What’s stopping your business from starting a podcast? You’re probably thinking, “I don’t have an audience.” Not to worry. This is where you build listenership by appealing to a small but mighty core audience which will eventually give way to a larger one that naturally stays targeted. What’s more, it doesn’t take up much space or cost very much to start. If you have a desk then you have the space for the microphone, computer and podcasting software (Garageband already comes on a Mac!) that are required to get recording! The last thing you need is a good topic to discuss. Once you’ve checked these boxes, it’s time to put words into action and get recording. Here’s why your business needs a podcast:
8. People Dig Podcasts. Period.In its infancy, podcasts were...different. They weren’t radio or video, rather they straddled a limbo between the two that no one could relate to. But that was over a decade ago and now podcasting has become a mega tour de force for businesses, brands, advertisers and more who are looking to speak their truth. Podcasting is the go-to medium if you want to make a difference and get your voice heard.
People will never actually stop reading, however, with so much movement and commuting involved on a day to day basis, it’s far easier to listen. Driving, walking, working out, mowing the lawn, flying overseas – these are all ample opportunities to get into someone’s head literally through their ears!
Podcasts are conversational and you don’t have to go through hundreds of revisions to produce perfection. Little imperfections and improvisation give your podcast authenticity. Even if your business is big and corporate, you can still nail professionalism while throwing down a strategic joke. And if you do need to make a revision? You can re-record and edit. No big deal.
If someone decides they like a podcast, chances are they’ll stick with it. Here’s proof – “The Cultdom Collective” is a podcast hosted by TalkShoe that touches upon everything to do with Doctor Who, sci-fi, fantasy, cult TV, superheroes and all the movies, books, and comics that come with it. With discussions that include reviews, commentaries, interviews and more, it’s no wonder this fan fave has been running for 9 years with over 620 episodes. If you speak it, they will follow!
4. Personality Is MemorableGot a personal brand? Time to add a whole new layer. A logo, slogan and digital presence are critical when establishing yourself, but to be a cut above, it’s your physical voice that will give your brand personality. It’s the cherry on top, really. Personality shines through voice – think about your tone, vocabulary, accent, speaking style, guest choice... these all add to the allure and genuine appeal of your brand.
At this point, you’ve already got your hands in the ‘digital cookie jar’ with emails, sales funnels, social media marketing and more – but with a podcast, this is your chance to become the ultimate digital entrepreneur. It might be weird to be speaking in front of an audience that isn’t physically there, but practicing this skill enables you to be convincing when pitching a business idea; delivering engaging content on a webinar or articulating the right words when closing a big contract.
If you know your audience and customers are opening up your emails, reading your blog posts and registering for your webinars, then getting a podcast running is really just the next step. You can form deeper relationships by creating content, for example, through interviews (aligning yourself with successful people in your niche to build rapport) and case studies (which puts what you teach into play).
Startup Business People Working on Laptop
The beauty of a podcast is that while you might go in with a plan and a script, you will also have nuggets of insight that naturally come up, and can spin off into other content or trigger an additional idea, and so many more possibilities. A podcast can be a content goldmine:
Planning to go forward with a podcast takes practice, patience and a good set up. Let TalkShoe host your business’ podcast from the beginning. With a community-building podcast platform that has all the essential features like free storage, RSS feeds and easy web and phone connection, your business’ voice is just episodes away from being heard. Try it out here.
If you’ve got a podcast or you’re thinking about starting one, guaranteed you’ve heard whispers of the term RSS feed and you’ve seen the symbol on various web pages or Facebook posts (it looks like the wifi symbol fell over on its side and it’s now radiating the arcs on an angle rather than just up).
You probably even know that RSS stands for Rich Site Summary (also referred to as Really Simple Syndication) and you may even know that plenty of news sites, weblogs, Twitter feeds, podcasts and online publishers use an RSS feed to syndicate and get their content read or heard.
But there’s lots more to how an RSS feed works, what it is, why you need it and how to use it to make your podcast a thing of beauty and joy. Not a sound engineer? No problem. Here’s the 411 about RSS feeds written in plain English and drilled down for easy understanding and implementation.
Okay, so first things first – There is a lot of content on the Internet. In fact, that’s an understatement. On YouTube alone, more than 4 million hours of content is uploaded every day, with users watching 5.97 billion hours of YouTube videos each day. And that’s only one website.
So much content, yet so little time! Sorting, reading and consuming relevant content that matters to you can be terribly daunting considering the breadth and depth of the Internet. This is where RSS feeds come in. Rather than the user going to each individual site to check for updates, the updates and new aggregated content to the user which ultimately saves time and patience.
It’s like using Netflix where all the movies are there in one place for your perusal compared to walking into a Blockbuster to see if the new releases are there yet. An RSS feed makes content available for the masses so creators can distribute their blog, posts, articles and podcasts to the audiences who want them the most. It’s mandatory for podcast syndication and distribution and becomes the URL for your show.
Specifically for podcasts, it’s extra important that you create a podcast only RSS feed instead of one that has other content. Unlike a radio or TV show, a DVD or magazine (these describe the media and distribution) a podcast is downloadable episodic multimedia (audio, video, and PDF) that gets syndicated through RSS – no one can hear your podcast without the feed.
Having an RSS feed is kind of a big deal (totally, a big deal!) because it contains all of your podcast’s information including the title, image, description, mp3 file URL, and category. Basically, all the nuts and bolts for your podcast to be distributed outside of your hosting platform so you can broaden your audience reach without them needing to visit you on the regular.
For listeners, an RSS feed removes the heavy lifting of creating an email list and sending out push notifications. It couldn’t be easier. Listeners can stay up-to-date with all of their favorite podcasts right at their fingertips in one podcasting app. No searching for new content required, which makes it easy for podcasters to get new listeners without having to put in a lot of time creating email databases and funnels, or putting out newsletters.
Bonus: you can spark more engagement by using the RSS reader to link back to your website. What’s more – and this is the best part – all your content can live and breathe in one place (the hosting site) while the RSS feed disseminates your show for you – that’s what it’s there for!
Now for the hosting site. Self-hosting is always an option, but if you’re not down to code and aren’t in tune with exactly what’s happening in the industry, a hosting service might be better suited to your needs. Check out Spanish Mustang Radio, an audio journal hosted on TalkShoe’s hosting service (no special tech skills needed!) that discusses everything about and everything to do with Spanish Mustang Horses. Listeners get to hear guest speakers that are breeders, traders, owners, and preservationists who are passionate about the breed discuss stories and personal histories.
As with any show, specifications and technology shift so a hosting site that’s able to ebb and flow and is designed for end-users, is what will help you get noticed. Your feed is the groundwork for your show to be built upon. Choosing the right hosting service will ensure your podcast grows and your audience multiplies. While you’re responsible for the content, a good hosting service is responsible for packaging your content well.
Take a look at TalkShoe where it’s super easy to produce, stream, record and share via RSS feed. TalkShoe takes the guesswork out because your podcast comes with a built-in feed that connects to iTunes and other sharing sites. With a simple code provided upon sign up, your podcast gets to live across multiple channels and you don’t even need to be a technical genius. It’s really that straight forward.
Since its inception in 2008, Spotify has been sweeping the globe, connecting music lovers from all over the world. Boasting a collection of millions upon millions of songs, every genre is represented, from mainstream to obscure and every mash-up in between. Spotify was once a music streaming site but has since grown into the music giant it is to include all types of audio. Podcasters, rejoice! Spotify has over 159 million users worldwide, positioning them as the most notable digital audio content platform on the planet. As of June 2018, there are 83 million paying subscribers.
Now that Spotify has opened the floodgates, audio content broadcasters are presented with the sparkling opportunity to reach millions of new ears in over 60 markets. That is one big pie with lots of slices. Want one? Of course, you do. With such a huge audience, surely your own audience is out there, looking for you and eager to hear what you have to say!
Here’s the thing. There are a few hoops you have to jump through first, and rightfully so. These criteria are set in place to ensure quality, so once you’ve checked the boxes, you’re good to go and ready to get heard!
Step 1 – Get Your Basics DownIf you want to measure up to Spotify standards, make sure you’ve laid out the groundwork. Your podcast is a reflection of you and what you have to say. It’s your brand, so as long as it’s polished and pretty, you’re setting yourself up for success. Consider the following guidelines so your podcast passes with flying colors:
Sound:
It should be an MP3 format and audio with bitrates between 96 and 320 kbps. Also, keep it clean. No one likes an echo, feedback, muffled noises, and dead air. Try to steer clear of any audible imperfections.
Size:
Ideally, keep your episode under 200MB, which translates to approximately 83 minutes at 320 kbps or just over 200 minutes at 128kbps.
Podcast Image:
Artwork absolutely needs to be square at a 1:1 ration. Keep the resolution as high as possible (to avoid pixelation) and save as a JPEG or PNG.
Feed Values:
Special characters in your copy, especially ampersands (&), must be HTML encoded (&). Any HTML tags (<p> or <strong>) will be removed once submitted.
Episode Titles:
Make it short and sweet! Titles must be 20 characters or less (including spaces) so they are fully legible and live well across Spotify listings.
Podcast Feed Files:
Ensure your podcast feed has a title, image, and at least one (1) episode, otherwise your submission will not qualify. The more the merrier!
Just one more thing to keep in mind – increasing the number of listeners doesn't always translate into a surge of advertising numbers. Spotify re-hosts, meaning if your ads are already set, they won’t be played. This is still a work in progress, however.
Take a look at TalkShoe’s “Cutting Room Floor” for inspiration. Hosted by Casey Ryan, the show is a platform for independent filmmakers and other entertainers to promote their projects. It’s the perfect online space for people who are rising in their filmmaking careers to get a boost and strengthen the independent art community!
All items checked off? Feeling confident? Excited to set forth your podcast to all the millions of Spotify listeners? We’re almost there! Just a few more hurdles until you cross the finish line now that the technical stuff is out of the way.
It’s actually pretty painless. Don’t worry if you’re the techiest person. Spotify has a form right here that’s straightforward and easy to follow. Once you’ve submitted, this is where you have to leave it up to the universe! The approval process can have you sitting on the edge of your seat anywhere from a few hours to 5 days. Keep in mind that Spotify won’t contact you to let you know if your show has been picked up and listed. Check the site to see if it’s gone through…
Good news! Your show made it through! Now that you’ve got some traction, you’re going to want to see your hard work pay off. Spotify doesn’t provide direct access to stats and data, however, the numbers that affect you can be found on your host platform.
Get excited, and ready to keep the content coming because once you open the doors to Spotify, you can expect an increase in listenership. After all, Spotify counts for 10% of the total podcast listen everywhere. Let TalkShoe help get you to that next level with a free hosting service that makes starting and maintaining a podcast simple. Enjoy state-of-the-art tools like YouTube live streaming, and easy-to-use RSS feeds that ensure your podcast is high quality and gets noticed online. Start today.
When did podcasts become so popular? First of all, humans love stories, and the podcasting medium caters exactly to that. Segments can be long and saved for later to be listened to over and over and over again. Secondly, they incite your imagination. There is usually zero visual component, which means your mind gets to hum and whir and make it all up – just like a book. Thirdly, listeners trust their host. The potential for fake news is minimal. Good content builds a wider audience which builds listeners which builds brand integrity.
There are so many more reasons why podcasts have skyrocketed in popularity and why they’re a critical component to your brand but one thing is for sure – Podcasts are here to stay. They give us access to such a wide range of incredible information at our fingertips – or ahem, earlobes!
As with anyone’s words or product, however, knowing who your audience is, so you can market and cater to their needs and desires, is how to grow your podcast from a seed into a forest. Before we jump into some best practices, it’s important to point out that even though you might have a strong social following, it doesn’t always translate over into your podcast following. This is where it’s easy to become disgruntled. By implementing a few techniques when creating your marketing strategy, you’ll be able to get your story out to the world using this popular and evergrowing medium.
Use Strong KeywordsKeywords make the world go ‘round. Ok, maybe not, but they at least get your podcast to go around! Without ‘em, how are listeners searching for the exact content you offer, supposed to find you? Think about what words you would type into a Google search, then use them in your title and description. Just like TalkShoe’s, “X-Files Truth.” It may be simple, but it gets the point across. This show, hosted by Agent Shadow and his partner Agent Angela takes hardcore “X-Philes” (their fans) down memory lane through all 9 seasons of the beloved show, as they review, analyze and breakdown each episode. The show’s essence is encapsulated in the title.
You get a lot more with honey than with vinegar. Keep this in mind when you’re ready for your voice to be heard and your podcast is ready to be uploaded into the sea of other podcasts. It’s not reassuring to see all the competition out there, but this is the chance to look at things differently. Instead of feeling threatened, reach out and recommend other other podcasts on your show. Lift up another podcaster and in return, yours will most likely get a boost too. Join groups on Facebook, including @talkshoecommunity to ask and give advice and spread the love!
Write a Press ReleaseKeep an eye out for media outlets and digital publishers who are creating articles and listicles, like “Best Self-Improvement Podcasts” or “Best Podcasts To Keep You Entertained While Cleaning The House,” for example. This is a great opportunity to comment and send in a short and sweet press release you have on hand. Writing to the author is a great networking move that could get you on their list next time. Be sure to include a shoutout to them too. What goes around, comes around.
Finding the sweet spot between not giving it all away but giving just enough to leave them hanging is a fine art when it comes to writing a description for your podcast. Leaving a trail of breadcrumbs will position your podcast as being irresistible. Remember your keywords, relevant links, and a few provocative adjectives!
Show notes are a few steps past a description for your podcast. Think of it as a trailer for a movie that presents to the listener the point, and the goal and generally what to expect before they hand over their time and focus. Show notes go beyond a word-bite to break down context, present links, mention sponsors, and really set up each podcast as a thing of beauty and joy! Even to prospective listeners who haven’t actually listened to your show yet, show notes strengthen your podcast’s integrity.
As podcasts skyrocket higher and higher in popularity, so do listener’s expectations. Creating content and marketing that reflects their online behavior should be on every podcaster’s mind. Stay up to date with current trends by signing up for a free podcasting hosting service with TalkShoe.TalkShoe has everything you need to start your own podcast for free; record it live; stream it and share it with a captive audience and host it! Start today.
Launching a podcast is exciting! It takes weeks, months, years to build up the courage and content to launch a quality podcast into the universe. It’s challenging to get over that initial hump of, “Can I do it?”, “Will I connect with my audience?”, “Do I have enough to say?” These common thoughts are all perfectly normal at the beginning, and middle and end!
So you’ve managed to wrangle your ego into submission, and your shiny, beautiful, well-crafted, and teeming-with-engaging-content podcast is ready to go. In fact, you’ve got episode 1 through 10 up, eagerly waiting for the world to click and listen, and spread it like wildfire.
Except, it’s not. Your masterpiece isn’t getting the listener engagement you had hoped for (and know is capable of!!). What’s a creator to do next? First, don’t get discouraged. Second, we’ve got you covered. Read on for 3 tactics to help get participation around your podcast soaring. All you need is a little time, planning, and patience. Ready for a change?
There are a LOT of podcasts out there, over 250,000 in over 100 different languages, and it’s only going to get bigger and a lot more competitive to breakthrough. So how do you get your message out to the masses without feeling like your podcast will get buried under an avalanche of others? It doesn’t matter if you have 12 listeners or 12,000 listeners, what matters is the level of quality of your production, content, and presentation.
We know podcasts are not a visual medium. Aside from the cover artwork, there is very little visual media to support the content, which is why content reigns as king in this domain. Research best practices and trends when it comes to laying the groundwork for your podcast formula, with extra attention on your message to an intended audience. For example, it’s far more advisable to select a niche and speak to a smaller audience rather than full-on jumping in to try to secure a larger audience with a broad focus. Quality, not quantity!
The latter will be harder to maintain down the line – it’s just not sustainable. While we all know variety is the spice of life, with a podcast, sticking to your genre and expanding gradually from there is a sure bet and with fewer gaps to fill. Plus, this route positions you as being the authority on your topic. Owning it (whatever your “it” is), creates a “stickiness” factor (does your listener stick around, leave and come back?) which is exactly what you want when creating that foundation of loyal listeners.
Social media platforms breathe life, visual appeal and shareability around your podcast. This is the catalyst that sets forth your hard work into the world and gets it seen, engaged on and interacted with! But what good is your well-articulated post with a jazzy image if there’s no one there to see it? Roll up your sleeves and prepare to do just a little investigative work before you hit “Share.”
Start by figuring out when your listeners are active. This gives you the perfect segue into their lives. For example, if you’re targeting hockey fans, think about putting up a post the morning of a big game to generate excitement throughout the day, then again just before the puck drop. TalkShoe’s very own, Eklund’s HockeyBuzzCast is a call-in live podcast that discusses everything about the ice sport, and even brings in guests to chat. By understanding their audience’s routines (and knowing when they might be around their phones) they’ve been able to maximize engagement and secure some die-hard hockey fan listeners!
We’re in the thick of the digital age with a screen at our fingertips nearly every waking (and sometimes sleeping) hour of the day. While creating and delivering frequent quality content that’s targeted, there’s still another side to the coin. Recognizing that your podcast needs to be scaled and leveraged across social media not only gets you more impressions, it builds your brand awareness and integrity. See how your podcast can live on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and more. And can you cross promote with other brands? Are join ventures an option? What about blog posts, newsletters, influencer campaigns, and vlogs? Just be sure to not spread out too thin. If you can do it, do it well and choose based on what you think will resonate with your listeners.
It’s time to get your podcast heard, and with TalkShoe, you’ve got everything you need to start your journey – for free! With high-quality recording and streaming capabilities; plenty of storage and unlimited hosting, whether you’re new on the scene or a professional podcaster, this is for you.
There are no hard and fast rules for making your podcast shine and attract thousands of listeners. The golden era of early adopters launching a new podcast, getting it listed on iTunes, then getting a mass of listeners to tune in is more of a fantasy than reality as we enter 2019. But don’t feel discouraged. It just means you have to be more creative with marketing your podcast and unafraid to take matters into your own hands.
It’s crucial to know how your podcast will live and breathe out there in social media land and the only way to do that is to decipher what works and what doesn’t work. Yep, that’s right – trial and error. While it isn’t quite down to a science yet (there is a degree of virality and “stickiness” involved) reaching that tipping point can be made easier and more accessible if you keep the following do’s and don’ts on hand. Here’s a list of what you should keep on the top of your mind when using social media to enhance your podcast:
Don’t Simply Say You Have A New Episode, Elaborate
Everyone is time-starved and attention is the new currency, so be mindful of your listener’s mental bandwidth (which is probably getting bombarded with dozens of other “new” podcasts), and make it real easy. Drop the name of your special guest; mention the controversial topic you’re covering; communicate that you’re running a contest; whatever it is, this is one of the first questions you need to ask yourself, “Why should someone take the time and effort to stop what they’re doing and listen to me?”
Do Be Strategic About Post Times
Posting sporadically when you feel like it won’t be enough to garner a consistent audience. Throwing up a post regularly at the same time generates interest and even suspense! Furthermore, consult social analytics to see if it’s Facebook, Twitter and or Instagram that will work best for you.
Don’t Downplay How Much People Love Winning
The opportunity to win a prize via your podcast fires people up and gives you the chance to connect one-on-one with your community and the winner. The giveaway can be small and be given out every day, or really big and given out every other month. Decide what resources you have available and keep the buzz buzzing with updates, posts, and pictures of winners!
Do Use Lots Of Hashtags
Hashtags are the key to making your podcast discoverable while reaching new audiences across social media, so don’t be afraid to pepper them on! Choose hashtags that match your particular topic, complement the brand you mention or reflect the current event you’re discussing. This will help increase traction and get you noticed.
Don’t Leave Out Links
Want more listeners on your show? Give your audience a little more to talk about by providing them with a link to click so they can get to where you want them to go (your podcast!) with less work on their part. It’s like an invitation that brings them directly to your website or podcast.
Don’t Leave Out Visuals
When it comes to a podcast, the focus is on audio and getting the right sound, pitch, and audible qualities to make for a perfect recording. But with social media, users respond to visual stimulus, so having visually appealing, high quality, properly-edited and relevant imagery works wonders. Add life to your podcast by embodying its essence in your social media visual treatment!
Do Remember Evergreen Content Counts
Social media (ahem, the Internet…) moves at the speed of light. While you’re still in the process of getting up your latest podcast, make use of all the previous episodes you’ve recorded, and re-post them as “evergreen” content so users can enjoy it again or get introduced.
Need inspiration? Take a look at one of TalkShoe’s featured podcasters, “Hoax Busters: Conspiracy or just Theory?” With so many topics from veganism to Bill Gates to Star Wars and beyond, there’s such a wide variety of content, it would be a shame for fan favourites to not be reposted! If the content is still compelling, why not use it again down the line?
Don’t Be Afraid Of Experimenting
At the end of the day, marketing is like a science and your podcast needs to be experimented and played with. Take chances, try new things, just remember to keep track of what gets you results and what doesn’t. Bear in mind metrics, analytics, and trends! Figuring out what social media strategies put your podcast in the best light will get your message out there exactly where it needs to be!
Not sure how to get started? Let TalkShoe give you the tools you need to set your podcast up for success. While you might have to implement the social media marketing strategies, you can rest assured that your podcast will be fully supported by TalkShoe, the community-building podcast platform with free hosting, state-of-the-art tools, live streaming, and 2-way communication ability. Curious? Learn more here.
Audio is often left sitting out on the sidelines, warming the bench while other flashier media formats like TV or content videos get to be on the starting line up. Don’t be fooled. Audio should be included in your communications mix, more specifically podcasts, as an effective way to get your product heard and talked about. You have the ability to enter your audience’s home, commute, and personal daily routine (even while they’re brushing their teeth!) and speak directly to them.
Using a distinct narrative style, selected music clips, and or a signature jingle, you invite listeners to imagine the idea being communicated. It’s a totally different way to engage with content that bridges the gap and establishes brand trust by telling a story. Still not sure if this could work for you and your product? Here are a handful of podcast styles to help get you out there.
Putting together a relatable, branded series to amplify your brand is the ideal way to set forth your product. Let’s face it, it takes a few rounds before consumers really pick up on an advertisers’ message – an average of 25 to 35 times! – before engagement even becomes an option. A branded podcast allows one-on-one time with your listener, therefore, forging a connection with your audience quickly. Plus, you don’t have to pay for external advertising and your team gets to colour outside of the lines by coming up with a creative and personalized podcast style and personality!
SUPPLY AND DEMAND PODCASTSKnow what your customers like? You need to know, and if you don’t, then it’s worth finding out what they’re talking about, what problems they’re having, what solutions they’re looking for, etc. This is the perfect opportunity to pick a theme that reflects their interests and develop a podcast around what resonates with them.
Plus, there’s the potential to sell products you aren’t in competition with – affiliate products – which is a good segue into making strong collaborations with partners to help get your brand to stick in consumers minds.
Another way of putting forth your message is by getting in touch with a podcast host whose show can anchor your product. This is excellent exposure for your brand and positions you as the authority in your sector. Not to mention how convenient it is because you’re piggybacking off an established podcast.
Being prepared beforehand is important, however, because you don’t want to appear too sales-y while you engage in a discussion with the host. Make sure key selling points, like where to buy your product, your site’s URL, and highlighting a few features are important, but also keeping it conversational and not so much a hard sell will help to keep listeners listening!
Want to plug in a mention about your health and wellness business? Take TalkShoe’s very own “Beyond 50 Radio Show,” for example, hosted by Daniel Davis since 2004. Daniel’s show is specifically for Gen Xers and Baby Boomers where he interviews bestselling authors, celebrities and experts in their field to discuss matters that are important to them such as wellness and diet.
With physical products, you need to be able to rely on a sales platform like Amazon or Etsy. By leading your audience via the podcast through to your sales platform, you’ll be able to get customer reviews which in this day and age, as we all know, are priceless!
With a course, download or service, selling it directly from your site helps you avoid paying fees from a third party. You can direct listeners via your podcast to your landing page where they will get more info.
With a podcast, not only do you get to introduce and advertise your product, you can really dive deep into a larger discussion while activating the audience to engage by calling in to share all kinds of viewpoints, opinions, comments, and questions. A podcast has the potential power to hit a home run with your audience when given the chance to shine!
Are you ready to get your brand heard? Make the most out of your podcast with TalkShoe’s features and benefits that will get what you have to say to the people who need to hear it. Start recording today. Sign up now.
So now you’re ready to find a suitable podcast hosting service. After all the blood, sweat and tears that have gone into perfecting your podcast, you need the perfect host to make your hard work get noticed. But with so many viable options out there, how’s one supposed to choose what’s best? You’re probably asking yourself questions like, where should I host my podcast? What’s the best podcast hosting site? How much should I be paying?
Let’s face it. You’ve already racked your brain and creative juices to come up with a stellar podcast, the hosting part should be easy! Every podcaster has different wants and needs, but there are a few things no one can do without. Here’s exactly what you need to be on the lookout for when it comes to making your podcast resonate.
First things first. When it comes to searching for a good podcast hosting service, what’s important to keep in mind is that hosting podcasts isn’t the same as hosting a website. Usually, websites are comprised of many small files, the typical web page only taking up 1MB. On the other hand, podcast media files are quite the opposite. A 30-minute audio file recorded at only 96 Kbps can be 25 MB. And let’s not forget how much bandwidth media files take up when downloading. Storage will fill up faster than you think, so choosing a podcast hosting service that’s free and unlimited will save you thousands of dollars and give you peace of mind.
One of the bells and whistles of a good podcast hosting service is the auto-transcribe feature. Like any good show, a podcast will spark debate and conversation. People will want to listen to your show to hear what you have to say or gain insight into what’s being talked about. Being able to transcribe all your podcasts and use topic tags to quickly find a quote or mark a conversation from a previous episode saves everyone time and makes finding your favorite parts easy and accessible. Plus, you don’t have to go through the whole podcast.
Not all podcast hosting services have this feature, but having an extra set of hands (and eyes and ears!) can help make your podcast run more smoothly. If this is your first time putting yourself out there or if you thought you could do it alone, adding a co-host is a nice option to have. Via web or by phone, adding in a co-host or moderator with the click of a button, allows them to host the controls while you lead the show. They can keep an eye on the calls, manage chat messages, prevent echoes and audio feedback or mute/unmute callers so the show’s content can carry on smoothly and worry-free.
The primary purpose of a podcasting hosting service is to help your show gain an audience; to have an easily accessible platform where your podcast can live and breathe and be shared. Sharing your podcasts becomes even easier when the hosting service has a built-in RSS feed, allowing it to be spread across multiple channels. An RSS feed that ONLY contains podcast posts and no blog posts, or pictures or other media is what will help set you apart. And one more thing, a podcast hosting service that offers an easy to use RSS feed means no technical skills required on your end!
Creativity can strike at any moment! Choose a podcast hosting service that allows you to stay connected to the Internet from anywhere, at any time. Whether you’re connected through your phone or on a mobile device, the opportunity to give your global fans a dial-in number to call in and join your podcast ensures easy and spontaneous access for all your listeners around the world. No podcast hosting service is complete without great sounding and hassle-free audio. Listeners being able to dial in is only half of it. The other is a low-cost, stress-free experience after they call in.
This is where the TalkShoe podcast platform come in. It’s the hosting service that sets up its creators for success, laying the groundwork for a show that garners a mass audience – like TalkShoe’s “Talking Twilight Zone.” This roundtable discussion and review of all 156 episodes of the series that changed television forever hits home with its adoring fan base every other week.
If you haven’t signed up already, get ahead with TalkShoe, the podcast hosting service that has all the features and benefits to get your show up and running. Record an episode today, and see what everyone’s talking about!
I know what you’re probably wondering: who are you, and why should I give a damn about your favorite podcasts? Well, that is a question for the philosophers. The point is that I’ve been listening to podcasts for quite some time, and I’ve got some recommendations that I think you’ll like.
And if that’s not enough to convince you, too bad. You already clicked on the article. You might as well see what it says.
Not everyone is a fan of Joe Rogan’s off-the-cuff, conversational style and his fixation on fighting, comedy, and psychedelics. That’s fine; the real gems of this podcast are the guests. From Chris Hadfield to Lance Armstrong to (most recently) Elon Musk, The Joe Rogan Experience has had many interesting and controversial guests over the years, and whether you agree with them or not, they sure are interesting to listen to.
Whatever your topic of interest, you are sure to find a thought leader (or thought provoker) in that field by perusing through the hundreds of episodes that have been recorded so far. That’s Why The Joe Rogan Experience is one of my absolute favorite podcasts.
Also known as “the most difficult podcast in the world to describe to your friends”, Welcome To Nightvale is a scripted podcast that highlights the happenings of the sleepy little desert town of Nightvale, as told by the host of a seemingly-normal radio show. The podcast takes a comically absurd view on themes of the scary, strange, and supernatural by trying to show us what daily life might actually be like in a place where strange was the new normal. A sentient glowing cloud that wants to join your PTA meeting despite not having anything that even resembles a child? In Nightvale, why not?
Welcome To Nightvale isn’t just one of my favorite podcasts; it has quickly picked up a cult following among podcasting fans for its quirky writing style, and has even gone on to tour a live version of its show all across the United States and Europe.
Jocko Willink is a badass. Ex-navy seal turned podcaster, Jocko breaks the mould of the macho tough guy with his surprising emotional intelligence, attention to detail, and care for others. Sure, his podcast mainly focuses on personal betterment, his experiences in combat, and the concepts of good and evil, but he relates this content in a way that is easily accessible by just about everyone.
The Jocko Podcast is a gentle, not-so-gentle reminder that those gruff, muscular people that wear string tank tops to the gym and grunt loudly during their sets actually have important insights to share with the world.
Oh, and his podcast episode titles all sound like chapter titles of the most intense self-help book you’ve ever read. If that’s not enough to make this one of your favorite podcasts too, I don’t know what is.
An oldie but most definitely a goodie. Dan Carlin has a grasp of history that all historians should aspire to. When I was in university, I took a history course on the Persian and Assyrian empire out of genuine interest. That is, until that genuine interest was bludgeoned out by my history professor like the Assyrians were bludgeoned out of Babylon in 626 --the main difference being that my interest in history experienced a miraculous comeback at the hands of one Dan Carlin.
He paints history like a living tapestry; something that feels genuinely alive and dynamic (unlike your average university lecture). When I listened to the first installment of his King Of Kings series, I found myself not only identifying with some of the characters, I also felt a sense of genuine suspense at what would happen to them next. You have to give King Of Kings a listen if any part of you is curious about the past.
If there was a podcast hall of fame, Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History would certainly be a part of it. And if there was a podcast made about this hypothetical podcast hall of fame, Dan Carlin should be the one to record it.
Hey, let’s not let the other guys have all the fun. TalkShoe’s directory has loads of great podcasts too, and no matter who you are, you are sure to find something that catches your interest. While you’re at it, why not record an episode today, and see what everyone’s talking about?
Whether you’re on a flight to somewhere warm, about to get into a car to your meet your family, or are just staying home for the holidays, you are sure to have some free time this December. For both longtime podcasting fans and newcomers to podcasting, now is the perfect time to start listening to some Christmas podcasts to get you into a festive mood.
Even if you’re not the type to celebrate the holidays, you’re sure to like a few of these podcasts. Why? I think you’ll find that there is more to Christmas podcasts than you think.
The Moth Podcast is a community storytelling podcast that invites storytellers from diverse backgrounds and histories to share their stories and experiences to a wider audience. The holiday installment of this podcast brings together stories that are between 5 to 15 minutes long, and if you take a liking to them, you can go back and listen to the holiday specials from the last few years.
This American Life is an American hour-long radio program and podcast that is broadcast all over the states. Every week, they choose a different theme and present stories on it. This Christmas podcast episode is about the intersection between the values of Christmas and the reality of the retail environment that pervades Christmas in the United States.
It also includes the hilarious “Santaland Diaries” story, which was originally broadcast by NPR in 1992 and is about a man who works as an elf at Macy’s department store in New York’s Herald Square during Christmas.
Speaking of retail, if you’ve ever taken part in the capitalist battle royale that is Black Friday, you might also be interested in how it came to be, and how it works. The Stuff You Should Know podcast is exactly as its title describes; it is a light and easy to follow podcast about stuff you should know, but don’t. Even though this podcast episode originally aired in 2013 and has some now-outdated statistics, you should still find a lot of value in it.
The Truth is a podcast that makes “movies for your ears”. It is an anthology of short stories about 10-20 minutes that range from the macabre to the light-hearted. This Christmas podcast is about a Christmas elf and his struggle to put kids on the naughty list. What is funny about this little podcast is that it both closely mirrors and pokes fun at the corporate or office environment, complete with office politics, jurisdictional red tape, and unexpected problems.
Another easy to explain podcast, Stuff You Missed In History Class, is great at making lesser-known historical events not only accessible and easy to understand, but also fun to learn about. The first episode in this series of Christmas podcasts is about Krampus, which is the cultural antithesis to whom we now know as Santa Claus. Podcast fans who listen to the entire series can also look forward to hearing about Frau Perchta, Caga Tio, and more.
TalkShoe’s directory has loads of publicly hosted podcasts that cover almost every subject you can think of. When you’re done browsing, why not make the most of the new features and benefits that TalkShoe has to offer today and record an episode of your own!
