Prologue
A Good Week for Podcasters
A couple of big podcasting-related announcements this week ...
- Audacity 3.6 was released and has some really nice, updated features, including a new set of Audacity-exclusive plugins.
- Popular podcast player Overcast got a brand new upgrade, making it an even better option to consume podcasts.
So a little something for everybody in podcasting, podcasters as well as podcast listeners.
More details on each of these below ...
What podcasting-related tools can you not live without? Let me know via Mastodon, Bluesky, or Threads.
Sponsor
Big Podcast AMP
If you like the newsletter, you'll love Big Podcast AMP (Audio Monetization Program).
This personal coaching program helps you do three things:
- Grow your podcast audience.
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Steal This Idea
Accessibility = Audience Growth
Want a bigger audience for your podcast? Make it more accessible.
Check this out ... it will give you a new perspective on why accessibility is so important.
I rarely listen to video content at my coworking space.
Give me good captions, and I’ll consume the content. But if I must listen, I’ll move on and search for content that doesn’t require me to consume sound.
In this case, the quiet in the office setting fosters a situational disability for me.
"Situational Disabilities" are a big reason why 52% of people who watch Netflix do it with subtitles on.
Podcast listeners also like text options. And this is easier to do than ever, thanks to automated transcription options on services like Castmagic and Riverside.
Want to go deep with accessibility options and do an "audit" on your podcast, so you can reach even more people with your message? Check out the Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools List.
More thoughts on the audio version of this podcast ...
Podcasting News
Don't Lose Your Podcast (or Reputation)
The "RockYou2024" leak has nothing to do with your podcast, but also everything to do with your podcast.
You're distributing an important message to a lot of people who trust you. Don't let carelessness allow a bad actor to have access to these people.
Two "password manager" options for you to consider:
Also ... consider using two-factor authentication (2FA) and/or a USB key like this one to be extra cautious.
More thoughts and my personal experiences with this issue are in the audio edition of this newsletter.
Podcasting Tools
Audacity 3.6 (with New Effects and More)
Audacity is the world's most popular audio editing and recording app and Audacity 3.6 is available now.
Some big changes/additions, including ...
- Master effects that apply to the entire project, not just individual tracks.
- A new compressor and limiter, which is great for spoken word audio, like podcasts.
- New and improved dark and light themes.
Want more info?
- Mike Adams from Learn Audacity goes deeper into the changes and improvements here.
- Watch the official release video.
Ready to take the plunge? Download Audacity 3.6 free.
Overcast - Rebuilt from the Ground Up
Developer Marco Arment spent almost 18 months rebuilding popular podcast player Overcast with modern frameworks and programming languages. This "new" version is now available.
What you'll notice:
- The app is faster
- Easily reachable controls for large phones—great for when you're listening in the car!
- A modern look
9to5 Mac says:
Overcast has been a leader in the world of podcasting for a decade (literally a decade!), and today’s update checks all of the right boxes. Rewriting an app that’s been around for so long is a daunting task, but Overcast has done it right.
Podcasting Deals
Turn Your Podcast Into Social Media Content with AI
Alphana turns your podcast into 30+ pieces of engaging content including:
- Clips from Timestamps
- Al Images
- LinkedIn Post
- Twitter Thread
- Blog Post
- TikTok Videos
- Instagram Reels
- YouTube Shorts
- YouTube Description
- Timestamp Notes & Chapters
- Summary
- Key Takeaways
- Instagram Reels Caption
- Facebook Caption
- Questions Asked
- Questions to Ponder
- Notable Quotes
- Multiple-Choice Quiz
- True or False Quiz
- Fill-In-The-Blanks Quiz
- Press Release
Podcast Humor
How Much Did You Spend on Prime Day?
Lots of great podcasting deals on Prime Day this year ... Almost everything from Zoom was on sale, which I know a lot of people took advantage of.
Still some great deals up, by the way.
Did you get anything good? Let me know via Mastodon, Bluesky, or Threads.
Classifieds
Podpage
Join over 25,000 podcasters and automatically create a beautiful, listener-friendly podcast site from your RSS feed.
Podpage is the simplest way to create a podcast website.
Riverside - Remote Recording Studio
Riverside records high-quality audio (and video) directly from your browser. No special equipment is needed and connecting with your guest is as simple as sending a web link!
You can try Riverside free (no credit card is needed) and, if you like it, save 15% on any paid plan by using the coupon code BIGPODCAST.
Castmagic - Automated Episode Notes
Over 35,000 podcasters have used Castmagic to automate:
- Episode notes
- Highlight clips
- Podcast summaries
- Blogs posts
- Social media posts
- Newsletters
Upload your podcast audio and Castmagic does the rest!
The Wrap Up
When you're ready, here's how I can help you even more ...
If you want the shortcut to building a podcast people care about, here’s how Big Podcast can help you …
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We offer a range of podcasting services including:
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