The Audacity to Podcast®

Is "podcast" really the right label for the content we produce? Can just any audio or video content on the Internet be a podcast? And is podcasting really the thing you should be doing for your hobby or business?

Interaction often sets podcasting apart from traditional media. Podcast listeners have learned that hosts are generally responsive and feedback is often included. But do you need to interact in order to have a successful podcast?

Most podcasters will consider iTunes as the podcast directory. But should you stop there? Or should you even bother with iTunes and get a mobile app for your podcast instead?

Everyone talks about your search-engine optimization (SEO) with every platform on the web. But does SEO really matter if you host a podcast instead of blogging?

Editing is a savior to some, and hell to others. But do you really need to edit your podcasts? Or should you be editing when you don't? This is a special miniseries to challenge the ideas podcasters have accepted as truth for years. Some will stand up against the challenge while others crumble, and some will reveal new options you may have never considered.

You've probably considered your branding and promos as tools to grow your podcast audience, or to look and sound better. But are these worth the costs, or might there be better ways to reach these podcasting goals? This is a special miniseries to challenge the ideas podcasters have accepted as truth for years. Some will stand up against the challenge while others crumble, and some will reveal new options you may have never considered.

"Episode 0" is a common strategy to help you launch your podcast in iTunes and help you get into "New & Noteworthy." But do either of these actually matter for starting your podcast? This is a special miniseries to challenge the ideas podcasters have accepted as truth for years. Some will stand up against the challenge while others crumble, and some will reveal new options you may have never considered.

Do episode numbers really matter to you or your audience? Is there a better way to title your episodes or make your show-notes URLs? This is a special miniseries to challenge the ideas podcasters have accepted as truth for years. Some will stand up against the challenge while others crumble, and some will reveal new options you may have never considered.

The quality of your podcast production may be a criterion people use for choosing their podcasts, but how much does it really matter? Dynamic microphones are also praised as the best microphones (with the Heil PR40 being the "golden standard"). But is this really the kind of microphone you should consider? This is a special miniseries to challenge the ideas podcasters have accepted as truth for years. Some will stand up against the challenge while others crumble, and some will reveal new options you may have never considered.

Passion and consistency are two qualities that most podcasters herald as requirements for podcasting. But do you really need these qualities to succeed with your podcast? Let's challenge this podcasting assumption and find out! This is a special miniseries to challenge the ideas podcasters have accepted as truth for years. Some will stand up against the challenge while others crumble, and some will reveal new options you may have never considered.

It seems every podcaster wants a big audience and wants sponsorships. But do you really need either of these to be successful? Can you make money with a small audience? Should you really try to get sponsors with a big audience? From the perspective of what you need to host a podcast, the clear answer to either question is "no." But let's look at this from a success perspective and what helps your podcast or you reach higher goals.

Stats help you measure your audience and performance. Media hosting moves your podcast files away from your website server. But are either of these services really necessary for podcasting?

I usually recommend self-hosted WordPress for podcasting from your own website, and so do many other professionals. But is this really the best option for running your podcast and creating your podcast RSS feed? This is a special miniseries to challenge the ideas podcasters have accepted as truth for years. Some will stand up against the challenge while others crumble, and some will reveal new options you may have never considered.

How to setup WordPress and PowerPress to let your one website host several podcasts. Learn about custom channels, category podcasting, and third-party providers.

Choosing the right topic for your podcast can seem difficult. Here are five questions to ask yourself with picking the right ideas for your future podcasting.

RSS makes podcasting possible. I'll explain what RSS is and why not owning your RSS feed could mean losing all of your subscribers.

Imagine publishing podcast episodes faster! These simple hacks will improve your podcasting workflow in the little details. Each of these may take only a few minutes to setup and may not seem to save much time. But even saving 30 seconds per day adds up to more than two hours per year.

How do you podcast from nothing to a finished, publicized episode? Here are six main steps with key implementations to make a podcasting workflow like the professionals!

Before you press record, make sure you've checked these 20 things to ensure a quality podcast.

Whether you're a new or experienced podcaster, you may face the decision of whether to be in audio or video podcasting. Here are the pros and cons of each format, and things you should consider.

You've finally started making money podcasting! Now you must decide how to handle that income. Here are ten tips for what to do with podcast profits.

Your podcast website should house more than just your episode archive. Here are eleven pages to make your website better for you, your audience, and even sponsors! I recommend tools (some free, some premium) for making these pages.

Back to basics! This isn't a detailed process for how to edit episodes, setup your website, or get into iTunes. These are the core 10 principles for starting a podcast, even if it's not your first time!

It's great to be the first person in a niche. But don't be discouraged if you're not. Consider the following seven points to help you embrace your differences, despite the existing "competition," or find a better niche for your blog or podcast.

Don't get discouraged when something goes terribly wrong and you're ashamed to release something you've recorded. Try these five tips for handling these potentially embarrassing mistakes in podcasting.

Sickness hits almost everyone at some point. Consider these five questions before you press record. (Remember that I can't give medical advice, so these are things for you to consider and decide for yourself or ask a doctor.)

Recorded live from New Media Expo 2014, today's The Audacity to Podcast episode talks about a lot of feedbacks from the Podcasters themselves about their podcast success in 2013, as well as their goals for 2014.

Podcasting continues to grow and 2013 is no exception. Here is a 2013 podcasting year in review.

Learn timeless ideas to help you launch your podcast today, with some bonus tips on why you should launch before the year is over.

Being serious and professional about your podcast will help you get sponsors (and make money!), grow your audience, and strengthen your authority—even if you're a hobbyist podcaster! Learn how to podcast like you mean it!

Whether you're on the edge of podfading, or you just want some more excitement in your podcast, injecting some fun can help reignite the passion. Here's how to podcast and have fun doing it, too!

Headphones can help you record and edit your podcast better. Picking the right headphones is a highly subjective process, but here are nine things you should consider before buying headphones for your podcast.

Since I first learned how to podcast, I've made my own share of mistakes (we were all newbies at one point). In celebration of my 150th episode, I share my top mistakes, and how you can avoid making the same mistakes, or fix them if you're too late. Get ready, because this is a long episode!

Successful podcasting isn't just about what you share in your episodes, but also what makes the entire experience easy, professional, and effective. Check out my ten suggestions for the email addresses and webpages your podcast needs.

Learn more about what podcasters should and shouldn't be doing based on the review and grading process for the Podcast Awards.

Podcast hosting can be a valuable asset, especially when you have a limited upload plan (as with most media hosts). When you fill up your monthly media upload limit, you still have a few options.

Whether you're launching your first podcast, or thinking of reformatting the one you have, you should think a lot about how you will present your content.

Should you edit your podcast after you've recorded it, or mix everything together while you record? I'll give you some pros and cons to consider.

9 steps to help you make time for running a successful podcast.

You never realize how important quality backups are until you desperately need them. Here are several ways you can (and should) backup your podcasts, website, and even personal computer.

Five updates to podcasting tools that you should know about, and how to take advantage of them.

Learn tips for producing your own podcast promos! Mike and Izabela Russell, from Music Radio Creative, are experts in audio branding and production. They join Daniel J. Lewis in this episode to help you better grow your podcast the audio and even video promos.

At the end of 2012, I shared 7 reasons why I was switching from Audacity to Adobe Audition. I don't regret that decision, but there are 7 more things that I miss now that I'm using Audition.

7 reasons you should use WordPress on your own web hosting instead of choosing another platform.

Profanity is a controversial subject in podcasting. If you're the type to use foul or explicit language, consider several important things before you include this in your podcast.

More about Apple's announcement and the implications for podcasts. Also learn about YouTube live-streaming and the Electro Voice RE20.

Cynthia Sanchez shares tips for using Pinterest to promote your podcast, create better content, and get more followers. Check out Oh So Pinteresting podcast at http://ohsopinteresting.com

Podcasts are watched or listened to in a variety of ways and places that you may not expect. Forgetting these things could make you podcast difficult to consume and thus annoy your audience.

Speed up your blogging and podcasting workflow with these five great WordPress plugins. They'll reduce your steps, optimize your site, and save lots of time.

No matter how you podcast, it needs to be hosted somewhere. You should have web hosting and media hosting that will grow with your podcast. I'll suggest your best options to consider.