Prologue
Phil Donahue >> Oprah >> You
Oprah Winfrey wrote this about him ...
"If there had been no Phil Donahue show, there would be no Oprah Winfrey show."
The man was a master of taking "taboo" (at the time) subjects and bringing them out into the open. He also invented the "daytime talk show" as we know it today, bringing the audience into the conversation and making them just as part of the show as he was.
This conversation with David Letterman will give you a better idea of his impact and who he was.
Your work as a podcaster can be equally impactful. Maybe not for as many people, but for those who listen to you.
Bring your listeners into the conversation.
Sponsor
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Podcast Marketing
Own Your Niche
This is a cool opportunity for you to "adopt" any word.
I suggest doing something associated with the topic of your podcast. For example, I adopted "podcasting".
it's $25 for the year—a cheap link back to your site, if nothing else.
Thanks to Grammer Girl, who turned me onto this. She adopted "podcast". Other words adopted by podcasters include "queer" and "ritual", so note that just about any word will work, as long as it's related to the topic of your podcast.
If you do this, let me know! I'd love to add you to this list.
Podcast Hosting Skills
Larry King Never Prepared For Interviews?!
This was sent to me via Mastodon this week and blew my mind ...
Larry King believed that "not preparing" for interviews allowed for more authentic interactions.
You can't argue with success. Larry King had the ability to connect with his guests in a way that made him a household name and a very long career.
But this doesn't mean he didn't prepare ... it just means he didn't prepare in the traditional sense.
If you've done something where you've acquired specialized knowledge about a topic, that's preparation. If you've developed "soft skills" that allow you to quickly establish rapport with a guest, that's preparation.
Does this "non-traditional preparation" allow you to skip specific episode research or pre-interview calls? I wouldn't recommend that.
Don't fall into this trap ...
There's a tendency for us to look at successful people and want to emulate the way they do things. And it's easy to focus on "one thing" when doing this.
For example, looking at a great radio host and buying the same mic, thinking that's what made that host great. Or looking at a writer who wrote everything with a pencil and, because of this, using a pencil for what you write.
Yes, look at successful people and learn from them, but don't get caught up in any single element—it's everything that these people are doing which leads to their success and everything that you're doing that enables yours.
Podcasting News
Apple Podcasts - Web Edition
Have a lot of listeners using Android or other non-Apple devices? Good news!
Apple Podcasts on the web allows listeners to enjoy the full Apple Podcasts experience on any web browser, on any device.
Podcasting Deals
Create an Online Radio Station for $99
Radiolize is an all-in-one tool that lets you create, broadcast, and manage an online radio station over the cloud.
This is a good opportunity for some podcasters.
For example, if you talk about music, you could program a music station and drive traffic to your podcast. Or schedule your podcast to stream on the station.
Same for anybody with a comedy podcast. It would be easy to set up a station with standup performances, similar to what SiriusXM does.
And if you're in the fitness niche, you could program a station with music to exercise to.
Want to brainstorm ideas on how to use it for your podcast? Hit me up via Mastodon, Bluesky, or Threads.
Podcast Humor
The Gang Run
Gang-run printing describes a printing method in which multiple printing projects are placed on a common paper sheet in an effort to reduce printing costs and paper waste.
Similarly, when you've got a studio booked and people there, it's common for podcasters to record multiple episodes.
Even a couple of episodes at once can be a long day. And I've seen people recording at live events, such as trade shows, knock out a dozen or more at a time.
Personally, I wouldn't want to do over three full episodes per day. But you do what you need to when you have the opportunity.
Have a "gang run" story? I'd love to hear it! Reach out to me via Mastodon, Bluesky, or Threads.
The Business of Podcasting
The Top 50 Podcasts in the U.S. for Q2 2024
What are top podcasts talking about? You'll find this list of top podcasts interesting.
- Lots of news shows from traditional media outlets
- Lots of conservative talk
- Lots of entertainment, mostly by celebrity hosts
Something to be aware of, but some advice ... Don't chase the charts. You will be miserable creating a podcast that isn't what you're really interested in.
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 ...
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For budgets of $3000 or more …
We offer a range of podcasting services including:
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