The Jag Show: Podcast Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices

Did you see 16 year old Shane Hawkins pay tribute to his dad at the recent Foo Fighters tribute to Taylor Hawkins? Well, turns out how you heard about it and how you watched and reacted to it - can teach us a lot about podcasting.How did you hear about it? For me, it was a combination of social media post after social media post, and hearing friends talk about it. Was it the same for you? Did you run to YouTube to see it? Or did you actually pull up the Paramount Plus app to watch the one hour highlight reel?There are so many lessons here when it comes to podcast discoverability. As we heard over and over at Podcast Movement, make your show SHAREABLE. Have some kind of hook. Have content that folks will want to tell others about. Make is so they'll post about it, and tell their friends.Also, and I mentioned this last week. Getting folks to change platforms is hard. When I watched this show, it was probably the second time in months I've used the Paramount app. The first was to watch the new Beavis and Butt-head movie and channel the inner 15 year old in my head. Huh Huh. I said....nevermind.Anyway, this was content that was worth opening a different app for. If you're promoting your show on TikTok or Instagram, THATS the criteria you need to hit to get someone to open Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Onto this week's podcasting news.Meghan Markle seems to have paused her podcast in the wake of the Queen's passing. We will see if she resumes it, against (allegedly) the new King's wishes.Twitter is upping their podcast game - rolling the feature out for their Blue (paid) subscribers).Research from Amplifi Media and Podnews recently showed that there are only 155,000 regularly-updated podcasts out of the 4 million shows in existence. The space is not as competitive as you might think.There's a new podcasting publishing king - in terms of total audience of shows. Spotify now leads the pack, followed by SiriusXM. iHeart rounds out the top 3.I record my show on a Shure SM7B microphone. It's the same mic that Michael Jackson recorded the Thriller album on. And I just found out another, more contemporary big name in music uses it for his podcast. And there's a Detroit connection. Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to Season 4 of the Jag Show. We're going to start with what I learned this year at Podcast Movement, and how you can improve your show.The first thing you should know about is video. Your show needs to be on YouTube. According to Edison Research, 48% of the podcast audience has consumed a show on YouTube. So even if your show is audio only, put a graphic, or an audiogram with a moving waveform up, and upload that audio to YouTube. OK, what about short-form video? One of my big curiosities this year was around the world of TikTok, Instagram Reels, and now YouTube shorts. The goal of every social media platform is to keep users on that platform. It's not going to be easy to "STOP THE SCROLL" and get someone to switch apps. The bar is very high. So unless your highlight is absolute gold and will get someone to want to hear more, consider a different approach. So how do you grow your podcast? Well, the easiest ways are to "fish where the fish are." Two ways to do this are 1) a "promo swap," where you find a similar podcast and agree to promote each other. Or 2) what's known as a "Feed Drop." You post an episode of someone else's podcast in your feed, and they return the favor. So how do podcast listeners find shows? Well, back to Edison Research:Recommendations of Friends and FamilyGoogle SearchYouTubeOther Social MediaThis advice comes from James Cridland of PodNews, don't be afraid to advertise IRL - in real life. But don't be scared by the total number of podcasts out there. By some counts, there are now 4 million shows. But most of them died on the vine! The podcasting space is NOT as crowded as you might think. Another great session I went to was presented by Jay Clouse, where he talked about using Twitter and Email to grow your show. Email especially, is a great way to grow your show.I also get into what I learned about branded podcasts, and the interesting approach iHeart is taking.And yes, we address the Ben Shapiro controversy, mostly online, that happened in Dallas.Finally, you'll notice some tweaks to The Jag Show - now into Season 4 after a summer hiatus and re-tool. New artwork, new music and voiceover, and new format. I'm trying some different things out, and I hope you'll enjoy. If you'd like to have new episodes emailed to you, you can sign up at JAGinDetroit.com/Subscribe. Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You may have noticed that it's been awhile since I've come out with a new episode of this podcast. And for that, I apologize. I've often talked about "PodFade" in this show - it's when after a certain number of episodes, a podcast falls down your priority list. Well, it happened to me. Today, I'm going to tell you how it happened, and what I'm doing about it.My wife and I are doing a lot of traveling this year - call it pent up wanderlust from COVID, scratching an itch, whatever. Well, as a small business owner, you're never really fully "on vacation." So I would work a lot of long nights and weekends prior to and just after a trip. I thought I had a plan for this podcast - I had created some bonus content and planned on releasing that weekly. Well, that worked in April. But as we turned the calendar to May, June, and soon July, the work kept piling up, and the further away I got from creating new content, the less of a priority it became. Now don't get me wrong, I have some amazing podcast clients, and the influx of new business is certainly a good thing - it just wasn't for this podcast.So I've decided to pause The JAG Show for the summer, and perhaps re-tool it. Summertime often sees a dip in podcast listening, as people's habits change for trips, being out of routine with school and work, and more. So if you do need a break, this is the time to take one. Here's what I would like to know from you, though. What about this show have you liked and disliked? Do you prefer more of the podcast industry news, practical tips for your podcast, or a combination? I'd really like your feedback as I think about what Season 4 of the JAG Show will look like. Let me know on social at JAG in Detroit, or drop me an email - [email protected] thing I HIGHLY recommend for you if you're taking a break - learn a lesson from me. Tell your listeners if you're taking some time off. It wasn't until a colleague asked me the other day, "Hey, what's up with your podcast?" that I realized I owed you an explanation. By the way, thanks for that, Stacey.So my telling you that this show will be back in the fall, I'm committing to it. And this will help hold me accountable. There may be some bonus content between now and then, but I will be back in the fall. Just let me know what you want to hear in the show.So until then, stay healthy and stay safe. Lata! Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In our May 2022 livestream, the 5 "Podcast Superfriends" assembled to talk about how Matt Cundill pushed through the usual podcast obstacles to get to the 300th episode of The Sound Off Podcast.We cover lessons learned, and how they can apply to our clients. What's changed since the show started? Should you "batch record" or do one episode at a time? What about live vs recorded?The five podcast "Superfriends" are:Johnny "Podcasts" Peterson of Straight Up Podcasts in Fort Worth: https://straightuppodcasts.comCatherine O'Brien of Branch Our Programs in Baton Rouge: https://www.branchoutprograms.com/David Yas of Pod 617 in Boston: https://www.pod617.com/Matt Cundill of the Sound Off Media Company in Winnipeg: https://www.soundoff.network/And Jon "JAG" Gay of JAG in Detroit Podcasts: https://jagindetroit.com/ Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For over a year now, three co-hosts and I have been working on a podcast for the Royal Oak Michigan Chamber of Commerce. We interview various members of the Chamber about themselves and their businesses. Once a quarter, we turn the tables on one of our co-hosts. This week, it's yours truly in the hot seat.Show Notes:Today, we turn the tables on our co-host, Jon Gay of JAG in Detroit Podcasts, and put him in the hot seat. We talk about his radio-turned-podcasting career and get some insight into his personal backstory too!Jon left radio in 2017 after a 15-year career in the industry. While he saw radio on the decline, he saw podcasting blowing up. So he started JAG in Detroit Podcasts, creating broadcast-quality podcasts for businesses and non-profits, in 2018.We talk about what a podcast is -and isn't - and some stats showing how big the industry has become.Jon explains the different levels of service he offers his clients, from basic editing to co-hosting shows with them. We also ask him the two big podcast questions. How long should your show be and how do you make money off of it?We also cover the rise of YouTube and the importance of having a presence there, even if you don't shoot a video version of your podcast. And once the show is published, how do you promote it?The Blue Yeti is a terrible podcast microphone. Jon tells us why, and which mic to get instead. (Spoiler: it's cheaper.)Andrea, Trish, and Lisa ask Jon about remote podcasting, and talk about how it's worked for this show.Finally, we learn a little bit about Jon personally. He talks about his job, and the wanderlust for travel he and his wife share. And our fishbowl question leads to a very interesting story about Mr. Gay in high school, involving his last name.Links:Samson Q2U Microphone Mentioned: https://amzn.to/3tVE3rFJon Gay from JAG in Detroit Podcasts - http://www.jagindetroit.com/Trish Carruth from The Personal Jeweler - https://www.thepersonaljeweler.com/Lisa Bibbee from Keller Williams - http://soldbylisab.com/Andrea Arndt of Dickinson Wright - https://www.dickinson-wright.com/Know a Chamber member that wants to be a guest on our show? Email us! [email protected] if you'd like to know more about the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce, or join, find them here: https://www.royaloakchamber.com/ Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

To watch this podcast as a video, you can do so here: https://youtu.be/hp4JmAZhTPEElon Musk is buying Twitter for $44 billion. And while much has been discussed about the political and free speech ramifications of this move, the podcasting piece has largely been overlooked. Earlier this week, I asked, via Twitter of course, what this move would mean for podcasting. My good friend, colleague, and collaborator Johnny Peterson suggested we have a conversation about it. That's what you'll find here.Johnny joins me to explore different ways Twitter could help podcasting. We start shrinking the "funnel" of having to tweet a link to a podcast, hope the algorithm doesn't penalize you, having someone click the link, then click play on your podcast. There are a number of ways that Elon and his team could streamline this.We also talk about live audio - specifically Twitter Spaces, which effectively ended Clubhouse's relevancy. Could Twitter re-boot its Periscope platform? Johnny's got a great new name for it. And how can we improve the quality? Twitter's goal is to keep users on their platform for as long as possible - there are a number of ways podcasting can help with that.Musk has talked about verifying all "people" on Twitter, to differentiate from bots and trolls. Could something similar happen for podcast accounts?Also on Johnny Peterson's wish list - the ability to play your podcast direct from a tweet. Twitter has done this with play buttons before - but could they partner with Apple, Spotify, or even just pull directly from your RSS Feed?What about a virtual tip jar?To connect with Johnny Peterson, find him on, of course, Twitter here on his great username: https://twitter.com/johnnypodcastsTo connect with Jon Gay of JAG in Detroit, follow him here: https://twitter.com/jagindetroit Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I joined Brenda Meller of Meller Marketing on Tuesday for a presentation on how to repurpose LinkedIn Live videos as podcasts. While Brenda works mostly with LinkedIn, the tips here are applicable to video webinars of all kinds.After a brief intro on how important podcasts have become and the power of audio, we broke the presentation down into three key areas:Before You PresentDuring Your PresentationAfter Your PresentationWe talked about microphones and equipment, recording environment, recording software, and how to handle visuals in your presentation to be compatible with an audio-only version. From there, we talked about the power of editing the audio, and how to create, publish, and promote your podcast. For more info:Full video webinar: https://youtu.be/r3DuVu9C7x8Download a PDF of the slides here: https://bit.ly/LinkedInLivesToPodcastsFind Brenda Meller and Meller Marketing Here: https://www.mellermarketing.com/JAG in Detroit Website: https://jagindetroit.com/ Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

iHeart has launched a podcasting network for NFT's. More on that later.Here are this week's podcasting headlines:Wanna know which advertisers are investing in the top 5,000 podcasts? Podchaser has a new tool to track that. https://features.podchaser.com/api/?There's a new service to rate podcasts for kids - it's from Common Sense media and will let you rate shows for audiences 17 and under: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/podcast-reviewsOld school journalists will remember the "inverted pyramid" approach to telling a story. Where the deeper you go, the less important the information. This was great in the days of newspaper editors needing to make cuts. See, a newspaper was this thing that you held up at the kitchen table....ah, nevermind. Well NPR has a storytelling guide that's relevant to podcasts. They suggest more of a trapezoid. There's no hard stop in a podcast - keep bringing in good info to keep your audience engaged. https://training.npr.org/2020/08/20/for-digital-flatten-the-pyramid-and-embrace-the-trapezoid/I told you about my experiment on Anchor, "The JAG Throwback Show." Still dropping episodes there, available only on Anchor and Spotify. While I'm not a huge fan of Anchor, it's interface is now available in an industry leading 35 languages, which will help podcast discovery around the world. https://blog.anchor.fm/updates/anchor-web-localizationCode Switch, the popular podcast from NPR about race and identity, is getting a $600,000 grant from the Corporation for Public Brodcasting. Not sure if the hosts also get a free tote bag. Apple Podcasts Connect is now showing you more data about your podcast listeners. I took a quick spin through it, and I'm not super impressed. I think you're better off to focus on the analytics from your podcast host - Simplecast, Blubrry, Buzzsprout, Libsyn, whomever you use. However, if you want to play around with the Apple interface, The Podcast Host has a guide to the new features here: https://www.thepodcasthost.com/business-of-podcasting/apple-podcast-follower-metricsAccording the LA Times, Facebook is losing interest in podcasting. You may remember, they allowed you to add your podcasts' RSS feed to Facebook business pages, not personal pages or groups. And it was only available on mobile, not desktop. But even with those limitations, Facebook still grabbed half a percentage point of all podcast listening. Remember, while it's fading with the younger crowd, Facebook is still the #1 overall social media platform. And its got the potential to bring more of the older demographics in. I really hope Facebook is only temporarily pulling back here, and will revisit the space soon. https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2022-04-14/facebook-is-pulling-back-from-its-foray-into-podcastingOK, now, onto iHeart and its building of an NFT network for podcasts. If you want a deeper dive here, the great Tom Webster of Edison Research covered this in today's column. https://tomwebster.media/podcastings-most-important-investment/I don't understand much about NFT's, and you don't have to either, in order to hear my take on this. For those who understand NFT's, there's a short term gold mine while they are hot. But my personal opinion is, the concept is too complicated for folks to understand for it to be a long-term play. NFT stands for Non Fungible Token, so iHeart's network is actually going to be called - and I'm not making this up - "The Non Fun Squad." The jokes are endless - I'll let you fill in your own punch line here. But this really cements the fact that iHeartMedia is focused on digital and the future. They are NOT focused on the radio stations that built the company. As I mentioned in a previous episode, the wonderful Beata Murphy, program director of KISS FM in Los Angeles, told our WJPZ Alumni Banquet in Syracuse that SHE believes the company will need to sell off radio stations in smaller markets. As a former radio guy, I think that's the only way for music radio to survive - is to be locally owned and programmed. Because as of right now, there isn't a heck of a lot of appeal in radio outside spoken word (meaning news, talk, and sports) and morning drive. The personality just isn't there.In fact, I'll leave you with an example of this. My wife and I are back from a long weekend in Las Vegas. Monday night, we were in a cab on the way to the airport. The cab driver had on KLUC, the once legendary pop station in Sin City. What did we hear at straight up 9pm? A legal ID introducing the most popular songs on TikTok. No voice track, no identification of the songs. Just a flat out admission of "hey, you don't come to us for new music anymore, so here's some stuff from TikTok." Unless I missed a break, I heard no DJ (not even the syndicated one they have listed) through 9:15, when they ran a pre-recorded liner to text in to win tickets. To be transparent, and so I'm not only picking on iHeart here, KLUC is owned by Audacy, the second biggest radio owner in the US. Their

Some hand wringing over Infinite Dial 2022 - a slight dropoff in podcasting. Monthly listeners went from 41% of the population to 38%. My take: it's nothing to worry about. The pandemic turbo-charged podcasting growth, and people are settling back in to routines. 109 million Americans still listen to shows every month, and that's more than pre-pandemic. Further, podcasting awareness continues to grow - now up to 226 million, or 79% of US Adutls.Deep Dive from Tom Webster:https://tomwebster.media/what-to-do-when-the-line-stops-going-up/Infinite Dial 2022: https://www.edisonresearch.com/podcastings-key-statistics-for-2022/Spotify hopes to make a profit off of podcasting investments "soon." You can preview Spotify's new "Tik Tok" esque interface here:: spotify:internal:podcastclipsOther New Tools: Podcast host Blubrry updates PowerPress plugin for Wordpress websites. Don't need to host your show on Blubrry to use it. Substack and ACast are getting into podcast hosting. ACast is spamming people, though.Headliner's "Edit Eddy" is a new transcription service. I think it's more accurate than Descript, but Descript has an easier editing interface.Need help with your podcast? Reach me at https://jagindetroit.com/ Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I've decided to try being a music radio DJ again - except in the podcast world.I read about Amazon's new "Amp" project that lets you create audio shows with music from Amazon's library. But when I tried it, I couldn't play music until I had live viewers/listeners. Not an easy ask for a program that's still in beta.Then I remembered that Anchor allows you to create shows using Spotify's music library. This is content that's available on demand as a podcast. So I decided to create the Jag Throwback Show, telling stories from my 20 year radio career, and counting down my 5 favorite songs each year from 1998-2017. You can check the show out here:https://anchor.fm/jagindetroitJust before we "went to press" this morning, James Cridland broke some pretty significant news in PodNews. YouTube is working on a podcast strategy, that will include pulling data from podcast RSS feeds, even for audio-only shows. This is a game changer. If YouTube can pull from your feed, your podcast host will be able to give you ONE aggregate number of plays across all platforms. You won't have to add your downloads to your YouTube views anymore. Here's the PodNews piece:https://podnews.net/update/youtube-podcasting-plansAs always, if you need help with your podcast, or have any questions about podcasting, find me at jagindetroit.com or email me: [email protected]. Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

One of the biggest frustrations for podcasters has always been NOT knowing how many people follow, or subscribe to, their show. Finally, that's about to change...James Cridland broke this in PodNews this morning. Next month, Apple will begin to add follower counts to your Apple Podcasts Connect Dashboard. (Remember, podcasting switched from "subscribers" to "followers" because susbscriptions often cost money.) Previously you had to guess at your number of followers, based on how many downloads when you first released an episode. This will be extremely helpful to podcasters who want to know how many people are actively following their show. Since Spotify already does this, you'll now be able to add the two numbers and see how many followers you have on the world's two biggest podcast platforms. Hopefully that means the smaller ones follow suit. And ideally, maybe your podcast HOST can aggregate all the numbers together at some point in the future.My other main topic today - when you should you leave the "ums" in your podcast? This is very subjective - and I explain a challenging edit I had - on a Ukrainian refugee.6 Reasons Why You and Your Business Need to Leverage Podcasts https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/414029According to PodNews, only 1% of podcasts included a transcription in 2021. This needs to change - podcasts hosts will let you add transcripts, but they don't display in podcast player apps.BetterHelp is still the #1 podcasting advertiser - went from $7.2 mill in Jan to $7.8 in Feb. We need to take care of our mental health. Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Being good at your craft is better than being a big name celebrity. This was confirmed to us by no less than Beata Murphy, Program Director of KIIS Los Angeles. She keynoted our WJPZ Syracuse Alumni Banquet earlier this month and offered fantastic insight.A programming note: a student at the conference told me TikTok is allowing you to upload videos longer than 3 minutes. So this podcast may get a little bit longer, but not by too much.Amazon is rolling out an App called "Amp" that will let you mix your voice with music - and essentially turn you into a radio DJ. I'm hoping to check it out soon and report back.UC San Diego released a study showing how much more headphone listening sticks more than speaker listening. https://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressrelease/a-voice-inside-my-head-the-persuasive-power-headphones-have-over-speakersTwitter working on podcasts tab - Facebook has 0.5% of podcast listening in a short period of time, so you know Twitter wants a piece of that pie.YouTube offering $50k to creators and $300,000 to networks to create video content, Kai Chuk to speak at Podcast Movement Evolutions later this month: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-04/youtube-offers-up-to-300-000-to-get-podcasters-to-make-videosiHeart has launched a tool to send quick audio messages to podcast hosts.https://techcrunch.com/2022/02/28/iheartradio-modernizes-the-radio-call-in-with-launch-of-talk-back-a-tool-for-sending-voice-messages-to-show-hostsSabrina Tavernise named second host of The Daily: https://www.nytco.com/press/sabrina-tavernise-joins-the-daily-as-a-hostUkraine's Hidden Voices Podcast: https://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/42KuSz/If you know one person who's interested in podcasts, and would enjoy today's content, I invite you to share the show with them. And if you or someone you know needs help or has questions about podcasting, feel free to reach out. [email protected]. Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jag: Can I find your podcast?First off happy Mardi Gras to everybody in Louisiana, I may be a native of Massachusetts and an adopted Michigander. But I really do miss y'all around this time of year. Laissez le bon temps rouler! Okay. Back to my main point of today's podcast. Can your podcast be found? Now what the word podcast is, can be different things to different people. For the OG crowd that's been in a podcasting for 10, 15 years they may feel that it has to technically be a podcast, meaning it has to have an enclosed RSS feed, fed by a URL, to make it a podcast. And that might technically be true. But what those folks think doesn't matter! What matters is what the consumers think is a podcast. The two big podcast apps are still Apple and Spotify. So if you tell me you've got a podcast, those are the two places that I'm going to go to first. However, YouTube is becoming a major third player in this realm. So while it might not technically be a podcast, if it's on YouTube, people are finding podcasts and consuming podcasts on YouTube. Keep in mind, Google owns YouTube. How many times have you Googled how to do something and you get YouTube in the results? Your podcast should also be on YouTube. The bottom line is this. If you tell someone you have a podcast, they're going to look for you wherever THEY consume their podcast content. So if you want to be found, don't be where you want to be. And what you just think is a podcast. Be where your audience can find you. Other podcasting news this week, Spotify has acquired third-party measuring services Chartable and Podsights. That did raise a few eyebrows around the podcast and community. It would be kind of like if IHeartMedia bought Nielsen ratings, which hasn't happened at least yet. As Brian Barletta of Sounds Profitable says, "Grading your own homework is not third-party measurement." So keep an eye out for that. Maybe Spotify is still just continuing to generate headlines as opposed to content to keep the stockholders happy. As James Cridland of PodNews points out: they've announced shows with everybody from Megan and Harry to Kim Kardashian and more, but none of them have actually launched yet. He has a full list of all these shows that have been promised, but not yet delivered in PodNews. https://podnews.net/article/missing-spotify-showsAnd of course the situation in Ukraine has affected the podcast world. Podcast live streaming service Restream had to relocate its staff out of Ukraine. They did make a donation to the Ukrainian red cross though.And if you want a deep dive of the conflict, of course, there is a podcast for that. The BBC has launched the Ukrainecast.https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0bqztzmFunny, when you think about it, how Vladimir Putin has spent the last six years trying to divide us as a nation. What he's done over the last week has brought us together and agreeing on something in a way, which we haven't agreed on something in a long time. Of course, thinking of everybody involved in that situation.Until next time, stay healthy and stay safe. Lata!For any questions at all you have about podcasts, find me at https://www.jagindetroit.com/ Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Do I need a QR Code for my podcast? Yes, it's a great idea to promote your show.For example, did you see the "bouncing QR code" commercial during the Super Bowl? It was for Coinbase, the Cryptocurrency exchange. The ad was a huge success - in fact, the website crashed when I tried to sign up.The pandemic has resurrected QR codes, which were dead before 2019. Now it's how you read a restaurant menu, it's how I host bar trivia, and there are a number of other applications. Today, I explain how to set one up for your podcast and what destination(s) to point that QR code to.We also take a look at the top 5 podcasts of 2021, in terms of weekly listeners, as ranked by Edison Research.Need help with your podcast? Find me on social @JAGinDetroit or on my website at www.jagindetroit.com. Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Can you use commercial music in your podcast? Or movie clips? Or other snippets that are commercially licensed?No. You can't, and you shouldn't.This is a question I'm frequently asked by clients and potential clients. And I've heard every excuse in the book. Oh, it's only a few seconds, so it falls under "fair use." Oh come on, are Guns N Roses really gonna sue me? Well, remember when Metallica did sue Napster back in the day.?So let's dive a little deeper. The bottom line is, when it comes to podcasting, the law hasn't caught up to the technology. I think there's a day coming when you'll be able to pay a small fee to use a big artist's music in your show. But that day isn't here yet. Do I know people who have pulled it off? Sure. But I don't think it's a risk you want to take. We'll start with music.Music artists, to me, fall into three categories. Big names, smaller names that have a record label deal, and independent artists. The first group, the big name A-listers, have the money, lawyers, and resources to come after you. You might think, "oh, well only a few people listen to my show." Well, it only takes one listener, or one episode to go viral. Then you have a target on your back. Now, the second group, signed to a label, but not quite A-list. The music industry has radically changed over the last 20 years. They aren't making money from CD sales anymore. And if you spend a buck for their song on iTunes, how many pennies do they get? Touring has been non-existent since the pandemic, so it's not easy to make money. And using their music on your show, without their permission, is essentially stealing. Also, even if they love the idea of you using their song on your show, they no longer own 100% of it. You need to get sign-off from ALL the stakeholders. And that can be a legal nightmare.The final group, independent musicians - COULD be your answer. If they are unsigned to a label, and own 100% of the rights to their music, you can use their music - but you better get their permission, in writing, before you do. And if you don't personally know an aspiring aritst to work with, there are services for royalty free music on the web - a simple Google search will get you there.What about movies? Kind of the same thing as A-list artists. They may not find you, but if they do, they have deep pockets and very expensive lawyers. I'm actually told Disney is diving headfirst into this crackdown. So you better think twice before using that "We don't talk about Bruno" clip in your show. In other words, we don't talk about Bruno in your podcast.Look, I don't want to be a total downer here. But Spotify, Apple, and others have AI built in that can find copyrighted content and immediately yank your show if you're in violation - the same way YouTube does. Do people get away with it? Yes. Do you want to take the chance of having your show removed, being sued, or even getting a cease and desist letter with very fancy letterhead on it? I don't think so.There will be a time you can use this stuff on your show - it's coming. It's just not here yet.Until next time, stay healthy and stay safe. Lata! Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Spotify has been all over the news in the last week because of Joe Rogan, but Rogan is a symptom of a much bigger problem.If you haven't heard, the Joe Rogan Experience, one of the biggest podcasts in the world, has come under heavy scrutiny for promoting COVID misinformation. Several artists, led by Neil Young, have pulled, or are in the process of trying to pull, their music off of Spotify. And while we still don't have hard numbers, the hashtag "Delete Spotify" has been trending. The response from Spotify was....lukewarm at best. The usual talk about free speech but not wanting to promote dangerous misinformation, blah blah blah. Oh, and they're going to put a warning label in front of podcasts that discuss COVID. No idea what criteria will have to be met to get the warning. After all, ubiquitous warnings have worked SO well for Facebook...The bigger issue here is Spotify's desire to be a closed ecosystem - a sort of podcast and music monopoly if you will. They've invested hundreds of millions of dollars into podcasting, including $100 million to Rogan himself to become exclusive to Spotify, and not available anywhere else. In terms of market share, the gamble paid off - Spotify is already the number 2 podcast app behind Apple. Some believe it's ahead of Apple or will overtake it this year. But when podcasting started, the idea was for it to be an open ecosystem for all. That's why shows went up through RSS feeds, allowing anyone, or any app, to pull and display the content for users. But Spotify is trying to take over. Just look at the Anchor platform, owned by Spotify. It's enticing for new podcasters - you can host your show for free. But there are questions around who owns your content, whether it will connect to Apple, and even if it will play everywhere! A change in their file type made Anchor shows unplayable on some podcast players earlier this month. Trust me, you're better off spending the $15/month on a paid host like Simplecast, Blubrry, or Libsyn - plus you'll get more accurate stats about your listeners.OK, back to Joe Rogan. Imagine he was not exclusive to Spotify. Would it be in Neil Young's best interest to pull his music off of the Internet entirely, or at least everywhere Joe Rogan was? That means Apple, YouTube, Google, Facebook, and more? Probably not. But by being exclusive, Spotify puts a giant target on their own back. It's a good goal to be a leader in the podcasting space. But when you try to be the only space, you could end up with a major PR problem. They have an earnings call on Wednesday. That should be interesting.For a deeper dive, Podnews published a special edition about Rogan and Spotify today: https://podnews.net/update/spotify-rogan-problem?utm_source=podnews.net&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=podnews.net:2022-01-31 Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On Thursday, January 13th, I was thrilled to present a podcasting "Professional Edge Workshop" to the Birmingham Bloomfield (Michigan) Chamber of Commerce. It was supposed to be an in-person workshop, but you know, Omicron. The good news is, we recorded it, and I'm presenting the audio here. If you'd like to watch the video of the presentation or download my PowerPoint slides as a PDF, you can do so here:https://jagindetroit.com/how-to-start-a-podcast-in-2022/We covered three main topics:Why a podcast can be a great marketing tool for your businessCurrent podcasting stats, aka how big the medium has becomeBest practices and equipment recommendations for starting a podcast. Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As I ate healthy breakfast and got on my exercise bike today, I thought about resolutions.You may have a 2022 New Year's Resolution to start - or even restart- a podcast. Today I'll tell you how to start your podcast for under $100.The first thing you need to do is plan. Plan out a limited number of episodes. If you don't have a goal in mind, you'll do a bunch, then fall off - same as going to the gym or losing weight. Your process has to have an end point. Whenever I bring on a new podcast client, we start with one season, then decide how many episodes that one season will have.Next, plan out your episodes. Doing a podcast is like driving a racecar. Do all your work in the pit, so when the race starts, all you have to do is drive. Knowing where you want to go will not only cut down on ums and uhs, but it will also prevent you from going on a tangent about your holiday travels. Random tangents will get you away from your topic, and cause listeners to turn out. The other big reason listeners will turn off your podcast is of course, bad audio. Which leads me to the next step - buy a microphone.Now, I can recommend some really nice $400 microphones to you, but most folks aren't working with that kind of budget. My GO-TO first podcast microphone is going to be about $70. You can find it on Amazon and I'll link it in the show notes. https://amzn.to/3JNHKFkIt's the SAMSON Q2U. It comes with a mic cable if you're using a standalone recorder, and it also comes with a USB that you can plug right into your computer. It's got its own little stand, and the Samson even has a headphone jack in the back to plug your existing headphones into. Add a foam windscreen for a dollar, and you're in business.If you've got other people on your podcast with you, recording remotely - look into a broadcast quality internet recording platform like Squadcast, Riverside, or Zencastr - most have free trials. If your budget is tight, you can use something like less quality like Zoom, but have each person record themselves separately, then merge the files together.Finally, you need a host - not a human host - but an online home for your podcast. Much like a website, your show has to physically live somewhere on the web. There are free hosts out there, but you get what you pay for, don't get good analytics, and there are sometimes even questions around who owns your content. Reliable hosts include Blubrry, Libsyn, and Simplecast. I use Simplecast myself, but compare features and see what works for you. I've seen paid hosting for as low as $5 per month, but most plans for individual podcasters are under $20. Once you pay for the host, it's free to submit to Apple, Spotify, and more.We've all failed at New Year's Resolutions - and I don't want cost to be what stops you from joining the ever-growing podcasting world in 2022. Make a plan, buy a microphone, and get online with a host. It will cost you less than that gym membership you'll stop using by February.And if you need help with podcasts - find me at JAGinDetroit.com. Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For years, I've railed against the Blue Yeti microphone. As a radio mentor once taught me, "the worst thing for a bad product is good marketing."When I consult a podcast from the jump, I always recommend solo podcasters get the Samson Q2U or ATR 2100x microphones - they're actually about the same cost as the Yeti. But occasionally I consult clients who have already bought the Yeti, and they may not be able to return it, or are on a tight budget and can't swing a 100 plus dollar mistake. ThePodcastHost.com has a great review of the Blue Yeti - and it echoes may of the things I've been saying. Plus, if you click the link in the show notes, you'll hear the fantastic accent of the author, Matthew McClean. Essentially, if you have a Blue Yeti, it's best for solo podcasts - the settings to record multiple guests aren't ideal. And most importantly, position the Yeti so you're talking into the SIDE of it, not the TOP. And if you're not sure, plug in headphones and listen to yourself. Most people hate doing that, but it's important. https://www.thepodcasthost.com/equipment/blue-yeti-podcasting-review/I've spent a lot of time in this podcast bemoaning the downfall of radio - in it's pre-internet heyday, radio DJ's broke new artists. Even 10 years ago - my program director here at Channel 955, Michael McCoy, broke local artist Mike Posner when he heard "Cooler Than Me" on a mixtape. Now, most new content seems to come from YouTube, TikTok, etc. But podcast guru Tom Webster thinks once we figure out music licensing, podcasters will be next to break new artists. Imagine what someone like Mistress Carrie in Boston could do with her show. https://mistresscarrie.com/Also, Webster and his wife Tamsen are doing a webinar next week on making your podcast pitchable. You just have to subscribe to his newsletter at tomwebster.media. And here's a link to this week's column. https://tomwebster.media/the-last-best-frontier-for-podcastingSpeaking of webinars, the folks at Podfest are doing one, for $10, on best practices using Facebook ads to grow your podcast. Now I've seen mixed results on this strategy, but maybe that's my problem - I didn't have a blueprint. The webinar is Tuesday December 14th. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/podlab-workshop-tickets-182204858637Naming your podcast is important. It needs to be found easily by both Google and actual people. You want something searchable, but unique. Before you name your show, search to see if there are other shows with the same or similar names out there. PodNews has a nice article on the 100 most popular podcast names. It's a good deep dive. https://podnews.net/article/most-popular-podcast-namesOnlyPod.com has a new service that will create a universal link for all things related to your podcast - it will link to various podcast apps, your social media profile, and even donation pages. https://onlypod.com/link Seems like a good idea - until you click and see it's $49 to buy one. There are tons of other smart link services out there. And the best way to market your show - is with its own website. Even if you use a service like Podpage - here's my referral link. https://www.podpage.com/?via=jonNext time, I'm doing a special episode of this show - where I'll compare audio between Zoom, Skype, Riverside and Squadcast. Until then, stay healthy and stay safe. Lata! Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Link to this episode:https://jagindetroit.com/ratingsandreviewsIt seems almost every podcast you listen to - the host asks you at the beginning - or end - or both - to rate and review the show. But do ratings and reviews actually matter?Before COVID, my wife and I really got into cruising. Rather than pay extra for excursions through the cruise line, she'd find the local businesses on trip advisor and look at the reviews. Same is true for restaurants. Whether we were local or travelling, Yelp became a trusted source. Heck, even Amazon purchases - how many stars do the products have?Well, I'm here to tell you that those same reviews do not matter when it comes to your podcast. First of all, the only major platform that lets you rate and review is Apple. Spotify and Google do not. But more importantly, your podcast is not a restaurant. People don't find you by reviews. The top 3 methods of podcast discovery are, in order, 1) Google Search, 2) Recommendations of Friends and Family, and 3) Social Media. If you want to drive listenership, downloads, and discovery of your show - ask people to share the show with someone they know. You can also ask them to follow your show. To subscribe can mean a cost. To follow is free. If someone is following your show, they'll get each new episode when you release it.And further adding to the confusion - ratings of the Apple Podcasts APP itself in the app store have gone from 1.8 to 4.7 stars. Why? People are hearing "rate and review on Apple podcasts," and rating the app, not your show.Now, what are ratings and reviews for your podcast good for? Well, there's the attaboy and the ego boost - the social proof that people like what you're putting out. And if someone discovers your podcast, they may look at the reviews, but please don't make that your primary ask.Other podcasting news this week - Medium dot com is getting into audio with the purchase of Knowable, an audio learning platform. https://techcrunch.com/2021/11/16/medium-acquires-knowable-to-bring-audioIf you've added or changed a show within Apple Podcasts, they've brought back the refresh feed button if you're not seeing updated content.Spotify is allowing anyone to buy ads on their platform - that is, anyone who's got a budget of at least $500.Facebook is really trying to make their audio space matter - website theinformation dot com reports they are giving influencers tens of thousands of dollars to host sessions there. https://www.theinformation.com/articles/facebook-hands-out-cash-to-creators-to-boost-clubhouse-rivalAnd finally, CNN has re-released Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown series as a podcast - not sure how I feel about that. And there's a new podcast called The Big Big East Show - it's just 30 years too late.I leave you this week with the immortal words of Adam Sandler. Happy Thanksgiving, Everybody!To contact me for help launching or improving your podcast - email me. [email protected]. Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Earlier this month, Edison Research and National Public Radio released their annual survey of spoken word audio consumption. The numbers were eye popping.Bear with me as I'm going to hit you with a lot of numbers today, but I'll try to keep this moving with some context and key points.For the purpose of the survey, "spoken word audio" is everything from news to sports to talk to audiobooks. And yes, that includes podcasts. The survey's been around since 2014.In the past month, 75% of US adults listened to spoken word audio. 3 out of every 4 people. And 45% of US adults, almost half, listen to spoken word audio every single day. By the way, that's 22 million more daily listeners than 7 years ago.Back in 2014, spoken word only accounted for 20% of all audio consumption. Today, it's 28% - that's a huge jump of 40%, and 8% in just the last year. There have been even bigger jumps among 18-34 year olds, and persons of color - two demographics that are very attractive to advertisers.Today, spoken word audio listeners consume, on average, 2 hours and 6 minutes every day of spoken word audio. And among the most frequent consumers - daily listeners - they actually split their time between music and spoken word 50/50.As far as podcasts, 57% of Americans have now listened to a podcast. Podcast’s share of time with spoken word audio has increased by 176% over the last seven years, including 16% in just the last year.Mobile devices are also driving the industry's growth - people are now listening to spoken word audio on mobile at almost TRIPLE the amount as when this survey started. And once again, don't worry about your ratings and reviews - the top ways people find podcasts are, in order - internet search, recommendations of friends and family, and social media.OK - we covered a lot of numbers. Let me leave you with some QUALITATIVE data from this report. Podcast listeners are more engaged because they are actively seeking out the content - it's not just being shown to them in an algorithm. They want information and different perspectives. And they want to be able to consume that information while multitasking. And in a surface level, digital world, a majority of listeners in the survey feel spoken word audio is an effective use of their time.Spoken word audio is a rapidly growing medium, and I think it's only going to get bigger in 2022. If a podcast is part of your plans for next year, let me help - my contact information follows. Until next time, stay healthy and stay safe. Lata!Link to survey: www.npr.org/spokenwordaudioLink to JAG in Detroit Podcasts: www.jagindetroit.com Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Audio is an incredible powerful medium to tell a story.Typically I use this show to give you industry trends and podcast tips. But I want to share with you a project that I was honored to be part of, and really shows the power of audio and podcasting.Recently, I teamed up with my colleagues at Tanner Friedman Strategic Communications, to create a podcast for their client, CARE House of Oakland County. CARE House is a CAC, or Child Advocacy Center, providing resources to victims of child abuse.I gotta admit, I was a little nervous about this project, especially when we decided I would be the one interviewing survivors of some pretty awful stuff. I wanted to be sure I could conduct these interviews with the appropriate level of professionalism, and, well, CARE. Turns out, I learned a lot.First, I learned how amazing these individuals are. I was able to talk to several women, their parents, and even an adult male who had been abused. They had two things in common. One, they were able to explain the incredible specialized treatment that places like CARE House offer. Two, they are doing, or planning to do, amazing things in their own lives. Additionally, I was able to speak to our local county prosecutor here in Oakland County, Michigan and find out was goes into holding perpetrators of child abuse accountable.Child Abuse happens in all forms, across all demographics, and in all places. You won't hear my voice on this series - it's a narrative podcast, narrated by a voice well known in Detroit - Karen Newman of the Detroit Red Wings. It's not an episode of SVU - yes, you'll hear what happened to these kids, but just as importantly, you'll learn how they've been helped by CARE House and what's next for them. We've released 5 episodes with 1 more to come - and most are about 10 minutes.Again, I don't typically use this space to promote individual shows I've produced. But I'm so proud of the work we've done on this project - I really hope you'll check it out. The name of the podcast is easy to remember. "It Shouldn't Hurt To Be A Child." You can find it wherever you listen to podcasts, or check the link in today's show notes. More:It Shouldn't Hurt To Be A Child Podcast: https://www.podpage.com/it-shouldnt-hurt-to-be-a-child/CARE House of Oakland County: https://www.carehouse.org/Not local? Find a Child Advocacy Center Near You: http://nationalcac.org/JAG in Detroit Podcasts Website: https://jagindetroit.com/ Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Who's bigger? Spotify or Apple? Well, both....Welcome in to episode 100 of this season of the Jag Show Podcast. Spotify says it's now bigger than Apple in terms of users. That's from their Q3 numbers. As always, Tom Webster from Edison Research has a great explainer on this. (Full disclosure: Spotify and Apple are both Edison clients). Webster says that more users prefer Spotify, but Apple still leads the pack in total downloads.https://tomwebster.media/the-crux-of-the-kurfuffle/ Bottom line, use whichever one you like. I tried going back to Apple after they worked out their bugs, but found I personally liked Spotify's user interface better. Your mileage may vary.Another battle in podcasting that's heating up is automated transcriptions. As Amazon makes a big push into the space, they've begun transcribing some of their bigger shows. If that gets rolled out to all shows, that could make Amazon a bigger player in the podcasting space. Here's their press release, via PodNews: https://podnews.net/press-release/amazon-music-transcriptsPodcast production house Pineapple Street Media is looking for paid interns for the first half of 2022. If you want to get into the space, this could be a great opportunity. Radio people are you listening? I said PAID internships. https://pineapple.fm/internshipAs expected, podcast ad revenue is exploding in 2021, still rising after the initial pandemic boost of 2021. Magellan AI has a deep dive into ad revenue, but the key takeaways are podcast ad spending is up 87% year over year, and 22% since just Q2. You can download their Q3 full report here: https://www.magellan.ai/resources/reports/q3-podcast-advertising-benchmark-reportHow much can you charge advertisers on your show, and when can you start? Advertisecast has rates starting at 1,000 listeners per episode. Rates have gone up in 2021. For a 30 second ad, it's $18 CPM, so $18 for every thousand listeners you have. For a 60 second ad, it's $25 CPM. They also have a cool interactive calculator to figure out your spend, or maybe what you can charge. https://www.advertisecast.com/podcast-advertising-ratesMeanwhile, we'll find out Friday what the going rates are for podcast editing. Steve Stewart and Mark Deal of the Podcast Editor's Club do an annual survey of their members to figure out average rates and more information. They will show their results on Friday at 5pm Eastern, in the Podcast Editor's Club and on YouTube. https://www.podcasteditoracademy.com/2021surveyAnd finally, I still don't understand Facebook's podcast rollout. I listened to the New Media Show's interview with two Facebook employees, and still don't have much clarification - except that you can connect a show to a page, not a personal profile and not a group. And it will only show up on mobile, not desktop. It looks like last week's Jag Show Podcast showed up, with the show notes as a huge glob of text, with the audio under it. If you have a moment, cruise on over to Jag in Detroit Podcasts on your Facebook mobile app, and let me know what you see. Until next week, stay healthy and stay safe. Lata! Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Amazon has changed the way we read, and the way we shop. Could they change the way we consume audio?Respected podcast journalist Ashley Carman reported in the Verge this week about an Amazon plan called "Project Mic." The idea is to combine elements of Clubhouse, traditional radio and more, to turn anyone into a DJ - with the ability to create content with music. These programs can be then streamed over Audible, Amazon Music, Twitch, and Alexa-equipped devices. You can read Carman's scoop here: https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/26/22744585/amazon-project-mic-launch-live-audio-appI wonder what affect that could have on podcasting, as Amazon is already diving into the space. And they've already shown they have the power to disrupt industries. Also, what affect could that have on radio? Will it take someone from outside the industry to revolutionize it? Great piece on this from Fred Jacobs of Jacobs media this week. https://jacobsmedia.com/if-radio-wont-reinvent-itself-maybe-someone-else-will/A couple of Facebook execs made an appearance on the New Media show with Blubrry's Todd Cochrane and Libsyn's Rob Greenlee, to talk about what their company is doing with podcasts and audio. You can see or hear the show here. https://newmediashow.com/2021/10/21/facebook-podcasting-team/Podcast guru Tom Webster says to remember that Facebook isn't looking to help you boost your audience - it wants to bring your audience to THEIR platform. Webster's suggestion: use short clips to get people's attention, then they can easily find your show. Think about it. For as much as we mindlessly scroll through our feeds, how often do we consume a very long piece of content - audio, video, or text? Not too often. He's not wrong. https://tomwebster.media/look-for-the-flowers/Spotify is dipping its toes in the water of video. They are allowing select users of their Anchor platform to publish video versions of podcasts, which can then be consumed on Spotify, Smart TV's, and other devices. My take: it's something to keep an eye on to see if it gets any traction. But the Anchor app is still largely for hobbyists and has its issues. Don't use this news as a reason to head over there. https://techcrunch.com/2021/10/21/spotify-opens-up-access-to-video-podcast-publishing-to-anchor-creators/Finally, I often speak about the intimacy of audio. It's why a podcast can connect with an audience the way video can't. It's why you feel like you "know" your favorite podcast host just like you felt you "knew" your favorite morning show host. Well, someone is taking the phrase "intimacy of audio" and running with it. Enter "Heart to Heart," a new dating service that uses audio as a matchmaking tool. The startup has raised $750,000 in pre-seed funding. Sounds intriguing for those of us that have the proverbial "face for radio." https://techcrunch.com/2021/10/25/heart-to-heart-dating-pre-seed/Quick reminder - if a podcast is part of your 2022 marketing strategy, that's what I do. Let me help - find me online at jagindetroit.com. Until next week, stay healthy and stay safe. Lata! Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you have a podcast, you probably get spammed daily with promises of more downloads and boosting you to the top of the charts. Don't fall for it.There was a podcasting company called Ozy Media. They claimed “to vault you ahead of the curve – and spark change.” Then, to stand out in an overcrowded space, they faked audience metrics and even a Goldman Sachs fundraising call. And, eventually, like all supposed podcast "hacks," the house of cards came tumbling down. Steve Goldstein of Amplifi Media had a nice write up on this. https://www.amplifimedia.com/blogstein/the-one-part-of-the-ozy-story-podcasters-cant-afford-to-ignoreAlex Cooper, who hosts the hugely popular Call Her Daddy podcast, told the BBC that any podcaster should have a plan, and be authentic. She's done both well - Spotify gave her $60 million bucks. https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-58719364I still maintain that if you're going to hustle with your podcast, it's not a good idea to be on only on platform. Sure, if Spotify offered ME $60 million I'd take it gladly, but most of us aren't in that podcasting stratosphere. For example, the comedy-horror show "Last Podcast On The Left" is actually EXITING the Spotify-exclusive deal they signed in February of 2020. They're moving to SiriusXM and Stitcher, where they will be free on all platforms, and oh-by-the-way, have a show on satellite radio. They want to grow, and they realize they need to hustle in multiple places. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2021-10-12/last-podcast-on-the-left-spotify-stitcherDon't worry about getting millions of followers. Focus the first couple years on building to 1,000 true fans. 1,000 people who are loyal to you and can become evangelists for your show are far more valuable than 10,000 Facebook fans who will click "like" on your post and move on. Good article on this from Medium. https://skooloflife.medium.com/in-an-age-where-we-can-circumvent-gatekeepers-1000-true-fans-is-more-relevant-than-ever-49e0df585a23The audience is there for you. Edison Research's Tom Webster says when podcast listening spiked early in the pandemic, it never really dropped off. The medium is here to stay. https://tomwebster.media/normal-but-not-back-to-normal/Told you last week about She Podcasts Live outside Phoenix. It's getting rave reviews all over the web for its inclusivity, its collaboration, its self care breaks, its pool, and especially its swag bag with a nice pair of headphone. Traci Long Deforge has a nice writeup in Podcast Business Journal: https://podcastbusinessjournal.com/she-podcasts-live-together-we-rebuildFinally, radio company Audacy (formerly Entercom and CBS Radio) has bought digital streaming platform Wide Orbit for $40 million. Audacy and iHeart continue to invest heavily in digital, while continuing to let their traditional radio properties dangle in the breeze. If you're looking to start a podcast as part of your 2022 marketing strategy, drop me an email and we can have a consult. [email protected]. Until next time, stay healthy and stay safe. Lata! Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

So I've decided I'm no longer going to shoot and edit video for my podcast.So for a few months, I recorded video down here in the JAG in Detroit studio. There are some podcasts who love doing video. My podcasting collaborator Johnny Peterson has really had the video side of his business take off. But for me, I had to know what I don't know. I worked in radio for 15 years. I'm an audio specialist. I am not a professional video editor. And the time I was spending editing the video for just this 3-5 minute podcast was resulting in diminishing returns. Yes, you'll still be able to get this show on Facebook, Instagram, and even TikTok as a video. I'll just be using the Headliner app to create a video with a static image and transcription of the show. It still lives in the same ecosystems as video, just without some bells and whistles. In Rob Walch's presentation at Podcast Movement this summer, he looked at the top 200 podcast in Apple. How many of them were video? Zero. That's right. None. Now, I'm not saying DON'T do video if you've got a good workflow for it. But as a business owner, I need to focus my attention on the things I do well and that bring in revenue. The same is true for you as a podcaster. Your email box is likely stuffed with offers from a bunch of third party podcasting apps you haven't even heard of. Keep your eye on the ball. Only spend your time on what's important to you and your show.OK, some podcasting headlines from the last week. Facebook now has an audio tab on its mobile app - it's going to be for podcasts and more. If you wanna explore, open the "Watch" button at the bottom of your app, then look at audio.The New York Times is working on a new app to consume news - you guessed it, by audio. It's going to be called, simply, New York Times Audio - and they are looking for beta testers for it now.Podcast editing app Descript has rolled out a bunch of features with its latest release - including something called Studio Sound, which will use AI to improve audio quality and reduce background noise. It also includes improvements to its editor and a Slack integration. More here: https://www.descript.com/blog/article/new-in-descript-studio-sound-overdub-model-pro-audio-effects-and-moreShe Podcasts Live is now...well...live...in Scottsdale Arizona through Sunday. I know some of the people involved with this and it's an amazing event. Looking forward to some second hand nuggets from the event I hope to share with you next week.And finally, the nominees are out for the iHeartRadio Podcast Awards. I'd tell you more, but except for nominees and the folks that work for iHeart and are forced to run promos for it on their radio stations.....NOBODY CARES.Stay healthy and stay safe. I'll talk to you next week. Lata! Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's been a really bad week for Facebook - including on the podcasting side.Apologies for not getting a podcast episode out last week. With Facebook rolling out podcasts for business and fan pages, I was ready to do a how-to episode on that. After all, with podcasts hitting Facebook, we can get more ears on your show, and podcasting in general. Well, turns out the Facebook podcasts process is far from perfect, and there's no rhyme or reason as to whether your podcast will actually show up on your page.Of course, add to that the drama around Facebook being down Monday, and their whistleblower appearing before Congress Tuesday. I don't think podcasts are Mr. Zuckerberg's top priority at the moment. But there IS a lesson here - and thanks to JAG Show listener Andrew for this point. Don't put your eggs in one basket. You should be promoting your podcast in as many places as possible. Sure, Facebook and Instagram are huge. But don't forget LinkedIn, Twitter, an email list, maybe even TikTok. I put all my episodes on all of those platforms. Should "The Facebook" go down - you're promoting your content in other places as well.In his show "I Hear Things" last Friday, podcast data guru Tom Webster wondered if podcasting is a way to create genuine connections with people. Is there something more pure about that than a platform like Facebook, where everything is superficial and you may not trust what you are seeing? Here's his podcast and article: https://tomwebster.media/podcasting-for-connection/As I've mentioned before, a great place to be with your podcast is YouTube - even if you don't shoot video. Audio podcasts can live on YouTube as well, and they are noticing. YouTube is looking to hire its first Podcast Executive, per Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-05/youtube-looks-to-hire-its-first-executive-focused-on-podcastsYes, audio without video CAN be very successful. A study from iHeartMedia and research firm WARC says that for the average consumer, 31% of their media consumption is audio. That means 1 out of every 3 minutes they spend consuming media is listening, not watching. The study goes on to say that advertisers are behind the curve on this. Less than 9% of ad spending is on audio. Again. 31% of media consumption - but only 9% of ad spending - is on audio. It's only a matter of time before advertisers start catching up. The study was reported in PodNews here: https://podnews.net/press-release/warc-iheart-investmentFinally, we are now into the final quarter of the year - the time when folks start thinking about their 2022 marketing plans and budgets. If podcasting is something you're considering for next year, I'd love to help you. I've got a list of services available at a price point that will work for you. Wanna know more? Email me. [email protected]. Until next week, stay healthy and stay safe. Lata! Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Joe Rogan is here to entertain you, not to be a trusted source of information. There's a difference.Last night, a friend of mine posted a meme that said "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." On one side was a baseball fan, at a game, with a COVID-vaccinated QR code on a bracelet. On the other side - a tattoo from a concentration camp. Needless to say, I was offended, particularly as a Jewish man. But before I chimed in, I read the other comments. My friend, as it turned out, had heard on Joe Rogan's podcast that in Australia, the unvaccinated were being banished to certain areas. I looked into this, and there's NO evidence that's the case. I stated as such, and politely told my friend I was offended by the meme. He messaged me this morning, told me he took the meme down, appreciated my feedback, and gave me permission to tell the story on today's show. I should mention, the meme itself didn't come from Joe, but when my friend posted it, he saw it through the prism of the Rogan podcast, which he took to be a reliable source.OK, what does this have to do with your podcasting and the industry as a whole? Well, Joe Rogan is the single most successful solo podcaster on the planet. Regardless of your politics, he entertains and offers compelling content. Here's the problem. He's not a news source. When an entertainment show's popularity hits the stratosphere, people take it's information to be reliable. Popularity does not equal credibility. So whether you're listening to a podcast, or watching CNN, Fox News, or MSNBC, please know whether you're consuming news or entertainment. The line is often blurry. And when you're producing content, make it clear to your audience which of the two they're listening to.OK, on to this week's podcasting news.Apple released iOS version 15 on Monday - which includes personalized recommendations in the Apple Podcasts App. For example, if you liked this show, you may like this one. More info: https://9to5mac.com/2021/09/20/ios-15-apple-podcasts-personalized-recommendations-listen-now-tab/Speaking OF Apple, will this be the year Spotify finally overtakes them in podcast listenership? Website eMarketer thinks so. They feel Spotify will have 28.2 million podcast listeners by the end of 2021, compared with an even 28 million for Apple. They think the gap will widen after that, and don't sleep on YouTube and Google for podcasts either. https://www.emarketer.com/content/spotify-poised-overtake-apple-podcasts-this-yearA new study from Nielsen says podcast growth is being fueled by light listeners, those who listen to 3 or less podcasts a month. This may seem concerning on the surface, but I think this is a good thing. This means the space is growing to a wider tent, and if these listeners can find good compelling shows, they won't be "light users" for long. https://podcastbusinessjournal.com/why-are-heavy-podcast-listeners-declining/And finally, a perfect example of when it's appropriate to re-release an old episode. With the passing of Norm MacDonald this week, Marc Maron re-released a 2011 interview he did with the late, great comic. Rest in piece, Turd Ferguson.http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/repost-norm-macdonald-from-2011 Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What Should I Charge for Ads on My Podcast?How much should you charge advertiser in your podcast? Libsyn and AdvertiseCast have crunched the numbers, and average CPM for a one minute ad is $23.57. That means podcasters are charging $23.57 for every thousand listeners to their podcast. So if you want a statistic, there it is. But here's the thing - every podcast is different, and your listeners are valuable to advertisers in your space. So I say, charge whatever you think you can get. But if you want a number, it's $23.57. More from PodNews: https://podnews.net/press-release/libsyn-advertisecast-adrates-prHow Do I Prioritize My Podcast?A podcast, like most endeavors, can only be successful if you commit the necessary time and resources to it. But that's much easier said than done. You've got Zoom meetings, personal commitments, and activities that bring in revenue for your business. The only way to succeed at a podcast is to be consistent - how the heck are you going to do that?Make a bite sized commitment. Do a podcast season. That can be 5 episodes, 10 episodes, 3 episodes - whatever you feel you can manage. Commit to a certain number of episodes, released at regular intervals. This could be weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, you name it. And if your content isn't time-sensitive, you can even record several episodes at once, and stagger the release schedule. My point is this. Don't commit to a weekly or monthly podcast from now until eternity. Commit to a finite number of episodes in a finite time frame and see if you like it and get traction. And if you, or you clients, find value in it, extend from there.In a perfect world, you'd do all of the things when it comes to podcasting. Writing, recording, editing, promoting across an endless horizon of social media platforms. Well, chances are, unless you have a huge marketing team, you just don't have the bandwidth to do all of that. Mark Asquith of Captivate suggests dividing podcasting tasks into three categories - things I like doing, things I hate doing, and things I like doing that take too long. Once you have your lists, then you can prioritize what you want to spend your time on. https://www.markasquith.com/the-podcast-accelerator/295/Upcoming Podcast EventsTwo upcoming podcast events I should mention: PodFest Origins will be both live and virtual this year. You can watch online at the end of October or in person in Tampa November 4th and 5th. https://podfestexpo.com/She Podcasts is an amazing event for women and non-binary podcasters. That is October 14th-17th in Scottsdale Arizona. https://www.shepodcasts.com/Help With Your PodcastAs always, if you enjoyed today's content, please share with someone you know - that's how we grow the show. And if you need help launching or improving your podcast, find me at jagindetroit.com. Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Book a podcast discovery call with Jag here: https://jagindetroit.com/calendarAfter countless recommendations, I subscribed to Apple TV and started watching Ted Lasso.I'm just into Season 2 of Ted Lasso, and I figured out why it's so popular. In a world of political divisiveness, climate disasters, and general ugliness, Ted Lasso is a show of, as my friend put it, relentless positivity. Now I'm not saying your podcast needs to be all sunshine, rainbow, and homemade biscuits, but Ted Lasso is a runaway hit because it offers something unique. And if you want your podcast to be successful, it also needs to be unique. Of the 300,000 active podcasts out there, what sets you apart? If someone asks, "Oh, why should I listen to your podcast," you'd better have an answer ready. And for the love of Roy Kent, please don't let that answer be "Because my friends think I'm funny." Podcast Ad Spending in the first five months of 2021 is up 24% over the same period last year. That's significant because this year, we weren't all locked up in our homes listening to podcasts - or at least, as locked up. Google Podcasts is now the clear #3 podcast app you have to have your show on. PodNews, via Android Police.com, reports that Google Podcasts now has 100 million downloads. If you want an Android user to listen to your show- they don't have Apple Podcasts on their phone and they may not have Spotify. But a Google Podcasts link will automatically open your show on their phone. Also, the Google Podcasts App just got full makeover and is now easier to navigate. https://www.androidpolice.com/2021/08/30/google-podcasts-gets-a-fresh-ui-that-simplifies-sorting-through-your-endless-library-of-episodesMany podcasters get frustrated trying to record multiple cohosts in the same room, with only one computer. Most computers will only support one USB mic at once, and that Blue Yeti in the middle of the table ain't gonna cut it. Well Rode, the microphone company, has devised a way around that - but you will need to buy their specific NT USB Mini microphones, one per person, at around $100 each. https://rode.com/software/rode-connectI've told you to be very wary of Apple Podcast Subscriptions for your show. To make it work, you've got to have really good content and a unique audience. I've linked to an Apple Subscription success story in today's show notes. But guess what? It was a podcast that was already pulling 300,000 downloads per episode. Tread VERY carefully if you are considering asking your listeners for money. https://blog.lime.link/first-45-days-with-apple-subscriptions/I've also told you to stop asking for Apple Podcast reviews - because they don't help people find your show. I still believe that. But Evo Terra says if you do get a great review, celebrate it. Tell the world. He's not wrong. https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/celebrate-your-podcasts-reviews-like-a-bossFinally, if you are thinking about a podcast as part of your 2022 marketing strategy, please let me help. I'm happy to do a discovery call with you. Book a time that's convenient for you at jagindetroit.com/calendar. Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Website Link: https://jagindetroit.com/shownotesAre Show Notes Important? YES! Your show notes are important to the success of your podcast.Why Show Notes Are Important:Google Search is still one of the top ways people find podcasts. And, at least for now, Google can't search audio - it can only search text. So if you write show notes with SEO (Search Engine Optimization) in mind, you can get help your ranking in Google Search. Think about your title, and how that relates to questions, ideas, or guests that your potential audience is Googling. There are a number of SEO tools out there (some free, some paid) that can help you with all of this.I have to take a moment and credit Steve Stewart and Mark Deal for putting on the Podcast Show Notes summit this past Saturday. They had eight incredible panelists explaining all things show notes in detail. You can watch the replay for $99 at http://shownotessummit.com/Also a tip from Rob Walch of Libsyn: if your show notes are on the longer side, put any key links at the TOP, not the bottom. Some podcast players will only display the beginning of your notes. If you've got something important, put it at the front.Did Joe Rogan's Move to Spotify Hurt His Guests?One other point on the importance of searchability - since Joe Rogan became a Spotify exclusive and full episodes are no longer on Apple, Google, and YouTube - it appears the social media "bump" his guests normally get is waning. I just Googled Joe Rogan podcast - best I could get was his website, where I had to hunt for the show. Now, I'm not gonna say Joe Rogan was wrong to say yes when Spotify backed the Brinks truck up to his front door. However, not appearing in search results isn't good for your show.Who Is Listening to Podcasts?More data out from Westwood One again proves that the typical podcast listener is- are you listening, advertisers? - young, employed, educated, and upscale. https://www.westwoodone.com/2021/08/30/the-westwood-one-2021-audioscape-who-are-podcast-listenersNew Tascam Device To Compete with Rodecaster Pro:Tascam, a well respected audio equipment maker, has come out with their own mobile recording studio, the MixCast 4. Looks similar in price and features to the RodeCaster Pro, at $600, but the Mixcast does come with editing software. https://tascam.com/us/product/mixcast_4/topFinally, a reminder, I'm trying to put this content out everywhere - my website, all the podcast apps, YouTube, even Instagram and TikTok. And it's also available in a weekly newsletter. You can subscribe at jagindetroit.com/subscribe. Until next week, stay healthy and stay safe. Lata! Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Turns out, Apple Podcasts may finally be getting it's act together.I have not been shy in recent weeks about sharing my dismay at Apple Podcasts' new updates. Starting in May, shows weren't updating, new shows were taking forever to be approved, and people who make money off of their podcasts were getting hit hard. Well, there's good news. James Cridland of PodNews says Apple seems to have fixed their bugs by the end of July, and numbers are coming back up.Here's what I've seen. The most recent podcast I created, Crazy Radio Stories, was approved the day I submitted it, and new episodes seem to be appearing in Apple Podcasts very quickly. And for podcast listeners, the most prominent button is "Latest Episode."Then, this week, I started getting notifications about dead podcasts being removed from Apple. Turns out for clients that stopped podcasting, and even cancelled their podcast hosting service, the shows were still sitting there in Apple Podcasts. Seems a purge is happening. Now important to note - Apple is not deleting your podcasts if you haven't created content in awhile - they are deleting shows that no longer have an active RSS feed.The other big name in podcasting - Spotify - put out a press release last week explaining how more of its shows are now on Spotify only. The release reads, in part, "It is also our priority to keep our world-class content both accessible and free to all users across the globe." If you ask me, that sentence rings pretty hollow if you want the content to be on your platform and nobody else's. Read the release here: https://newsroom.spotify.com/2021-08-19/making-spotifys-exclusive-content-inclusive-to-creators-and-listeners/Speaking of Spotify, they're launching a new weekly exclusive podcast called "Sunday Scaries" - focused on dealing with the sense of impending doom that hits you on Sunday as the work week approaches. It's actually produced by Headspace. Mental Health companies have become a big player in podcast advertising - nice to see them getting into the content side as well. The show launches this Sunday. The trailer is out now. https://open.spotify.com/show/0C3OMp75h8fS9yxB5lueoZBill Simmons' The Ringer, also owned by Spotify, has announced an expanded partnership with the WWE on a series of podcasts: https://www.wwe.com/article/wwe-podcasts-the-ringer-spotify-bill-simmonsNPR has launched paid subscriptions to some of their biggest shows - including Fresh Air, Code Switch, and How I Built This. $2.99 per month for each show will help support the show and get you sponsor-free content. I go back to my original point about paid podcasts - you'd better have a well-established, exceptional, unique product if you're going to expect people to pay for it. If anyone can do it, it's NPR, who was into podcasting before almost anyone. More: https://www.npr.org/sections/npr-extra/2021/08/17/1028079276/npr-podcast-subscription-platform-is-launchingThere are tons of ways to promote your podcast across social media and the web, and depending on your team and bandwidth, you really can do a lot. Arielle Nissenblatt of Squadcast had a great Twitter thread that went viral last week, talking about all the things they do to promote their show, Between Two Mics: https://twitter.com/arithisandthat/status/1429549172156518406And Riverside's remote video recording platform has launched the 2.0 version of their platform, which features a "Magic Editor," AI to switch between speakers depending on who's talking, and automatic transcription. Here's a link to their press release in PodNews: https://podnews.net/press-release/riverside-2dot0As always, stay healthy and stay safe. Lata! Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Your podcast needs to be everywhere - or at least in as many places as it can be.In 2007, I was working for a radio station in Vermont, where (fun fact) billboards are illegal. I was trying to convince my boss that the station needed a page on this new thing called Facebook. "Ben," I asked him, "if you could have a billboard in South Burlington in Interstate 89 with your morning show on it, would you do it?" "Of course," he said."That's why we need to be on Facebook," I said. "We need to be where our listeners are."14 years later, the same is true of podcasts. Be everywhere your listeners are, so more people can find you. I told you last week about Tom Webster of Edison Research talking about YouTube. Among weekly podcast listeners, 18 percent said YouTube is their primary destination for listening to shows - behind only Spotify and Apple. Do you really want to miss out on nearly 1 in 5 weekly podcast listeners? Also, Apple is still having issues. Yes, the recent iOS update was supposed to fix the bug that was stopping downloads, but according to PodNews, many creators still aren't seeing their new episodes pop up in Apple Podcasts, a full 72 hours after submission. If your show is only on Apple, and this happens to you, why bother to even publish the show?Yes, you need to be on the Holy Trinity of Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. But you should also be on YouTube. While you're at it, it wouldn't be the worst idea to submit your show to Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Amazon and more. None of these services represent even 2% of podcast listening, but why not take a few minutes to connect them to your host's RSS feed to make sure your content goes everywhere your potential listeners are?Once you ARE on many different platforms, there are ways to share one link on social media and let your listener pick their app of choice. There's a great guide from Podnews on how to do this here: https://podnews.net/article/universal-links?utm_source=podnews.netOnto other news this week:I mentioned last week the importance of SEO and show notes. Google Search is still one of the key methods of podcast discovery. There's a seminar next Saturday, August 28th, on writing show notes. Here's my affiliate link: https://www.podcasteditoracademy.com/show-notes-summit-2021/?aff=jagindetroitiHeartRadio now has a partnership with the TuneIn app - this will create better reach for their radio stations and podcasts. Also, smart speakers aren't a huge chunk of podcast listening, but they are growing. And out of the box, Alexa defaults to TuneIn when you ask it to play a radio station. iHeart is also teaming up with France's NRJ Group to translate some of its biggest shows into French, starting with Stuff You Should Know.The fine folks at Podcast Movement have come launched Podcast Movement University, which is currently free to join and has a bunch of classes to watch. https://university.podcastmovement.com/If you weren't able to make it to Podcast Movement in Nashville, they've got a highlight video up on YouTube.Quickly, two technical items. Audio Technica has released their new AT2040 microphone, for about $100. The good news: it's hypercardioid and dynamic, which in English means it's designed to pick up your voice and very little background noise. The bad news, it's only got an XLR connection - you'll need an interface to connect it to your PC or Mac. https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/at2040If you're a Windows user and are looking to start editing but don't want to spend money on software yet, The Windows Club has a guide to free Windows audio editing apps - Audacity, WaveShop, SoundEditor, and Jokosher. https://www.thewindowsclub.com/open-source-audio-editor-software-for-windows And finally, my man-crush is getting his own podcast. NFL Goat Tom Brady will be teaming up with Larry Fitzgerald for a weekly show on SiriusXM called, what else but "Let's Go!" Starting in September. it will air live Mondays at 6 on SiriusXM's Mad Dog Radio (Channel 82), and will be repurposed as a podcast after each episode.Finally, if you want to get my podcast news every week, you can get it sent straight to you inbox, and not hope some social media algorithm decides to show it to you. I'll only email you once a week, and I won't sell your info. You can sign up at jagindetroit.com/subscribe. Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As always, I learned a lot at this year's Podcast Movement convention, and I'm going to share it with you today.(NEW OPEN)Welcome in, I'm Jon Gay. You'll notice I shortened the intro. I talked to some listeners at Podcast Movement, and the consensus was that while a bunch of artists saying my name sounds cool, it has nothing to do with podcast news. It was great for my ego, but that's about it. Also, after a week of networking and socializing, my voice isn't 100%, but here goes.Podcast Movement started out with Kate Erickson of the successful podcast Entrepreneur On Fire. She talked about podcast workflow in four steps. 1) Idea, 2) Commitment 3) Support 4) Plan. She also discussed tools such as an application form for guests, an online scheduler, Google Alerts, and more. My big takeaway was the Google Alerts. If you find yourself coming up short on topic ideas, use Google Alerts for the topic of your show. Link to Kate's workflow: https://www.eofire.com/podcastworkflowThe keynote we were all waiting for was Tom Webster of Edison Research. People always ask “How can I grow my audience?” What they should be asking is “Why did it stop growing?” Well, it's because people stopped recommending it! Recommendability: know who you are here for, and WHY they are there. Make the show easy to recommend, and master your craft, aka be recommendable!Webster is also Bullish on the soon-to-be-released Facebook audio tools. Facebook is still the biggest social media player out there, and among non-podcast listeners, it's huge. So if Facebook users get their hands on podcasts, that can be a growth opportunity for all of us.Tom says that in 2021, YouTube has become a major player in podcast discoverability. In fact, it's now third in terms of apps behind Spotify at #1, and Apple at #2. Think about it. Google Search is still dominant - and Google owns YouTube. So if your podcast is on YouTube, and the description is search engine optimized, you'll pop up in results. Now this isn't to say you have to have a video version of your show. But at least put the audio with a logo on YouTube with a good description. It will help your searchability.Email is an important tool in marketing your podcast. Great session from Meghan Neasta of AWeber. Social media is great, but you're dependent on someone else's algorithm. Email lets you reach your audience directly, and see data on open rates and clickthroughs. It's also a great way to build personal connections and offer bonus content.Another great Wednesday session was Todd Cochrane of Blubrry. Having a website for your podcast is absolutely crucial. Now I caught Todd in the Starbucks line and he told me you don’t have to have a separate website for your show if it’s a branded podcast and you’re trying to get people to YOUR website. But if the show stands alone, it needs its own site – not just the one your host gives you. However, whichever way you do it, with Google Search so big, search engine optimization is KEY. Todd’s action items include having great episode titles and supporting show notes, making it easy to subscribe, contact, and listen, asking for reputable backlinks to your content from folks (Google loves this), and making sure your website is not just mobile friendly, but mobile first.As Wednesday wrapped up, I saw my buddy Jay Nachlis from Coleman Insights, talking about using Blue Ocean strategy to find your podcast niche. If you don’t know the analogy, red ocean is where the sharks are, looking for chum. Blue ocean is wide open with endless possibilities. For example, your science podcast may have a lot of competition. But if you focused just on chemistry, you’d be more unique. There are podcasts about the Golden State Warriors, but none specifically about Steph Curry. If you niche down your podcast, you’ve got a greater chance of success.Thursday’s opening keynoter was Shark Tank entrepreneur Mark Cuban. He and co-founder Falon Fatemi were talking about their fireside platform. The idea behind fireside is that you’ll get better real time analytics than podcast hosts, but the whole session turned into an infomercial, where they became pigeons and they made podcasting their park bench. This in front of an audience of podcasters. Read the room, dude. Not only did you shamelessly plug your new venture, you insulted your audience in the process.On the flip side, Thursday’s highlight was Rob Walch from Libsyn, and his annual “Yes, that marketing advice for your podcast is BS.” His 2021 version was VERY informative.I’ve spent a lot of time dunking on Apple Podcasts in recent weeks, but according to Libsyn’s stats, they are still far and away #1 for podcasts. Part of the reason is that there’s 120 DIFFERENT podcast apps that pull FROM Apple! So while Spotify is spending money, grabbing headlines, and is, in my opinion a better user experience, Apple is still king. Your podcast HAS to be on Apple.When you start a podcast, it might be intimidating to hear that there are now 2.3 milli

Hello from my hotel room at Nashville's Opryland Resort, where the first full day of Podcast Movement wrapped up. Some highlights from sessions I attended today.The first keynote was from Kate Erickson of Entrepreneur on Fire - she spoke to the importance of systems, workflows, plans, and accountability. Another nugget: if you're out of ideas for episodes, set up Google Alerts for keywords in your niche. Here's a link to her slides: https://www.eofire.com/podcastworkflowThe star of the day is no surprise to anyone who's attended this conference - and that's Tom Webster of Edison Research. As always, he came armed with the latest and greatest podcast data.Podcast discovery comes from, in order:RecommendationsInternet SearchSocial MediaPodcasters often ask, "How can I grow my audience?" In reality, they should be asking "Why did my audience stop growing?" And the answer is almost always: "Because people stopped recommending it." So how do you solve this "recommend-abilty" problem?Know who you podcasting for, and why they are there. You can't give the unexpected if you don't know what they expect.Make your show easy to recommend - both technically and in terms of your content.Master your craft!Next, Webster tackled YouTube. Old school podcasters will tell you if your show is on YouTube, it's not a podcast, for a variety of technical reasons. And, technically speaking, they'd be right. But in 2021, the top apps for podcast discovery are, in order:SpotifyAppleYouTubeSo, even if you don't have video for your show, putting the audio on YouTube is not a bad idea. In 2007, I had to convince my boss in radio that we needed a Facebook page - because you go where your audience is.Speaking of Facebook, it's still the most popular social media app. And interestingly, it's HUGE among non-podcast listeners. So when Facebook audio rolls out soon, Tom thinks this will be HUGE for podcast growth. Pay attention there too, so long as you're not in Facebook jail for a post you made 6 years ago that you totally forgot about. Hasn't happened to me yet (knock wood).Other items of note from Day 1: Your podcast should have its own website, for SEO purposes. Google can't search audio, but it can search text. Think about that when you write your show titles and show notes. And the built in page that your podcast provider gives you - that may not be enough - because bad shows in the same domain could hurt your rankings. That's from Todd Cochrane of Blubrry.Another marketing tool you may want to consider for your show is an email campaign. You'll get better analytics here, and you won't just have to hope a social media algorithm delivers your content. Just send it straight to your listeners' inboxes. Solid presentation by Meghan Nesta of email platform Aweber.And I wrapped up the day with Jay Nachlis of Coleman Insights, talking about "Blue Ocean" strategy. If you're not familiar with the term (or the book), there are two oceans. The red ocean is crowded, and infested by sharks. Blue ocean is wide open. If you have a podcast idea that lands in the blue, your chances of standing out are much higher. For example, Jay mentioned there are tons of science podcasts, but not as many about say, specifically chemistry. Lots of religion podcast, but not many about Hinduism. Lots of Golden State Warriors Podcasts, but NONE specifically about Steph Curry. Don't be afraid to do something different.As for me, different has been recording this show in a hotel room at 11:30pm Central Time I'm off to bed - with hopefully more nuggets to soak and and pass on - soon. Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Have you seen Ted Lasso? Well, I haven't, but everyone I know keeps telling me I need to. But I'm not a soccer fan. You'll still love it. I don't have Apple TV. Get it! So I finally decided yesterday to drop the five dollars a month so I can watch it, plus The Morning Show, and some other stuff.I really didn't want to add another monthly bill - even $5 - on top of Netflix, Disney Plus, and YouTube TV. In fact, I just decided to drop an extra $10 a month so I can get 4K channels. I figure I have a 4K TV, may as well watch the Olympics in 4K. Not gonna lie, it's pretty sweet. Can't wait for football season.What does all of this have to do with podcasts? Well, it appears a number of large media companies are offering premium (meaning paid) content through Apple, Spotify, or other means. But there's more of them than you can count. Which ones do you choose? For me, it took a TON of peer pressure to cave on Apple TV, and it took something brand new and cutting edge (sports in 4K) to up my YouTube TV. Before you start asking your listeners to pay for what you put out - ask yourself - is it good enough? Can it compete for that monthly $5 or $10 with Disney Plus and Hulu and Netflix? Now, if you're providing some really unique, niche content, the answer may be yes. But I think for most of us, the answer is no. I still think it's hard to monetize a podcast, but the easier route is through advertisers. Your podcast listeners are much more valuable than those little hearts on Facebook or the Gram. Why? Because they are more engaged. They aren't scrolling through; they are actively listening. Even if you don't have many listeners, your basket weaving podcast might be really attractive to a basket company.Speaking of advertising, Crooked Media's Pod Save America is now opening themselves up to ads in other countries - apparently there's quite an appetite for American politics in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. ACast will handle the international ads.If you love the Olympics, NBC has FOUR - count 'em four - podcasts on their Olympics channel in Apple Podcasts - The Podium, In The Village, On Her Turf, and My New Favorite Olympian. They're free to listen to.Speaking of Apple Podcasts, they're looking for a head of content. I assume duties include screaming at the app development team daily, thinking you're the only game in town, and putting out dumpster fires.Podcasting OG Evo Terra says we have entered the "chaotic era" of podcasting. He says no huge companies are coming to save us, diversify your podcast's assets and footprint, and hold on for dear life. Here's his Podcast Pontifications https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/can-you-survive-podcastings-chaotic-eraTold you a couple weeks ago about everyone freaking out about the Audacity editing app and it's new privacy policy -well they've got a new policy, promising not to store IP addresses or scare away kids under 13.As James Cridland from PodNews points out, that's likely due to the reporting of podcast media and resulting outcry. https://github.com/audacity/audacity/discussions/1353Podcast host Buzzsprout is offering dynamic ad insertion on all plans. Dynamic Ad Insertion puts ads in your show based on when a listener hears it, where they are, or other factors. For example, if you have something time sensitive, like a Podcast Movement tease, you can turn it on or off for any episode. It's my hope that this will come to other podcast hosts for all tiered plans, making it the norm in the industry.MTV is teaming up with iHeart to re-release classic episodes of Behind The Music, as a podcast. A friendly reminder to check and see if your new podcast's name has already been claimed. Maybe not a huge deal if you're an average Joe, but if you're rich and famous (or hope to be), you gotta do your homework. Actress and Michigan native Kristen Bell tried to release a show called Shattered Glass. Name was already taken, so she had to rename it - it's now called "We Are Supported By..."For my fellow Syracuse grads, Carmelo Anthony is creating a podcast version of his YouTube series, "What's in Your Glass?" Sadly, it's wine, not Orange Juice. (rimshot).The Clubhouse app is now out of beta and available for everyone on iOS and Android. Will be curious what Mark Cuban, who founded rival Fireside, has to say when he keynotes Podcast Movement in Nashville next week.And speaking OF Podcast Movement, I'm vaxxed, masked, and really excited for the return of the in person event. They will have recording areas set up, so time permitting, I may do a bonus episode next week from Nashville. Otherwise, expect a TON of information when I get back. Finally, a big thank you to Rock, Arielle, and the team at Squadcast - who were able to find a video solution that worked for me. This is my first video recorded on Squadcast.So, until next time, stay healthy and stay safe. Lata! Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecas

I've long said the only way for music radio to survive is by bringing personality back and differentiating itself from Spotify, Pandora, and other streaming services. We've actually seen some movement on this front, with some stations going back to two-person afternoon shows. Even SiriusXM seems to be adding more DJ's to their Pop2K, Pop Rocks, and other channels. Sadly, Audacy, the second biggest radio company in the country, seems to be doing the opposite. They eliminated a boat-load of CHR, or pop, radio DJ's at the end of last week - this after doing the same previously with country and alternative. Now, a handful of DJ's will be on double-digit stations across the country.A disclaimer. Middays for much of the country will be done by Julia, who is a friend of mine. I worked with her at Amp Radio here in Detroit and consider her to be one of the most creative people I worked with in my 15 year radio career. So if you're Julia, and they say hey, we want to syndicate you nationally, that's a no-brainer. No ill will toward her. I guarantee Julia's show will have great content for the stations she's on, maybe even more compelling than the former local DJ's in some cases. But more radio people are out of work, and there's more connections to local communities that are gone. For Audacy, It's a great way to cut costs when you're moving all your resources to digital, but it doesn't bode well for the future of radio.On to this week's podcasting news.There's a new social audio app that focuses on short form content, called "Racket." It speaks to a larger trend in media toward shorter stuff. Think about the recent success of TikTok and Instagram. How does this translate to podcasting? Well, maybe shorter episodes are the way to go. You can always go too long on an episode, but can you really be too short? Back to the old radio cliche: Leave 'em wanting more. https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/16/22570683/audio-short-form-podcast-app-racket-beamsAuttomatic, the company that owns Wordpress, has bought Podcast listening app Pocketcasts - makes me wonder if that means easier integrations for podcast listening through websites. https://wordpress.com/blog/2021/07/16/popular-podcast-app-pocket-casts-joins-automattic/If you still want to use Apple Podcasts as your listening app of choice, do yourself, and podcast creators a solid. Upgrade to the latest version of iOS - there should be some fixes for podcast download issues. James Cridland of PodNews, as always, is on top of it: https://podnews.net/update/podcast-download-bugOne more Jag Show next week, then a break at the beginning of August while I attend Podcast Movement in Nashville - hope to see you there. And finally, if you'll indulge me, two quick plugs.This week, I was the featured guest on the "Do What You Love" podcast, from Las Vegas morning show host, and recent ESPN play by play man Jeff Kurkjian. Jeff's a friend, and just such a great, solid, positive guy. We talked all things podcasting, and a little bit of radio too. Apple: https://apple.co/2W5YuTXSpotify: https://spoti.fi/2UWjgELYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WWhyDOMCtA Also, I'm thrilled for JAG in Detroit's latest partnership - with Tanner Friedman Strategic Communications here in Michigan, and their client CARE HOUSE of Oakland County, a place that helps victims of abuse. The podcast is called, "It Shouldn't Hurt To Be a Child." The trailer is up now, with Episode 1 to land shortly.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/it-shouldnt-hurt-to-be-a-child/id1569471566Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Muu591lk9Et22ev6PWIob?si=cNSDN4e8QoyvOhOLz0PxoQ&dl_branch=1As always, if you need a podcast consult, you can always reach out to me at https://jagindetroit.com/ Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Audacy vs Audacity.. Audacity is a free audio editing software with 100 million users worldwide, according to the BBC. Recently, they were purchased by a company called Muse, headquartered in Cyprus. A future software update will have users connect to the web, and as a result, they've had to put out a statement confirming to European and other privacy laws. They are going to collect your IP address, but it's unclear what else. No don't freak out - almost every site you visit collects your IP address. But the agreement also states some of your information can be shared with Muse's infrastructure...in Russia. Now I'm not going to get political - but with the 2016 election interference and recent ransomware attacks, the Russia part is a little concerning.I've got several articles linked in today's show notes about this, including a FANTASTIC video from Jeni Wren Strottup of Gritty Birds podcasting. Here are the key takeaways. The current version of Audacity, up to 3.0.2 does NOT connect to the web, and you can download it and use it as always, just never updating it as long as it works on your computer. You can also switch to another editing program. Most share your data as well - but if the Russia thing freaks you out, and you're willing to climb the learning curve of different software, you can do that too. Or, you can just shrug and hit yes to all the new terms of service. But bottom line, Jeni says, the new Audacity is NOT spyware. It's not sneaking onto your computer and stealing your data. It's being upfront about what it's doing. And no, it can't listen in on your audio files. Bottom line, from where I sit. I've never liked Audacity as an app, but everyone likes their own flavor of audio editing programs. If you swear by Audacity, you've got options. But I still think you might like something else better.Audacity spyware articles:https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-57721967https://github.com/audacity/audacity/discussions/1225https://www.audacityteam.org/about/desktop-privacy-notice/And a great video from Jeni Wren Strottup of Gritty Birds Podcasting: https://youtu.be/HQ7NfZKVWxMOther Podcasting News This Week:Apple, Google, and Spotify now all display show notes uniformly, with links and more. James Cridland of PodNews says this is true for the first time, but keep your show notes to Apple's limit of 4,000 characters.Nothing free is really free. Podcast One is offering free hosting for podcasters. But the catch is they can put ads in your show and keep the profits. The one benefit - they can market your show to a new audience. However, I still think it's better to use a paid host like Simplecast, Blubrry, LibSyn, or RSS.com. https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/8/22568221/podcastone-launchpadone-hosting-service-free-podcast-monetizeTwitter thread on how much podcast editors and producers should be paid - the numbers are eye-popping. https://twitter.com/meuceph/status/1412224182687911940Two new podcasts centering around big celebrity news stories. Audible's "Chasing Ghilane" is out today. That's a profile on Jeffrey Epstein's partner Ghilane Maxwell.Stitcher is now three episodes deep into "Toxic: The Britney Spears" story, exploring her conservatorship and more. From my days as a radio DJ, I can tell you that Britney is an icon to an entire generation. With the volume of the "Free Britney" movement, this could be a huge show.Podthon is virtual this weekend, and geared toward Podcasters of Color: https://podthon.com/Finally, I'm really looking forward to Podcast Movement, in person, in Nashville. It's the first weekend in August - and if you want more info, you can visit https://podcastmovement.com/For help with your podcast - find me online at https://jagindetroit.com/ Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The last 18 months has taught all of us how to use Zoom. It's great if you need to do a face to face meeting with someone who may not be great with technology, as most people have learned it by now. Up until recently, however, I told my podcast clients to avoid it. It can be glitchy over a bad internet connection, causing you to lose words and phrases, and if two people talk at the same time, it can be a nightmare. While those things are still technically true, Zoom HAS addressed its biggest audio issue, which is the fact that it only records part of of the frequencies in the human voice. Previously, Zoom had figured out which frequencies in the human voice we needed to hear in order to understand each other. To save data and bandwidth, it chopped out everything else. Recently, Zoom added a setting on their app called "Enable Original Sound." With the advent of podcasting, Zoom realized they needed an option to make people sound like...well...people. Now it's not QUITE as good as other apps or an in person recording. But if you have a decent microphone, it's close. You'll find a link for how to do enable original sound here: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115003279466-Enabling-option-to-preserve-original-soundNow, other platforms that are designed for podcasts, like Squadcast, Riverside, and Zencastr are still better options. They record on your local machine so that internet buffering doesn't happen. And if you wear headphones, it's no issue if people speak over each other. But if you have a hard-to-get guest, or someone who isn't likely going to learn a new program, that's how to make Zoom sound better.Onto this week's quick hit podcasting news:Amazon has bought ART19, a podcast hosting and ad sales company. Look for Amazon to continue their push into podcasting in the second half of 2021. While Apple and Spotify are still the big dogs, it probably wouldn't hurt to add your show to Amazon Music. It's free and you can do it here: https://podcasters.amazon.com/Commercial Radio Australia's head of digital thinks that in the future, half of all podcast consumption will be quick 3 minute episodes. It's a good reminder that shorter is often better. https://www.radiotoday.com.au/jaime-chaux-podcast-power-player-qa/I mentioned last week that I've moved my podcast listening from Apple to Spotify. I don't see myself going back any time soon. But if you want to try and navigate the new Apple Podcasts interface, this guide from lifehacker might help: https://lifehacker.com/how-to-make-sense-of-what-apple-has-done-to-the-podcast-1847129209American radio company Audacy, formerly Entercom, and CBS Radio before that, continues to shift resources from traditional radio to podcasting. Because they own many of the biggest sports stations in the country, and have a partnership with Major League Baseball, they're launching 2400 sports, a sports podcasting operation. Audacy is also bringing Crooked Media's "Love It Or Leave It" podcast, with former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett to, its Channel Q. Channel Q is a digital LGBTQ+ station that's also over the air in 32 of the company's media markets. Sadly, while Audacy does all of this, they are expected to replace more local music DJ's with national shows. More of the same for hardworking, underappreciated radio folk, sadly.Finally, a quick programming note - no JAG Show next week, but I'll be back on July 15. So until then, stay healthy and stay safe. Lata!Find JAG online at https://jagindetroit.com/or on social media @JAGinDetroit Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Editor's note: No video this week due to me breaking my foot and my studio not being super accessible. More on that later.The big news in podcasting this week was the launch of Facebook's new podcasting feature. Problem is, it's only available in the US, and by invite only. So to learn more about this new Facebook feature, I went to - you guessed it- Twitter. Buzzsprout's Head of Marketing, Alban Brooke, has a great Twitter thread about the features of Facebook Podcasts.https://twitter.com/AlbanBrooke/status/1407066754476646405?s=20But don't worry if you haven't seen it yet. I just gotta remember to check the old AOL email I use for Facebook notifications.Last week I mentioned hating the new Apple Podcasts app, and this week I finally made the switch. I'm now listening to shows on Spotify. I'm on the free plan, it's much easier to find episodes of my favorite shows, and I have more control over playback speed. It's a much better user experience. And I wouldn't have known about it - had Apple not driven me away with a truly hard to navigate app.More Spotify news this week - they've acquired Podz, a podcast discovery platform. Spotify also launched Greenroom, an audio service that's their answer to Clubhouse.https://newsroom.spotify.com/2021-06-16/get-to-know-some-of-the-features-in-our-live-interactive-audio-offering-greenroomRemote recording app Squadcast has a new update - it allows Dolby surround sound, one-click mastering, video recording, and up to 10 participants. The plans seem a little pricey though. For me, it makes more sense to stay grandfathered in to the 4 people, audio only, unlimited recording time package, and supplement with a small plan on Riverside for when I need video or have more than 4 people.Stitcher is now the number one listened to podcast network, according to new metrics from Triton Digital. They are owned by Sirius/XM and now have a bigger weekly audience than NPR and Audacy (formerly Entercom).According to the Podcast Index, there are now FOUR MILLION podcasts. But don't be overwhelmed if you're getting into the space. Only 10% of them, have put out a show in the last month. Podfading is real. https://tritondigitalv3.blob.core.windows.net/media/Default/PodcastReports/USA_Podcast_Ranker%20May%202021-2.pdfFinally, as I mentioned, I broke my foot Saturday. Long story short, I was walking the dog - she zigged, and I zagged. Landed funny and broke the fifth metatarsal, right below my pinky toe. Fortunately it should heal with a walking boot, and not cast or surgery. Also, not my driving foot. So for now, I'll be recording in my office, not my studio down a scary flight of stairs. The podcasting moral of the story - if this sounds OK to you - you don't need a fancy studio to record in. An office without background noise or echo should do just fine.Until next time, stay healthy and stay safe. Lata! Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome in, I'm Jon Gay. We start with a great point from Amplifi Media's Steve Goldstein. Watch any episode of Wheel of Fortune, and the game starts within the first FORTY FIVE SECONDS of the show. Take that approach with your podcast. Lose excessively long intros, and endless banter, and hit the ground running. I'll try to do that here. (Link: https://www.amplifimedia.com/blogstein/what-every-podcaster-can-learn-from-wheel-of-fortune-and-jeopardy)Apple Podcasts released their subscriptions and channels on Tuesday. Channels might be good to aggregate content, but I'm still not sold on subscriptions. As I've said before, if you're asking someone to spend money every month on top of Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, etc - you'd better a) have some KILLER content and b) it can't be available anywhere else. Meanwhile, Apple's latest iOS update has a totally revamped Apple Podcasts app. Personally, I hate it. I find it hard to navigate, but then again, this is what we said whenever Facebook changed their layout. I'll give it a little while, but I'm strongly considering moving to Spotify for podcast listening.Incidentally, that's what Tommy Vietor, one of the hosts of Pod Save America, suggested on Monday via Twitter. Seemed their latest episode uploaded but wouldn't show up on Apple right away. But it was right there on Spotify. When you've got a host of a top 10 podcast actively encouraging you to move to Spotify.....well, Cupertino, we have a problem.https://twitter.com/TVietor08/status/1404570745783521280?s=20Speaking of Spotify, they are continuing to spend like the drunken sailor of podcasting. It does seem to be working for them. They just lured the popular "Call Her Daddy" podcast away from Barstool Sports. Like Joe Rogan, Call Her Daddy will become a Spotify exclusive. Spotify's price tag: $20 million. The show moves to Spotify only on July 21.Big changes coming to Spotify's Anchor platform. One of the knocks on it was that they auto-submitted to Apple, and it was hard to claim ownership of your show there. Now, Anchor will allow you to submit to Apple yourself. Also, as podcast monetization grows, they will only supply you with an open RSS feed if you ask. This will be a benefit to those who only want their shows in specific places. Here's the post from Anchor: https://mignano.medium.com/evolving-anchor-distribution-to-meet-the-needs-of-new-creators-efe0b89f8c5aIf you use the Riverside platform to record your audio or video podcast, they've added a "media board" to let you play sound and video clips as you record your show. The idea is that in doing so, you won't have to add them in later when editing. https://podnews.net/press-release/riverside-mediaboardOther quick hit podcasting news: The award winning "Ear Hustle," about life behind bars in San Quentin, is being released as a book: https://bookshop.org/books/this-is-ear-hustle-unflinching-stories-of-everyday-prison-life/9780593238868Greed and hubris can ruin anything, including podcasts. The Verge has an expose about California's "Podcast Hype House" that Chinese-backed company Ximalaya created to lure podcasters. It quickly devolved into a frat house and worse: theverge.com/22526502/himalaya-histudios-notorious-llc-podcast-audio-hype-housePodcast Movement is coming together for Nashville, the first week in August. There's a contest to get a VIP tour of the nearby Jack Daniels distillery. I've seen it, and it's awesome, by the way. Enter here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdUpCWEt7V0R_xqFgBHkG6fMa6dgI1xg7kFHIDeDj7d0n93qQ/viewformAnd finally, I tell my podcast clients not to promote yourself until the end of your show, after you've provided valuable information. With that in mind, if you'll indulge me, I'm offering a new service - a comprehensive podcast audit of your show. Send me one episode, up to an hour in length, and I'll evaluate it for accessibility, audio quality, content, flow, and more, for just $99. If you're interested - drop me a note - [email protected]. Lata! Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Editor's note: This podcast was recorded just before Apple emailed all podcast creators about the launch of subscriptions. 99% of podcasts should not charge a subscription, so in most cases this won't affect you. Just be sure to say "follow" my podcast as opposed to "subscribe" to avoid any confusion.There are many "sins" of podcasting. Some you can get away with, but there are 7 that will sink your show and turn listeners away before you even get going. We examine them today.Bad Audio (echo, inconsistent levels)Overly chatty and going on unrelated tangents, especially at the start of your showBeing overly "sales"-y, trying to sell your listeners something.Copyright infringement - still a grey area, but best to play it safe.Not being on Apple Podcasts and/or SpotifyTalking about upcoming events without context for when you're recording itAnalysis Paralysis - not just actually doing your podcast.Thanks to many of you connected with me on social or email to tell me your podcast pet peeves. It's a long list, but these 7 are the most egregious. Got any more? Send me a note - [email protected]. Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Are celebrities ruining podcasting? The great Tom Webster says no. In fact, celebrities (and their social media followings) will help get eyes and ears on the industry. But the proverbial cream will rise to the top, and only well executed podcasts will stick around. Celebrities have long failed at hosting TV shows (and radio shows I might add). It's nice to get people's attention, but in the end - good content will win out. Here's the link to Tom's piece: https://tomwebster.media/archive/the-celebrity-podcast-neither-fish-nor-fowl/There's a long standing tradition in the news, politics, and business worlds known as a "Friday News Dump." When there's negative information to release about yourself, conventional wisdom is to do it on a Friday afternoon or evening, when nobody is paying attention.Well Apple must have some news types in their PR department, because they FINALLY acknowledged the issues around Apple Podcasts. And when did they blast an email out to all podcast creators? 5:31 Eastern time last Friday afternoon, at the start of a long weekend. Naturally, it starts off all positive - regarding the announcement of subscriptions and channels: "We've been delighted by the response and its exciting to see the hundreds of new submissions every day." Then, they admit they are pushing the launch of these products to June...when exactly? Well, dunno. Apple kept it nice and vague by sending this note out on May 28th. And of course they soft pedaled the myriad issues that users have been having. Over the last few weeks, some creators have experienced delays in the availability of their content and access to Apple Podcasts Connect. We’ve addressed these disruptions and encourage creators experiencing any issues tocontact us.We’ve also heard from listeners and made adjustments based on their feedback with iOS 14.6, which was released on Monday. We will introduce additional enhancements to Library in the coming weeks.Thank you for your understanding. We can’t wait to see your new subscriptions and channels and we are looking forward to launching them to listeners around the world soon.Best regards,The Apple Podcasts teamIt's an archaic, stock response like this that makes me wonder about Apple's long-term future in podcasting. Apple used to be regarded as one of the most forward-thinking, dynamic companies on the planet. Now it seems they are trying to tread water as the podcast leader, while Spotify and others invest heavily in the space and in the user experience. Maybe podcasts just aren't a priority. Podnews reported last week that Apple now makes more revenue from their App store than the entire music industry earns from music. Think about that for a second.We're getting closer to Podcast Movement, the world's biggest (and best, if you ask me) Podcast Convention. It's August 3-6 in Nashville, and organizers have revealed more details. Those attending in person will have access to 20 bars and restaurants on site, a waterpark, and more. Those attending virtually can do via the SwapCard app, which Podcast Movement 2020 Virtual used last year. https://podcastmovement.com/featured/details-on-the-pm21-venue-and-virtual-platform/Podchaser has upgraded its interface as it looks to become the IMDB of podcasting. I actually created a profile that lists every show I've hosted, produced, edited, and even guested on. You can see how it looks here: https://jagindetroit.com/podcastcreditsIf you're looking to get donations from your podcast listeners, and don't want to go the Patreon route, you can now use the Stripe platform without a website. Want help with your new, or existing podcast? Find me online at www.jagindetroit.com Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For this week's advice, I'm shipping up to my home town of Boston, Massachusetts. Matt Siegel, aka Matty In the Morning, has been the morning show host at Kiss 108 since January 1981. He's literally been doing the show since I was ONE MONTH old. Generations of Bostonians grew up with him and love him. Many folks have aged out of pop radio but still listen to him - he pulls in ratings and revenue like crazy. Full disclosure he's never been my cup of tea, but I know many folks that have enjoyed his sarcasm and snark for decades.Last week, Matty ended up in some hot water over comments he made around Demi Lovato's announcement of being "non-binary" and wanting to be referred to as not "he" or "she," but rather "they." And the brass at iHeartMedia told Matty not to talk about it. Now I'm not going to delve into any culture wars here - there are strong opinions on all sides. For me, the more cut-and-dry issue is what happened Thursday. Here's the audio, as posted to Twitter. And I'll warn you - it's cringeworthy.Now look, you can argue about censorship and corporate control all you want. And we've all had a toxic, abusive boss like this - whether you've worked in media or elsewhere. Berating an employee like this was never OK, but there was a time when it was accepted. But this is 2021, not the set of Mad Men. And for Matty to throw a temper tantrum like this, over his co-worker abiding by the direction of her direct supervisor is beyond the pale. https://twitter.com/JAGinDetroit/status/1395472477422292994?s=20Were you cringing when you were listening? Now imagine how YOUR listener would feel if you did that on your podcast. Some hosts live in the "controversial" realm, and have strong opinions about sticky subjects. And some are snarky and sarcastic. But to be a truly terrible person to someone who is undeserving of such wrath paints you in a terrible light. Whenever you're recording your show, be mindful of how your words and tone come across to your audience.And it matters off the air too. Bob Garfield, a 20 year public radio host in New York City was just fired. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/23/business/media/wnyc-public-radio-bullying.htmlOnto this week's podcasting news: Netflix is expanding into podcasting - looking to hire someone to be in charge of it. There are also rumors of an offshoot called "N Plus," which is a HORRIBLE name and hopefully not true. https://www.protocol.com/netflix-survey-nplus-show-playlistsApple has announced an affiliate program to help with its new subscription service. Like the new Apple Podcasts, it's got plenty of glitches. I wouldn't dive too deep into it yet.Spotify will now work for podcasts on your Apple Watch. Meanwhile, according to PodNews, Spotify's Anchor platform booted a musician....for using his own music in his podcast.Some folks use the online file service Auphonic to mix and master their podcasts with AI. They will now have integration with Microsoft OneDrive. https://auphonic.com/blog/2021/05/20/microsoft-onedrive-integration-auphonic/ Samsung was the biggest new US podcast advertiser in April. But BetterHelp is still spending the most money. That's looking good for May too, which is Mental Health Awareness Month.Until next week, stay safe and stay healthy - both physically and mentally. And don't be a jerk. To connect, find me on my website: www.jagindetroit.com Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

My advice to you this week is that if you want your podcast to grow, it's NOT ABOUT YOU. Many people start a podcast because they feel it's the "in" thing to do, or "my friends say I'm funny," or a myriad of other reasons. But if you want people to listen to your podcast, if you want to grow your audience, if you even want to MONETIZE your show...it has to be about your listeners. What is a LISTENER getting out of your show? Are they informed, entertained, or educated? Have you been able to connect with them on an emotional level? People aren't going to listen to your podcast just because they like you and you asked them to. Too much other content exists to compete for their attention. You've got to stand out from that crowd. Incidentally, that's a lesson that baby radio DJ's have to learn. When we first crack the mic, the world is our oyster. But to succeed as an entertainer, you have to make the content about the listener. Memo to college senior Jag: No pop radio listeners in Syracuse, New York care about the Patriots winning their first Super Bowl? Get the idea?Seth Rogen is developing a podcast for SiriusXM and Stitcher. And Spotify will exclusively host Michigan Native Dax Shephard's Armchair Expert podcast. They'll still be free, but only on Spotify as of June 1st.Speaking of Spotify, they'll soon roll out high fidelity audio for music and transcription for podcasts. Also, combining both sides of their business, they have now figured out a way to let podcasters use full songs, not just clips, in their podcasts. It has to do with their music licensing deals. Sounds great, right? Well, hang on a second. This will work on Spotify, but you still can't legally publish that same show on Apple and other platforms. And that's important, because Apple and Spotify are still the biggest two platforms out there. Who's got a bigger slice of the pie? Well, depends who you ask. Podcast host Libsyn has Apple way ahead, but podcast host Buzzsprout has Spotify in a dead heat. Now there's a lot of technical back-end reasons for this discrepancy. James Cridland, as always, breaks this down brilliantly in Podnews here: https://podnews.net/article/spotify-apple-podcasts-market-leaderBut the key takeaway is this. Be everywhere you can be. At the very least, make sure your podcast is on Apple, Spotify, and Google. And you can consider other desintations like Stitcher, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Amazon, and Pandora. It doesn't cost you a dime to be on any of these, so you may as well do it.Podcast advertising grew 19% in 2020, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau. And listeners don't mind commercials. In fact, they are more effective in the podcast medium, according to a study from Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights, as reported by PodNews: https://podnews.net/press-release/cumulus-signal-hillPodcast Movement first week of August in Nashville: They've announced their first group of speakers, and have a scholarship program open to students: https://podcastmovement.com/featured/1st-round-of-pm21-speakers-announced-plus-scholarship-applications-are-open/I'm looking forward to my first in-person podcasting event in two years. And if you're coming to Nashville, I'd love to connect. Until next week, stay healthy and stay safe. Lata! Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome in, I'm Jon Gay. There are typically two types of people that start a podcast Some throw caution to the wind and just go for it. Others meticulously plan every detail before they start. Now, there's probably a happy medium between those two extremes. But too often, folks think once they start the show, it has to stay the same format. So my advice to you this week is that it's ok to make changes to your podcast. For example, take the two biggest podcasts I listen to. The Daily from the New York Times used to run a 2 minute list of credits at the end of every Friday show. I doubt a ton of people stuck around for that. Now, they do 30 seconds at the end of each episode thanking the behind the scenes staff. And Pod Save America used to be 2 segments with the hosts, followed by a guest. Over the last few weeks, they've played with having the guest as the middle segment and moving them around, probably because they are looking at their listening stats and what causes tune out (which you can usually get on premium plans from podcast hosts). And even me, I've been trying different things with the video version of my podcast, as well as playing with the compression settings on my audio. Here's the point. Whether you have 5 million downloads or 5 downloads, you can always make changes if you think it will improve the show. Unless it REALLY degrades the quality of your audio or your content, it's not going cost you audience.Speaking of audience, podcast Facebook groups are always littered with the question "How do I grow my audience?" Some are looking for hacks or cheap tricks. Others are willing to invest time and effort into tried and true strategies. But this week's newsletter from Vancouver podcast company JAR audio breaks it down so beautifully simply: The One Question to Answer to Grow Your Brand Podcast Audience. Why should someone listen to my brand's podcast?There are a million ways to try to game the charts, artificially increase your downloads, and otherwise stroke your own ego with numbers. But if you want true, honest growth on your podcast, start with the content. Why would someone else want to listen?The IAB, or Interactive Advertising Bureau, projects that not only will podcasting revenue hit ONE billion dollars this year, but it will hit TWO billion dollars by 2023. https://podcastbusinessjournal.com/iab-projects-2-billion-in-ad-revenue-by-2023For example, The New York Times has announced their Q1/21 results. Revenues overall are up 6.6%; digital advertising revenue, which includes podcasts, grew from 48.2% of the company’s revenue a year ago to 61.3%.Also, iHeartMedia reported their first quarter earnings, with Year over Year numbers doubling, from nearly $16 million to over $38 million. Worth noting their total revenue is DOWN 10% year over year. But hey, they have launched a self service ad platform where you can create an ad to run on your favorite podcast or radio station. Looks like they're automating away sales people the way they did on-air DJ's. I feel like I say this every week, but it's worth repeating. iHeartMedia, Audacy, and many other companies are focused on podcasting and digital audio. These are huge companies that have to answer to stockholders. The only way that radio will survive is if it's owned by smaller companies that can afford to invest in local markets and local talent that can connect with their audiences. For iHeart, it's hard to care about Cheyenne when you're worrying about New York.Let's do a quick check-in on Apple Podcasts - James Cridland at PodNews says they are now crawling his feed for new content every 20 minutes as opposed to two hours. And it seems the bugs are slowly being worked out of the new system. However, for some users, the new iOS update seems to be downloading every episode of every podcast you subscribe to - this can be a major issue if you've got limited storage space left on your device. Here's an article on how to fix that: https://tidbits.com/2021/05/04/prevent-apples-updated-podcasts-app-from-eating-your-storage/Now, while Apple struggles, Spotify continues to revolutionize the podcast space. If you like a particular story in a podcast, you can now share that exact SPOT in a podcast to social media through Spotify. For example, share today's episode at this spot....right here.Finally, if you want to know more about Clubhouse - now available on Android in the US - the venerable Edison Research is doing a webinar about all things Clubhouse this Tuesday, May 18th, at 2pm Eastern. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/6516203299295/WN_U80SXPDQROenIIxcNmYPJAAs always, if I can help you start or improve your existing podcast, feel free to reach out to me on social media at JAG in Detroit or on my website, JAGinDetroit.com. Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for adver

Welcome in, I'm Jon Gay. I try not to cover the same topic in consecutive weeks, but I had to start with an update on the biggest story in podcasting right now - the disastrous rollout of the changes to Apple Podcasts. And just to check....yup.... you can STILL hear Steve Jobs rolling over in his grave.Personally, I've had no issues with the Apple Podcasts Connect dashboard - under either of the two accounts I use it with. But I think I'm one of the lucky ones - every podcast newsletter I get is littered with horror stories of folks who can't get in, can't add new shows, or can't get new episodes to show up. Also, according to PodNews, Apple Podcasts is no longer taking your info straight from your RSS feed. Instead, they are crawling your show, the way Google does with a website. But while other podcast apps check every few minutes, it appears Apple only crawls every two hours or so, which has resulted in a delay of new episodes showing up, even for subscribers. Just to be safe, I recorded this on Wednesday and set it for a Thursday midnight release, so hopefully you have it by the time you wake up on Thursday.Here's the explainer from PodNews: https://podnews.net/article/apple-podcasts-new-episodeSpeaking OF show notes, you may not see them this week - particularly if you're listening in the new Apple Podcasts. Those aren't showing up correctly either. You will see them, however, if you're listening in Spotify, Google Podcasts, or if you're watching or listening at JAGinDetroit.com. Frustrating.As I mentioned last week, Apple was first in to the podcasting space, and they got fat and lazy as a result. As the space blew up over the past year they though, "We'd better make some changes." Looks like the bugs weren't worked out before the big launch, and now, sadly, it's messing with people's livelihoods. Do better, Apple. Do better.With all the news last week about paid subscription models from Apple and Spotify, no news from Google. They seem to be taking the opposite approach. They are moving at a glacial pace, but seem to try to get it right before releasing anything new.A new "um removal" service is online - Cleanvoice claims to use AI to remove "ums" and "uhs" from your audio. The website is Cleanvoice dot AI, if you wanna give it a try. It's been my experience that AI isn't as smooth an editor as a real human being, but I'd be curious how it works if you try it. Again, CleanVoice (all one word) dot AI. As far as the real human editors, some news around popular free audio editing software Audacity this week. A company called Muse Group claims to have bought Audacity. Now the program is free and open source, so it's not clear what the Muse Group actually owns besides the trademark, according to PodNews. But it could mean better support for the app? Stay tuned. Again, that's the AUDACITY app, not to be confused with AUDACY, the new name of the second biggest radio station owner in the US, who thought Audacy would be a better app name and website than...oh i dunno....RADIO DOT COM.While corporate radio continues to corporate radio...Podcasting is continuing to grow in all areas: Nielsen, the company that does ratings for TV, radio, and lots of web stuff, has launched a Podcast Ad Effectiveness tool to measure the success of ads: https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/press-releases/2021/nielsen-launches-podcast-ad-effectiveness-to-measure-digitally-inserted-podcast-ads-in-real-time/And on the content side: A podcast is coming from Chelsea Handler (an advice column). Pop duo The Chainsmokers are launching a singing competition via podcast on Audible in the near future. And the Tribeca Film Festival in New York will include podcasts this year.Finally, I'm planning on attending Podcast Movement in person this August in Nashville. If you're on the fence about going, they've got a cool program where you can buy the Virtual Ticket, then upgrade and pay the difference if you decide you'd go in person this summer. https://podcastmovement.com/featured/pm21-virtual-attendance-southeast-meetup-tour-and-more/ Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Back from vacation last week, but as I tell all my clients, that's the kind of stuff to save for the END of your podcast, so more on that later. Naturally, the biggest podcast news of the year came while I was away, so let's get to it. Apple is revamping their Podcasts platform. As always, James Cridland of PodNews did an excellent job of breaking it down: https://podnews.net/update/apple-podcast-subscriptions-helloHere are the key takeaways. For podcast listeners, you'll be able to "group" shows, and the new "smart play" button will know which episode to start you with on a show - for example, the first episode of Serial vs the last episode of The Daily. The big changes are for podcast creators. Apple will be rolling out a subscription model that will allow you to charge users for your podcast. Apple will take a 30% commission of whatever you charge in year one, then 15% after that. Yikes. They are supposedly also improving the Apple Podcasts Connect Dashboard. So if you haven't logged in over the last 10 days or so, hop on over there and accept the new terms of service. If you're like me, and don't read those things, Cridland also spies a mention of Windows and Android. After all, Google Podcasts are available on iOS - maybe Apple Podcasts will finally come to Android?So what do Subscriptions in Apple mean for you as a podcaster? Likely, nothing. Think about this for a second. Realistically, for someone to pay for your podcast on Apple, two criteria need to be met. One, your podcast needs to be exclusive to Apple so it can be found for free somewhere else. Two, your content has to be SO good, that people are willing to add one more line item to their monthly budget, on top of Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and any other subscriptions. I don't have the hubris to think THIS show meets that mark. I hope you don't either.Now, you've heard me say for awhile that Apple, despite being "first in" to the podcast space, is fat and lazy. Well, it would have been hard to screw up this launch any worse than they did last week. Shows disappeared, people couldn't log in to their dashboards, people couldn't add new shows, and more. There's a list of bugs as of Tuesday here: https://transistor.fm/apple-podcasts-problemApple, if you truly want to be a leader in the space, you gotta work out the bugs ahead of a giant launch. And when problems happen, you should probably not go "radio silent" for the better part of a week. If you listen really closely...you can hear Steve Jobs rolling over in his grave.For me personally, as recently as Wednesday of this week, I was trying to catch up on The Daily and some other shows. And my Apple Podcasts app would NOT play them. Seems to be OK today after restarting my phone, but yesterday, I just hopped on over to Spotify, and I can't be the only one.Speaking OF Spotify, THEY are also hopping on the monetization train. Following revenue and subscriber gains in Q1 of this year, they are giving you the opportunity to monetize your show through their Anchor platform. Now they won't take a cut the first two years, and only 5% starting in 2023. Shots fired, Apple. The catches: to pay, listeners have to be re-routed to the Anchor website and creators will have to part ways with credit card processing fees. But again, if your show isn't platform specific, and worth paying for, is it really worth it? And with the debate raging over privacy, and Tim Cook saying Apple will share less of your data, how much will you really know about your subscribers? That's why Tom Webster of Edison Research says the best thing you can do right now - is get your listeners to subscribe to an email list. https://tomwebster.media/archive/preparing-for-paid-subscriptions/And Evo Terra adds, you shouldn't have anxiety around these podcast changes. https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/reducing-your-anxiety-around-big-podcasting-changesFacebook jumped in on the audio fray in the last week as well with a suite of what they collectively call "social audio." Thanks to SoundBites, you'll be able to post short audio clips like you do pics and video. You'll also be able to listen to podcasts within the Facebook app, thanks in part to their continued partnership with Spotify. (Facebook, after all, wants to keep you in their app as long as possible). And, they are launching an audio-only version of their "Rooms" feature - which previously had been a video chat version. This, ostensibly, will compete with Clubhouse.Here's the link to their press release. https://about.fb.com/news/2021/04/bringing-social-audio-experiences-to-facebook/Finally, as I mentioned at the top, my wife and I loaded up the car and took our pandemic pup to Hilton Head Island last week. After both staring at these same four walls for 13 months, it was nice to have a change of scenery, warm weather, and walks on the beach. We mainly got takeout, masked up in public, and folks down there were pretty compliant with masks as well. It was a much needed break, and

Sometimes, it's a slog to produce a podcast. Coming up with new content is hard. And most studies say consistency is key - listeners should know when to expect new content. But today I'm going to give you a different angle.Don't.People have such limited attention spans - don't ask them to spend time with content that, as a creator, even YOU aren't confident in. Case in point - yesterday's press conference from Michigan's governor, Gretchen Whitmer. The CDC was pressuring her to shut the state back down, since we lead the nation in COVID numbers right now. Governor Whitmer, who, full disclosure, I'm a fan of, initially refused but called a presser yesterday afternoon. Rumors swirled about the announcement of a 45 day lockdown and more.What did the Governor do? Nothing. She emphasized the importance of vaccines, and new COVID treatments, but she changed nothing. I was expecting news, and I got none. Just more jokes about governments having meetings to decide to have a meeting. When delivery doesn't meet expectation, you turn people away. The same is true of your podcast. Which reminds me, no JAG Show next week due to some scheduling conflicts. Onto this week's news- more from Steve Goldstein and James Cridland's look at Apple's 2 million podcasts. Only EIGHT PERCENT have over 10 episodes AND have released in the last week. Competition is not as stiff as you thought. https://www.amplifimedia.com/blogstein/m7ei93yk38uivdv5llgbfkv7li87xwOn the other side of the device divide - Google Podcasts is now at 100 million installs, that's up from only 50 million 4 months ago. Podcasts hosts now say Google Podcasts is the CLEAR #3 platform behind Apple and Spotify so make sure your podcast is listed there. Theoretically, Google will crawl your podcast like a website, but you can help it along my claiming your show at https://podcastsmanager.google.com/From two of the biggest podcasters around. Mark Maron will take home the first ever Governors Award from the Podcast Academy - their highest honor . Meanwhile Spotify quietly deleted 42 more episodes of the Joe Rogan experience. I won't get into a debate about censorship here, but when you take $100 million from a company, you gotta play by their rules. Speaking of Spotify, they've debuted their own charts for top podcasts and top episodes. Beware Apple - objects in your mirror may be closer than they appear. https://newsroom.spotify.com/2021-04-14/5-fast-facts-about-spotifys-new-podcast-chartsIf you're looking to record a podcast with multiple people in the same room, Rode Microphones announced the Rode Connect, which will allow you to connect 4 of their NT USB Mini microphones to one computer with its own mixer. Definitely better than putting a Blue Yeti in the middle of a table, but I'd say beware of mic bleed. Press release, via Podnews: https://podnews.net/press-release/rode-connect Also, there is new software for the Rodecaster Pro mobile studio in Beta - I haven't tried it yet. Let someone else work out the kinks.Podcasting continues to be a silver lining in the pandemic - UK podcast host producer AudioBoom tripled their revenue in 2020 - to $26.8 million, according to Podcast Business Journal.The New York Times has it's 4th annual student podcast competition: it's open to ages 11 to 19. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/18/learning/our-fourth-annual-student-podcast-contest.htmlLibsyn buys podcast monetization platform Glow, and Vox Media has acquired Cafe Studio, founded by former United States attorney Preet Bharara. And finally, a big piece of news in the evolution of podcasting. Gimlet Media and Bill Simmons' The Ringer, both owned by Spotify, have ratified a union contract with the Writers Guild of America, East. It establishes job security and paid vacation for writer, and get this, a starting salary of $57,000, or, roughly, three times what I made in my first radio job in 2004.If you need help getting started with your podcast, contact me via my website: https://jagindetroit.com/ Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thank you to all of you who commented on last week's special episode, The Death of Music Radio. I was worried about coming across as bitter toward radio, but most folks in those circles found my commentary maybe a little harsh, but fact-based and fair. Here's a link to last week's episode. https://bit.ly/jagshow040221Twitter almost bought Clubhouse. Business Insider says they were in talks to buy the platform for $4 billion, but those talks fizzled out. As far as this week's actual acquisitions, Spotify bought Locker Room, sports version of Clubhouse. and Libsyn bought Advertise Cast.Speaking of Spotify, have they overtaken Apple? Looks like we're going to get some competing data for awhile. Podcast host Buzzsprout says they had more downloads on Spotify than Apple Podcasts in March. As far as podcast hosts, they appear to be on their own with this claim. Other hosts still say Apple is number one, but we could be seeing the beginnings of a sea change.At the other end of the spectrum, Samsung mobile phones are going to come with the Samsung Free app, which you can also use to listen to podcasts. We'll see if that affects Spotify and Google Podcasts on Android devices.iHeartMedia is continuing to pad its All Star roster, announcing podcasts with Robin Roberts, Bethany Frankel, and Chelsea Clinton. They've bought and leveraged their way into being the top podcast publisher by audience, according to Podtrac. As for their app, not a ton of use outside radio circles.Amazon continues to invest in the podcasting space. Podcast producer Wondery, now owned by Amazon, going to double its staff, hiring in California. https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/wondery-jen-sargent-podcast-double-staff-1234942792/This morning, I had a client ask if she should ask for reviews at the end of her show. It's a common misconception that reviews will get you to the top of Apple's charts. What actually gets you to the top is an algorithm that Apple won't share, but we have learned that gaining new subscribers, now called followers, helps. But more importantly, the charts aren't how people find podcasts. Top 3 methods of podcast discovery are internet searches, social media, and old school word of mouth.While we're on the topic of Apple's charts, Dan Misener of Pacific Content says a year ago, so-called "G-dCasts," or religious podcasts, were the top category. Now, in 2021, it's Education, followed by Society and Culture. Misner also says, if on the fence, pick the least crowded category for your show. https://blog.pacific-content.com/the-most-crowded-categories-in-apple-podcasts-april-2021-edition-273b3d59866ePodChaser has brought back its Reviews For Good program, donating 20 cents to Meals on Wheels for every review you leave on their platform. https://www.podchaser.com/articles/reviews4good/reviews4good-2021I often get asked how to monetize your podcast. It's not easy. Generally speaking, you've got to have a ton of downloads, or have a really specific niche to your podcast. But here's some good news.The IAB, or Interactive Advertising Bureau, says advertising in the digital audio space was up 12.2% in 2020, despite the pandemic. If you are wondering about the effectiveness of podcast ads, consider this. I heard enough live read ads on Pod Save America for Magic Spoon cereal that I finally decided to try it. The idea is that its sweet like the cereal you had as a kid, but high in protein and low in carbs and sugar. And they say it's less than 2 bucks a bowl. Problem is, minimum purchase is 4 boxes, and even with discount codes, that's $35. I finished my first box, the chocolate, which is basically a Cocoa Krispies knockoff. Little sweet, but not bad. I still have the Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Frosted Flakes knockoff flavors to try. Bottom line, not bad, but not worth $35. Now I'm not saying go back to sugary cereal, but some carbs are OK. We need to stop vilifying them, just ask my registered dietician client, Melissa Joy Dobbins, host of the Sound Bites podcast. But my point is, podcast advertising works.Squadcast has a blog on monetizing your podcast, including promo exchanges, targeting advertisers, working with large agencies, and even trying a service like Podcorn to pair podcasters up with advertisers. I'm going to try it.: https://squadcast.fm/blog/make-money-heres-howSquadcast is still my preferred remote recording app, but they have a limit of 4 participants. I have been using Riverside.FM for larger groups on a recording. And big news from Riverside this week - they have an iOS app in public beta. The idea behind it is that if your guest has an iPhone or iPad, you can have them on your podcast or video, using their device's camera and microphone. Again, it's still in beta, but could be a game changer if you have remote guests that aren't easily in front of a computer.Other tech news this week - Spotify is testing a "Hey Spotify" feature that will work like Google, Siri, or Alexa to allow your Spotify app to play music or