Prologue
How to Grow Your Media Empire
One of the things I stress for the people who work with me is that you are a media company.
It's true. Whether you have a podcast, a newsletter, an Instagram account, or anything else that shares your message – even a plane dragging a banner behind it – you are the media.
One of the biggest mistakes podcasters make is only listening to other podcasters. This is how things get stale.
If you want to innovate in podcasting, you have to look outside podcasting. So that's what we're doing in this issue of Big Podcast Insider.
Podcaster Opportunities
What if the future of media is only newsletters and podcasts?
Do you have a mailing list (and newsletter) for your podcast? The super-nerds at Axios think that would be a very good idea...
Like a tree, the best time to start your mailing list was 20 years ago. But the second-best time is today, so take a look at something like SendFox to make that happen now.
And once you start it, make sending it out a regular thing.
I get it – it's more work for you. But the fact that you are reading this in a newsletter shows that the concept works.
Podcast Marketing
Want a Bigger Mailing List? Try this...
This is a bit scary, I'll admit.
For years, we've been told that our mailing lists should be "double opt-in" and people who sign up need to verify this before we can send them anything. But recent "email verification" tools, such as Clearout, allow you to verify emails automatically and completely bypass double opt-in verification.
This will result in a much bigger mailing list for you.
This article has some great info that will make you feel better about growing your mailing list in this way.
Podcast Production
DIY "Radio Handbook"
This online "book" is so simple you might just skip over it, thinking it's another poorly-written blog article. But it's full of great advice on how to get good-quality interviews on tape, script writing, and handling yourself as a journalist/podcaster.
You'll be able to read it in 10 minutes or less. Do it.
9 Journalism Tactics to Create a Better Podcast
This is an article you may have missed, because it's made for people who want to get more traffic via search engines. And if you want more traffic via Google and other search engines, you will find it helpful.
But...
It also has some great "rules" to make your podcast content better.
25 "Podcasting" Tips From Famous Writers
I think you'll find this "podcasting" advice from famous writers both helpful to creating great episodes as well as inspiring.
One of my favorites...
“YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY WRITE. DAYDREAMING ABOUT THE BOOK YOU’RE GOING TO WRITE SOMEDAY ISN’T WRITING. IT’S DAYDREAMING. OPEN YOUR WORD PROCESSOR AND START WRITING.” - ANDY WEIR
This applies to writing and it applies to podcasting. So if you haven't gotten behind the mic and released an episode for a while, do it!
The Wrap Up
Like this newsletter? Tell a friend!
My goal is to better empower podcasters to be more successful spreading their messages and make more money with their podcasts.
I'd love it if you'll help me spread the word about this newsletter by sending your podcasting friends to bigpodcast.com/newsletter.