Learning Objectives

• How to publish a podcast
• The importance of a website/blog {video tutorials}
• How to publish a podcast
• Promotion — Audiograms, Trailers, Reviews {video tutorials}

Chapter 9: Publishing & Promotion

The creation of a podcast involves a lot of moving parts but easy-to-use technology can make you your own podcast publisher.

However, those large digital audio files must first be uploaded to a podcast hosting service that creates the RSS feed (podcast audio files hosted on the internet), and then listeners can look in directories to find podcasts.

Let’s break it down.

Discovering your podcast is one of the biggest challenges facing podcast creators, so it’s important to list your podcast in as many directories as possible.

What Are Podcast HOSTING Services?

Just like a website needs a hosting service to store media files, your podcast needs the same thing.

A podcast hosting platform stores large audio and video files online for distribution and download to your audience and generates an RSS feed to Apple Podcasts and other directories.

There are a lot of options for podcast hosting services; some are free and others have monthly charges for a variety of services.

You can get a sense of where people are publishing by looking at the stats provided by Podnews in how many podcasts switch their shows to a different service and where they go.

How Do You Pick One?

There are several factors to consider when selecting your podcast hosting service – but all will get you onto Apple, Google, and Spotify with an RSS feed. Instead, you might consider these other factors:

• Are there FREE podcast hosting services?

Yes – and a free host service may be all that you need, but be sure to review the rules. In some, episodes are deleted after 90 days, advertising may be added or there may be very little notice if a company goes out of business.  One of the largest free host services is Spotify for Podcasters (formerly known as Anchor), but critics say many of those have podfaded – referring to when a show stops releasing new episodes.

• How does the podcast host service charge? 

Some hosts charge by how much you podcast and they have a storage cap, while others charge by download numbers. Paid host services may provide ad-free podcasts, automatic distribution to all podcast apps, or have detailed analytics; it depends upon your interests and what you’re willing to pay. Certainly use a paid service if you’re podcasting for your brand or business.

• Is the podcast hosting service easy to use?

Check if there is good IT support and if you can easily migrate to another host if you are unhappy.

• Is the podcast hosting service IAB Certified?

The Internet Advertising Bureau came up with rules on how to count podcast downloads, so companies who comply with these are certified, like the ones listed here. If a company is listed as “IAB Certified” it means “the podcast host thinks they are following the rules but nobody has checked,” says James Cridland of Podnews.

• Can you download or export your podcast analytics? 
• Are there extras?

Some companies offer transcriptions, audio processing, the ability to choose advertisers, or video podcasting. But you do need to be careful and read the fine print. Podnews offers a look at unusual terms and conditions from podcast companies.

Before submitting the podcast to a hosting service you need to insert Metadata I.D. tags so the show becomes searchable in directories. Embedded within the MP3 tag is metadata with the show title, author name and show description. You can tag episodes within your media hosting service by using free tagging software or by simply using Apple.

What Is RSS?

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary.

The feed is an XML programming code that contains the directory of your podcast where audio files are located on the internet. On web pages, the RSS feed is indicated by an orange logo.

Once you have subscribed to a podcast, the RSS feed sends new episodes directly to your digital device. Jamie Perkins writes in Medium: “RSS champions the little guy. It empowers the unheard voice, and has made a monopoly in podcasting impossible.”

RSS Feed Validators

Sometimes when an RSS feed doesn’t show up in searches or doesn’t work it can mean there’s a problem inside the RSS code that’s difficult to spot. The result is that you lose part of your audience with a broken feed. This can happen with a particular listening app even if Apple Podcasts accepts the feed.

Here’s where feed validators come in to test and help fix the error. They are designed for podcasters to point out “problems like missing enclosures, poor hosting and other issues specific to podcasting,” according to The Audacity to Podcast. They recommend Cast Feed Validator or PodBa.se Podcast Validator.

How To Put RSS Feeds Into Apple

What TIME Should You Publish?

The most logical answer is when you’re ready with at least three episodes; it always takes far longer than you think to gather the content and master the technology.

It’s also wise to create a regular time of the day when listeners can expect new content each week or month. Research from Megaphone found that most podcasters publish their new episodes on Wednesday, Tuesday, and Thursday (in that order), between 2AM and 5AM. They found that when shows launch at midnight they get much lower downloads. While this is one theory to explain popularity it doesn’t really apply to mega-hit shows.

Do You Need A WEBSITE?

Technically, you can publish a podcast without having a website or blog and most people listen using the Apple Podcast app rather than on the website. Lime Link says between 10-40% of podcast listeners tune in from the show’s website.

WordPress Website:

I have my students create podcast websites using WordPress.com and we use templates to simplify the process so they can concentrate on creating podcast content. Podcast Host offers a guide on using WordPress, one of many options now available.

You can see stats for your WordPress site by logging in, going to the Dashboard, accessing Jet Pack and then Site Stats.

Web Accessibility

Accessibility for the 38 million Americans (about 1 in 20) who are part of the deaf and hearing-impaired community and for those with auditory processing issues is equally important.

Text helps them understand what they are hearing. “Subscribing to a podcast can be a nightmare,” according to writer Robert Kinget. He says most podcast websites don’t do a good job of making the “subscribe” link easily available along with a text description of the image, which is how screen reader technology works for those with vision loss.

Deaf-Led Video Podcast

Launching September 2024 in the United Kingdom will be a new deaf-led video podcast created with a 90% deaf production team. The five-episode Shaping Tomorrow series will focus on deaf professionals in the entertainment, sports, and creative worlds and will use British Sign Language.

Should You Create TRANSCRIPTS?

It’s probably not the first thing on your mind if you’re just starting a podcast, but transcripts are important because they:

• Build discovery of your podcast because of search engine optimization (SEO).
• Provide accessible content to the deaf and hearing impaired, thus avoiding ADA lawsuits, and are helpful to non-native English speakers.
• Provide written information for media outlets looking for quotes for blogs, articles, or publications.
• Make it easier to do podcast reviews.
• Answer a lot of the same questions coming from your audience, saving time and effort.

However, just 1.1% of active podcasts in 2022 had transcripts, according to 3PlayMedia.

FREE Ways To Create Transcripts {Video tutorial}

1) Google Docs

This is free and easy to use but you will have to manually correct words that the software creates in voice typing.

Use the Chrome browser to open a document on Google Docs.

• Click on Tools.
• Select Voice Typing.
• Find your audio recording, whether it’s on your smartphone, hard drive, YouTube or other device and play it.
• Your transcription will begin when you click on the to Speak icon.
• You will need to go back to clean up the transcript to ensure it’s accurate. If you want to stop, say “period” and “new line.”

2) Otter.ai

It’s as easy as clicking on the “Start recording” button. Students who have used this app have been very pleased with the results as they were able to use the free basic program to meet their needs. The usage limit is 300 minutes of transcription a month and you can only download it as a text file (txt) in the free option. To download, click on the three dots in the upper right corner (next to the Share button) and chose Export.

Otter.ai operates on voice recognition algorithms that transcribe in real-time. A paid upgrade allows 1,200 minutes of transcription a month with downloadable formats in docx, pdf, and srt formats.

3) YouTube

YouTube does free automatic video transcriptions by voice recognition technology.

• Go to YouTube and open your video.
• Click on the More Actions button (the three dots) in the lower right corner.
• Select Open Transcript and as the video plays an automatic transcript is created.
• You can copy and paste the transcription into a word document. If you don’t want the timings, just click on the three dots next to the transcript.

However, because YouTube only works with video files, you will first need to convert any MP3 audio files into a video file.

Turn Audio Files Into Video Files:

You can use free video editing software such as iMovie (for Macs), Windows Movie Maker (for PCs) or TunetoTube.com. Subscription-based software programs such as Adobe Premiere or Final Cut also convert audio to video files.

Follow these steps:

• Drag in the audio file to the video editor.
• Add a photo over the audio, stretching it out over the length of the audio.
• You can now export the file as an MP4 video.

TunestoTube.com is a free tool to turn an MP3 audio file into a video.

• Sign in with your Google account so the software can interface with your YouTube channel and send the video directly to your YouTube account. The free version allows 50 files with a total to 50MB per day.
• Upload the MP3 file.
• Upload a photo and the software creates a video.

Examples of show transcripts from podcasts:  

PAID Transcript Services

As you might expect, transcript accuracy improves with paid services.

Automated services such as Descript and Happy Scribe transcribe audio or video using voice recognition technology with charges by the minute or hour. Technology reporter Ren LaForme of Poynter.org is a big fan of Descript. You can find out other paid services from The Podcast Host.

Of course, there are always human transcribers where real people do the work. Sites such as Fiverr.com or Upwork.com can connect you to freelancers. Prices and quality will vary by the job.

Use Embedded Player

It’s recommended that you install free embedded players on the website that automatically update with every new podcast episode. This tool allows anyone to listen or share your show outside of major listening apps like Apple or Spotify.

Many podcast host services offer their own native embedded player for free. For other options, Podnews show how to install players from platforms such as Spotify, RadioPublic, and Castbox.

What Are SHOW NOTES?

A blog or website with good podcast Show Notes (also called ‘Episode Notes’) offer a summary of episode content – the ‘takeaway’ moments – that make the show memorable. Not only is this a good way to check you are delivering content worth listening to but it helps attract new listeners through search traffic.

Show Notes also offer links to resources, products or services, bios of the host and guest, and a way to give financial support or do a show review.

If you want to hire someone to write Show Notes they can be outsourced to mediasips or mabendroth15 on Fiverr.

How to REACH the Most Listeners

In a world with millions of podcasts having a niche podcast can be a formula for success. But you can also reach a third of all podcast listeners by advertising on the top ten podcasts in the U.S., according to Edison Research.

You can reach some 45% of weekly podcast listeners on the Top 25 podcasts, while the Top 100 reaches 60% of weekly podcast listeners.

First Steps In PROMOTION

Podcasts get a lot of love from their creators but it’s a challenge to get the word out to potential listeners with so many podcasts available.

1. The first step is to put your podcast into every podcast directory app such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.
2. Then identify and target potential audiences for your podcast topic and then reach out via social media, forums, email.
3. Create a podcast website with show notes, transcriptions and trailers helps build an audience.
4. Create a podcast press kit so you can reach out to news outlets, send it to potential guests, advertisers, or sponsors, and pitch yourself as a podcast guest. Bello Collective offers some tips.

Examples Of Podcast Press Kits

Provide contact info, show bios, description, awards, show rankings, and social media.

The Podcast Host shares some tips and examples of podcast press kits:

• Spirits Podcast Press
• Red Fathom Press

   

Rephonic released a Canva template to design a media kit.

How to Get More Listeners {Video tutorial}

TEN TIPS To Attract Listeners

• Go beyond the top 3 and add your podcast to every podcast directory.
• Create a press kit about your podcast.
• Create a promo about your podcast and cross-promos with another podcast.
• Get booked as a guest on another podcast. Alex Greenwood provides a suggested pitch letter.
• Join Facebook groups such as Podcast Movement, Podcasters’ Support Group, and She podcasts. Additional Facebook groups are in Appendix A.
• Simplecast offers advice on how to advertise your podcast on Facebook.
• Tips on promotion for building your audience and using Instagram.
• Use Apple’s tools to help track podcast marketing, Pacific Content.
• Bullet is an iPhone app to help share a clip from a podcast, Podnews.  Here’s an example tweet.
• How to measure the success of your podcast.
• 7 ways to promote a podcast on Spotify.

AUDIOGRAMS To Market Podcasts

Social media plays a big role in digital media and you can attract new audiences to your podcast by appealing to eyes and ears through audiograms – a still image converted into video and layered with a waveform and/or transcription.

Unlike video, audio is difficult to share easily so audiograms have become a popular way to entice listeners to try out new podcasts. CNN Digital’s Amy Eason told the Reynolds Journalism Institute that when putting together audiograms for social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, her team looks for “eye-catching images” along with compelling audio in the 45-second range.

Some free audio-to-video creators include Audiogram, Headliner, and Waave. You’ll find a video tutorial in Ch. 8 on how to create an audiogram using free software from Headliner.

Podcast TRAILERS {Audio & video trailers}

Many podcasts are borrowing promotion techniques from the movie industry by creating trailers to generate interest for a new podcast or new season. There are both audio and video trailers and they serve different purposes.

COMING SOON Trailers

        

The Coming Soon trailer gets listeners excited about a new podcast or a new season, like The Flaky Biscuit, from award-winning artisan baker Bryan Ford. It comes from Shondaland, the storytelling company founded by producer/writer Shonda Rhimes.

SmartLesswith three polished entertainers launched their podcast with a trailer and became very successful with improvised conversation, comedy and a surprise mystery guest only known to one of the hosts.

ESPN Films and ESPN Audio created an audio trailer for their original audio documentaries.

SHOW Trailers

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