to you so they can have money coming in. Now, let me just talk about a friend of mine in the Baltimore market.  And this is just one example. He is on the drive time slot I told you about. The morning drive between 730-8am. He has a ONE MINUTE commentary where he talks about current events and Christianity. He is on 5 days per week, Monday through Friday, for ONE MINUTE each day. He is charged $80 per minute!  Even if they gave a HUGE discount and charged him only $800 for a 30 minute program, that would $4000 per week or $16,000 per month.  Is your budget anywhere near $16,000 for prime time in your market? Probably not – mine either! That is where podcasting comes in! For less than $50 per month, in most cases, you can have a daily program of any length! Of course, there are cheaper plans – as well as more expensive plans – that you can go with. That is only an example. But $50 per month is a lot better than $16,000 per month!  Don’t you agree? The point I’m trying to make is this:  Podcasting is referred to the “common man’s radio program.” You can get started for little or nothing or almost nothing. You can increase your budget to whatever level you feel comfortable doing. There are some people that budget thousands of dollars per month to podcasting. There are many who have successful podcasts who spend next to nothing. So you, you can get started on whatever budget you have – right now! If you find these videos helpful, please give us a rating and a comment below. It helps others to find this information as well. Thank you in advance for helping us to get the word out! Over the course of these videos and articles, I want to answer any questions you may have concerning podcasting. You can leave your questions in the comments section below. But a better way of communicating with me and making sure I am able to see your questions rapidly is by using the contact form on my website. Go to