Podcast PerspectivePodcast Perspective | The podcast about everything podcasting and new media with tools, tricks, and techniques to take your production to the next level!

Who said there's no money in podcasting? Whether your audience is large or small, learn five different strategies that you can use to make money from producing your podcast. Get paid to do what you love! How To Make Money From Your Podcast Don't start podcasting expecting to strike it rich and be able to quit your day job--If you're seeing dollar signs, there are much easier and less stressful ways to try to get rich than through podcasting. While there have been podcasting success stories, including Leo Laporte, Adam Carolla, and many others, they are the exception, not the rule. While it can happen, there's certainly no such thing as an overnight success, it can take years of hard work. Podcast because you want to, because you have to--not for money! However, there's certainly nothing wrong with monetizing your production, even just to make your show self supporting to pay for equipment, hosting, and any other associated production costs. Myth: "You have to have a large audience to be able to make money." Having a large audience can help, but it is by no means a necessity; there are multiple ways to monetize (not just advertising), and having a loyal, engaged audience can be more important--quality over quantity. 1. Donations There's nothing wrong with asking for donations--you won't get what you don't ask for, and some people will be more than willing to pitch in to support the continued production of a show they love and want to see continue. Just don't be constantly nagging your audience begging for their money. One way to encourage donations is to give them a shout out thanking them for their contribution, or maybe allowing them to "sponsor" an episode to get a short message read--"this episode is brought to you in part by the generous donation from Joe Schmoe." For some, hearing their name on your show can be a huge incentive. You can accept donations through PayPal, which offers tools to create both one-time amount and recurring "subscription" donations. For an example, here are custom donation buttons from Geek Cred: $2 / Month One-Time While this is referred to as a donation, unless you are a registered non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, it is not tax deductible! 2. Advertising There are multiple types of advertising: Cost Per Thousand (CPM) Cost Per Action (CPA)/Cost Per Conversion (CPC) Flat Rate An advertising campaign is usually limited to a monthly or quarterly time period, and sometimes the impressions may be limited geographically to a target demographic the advertiser is trying to reach, such as people in the United States. Many advertisers prefer a host-read endorsement, instead of the traditional commercial break playing that slick pre-produced, but impersonal advertising spot, allowing you more creative freedom in your delivery as long as you get the advertiser's message across. On a CPM campaign, if you produce a weekly show (4 episodes per month) with 1,000 subscribers, and an at a CPM rate of $25, you will earn $100 per month. But, if your advertiser is trying only trying to reach people in the United States, if only 500 subscribers are located within the target demographic, you might only earn $50 per month. CPM advertising does better with larger audiences, but doesn't require your subscribers to do anything. On a CPA or CPC campaign, you only get paid per lead of sale you generate when your audience does something, such as signing up for a service using a unique discount code that tells the advertiser that you referred them. This requires your audience to actually do something for you to get paid, but you don't need a large audience, but a loyal, engaged audience. Advertising networks negotiate with advertisers to get their message on many different shows: Blubrry Podtrac Mevio If you are on a CPM campaign, the advertiser will want verifiable, third-party download statistics.

"Content is king" in new media--but you have to actually produce content! Podcasting doesn't have to require a lot of money. Learn about the software and services to use to make your voice heard and get your show online, regardless of your budget. Steve will be at Dragon*Con in Atlanta, GA, September 2nd-5th, 2011, and participating in one panel at the podcasting track: "Podcasting 201 - The Tech Stuff" at 4 PM on Friday, in the Hilton Room 204. If you're at Dragon*Con, come by and say hello! Are We In A Post-"Podcast" World? There's been a discussion recently that really struck a chord. Someone posited a question: Are we still podcasters? That is, in the age of live streaming, is it really still a "podcast"? In the strictest definition, a podcast is rich media downloaded automatically via syndication--inherently time shifted, the opposite of live. The words "live" and "podcast" are mutually exclusive; a "live podcast" is technically incorrect. Podcast is really the delivery method, not the media itself. Many people identify simply as "podcasters," but a show is a show--no matter what the media or delivery method, whether podcast, live, or something else. You want your show to be available for people to tune in in as many ways as possible. The term podcast has made major progress in penetrating the mainstream consciousness, it's still shrouded in mystique for many people. First and foremost, you are a content creator, the host or producer of a show--no matter how people listen to or watch it. Think beyond podcasting! Podcasting on a Budget--For (Almost) Free You don't have to spend a lot of money--or sometimes any money at all--to produce and distribute a podcast. I also don't recommend going out and spending a lot of money on equipment and services when you're first getting started, as this is a lot of work, and might not be for you. You can start of simple and build your way up. Microphone: USB Headset (~$20-30) One way or another you're going to need some sort of microphone to record your voice. One of the best options is with a USB headset, with a microphone on a boom near your mouth, which you might already own, and if you don't, can cost as little as $20 to $30 at most electronics or big box stores. Another option is the microphone built to your laptop or notebook computer, but beware--this will also pick up room ambience, echo, and background noise, even noise generated by the computer itself. Software: Audacity or GarageBand You're going to need some sort of software to record and edit your episode on your computer. One option for owners of Mac computers is GarageBand, which comes pre-loaded on every machine as part of the iLife suite. Another option that's open source and cross-platform is Audacity, available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Audacity has a fairly significant user base, which means there are a lot of tutorials and resources online to help you get started. Be sure to download the newer 1.3 "Beta" version, as it has many improvements over the older 1.2 "Stable" version. Don't let the "beta" tag scare you away; while it's not perfect, it's probably as stable (or even more so) than 1.2. Web Hosting: Wordpress.com Wordpress has grown from a simple blogging platform to a full-blown content management system, and is what powers the web site of most podcasts. There are two variants of Wordpress: There's Wordpress.org, which you download and install on your own web hosting; and Wordpress.com, which is a hosted service. Wordpress.com has the advantage of being totally free, with a domain, but isn't as flexible or customizable with plugins or themes as Wordpress.org. If you choose to upgrade from Wordpress.com to Wordpress.org, you can export your data in a format that you can then import in to your new site. Media Hosting: Archive.org You can't just post your episodes (e.g. MP3 files) directly to your Wordpress.com site--or that,

It's easy to get caught up in the technology, and the technical aspects of production---certainly for me!---but even more important is what you do before you hit the "record" button! The time you put in to planning and preparation has a huge impact on the quality of your show. Whether you're a veteran, or you're just getting started, it's important think critically to help your podcast reach it's full potential! Planning Your Podcast Don't go in without a plan. Especially when you're just getting started, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement, and during that honeymoon period, to go all-in. Alternately, you've decided that you want to do a podcast--now what?! Having a plan can be crucial for long-term success. Topic Not sure what your topic should be? Podcast your passion! Podcast what you know, what you would talk about anyway, what you love so much you can't stop talking about it! When it becomes a grind, you need that passion to push through. Don't be tempted to fall in to the trap of covering a topic you're not passionate about--if you don't have the passion it will show through, and it won't be fun for you to produce, or for people to listen to. You don't have to be an expert, but you have to be passionate about your topic! One of the strengths of podcasting and new media is is being able to focus on niche topics--but what do you do if your niche is already saturated? How do you put a unique spin on it? At the very least, your own personality, you're own perspective, is unique! Format Format is the structure of your show, and lacking the rigid rules of traditional media, it can mean as much or as little as you want it too--you don't have to break at specific times for commercials. Many podcasts follow a standard structure of segmented content. For example, for Podcast Perspective, you have the identification--"You're listening to Podcast Perspective Episode 7..." which is very useful to help people know what they're listening to when flipping through their MP3 players--the standard introduction, then two to three in-depth segments about a specific topic. Alternately, you might have an introduction, top news stories, an interview, and then more in-depth news discussion. Having a consistent format can be very advantageous. Even if your show is freeform, then the format is that there is no specific format! Length As podcasters, we're not subject to the strict limitations of radio and television, but just because you can have your show be as long as you want doesn't mean you should! A good rule of thumb is to keep your show around or shorter than most people's average commute time: 30-40 minutes. If your show is longer, or an hour or more, unless it's packed to the gills with can't miss content--in which case you might want to consider breaking it up in to two more shorter episodes--it can become a chore to listen to. Having longer podcast isn't inherently bad, but all too often it's because the content has gone off the rails. Try to keep it as short ascan be, so you're not wasting people's time, while still being natural and faithful to your vision! Frequency How often are you going to release new episodes: Every week? (Weekly) Every other week? (Bi-Weekly) Every month? (Monthly?) Ever weekday? (Daily?) Give yourself enough time between episodes to avoid burnout, while being frequent enough to build a routine and build an audience--for example, every week. Production Don't forget to factor in production time, usually two to four times more the running time of the finished episode. If you have a thirty minute show, expect to spend up to two hours or more between planning and preparation, recording, and editing and post-production--plan accordingly! "Freshness" Some content or topics are "evergreen", and can remain relevant after time has passed, while others--such as news or current events--can be very time sensitive.

Have you started podcasting yet? What are you waiting for? Don't get me wrong, you have to be fearless, but don't fall in to the trap of waiting until you get everything perfect, or you'll never even start. Eventually you just have to take the plunge and do it! The best way to learn is by doing, to learn what works, and what doesn't, so you can improve with each episode. "Content is king"--you have to actually produce content. Don't let the technology become a distraction. Let your passion drive you! Podcasting is incredibly fun and rewarding, but also inevitably requires more time and effort than you thought. Many would-be podcasters don't make it past the first few episodes. If you're just starting out, don't start actively promoting your show until you've established yourself and settled on a format that works. This episode has to do with branding, and promotion--in that order. First impressions are important! Making an Impression Artwork/Logo What message does your logo, your artwork, your web site say to potential listeners? Does it stand out from the crowd? As important as it is, "Presentation is queen" doesn't just refer to audio production--aesthetics are important. You want to attract people to click the "Play" button in the first place! Make sure you give your logo and artwork the same attention you give to production quality. If you're going to spend hundreds of dollars on quality equipment to get that professional sound, don't use a logo that looks like you whipped it up in five minutes. If you can afford it, hiring a graphic designer is worth it. Two talented artists who understand podcaster's needs (because they are themselves!):  D. Joseph Design Draw You A Picture.com Other options: Logo Tournament 99 Designs You want album art that is 600x600 in JPEG or PNG format, and ideally in a high-quality format suitable not only for the screen but for printing for business cards, etc. Music Even if your podcast is all talk, you probably have some sort of intro or outro with theme music. You want music that's unique, that when people hear it, they instantly know that they're listening to your show. Don't use that same music that everyone else is using! This is most common among Mac podcasters who too often use the jingles bundled with GarageBand, but they are so overused that not only is it poor branding, it's even an annoyance--especially when there are so many other options! Be careful not to use any copyrighted music without permission or a license. Thanks to the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, in the United States, there is no such thing as Fair Use, in the eye of the law--using any amount, even "just a clip" makes you open to a devastating lawsuit. It is a myth that it's okay to use a clip as long as it's 30 seconds or less! Where do you find music for your show? 1. "PodSafe" There is a lot of music out there that's free to use, with few restrictions--usually attribution, and sometimes, only for non-commercial use. If you take the time to look, you can find some real gems! Music Alley (Formerly PodSafe Music Network) ccMixter (Creative Commons) Incompetech Alternatively, if you come across an independent artist (for example on MySpace or Facebook) who's music you like, just ask! Many will gladly allow you to use their music, and welcome the free promotion. 2. Royalty-Free "Royalty-Free" doesn't mean that it's free of charge, it means that you don't have to pay royalties--once you've purchased it, you can use it forever. A variety of companies offer production elements and royalty-free music, available either on a track basis, or in collections, for a variety of budgets: Digital Juice SmartSound Music Bakery Jewel Beat (99¢) There is usually high-quality music in a variety of genres to fit anyone's taste easy to find. Some royalty-free options give additional options, such as different versions,

The "dark art" of audio processing is a powerful tool to that you can use to help your podcast sound its best. Don't be "that guy" who sounds like he's recording with tin cans and string in a cave. No matter your equipment, a little magic can go a long...

Interviews are a great way to mix things up, to break out of your usual format and to talk to new and interesting people. Interviews are powerful, people love stories! Learn some tried and true techniques learned that I learned the hard way to get the ...

MP3 is the universal audio format for podcasts, but not all MP3's are made equal--how you encode matters! Learn how to get the highest quality out of your MP3's and the best settings to use. It is also important that your MP3's are properly tagged with meta data identifies and describes the audio file, and to know what information to include in your podcasts. Skype is an incredibly powerful tool for podcasters, allowing us to communicate regardless of boundaries at a very low cost (free, or nearly free), and at very high audio quality, but there are some special tricks to get the most out of Skype. Encoding Quality MP3's: The MP3 file format is a "lossy" data compression format that uses psychoacoustics to discard or reduce the accuracy of parts of sound, throwing away data that you hopefully won't miss too much. How you encode, and what encoder you use to encode matters.  There are two major MP3 encoders available: The free, open source LAME encoder, used with Audacity, and the commercial Fraunhofer encoder, from the inventor of MP3. Sadly, the LAME encoder consistently falls flat when compared to the Fraunhofer encoder, requiring a higher bit rate to achieve comparable quality. However, there is a free application that includes the Fraunhofer encoder, iTunes! Export your finished, edited podcasts to an uncompressed WAV or AIFF file, and import it in to iTunes. Go in to the iTunes Preferences, under the General tab, and click on Import Settings. Under Import Using, select MP3 encoder, and under Setting, select Custom. Recommended Encoding Setting: Bit Rate: 128 kbps (So-called "CD quality") Use Variable Bit Rate: No! Sample Rate: 44.1kHz (Important) Channels: Stereo Stereo Mode: Joint Stereo AAC is an alternative format, most notably backed by Apple, which can achieve higher audio quality, as well as Enhanced Podcast features such as chapters, images, and links, but AAC is not widely supported, while the MP3 format is universally supported. If you wish to take advantage of the strengths of the AAC format, still release your podcast in the standard MP3 format, creating a separate, secondary feed for the AAC version. ID3 Tagging/Meta Data: After you've exported that quality MP3 file, you need to gag it with meta data that describes and identifies the files. There are a variety of applications available to tag MP3's, including iTunes, which has robust support, but not all other application's support all recommended fields. One recommended alternative to tagging in iTunes is the shareware and cross-platform ID3 Editor. Essentials: Title: Episode Title Album: Show Name Artist: Your Name/Co-Host(s) Names Important: Year: Year Released Track: Episode Number URL: Web Site Address Genre: "Podcast" Artwork: Must embed album art image in to the actual file! Bonus: Lyrics: Show Notes/Contact Information Beware of using the "Media Kind" field, as it can cause some unexpected results. Quick Tip: While recording, stay hydrated! Your voice is one of your best assets; be kind to it! It's easy for your mouth to become dry during those long recording sessions; be sure to keep plenty of water nearby. Room temperature water may be advisable compared to ice water or caffeine, as they can cause the vocal chords to constrict. If you find lip smacking and mouth noises to be problematic, add a squeeze of lemon. Listener Question: "What would you consider recommended reading on podcasting , and considering the explosion of podcasting, what would you see podcasting doing in five years?" --Oliver It's hard to name some "recommended reading" on podcasting, such as a book, because it's such a quickly evolving medium. Writing and publishing can be such a long process that by the time a book hits shelves, some things have changed and information can already be out of date. Still, take a look at Podcasting for Dummies,

First impressions are very important! Content is king... but presentation is definitely queen! First impressions are important. If someone takes the time to tune in to your show, you've already done the hard the hard part---you've hooked them, you've attracted their interest. Far too often, my first impression is, "What were they thinking?!" Knowledge is power: It's not about having the greatest equipment--though that helps--it's about being smart, and making the most of what you have. Don't be "that guy"! This episode features an overview of microphone mechanics, including a comparison of condenser and dynamic microphones and pickup patterns, microphone techniques for getting the best sound, a review of secret budget-conscious podcasting microphone, and how to best deal with ever present background noise. Microphone Mechanics: All microphones work by picking up sound vibrations and converting them to an electrical signal, but before you go and pick up the latest and greatest microphone you can afford, understand how they work. There are two principal microphone technologies, condenser and dynamic, each with their own inherent strengths and weaknesses. Condenser microphones active and rely on phantom power, or a 48 volt electrical signal, which can be provided by a battery or from the mixer or audio interface, and are relatively fragile and used in controlled recording studios. They are highly sensitive, precisely capturing sounds, so they will pick up your voice great, but can also pick up all kinds of unwanted background noise if you have a less than ideal recording environment, like most podcasters' home studios. Dynamic microphones are passive and utilize a moving coil, and are used in live sound (e.g., concerts) and in radio broadcasting due to their durability and noise rejection. They are generally less sensitive than condenser microphones, but as such are less susceptible to picking up unwanted background noise, but usually have a lower output, requiring more gain at the possibly noisy preamp stage. Far too often, when someone's looking to improve their sound, I see well-intentioned people recommending a condenser microphone (such as the MXL 990), and then they struggle with background noise ranging from their computer's fan, their air conditioner or heater, squeaking chair, or their neighbor's barking dog! You can get great sound out of a condenser mic, but it's important to be aware that there can be pitfalls. It doesn't matter how high-end a condenser microphone is, if your recording is cluttered with background noise, it will sound worse than a (relatively) inexpensive handheld dynamic microphone. The best way to eliminate background noise might be to change your microphone! That's how microphones pick up sound, no where microphones pick up sound, which is determined by their pickup pattern. Omnidirectional microphones pick up sound from everywhere, in all directions equally. Directional microphones, such as cardioid microphones--so named because their graph looks like an upside down heart shape--pick up sounds at the front of the microphone, but attenuate sounds behind it, which is desirable for podcasters. Finally, a stereo mic is a lot less useful than you might think--You only have one mouth, one set of vocal chords! Stereo mics are really just two microphone elements in one assembly. Microphone Techniques: Regardless of what make, model, or type of microphone you have, there are some universal techniques to get the most out of it. First, while it might sound obvious, it's important to make sure that you're talking in to the "business end" of the microphone. Some microphones are side address, while others are end address, and if you talk in to the side of an end address microphone, you will get far from desirable results. You can't  be afraid to of the mic; you want your mouth to be approximately 4-6 inches away from the microphone,

Welcome to the very first episode, the premiere of Podcast Perspective! Podcast Perspective is the podcast about everything podcasting and new media! Whether you're an experienced podcaster, or you're just starting out, this is the show to learn about the practical tools, tricks, and techniques for the new media revolution. The Internet has broken down the barriers, and removed the gatekeepers, giving anyone passionate the ability to make their message heard across the world. Content is king... but then quality, presentation is definitely queen! I want to help make your message stand out from the crowd and get great audio. Especially if you're just looking to get started, there's a paralyzing amount of information out there, and in this ever evolving medium, much of it out of date, or, in my opinion, some less than great advice. I've been there, "in the trenches" as an independent content creator for years now... and I'm here to help! This episode features an overview of what is a podcast, and what makes this new medium so revolutionary, some fundamental audio concepts, and more... Explaining Podcasting What exactly is podcasting? Regardless of your level of technical expertise, or whether you're just getting started, or you've been involved with podcasting since its infancy, take a moment to step back and look at the bigger picture. To successfully produce a podcast, you not only need a clear understanding of what a podcast is, you'll need to be able to explain it to the uninitiated. These days, podcasting has become a buzz word that gets casually thrown around. People hear it all the time, but not knows what it means---how often have you heard people someone respond with "but I don't have an iPod" in regards to podcasting? The term podcasting does date back to February of 2004, when it was coined by British Journalist Ben Hammersley, a combination of the words "iPod" and "broadcast"---but has come to mean so much more. Technically speaking, a "podcast" is little more than rich media content---such as audio or video files---that can be automatically downloaded via syndication. However, downloadable media from a web site is not a podcast. The syndication element, done via RSS, is the "secret sauce" that lowers technical boundaries by automating the delivery of new episodes. A podcatcher program---such as iTunes---can regularly check this specially formatted RSS "feed" and easily see if there is a new entry, and will automatically download the associated attachment---in the case of audio podcasts, usually an MP3 file. Subscribing to automatically download new episodes of a podcast isn't unlike subscribing to a print magazine or newspaper---except that podcasts are (usually) free. Instead of having to go to the newsstand every time there is a new issue, you subscribe to get it delivered to your automatically. Similarly, when you are subscribed, the latest episode of your favorite podcast will be automatically downloaded to your computer, ready to be listened to on demand at your convenience---all without having to lift a finger. In traditional media, there can only be a finite number of terrestrial radio or television stations, which means they must "broadcast" to the broadest possible audience, catering to the lowest common denominator.  By contrast, there is no limit to the number of podcasts there c can be on the Internet, and there can be specialized content "narrowcast" to a specific audience. With no traditional transmitter, unlike radio and television, podcasting is not limited by geographic boundaries, or limited by corporate media gatekeepers. Podcasting is democratized media, where you are in control. Anyone with something to say can make their message heard! Quick Tip When you're producing your podcast, even if you do it "live to hard drive," always record to an uncompressed format---such as WAV (Windows) or AIFF (Mac). MP3 format should only be used for distribution,