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There’s a lot of hoopla about iTunes podcast rankings: “We are the number 10 business podcast in iTunes!” It sounds impressive. And for those of us who have never shown up on the iTunes “Top 10” chart in our category (me included), it can make us feel a bit insecure. Are we really accomplishing much with our podcast after all? This episode is an expose of what I’ve discovered about the iTunes podcast rankings: They say NEXT TO NOTHING about the impact your show is having, the number of true listeners you have, OR about what you should be focusing on as a podcaster. In fact, I think the iTunes podcast rankings everyone points to as a measure of success is the WRONG thing to be focused on entirely. It’s a ladder leaning against the wrong wall. Listen to find out why I believe that. >

Wanna hear my predictions about where the podcasting industry is headed? You can - on this episode of Podcastification. (((((((((((((PLAYER))))))))))))))))))) You know every year Edison Research comes out with what's called The Infinite Dial - isn't that a cool name? The infinite dial looks at survey data that they have gathered from thousands of people. The good folks at Edison are trying to gauge how people are using online media - social media, online radio stations, and podcasting is included. They are trying to understand people's usage habits, interests, adoption of technology and so on. You can also see from the Edison results how various aspects of the media industry are growing. As I read these stats from year to year I see some trends that some people notice and some people don't. I feel like I have some thoughts about this I'd like to share with you because I can see happening in the podcasting industry in particular that I think are action points for podcasters like you and me. They're things that show us a little peek through the keyhole of what's coming - so that we can prepare ourselves in get our podcasts positioned in a way that we will be better off in the future. So let's dig in! **********************LIBSYN SUBSCRIBE CODE - AFTER 1ST SECTION*********   ><><><><><>< Subscribe to Podcastification On Android | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Play |

As a podcaster, you no doubt have thought about the benefits of podcasts. You wouldn’t be podcasting if you didn’t know at least SOME of them. This episode I’m highlighting 10 of the benefits I see in podcasting and the reasons people these days are listening and learning from podcasts so much. >

Jim Kukral is quick to say that his new service, Book2Pod is not a service that creates audio books. So I’ll say it for him. ;) Because that’s EXACTLY what it is… except for a few differences… It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of traditional audio books It’s distributed via an automatic feed - RSS - like a…. PODCAST! Jim and his behind-the-scenes business partner have a pretty cool system in place that anyone who has a book, whitepaper, story, series of blog posts, etc. - can make it into a podcast. It’s really interesting - and the possibilities are very intriguing. Take some time to hear what Jim has to say. You can even hear the robots doing their thing! >

Alexa podcast is a thing. Really, it is. We podcasters need to start thinking about where the industry is headed. Now that podcasts can be listened to on Smart speakers like Alexa, there are a handful of things that I can think of that we need to consider in order to make our efforts more widely usable, which will include those kinds of devices. On this episode of Podcastification I have a few things for you to think about when it comes to Alexa podcasts and the distribution of your show through those platforms.   Okay so we're talking about smart speakers on this episode. Do you even know what I mean when I talk about smart speakers? Smart speakers are like Alexa or the Amazon Tap is like a mini version of the Alexa. The Tap is really just a fancy bluetooth speaker. We happen to have one of those that we were actually given through a drawing at a podcasting event that I was at a little while back. But that's all beside the point. We're talking about Amazon Alexa and Google Home and all of the smart speakers they're starting to come out with. They are all connected to the internet and they are able to play audio for you through voice commands. My wife uses our Amazon Tap quite often to play Spotify - the speaker has really good sound so it's a great little application of a smart speaker. But you can also speak to it because the Tap functions in many ways like an Alexa because you can connect through an Alexa app, which then connects to the internet, which you are able then to ask questions just like you would Alexa herself. So, we say things like “Alexa, tell me a story,” and it starts telling us a story. How is this is relevant for us is podcasters? It’s very relevant. We are on the cutting edge of a digital change of behavior for most people in the Western world and we don’t even realize it. The voice command features of these devices are going to make it easier and more common for people to listen to podcasts. So as the title of the episode says, Alexa podcasting is a thing. Will Alexa podcasts work for your particular podcast name? Maybe not. I did some experimentation with my little smart speaker - the Amazon Tap. I tried to get it to play a my particular podcasts - I have quite a few of them. I would say something like this… “Alexa, play Podcastification.” And it actually started playing a podcast but it wasn't a my podcast, it was something

Whenever we think about audio production software we typically think about programs that allows to record and edit. Those would be things like Adobe Audition, Hindenburg, and Audacity. But there are other programs out there that enable the new or inexperienced podcaster to get the same quality audio that many who play around with those software programs I mentioned get, without nearly the same amount of headache. One of the audio production software packages that falls into that category is Auphonic.

I figure, if I want to learn podcasting tips that can help my show stand apart in the crowded podcastosphere, I might as well go to the people who have made a living from doing audio well. And I also go a little help from a new friend - a guy named Cal Newport. Well, Cal's not actually my friend, but he's like a long-distance mentor via his books and interviews. Cal's book "So Good They Can't Ignore You" inspired me to work at becoming the very best I can be in a chosen field. The field I've chosen: Podcasting. So.... reading a book by the folks at NPR about audio reporting and recording was right up the alley of my learning curve. This episode is about the podcasting tips I learned from the good folks at NPR. >

Contact us at www.Podcastification.com/contact 3 Ways to NOT Kill Your Podcast Growth Curve [Ep 91] Warning - warning - warning. There's a rant ahead! I have seen this same mistake on podcaster’s websites over and over and over now, so I plead with you… listen to this episode, learn from this episode, and NEVER do this stinkin stupid thing again. >

There are all kinds of crazy names people give to their podcasts in the Apple Podcasts directory, but I don't believe most of them are good podcast names. This episode of the show is all about how to properly name your podcast. When I say properly, I don't mean there is some kind of etiquette around podcast naming, what I mean is there are best practices that make your podcast name work for you instead of against you. Intrigued? You've got to hear what happened in this case study that I didn't intend to be a case study. >

Questions about the proper use of podcast intro music and outro music are some of the most common things people ask me about. Can I use this popular song? What if I only use 20 seconds of it? Doesn't that fall under fair use Doctrine? What if I get somebody to compose music for me, can that work? These are only a few examples of the legal side of what it takes to do a podcast in a way that reflects your personal integrity and keeps you out of trouble. I decided it was time for me to invite someone on the show who could give us clear answers on these kinds of issues. Gordon Firemark is an entertainment lawyer who specializes in helping theater professionals, producers, big media companies, and podcasters do the right thing when it comes to copyright law, legal working agreements, and lots of other things that are important for anyone publishing content. This was a great conversation and I personally learned some things I didn't know, which you’ll hear me admit on the episode. Gordon is very generous guy who has provided some great free resources which you can find in the show notes links for this episode. I only used 20 seconds of a song. Isn’t that OK to use for my podcast intro? If you are depending on the Fair Use Doctrine often mentioned as support for using a small section of a copyrighted music on podcasts, you could be on very shaky ground. In this conversation Gordon addresses the Fair Use issue head-on as it relates to podcast intros and outros. His insight into what Fair Use really means and when it is applicable is very helpful, because it's very complicated. WHAT IS FAIR USE? There are actually four criteria that are used to determine if use of a copyrighted work falls under the Fair Use Doctrine and is therefore oka: How much of the copyrighted work is act

Pinterest itself has been a mystery to me for a very long long time, so to talk about having a Pinterest strategy for my podcast is like asking me to be a girl. I don’t know anything about it. :) Pinterest is fun to look at - I’ve gone there on occasion to get great ideas for DIY projects or workshop and garage renovation tips, but I kind of view it is this food, clothes and fitness kind of a network. But the more I spend time on the platform, the more I’ve thought it has got to be usable for podasting on the promotional side of things. So I thought I'd reach out to a gal named Kathryn Moorhouse - she's a self-proclaimed marketing lover and an obsessive planner. She sounds like my kind of person. Her entire business is dedicated to helping people grow and maximize their Pinterest following. So… I think we podcasters have got lot to learn from Kathryn today.   >

Podcast marketing - getting your show noticed by the audience you’re trying to reach - is a tough thing to figure out. You don’t want to be the smarmy guy or gal who’s in every channel screaming, “Listen to my show! Listen to my Show! Listen to my Show!” - but you also don’t want to be guilty of a Field of Dreams approach that believes if you build it, listeners will come. It simply doesn’t work that way. But - when you take podcasting seriously a lot of amazing things can happen. My guest today is proof of that - Kyle Bondo is a guy I met Kyle at DC podfest a couple of years ago when I was there to speak and we just hit it off. Kyle has focused on making excellent content and being helpful to the people he meets and its enabled him to market his podcast through the relationships and trust he’s built. Kyle’s got a cool story that should be encouraging to anyone who wants a broader reach for their show. Hit the play button, would ya? >

Mobile Recording can be hard to figure out, especially if you don’t have a money tree growing in your backyard. I’ve given a lot of thought to this from a “lean budget” perspective and have tried a LOT of things over the years I’ve been podcasting. What I demo in this episode is the best MOBILE RECORDING solution I’ve discovered yet. It only requires one piece of software that is app based (phone or smart device) and one additional piece of hardware that is portable and costs less than $100. Interested? Play the stinkin’ episode! Subscribe to Podcastification On Android | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Play | Podbean | iHeart Radio | Spreaker | Email Here’s What You'll Learn In This Mobile Recording Demo [0:51] Why I wanted to discover a remote or mobile recording solution for my podcast [2:20] How you can use the Auphonic service to set up for mobile recording [4:49] DISCLAIMERS: Audio quality at the source is still an audio quality limitation [5:55] How you can leave me a question that I can answer on this show! [6:47] The episode within the episode - DEMO of what my mobile recording solution produced (recorded in my freezing cold back yard) [9:02] The mic I used: The Rode VideoMIC ME [9:39] Ahead

If I were to insist to you that you are your best PR manager, you would probably think I'm crazy. Why? Because you don't know anything about PR. But my guest today, Josh Elledge says that anyone can be their own best PR manager if they are willing to put in the effort that it takes to do PR the right way and expand their brand through the exposure that comes from promotions to, and through traditional media. This episode is a gold mine for those who know how to work and are willing to do it for the sake of their podcast and brand. I think you're going to love me for giving you this conversation. But I forgot - you love me already, don't you?   >

There are quite a number of easy wins you can get to make your podcast better. Is there any reason you wouldn't want to do them? Subscribe to Podcastification On Android | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Play | Podbean | iHeart Radio | Spreaker | Email I have the privilege of spending a lot of time checking out the resources podcasters are producing, from their podcast episodes to their websites and promotional material. Do you know what I find? Lots of obvious mistakes that I guess aren't so obvious to the podcaster in question. In this episode I share with you 8 of the things I've noticed that many podcasters are messing up when it comes to their websites, the way they present their brand, and the way they interact with their following. I'm certain you will find something in here that you can tweak to get an easy win for your show. Main Points : Easy Wins (by avoiding 8 common mistakes) [1:22] How I come across the obvious mistakes podcasters are making [3:14] Things about your website you need to understand

As a person involved in doing podcast production, it is fairly often that someone asks me if my company offers a service to help them discover and book podcast guests. Our company doesn't, but I know someone who does. ;) My guest today is one of my podcasting clients, Andrew Alleman, and for a while now he has been offering a monthly newsletter that highlights opportunities to both be a guest on podcasts and find guests for your podcast. But now he has upped the game. This episode explains the new directory Andrew has created and how you can use it to find the perfect guest for your podcast and how you can be found as a podcast guest for someone else's show. Don't miss out on this one. It's simple, but many of the greatest ideas in the world are simple. Subscribe to Podcastification On Android | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Play | Podbean | iHeart Radio | Spreaker | Email Oh no! My podcast guest just canceled! What do I do? Have you ever run into a situation where a person who was booked to be a guest on your podcast has to cancel at the last minute? What do you do when you were counting on that conversation to fill the next slot in your podcasting schedule? Now you have a very real possibility of finding a replacement guest for that episode of your

Are you experiencing the struggle to make time for your podcast? You are definitely not alone. Perhaps the most common question I receive for appliance and others who find out that I am a podcast producer and Coach is how they can find time to actually do the work required to put out a great podcast. There are no easy answers. I hope you're not listening to this episode expecting that. But there are approaches you can take to the issue that can help you do better than you're doing now, perhaps. This episode is aimed at the podcaster who is working a full-time job while trying to build and grow a podcast audience. It's my best tips for how to go about making the time for this thing you love called your podcast. Subscribe to Podcastification On Android | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Play | Podbean | iHeart Radio | Spreaker | Email Main Points : Making The Time for Podcasting [1:19] The reality of the time-crunch every podcaster faces and why YOU have to figure the issue out for you [2:28] BACKGROUND: I started podcasting while I worked a full time job [3:44] The elephant in the room: something is going to have to go - you have to decide [7:09] The two options I’ve discovered: early morning and late evening [9:12] Make it happen by starting small [11:20] Applying these principles t

How to record interviews over a distance is one of the most frustrating things for many podcasters - and the tech is not quite there yet. But it’s getting better. :) 2017 brings a handful of pretty decent options for recording a conversation, many of them with tech that takes out the “distance” part of a distance recording so you get better quality audio every time. I wanted to make it obvious how good the options are as well as answer some of the questions I get on a regular basis about the best way to record an interview. So my client onboarding guy, Aaron and I took a morning to do some recordings of OUR conversations using all the options that I think are legitimate for 2017. So - How to record interviews: 2017 Demo of the Best Options is what you’ll hear on this episode of Podcastification. Subscribe to Podcastification On Android | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Play | Podbean | iHeart Radio | Spreaker | Email Here’s a rough outline of this “How to Record Interviews” episode: [1:44] My top 5 recommendations: Zoom - Ringr - Zencastr - Skype - Cleanfeed and our demos of each of these options, demo’d for you. [3:00] Tips for making a good distance recording, no matter which option you choose Zoom Demo [3:46] My experience usi

Have you ever tried to share audio files on social media? Man, what a PAIN it can be! Depending on where your audio file link comes from, what format the file is in, which social media platform you’re dealing with, you can get all kinds of bizzare results. The problem Is compounded even more when you realize that social media simply doesn't lend itself to long-form content. Most podcasts are longer types of content so they are hard to share on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other places in a way that can be played, right there, on the spot. My hope is that this episode will change all of that for you. I'm talking with Baird Hall, one of the creators of Wavve, a great new app that enables you to create motion videos with sound clips from your podcast episodes. Please take the time to listen by clicking the player below, and make sure you scroll down to watch my demo video of setting up my own promo through the Wavve app. Subscribe to Podcastification On Android | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Play | Podbean | iHeart Radio | Spreaker | Email   Here’s a rough outline about this episode: sharing audio files on social

I thought it was about time I did something REALLY helpful and did the research required to tell you exactly - step by step - how to submit your show to every conceivable place you can to increase your podcast’s reach. I’m talking about Podcast Directories, people! But the problem is this: every conceivable place is not always the BEST place (in my humble opinion). Why would I EVEN SAY such a thing? Two reasons: #1 - There are many options that require you to use their hosting/advertising/app/whatever-thingie-ma-bobber-they’re-hawking. So unless you are specifically looking for those kinds of opportunities, they’re not much use to you. #2 - Some of the directories out there don’t appear to be professionally done, which in my mind means it’s likely not truly advantageous for your show to be in them. So… THIS episode is a walk through of the many podcast directory-ish places you can list your show that I deemed were worth the time of doing so. And I should probably ALSO say… The list and instructions I’m about to share DO NOT contain sites that pull directly from Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes). Why? - Because if you submit to Apple Podcasts, you’ll automatically be included in those directories or apps. Which includes MOST IOS or Android podcast apps. Be it known… I have done EXACTLY what I’m telling you to do with all 3 of my podcasts. And will be referring BACK to this episode myself to submit all future podcasts I publish. And before we get too far into this… you can find EVERY directory I mention and the links and processes needed to submit to them, on the show notes page for this episode - www.PodcastFastTrack.com/79 - which is ALSO included in the description of your podcast app or player, in its entirety (as much as I have control over). And ANOTHER THING… These are in ALPHABETICAL ORDER for your sorting convenience... That’s enough of that kind of stuff - let’s get to the directories! LISTED ALPHABETICALLY Acast: Acast is a new app that claims to help podcasters with “discovery” issues (which is debated hotly in podcasting circles), but regardless, it’s a pretty