Where Are All These Downloads Coming From? Steph Taylor on Tracking the Source of Your Listeners

SPONSOR: Focusrite USB Interfaces

2:40

I got to play with a Focusrite 2i2 and if you are looking for an easy to get your microphone into your computer (and have the option to have a co-host as well) without having to look at a TON of knobs, check out the Focusrite 2i2. As I'm on a PC, I downloaded a driver, plugged in the unit, and was ready to record. If you're on a Mac computer, you just plug it in.

If you want a backup copy of your recording, plug a cable into the monitor out and send the signal to your portable recorder.

It's built like a tank and is a lovely shade of red.

Check out the interface selector tool that helps you pick the right model for you at their website.

Libsyn.com Rolls Out Custom Tracking Codes

3:21

Libsyn.com recently rolled out custom tracking codes for those on their advanced stats. This allows you to enter a code(s) for an episode so you can track where your podcast comes from. Most podcast hosting platforms give you access to geographic data, and insight into what apps people are using as well as the number of downloads. The good news is anybody can share your podcast. I've known people who had giant boosts in downloads by having a popular blog link to their website. If you had a tracking code for that episode on your website, you would get more than "A player" or "A browser" you would be able to see the source of your downloads. 

In doing a quick test I made a link for my newsletter, and more my website so I could see that yes, both of those sources had people listening to my episode. 

Get a free month at Libsyn.com using the coupon code sopfree

 

What If I Don't Have a Libsyn Account?

You can use what are called UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) which is a format used by Google to track things. You can go to https://ga-dev-tools.appspot.com/campaign-url-builder/ to create a campaign. Here is a link to a video that explains it (from Google)

Steph Taylor From the Socialite Podcast Sheds Some Light on UTMs

7:48

I met Steph at We Are Podcast 2018 in Melbourne Australia. She is awesome, and once saved me from a giant cockroach (a long story for another time). She's only been podcasting for around six months and is having huge success (thousands of downloads). Check out her show "Socialite" at https://stephtaylor.co/

Much like the Libsyn Custom Link, you can use a UTM to track where your show is being heard (the source). 

Some other takeaways from my talk with Stephanie:

How to know what social media platform to use

The social network that you may not be using

She uses Recur Post to automate some of her postings

She uses a Pinterest template from Creative Market

How she uses automationagency.com to trim down her publishing stress

Because of her podcast, she got to speak at We Are Podcast 

Her strategy to maximize her launch

The Question of the Month: What is the Book You Refer to People the Most?

28:29

Jonathan Bloom from the Weekly Awesome Podcast- The Bible

Paul from the Fight Through Podcast like the Fighting Through Book (his Dad is the author)

Dennis Looney from the Gridlock MBA - All Marketers Are Liars By Seth Godin

Josh Liston On the Bubble Podcast - A Man Called Ove (Fiction), H is for Hawk (non Fiction), The Halo Effect (business)

Stephanie from the Virtual Ex Pat - Global Soul 

Todd Brant from the Why Urology podcast - Quiet the Power of Introverts 

Win from Ask Win - Big Magic  and her own book I, Win (about her journey with Cerebral Palsy) 

John Friedl (Professor Slots) - Persuasion (only 200 years old) and The Deed of Paksenarrion (fantasy literature trilogy)

The Question of the Month For December

43:32

For December it is time for your yearly tradition of answering the question, 

"What is the ONE podcast (if you can only pick one) podcast (your favorite). Where can we find it? And WHY is it your favorite. Lastly, where can we find your show and what is it about?

See www.schoolofpodcasting.com/contact (if you record and email it, please put "December question of the month)

 

Mentioned in this Episode

Link to Official Google Video on Google UTM and URL Builder ( https://youtu.be/pNRgUq5sDhc )

Google Analytics Academy from Google

Recur Post (Automated posting)

Creative Market (Graphic Templates)

 Focusrite 2i2

Free Course on Google Analytics

Web Hosting and Domain Names

Get a free book at Audible

Sign Up To Be an Audible Affiliate

Ready To Start Your Podcast?

If you're looking for step by step self-paced tutorials go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/start (and start a monthly membership)

If you are looking for consulting or mentorship see www.schoolofpodcasting.com/workwithme

Download This Episode!

Pointless Podcast Obsessions

Dave Jackson and Jim Collison gather for a post-Thanksgiving Food Coma induced episode of Ask the Podcast Coach

Cracker Barrel to Go Was Delicious

3:48 Should I take time off for the holidays and skip some episodes

7:25 What email address should I use, my name or something generic like "Feedback?"

11:15 Facebook groups rarely give you a usable answer ( and can't take a yes or no answer)

15:13 Does speeding up playback make them sound like Chipmunks

16:10 Bedtime Fan App

17:35 Podcast Numbers - Nobody Cares

23:05 Custom Tracking Codes at Libsyn

26:50 Podcharts? Are you using? Stats Obsession

28:30 Feedback vs Downloads

33:04 Our Awesome Supporters

35:00 Things you planned on doing, that you didn't get to...

37:28 Automating a newsletter (works with most providers like Aweber, Mailchimp and Convertkit

38:22 Cleaning Your Studio can boost creativity

42:35 Simplify your process to make it easier on yourself, and think about outsourcing

46:00 Throw out things you don't need - the clutter adds stress

47:00 What is podcasting clutter - Make a folder structure

48:50 Alexa fail on remembering stuff.

50:18 As podcasting takes "so much time" the more organized you are the less time it takes

52:30 The Importance of backing up your computer. Dave uses Backblaze to back up his PC

53:30 Black Friday Deals?

57:25 Dave decided to just upgrade iJingle for playing clips and such. 

Take the Top Spot

Get one on one consulting at a 63% off take the top spot at www.patreon.com/davejackson 

Download the Episode!

The Courage to Make Mediocre Things - Cathy Heller from Don't Keep Your Day Job

 

Cathy Heller is a talented musician. She's been signed by two major record labels, but unfortunately, she's also been dropped by two record labels. I've always told podcasters to go to their potential audience and find out what kind of content they need. That is exactly what Cathy did, and it worked. She found out what type of music was being licensed into commercials, TV, and movies. When she created the type of music her audience (producers) needed it worked to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. When things were going great, how did she pour gasoline on her success? She started a podcast (Don't Keep Your Day Job).

A Podcast Started in the Closet Now Has Three Million Downloads

Here are some points from my talk with Cathy Heller:

People are thirsty to hear what is really going on their life as social media shows a filtered view 

Cathy shares how as a musician she got a record deal twice and was dropped twice - how she pushed through

She was making a decent amount of cash working a job that didn't fit her purpose

She looked into what was working in the music business and the politely persistent 

She created 30 mediocre songs as she worked on making the type of music that would work in commercials, movie, TV, etc and threw them away.

The difference between a hobby and a business is when you think of doing something for other people. 

Everyone has to start off being mediocre. It takes time and courage to start mediocre and then work on polishing your craft.

Her success was in an area that she never planned on, but people starting asking, "How do I do this?"

She said, "What the heck, let's see what happens with this."

Her music leads to licenses which lead to her agency, which lead to her course, which leads to live events and all of these item fed each other.

She started her podcast 21 months ago in a close and now has over 3 million downloads

She had to do something that made her stand out. 

She did what she said she would do. 

For more information check out her website at www.dontkeepyourdayjob.com

How To Go “All In” on your Dream Job

Tim Paige has done what many podcasters have dreamed of, he quit his day job. In a podcast on Facebook, he shared how he did it.

Some people feel that the one thing keeping them from “Making it” is this really inconvenient thing called their day job. Their “side hustle” is currently bringing in $34 a month, but for some reason they think that if they only quit their job the pressure of seeing your life's savings being caught on fire will inspire you to leap into action to find a way anyway to make a living “Doing what they love.” So I love this report from the front lines on how Tim actually quit his day job. Check out Tim at thevoiceoftimpaige.com or www.makemyintro.com

Here are some key points:
Don't quit your day job until it is costing you more money than keeping your day job. So if you turned down 40,000 worth of work because it conflicted with your 30,000 jobs, then it's time to quit your day job. This was the case for Tim.

Tim also has a TREMENDOUSLY SUPPORTIVE Spouse. For more on this check out my last episode, The Three Things Every Podcast Needs (positioning yourself for the long haul).

Tim got out of debt so that his expenses were minimal after quitting his job. He had three jobs doing anything he could to get out of debt and it took him three years.

For the first three years of his side hustle, he reinvested in his business.

Be open to opportunity. He didn't turn down jobs – even if he didn't want to do it. This makes him appreciate it when “dream jobs” come along.

Get your mind right. When he panics, finds himself envious of others, he is not doing his best work. This hurts his business.

Mentioned In This Episode

Episode 100 of Cathy's show 

Podcast Mentorship Program

Monthly Membership to Start Your Podcast

Download This Episode!

The Rode RODECaster Pro Integrated Podcast Production Console - New and Shiny

Full show notes (with videos at www.askthepdocastcoach.com/233 )

1:33 The importance of Goals

3:25 Stitcher's Podcast Group

6:25 Do podcast numbers change during the holidays?

10:35 Should I do a daily show?

17:34 What day should I release on?

20:15 Jim's Favorite clip from the Networking episode from the School of Podcasting

22:00 Handing Explicit issues (should I go back and change episodes)

25:10 Getting blocked by YouTube from something in the video (NFL)

26:38 Little things that sound easy but they are not

31:50 Our Awesome Subscribers THANK YOU

33:10 iJingle just quit working for no reason

43:12 Rodcaster all in one podcast recorder may be the coolest tool to come out on podcasting.

38:45 Dave bought a Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD USB Interface

This unit is $129 and has inserts if you want to add hardware like a DBX 286

Dave likes the Focusrite 2i2 that he got when Focusrite sponsored the School of Podcasting

42:00 Dave forgot to record again 

43:00 Pandora has jumped into podcasting

51:55 Are you on Spotify? 

School of Podcasting Amazon Alexa Skill 

54:45 Saturday Night Live the Poddy's Parody ( YouTube Video )

55:30 Spotify Stats

Big Black Friday Special on The Average Guy 

Ready To Podcast?

Work with Dave to get Plan, Launch, and Grow your podcast.

see www.schoolofpodcasting.com/workwithme

 

Download the Episode!

Positioning Your Podcast For the Long Haul (Three Things You Need 2018 Version)

How do I do so many podcasts? I get that question all the time. How do I stay consistent? How do I set my podcast up for the Long Haul? I'm fresh back from Speaking at DC Podfest, and I did a new version of the presentation called "3 Things Your Podcast Needs That Have Nothing With Microphones, Downloads, Or Hosting" and this is a revamped version of an episode I did years ago (with new information and new insights). 

2:45 How podcasting is like an iceberg, and today we are talking about the part of the iceberg that is under the water, but still important

Podcast Mentorship and Launching Pad

I have a mentoring program where I work with you, but as the new year is right around the corner I wanted to create a limited time program with limited access. Here are the details

We meet for six weeks to get your podcast up and running. These calls will be recorded.

I will help you research your topic to help ensure you contact impacts and inspires your audience

You will have clearly defined goals for your show 

You will have the best podcasting gear that fits your budget

You will have instant Access to me during this six weeks. With this in mind, I'm offering this to a very few people. 

Our coaching calls will be used to produce a new podcast spotlighting the making of your show, and giving your more promotion. 

You also get a year of membership at the School of Podcasting (which includes more group coaching, private Facebook group, and courses)

If you are interested, go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/youpodcastlaunch

Homework: Question of the Month

5:55

At the end of the month, I like to feature a podcast with your voice in it. I ask a question, and we all learn together. 

This month's question is "What is the book you refer the most?" I'd love to hear your answer. Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/contact 

and submit your answer (put "November Question" if you email me).  I need the answer by November 23rd, 2018

Also, if you have found love via podcasting, I am working on the question of the month for February. 

3 Things Your Podcast Needs That Have Nothing With Microphones, Downloads, Or Hosting (2018 Version)

7:52

The three things you need are

Attitude

This is the "I think I can, I think I can." It does take some time to get your podcast momentum going (your podcast is a bit like a Locomotive - not a race car)

It's not all about downloads, and think about being in front of a room of "only 200" people

11:55 Why monthly download stats are crap (or at least misleading)

14:25 What podcasters can learn from Oprah

16:10 How to calculate how many downloads you should be getting

Health

We are going to dig down, work longer, work harder, and go, go, go, and we end up burning ourselves out

21:05 Robby Tonins the great motivational speaker who loves to push you to sleep when you're dead

23:00 The suicide rate has risen 30% since 1999 in America. Podcasters/Entrepreneurs may be more prone to become depressed

25:15 There is no such thing as "multitasking."

26:20 Avoid the drive-through

26:50 Dave's new wife Alexa

Support

28:30 Relationships can cause Stress

30:15 Marriage Advice from the Divorced Guy

31:05 Be sure you know what your partner is thinking instead of guessing

33:30 How much time do you have a day to devote to your podcast?

35:15 Generalities of Men and Women

37:05 The Crazy Cycle

38:20 How to respond to Zingers

39:18 Handling Stalemates

39:50 Date Night on Steroids

Final Thoughts

41:43 Fast food is Not Fast

43:05 I love Evernote

44:05 I love Todoist

44:30 Do not read your email first thing in the morning

Mentioned in this Show

DC Podfest

Love and Respect Book

The Seven Habits of Highly Productive People

Get Free month a Libsyn.com using the coupon code sopfree

School of Podcasting

Your Podcast Launch Mentorship Program

Download This Episode!

How to Start a Podcast Network: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

We all want more listeners. We feel we have tried everything (have we?) and one option that all the "big" shows seem to have in common is they are part of a Podcast Network. Many of these require large amounts of download that your show may not achieve. You may be thinking of starting your own Podcast Network. I've interviewed some friends of mine recently (and some over the years) about their networks and assembled all that information into this episode. If creating a podcast network is not for you (it is a lot of work) you may be thinking that joining a network is a better choice. I share some things you might consider before joining.

Sponsor: Focusrite

I got to play with a Focusrite 2i2 and if you are looking for an easy to get your microphone into your computer (and have the option to have a co-host as well) without having to look at a TON of knobs, check out the Focusrite 2i2. As I'm on a PC, I downloaded a driver, plugged in the unit, and was ready to record. If you're on a Mac computer, you just plug it in.

If you want a backup copy of your recording, plug a cable into the monitor out and send the signal to your portable recorder.

It's built like a tank and is a lovely shade of red.

Check out the interface selector tool that helps you pick the right model for you at their website.

 

Podcast Network Interviews:

• Glen Hebbert - Horse Radio Network
• Daniel J Lewis - Noodle.mx Network
• Mignon Fogarty - Quick and Dirty Tips 
• Christopher Brian Jones - Trek.fm
• Stephen Jondrew - Gonna Geek
• Chris Nesi - Education Podcast Network

So You Want to Start Your Own Podcast Network

5:10

You need to be able to answer the question, "Why do you want to start a podcast"

There are two type of networks. One is run as a business, and the other is focused more on cross-promotion (or a mixture of both).

14: 40 A network where the shows are around a single niche (Horses, hiking, dancing, education, microbrews, etc) are easier to monetize, easier to optimize on the web.

Naming your network should be obvious. A cryptic name will slow the growth of your network.

16:17 Create two logos (square and rectangle) and keep it simple. Make sure it looks good small, or huge. Don't make the logo yourself unless you're a designer. Check out podcastdesigns.com (tell them the School of Podcasting sent you) and there are other services like Kappa 99, 99 Designs, where many artists create your artwork and you select the best. I recently used Kappa99 for my Six Shooter podcast and used their "one time jobs"  (under the More menu) to have my artwork done for $49.

20: 40 Define what your podcast network's purpose is. Define what your network will do for the members of the network.

23:00 How to add a show to your network. Start off with a general show, and then expand out and niche out. Have your criteria in place to help you decide if a podcast fits. For example, Daniel J Lewis only wants clean shows on his network.

26:58 How to add hosts to your network. Glenn and Christopher audition their hosts by bringing them on the podcasts as a guest. Most hosts don't want to work with a brand new show as you are not bringing anything to the network ( they are looking for a win-win situation).

34:15 Create a contract between the network and the hosts. This defines what is expected, how people get paid, what will get you fired, and every other situation you can think of that may happen.  By having these (at times) awkward conversations you avoid really awkward conversations in the future. When people know what will happen if they want to leave, they can plan accordingly, and expectations are set, and you can go through that situation without sacrificing the personal relationship because the business relationship didn't work.

40:36 Paying hosts a percentage of the advertisement (in some cases based on downloads) is a nightmare you want to avoid. Glenn pays his hosts a flat rate. Daniel also bills primarily using a flate rate.

43:26 Glenn has it in his contract that he can edit a show if they say something offensive that does not fit the network's brand.

44:33 Another way to pay the hosts is through a profit sharing program which allows them to keep a larger amount of advertisements that they bring to the network.

46:50 The more shows you add, the more work is involved chasing advertisers, doing paperwork, editing shows.

48:30 If you have too diverse a set of shows, you won't be able to sell ads across your entire network.

50:30 How do you handle the website? Does each show have its own website? Are all the shows under one website? Who is in charge of updating it and managing the backend?

54:54 The positive side of having a network for building community, focusing efforts, and having sponsors that keep coming back.

57:55 Harnessing the power of your audience.

59:45 The benefit to the podcast listener

1:02:38 A Network can be as simple as a page that shows all of your podcasts (such as powerofpodcasting.com )

1:03:51 The Bolden theme from Second Line themes is built for a network. Marcus Couch of the Bulls Podcast uses it for his new Bulls network see http://Bulls.fm He used the WP-all import plugin and has it automatically pulling in everyone’s show by checking the feeds every hour automated.

Should I Join a Podcast Network?

01:04:07

Here are Some Things to Consider When Pondering Joining a Podcast Network:

• Is your show a good fit. In the same way that if you want to be a guest on a show YOU NEED TO DO SOME HOMEWORK
• Are they taking submissions
• Do you have to change media hosts?
  You might lose your stats...
• Do you have to redirect your feed?
  Can you take your feed with you...
• Find someone on the network and ask them about before and after numbers?
• Ask them for the details if you bring a sponsor of your own.
• Is part of the bonus an advertisement rotated on the site? Really?
• Is the platform built on a non-free service?
• Does being on a network help? When cross-promotion is done right sure. I know personally, I've heard or pre-rolls on other shows and never been inspired to check them out. If the host says something that proves they listen, and gives it a stamp of approval, I might.

Conclusion:

Podcast networks that are run like a business are a lot of work

When all of the shows are of the same niche, it helps the network grow faster and may be easier to monetize

Get all the details, all the scenarios in writing takes some planning, and strategic thinking for the future, but can save you headaches down the line.

If your goal is sponsorship, you better brush up on your selling skills.

Don't create your own logo unless you are a graphic designer.

Make sure you have a good fit if you are bringing on a new host, or joining a new network.

Mentioned in This Podcast

If this Then That

Divi Wordpress Theme/Plugin

Bolden Wordpress Podcast Network Theme

Focusrite 2i2 see their Website

Ready To Podcast?

Join the School of Podcasting and get access to:

• Step by Step tutorials from idea to iTunes
• Private Facebook Group
• Live group coaching
• Priority email support (you are never alone

Join The School of Podcasting Today

or work with me and let me be your podcast mentor

Download This Episode!

Is Apple the Van Halen of Podcasting?

Today I am joined by Super Joe Pardo who is a podcaster, author, and the man behind Podcast Mid Atlantic. Van Halen is a band that was huge in the 80's. They are a huge Hall of Fame band. Yet they do not communicate with their audience AT ALL. You never really know who is in the band, are they recording, are they touring, etc. They are radio silence and with the new wave of people getting kicked out of Apple, with many people wondering how many downloads does it take to get stats, is Apple the Van Halen of Podcasting?

2:29 Sales won't save your business? What you talkin' bout Joe?

4:45 Big Interview leads to small downloads, why?

10:17 Fixing volume issues when someone is too quiet. See auphonic.com

13:10 Your Studio is on fire, what can you grab? - backup systems like Backblaze

16:44 Napodpomo.org ?

20:36 Recording a year in advance?

25:20 How has podcasting changed in 10 years?

27:03 What phrase does it take to have you lose respect for someone (for them to lose their credibility)

30:03 Dave's Video about New and Noteworthy

33:44 Joe uses the Rode Video Micro to record his video and then strips the audio

34:52 How long until Apple loses their influence

37:56 How many downloads does it take to have stats show in podcastsconnect.apple.com

40:28 an ATR2100 microphone didn't work for a second and it took a reboot to fix

43:30 THANKS TO ALL OF OUR SUPPORTERS

48:45 Emily at Harvard says the content creators need to teach people how to subscribe

50:00 Dave is speaking at DCPodfest

50:54 Does Dave feel constrained working for Libsyn? Do I feel I am limited? (get a free month using the coupon code sopfree at libsyn.com )

54:23 The pursuit of happiness, or the pursuit of fame and fortune.

57:30 Dave dating podcast? That was the original intent of Building a Better Dave

 

Are You Ready to Podcast?

Step by step tutorials

Live group coaching

Priority email support

Private Facebook Group

Join Today 

 

Download the Episode!