http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/ The latest ten episodes in Podcasts by PodcastHelper 60 Sat, 21 Apr 2012 17:55:38 EST en-us http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-057-The-Benefits-of-Using-a-Mixer/ As you get further along in your podcasting venture, you'll likely want to add in more capabilities such as Skype hosts and guests, more in-studio microphones, and built in capabilities for backing up recordings to avoid loss of your audio. Having a mixer in your studio allows you to easily add in these and many more features as your skills and productions progress over time. On this episode I explain the many ways a mixer allows you to easily expand your studio's capabilities and what features you might want to look for when choosing your first mixer or upgrading your old one. Sat, 21 Apr 2012 17:55:38 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-057-The-Benefits-of-Using-a-Mixer/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-056-SXSW-Archiving-Your-Podcast-and-Powerpress-30/ Fresh off my return from SXSW, I share my experiences from the conference and a couple panels I saw that led me to bigger ideas about my podcast, sharing and your show's legacy. One of the speakers I sat in on was Jason Scott from the Internet Archive. He talked about curating the culture of the web and capturing it for future generations. So what happens to your podcast when you're gone? I discuss this and suggest that you might want to backup your episodes to Archive.org. You're creating great content that when viewed from a far in context with other shows produced during the same time, can lead to a bigger picture of what was happening in a particular time in our history. Save it. I discuss a new episode of Podcast Quick Tips where I take a look at Skype's new release which includes an option (for Mac users) to disable auto gain control. Windows users already have this in their version of Skype. Don't let Skype control your microphone. Now you can easily disable this setting for times when you are using Skype to record a podcast. Check out ThePodcastersStudio.Tumblr.com. Yet another way I'm using the content I create here to generate small amounts of income. The site is a collection of mobile photography of podcasting gear that I come into contact with, connected to affiliate links. This might be another revenue stream for your podcast. Anytime you are creating content that promotes other's products, try and incorporate affiliate links. It adds no extra cost to your audience and it could help you offset the costs of producing your show. Custom title tags are a way to help you write blog posts for humans and robots. I discuss how you can create catchy titles while still maintaining good SEO for the likes of Google, Bing, etc. Finally, I take a look at PowerPress 3.0, the podcasting plugin for WordPress created by Blubrry.com. Once again they have added some great features that you are likely able to add into your podcasting site's backend to help improve how your show is delivered to your community. Don't miss the great resources I list for helping you work your way through the newest version of the plugin. Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:46:42 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-056-SXSW-Archiving-Your-Podcast-and-Powerpress-30/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-055-Podcast-Currency-How-Your-Podcast-Pays-You-Back/ You produce a podcast that you make available for free and in fact spend lots of your own money on (if you're truly invested). So how does your podcast pay you back? A podcast pays in both tangible and non-tangible ways. In this episode I cover all of the ways I've found to make money from your podcast as well as how to see value in your show when you aren't seeing cash. In a lot of cases, money is not the goal of the podcast producer and even those that have an interest in making money from their show need to understand all of the ways a podcast pays back. Affiliate Accounts: Quite possibly the easiest way for your podcast to earn real income is to make sure you sign up for affiliate accounts with sites such as Amazon or any other retailer who has products that you are promoting on your show. Donations: Don't be embarrassed to ask for donations. It can help offset the cost of producing a podcast and often times you have people in your audience who understand all the hard work you put into producing your podcast. Let them donate. Ads: There are a hundred different ways to approach getting sponsors. There are network sites like Blubrry.com who will find the sponsors for you or you can go out and get your own. This is often the most difficult way to get income from your show but it can also be the most lucrative. Premium Content: It's possible to make your back catalog or even your entire show pay-for-content. Libsyn.com now offers a service that will allow you to determine how much of your feed is premium. Non-tangible Returns on Your Podcast Subscribers: Every new subscriber is cash in the bank for a podcast. In podcasting, it's all about the audience. Email List: If someone is willing to give you their email, consider that as good or better than a donation. Email's can be used to reach your audience from now until they unsubscribe so it's a pretty big return when your audience likes you enough to give you access to their email inbox. Treat it wisely. This could be your only link to your audience should something go wrong with your hosting, podcatcher, etc. Reviews, Comments, Social Sharing: Anytime someone gives you a review on iTunes, a comment on your site, a Like on Facebook or any other feedback, you've been paid. These help increase your visibility in search engines be it Google or iTunes or wherever else people can find your show. Emails and Voice Feedback: When people leave you feedback or ask questions, this is content you can use to power your show. Including your listeners in the content of your episodes increases their investment in your podcast as well as helps you create content which can be a challenge after producing a lot of episodes. Word Of Mouth: Just as it reads. When people tell their peers, you win. More subscribers leads to more podcast currency. Subscribe to The Podcasters Studio Podcast Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:16:22 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-055-Podcast-Currency-How-Your-Podcast-Pays-You-Back/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-054-Free-Audio-Hosting-Woes/ Blip.tv announces they will no longer accept audio only uploads. For the past six years or so, Blip.tv has been kindly hosting audio only files for free. Blip.tv is primarily a video site and now they're cementing that with the discontinuation of audio only uploads. Here's the official announcement: At blip.tv we're focused on being the best home for high quality, original, episodic, video web series. To that end, we have focused on making our upload process as easy and fool-proof as possible. For a number of years we've permitted the upload of non-video formats, but beginning December 13th, 2011 we will be turning off the ability to upload all audio-only formats, including MP3. Pro accounts will still have the ability to create MP3 conversions from their source video files, but direct MP3 uploads will no longer be allowed. If you are uploading an audio only podcast, we strongly recommend using a more appropriate platform such as Libsyn or Podbean. By next week at the latest, we will begin offering an option in your Dashboard to re-direct your current feed to a new location. This will allow iTunes to move your subscribers over to your new feed and host automatically. Thank you, blip.tv As of December 13th, 2011 Blip.tv no longer allows you to place your .mp3 files on their servers. This means if you hosted an audio only podcast on Blip.tv, you need to look for a new host for your show. Blip will be deleting any remaining audio only files that are hosted on their servers in July 2012. This means you must get your episodes off of Blip if that is the only place they live. Download them now and save them to your desktop. Also, if you are using Blip's feed features to deliver your podcast RSS feed (i.e. to iTunes), you will have to use their redirect tool to ensure that your listeners are not lost in the transfer. Hear my opinions on the the Blip move as well as learn what to do if you need a new host. I also talk about my newest resource for podcasters, www.PodcastingQandA.com. A great place to get your podcasting questions answered or explore the catalog of questions and answers to learn a lot about producing podcasts. Links mentioned in this episode Podcasting Q & A (Learn about podcasting while getting your questions answered) Vimeo.com/RayOrtega (Learn about HDDSLR filmmaking and browse my videos) Auralex 1'x 1' acoustic foam treatment kit - 24 pieces (Follow along as I treat my studio for better sound). Blip.tv RSS feed redirect (use this to redirect your Blip.tv RSS feed to a new feed). Zoom audio recorders Subscribe to The Podcasters Studio Podcast Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:44:56 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-054-Free-Audio-Hosting-Woes/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-053-Podcasting-Controversies-Part-2-of-my-Interview-with-Dave-Jackson/ We continue where we left off talking to Dave Jackson from the School of Podcasting. On this episode Dave and I chat about podcasting software and how using old gear can be just as effective as buying brand new. I ask Dave what he thinks about having to have the "radio voice" sound for your podcast and how he defines success when it comes to his shows. We touch on ideas about investing in your show and how to produce a podcast on a budget. Dave gives us some great insight about some of his attempts to monetize his podcasts and opens up the pages of his podcasting ebook to share some tips. We wrap up by approaching some of the more controversial podcasting topics such as people who say "podcasting is dead." Listen in for some great conversation about all things podcasting as I wrap up my interview with Dave. Visit www.ThePodcastersStudio.com for complete show notes, tutorials and over 50 hours of how to podcast related content. Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:47:04 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-053-Podcasting-Controversies-Part-2-of-my-Interview-with-Dave-Jackson/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-052-An-Interview-with-Dave-Jackson-from-the-School-of-Podcasting-Part-1/ An interview with Dave Jackson from The School of Podcasting's Morning Announcements. A "podcast that talks about all things Podcasting. From planning planning, producing, and promoting your podcast along with all the tools and techniques." With over 250 episodes published, Dave is one of the original podcasters. He was an early digital mentor for me when I was entering podcasting and has since become a peer and friend. We talk about Dave's podcasting career, take a peek inside his studio and approach some of podcasting's more controversial topics. This is part one of two because when you get a chance to talk to someone you have been listening to for years, you take the opportunity to get as much conversation in as possible. Links mentioned on this episode School of Podcasting Subscribe to The Podcasters Studio Podcast Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:38:59 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-052-An-Interview-with-Dave-Jackson-from-the-School-of-Podcasting-Part-1/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-051-Back-to-Podcasting-Basics-Part-2-of-2/ Continuing where I left off in part one of this two part series, I wrap things up with a discussion about the remaining basic pieces you'll need to start a successful podcast. I'm defining a successful podcast here as a podcast that starts off with all the core elements in place so that you don't have to go back and fix the foundation of your show in the future. Often times, mistakes are made when setting up a podcast (understandably due to excitement and the rush to get started) that will often require an entire rework of the core elements of your podcast. In this episode I guide you through creating artwork for your podcast, establishing an RSS feed, getting your show on various podcasting directories such as iTunes, marketing and promoting your podcast and a few extra elements to add to your show as you grow. Most important of these factors is the proper setup of your RSS feed. The best way to ensure that you don't run into major problems in the future is to use Feedburner to enhance your originating feed. This will not only help create a valid feed, add extras to your feed while allowing you to easily control its appearance but most importantly it will give you the ability to move your audio and/or video file host anytime you want without affecting your audience. This episode, in combination with episode 050 (part 1), provides a solid foundation on which to build your show. You've learned how to produce a podcast and with this episode you learn how to enhance, deliver, and promote your show. All of these factors will set you up for a long lasting show that can be built upon as your grow your podcasting skills, knowledge and library. Links mentioned on this episode TPS050 - Part 1 of 2 - Podcasting Basics Show Artwork - TPS036 and Podcast Quick Tips Feedburner - TPS005 (Feedburner for Podcasters) & TPS030 (Feedburner Refresher) Creating a Feed - Feed for All, Posterous, Feeder ID3 Editors - mp3Tag (windows, free), ID3 Editor (Mac, $) Podcast411.com - Directory of Directories Tubemogul.com - Mass Video Distribution Quora.com - User generated, question and answer social network Podcast Marketing and Promotion (category) - TPS007 - Marketing Your Podcast Subscribe to The Podcasters Studio Podcast Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:42:48 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-051-Back-to-Podcasting-Basics-Part-2-of-2/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-050-Back-to-Podcasting-Basics-Part-1-of-2/ Learn the basics of podcasting from how to decide on a topic to choosing gear, software and hosting for your website and media. You've decided you want to start your own podcast and now you need to know how to proceed. In this episode we go back to the beginning and walk you through the basic elements needed to create a podcast. Your first step is to decide on a topic. Pick something you know well and love to talk about to no end. This will help to keep you motivated over the period of many episodes. Are you going to produce an audio only show or a video podcast? In both cases you'll need gear that allows you to capture, edit and compress your digital media into a podcast friendly format. The basic gear for an audio podcast is a microphone (I recommend a dynamic mic), a mixer and some headphones. I've made the basic assumption that you already have a computer. For video, at a minimum, you'll need a video camera and some editing software. However I highly recommend including an external microphone that plugs into your camera. Good audio, even in video podcasting, is as or more important than the image you are capturing. Finally you'll want to purchase some basic hosting for a website and your media files. Make sure to listen to part two of the basics of podcasting (episode 52) where you'll learn about creating a graphic identity that represent your show, creating a future proofed RSS feed for submitting across the web, and how to get your podcast listed in podcast directories such as iTunes. Sun, 07 Aug 2011 15:36:42 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-050-Back-to-Podcasting-Basics-Part-1-of-2/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-049-Noisy-Headphones-Free-Graphics-Editor-and-Creating-Supplemental-Video/ On this episode I talk about the effect that bad headphones can have on your podcast's audio. Headphones that don't fit properly, are not well built or are simply turned up too loud can affect that amount of feedback that your mic hears. If the audio going into your headphones leaks out and into your mic you could hear some weird results in your final audio or be unable to properly edit your audio in post production. I talk about how to make sure you headphones are not the cause for problems with your final audio. Creating great looking graphics for your podcast can be a challenge if you can't afford to purchase quality image editing software programs. Now there is an incredible, free option available via your browser called Sumo Paint. This free web service works and looks much the same as Photoshop Elements which I enjoy using for creating my own podcast graphics. Give it a shot and enjoy the power of free, quality graphics creation. If you have an audio podcast you can benefit greatly by adding video. Creating a YouTube channel to supplement your audio content can attract many new listeners that you would have otherwise never reached. Can you think of some quick, valuable content that is related to your show and would benefit by being seen as well as heard? I recommend creating your own channel and try adding video to your multimedia arsenal. You might be surprised by the results and feedback. Links mentioned in this episode: Sumo Paint - Free browser based graphics editor Phandroid Podcast Video - Hosts talk about Google Plus Hangouts Zoom H4N audio recorder Struggling Entrepreneur Podcast - I was interviewed for the Struggling Entrepreneur podcast. Subscribe to The Podcasters Studio Podcast Mon, 18 Jul 2011 18:52:09 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-049-Noisy-Headphones-Free-Graphics-Editor-and-Creating-Supplemental-Video/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-048-Audio-Only-Live-Streaming-Via-Mixlr-And-Podcast-Myths/ Have you ever wanted to live stream your podcast in an audio only player? Finally a solution that caters to audio only podcasters has arrived in the form of mixlr.com. A live streaming, audio only application available for both PC and Mac. Live streaming your podcast as you record can be another great way to interact with your audience, allowing them to participate live in chat rooms with you and other audience members. I have fielded many questions from people who were looking for an audio only live streaming player to put on their site and now we finally have one. Mixlr.com offers podcasters a simple application that is easy to use and adds little work to your current podcast production setup. You simply point the mixlr app at your audio input source, check your levels and go live. One of the most powerful features that mixlr brings is the ability to be used with iOS devices (iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, etc). Sites like Ustream and other live streaming services which video based don't work with iOS devices (the Ustream app only has a fraction of the content available on Ustream). This means that your show can now be live streamed via any devices that can browse the web. You can now be in the car with your audience (live) offering your content which is often a much better choice than what's on traditional radio. Another great feature is the ability to embed the mixlr player right onto your Facebook Fan Page. Simply put the link to your mixlr page for any live episode into the link section and Facebook will embed the mixlr live streaming player right onto the page so that all your "fans" can listen right there on Facebook. There are many great options that mixlr.com provides to the audio podcaster but the main one is simple, a service designed specifically for audio only and we've been waiting for that for a long time. Run over and get your account today (before all the good names are taken;)) Also on this episode I ask my twitter community to share some of their #PodcastMyths. We've all heard that "you need an iPod to listen to podcasts" or You can get good audio from a USB mic." These are myths that continue to float around the podcasting community and so we had a little fun and listed some of the most common myths we're still hearing today and I tell you why they are indeed #PodcastMyths. Tweet your own podcasting myths to @PodcastHelper and use the hashtag #PodcastMyth. Tue, 28 Jun 2011 06:07:23 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/PodcastHelper/in/The-Podcasters-Studio/episode/TPS-Ep-048-Audio-Only-Live-Streaming-Via-Mixlr-And-Podcast-Myths/