I’m back in The Studio after spending a week in Las Vegas attending and speaking at New Media Expo 2014 (NMX). It was, as you could probably guess, a great time. If you’re a podcaster who enjoys meeting other podcasters and learning how to better your show, it’s hard not to have fun at NMX. Lots of great content and endless amounts of great people and conversations.
While at the conference, I spent the majority of my time talking with people I previously only knew from online interactions (twitter, G+, podcasts, etc) and meeting people I had never spoken to before. While the content at NMX (sessions) are great, you’re probably going to have the most fun meeting people who spend most of their time in a world much like your own (they “get” you;)).
I had some other duties while at NMX, I was co-presenting a panel on How To Grow Your Podcasts From 100s to 1000s along with Dave Jackson and Daniel J. Lewis as well as recording a live Round of Podcasters’ Roundtable.
The panel session went well but suffered from a common issue, too much content, not enough time. We had so many tips for growing a podcast audience that we just couldn’t fit them all into our session’s allotted time but we knew that would be the case going in. So you can get the complete notes for that session via PodcastersRoundtable.com/nmx14.
Some of the biggest tips from our session were:
- Focus your content – Once you truly know who your audience is and what they need and want from your show, you can focus your podcast even more and really serve those who listen to your show.
- Make sure you have good production values – Your content is key but the audio/video quality of your show matters. Always work towards making a better sounding/looking podcast to help you stand out amongst other shows.
- Conduct interviews – Interview people who have a large following in your niche. The key is to make sure you get them to promote that interview once it’s completed.
- Get interviewed – If you don’t do interviews on your show, get interviewed. Let it be known that you’re available without being spammy about it.
- Know who you’re speaking to – Interact with your audience on a more personal level. Connect online, have conversations, find out what they need from your show.
The live recording of Podcasters’ Roundtable was more successful than I had anticipated it would be. We drew a decent crowd which was important because my plan was to integrate as many people from the audience as possible to fill the new “Roundtabler” roll. We were joined by a few retuning Roundtablers as well many new ones and had a great discussion about whether or not conferences are worth attending? You can probably guess that for the most part we think they are.
To follow up NMX with a bang, the next weekend I took a trip out to the TWiT studios in Petaluma, California. I called this making the “podcaster’s pilgrimage.” If you spend any time in the tech world and podcasting (you listen to this show so that’s highly likely) you know who Leo Laporte is and about the studio he built for his podcast network TWiT. It was an awesome trip including a chance to sit down at the “big table” and chat with Leo himself, live on camera. Check the link below for all the photos and videos from the trip. I highly recommend you make the “pilgrimage” yourself if you’re ever in the S.F. Bay Area.
Links* mentioned on this episode:
- CommentCast – track iTunes reviews internationally
- FetHead: in-line preamp for clean gain
- Podcamp – podcasting conference
- TPS Facebook page – facebook.com/PodcastHelper – you don’t have to be logged in or “like” to read the content.
- Bossjock app – podcast recording app for iOS including soundcart
- Podcast Quick Tips – ID3 Image Specs
- Reserve tickets for TWiT
- Podcasters’ Roundtable – Round 22 – The John Lee Dumas Effect
- Podcasters’ Roundtable – Round 23 – Are Conferences Worth It? Recorded live at NMX 2014
- Podcaster’s Pilgrimage – My Visit to the TWiT Studios
- How to Grow Your Podcast Audience from 100?s to 1,000s – notes for my session at NMX 2014
- Think Like a Rock Star: How to Create Social Media and Marketing Strategies that Turn Customers into Fans
Do you need a reliable host for your audio or video podcast? Consider moving your show to Libsyn.com (my chosen host) and get your first month free when you use promo code: podcasthelper at checkout.
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