Episode 100 – My History in Podcasting – PHD100

StickySeptember 3, 2017EpisodeMike Dell

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News:

Podcast Movement 2017

Shows I’ve started. (starting in April 2005)

Benzoid Report / Mike Dell’s World (93 episodes of BR and the rest MDW)
Your Podcast by Blubrry
Traverse City Podcast
Geek of the North
What’s Up With That?
Quick Hits
5 Min with Mike
RetroTech
Strange Today
Today in Aviation History
Aviation History This Week
Ham Radio Podclass
Guest on several shows.
And a few more I forgot 🙂

Best I can guess I’ve done somewhere around 2700 episodes

Some of the cool things that have happened because I started my podcasts.

Radio show on WNMC 90.7FM in Traverse City
Guest News guy on WKLT FM in Traverse City Omelette and Friends (now Omelette Radio on Podcasting!)
MC for a Catie Curtis Concert
Interview with several bands/performers on the radio
Full-time Job with the BEST podcast company in the world! (Blubrry)
Meeting all kinds of Podcasting Royalty
Got meet and know all but one of the Podcasting Hall Of Fame podcasters
Traveled to many Podcasting events all over the US
Reporting for Geek News Central
Reporting for Podcaster News
Meeting 100’s of other podcasters from all over the world

The lesson I would say you should take from this is “Do as I say, not as I do”.

Future

Since the next episode will be 101, I’m going to start from scratch in starting a Podcast if I were to do it all over. Each episode for the next several will be the steps I would go through to start a podcast. The PHD 101 series.

Season 2 Trailer – PHD

September 19, 2017EpisodeMike Dell

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Being that IOS11 and the new Podcasts App is out today, I figured I would play with things and do a trailer for “Season 2” of the Podcast Help Desk.

So, here it is. These will be the next 10 episodes. I will also include some news, views and the normal stuff in htere as well as the “lesson” of the episdoe.

101 – Planning your podcast 
102 – Getting recording equipment 
103 – Recording that first episode 
104 – Myths about “Launching” a podcast 
105 – Artwork and branding 
106 – Setting up an RSS feed 
107 – Promoting your podcast 
108 – Content is king!
109 – Things to avoid
110 – Special surprise

What’s in an Email address? – PQH 9-8-17

September 8, 2017EpisodeMike Dell

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Do you think less of someone because of their email address?

say @hotmail.com, Outlook.com, Yahoo.com or AOL.com? (Gmail.com seems to be my exception)

What say you?

Be sure to go back and listen to PHD100 if you haven’t heard it and go to PodcastHelpDesk.com (or press the button on the right if you are on the site) and get subscribed.

Podcast Help Desk News Flash Briefing available on Alexa

August 4, 2017Episode, Podcast Help Desk NewsMike Dell

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Just a short note and announcement to let you know that a new Skill is available from the Podcast Help Desk (me).

Just look for Podcast Help Desk News and add the skill. Then in your flash briefing on your Alexa device, you will hear a 1-2 min news clip from Podcast Help Desk News that will be either a short news story about podcasting, a podcasting tip or once in a while a small rant from Your’s truly.

Why Does Real Podcast Hosting Cost So Much More Than Soundcloud? – PHD099

July 29, 2017EpisodeMike Dell

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News:

Messengers movie available for Pre-order at iTunes
Soundcloud is dying. Run for your lives! (really, make other plans if you are on soundcloud).
Audioboom makes deal with Deezer (or is it the other way around?)

————-

Q: Why is XXX (Blubrry, Libsyn, Spreaker) so much more expensive than Soundcloud?

A: Because, businesses that host podcasts have to buy bandwidth. Bandwidth costs money. If you charge less than it costs you and don’t make a profit, the business won’t stay in business. This is why Free or cheap hosting will never be a long term plan. If a company charges enough to make themselves a profit, they will stay in business. Simple as that. Soundcloud spent more money than they took in for a long time and it’s now catching up with them. There have been 100’s of free or cheap hosting companies come and go over the years. Unless you enjoy changing hosts every so often, pick one that has been around for a while, not one that just started and seems too good to be true.

Topics:

Do you do too many podcasts?  – I know I *try* to do too many. It normally doesn’t work out.
Do you have too complicated of a website?  – I can’t stress enough the importance of having a clean, easy website for your podcast. Too many times I go to someones “podcast” website and I can’t find their podcast. Not only does it make it hard for listeners, but it makes it hard for the podcaster to maintain.

Blubrry Tip :

PowerPress Sites Deluxe  is up and running. It’s a no-worry WordPress Site, for your podcast, that you do not have to do updates, security and it won’t go down. Try it free for a month at blubrry.com use the promo code HELPDESK
Your Podcast by Blubrry – Blubrry’s podcast about the podcasting business, tips for your podcast and some inside blubrry information. Every other week at PowerPressPodcast.com

Also check out the PowerPress Podcast with MacKenzie and her guest hosts along with a PowerPress tip from Shawn every other week.

Also:

I am working on an Amazon Alexa Skill for Podcast Help Desk News that you will be able to add to your flash briefing in Alexa. It will be a 1-2 minute tip or news item from the world of podcasting. ( Yes, I’m a glutton for punishment ) It’s just something I’m playing with. Stay tuned!

New Site Hosting at Blubrry.com! – PQH15

May 17, 2017EpisodeMike Dell

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This is the first post on the new PowerPress Sites Deluxe powered Podcast Help Desk.

I’ve changed a few things on the transition over to PPS from Godaddy hosting (Nothing wrong with godaddy and I still have MikeDell.com over there).

First change is the main feed now includes both PHD and PHDQH. For those that don’t want the full episodes, and only the Quickhits, there is a feed for that here. Otherwise, stay subscribed to the main feed and you will get everything I put out.

Trying to simplify how I post things in the future.

Otherwise, business as Normal.

If you want to try a PowerPress site deluxe, you can get a Month free by using the promo code HELPDESK at checkout at blubrry.com

What You Shouldn’t Worry About – PHD098

April 11, 2017Episodephd

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Here are the things I DO NOT worry so much about in my Podcasting:

1. My Statistics / Numbers
2. My Reviews, Ratings and Rankings
3. iTunes
4. Audio Perfection
5. Being Absolutely Everywhere
6. MP3 File Names

Things I do worry about:

1. Audience – Give them a reason to listen
2. Knowing my listeners
3. My RSS feed address
4. Being everywhere that matters
5. Ease of use for my listeners and web visitors

You will have to listen to the show to find out more 🙂

Should You Host Your Podcast on Soundcloud? – pqh14

April 1, 2017Episodephd

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My Opinion — NO!

Soundcloud is NOT a podcast company. They are a music and audio sharing platform kind of like YouTube is for Video. They have lost something like $300 Million since they started. Investors are bailing out on them. They tried to get $100 Million more and failed (so far) and came up with $70 million in a LOAN. They even say that may not take them to the end of the year. YIKES! Run, don’t walk, away from Soundcloud for your primary podcast host.

Soundcloud takes a $70 million loan because they can’t get another round of investment

David Noel, Soundcloud co-founder, leaving

If you insist of sticking with Soundcloud for podcast hosting, at least control your feed in some way!

New Beginner Series – Getting Started – PHD097

March 30, 2017Episodephd

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He’s Baaaaackkkk! 🙂

Today I give a bit of an overview of what you need to do BEFORE you put out your first episode of your podcast.

1. Pick a Topic
2. Pick a Title (for the show)
3. Pick and get your domain name
4. Figure out how you are going to do your RSS feed
5. Setup your site and feed
6. Figure out how and what you are going to use to record your podcast
7. Test record to make sure you know how to use your mic, software, devices and whatever else you use to record and edit your files
**** USE MP3 for Audio, USE MP4/M4V for Video ****

If you disagree with me or have a question, please send in a voice comment to mike@mikedell.com or Podcasthelpdesk@gmail.com