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For independent podcasters, juggling multiple roles and responsibilities can be a daunting task. You not only have to host engaging episodes but also take on the roles of a researcher, producer, and marketer. However, with the help of advanced language models like ChatGPT, you now have the opportunity to access a powerful tool that can help you perform like a fully staffed podcast team. Let’s explore how ChatGPT can empower solo podcasters, providing research assistance, production support, and marketing insights to elevate the quality and reach of your podcast episodes.STEP 1: RESEARCH ASSISTANCE Researching topics and gathering relevant information is a time-consuming aspect of podcast production. ChatGPT can serve as your virtual research assistant, helping you gather data, explore different angles, and uncover valuable insights. Engage in a conversation with ChatGPT to discuss your research needs, ask open-ended questions, and seek guidance on credible sources and data points. The model can assist in streamlining your research process, allowing you to focus more on content creation. Sample prompts: “Can you help me find recent statistics on [topic] to include in my upcoming episode?” “What are some reputable sources or studies that discuss [specific aspect] related to [topic]?” “I’m exploring [subtopic] for an episode. Can you provide me with a brief overview and key points to consider?” “What are some unique angles or lesser-known facts about [topic] that I can incorporate into my podcast episode?” “I need some expert quotes or opinions on [topic]. Can you suggest any renowned individuals or sources I can look into?” Remember, these prompts can be tailored based on your specific podcast’s theme and the information you are seeking. Be sure to always fact-check the results. Engaging in a conversation with ChatGPT using these prompts will help you access valuable research assistance to enhance your podcast episodes.STEP 2: PRODUCTION SUPPORT Producing a podcast involves various tasks, such as editing audio, adding music or sound effects, and structuring episodes effectively. ChatGPT can lend a hand in these production aspects, offering suggestions and tips to enhance the overall quality of your episodes. Seek the model’s advice on audio editing techniques, episode structure, and engaging storytelling methods. It can provide insights on pacing, transitions, and creating captivating intros and outros that keep your listeners hooked. Sample prompts: “What are some effective techniques for editing podcast audio to enhance its quality and clarity?” “Can you suggest royalty-free music or sound effects that would fit well with the tone of my podcast?” “I’m structuring my episode around a specific theme. How can I create a compelling narrative flow that keeps listeners engaged?” “What are some creative ways to incorporate storytelling elements into my podcast episodes?” “Can you provide tips on creating attention-grabbing intros and outros for my podcast episodes?” Engaging ChatGPT with these prompts will help you receive valuable suggestions and ideas to improve the production quality and overall listening experience of your podcast episodes.STEP 3: MARKETING INSIGHTS Effective marketing is crucial for expanding your podcast’s reach and attracting a larger audience. ChatGPT can help you develop a marketing strategy tailored to your podcast’s niche and target audience. Engage in a conversation with the model to explore different marketing channels, content promotion ideas, and audience engagement tactics. It can provide insights on social media strategies, guest collaborations, and leveraging email newsletters or other platforms to amplify your podcast’s visibility. Sample...

Don’t just be a podcaster. Dream bigger and be a creator. The act of producing original audio content requires coming up with episode ideas, writing scripts, recording, and editing, and promoting to build an audience. Similar to other types of creators, such as writers, artists, and filmmakers, you use your creativity to create something out of nothing that entertains, educates, or informs your audience. As you improve your craft, you’re likely to develop a unique voice and perspective, and specialize in a particular topic or genre. You’re also developing technical skills that include editing, audio engineering, and rendering. In my experience, one challenge that all podcasters face is the constant hamster wheel of production. There is little time to promote your last episode because you’re probably already working on the next one. In a world where consistency promises growth and success, it can be challenging to find moments of stillness and quiet. But research shows that making space for ourselves, scheduling quiet time, and taking regular walks can increase creativity, productivity, and overall well-being. Let’s explore the importance of each of these practices and how they can help boost creativity.MAKING SPACE Making space is about creating physical and mental space for ourselves. It’s about decluttering our physical surroundings, getting rid of anything that no longer serves us, and creating a calm, clutter-free environment. It’s also about creating mental space by taking breaks from technology, work, and social media. Breaks allow our minds to rest and recharge. Making space is essential for creativity because it allows us to clear our minds, focus, and come up with fresh ideas. When our environment is cluttered, our minds become cluttered too. We’re more likely to feel overwhelmed, stressed, and distracted. But when we create a calm and peaceful environment, our minds can relax. We can access our creativity more easily.SCHEDULING QUIET TIME Scheduling quiet time is about intentionally setting aside time for ourselves to be alone with our thoughts. In today’s hustle culture, it can be very uncomfortable to sit alone without a smartphone or device. We must disconnect from the noise and distractions of the world and allow ourselves to reflect, meditate, or simply be still. Quiet time is essential for creativity because it allows us to tap into our inner world and access our intuition. When we’re constantly bombarded with external stimuli, it can be challenging to hear our own thoughts and ideas. But when we intentionally create quiet time for ourselves, we can tune out the noise and connect with our own inner wisdom.TAKING REGULAR WALKS Taking regular walks is about getting outside, moving our bodies, and connecting with nature. It’s about taking a break from our screens and our busy lives. Allow yourself to be present in the moment. Regular walks are essential for creativity because they allow us to clear our minds and access new ideas. When we’re stuck in the same environment, doing the same things every day, our minds can become stagnant. But when we get outside, breathe fresh air, and move our bodies, we stimulate our brains and create space for new ideas to emerge. It’s counterintuitive to say, “I need to go take a walk to make my podcast better.” But don’t mock it until you’ve tried it. Making space, scheduling quiet time, and taking regular walks are essential practices for boosting creativity, productivity, and overall well-being. By intentionally creating calm and peaceful environments, disconnecting from external stimuli, and getting outside, we can access our inner wisdom and tap into our creativity more easily. So, the next time your podcast feels stuck or uninspired, try incorporating one of these practices into your daily routine. Ignite your creativity for a great podcast episode.

Consistency is often touted as the most important factor for successful podcasting. While having a regular schedule is important, there are other factors that are equally or even more important. Let’s be real. Things happen. If your podcast is not your full-time job, sometimes your next podcast episode might have to be delayed. That’s okay. In this blog post, we’ll discuss five things that are more important than consistency when it comes to podcasting. Quality Content The most critical aspect of any podcast is the content. Your podcast must offer something of value to your audience. This means having informative, engaging, and entertaining content that your listeners will want to come back to again and again. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that most of us do not take enough risks with our podcasts. Once we’re in a groove, it’s easy to get comfortable. Try to push the envelope with every new episode but remember… the quality of your content will have a significant impact on the success of your podcast. Ensure that every episode is well-produced, well-researched, and well-executed. Never compromise on quality. Authenticity Authenticity is crucial when it comes to podcasting. You cannot afford to take the connection and trust that you build with your listeners for granted. Your audience can tell when you’re not being genuine, so it’s important to be yourself and share your unique perspective. This means being honest about your opinions, experiences, and knowledge. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. Your audience can tell. Great Host If you are the face of your podcast, it’s essential to be engaging, interesting, and relatable. As a host, you should be passionate about your topic and able to connect with listeners. You should also be knowledgeable and able to guide the conversation. An engaging host can make a huge difference in the success of a podcast. Listen Listening to and engaging with your audience is another crucial factor that can make or break a podcast. By listening to your audience, you will better understand their needs and preferences. This can help you tailor your content to meet their expectations and create a more engaging listening experience. Encourage feedback and respond to comments and questions from your listeners. This shows that you value their input and are committed to building a relationship with them. Marketing and Promotion Even the best podcast cannot succeed without effective marketing and promotion. This means utilizing social media, email lists, and other forms of marketing to reach new listeners. It also means collaborating with other podcasters or influencers to expand your reach. Don’t be afraid to promote your podcast aggressively, as this is the only way to grow your audience. In conclusion, while consistency is essential, it’s not the only factor that determines the success of your podcast. Quality content, authenticity, an engaging host, consistent quality, and effective marketing and promotion are equally important. By focusing on these factors, you can create a podcast that stands out and attracts a loyal following of listeners.NOW IS YOUR TIME! I really enjoyed this LinkedIn post from Rob Greenlee, Founder and CEO of Spoken Life Media. It seems the pendulum is swinging back in favor of the independent podcaster who can be a lean and mean showrunner. It reads... Podcasting is heading back to its roots now with the down economic environment - independent content creators and lower cost niche targeted content production is now the opportunity to grow a new show as big media content creation that has overspent on content is being reset. Power shift to the independent creator again as big media companies...

Podcasting has become an incredibly popular medium for people to share their ideas, stories, and insights with the world. I absolutely love it. Hitting publish on a great episode you created feels really good. The trouble is that the competition to stand out in the podcasting world has become increasingly fierce. You're up against hundreds of thousands of actively published podcasts. Some are supported by podcast networks with marketing budgets. If you're looking to increase downloads and create a successful podcast, it's important to find ways to differentiate yourself from the pack. One way to do that is to zag when others zig. In other words, try doing things differently than what everyone else is doing. One of the most common ways that podcasts are produced is by recording pre-recorded episodes. While this has been the tried and true method for podcasters from the start, it's also an opportunity to do things differently. For example, you could experiment with live streaming your podcast, either through social media or a dedicated platform like Twitch. This would allow your listeners to interact with you in real-time and give you an opportunity to create a more engaging experience. Another way to stand out is to record your podcast in person. While it's common for podcasts to be recorded remotely, there's something special about the energy and chemistry that comes from recording in person. This can be especially effective if you have co-hosts or guests on your show. You could even consider recording your podcast in front of a live audience, which would give you the opportunity to interact with your fans in a more personal way. I actually did this at Hubspot's Inbound conference in 2019 when I interviewed Facebook marketing expert Mari Smith. It's the only time that I recorded with a live audience. It was scary and fantastic. I highly recommend it. In addition to these production techniques, there are other ways to zag when others zig. For example, you could focus on a niche topic that isn't being covered by other podcasts. Alternatively, you could take a contrarian approach to a popular topic, offering a unique perspective that challenges conventional wisdom. Ultimately, the key to standing out with your podcast is to be authentic and true to yourself. Don't try to mimic other successful podcasts just because they're popular. Avoid common listener pet peeves and overused podcast phrases. Instead, focus on creating a show that reflects your own interests, passions, and expertise. Lean into you, the creator, because you make your podcast unique. You are your podcast's secret sauce. If you're passionate about what you're doing, your listeners will be able to tell, and they'll be more likely to stick around. If you want to grow your podcast audience, it's important to find ways to stand out from the crowd. I'm suggesting one way to do that is to zag when others zig. By experimenting with different production techniques, focusing on niche topics, and staying true to yourself, you can create a podcast that is truly unique and engaging. With persistence, dedication, and a little bit of creativity, you will build a loyal audience and establish yourself as a podcasting powerhouse. How is your podcast unique so it stands out?

After ruminating on my podcasting pet peeves (I’ll share them at the end), I searched Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook to find out what bothers podcast listeners the most. There were commonalities and upvotes that we can use to improve our podcasts. It turns out that listeners do not just want to be entertained, educated, or inspired, but they want podcast creators to respect them and their time. Here’s what I found.TOP 10 PODCAST LISTENERS’ PET PEEVES: Uneven audio levels (especially louder ads) Too much rambling banter at the start Poor audio quality An interviewer who interrupts their guest Mouth noises (lip smacks and clicks) Host’s lack of preparation Going off topic for too long Inside jokes Too many ads Mentioning books, articles, etc., but not including in the show notes While I’ve heard creators say that content quality trumps audio quality, listeners’ most frequent complaints focus on uneven volume and poor audio quality. Uneven audio within a podcast episode that requires the listener to constantly adjust the volume is a big turnoff. Also, having your podcast episode too soft or too loud compared to other podcast episodes is also a problem. While commercials on television often boost the volume to make up for you heading to the kitchen for a snack, podcast listeners do not appreciate loud ads played in their earbuds. Quality is most important but do not pass on a relatively easy fix to keep your listeners happy. Solution: Manually fix audio levels in your DAW. There are also very useful plug-ins and tools that can help. Here are my favorites. Waves Vocal Rider Plugin or Waves MaxxVolume Plug-in: These are very similar and help to adjust levels on individual audio tracks or on an overall mix. Auphonic is a fantastic tool for leveling and normalization that uses AI-based audio algorithms. Izotope RX 10 Mouth De-click is a great tool for automating the removal of weird mouth noises. Listeners want a podcast episode to deliver on its promise. That means getting to the meat of the content quickly, without too much rambling or going off-topic for a long time. If you host an interview show, this requires preparation so that you ask questions that listeners want to hear answers to, not interrupting or talking over your guest, and not spending too much time on inside jokes. Solution: Follow the British Army adage: Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. Follow the 7 Ps and the payoff will be a stronger podcast.MY (MAYBE CONTROVERSIAL) PODCASTING PET PEEVES Big microphone – Not sure if I’m in the minority here but the proliferation of big microphones onscreen bothers me. I’m all for great audio and understand that being close to the microphone / proper technique helps a lot; but for some reason, I do not like it when the microphone dominates the visual. Perhaps I’m just realizing that I’m a podcasting pacifist and protesting against the microphone arms race. P.S. I like the Shure SM7b but do not have one. Maybe it’s mic envy Opening with, “Tell us about yourself.” – This one is controversial if you do it. My rationale for not opening with this is that I have yet to find a journalist or TV talk show host that opens with this question. In my opinion, it is a weak way to start an...

Marc Maron has struck a three-year deal with Acast to host, monetize, and distribute the comedian’s hit podcast, WTF With Marc Maron. Comedian Marc Maron launched “WTF” in 2009. 1,335 episodes have been published, with new ones coming out twice a week. The show gets about 55 million listens per year. Wow, that is a platform. And platforms are worth money. For example, former late-night host Conan O’Brien recently sold his podcast company to SiriusXM for a reported $150 million. In May 2020, Spotify announced a licensing deal with Joe Rogan to host The Joe Rogan Experience, exclusively on the streaming platform, for what insiders say was a three-and-half-year deal worth at least $200 million. Spotify’s exclusive deal meant that Joe Rogan fans could only listen to or watch JRE from the Spotify app. Shows were removed from YouTube and all other platforms. Generally, being on fewer platforms means sacrificing listeners who do not want to migrate to an exclusive app. For $200 million, Joe deemed it worthwhile!  I’m curious, what would your number be? Going a different route, WTF With Marc Maron will be hosted, monetized, and distributed via Acast. Notably, WTF will continue to be available on all major podcast platforms. “Entering into a partnership with the podcast giant Marc Maron is a big win for Acast and for the open podcasting landscape, as this deal guarantees that the podcast can continue to be listened to by everyone, everywhere, and on their preferred listening platform,” Ross Adams, the CEO of Acast, said. Deal Highlights: WTF will offer bonus content, merchandise, and live event offerings via Acast+, the podcast company’s subscription service.  The WTF back catalog, currently available without ads on SiriusXM’s Stitcher Premium, will be moved over to the open feed.  A “small portion” will be paywalled on Acast+. Advertisers will be able to place dynamic ads or use Acast’s in-house team for premium spots that will appear on Maron’s show. WTF also hopes the Acast partnership will help grow the show’s international listenership. EXPERIMENT LIKE A SCIENTIST Big podcasts with lots of downloads can sell lucrative ad spots, but they too are experimenting. Open podcasting vs exclusivity. Paywalled bonus content. Dynamic ad spots and Premium spots. These ideas can inspire the niche, independent podcaster too. Figure out which advertisers (sponsors and affiliates) would most benefit by reaching your audience. Make a pitch deck and earmark times to consistently sell your podcast to advertisers. Be willing to experiment by offering different packages and campaigns to see what works.BUILD A PLATFORM Don’t shortchange your podcast by just thinking of it as a podcast. Build a platform. Celebrity podcasters are taking advantage of the opportunities arising from the decentralization of content. But you do not have to be a celebrity. Today is the Golden Age of the creator and one reason is that you have countless distribution channels at your fingertips.  You can ideate and execute episodes more nimbly than ever as a solo creator or small team.  Seize the opportunity to build a loyal audience.  How can you do that? Follow the data Know your target listener and look at your analytics to see what episodes performed well. Are there topics that you should revisit or go deeper into? Be authentic Your audience knows and trusts you. Lean into your brand and...

“And all this science I don’t understand It’s just my job five days a week A rocket man” ― Elton John // Bernie Taupin During your podcasting journey, you’re bound to feel a bit lost. Things have been a little crazy for me recently. After many close calls, COVID got my family last month. I’ve caught 6 mice in my house in the last 10 days. My dad just returned home after a stint in the hospital. (Being a self-appointed patient advocate is exhausting.) The stock market is correcting. I foolishly tried running across my retaining wall yesterday in the pouring rain, slipped, and fell 4 feet onto the wet grass below. I tried to gracefully execute a ninja roll, but I looked more like the victim of a ninja who had kicked me off the wall. My pipeline of podcast interviews went down to zero. None of this appeared in my social media highlight reel, by the way.  May is Mental Health Awareness Month so be sure to take time for yourself, if you need it. For me, guitar is my medicine. If you’re in New Jersey this Saturday, come hear my friends and me play at The Heritage of Asian Pacific Islanders (HAPI) Fest NJ. The hula dancers will be fab. If you fall, literally or figuratively, pick yourself up and hope the neighbors didn’t see you. Lucky for me, karate men bruise on the inside. And mud washes out of jeans easily. Last week, I only had time to publish a 5-minute solo episode.  Do what you can. If you cannot. that’s okay too. Your podcast is valuable. If you want to monetize, it is critical that you create engaging content and drive audience growth. Many experts will tell you that it should be in that order. Podcast advertising is growing like a rocket defying gravity.  The sixth annual IAB U.S. Podcast Advertising Revenue study by PricewaterhouseCoopers is out and the data is impressive. For the first time ever, the podcast advertising market surpassed $1B in 2021. Revenues increased 72% YoY to $1.4B and are forecasted to exceed $2B in 2022 and almost triple by 2024 to over $4B. Podcast advertising grew 2X faster in 2021 (+72%) than the total internet ad market (+35%). Podcast advertisers are not only seeing the benefits of brand-building and driving business outcomes, but they are getting more sophisticated. In 2019, dynamically placed ads made up less than half of the podcast ad market. That has changed. Last year, 84% of ads were dynamically inserted into podcasts.  Advertisers are using technology to manage campaigns that target listeners based on location, age, and gender. Further, there are better methods for advertisers to track the effectiveness of their ads. The rapid growth makes sense. If advertisers can better...

“Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in.” ― Isaac Asimov The word for this post is “open.” Be open to unexpected guests. Be open to new ideas. Be open to being uncomfortable. Publishing a podcast regularly can be a slog sometimes. Being open to new things can keep things fresh — in a good way. I’ve talked previously about striving to get 100 nos in a year. This can push you to invite more guests and to reach higher. Since May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I decided to try something I’ve never done — attempt to book 4-5 AAPI guests.  I proudly report the following: No: Margaret Cho, Ali Wong, Ronny Chieng, Nims Purja Maybe: Michael Paul Chan Yes: Etta Lau Farrell, Steven He  If you don’t know Etta (I didn’t), she is the wife of Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell, a long-time dancer for the band, and backup singer. She just released her debut single.  It’s unexpected so I’m going with it! I’m excited to interview Steven He. Emotional damage! About 20 of my invites remain unanswered so I still have work to do. Wish me luck. Meanwhile, I put together a list of 31 Asian American Podcasts for AAPI Heritage Month. Please add a few to your playlist. Monetization is always a hot topic for independent podcasters. It’s doable but can be hard. If you’re monetizing your show, how are you doing it? Hit reply, I’d love to hear from you. IMHO, here are three ways: Sponsorships – I’m not talking about MailChimp, Squarespace, or Blue Apron. Leave those to the big download shows. If you’re small and your niche, you can proactively approach businesses that sell a product or service that fits your audience’s needs. Price a quarterly or 6-month campaign according to the value of your niche listenership, not by your number of downloads. Ask enough prospects, and you can land sponsors. Affiliate marketing – This one is working for me. Again, the key is to find products or services that your listeners could use. Mention a link or code for listeners to support your podcast, and the affiliate partner will pay you a percentage of sales. Pro tip: higher ticket items can be better. My top seller is an $80 side hustle how-to manual that pays out 40%. That’s much better than Amazon book links that pay a few cents. Sell your own product – Because you are building trust with your listeners, you have a great opportunity to sell them things like your course or one-on-one coaching. This is a popular one because it works. It tends to be a higher-ticket item so the potential revenue can be meaningful. Should you ask guests to pay to be on your show? This one can be controversial.  John Lee Dumas of Entrepreneurs on Fire charges some guests a $3,500 appearance fee. You can place a PayPal link on your booking page requiring a guest to pay. I do not know about you; but if I were a potential guest, a surprise “marketing fee” would turn me off.  I’ve heard of podcasters charging PR companies $100-200 to book their clients. On the higher end, I know of a podcaster who successfully offers a VIP red rope package to PR firms. For $500, PR firms get their client’s episode moved up in the production schedule, social media...

“Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.“ ― Theodore Levitt Pivot is a popular word in the start-up world. A pivot means fundamentally changing the direction of a business when you realize the current products or services aren’t meeting the needs of the market. It’s a fact that most entrepreneurial firms fail. For an entrepreneur, the idea that you can pivot and survive is critically important.  Since most podcasts podfade, we’d better pivot too. This week, I read Carrie Caulfield Arick’s piece entitled, “F*ck Consistency. I’ll take quality over it any day of the week. Fight me.” It was good to get a different perspective on the 3C’s of podcasting: content, consistency, and community. Carrie says the podcast industry is too rigid in putting consistency first. It got me thinking. Publishing for the sake of consistency may make us less likely to listen to our audience and less willing to pivot.  How often have you made significant changes to your show? Probably not often enough. I’ve been publishing weekly for 4.5 years without taking a break. Seasonal breaks would provide time to listen, reflect, and refresh. I admit that my weekly production schedule does not give me much time to think or act strategically. Consistency is meeting expectations in the present. We are told that listeners come to expect a new episode on a regular schedule. They thrive on consistency and predictability so it’s essential that you deliver it if you want to grow your audience. But has your growth stalled? Have your downloads plateaued? Here is the problem. If you are only consistent and not innovating, you will get the same results. Another thing we tend to do as podcasters is emulate bigger podcasts. What if like some big corporations, big podcasters are too content with where they are and at risk of losing touch with their rapidly changing environment. Think Blockbuster, Radio Shack, Toys R Us – retail leaders that collapsed in the last decade. Indie podcasters have a tendency to follow established behaviors that may have at one time brought success. What if they now result in failure? Our time is too short to be another me-too, water-downed podcast. We must be nimble podcasters who are willing to push boundaries and disrupt ourselves. Innovation is meeting expectations in the future. For an example of a podcast pivot, I present my friends Steve and Veronica. After publishing 108 episodes of Pod Sound School, they’ve done the unthinkable and said goodbye to their beloved podcast. As full-time content creators and business owners, they explain that they’ve grown out of their podcast. They realized that their thing is not only podcasting – it’s just one skill set among many. Case in point, their YouTube channel currently has 55.6K subscribers. They’re fabulous video creators. They will soon rebrand their podcast as “Content Jefe Podcast by the Pod Sound School.” This innovation is worth emulating! Analyze your audience and your strengths. Decide where you want to go together. Pivot! Mentioned in this episode: Join and Subscribe Visit www.podcastgym.com/newsletter to joing our community...

Today, I deleted 3,300 emails from my inbox. 5,748 unread messages stand between me and inbox zero. Oh dear. I’ll come back to my disastrous inbox later, but first… You want to grow your podcast, right? Many podcast gurus say the best way to grow your podcast’s downloads is to guest on other podcasts. Why? Because you’re getting in front of listeners who already listen to podcasts. Here’s where 2.4 million active podcasts in Apple Podcasts are a really good thing. Even if only 21% have published within the last 90 days, that leaves hundreds of thousands of podcast hosts eagerly looking for guests. The challenge is they’re not looking for just any guest. You’re going to have to pitch yourself to tell them why you’re a great guest. One of the quickest places to start is a guest-host matching platform like Podmatch. Register for free and create a guest one-sheet. The Podmatch algorithm will immediately start recommending podcasts for you based on your guest profile. You can send your pitch and when a host accepts, it can be scheduled within the platform. It’s that easy. For a more targeted effort, I recommend using Listennotes or Podchaser to search for podcasts based on your podcast’s topic. While you might be able to land a guest spot on The Tim Ferriss Show, your time would be better spent starting smaller. Listennotes has a cool Listen Score (LS) that estimates the popularity of a podcast and a Global Rank that ranks the LS relative to the total podcast universe. While you’re at it, it might be fun to look up your own podcast. Remember that the score and rank are just an estimation, but they can serve as a handy guide. I suggest pitching top 10% shows, then 5%, then 1%, until you’re ready for Tim Ferriss. Your pitch will be unique to you so I’m not going to tell you precisely how to pitch yourself.  Back to my inbox. I receive a ton of guest pitches — including lots of samples of which ones worked and those that didn’t. In my experience, know the podcast you are going to pitch. After listening to several episodes, you’re ready. Make your pitch concise and to the point.  While every pitch will vary, here are the non-negotiables. Explain who you are Tell a great story about what makes you an interesting guest who is qualified to speak on the topic that you’ll bring Extra points for why you think it will be interesting to the podcast’s audience If you’ve been a guest on other podcasts, name drop WHAT NOT TO DO [Visit podcastgym.com to see the email] Yes, a few weeks have passed, but my name is still not James! Further, the pitch is so vague that I have no idea what her “unique insights” might be. Too much effort to find out more. Next! [Visit podcastgym.com to see the email] Uh oh. Tough start.  I get these form letters a lot. This one got my name correct but forgot to fill in for Guest X. I was always quick to eliminate resumes with glaring errors. I do the same with incoming pitches. Next!THIS ONE WORKED [Visit podcastgym.com to see the email] Jim’s email is short and sweet.  He opened with who he is. He piqued my interest because he got COVID and his business lost $400,000 in annual recurring revenue. Double ouch! His story was not only topical, catching COVID during the...

“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.” Henry David Thoreau I was told early on, “Don’t look at your downloads.” Guess what? I looked at my downloads. If I had zero downloads, I would still enjoy hosting my podcast. To which a friend responded, “Then why do you bother editing?” Touché. Good friends keep you honest, even if they’re a pain in the ass. Ashley Carman wrote a very interesting article in Verge entitled, “How SiriusXM Bought and Bungled a Beloved Podcast Network: SiriusXM leapt into podcasts with a $325 million deal — insiders say it’s off to a messy start.” Here’s Ashley’s tweet: https://twitter.com/ashleyrcarman/status/1506284893474537479 What do you think? Is it getting harder to garner support and care? Do your downloads define your success? With the number of podcasts still growing, including those hosted by celebrities, it feels harder to get noticed. But are we really competing against them? I will never compete with Matthew freakin’ McConaughey. While it can happen, most independent podcasters are a long way off from signing with a major podcast network. Until you get there, be creative as hell. Niche down if you have to. Lean into you. With the ups and downs of podcasting, it’s okay to cry on a friend’s shoulder, as needed. Or on the collective shoulder of podcasters that you don’t know. Buck's tweet: https://twitter.com/2ndFiddles/status/1506372607704195081 I enjoyed reading all the replies to Buck’s tweet. Podcasters are pretty awesome. Advice from Apple: What’s the best way to make your way on and up the charts? Make an incredible show that is unmissable for listeners! Try your best to not focus on downloads. Redirect your attention to your craft. Big opportunities abound for podcasters, including new ones, to grow a loyal audience. Even small podcasts can be monetized. I’ve been at this for over 4 years and have only just begun to focus on growth and monetization. Hopefully, this old dog can learn new tricks. I plan to share tests and outcomes here. I’d love to hear what you are doing. Have a growth hack to share? Are you making money from your podcast? Leave a comment, please. P.S. Make a sad happy by downloading Second Fiddles wherever you get podcasts. Mentioned in this episode: Join and Subscribe Visit www.podcastgym.com/newsletter to joing our community and subscribe to the Podcast Stronger newsletter.

Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of the creative effort. – Franklin D. Roosevelt I read an article in the New York Times, “Surrounded by Big Tech, Small Podcast Shops Swim With Sharks.” The subheading reads, “Independent companies like Prologue Projects, Campside Media and Rococo Punch try different strategies in a market roiled by Silicon Valley and Hollywood.” The first subject is Leon Neyfakh’s podcast production company, Prologue Projects, and how it needed to seek new funding for its fifth season of “Fiasco” after not getting renewed by Luminary. The good news is that big tech companies like Amazon, Spotify, Apple and SiriusXM have spent billions in recent years acquiring or developing podcasts. Here’s the bad news. “Even if one isn’t swallowed by a bigger fish, the competition for advertisers — critical sources of revenue for many independent podcasters — has intensified as the platforms leverage advanced technology and user bases in the tens or hundreds of millions. Additionally, the sheer volume of new podcasts (Spotify alone now has nearly four million, up from 500,000 in 2019) has made it increasingly challenging to attract and keep audiences.” Spoiler alert: After considering free, ad-supported, or paywalled models, Neyfakh pivoted “Fiasco” to Audible where the new season will premiere on March 24 as an Audible exclusive. Wanting to learn more, I read Leon’s tweets. [Visit www.podcastgym.com to read the tweets.] Wow, $250,000 for a podcast! As independent podcasters, many of us are used to producing content on a shoestring budget. What’s your budget? Is it in the hundreds of dollars? Maybe, thousands? Sadly, most of us cannot pay ourselves. Soraya, an NPR editor, weighed in and upped the ante. Soraya makes good points.  If we are to normalize million-dollar shows, indie podcasters need to step up too. We will need to get serious about monetizing so we can pay ourselves. If we build a great team, we need to pay them too. Further, we can no longer focus solely on content creation. We must begin to treat our podcast as a business. That means reaching out to sponsors, considering crowdfunding on platforms like Patreon, and partnering with other independent podcasters. Of course, it will vary depending on your show and audience. Think about what it may look like for your podcast. It is time to go bigger.  Bigger episodes Bigger collaborations Bigger budgets Make your podcast worthy of $1M. What’s your budget for your podcast? What do you think about going bigger? Post a comment. Mentioned in this episode: Join and Subscribe Visit www.podcastgym.com/newsletter to joing our community and subscribe to the Podcast Stronger newsletter.

Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. – Charles R. Swindoll Are you generally more fearful or fearless? We all have our good days and bad days.  It’s got to be partly innate, a trait present from birth. Some people were born fearless. Others have to work hard to build their courage. When it comes to rejection, fearing it is more universal. Really, who loves rejection!?  Get rejected consecutive times and even the most fearless warrior can feel the slump and have to shake off the funk. Why face rejection at all? Often, it’s easier not to try.DISCOMFORT We know it’s easier to limit yourself to doing what’s comfortable. Staying in your lane feels good. Think back to a real breakthrough or high achievement in your life. I’ll bet it required truly pushing yourself beyond what you thought was possible. Growth most often takes place outside of your comfort zone. Welcoming discomfort is easier said than done.  We need to develop a habit to get there.TRAIN Last week, I spoke at the Interview Mastery Summit where my session was, “Getting to Yes: Book Bigger Guests, Get Booked On Bigger Shows.” In it, I touched on the mindset for booking bigger guests and getting booked on bigger shows. Here’s a challenge for you. Commit to getting rejected 100 times this year. That’s 25 “no’s” per quarter.  It’s harder to do than you think. When you pitch, a nonresponse does not count. You must get a “no” reply. Celebrating rejection will shift your mindset. Each time will still be disappointing, but you’ll quickly celebrate and move on. Ultimately, this gamification will encourage you to pitch more often and reach higher. Don’t just take my word for it.  For background, this idea was inspired by Jia Jiang who sought out rejection for 100 days. He’s an expert! If you haven’t watched his TEDTalk, it’s 15 minutes well spent. Out of his video blog came the book, “Rejection Proof: How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible Through 100 Days of Rejection.” Here are three highlights from Jia.IN THE PROCESS OF MY REJECTION JOURNEY, HERE IS WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT REJECTION: Rejection is a muscle. If you don’t constantly work outside your comfort zone, you’ll lose it and you’ll become weak and timid. Rejection is a numbers game. Fight through enough no’s and you will eventually find a yes. Avoiding rejection is worse than receiving it. Most people believe avoiding rejection is a good thing, by avoiding something bad we’ve dodged a bullet and we are somehow net positive, but that’s not true. When we shy away from rejection we reject ourselves and our ideas before the world ever has a chance to reject them. This is the worst form of rejection and as a result, we are ignored by the world. Let this be your new goal. Put yourself out there. Where three rejections may add up to a slump, one hundred rejections will desensitize you to the fear. Build that muscle! Whether you apply this practice to your podcast, job, or other parts of your life, the magic lies in that you can never forecast where the “yeses” will come from. So ask often and ask big! Want to join me...

Do you podcast for the money or the fame?  That emoji is me laughing and crying at the same time. It’s said that most podcasters do not make money. The truth is that most of us have negative cash flow after accounting for the cost of gear, time, and not taking a salary. We podcast for the love of it… the networking… building a personal brand. I get it. It’s not all about the moolah. As you publish each episode, though, wouldn’t it be nice to have more listeners… get more feedback… help more people?! Growing a podcast can be hard. It helps to have a team. I’m linking here to a social enterprise that helps you find remote workers while creating jobs for talented people in countries like Venezuela, Argentina, and Kenya. I’ve had really good experiences with it. If we want to grow a podcast, it helps to treat it like a business. Building a team costs money. Marketing a show requires funds. Money, money, money! Making a podcast can be fun, but growing one can be too.CPM Here’s the good news. According to the Internet Advertising Bureau, the podcasting industry experienced a 19% increase in advertising revenue in 2020. Podcast ad revenues are expected to exceed $1 billion this year and $2 billion by 2023. One notable highlight: At 76%, mid-roll spot placements continued to account for three-fourths (76%) of revenues. CPM stands for “cost per mille” and refers to the ad cost per 1,000 listens. Here’s the bad news for the average podcast that gets 164 downloads after 30 days.PODCAST PRE-ROLL AD CPM The average 15-25 second pre-roll ad spot will have a $15 CPM. It’ll cost approximately $1,500 to purchase a pre-roll ad on a podcast that generates 100,000 listens. Calculating a $15 CPM for 164 downloads is $2.46.  PODCAST MID-ROLL AD CPM The average 30-60 second mid-roll ad spot will have a $30 CPM. It’ll cost approximately $3,000 to purchase a mid-roll ad on a podcast that generates 100,000 listens. Calculating a $30 CPM for 164 downloads is $4.92.  PODCAST POST-ROLL AD CPM The average 15-25 second post-roll (also known as an “end-roll”) ad spot will have a $10 CPM. It’ll cost approximately $1,000 to purchase a post-roll ad on a podcast that generates 100,000 listens. Calculating a $10 CPM for 164 downloads is $1.64.  Selling ads for less than $5 isn’t worth anyone’s time… advertiser or podcaster. AFFILIATES You’ve got to start somewhere. The advice that I’ve heard most often is to start with affiliate marketing. Cost Per Action (CPA) Marketing is a marketing model in which a commission is paid when a user takes a specified action. It is also referred to as Cost Per Acquisition Marketing. It is not dependent upon how many downloads your episodes get. Joe Saul-Sehy of The Stacking Benjamins Podcast once told me that he started by joining an affiliate network like cj.com and doing ad reads so that listeners got used to hearing those spots. It also gave him confidence when approaching potential...

“Practice like you’ve never won. Perform like you’ve never lost.” I was recently invited to be a special guest of the Masters of Hawaiian Music in New York City. In the photo above, I’m in the center, seated between 5-time Grammy award winner George Kahumoku, Jr. and master ‘ukulele instrumentalist Herb Ohta, Jr. We each played a solo set and then jammed together to close the show. (Play the embedded podcast player at 0:24 to hear a music clip.) Getting on stage is a lot like podcasting. It can force you out of your comfort zone. Playing alongside full-time professional musicians had my imposter syndrome running high too. After the show, a friend asked me, “How much did you practice.” My answer, “By myself? Quite a bit. Together? Not at all.” He responded with a socially distanced high-five. One of the greatest acoustic guitarists of all time, Tommy Emmanuel once told me to never practice in front of friends or family. “They’ll get sick of hearing you play the same song over and over again. Please spare them and preserve their enjoyment of music.” True pros know the value of woodshedding. The term comes from the idea of going out to the “woodshed” in the back yard (or some similar, solitary place), and working at something, over and over again, until it’s perfected. Practice with intense repetition by yourself. Then make it look like a breeze in front of people. That’s a great trick!ISOLATION To perform with these legendary Hawaiian musicians was a dream come true. The universe has a wicked sense of humor though. Cold-like symptoms for one musician led to a positive COVID test. Organizing live events during a pandemic is not for the faint of heart. The tour ended prematurely with a bunch of postponed shows. The CDC says that I do not need to quarantine — just wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure. My family prefers that I not eat with them, prepare food, or wash dishes. I definitely don’t miss the dishwashing. As I write this, I’m isolating myself in the basement for the week. via GIPHYPRACTICE It’s not all bad. In fact, my man cave has everything that I need. I’ve got my work from home set up, a TV, workout equipment, a camping mat to sleep on, and en suite bathroom. An air purifier and space heater keep me company. You don’t need a potential COVID exposure to practice. We podcasters can woodshed too.AUDIO ENGINEERING Make time to get better at your DAW My digital audio workstation for editing audio is Reaper. I read a post at Podcast Editors Club and learned that I can edit video in Reaper too. This blew my mind. Optimizing audio and rendering video in the same program simplifies my workflow and saves me a lot of time. I also learned that I can render an mp3 audio file and mp4 video file at the same time. Thank you Steph Fuccio for the tips. Try new plugins Izotope RX Elements is one of my favorites. I use Voice De-noise (reduces background noise) and De-click in almost every episode that I edit. When it’s on sale,...

“When it is time to sow, sow and when it is time to harvest, you will harvest. Obey this rule.”  ― Israelmore Ayivor, Become a Better You Few know the grind better than an indie podcaster. Am I right? We wear many hats…  Booker, host, audio engineer, editor, promoter, copywriter, and VA. I’m sure there are more, but those quickly come to mind. Alexandra Cohl of POD.DRALAND expressed the indie podcaster experience perfectly in this tweet. See the tweet at http://podcastgym.com/the-many-hats-of-indie-podcastersBREATHE It’s time to see the forest from the trees. Even cowboys need to rest. Take a pause from the grind and take inventory of what you’ve created in the past 12 months. What have you accomplished? How did your podcast evolve? Any wins worth celebrating? Even though my Inspired Money podcast is 4 years old, innovation continues. I tweaked the show format, added new theme music, and improved episode art.  In the podcaster’s war of attrition, simply continuing to publish makes you triumphant. I’m willing to bet that you had victories too. What did you do?SEEDS I feel like my downloads have held steady but have less of an upward slope than the early days. Of course, there’s a global pandemic to account for. The work at home did not help my downloads. It’s difficult to compare stats because every show and its audience are different. What do your downloads tell you? Here’s my thinking. All the changes and improvements of 2021 have been sowing the seeds for a bountiful harvest in 2022. That said, the work does not stop there. When the seeds begin to sprout, more work is about to begin! Bring it on.HACKS In the past, I mentioned ideas for promoting your podcast that included sending out press releases, swapping promos with other podcasters, and doing outreach to podcast publications/newsletters. Here are some additional experiments that I’m doing. Automated messages  I have an automated message that drips out to my LinkedIn contacts that asks for podcast feedback. On a platform that frowns on a hard sell, asking for podcast feedback is a way to say “Hi, did you know I have a podcast?” It’s already sparking engagement and conversation.   Twitter Spaces I was recently a speaker on a friend’s Twitter Spaces. (It’s Twitter’s competitor to Clubhouse. Kudos to those of you killing it on Clubhouse. I am not!) The appearance gained me new followers and my friend pitched my podcast. Hope it gets me a few new listeners. It’s worth further exploration. YouTube I’ve been sowing seeds here in a big way by producing video for my podcast. Video is daunting. Editing is very time-consuming, files are big, and I have to wear a proper shirt! It’s been slow growth, but I’m optimistic for positive momentum in the new year. What growth hacks do you have to share? How can we grow our podcasts significantly in the next 12 months? Sow the seeds. Harvest the crop. And then repeat! P.S. Keep all your hats organized!

“The awards world can be ridiculous, but I’m not one to bash it. I love awards! When I’ve been nominated for Emmys and when I won my DGA Award, I couldn’t have been happier. I always liked getting a gold star in class.” ― Paul Feig I’ve never liked awards much. Perhaps it began in 1989 when the newly created Grammy Awards category for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental went to Jethro Tull instead of Metallica. I’m also parenting in the era of “Every Kid Gets a Trophy.” Where’s is the excellence? I’m pretty bah humbug and yet… Today, I am one of the organizers of the Golden Crane Podcast Awards. The Asian American Podcasters Association just hosted its second annual awards show, and I loved it. What bitter irony. Attendees were dressed to the nines for a virtual event. Can you believe that?! Win or lose, it was community building with an overarching feeling of collaboration and connection.LISTEN As an organizer, I’m not eligible for nomination but am among a panel of judges. I listened to over 40 podcast episodes and voted on a number of criteria that included content, production, interview skill, and audio quality. There is a big benefit to listening to a lot of shows with a judge’s ear and evaluation card. Listening to episodes gives you context. For example, identifying reference episodes of great sounding shows provided me with A/B comparisons for my podcast. I quickly realized that I’ve published episodes that don’t sound as good as they should. As a result, I remixed and republished an old episode.   I urge you to put yourself through the exercise of listening to podcasts with a critical ear. You neither need to start a podcast award show nor be a judge. Just listen.PLAYLISTS Listennotes is a great tool. You can search for and listen to podcasts directly in your browser. Even better, you can create a playlist of podcast episodes, copy the RSS feed for your playlist, and add it to your favorite podcast catcher.  I do this in Overcast and it works great. Any podcasts that I add to my Listennotes playlist with automatically be downloaded for listening on my smartphone. In addition to audio quality, you can listen to shows to improve your editing, show format, and interview questions. Why not get inspired by other great shows? Give it a try.  Keep upping your game, and you may end up with an award-winning podcast.

I don’t know much about SEO, it’s short for Search Engine Optimization. According to Moz, SEO is a set of practices designed to improve the appearance and positioning of web pages in organic search results. There are best practices; of course, but, many variables go into an algorithm.  What I do know is that when I pose a question to Google, the first page of search results is important. Most of the time, I click one of the top 5 search results. Google really is getting smarter. It’s not often that we navigate to page 2, 3… or 10? The first page is important. Here’s my simple assumption. The more visible you are in search, the more listeners will find your podcast.PODCHASER While there are tactics like encouraging well-ranked websites to link back to your website that can improve your page rank and domain authority, it can take a long time. Here’s a hack for getting found more easily. I noticed that Podchaser, a.k.a. the IMDb of podcasts, ranks well. For example, I interviewed Arrow star Katie Cassidy (also the daughter of David Cassidy. Yes, THAT David Cassidy, from The Partridge Family!)  Search Google for “Katie Cassidy podcast,” and my website does not immediately appear.  Ranked #4, though, is Katie Cassidy – Podcast Credits – Podchaser. With that result, I hope some of Katie’s fans will find my interview. While I previously did not see much value in completing my Podchaser profile and episode details, I’ve changed my mind. If you haven’t done it yet, claim your podcast at Podchaser and fill out as much information as you can. (While you’re there, listen to my interview with Bradley Davis, Podchaser’s Founder and CEO.) With Podchaser’s help, you and your podcast are likely to rank higher in search results.IMDB Once you’re cataloged at Podchaser, you might also consider going to the actual IMDb. IMDb began accepting submissions of audio-only podcasts in 2020. Listing your podcast and its episodes makes even more sense if you interview actors and others who already appear in this database. If they don’t, it’s fun telling your guests that they appear on IMDb.com alongside their favorite films. It can be a bonus perk of appearing on your podcast. To list my podcast at IMDb, my first step was to add any guests as “cast” if they were already in the database. Phase two was to add a year’s worth of episodes and podcast episode images. Eventually, I’ll do phase 3 — adding episodes going back to 2017. Check it out here: Inspired Money (Podcast Series) My rationale for taking the time to list at IMDb is to show up in more Google searches. Maybe someone will find my podcast while searching IMDb for their favorite actor. Or it just might help me land another celebrity guest if a publicist is searching for podcasts for their client who’s promoting a new movie, book, or album.YOUTUBE Finally, do not forget YouTube. Some say it’s the world’s second largest search engine. I do not know if that is true, but YouTube plays nicely with Google. Of course, it’s because it’s owned by Google. If you post static image audio episodes, it can help you in search. Even better, post video episodes and/or live stream. Dedicate time to build your channel, and YouTube will help your audience to find you. Try...

In biology, evolution is the change in the characteristics of a species over several generations. In business, products evolve over time to improve the customer experience. As a showrunner, you need to encourage the evolution of your podcast. At launch, it’s difficult to know if listeners will enjoy your podcast in the way that you envision it. Let’s assume that you followed podcasting for an audience of one where you created a podcast that you love and others have followed and listened over time. Or you followed an entrepreneurial approach by identifying a problem or gap in the podcast universe, polled people about what they wanted in a show, and you created that podcast. As you run a show over time, the challenge is to push yourself beyond the status quo. How do you innovate?LISTEN Listening back to your show with a critical ear is a powerful tool. Put yourself into your listeners’ shoes. Make time to review old episodes and take detailed notes about what you could have done differently to strengthen the episode’s message and impact. Could you have asked better questions? Could you have said more by saying less? Be critical and adapt with precision.MEANINGFUL METRICS As your back catalog grows so does your data. Don’t just look at downloads for the sake of looking at downloads. Review your metrics with purpose. See what episodes got the most downloads. Is there a common thread in the topic, style, or format? Did certain episodes receive more feedback or elicit a stronger response from listeners? Look at Apple Podcasts Connect or Spotify for Podcasters where you'll be able to see how long people listened to episodes. Which episodes kept them for the entire episode? Where did people drop off? Based on the above, make data-driven choices.ASK I find that it’s often difficult to get constructive audience feedback so be proactive. Ask friends and fellow podcasters to listen to a specific episode and ask them for feedback. What did they like or not like? What changes can they suggest that would improve the show? Search for clues in your podcast reviews. Read the comments if you publish to YouTube. I periodically conduct listener surveys where I give away several Amazon gift cards to entice people to participate. Ask listeners if they’re male or female, how they learned about your podcast, do they listen in the car? Gathering additional information about your listeners, why they listen, and what they like or don’t like is priceless.TAKE RISKS Change is not easy, especially when you don’t have a lot of data to go by. Implementing real improvements to your podcast requires you to take risks. I encourage you to do it regularly. Change the length of your introduction. Try a new theme song. Randomly try a different show format. Ask different questions. Invite unexpected guests. Experiment like you’re a mad scientist. Then look at the metrics with the care of a forensic accountant. See what moves the needle positively. Ask for more feedback. As you try different things, some will instantly feel right. Others will be stinkers and fail. Experimentation allows you to adopt the good and shed the bad. Rinse and repeat. Embrace this process and you cannot help but make your podcast better over time. What tips can you share about evolving your podcast?

An essential part of creating a successful podcast is to identify and serve your audience well. But what if you have no idea who your audience is? In marketing, they say you attract customers by creating a customer profile. Can we similarly attract listeners by analyzing their demographics, challenges, and psychographics? Probably. But are you podcasting to sell a product or to create a great show? Podcast for yourself and you’ll free yourself from worrying about what the listener thinks. Remember the insecure kid in school who tried too hard to impress people? We’ve all been that kid. Experience teaches us that being yourself is not only better, it’s more sustainable. Always be yourself. You are your show’s superpower, the one thing that cannot be copied by someone else. You’ll attract listeners who like you and repel those who don’t. Don’t strive to please everyone. You can’t have raving fans without one star reviews. (Lacking any one star reviews right now makes me question if I’m pushing hard enough with my podcast.) If we strip away everything, you should create the show that you want to hear. This is art for art’s sake. Art needs no justification. Create greatness and people will want to listen.