Podcasters Emporium

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Today’s show covers the things you need to know to promote your podcast successfully.  This is one of a multipart series where we look at tips and techniques for podcast promotion, starting from getting your website right, through SEO and creating a promo that other people can play on their shows for you.  Tap into James and Dave’s experience in podcasting to learn how you can get your podcast in front of a wider audience.

This is a participatory show, so perhaps there are some things we haven’t mentioned, a promotional tip or technique you use on your show.  This is where we want you to contribute to the community and share your thoughts, hints and tips with us on the blog, or by email to podcastersemporium@gmail.com.

We also answer your questions on the show, so if you have something you’d like to know about then drop us a comment on the blog, or send an email to podcastersemporium@gmail.com and we will be happy to cover your question in a future show.

Here’s what we mentioned in today’s show:

Make your website or blog a vehicle to promote your show

• Blogs (e.g. WordPress, Blogger, Typepad etc.)
• Forums
• Website

Make sure your website has the following things right:

• It should be searchable by applying basic SEO techniques
  • Website and Post Titles
  • Website Keywords and Post Tags
  • Each podcast episode should have a unique name
  • Tag each of your posts with appropriate keywords
• We provide a list of WordPress plugins to help you with this
  • Auto Tags (plugin),
  • Socialize this (plugin)
  • All in one SEO pack (plugin), Consider wpSEO $24.95 but excellent
  • Akismet (plugin),
  • Google XML sitemaps (plugin),
  • Google Analytics for WordPress (plugin),
  • Redirection (plugin)
• Make sure you’ve got a podcast episode player – BigContact.com is a good source
• Make your feeds accessible and compliant
• Consider quick links to Zune and iTunes

Creating Audio Promos

• technical specs
• what you should include
  • What your about
  • Why they need to listen
  • Call to action
  • Where to find it
• Passive promos vs. an ad
  • passive promos give you a great opporunity to plug your show. e.g. audio feedback on other podcaster’s shows
• what you should avoid
• who is the audience?
• formats, production quality, length (consider multiple lengths)
• self-assessing the rating –  no point pitching an R rated on a family podcast (2schooners example – create an R rated promo AND a G rated one)
• even if you have a video podcast, consider audio, and vice versa
• Collaborate with other podcasters that have done it before
• Use your audience
• Voice talent – the good the bad and the ugly
• There are some repositories and promo exchange services

Submitting audio promos

• sharing your promos
• the etiquette of promo playing
• Format – bit rate and sample rate to suit the podcaster your giving it to
• Assumed agreements – are you aware of any?
• Linking and playing nice in your show notes

 Getting your show listed in iTunes

• iTunes tips and tricks
• things to know

 Submitting your site to podcast directories

• Is the day of the directory dead?

Services we mentioned in today’s show:

• BigContact.com - free podcast players for your website
• WordPress.com – Free WordPress hosted blog, but less extensible than the version you host yourself.
• WordPress.org -  (site where you can download your own copy of WordPress).  Blue Host support WordPress and provide free automatic installers from their control panel.

 
Free WordPress Plugins that James recommends:

• Auto Tags – this plugin uses Yahoo and tagthe.net to find relevant plugins for your blog post. Great if you forget to tag your posts.
• Socialize this – An easy to use wordpress plugin that alls you to generate Social Icons to spread your blog posts and podcast episodes.
• All In One SEO – Creates unique TITLES, DESCRIPTIONS, KEYWORDS for your blog and post pages as well as managing duplicate content.
• Akismet – this plugin comes with WordPress, but you need to get an activation code by creating a free account at WordPress.com. Check the plugin for instructions. This will save you a lot of SPAM heartache.
• Google XML Sitemaps - this plugin creates a Google sitemaps compliant XML-sitemap of your WordPress blog. Your sitemap is updated automatically everytime you post to your blog.
• Google Anaytics for WordPress – this plugin automatically tracks and segments your outbound links from within your blog. It allows you to see where your visitors are coming from, going to and how long they stay on your site. This plugin requires a free Google Analytics account.
• Redirection – this plugin is perfect if you’re changing from another blog or website.  It allows you to put in old URLS and map them to a new location on your new website.  This is perfect to make sure that people can still reach your website from old search engine results or web links from other sites.

Paid WordPress Plugins that Dave recommends:

• wpSEO ($24.95)

Podcasts we mentioned in today’s show:

• The Rusty Microphone Podcast
• Entertainment Law Update with Gordon Firemark
• 2 Schooners
• Aussie Geek Podcast
• The Family Time Podcast

 
Be a Part of the Podcasters’ Emporium Community!

• Please send us your feedback via Email
• Follow the hosts on twittter: Follow James and Dave
• Leave a comment here on the blog
• Follow show on Twitter (news and new shows only) Send us a Direct Message when you add us to twitter and let us know that you listen to the show.
• Send us Audio Feedback by email recorded at: 128kps at 44.100 khz

Podcasters’ Emporium is produced in conjunction with the Lifestyle PodNetwork. You’ll find more great podcasts like this one at LifestylePodNetwork.com.

If you’re a podcaster who would like to join the Lifestyle PodNetwork you’ll find more information on our website.