Learn How to Podcast: Where Are All These Downloads Coming From? Steph Taylor on Tracking the Source of Your Listeners

SPONSOR: Focusrite USB Interfaces

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

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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

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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?

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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

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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)