Prologue
This Will Grow Your Podcast Audience for $27
My 30-Day Solo Podcast Challenge started this week and it's not too late to get in with the current group ... and get 90% off the normal price.
This training will help you improve your hosting skills, but also clarify your message. You'll also meet a lot of other podcasters who are serious about getting better together.
It's the cheapest way to work with me one-on-on. In fact, so inexpensive that you might find it hard to believe.
Join the 30-Day Solo Podcast Challenge. Use promo code SOLO27 and get it for only $27 (90% off).
Questions? Reach out to me 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.
- Get people talking about your podcast.
- Make more money with your podcast (and podcasting skills).
You can get details here.
Steal This Idea
Goldfish Is Changing Its Name to “Chilean Sea Bass”
“We know Goldfish are a lunchbox icon, but the truth is, they’re loved by snackers of all ages. So, as a playful reminder, we went ahead and gave our iconic cheddar cracker a new, fun, grown-up name.”
Danielle Brown, vice president of Goldfish, told this to CNN earlier this week and doing something similar may be an option for your podcast.
The cracker brand isn't hurting. Its facility in Utah can produce more than 5,000,000 Goldfish per hour (1500 every second). Still, a fun (and temporary) rebrand can be a great way to get people talking about what you do.
There are certainly a lot of good opportunities for a fun, temporary rebrand based on current events and upcoming holidays. Even if you don't change the name of your podcast, temporary and topical art is a good way to have fun with what you do and get people talking.
More thoughts on the audio version of this newsletter. If you've seen any good (or bad) rebrands, reach out to me via Mastodon, Bluesky, or Threads.
Podcasting Tools
What is Podcasting 2.0?
There's a lot of hype around Podcasting 2.0 and lots of opinions as well.
I'm mentioning it here because, as a podcaster, it's important for you to know about things like Podcasting 2.0. But at the same time, it's in the very early stages and the general public has almost no idea it exists.
Why you may care about it ...
Podcasting 2.0 is like a big upgrade for podcasts, adding new features like letting listeners leave messages or even donate money.
I've got a couple of "new podcast players" listed below, if you want to play around with the features and get an idea of how it works.
What's your favorite podcast player? Is "Podcasting 2.0" something you care about? Reach out to me via Mastodon, Bluesky, or Threads and let me know.
Podverse
Podverse is a great example of a "Podcasting 2.0" player and allows you to share created clips, highlights, playlists, and chapters, sync your queue and history to multiple devices, and create backups.
Want to send your favorite podcast a donation? You can do that tool.
Fountain
One of the bigger players in the Podcasting 2.0 space, Fountain allows you to strike up a conversation with podcast hosts, guests, and fans. You can share your thoughts about what you're listening to and discover other listeners' opinions.
With Fountain’s editing tool, you can share an audio clip from a podcast with your followers in seconds and turn your clips into eye-catching videos with subtitles to share them on social media.
Listeners also get paid.
Podcast Production
How To Make Your Voice Sound Better in Audacity
I love Audacity. It's the world's most popular recording and editing app ... and it's free.
Here's the four-step "secret" to using Audacity to make your voice sound its best ...
- EQ
- Normalize
- Compress
- Normalize
RELATED: Want to jump in and knock out a ton of episodes over the next few days? Join the 30-Day Solo Podcast Challenge. Use promo code SOLO27 and get it for only $27 (90% off).
Podcast Humor
Trick or Treat
True story ...
Several years ago, I published an episode on April 1 (April Fools' Day) that I had taped during a period when I had "lost my voice" and it sounded very weak. I told listeners that the doctor told me the situation would only get worse, so I was retiring from podcasting.
Again, it was on April 1, so I thought people would get the joke.
Some may have, but I got a ton of emails about it, all of them very kind and wishing me well.
People cared. And it was as great lesson to learn how much they cared.
I've heard more than a few podcasters tell similar stories about moments where listeners came out of the woodwork. For example, when a podcaster would decide to shut down a show. Then listeners would start to speak up about how important that podcast was to them.
Consider this if you're frustrated by lack of audience interaction with your podcast. Most listeners are passive and will never let you know they're listening.
But they are.
Have you had a moment where listeners of your podcast surprised you? Reach out to me via Mastodon, Bluesky, or Threads and let me know.
The Business of Podcasting
The Disappearance of an Internet Domain
Good domain names are getting harder and harder to come by, so many podcasters are switching to options other than .com. For example, .io, which is very popular with tech podcasts.
All domain extensions mean something and many are connected to a specific location. The Chagos Islands is where .io is associated.
The UK government's choice to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius has put millions of domains ending in .io at risk of disappearing.
I mention this here because you should always do whatever you can to control the online addresses that you use. For example, running your RSS feed through a service like FeedBlitz so you can attach it to a domain that isn't associated with a media hosting company.
I'm confident everything with the .io extension will work out and anybody using it will be OK, but keep this story in mind when looking for a "home" for your podcast. Some countries are more stable than others.
Classifieds
Notejoy - Simplify Your Podcast Production
Notejoy makes podcast production with guests, co-hosts, and producers easy!
Whether you're collaborating in real-time or across time zones, Notejoy makes you feel like you're in the same room!
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.
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 …
Free of charge ...
- Big Podcast Extra – Short emails to help you build an audience, attract clients, and make money via podcasting
- Build a Big Podcast – The Marketing Podcast for Podcasters
- Podcast Growth Toolkit – The "Swiss Army Knife" of podcasting ...
For budgets under $750 …
- Big Podcast AMP (Audio Monetization Program) – Personalized coaching for indie podcasters to help you grow your podcast audience and build your authority, brand, and reputation
For budgets of $3000 or more …
We offer a range of podcasting services including:
- Full-service podcast production and marketing
- Podcast and radio hosting
- Podcast launch and development services