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.
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!
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
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 🙂
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!
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
Don't fall for all the “launch” strategies that people are trying to sell you. Just “START” your podcast.
To get into iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and other places, you only need 1 podcast episode in your feed. Not 3, 5, 7 or whatever, just one. START your podcast and don't LAUNCH it.
Shownotes are anything in this part of my post. Wherever you are seeing this, this is the show notes.
They are the main content area in your blog post.
Podcasting is just Blogging with media. So, no matter how you are doing your RSS feed, you are blogging. To get an episode you make a post. What you write in the main content area of that post, is your Show Notes.
My Predictions from 2015 in podcasting for the Year 2016
I Made some guesses on what was going to happen in 2016 back in Episode 71. Now we find out just how wrong I was.
Soundcloud will no longer be a podcast media host (Wrong, they are still here)
Soundcloud is still here and still nobody has bought them and they haven’t gone out of business (yet)
There will be at least one new podcast media hostt (Right)
Dan Benjamin's Fireside along with a BUNCH of others that didn’t really make a splash yet.
There will be at least one new podcast media host go out of business (??)
At least none that I know of. I'm sure there were some, but they went out with no splash just like they came in with no splash.
I will release “The NO BS Guide to Podcasting”. No Really…. I am going to finish it (wrong)
It will come out sooner or later or never 🙂
Feedburner will still exist all year long. (Right)
Yup.. Still a pain in my side.
Podcast Movement will be a big success. (no brainer) (right)
PM16 was great! The first one I went to and it was a ton of fun. Reminded me of the good old days in Ontario.
Blab will start charging “something” for service or will start some sort of advertising. (Not talked about in the show) (WTF? They went out of business)
They are just gone. So I don’t know if I was right or wrong. I guess wrong, they didn’t start charging, they just went out of business. Free is a lousy business plan.
A major player in the podcasting space (company) will change names / rebrand. (wrong)
At least, not that I know of. Blubrry went through a sort of re-branding. It’s now “Blubrry Podcasting, a RawVoice Company” in communications. But, really it was that all along.
There will be a major Movie announced that features podcasting in the central plot. (not a documentary or independent film) (Wrong – As far as I know)
Just a short note and announcement to let you know that a new Skill is available from the Podcast Help Desk (me).
