The Audacity to Podcast
Daniel J. Lewis
Recent Episodes
How long should your episode closing be? While your episode openings should be as short as possible, the length of your episode closings can be a bit more dynamic. The answer is actually a little different this time: as simple as possible.
Please share this episode from your podcast app or https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/simpleclosing
Answer: as simple as possible
Spread out your calls to action
Give your audience a reason to stay until the end
Lead with value, leave with value™
value4value community corner
- 406§ from Bryan Entzminger
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Start and grow your own podcast for passion and PROFIT! Learn more and follow at https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/
Supercharge your audience engagement and grow your podcast! https://podgagement.com/
FEEDBACK Call (903) 231-2221 Email feedback@theaudacitytopodcast.com Send a message or voicemail through https://podcastfeedback.com/audacity
MAILING ADDRESS The Audacity to Podcast PO Box 739 Burlington, KY 41005
What is the first thing your audience hears when they play your latest episode? Are you providing value in your opening, or just keeping your audience from what they came to hear? Although the terms "intro"/"introduction" and "opening" are often used interchangeably, I'm going to be more specific to call the "opening" everything your audience hears before your episode's unique content.
Please share this episode from your podcast app or https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/shortopening
Answer: as short as possible
What about audio branding?
What about welcoming your new audience?
• When to Use Trailer, Full, and Bonus Episode Types [episode 353]: https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/when-to-use-trailer-full-and-bonus-episode-types/
Consider your most important audience: the one you already have
Bonus tip: use a unique cold open
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Start and grow your own podcast for passion and PROFIT! Learn more and follow at https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/
Supercharge your audience engagement and grow your podcast! https://podgagement.com/
FEEDBACK Call (903) 231-2221 Email feedback@theaudacitytopodcast.com Send a message or voicemail through https://podcastfeedback.com/audacity
MAILING ADDRESS The Audacity to Podcast PO Box 739 Burlington, KY 41005
As The Audacity to Podcast celebrates 15 years of professional podcasting, I invite you to take a critical look back at the biggest mistakes I've made and things I wish I did differently with my show. My hope is that this will inspire you to either fix these things early for yourself, or avoid them altogether!
Please share this episode from your podcast app or https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/15regrets
(As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases through some of these following links. But I recommend things I truly believe in, regardless of earnings.)
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Hiatuses
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Not building an email list sooner
• 13 Ways to Use an Email List for Your Podcast" [episode 198]: https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/13-ways-to-use-an-email-list-for-your-podcast-tap198/
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Not promoting my episodes via email
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Pursuing the wrong business
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Not creating enough training products
• SEO for Podcasters course: https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/store/seo-for-podcasters/ • Zoom H6 for Podcasters course: https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/store/zoom-h6-for-podcasters/
- Waiting too long to register my trademark
• Gordon Firemark: https://gfiremark.com
- Trying to do things cheaply
• ID3 Editor: https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/id3editor • Podgagement: https://podgagement.com/
- Not publishing more through other channels, including video
• Hollyland Lark M2S microphone: https://geni.us/6oS4OH
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Not reaching out to press about significant things
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Accepting sponsors
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Not creating value for value opportunities for you, my audience
• More about Podcasting 2.0 micropayments and value4value [episode 371]: https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/are-podcasting-2-0-micropayments-worth-it/ • Support the show if The Audacity to Podcast provides value to you: https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/giveback • Get a modern Podcasting 2.0 podcast app: https://podcasting2.org/apps
- Working solo for too long
• Virtual Freedom by Chris Ducker: https://geni.us/rIloRAJ • Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell: https://geni.us/yiGzM • Podgagement (formerly "My Podcast Reviews"): https://podgagement.com/ • Entrepeneur definition on Urban Dictionary: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=entrepodneur
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Using a cute and expensive domain
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Getting involved with the wrong people
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Not focusing more on relationships
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Start and grow your own podcast for passion and PROFIT! Learn more and follow at https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/
Supercharge your audience engagement and grow your podcast! https://podgagement.com/
FEEDBACK Call (903) 231-2221 Email feedback@theaudacitytopodcast.com Send a message or voicemail through https://podcastfeedback.com/audacity
MAILING ADDRESS The Audacity to Podcast PO Box 739 Burlington, KY 41005
Whether by choice or beyond your control, your podcast might have to go on a hiatus—and it could so long that the podcast seems dead! How do you come back from that and get back into your rhythm? It will take some work, but here are my recommendations (and what I'm practicing myself, too!).
Please share this episode from your podcast app or https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/revive
- Review your podcasting goals (your "why")
- Treat your podcast return like a launch
- Use a podcast trailer to promote the return
- Lower your expectations
- Don't apologize or explain in your regular episodes
- Make and follow a plan to keep going
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Start and grow your own podcast for passion and PROFIT! Learn more and follow at https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/
Supercharge your podcast engagement with Podgagement! https://podgagement.com/
FEEDBACK Call (903) 231-2221 Email feedback@theaudacitytopodcast.com Send a voice message from https://podcastfeedback.com/audacity
MAILING ADDRESS The Audacity to Podcast PO Box 739 Burlington, KY 41005
There comes a point in every podcast when it's necessary to say a URL. If for nothing else, at least your podcast's own home on the Internet. (And you should have a domain for your podcast!)
Please share this episode from your podcast app or https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/sharingurls
1. Speak as few URLs as possible (per episode)
2. Defer to your chapters or episode notes
- Check out Knick Knack News for a great example of actionable episode notes: https://knickknacknews.com/
- Captivate: https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/captivate
- Buzzsprout: https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/buzzsprout
- Blubrry: https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/blubrry
- I'm pushing hard for Podcasting 2.0 to turn our current podcast chapters into “super chapters”: https://github.com/Podcastindex-org/podcast-namespace/discussions/469
3. Never say "https://" or "www."
4. Simplify your URLs
- Remove the third-party brand name completely and make it a generic URL: https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/stop-saying-brand-names-in-your-podcast-do-these-5-things-instead/
- Patreon: https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/patreon
5. Make friendly URLs that make sense
- Episode numbers didn't actually matter: https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/are-podcast-episode-numbers-really-necessary-in-podcasting-show-notes-tap175/
6. Say "slash" not "forward slash" or "backslash"
7. Slow down and speak clearly
- Podcast transcripts: https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/how-to-use-podcast-transcripts/
8. Clarify or avoid ambiguity
9. Be careful with top-level domains that aren't .com
- That Story Show: http://thatstoryshow.com/
10. Beware case-sensitivity
11. Always test your URLs before you share them
Community corner
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Start and grow your own podcast for passion and PROFIT! Learn more and follow at https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/
Know, engage, and grow your audience with the power of podcast reviews! https://mypodcastreviews.com/
FEEDBACK Call (903) 231-2221 Email feedback@theaudacitytopodcast.com Send a voice message from https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/
MAILING ADDRESS The Audacity to Podcast PO Box 739 Burlington, KY 41005