When you create a wordpress post for your podcast, are you using the "Tags"feature in WordPress? You should be. The image to the left show how many hits (visitors) I received based on tags that I have put into this podcast. Now this is just a SMALL amount of the tags that have generated traffic [...]

You can research similar podcasts when starting your own podcast. You can go to www.itunes.com and download the software (click on podcast, then podcast directory in the bottom right hand corner, then search in the upper right hand corner). You can also check out sites like www.podcastalley.com and www.podcastpickle.com I started a new podcast at www.datesfromhellshow.com and subscribed to other podcasts on online dating. I was surprised as time went on that most of my “competition” wasn't putting out new episodes. So if I had seen a large number of similar podcasts and decided “there is no room for me” I would've been wrong. While there may be numerous podcasts similar to yours, they may not be putting out any new content.

How are you getting your audience back to your website

Free Podcast Theme Music Today I thought I would look into the Podsfafe Music Network. I’ve always known that you could find great music there, however in looking over the paperwork I was surprised that its not required to mention the musician (only the podsafe music network). As a musician I urge everyone using the resource to mention the musician. You can find it at www.podsafemusicnetwork.com New Wizzard Media Player We also get a report from Fred Castenda of www.strugglingentrepreneur.com and www.gaincontrolofyourday.com who interviews Dave from Wizzard media about the new wizard media. It’s very simple. Enter in your RSS feed, answer a confirmation email (stating that you are the owner of the feed). Wizzard will populate your player, and you are off to go. The player is completely customizable via skins. It also checks to see if you have a high-speed connection, and then either feeds you the mv4 file or the flash file. They also have a partnership with TubeMogul where your video will get blasted into all sorts of different video portals. Check it out at http://www.wizzard.tv/blog/producers/producers_wizzard_player/ or to sign up go to http://tools.wizzard.tv Back to School Special Get 20% off in the month of September by using the coupon code " bts " Other Sites Mentioned Tim Sullivan's Selling Geek at www.sellinggeek.com I also mention www.jimmiebratcher.com and his song "lord make us Funky."

Today we compare the USB 2020 Vs Zune H2

Today you hear me get interviewed By Doug Dangler who is the Associate Director of the Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing and Ohio University. This interviewed was done via Skype and Doug's class. Topics include: Will Podcasting replace any other media forms? What Podcast do I listen to? Do you get paid on each download? How many listeners make a successful audience? Are Bloggers the same as Media? Doug's Podcast is at http://cstw.osu.edu/podcasts/ Other Podcasts Mentioned: www.thescenezine.com www.strugllingentrepreneur.com www.sleddogpodcast.com www.llmlive.com

NOTE: This technology was sold to Podango after this episode. Go to http://cms.podango.net however for the most part its been broken ever since. The great thing about podcasting is its getting big enough for companies to start building tools for podcasters. Today we look at the Audio Lite system from Gigavox (the makers of the Levelator). www.gigavox.com You can record your podcast in segements. Then (if needed) you can update certain segments (like an advertiser spot) in the current AND PAST podcasts. I'm using this not for advertisers, but for a non-profit (my church). Instead of having advertising spots rotate in and out, we use it for our calendar, and prayer concerns (items that chance from week to week). This way people are up to date with the latest news (no matter what episode they listen to). In reality your podcast can be evergreen. The information can be updated in past shows. The good news is its free to use. Take some time to think about it and how you want your podcast to go from section to section. I love it. Oh yeah. IT's FREE. The “bad” news is it doesn't work with Libsyn (it does with the more expensive Libsyn Pro). So I looked at some different web hosts that had unlimited bandwidth (like Midphase.com ) and ended up with Dreamhost.com (as they increase your storage and bandwidth the longer you stay on their system). I will keep you in the loop as we move forward. LAST 5 IN 5 From Tim Dewey of the Sled Dog Podcastwww.sleddogpodcast.com For Immediate Release http://www.forimmediaterelease.biz/ School of Podcasting Students Only Sales Roundup Podcast http://www.salesroundup.com/ Cold Calling Podcast http://coldcallingpodcast.com/ The Hunt Cast http://huntcast.blogspot.com Other Sites Mentioned Paul Colligan www.paulcolligan.com www.121Podcasting.com (sell your podcast, do audio books and more). Weekly Web Tools www.weeklywebtools.com Community Baptist Church www.cbcot.com School of Podcasting. Learn how to podcast RISK FREE at www.schoolofpodcasting.com

Free iPhone App For Your Podcast Today I have a few ways you can try to monetize your podcast. One (which costs you nothing) is to have Wizzard Media create an iphone app for your podcast. They sell it for $1.99 and you get a portion of the price. They take the rest (as they [...]

Today I go through some numbers to give you an informed idea if you want to use "donations" as your primary form of having the podcast pay for itself. Last month I urged listeners to help me celbrate my 45th birthday and chip in on a Kindle from Amazon.com I used a service at chipin.com [...]

Interviewing a Very Loyal Listener Today we talk with "Carie P" who is a mega fan of the Geologic Podcast (www.geologicpodcast.com ) hosted by creative genius George Hrab. How funny is George? He's an atheist and I (a lifelong Christian) am a regular listener. Carie got together a bunch of fans of the show to create a podcast for the host (both on his 50th episode and 100th episode). In addition to being a fan, Carie has also purchased every one of George's products. Podcast Secrets 2009 Podcast secrets has a TON of information this year, and it has a "Faculty" of podcast consultants (including ME) that will be contributing. Paul Colligan and Alex Mandossian always bring quality information that it would take months to find (let alone figure out how to use). To find out about the Preview call on April 9th click here. To sign up for the seminar go to www.secretswithdave.com Listener Feedback Daniel Johnson Jr of www.journeyinsidemymind.com answers the question, "Why did you unsubscribe to that podcast?" He says: 1. Lost his closeness with the host. 2. If the shows are too long he can't keep up. 3. Finding alternative methods (like pandora.com) New BONUS For Members of the School of Podcasting Now when you sign up at the School of Podcasting you get copy of the Ultimate Footer Ad FOR FREE as a bonus gift for signing up. Boost your podcast subscriptions with this great tool. ($47 value).

There is more than one way to record a phone call without expensive equipment or a skype out account. Today I explain that if your cell phone has a headphone (ear buds) jack. You can purchase a cord that goes from 1/8″ jack to 1/4″ jack and plug it into your mixer. This also gives [...]

This is show 209 originating from www.schoolofpodcasting.com The good news about Wordpress is it is free, and it is being developed on a constant basis. You get new features like the ability to search for plugins, upgrade automatically, etc. The bad news is sometimes they add new features that don't agree with old plugins. A plugin is [...]

As I have mentioned in the past, the easiest way to get a podcast up and running is to use Wordpress. This way when you update your website, you update your RSS feed, which updates your iTunes, etc. I'm not sure if this has always been the case, but as I've set up a few new [...]

I was chatting on Catherine Kames www.myspace.com/goosenotchicken and she had given up on trying to create a podcast. Where did she get hung up? Creating the RSS feed. Catherine is getting hung up on the same part that most people get hung up on (so don't feel bad). The good news is there is an [...]

Every time I hear "Talkshoe" or "Blog Talk Radio" I know the following show is going to have awful quality in terms of audio production. The last show I listened to was "book your self solid" and I couldn't take the scratch static in the line, the constant buzzing, etc. So I decided to see [...]

Today we talk about two shows who had their fans say "Stick to the topic." The good news is many people don't give that kind of feedback (they just unsubscribe). So when you are planning your podcast be sure to think about how wide a topic you want to go. Charley Hays has started www.wphelpcentral.com where [...]

Today we have a quick show with some podcasting news. First we hear that Radio Industry blog Radio Survivor has named podcasting one of the most important radio trends of the last ten years. They state that RSS podcasts feeds made it much easier to index podcasts and create easily searchable online directories organized by genre [...]

Where is Podcasting Going in 2010? Well I’m going to state the obvious. Yes iPods and portable media players are wildly popular, but after purchasing a Droid phone, I now see clearly how everything is going to end up on your phone. I’ve known this for years, but didn’t really “get it.” I used a program [...]

Is podcasting for free a good idea?

People always ask me “What is the best plugin for Podcasting.” Originally I said Podpress, but the develop got too busy (and probably tired of working for pennies) and abandoned the plugin. I love the 1pixle player as you can change the color of the player to match the theme of your wordpress blog. I've been a fan of Powerpress when it first came out, as they added more functionality (to tie it in with the blubrry.com network) I kind winced a bit (I loved it simplicity). However, recently updates to the powerpress plugin have made it my official plugin of choice. They added the 1 pixel player (and four others) to the mix, so customization is at your fingertips (and without a huge learning curve to figure out how). To me, this makes Powerpress, THE podcasting plugin. I still use Feedburner for my iTunes stuff, but I love the ability to have different players, and the ability to offer a download link, a streaming link, and a “Play in new window” link. I don't use Blubrry.com for hosting (nothing against it), but they do have some great tools to make things simpler. Todd Cochrane, Angelo Mandato and the crew at blubrry deserve a round of applause for listening to their audience and over delivering on what we wanted. Check it out at http://www.blubrry.com/powerpress/ Other Plugins I Use WordPress Automatic Upgrade is a great plugin. I know this is part of WordPress out of the box, but I like the plugin as it reminds me to back up my blog. WordPress Autmatic Backup is a great plugin that e-mails me a backup of my blog on a weekly basis. All in One Seo Pack is a tool that allows you to add additional meta tags, and customized titles to your blog. I like this plugin, it is easy to use, but it seems lately it needs upgraded about once a week. This is annoying. The upgrade simply takes you to the page in the plugin that asks for donations. Tweet Meme is an interesting plugin that allows people to “retweet” your blog post. They click the button, enter their twitter information and boom, they've retweetted and put a link back to your blog (through bit.ly if you want so you can keep track).

On today's brief show, I explain how I took the name “Podcast Fast Pass” (say that out loud) from the “Fast Pass” idea at Disney Land (where you can legally cut in line). Well after a year or so, I finally changed the name as I had to over-pronounce the name every time I used it. My consulting service is not under Podcast Mechanic at www.podcastmechanic.com Which makes more sense to people. Everyone understands what a mechanic can do for cars, etc. and that's what I do for podcasts. I also revisit the “podcasting is dead” discussion. I do not have a feud with Leo Laporte. I just hate it when anyone says podcasting is dead as potential podcasters may change their mind about starting a podcast. Here are some new Podcasting Statistics On 9/24/04 a search for the word “podcasts” resulted in 24 hits. Now it returns 60,700,000 results. To bad Leo Laporte thinks podcasting is dead. I’m sure he’ll say it again at the blog world expo in a few weeks. Well a new report from Wizzard Media shows that podcast listeners are up from 15 million to 18 million. Here are some samples of that report: Wizzard Media (NYSE Amex: WZE), the world’s largest podcasting network, today announced that for the third quarter of 2009 the Wizzard Media Network saw total podcast download requests of 332 million vs. 287 million in the third quarter of 2008, an increase of 45 million. The number of podcast shows on the Wizzard Media Network grew from 11,600 at the end of the second quarter of 2009 to 12,281 shows at the end of the third quarter of 2009. Podcasters pay Wizzard Media to use its publishing platform and work with Wizzard to monetize their show through brand advertising and more recently, content sales (Apps). Adam Corolla got fired from radio (After replacing Howard Stern) started a podcast and never skipped a beat. To bad podcasting is dead. Oh wait, the same company that fired him is now co-producing his podcast and will help sell sponsorships. Carolla is averaging 130,000 listeners. In the third quarter of 2009 Wizzard delivered over 12.7 million podcast advertisements, its second-highest quarterly total on record and an increase of 130% from 5.5 million ads in the third quarter of 2008.

How do you generate lots of traffic, and get people talking about you? You state in a conference from a podium that “Podcasting is Dead,” or you make a blog post that “Podcasting is Over” etc. Then all the podcasters get bent out of shape (and I count myself in that category) and we all stand up and say “NO IT's NOT.” So here I am saying “No it's not.” The interesting thing is Leo Laporte stated he was getting $70 CPM on this week in tech. Hello? Can you show a better example of how valuable podcasting is in selling to a niche? Radio is getting $15 – $40 cpm. -

Should I Start a Podcast? Some people wonder, “Should I start a podcast?” and they wonder if they have the material. I am always amazed at the number of people who give away a free newsletter, but don’t turn that exact same material, record it as audio, and turn it into a podcast? As most of you know I recently got married and have three wonderful step-children. As I have never had children before I decided to read up on the subject and was advised to read “The Successful Stepfamily” by Ron Deal. So far I am very impressed with the book, and may actually lead a study of the subject at my church next year. I went to his website at successfulstepfamily.com and was surprised that while Ron had books, he was a speaker at conferences, he offered personal coaching, he did not have a podcast. Was it that he didn’t need the publicity? I typed “Stepfamily resources” into Google and did not find him on the first, second, or third page (so I stopped looking). While podcasting will not boost your Google rankings, it will boost your exposure to people who may link to your website which may boost your Google ranking. I contacted his company, and after some thought they decided not to go in that direction. What a shame they have great content. If you have a newsletter, and you have content that is worth people reading, that should be a podast. All you do is read the newsletter into a microphone (be sure to add some inflection so it doesn’t sound like you’re reading), write a quick blog post, upload and attach the audio to the post. Yes, it’s that easy. How much does it cost to start a Podcast? Most of my recommendations at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/equipment but if it’s just you recording its going to cost around $250. If you’re on a tight budget, about $125 to start, and an ongoing fee of $5-12 a month.  Meanwhile a membership at aweber.com (a popular email client) is about $200 a year. Why people think e-mail is better? The nice thing about email is you can get your reader one click away from buying your product (if your email promotes a product). The bad news about email is people get so much email. I can’t remember the last time I purchased something from an email. Don’t get me wrong, email is still the top way to communicate for a business. I just know more and more I’m going to my inbox, highlighting a number of emails, and pressing delete (before I even read them). But that’s just me.  In terms of getting your potential customer 1 click away, email does that splendidly. Give Your Content in the Format That People Want Movies are delivered on the big screen, then movies on TV, then VHS, DVD, now blue-ray and movies available for download. Why? Because good content is good content, but some people want to see it on a big screen, some people want to watch it at home; some people want to watch it on the go, etc. So instead of forcing your potential customers into a channel they don’t want, why not give the content in a format they will enjoy. What podcasting has over e-mail The first podcast I created was and is  for Musicians. Before it was a podcast it was a newsletter delivered via email. At one point that newsletter had about 1200 subscribers. I turned it into a podcast and it has around 800 downloads per episode (some higher some lower). However, as a...

Here are my likes and dislikes of 2008 In 2008 I was glad to see the enhancements of great tools for podcasters. Wizzard put out their new player, and Paul Colligan and crew continue to add more features to premiumcast. I like the fact that in 2008 whenever I spoke to a group and ask "Who has ever heard of podcasting" almost all hands were raised, and almost as many when I would ask "How many have actually listened to a podcast?" That trend is continuing. I disliked that in 2008 my audience didn't seem to grow as fast as it did in 2007. It was a slower, gradually climb as apposed to 2007 which had more spikes. On the other hand I'm doing less to promote my shows. In 2008 Podshow changed their name to Mevio, and changed their payment plan to me. I can't discuss the details, but as I'm listing it as a dislike you can figure out how it affectd me financially. What I do like about Mevio is they have given me the potential to earn more money using their sponsors and my own in the future and I now own 100% of my show. So there is a mixed bag that will hopefully blossom. In 2008 I am sad to see and hear podcasters selling out for much less than they are worth. In many cases an advertisement will be in your show for life. I had one company offer to pay me 7 dollars for a link on my site. A link that had to be permanent, and more insane things that totally devalued my listeners and visitors to my website. While I have made decent money using affiliate marketing and podcasting, I am bummed that so many people want to use the CPM method which only works if you have mammoth audiences. Which leads to me one of my biggest disappointments In April I was told that Podango was working on fixing their show builder lite software that helps you create your podcast on the fly. Then if you get a new sponsor, the new sponsor is inserted into the back catalog. This is HUGE for people trying to sell advertising . While their system is easy, and if you have the time to republish all your old shows  - it work, but I'm frustrated that their system (which from what I understand was much more fragile than expected when they purchased it from Gigavox). I'm even more frustrated that no company has developed a competitor for the podcaster with a few hundred listeners, and would love to have a dynamic version of their podcast. I like that the uber-hype of podcasting has crescendo'ed to a bit and people are realizating that in the same way that VCR's didn't kill the movie business, Podcasting is not killing radio. People are starting to understand that Podcasting is a phenomenal channel (just like email, fax, and print) to get your message out to the world. It also is probably one of the most effective and cheapest. I disliked that when the economy took a hit that I had members of the School of Podcasting left. However, I did like that in the midst of the panic, more companies hired me as a podcast consultant to just "do it for them." While I don't own an iPhone, I am very happy people can download a podcast without even being near a computer. This is HUGE. My biggest dislike was having three websites hacked, and one gmail account hacked (that for the record I've know been without for 14 days) My biggest like was emailing, communicating, tweeting, with great people like you, and the members of the School of Podcasting. I recently updated all of our wordpres tutorials to show version 2.7 and in the process streamlined much of the learning curve at the School of Podcasting. If you've been thinking of signing up, now would be a great time. Don't forget about that coupon code SANTA to save 25% now through the end of the year. There will be no extension. I want to thank each and everyone of you for listening, and contributing over this year. I would deeply appreciate your...

This show originated from www.schoolofpodcasting.com where you can save 25% off using the coupon code "SANTA" now through the end of the year. My Gmail Account Was Hijacked.I was very surprised when I couldn't login to my gmail account that I've had for two+ years. Confused, I went through the hassle of having my password sent to me. The problem was when I went through this step it sent my password to an email address that wasn't mine. Huh? That's right I had lost control of my gmail account. Now when I go through the procedures to have my account returned, I get this message from Google, "Thank you for your report. For account security, we limit the number of requests that can be processed about the same account. Please wait a few days and try filling out the form again. " I loved the Gmail service, but sometimes you get what you pay for. Thanks google can you be a little more vague? In the meantime I've set up a new email (connected to my website) and a feature where people can upload audio comments.  See it all at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/contactWordpress TipIf you have a large archive, go into your widget and have it displayed as a drop down menu. This tip came from Dave Moyer of the Wordcast Podcast at www.wordcastpodcast.comNew Listener Surveyhttp://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey

This show originates from www.schoolofpodcasting.com This is show number 146Today I play with my new DBX 286A compressor/deesser/enahncer/noise gate that I bought from www.schoolofpodcasting.com/bsw I really like it (its around 200, I got it for $150).Previously I was using a Behringer Composer Pro XL which I got for $99I typically by my gear from Same Day Music as there is often free shipping, and (unless in New Jersey) no tax. If I can't find the product there I go to BSW When playing with new gear don't be afraid to twist knobs and see what sounds better. Likewise don't always judge what you hear live, but listen back through your stereo (so you can pay attention to listening only and not talking). I'm really happy with the unit except its mono, and there is no on/off switch (no big deal). LAST 5 IN 5 From Dan Lewis at http://www.theramennoodle.com/ and www.djoseophdesign.com 1. Podcast Answer Man - www.podcastanswerman.com2. Sci Fi Show www.scifishow.com 3. Woot www.woot.com 4. The Onion Radio News Network - http://www.theonion.com/content/radionews5. Journey Inside my Mind - http://jimmpodcast.blogspot.com/If you are ready to start your own podcast, come and visit us at www.schoolofpodcasting.com

Today I dip my toe into the Video Podcasting pool. I was lucky enough to secure one of the new Flip Video Cameras. This camera takes great video no matter what lighting you put it in (if you have extreme back lighting it may be a little dark, but let's be realistic..). I took video at dusk and it looked much brighter than it actually was in real life. The great thing is you can take up to 60 minutes of video. It has a rewing and fast forward on the camera for reviewing the video. You can easily delete video that you don't want to keep. It also has a built in 2X zoom. It runs on a rechargable battery that gets charged when you plug the camera into your USB port. The USB interface pops out when you flip a switch. It also has the ability to be put on a tripod. The microphone pics up audio great from the front, and while it's not as clear from the back its still easily understood if you are commenting from behind the camera while shooting video. If I had used my old camera I would record to super 8, then have to transfer the video to my computer. So if I shot 60 minutes of video it would take (roughly) 60 minutes of time to transfer to my computer. With the Flip camera, I plug the camera into my computer, and I can drag and drop the files into my favorite editing program. This took about 3 minutes instead of 60 with my old camera.  If you don't have editing software, there are some basic video editing software that comes with the camera that allows you to pick where the video starts and stops as well as you can put background music to the video. It also has some features that make uploading video to you tube uber easy. So what would I change? I like that you can plug it into a video source (like a TV) to watch the video. I do wish I could plug it in and use the TV as a monitor. You can't do this. When you record, the video is only display on the display on the back of the camera. The other thing I would change is to put a retractable lens cover. The camera comes with a "nifty" puch to carry the camera, but I would rather have a lense cover. My last thing (and this is kind of outside the scope of the product) would be to have the ability to use it as a web cam. That's not really a fair criticism. It's more of a "add to the dream list." It retails for around $139. For me, if you're looking to get into video podcasting, and you want to be mobile, you're looking to do something fast and quick, it's a no brainer. I know I will be doing all sorts of "Dave around town" types of videos. If you're are going to want to mix in music, or plug a microphone directly into it, then you will need to look for another camera, and hit a bank machine, on the way to Best Buy. Check it the Flip Mino Video Camera at Amazon.com

Paul Colligan has a great post about building a podcast audience. So many people "If I build it they will come." Not so. Get ready for relentless marketing. Today I talk about www.prweb.com and other ways to build that audience. It amounts to this: 1. Find out who your audience is (put a form on your website). 2. Find out where they go, read, eat, sleep, shop, etc 3. Go there and tell them about it. HOW ARE YOU PROMOTING YOUR PODCAST? Ready to jump in the Podcast Pool? Check out www.schoolofpodcasting.com and start podcasting today. We have step by step tutorials, live help, and great resources.

This show originates at www.schoolofpodcasting.com This is show 143.I read about this on Leesa Barnes' blog how Terry Fallis won 10,000. He previously couldn't get an agent (which he now has). Congrats Terry. I mentioned today that Todd Cochrane had said a typical podcast episode is "done" after 72 hours. I miss spoke, while this is true in most  cases it is not in all cases (especially if you material is not timed based). But if your podcast is (for example) news related, people may not want to listen to 6 month old news stories. You can hear Todd's presentation at Podcamp by going to  http://www.coefficientmedia.com/podcampohio/ Thanks to George from www.oneminutehowto.com for reminding me of this point. The CEO of Wizzard Media is predicting 1.5 - 1.8 billion downloads, and double to four times the ad spending of the past year for 2008. (source: podcastnews.com )How Do You Record a Skype Interview?In the past I've said "get it off your computer" and use a portable recorder. This still  is the safest way. However, I've been using voiceemotion.com and many people at the School of Podcasting are using Power Gramo which you can download for a free trial. The nice thing about Power Gramo Professional is it splits the interviewer and interviewee into separate channels (which makes editing the interview easier). I then use Skype (using Skype Out) to call people's phones. It's better if they have a skype account, but not 100% mecessary Skype is Not Always an OptionIn some areas there is no cable modem connection to the Internet. What do you do in that case is get some sort of "JK Audio" product. You can find these at BSW. These can be expensive. For microphones and such I like samedaymusic.com as they do not charge tax (unless you are in NJ). Podcasting Time Saving TipOne of the most time consuming parts of podcasting is organizing and posting your show notes. Did you know that you can put your show notes in Wordpress (or Libsyn.com) and save them without publishing them to the public. Then when the show is finished, you can take out any part of your notes that don't fit, and BOOM! instant show notes. The key to this is to NOT click the publish button, but to click the SAVE button. Then when you are rady (and your audio/video is link to the post) click the publish button.

I went to Podcamp Ohio. It was great. WE RAN OUT OF ROOM. My hat is off to Angelo and everyone involved with organizing the event. It was so smooth, and they handled everything (what a great problem to have - not enough room!). Todd Cochrane had a great presentation about getting sponsors. HE also stated that typically a podcast episode sees traffic for 72 hours and then it dies off drastically. I was not really use to the "group talk" style of some of the presentations (and it leaves room open for assertive people to take over the conversation).I will definitely be going to more podcamps when my schedule permits. I sat in on a webinar from Paul Colligan. They have added a feature of making membership site at www.premiumcast.com and after watching his presentation I was able to set up a membership site in about 5 minutes. The great thing is some membership scripts allow you to make a "roped off" area, and others allow you to create premium RSS feeds, and premium cast allows you to do either or both. Check it out at premiumcast.com

Today I've got a BAD cold, and my throat is killing me. I share some stats from the latest report on Podcast consumers. Podcast Listening is up 5 % both video and Audio30% of regular Internet Users have downloaded a podcastVideo is catching audio podcasts with a 1 % lead going to Audio What is the age of the podcast listener?53% Male 47% female25 to 34 (21%) 35-44 (21%), 45 to 54 (20%) 12 to 17 (15%) 18 to 24 (13%) 55+ (10%) Last 5 in 5 from Dan at www.jimmpodcast.com School of Podcasting's Morning Announcements (this podcast)Marketing Over Coffee ( http://www.marketingovercoffee.com/ )Eds Mixed Bag (www.edsmixedbag.com )Media Bullseye (www.mediabullseye.com )Six Pixels of Separatation (http://www.twistimage.com/blog/ )

This show originates at www.schoolofpodcasting.com PODCAST CRASHINGIf you are using a live podcast system like talkshoe.com you need to be prepared to keep your show on track. I've listened to a few live podcasts, and someone will come in and "Crash" your podcast and start talking about their podcast which is completely unrelated. YOUR LISTENER  doesn't want to hear about their podcast. I've heard podcasts that get completely derailed. Don't forget to keep yoru listener in mind, and be assertive, and point out that the "Crasher" is off topic. Testimonial from J.R. Stanley of www.llmlive.com Meet the MembersToday we meet one of the members of the School of Podcasting. It's Mark Wade of the www.a1artistspotlight.com Mark is using the Alesis Multimix 8 USB mixer (but he doesn't use the USB feature). He is also using an Audio Techniica 2020 and the free Levelator software. Using Google Analytics to Obtain Wordpress Stats Today we are talking about Google Analytics which you can find at http://www.google.com/analytics/ and a great plugin for Worpdress that makes it very easy to install Google Analytics code into your blog. http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-google-analytics/ When you sign up for Google Analytics, you end up with a piece of code that you would normally put on every page of yrou website. With the wordpress plugin, you place it into the plugin and the plugin puts it on every page of your site. I will be producing a video on how to set this up for members of the School of Podcasting www.schoolofpodcasitng.com  

This show originates at www.schoolofpodcasting.com Today I look at my stats from the first episode of 2007 vs the first episode of 2008. To make things fair, the first show published in 2007 has had 517 days to download so I divded the 2007 by 517. The numbers for 2008 were divided by 152 (as this is June 1). School of Podcasting 2007 1400 Downloads (2.7 a day)School of Podcasting 2008 801 Downloads (5.3 a day) Musicians Cooler 2007 1689 Downloads (3.3 a day)Musicians Cooler 2008 1032 Downloads (6.8 a day) Building a Better Dave 2007 1617 Downloads (3.1 a day)Building a Better Dave 2008 915 Downloads (6.0 a day) This averages to an increase of 98% from 2007 to 2008   I also looked at my stats from the now podfaded Podcast Promo Show. It seemed that Libsyn numbers were higher by about 29% than Feedburner numbers. Here are some examplesFeedburner showed 29 downloads to Libsyn's 34Feedburner showed 27 downloads to Libsyn's 37Feedburner showed 30 downloads to Libsyn's 47 So the range of my 57 shows was from 13% - 57% My conclusion? Pick one and go with it. I use Libsyn cause in theory "Everything comes back to the host." I like their stats, and I can get stats without involving another redirect to my mp3 file.   If you are looking for more informatoin about visitors to your blog check out the Google Analytics Plugin for Wordpress .   If you're interested in participating in our weekly roundtables check out www.schoolofpodcasitng.com  

Today I give thanks for all who have paid for my freedom, and we get some emails from folks like  Emails from ://OneMinuteHowTo.comhttp://EclecticMix.comhttp://DRiPInvesting.orghttp://GLSmyth.com - blog: http://GLSmyth.WordPress.com and Jeff Roneyhttp://www.roneyzone.comTwitter: twitter.com/roneyzone Check out our new Video and More Show,Magical Definition TV Episode 2http://mdtv2.roneyzone.com New World Army, a futuristic audio thrillerhttp://nwarmy.roneyzone.com Our Lost TV On-Location Videoshttp://lost.roneyzone.com I also talk about some widgets that are pretty cool for your blog. You can find them at www.addtoany.com Jeff is using https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1730 to post to multiple blogs at the same time.

Are you just getting started? Are you ready to launch a successful podcast? Check out our new Quick Start Package at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/quickstart You get:6 month subscription $1201 year blog hosting at www.coolerwebsites.com  $24Wordpress Blog Set up and cusomitzation - $160Intro/Outro Recording $80 All this for $299 Sign up at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/quickstart Back Catalog - Is Anybody Listening To Old Shows?My first Show "First Podcasts Always Stink" that were recorded back in October of 2005 have been downloaded 106 times in May of 08, 159 in April of 08, 154 in March of 08, 131 in February of 08. (That episode has been dowloaded 2947 total). Meet the MembersBrian from www.dimacast.com suggested we get to know the members of the School of Podcasting, so today we meet J.R. Stanley of www.lordliftedme.com and the podcast www.lmllive.com J.R. is using a Sure KSM27 Microphone and an Edirol UA4FX USB Interface which he likes for the tube emulation. The Interview We Did Today with J.R. was actually "Time Shifted Interview" where I send a question, he records an answer. We repeat to fill in a quick "Meet The Members" section.  

Today’s episode comes from our weekly meetings that we have at the School of Podcasting. The question is what is the difference between a post and a page in Wordpress?  A post will be at the top of your blog until you enter another post. A page is something you enter and it can only be viewed if you link to it. (There is a way to have it show up on the front age by going to settings > reading and choosing to have the page be “static” on the front page.  Why Wordpress? It creates an RSS feed for you, and IT’S FREE. If you need an inexpensive host for Wordpress check out www.coolerwebsites.com  LISTENER FEEDBACK – NO AGE LIMIT TO PODCASTINGFred from http://www.strugglingentrepreneur.com/ aggrees that there is no age limit to podcasting. He is 59, and he encourages all “baby boomers” to get involved with podcasting. Fred uses my www.podcastfastpass.com service to set up his blogs at www.strugglingentrepreneur.com and www.gaincontrolofyourday.com  (and more projects coming).

This show (download show) was originally recorded last week 4/25. In the hussle and bustle, I never published it. You can read about my "Passing out" at BetterDave.com Audience FeedbackVince from  www.bmoviecast.com agrees that you are never too old to podcast (as he is a baby boomer). Audacity Feedback?Steve from www.djideasharing.com does not use Audacity, but ubercaster (for the mac) had him losing an episode. Blog Views and Blues www.blogsviewsandblues.comThis is a new podcast from Rich Palmer (www.richpalmer.com ) and he turned me on to www.springwidgets.com Wordpress 2.5 BugsIn working with the bugs, I can seem to get the image media manager to work. If i'm lucky enough to get an image to upload without error, I can't get to a screen to where I can insert it into the post. I did find I was able to to do this if I stopped using Internet Explorer and switched to Firefox and it worked. So if you are a big IE fan, then you may not want to update just yet. I've been using the Image Manager plugin. More Fun Toolswww.twirl.org is a desktop Twitter tool. It works on both Mac and PC. From www.celticmythpodcast.com an easy to customize wordpress theme at http://wpthemepark.com/themes/paalam/ It makes it very easy to turn on or off the text on yruo header (as well as upload a custom header. It's widget ready, and if know a little html, its easy to tweak the colors. If you need help with the "technical stuff" please see me at www.podcastfastpass.com

Today we talk with Richard Harrington and Mark Weiser authors of the book Producing Video Podcasts: A Guide for Media Professionals. If you are a audio podcaster looking to get into video, it can help those looking to do it on a shoe string budget or the person looking to invest some big time equipment. For more information about the Authors and the book go to www.vidpodcaster.com The book is available at Amazon.com  

Today we talk with Scott Sigler who was the first person to have a Podcast only novel. People became addicted to it as the only way to get it was through his podcast. Later he published this book (Earthcore) and a second book (which went to #2 at Amazon.com) and he continues to write and release books (giving the ENTIRE BOOK away in a podcast with each release). His latest book Infected was given away as a pdf prior to its release? Did it effect sales? Nope. Once again Scott was at the top of his genre. In this interview Scott talks about how he got the word out about his novel/podcast, why it makes sense to give it your book away, and how you can use podcasting to start your own word of mouth campaign. For more information about Scott go to www.scottsigler.com You can buy his latest book inftected at amazon.com You can see how he is utilizing social media like MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube below. To join the school of Podcasting go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com

Today I talk about some of my reflections from speaking at the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop. I also play a promo for www.blogsviewsandblues.com  TOO OLD TO PODCAST?There is no age limit on Podcasting. I know of an 8 year old who has a podcast, and I know someone who is in their 60s who is doing a podcast. So if you are saying to yourself, "I'm too old to podcast" you are robbing yourself of a great way to share your wisdom. UNDERSTANDING BANDWIDTHTo understand bandwidth think of your kids or grandchildren. They may have a phone plan that covers X amount of text messages. When they go over the limit they are charged for each text message over the limit. When you have a website you are given a set amount of bandwidth measured in either megabytes or gigabytes. If you go over your limit your host will charge your, and in some cases they may shut your site down. This is why I recommend Libsyn.com www.uselibsyn.com or if you need free go to www.podshow.com UNDERSTANDING STORAGEStorage for your media files is also limited. Think of storage like a filing cabinet. You can stuff more and more files in your cabinet, but eventually it will get full. PODCAMP OHIOPodcamp Ohio is 6/28/08 for more information go to www.podcampohio.com WHERE ARE YOUR LISTENERS?I have been talking about podcasting at podcast conventions. This really doesn't make sense if I'm trying to find people who need to learn how to podcast as most of the audience is already podcasting. I need to find people who need publicity. While I can keep up with technology at the New Media Expo, and meet all of my friends, if I want to find people interested in learning how to start  a podcast, then the New Media Expo may not be the most efficient use of my publicity dollars.

Today I explain why you had an episode show up a few days early. I also explain that I'm not going to be speaker at the Expo in Las Vegas (but will be going to Podcamp Ohio www.podcampohio.com ). I also talk about post dating Podcasts and the easy mistake you can make that will have things going out immediately (oops). Dave Sholes got a free month at the School of Podcasting by sigining up for the Podcast Secrets preview call at www.secretswithdave.com I also share some of the tips from out weekley roundtable at the School of Podcasting (www.schoolofpodcasting.com )

Today my friend Paul Colligan from Podcast Secrets is on the show. Paul is a full time podcast consultant and Internet Marketing guru. While we are all at work, Paul is out testing new technologies, new strategies, talking with other successful podcasters, and taking lots and lots of notes. Then once a year he offers a class (available at my partner link at www.secretswithdave.com ) where he reveals what he has learned. Not sure if this call is for you? Then go to www.secretswithdave.com and find out about the call happening April 2nd (after April 2nd you can find out about the class) that gives you a preview of the information that they will be covering. This way you can decide if this class is for you. You see, Paul doesn't want you if you're not serious. This is for people looking to make a six figure income from Podcasting. He is going to be telling you how people ARE DOING THIS now (not how this might work, or this should be tired, this is how people are doing this in 2008). So if you're interested sign up for the call at www.secretswithdave.com and send me confirmation and I wil lgive you a free month at the School of Podcasting. If you sign up for the class, I will give you a free year at the School of Podcasting.

Show #129 originating from www.schoolofpodcasting.com Today we get the answers from last week's poll about USB interfaces and using Audacity. Thanks to: Joe from www.onthepodcast.netAnthony from www.diabeticincandyland.com Mike from www.mikeshotdish.com Warren from http://pewpodcast.podomatic.comTerry from http://quiettimepodcast.com/wp and http://oldcootcast.comLarry from http://goinglinux.comSally from http://www.podcastasylum.comDaryl from http://www.poddog.ca/suburbia Jay from www.jayjennings.com creator of Cloak and Tracker 75% use a USB interface75% use Audacity. Most feel Audacity is stable, and people using USB microphones seemed to lve them while people using USB interfaces seem to find them a bit of a hassle (especially if this is on your main unit). Items mentioned: Blue Snowball USB mic $99Samson CO1 USB Mic $90Alesis MultiMix 8 USB Mixer $149Alesis Podcast Mic (comes with mic, heaphones, software) $99Behringer UCA202 USB Interface (connect from your mixers tape out) $30Zoom H2 Portable Recorder $199Behringer USB Podcast Kit (includes mic, headphones, mixer, usb interface, software) $100Rode Dynamic USB Podcaster Mic $230 NEXT WEEKRich Harrington and Mike Weiser authors of the book "Producing Video Podcasts." Buy it at amazon.com

In a recent "Roundtable" at the School of Podcasting where members from the School of Podcasting get together and share tips and insights into all things podcasting we go to talking about using USB interfaces. People loved their USB microphones, but it seemed to be a trend of people getting USB interfaces, and then not use them. Also, back in 2005 people that used Audacity often had an "Audacity crashed" story. That was a while ago, and Audacity has been upgraded and I'm looking to see if it is indeed more stable (as I haven't heard a story about Audacity in a while). Please CLICK HERE to take the quick survey (using wufoo.com ) and let us know about your experience with USB devices and Audacity. Also we are running low on Podcast Promos at www.podcastpromoshow.com Thanks in advance and next week I'll tell you what I learn. Sites Mentionedwww.podcastvoicemail.com www.wufoo.com www.sleddogpodcast.com www.a1artistspotlight.com

This show originates at www.schoolofpodcasting.com If you want to have a sponsor for your show, you need to be a SALES PERSON. New to sales? Check out Zig Ziglar or Tom Hopkins but you need to have a system in place to PROVE to the advertiser that YOU brought them traffic, and that your listeners bought their products. So you should: 1. Have some sort of stats system. I use Libysn stats, or in the case of some podcasts I use stats from podtrac.com 2. Have them create a "landing page (this could look like their home page, but its' just a different address). So it could be www.theadvertiserssite.com/podcast" now they can go into their stats and see how many visitors came from your show. 3. Have them offer a deal. This could be a coupon, a discount, SOMETHING that ONLY YOUR LISTENERS get. 4. Track the number of links from your site to their site. This is easy with a tool like Jay Jenning's Cloak and Tracker software (and very, VERY, easy to setup). So now no matter what happens, if a person goes to their site (After hearing it on your podcast), if they purchase something (using the coupon), or if they click on an image from your site (which should be a bargaining tool) to go to their site - you can track the traffic, and hopefully prove the results. The advantage of sponsors that you find on your own is you get all the money. You don't have to split it with people. The potential bad news is you might feel yourself editing yourself so you do offend any potential sponsors. This is why some people are turning to the Premium Podcast Solution. I call this the "Chic Fil-A" way to podcast. Chic Fil-A in the states often gives out a sample piece of chicken so that you go buy a whole sandwich. Podcast pioneer Dan Klass of the Bitterest Pill has just adopted this model. After podcasting for two years he will produce one free episode (the sample chicken) and four episodes a month of "premium" content (the whole chicken). He is using Premiumcast.com for this (A great system).   Watch Dave's Video on Carbonite that allows you to back up ALL of your files for $50 a month.   Are you looking for a Podcast Expert? Looking to get into Podcasting on a budget? I've got step by step tutorials that will show you how to podcast at www.schoolofpodcasting.com

This show originates from www.schoolofpodcasting.com The NEW School of Podcasting site (created with www.wordpresstool.com ) is now live. Today we talk with Rob Walch from Wizzard Media. (www.wizzard.tv) as well as www.podcast411.com and co-author of Tricks of the Podcasting Masters he also is a co-host of Today in Podcasting www.todayinpodcasting.com Wizzard has technology to let you GEOGRAPHICALLY target your audience. They also have tools to allow you to get demographic information so in the end an advertiser could ask Wizzard, "I want to put get my product or service in front of males 18-25 years old in the Dallas Texas area." Keep in mind the more detailed they get, the more you can charge. This involves being hosted at Libsyn (www.uselibsyn.com ) If you are looking to learn how to podcast, check out the School of Podcasting at www.schoolofpodcasting.com

Show #124 originating from http://shownotes.schoolofpodcasting.com Today's show is has a fair amount of news. It does make the show come off like a giant SOP commercial, but you should know how the School of Podcasting can benefit you. If this is not your cup of tea, come back next week when Rob Walch of www.podcast411.com and Wizzard Media will be talking about the technology has available. Is Podcast Promo Swapping Dead? We asked and the following podcasters respondedAnthony from www.BetterGolfwithFitnessPodcast.com  and www.strengthcoachpodcast.com who said its not quantity but QUALITY of promo swapping. Mike from www.mikeshotdish.com is discouraged when other pdocasters won't play his promo. NEW REWARDS AT SCHOOL OF PODCASTING MEMBERS25% off from Mad Town Aces Audio Production www.madtownaces.com REWARDS FOR THE MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS LISTENERSGain Control of your Day Course only $129 using the coupon code SOPURDAY (normally $249) LAST 5 in 5 Our last 5 in 5 comes from Ray the Produce Picker (www.producepicker.com ) He listened towww.TotallyRadShow.com (fun show)www.diggnation.com (lasted news from Digg.com )http://www.vidpodcaster.com/ (Producing a Video Podcast)www.geekbrief.tv (Happy Shiny Tech News)www.StugglingEntrepreneur.com (Starting your own business?) Don't forget that www.Podcastclicks.com is holding their grand reopening with some videos to help prove its effective. Only $10 a year (going up to $20 soon). Dave Jackson www.schoolofpodcasting.com

Show #123 Originating at http://shownotes.schoolofpodcasting.com Today we talk about Promo Swapping. Is it dead? Is it useful? We also talk about making a great promo. We play some promos and ask, "Does this make you want to know more about this show?" We also get some listener voicemail from Alex the Podcast junky UK www.podcastjunky.co.uk and I'm sorry Alex. You are a DUDE. Check out his blog (some great insights from an avid Podcast Listener). Promos www.KidsCast.co.uk www.podcastpromoshow.com 15 Tips for Better Podcast Promos 1. Get a domain name (no blogspot, no typepad, etc). Use the Godaddy promotional code cooelr3 and get it for 6.95  at www.godaddy.com2. Put on your marketing hat3. What is it?4. Don't Get too Cute5. Make the First Sentence Count6. Repeat your pdocast name in a natural tone.7. Make it Sound Great8. Let Somone else Hear it9. Include a Call to Action10. The Last Impression Shold Be Your Website11. Save your promo in a quality format12. Name the File so Podcasters Know What It Is13.  Test Your Link14. Pos it On Your Blog15. Ask Read the Whole Article