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HOW TO START A PODCAST AND MAKE IT WORK presented by Marco Timpano Resident Expert What We’ll Marco Timpano Learn 04 /The Big Idea 06 / Q+A with Marco Timpano 08 / Foundations for a Podcast 10 / MONETIZATION: Creating value from your podcast 13 / Let’s Define CPM?

Marco Timpano is the author of 25 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started My Podcast. He is an award-winning podcaster, voice-over artist, and performer. His include: The Insomnia Project, Eat & Drink, Every Place is the Same, and Born on This Day Podcast.

How to Start a Podcast and Make it Work 3 Podcasting is a very If you make PERSONAL MEDIUM that offers rare levels of content that CREATIVE CONTROL and rewards niche interests and POINTS OF VIEW. resonates

The low barriers to entry mean that there is both tremendous opportunity and saturation of content. Doing your research, investing in production quality, with people, and being thoughtful about where your podcast fits into the landscape can position you to rise through the field.

Once you get through the initial technical barriers, you will be ready to take on the much greater challenge of they will building an audience and monetizing your podcast. listen. Q+A with Marco Timpano

What is your view on the There is an increasing Choosing the hosting Can you share some What are some different thoughtfulness you need amount of podcast platform that works for common mistakes and strategies to build an I find the best to have when building a networks and media you is another big part of traps to avoid? audience? quality podcast? companies in the the process. What is your way to build podcasting business. Can experience with hosting The number one mistake I don’t focus on building an Just look at what successful you share your perspective platforms? people make when audience, I focus on making an audience podcasters do. I don’t think on this? podcasting is that they don’t the best podcast and best they just turn on a mic and I started in 2016, using a do their own due diligence. content I can make. I feel like is through start talking. They figure I would just say you have to platform that back then didn’t They don’t do the research if you build it, they will come. I out topics for that particular do your due diligence on that, allow you to schedule your they need to do. They rely on feel like with podcasting, the word of mouth episode. It’s structured. They ensure that it is right for you, podcast and their analytics what they hear or what people more you put in, the more have to give and take with and you know what you are weren’t great at the time. I tell them. And I think it’s key you’ll get out. because the co-host. It’s not only or going to get from that. One was hesitant to leave them to do that research. Watch solely about them, I think they of the great things about because it was something I some YouTube videos, read Then I supplement that with people will tell speak to their listeners. I think podcasting is that it is the was familiar with, but it wasn’t books on the subject matter, reaching out through social all that stuff is relevant to the ultimate expression of the serving my podcast. When talk to podcasters, and then media, trying to connect with other people. podcast and speaking to their artist because you don’t really I finally made the switch to a formulate what works best for my audience, letting people audience. answer to anyone but yourself hosting platform that I liked you, because your podcast know when I have a new I’ve done this or your co-producers. The and that worked for me, I saw is going to be different than episode out, answering emails minute you get involved with a marked improvement in my everyone else’s. that I get, and featuring ideas multiple times a network, you might have to listenership and the quality of that maybe listeners want The number one answer to them with regards the podcasts as well. to hear about. That’s how I when I find a to content or with regards to build my audience. I find the mistake people what you can and cannot do best way to build an audience great podcast, I make when on your podcast. is through word of mouth because people will tell other share that with podcasting is that people. I’ve done this multiple times when I find a great they don’t do their podcast, I share that with everyone own due diligence. everyone I know. I know.

How to Start a Podcast and Make it Work 7 Foundations for a Podcast There are a number of fundamental building blocks that you need to have in place before launching your podcast.

TOPIC AUDIO EQUIPMENT PODCAST DIRECTORIES Passion is infectious. Have Most podcasts use music Podcasts can be produced This is where people listen you identified a topic that you in the intro, outro, and with the most basic to your podcast. They “No one is can bring great energy to throughout the episodes. equipment or in state-of- include Apple Podcasts, episode after episode, season If you’re going to use music, the-art studios. The basic Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, after season? make sure you have the rights equipment you need are a and Google. Depending on expecting you to the music you use. microphone, interface, audio your podcasting platform, NAME recorder, and headphones. submission can be centralized Your podcast name is the Most music is restricted or require you to submit to first thing people see or by copyright, but there PODCAST HOSTING each platform separately. to be an expert hear about your podcast. are platforms that provide PLATFORM Make sure your name copyright and royalty-free This is where you upload RSS FEED communicates some key music. episodes of your podcast and The link that is provided elements about your podcast where it is hosted. Podcasting by your podcast hosting on a subject to your audience. DIGITAL AUDIO hosting platforms have platform and then provided WORKSTATION (DAW) evolved to include detailed to the podcast so ARTWORK This is the software that analytics, tech support, that people can listen to your unless you This is the visual expression allows you to record and edit and one touch podcast podcast. of your podcast. It should your audio to create a finalized distribution. express the theme or genre of episode. You’ll need some what you’ll cover. version of this to create your There are some cost-free are, in fact, final episode. Audacity is an options, but they are very Put the title in your artwork example of a free DAW. limited in what you can do. and make sure it’s easy to see Consider this cost in your an expert. really small. Aim for pixel size planning. betwen 1400 to 3000 pixels Marco Timpano from his book: 25 Things I square. Wish I Knew Before I Started My Podcast

How to Start a Podcast and Make it Work 9 MONETIZATION: Creating Value From Your Podcast Creating value from your podcast begins with quality and consistency. Whether you have a small (but dedicated) audience or have significant numbers of downloads per episode, there are several options and strategies that can help you monetize your podcast. FEATURING PRODUCTS If you are going to review things or get products in lieu of payment, then I think you have to be sincere with how you review that product or how you mention it on your SECURING ADVERTISERS podcast. Advertisers generally will not CROWDFUNDING look at someone’s podcast Having a crowdfunding When those advertisers unless they have a certain strategy like a Patreon COUPON CODES reach out to you, my amount of downloads per account is great, and it allows Some advertisers will give ALIGNMENT OF recommendation would be episode. So, you kind of need your listeners to get extra from you a cut of whatever your SHOW CONTENT that you send out a disclaimer to have more than a thousand the podcasters, but beware listeners purchase using a WITH PRODUCTS, saying, ‘we would gladly downloads for an advertiser that means you have to do specific coupon code. Make ADVERTISERS, AND accept your product and to consider you. I let my more work. sure that this product or SPONSORS we will review the product, TRANSITION FROM analytics do the talking for me. service resonates with your It’s very important for the but please know that we PRODUCT DONATION You have to create more listeners. It’s got to be unique podcaster to feel that what will review it truthfully so we TO ADVERTISEMENT OR Sometimes you have to start content for your prospective to your podcast and it’s got to they’re bringing as far as cannot guarantee a good or SPONSORSHIP with one advertiser and patrons - a Patreon account add value. advertising is of value to the great review of your product.’ You can start by sending them maybe not make that much might cost you more than it’s listener. links to your episodes where for other advertisers to be worth. You’ve also got to be aware Also, communicate that, you talk about their product attracted to your podcast. of how many purchases your What will turn the listener ‘we are not guaranteeing a and say: ‘Hey, we really liked There are a number of other listeners have to make in off faster than anything is a mention on the podcast and your product and we’d love Once the advertisers hear, crowdfunding platforms that order for you to make money, disingenuous podcast or we will not return your product it if you’d be a sponsor of they may think, ‘oh, this have a range of pros and cons otherwise, you’re just giving someone who is just trying or compensate you for our podcast’. See if there is product is advertising with to be evaluated based on your free advertisement to them to make a quick buck at the whatever it cost you to send interest and develop that as a them, then they must be a legit unique situation. and not reaping the rewards. sacrifice of their integrity. the product our way.’ possibility. podcast.’

How to Start a Podcast and Make it Work 11 MONETIZATION: Creating Let’s Define CPM? Value From Your Podcast

CPM IS COST PER MILLE SO WHAT ARE MONEY BREAKDOWN Part 2 Cost Per Thousand THESE ADVERTISERS 15-second ad pre-roll is a commonly used LOOKING FOR? (start of the episode) measurement in advertising. Typically advertisers are = $15 per thousand. It is the cost an advertiser looking for podcasts that pays for one thousand listens have 20,000 downloads per 60 second ad mid-roll of your episode for their episode. (middle of the episode) advertisement. = $25 per thousand.

PITCHING ADVERTISERS Assuming that you have a PODCAST PARTNERSHIP WHEN YOUR ANALYTICS great podcast and you have WITH BRANDS AND AREN’T STRONG great content, it’s your job INSTITUTIONS I think the biggest mistake as the podcaster to make it You could approach a Pre-roll is $15/mille That’s $150 per episode people make is thinking that attractive to them. company and say, ‘Hey, I’d they’ll get advertisers right love to develop a podcast away and not putting in the You could have a podcast with that is symbiotic with your time and effort into a quality a lot of listeners and you could company, would you pay for podcast. show tons of downloads, it?’ Mid-roll is $25/mille That’s $250 per episode but that doesn’t mean the What’s going to get you advertisers are going to bite Some companies are jumping dollars is a podcast that or want to advertise with on that and using podcasting That’s 10 mille sounds great, is well- you. Likewise, you might not as a tool to support their per episode If the sponser does both produced, and strikes a chord have all the listeners in the industry or product a pre-roll and mid-roll per episode. with audiences. Sometimes world, but if you can make CPM podcasters think in terms of it attractive to them and sell BREAKDOWN advertisers before they think your podcast to them the way of the quality of their content you sell it to your listeners, and their podcast and I think then indeed you might get that That’s $400 per episode that’s a big mistake. advertiser.

Lets say your Add more listeners and Squeeze in 2 sponsers podcast has see how the money and you can make $800 10,000 listeners up! per episode per episode

How to Start a Podcast and Make it Work 13 LAUNCHPAD LEARNING ONLINE

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