Want to finally get the ball rolling on your podcast business? The Podcast Host Academy provides helpful coaching and courses that can help you launch, grow, and earn an income from your content.
We spoke with Colin Gray, founder of The Podcast Host Academy, about podcasting’s latest shift in focus.
After launching on Amazon’s Alexa last October, we have been working hard to expand the abilities available to listeners, making for an even more intuitive, enjoyable and involving user experience – all you need to do is sit back and enjoy some of the best podcasts around.
In case you aren’t already aware of what Amazon’s Alexa is, they are the new wireless, voice-activated ‘smart speakers’ by Amazon, which feature a personal assistant voice service named ‘Alexa’. These devices include Amazon Echo and Amazon Echo Dot.
This February 8th-10th, Orlando, Florida will be taken over by Podfest Multimedia Expo. A conference created for independent podcasters (from beginners to veterans) by podcasters, with the aim of building and developing an international podcast community through networking, events and exchanging of ideas. This year is the event’s fourth year and will see over one thousand content creators flock to find out what’s hot and what’s not in the podcasting world.
During the course of the three days, six key topics, or ‘tracks’, will be the umbrella themes for all panels and discussions, this year’s are: Monetization, Multimedia, Technology, Audience Building, Entrepreneur, and Social. To really get under the skin of these topics, there will be events of all varieties, ranging from demos of the latest products and services to workshops and panels. All will be followed by a Q&A.
People fall into two categories around the Christmas period: those who are overly prepared and have their shopping sorted and the tree up before December 1st, and those who leave everything to the last minute and are frantically running around the shops on Christmas eve. Whichever category you fall into, the holiday season is about winding down and curling up on the sofa for some serious relaxing – and what better way to do that than with a podcast?
This year we’ve rounded up some festive themed podcasts which will not only get you in the Christmas spirit but might actually help you get through the holiday season with ease! Whether you’re searching for some last minute gift ideas or just want to get into the festive mood, check out our list of podcasts and all you need to do is press play, sit back and relax.
The big question is whether you should or shouldn’t plan your podcast script and there are people who sit in both camps. Some believe that scripted podcasts make speech feel stiff and rehearsed, others believe it’s the key to being confident, concise and keeping the content flowing.
The answer is to plan, but to plan right, as it is nigh on impossible to create great content without some sort of planning, even the podcasts which sound ad-libbed are scripted and rehearsed to some level. However, don’t think that you need to produce a rigid script which you follow word for word, you can create a guide which gives you pointers and leads you through your topics. The power of planning is that it ensures captivating content which hooks listeners and keeps you focused.
Get straight to the point, and straight to the podcasts. We’re adding a new feature that will have you listening to your favorite and most listened to podcasts in no time at all. Introducing the new Spreaker Podcast Radio home screen widget.
Your tried and true podcasts will be clearly laid out for you and each will be readily accessible with just a tap, right from your home screen. It’ll save you swipes and time, especially when you’re multitasking between your workout, emails, and instant messages. An improved and personalized listening experience lets you keep your flow as you go through all your to do’s, without missing a beat.
Velvet ropes are seductive. We all want to be in on the mystery, to be one of the few to enjoy what’s behind them. Their very appeal lies in their exclusivity; not everyone gets to go back there. And it’s an ingenious, while simple, marketing tactic that both rewards current fans and clients and draws new ones in.
But how can you apply exclusivity to your podcast when it’s public and accessible to everyone
Spreaker is offering a solution that allows you to share your episodes with a few select listeners: introducing Private Episode Sharing!
And it’s a feature that can serve you both in front of and behind the scenes. Here’s how you can use private episode sharing to excite listeners and improve the podcasting process.
Whether you listen to Common Sense with Dan Carlin, PBS NewsHour, or The New Yorker to get your podcast news fix you’re aware of the big difference in how the presenters communicate their message; not just in the language they use but also their tone of voice. Tone can convey a thousand things to a listener and is key in getting what you want to say across correctly, how you use it will affect everything from how you’re interpreted as a person to the sincerity of the message you’re broadcasting. The Guardian says tone will “affect how we’re seen in terms of our personality, our emotional state, and even our professional competence”. Let’s take a look at some of the different podcast genres out there and see how you can use tone to create impact for yours!
Let’s set the scene: you’re home, you’re sitting back and relaxing, and you’re pretty set on never getting up off the couch again. Putting on a great podcast would be the cherry on the cake.
Now you can fill your home with the sounds of your favorite podcast thanks to our new Spreaker Podcast Radio Chromecast/AirPlay compatibility! Using your smartphone or tablet as a remote control, you’ll be able to play all the true crimes, dramas, and news shows you love without having to do more than lifting a finger.
So, you have the podcast and you have the listeners – the next obvious step is to start making some money from it. However, before you can start thinking about monetizing your podcast you need to make sure you have a proposal which will knock any potential sponsor’s socks off.
To be well equipped to write that all-important pitch you need to know your podcast inside out – your audience, the hard stats and your value as a marketing channel. To make it as simple as possible for you, we have pulled together a checklist of three points which will guarantee you’re ready to start reaping the rewards from your podcast!
