Apr 5, 2015

PSA: Podcast Service Announcement

Spring is here...mostly.  Even if mother nature is not recognizing that it's time for warmer weather, other seasonal markers are upon us.  The spring holidays (Easter/Passover) are a good start and Baseball's opening day seals the deal.  Besides being a reminder of the warmer season, those two entities always remind me of my grandfather, who played a big role in guiding me to a career in radio/podcast/general audio production.

When I was in college, I majored in Media Management, a broad field that encompassed the business of all media; TV, Radio, Print, Magazines, Newspapers...etc.  Those skills could have taken me into any number of directions.  But my grandparents, who lived in FL 6 months out of the year, were close to college and so I would visit with them often.  It was there sitting around their table in West Palm Beach that they suggested I focus on radio.  Partly because they loved the sound of my voice (but what grandparent wouldn't say that to a grandchild) but also, I believe it was because radio was such an important part of my grandfather's life. 

For the last 10-15 years of his life my grandfather was considered legally blind.  (That didn't stop NJ from automatically renewing his driver's license but that's a story for a different time)  He wasn't actually blind, but he required really thick glasses and struggled to focus on books, TV and his computer.  My grandfather was also a diehard Yankee's fan.  When he was still working, he would commute with my father and listen to local broadcasters rip apart the Bronx Bombers on his way into the office and catch the beginning of the game on his way home.  And once home, he would listen to almost every game on the radio. 

In fact, I remember several occasions where we showed up to their house and he would be in his den listening to the game.  If there was time before dinner, he would acquiesce and turn on the television so we could all enjoy the game together.  But on more than one occasion, I stopped by the house alone to visit my grandparents and would find him in is den listening to the game as usual.  Since it was just the two of us, he would offer to turn on the TV but would ask that I mute the sound so he could continue to listen to the radio announcers.  For him, trying to see the game was too much of a struggle.  

I know what you're thinking, there are announcers for TV broadcasts, so why would he mute the TV?  When you watch professional sports, the announcers are providing some play-by-play announcing but their real focus is on commentary.  Why do they have to tell you every movement in the game when you can see the action for yourself.  But for radio announcers, it's a whole different ballgame (pardon the pun). 

Radio announcers have to provide an in-depth explanation of every piece of action taking place on
Why good audio is a service and not entertainment
Not my grandfather
the field because you can't see what is going on.  And while that sounds like something anyone can do, the truth is the folks who do it for a living are really doing more than just explaining the action, they are telling the story.  And the really good announcers, tell really good stories every night of the season. 

So here I am sitting in the den with my grandfather, watching a game on TV but hearing a story over the radio.  At one point, I even remember leaning all the way back in the chair, closing my eyes and letting those announcers create the visual.  And it worked. 

Why do I bring this up?  The point I want to make here is that audio content is more than just a platform for selling ads, it's a way to provide a service to your target audience.  That service could be delivering the news, educating people on important issues, telling a story or more.  The premise for good radio has to apply to podcasters.  If you want to create a successful podcast, don't focus on how you're going to make money, focus on what you are going to provide your listeners.  Once people realize you have something valuable to offer them, your numbers will grow and then opportunities to monetize will follow. 

I am not going to lie and say I remember the exact date, game, score or even the outcome of the game the first time I realized this.  I just remember that I could enjoy the game with my grandfather without being worried that he was missing out.  And I realized there's always value in providing people with a good service. 


Mar 24, 2015

With Podcasts, It's All About Intimacy

With Podcasts, it's all about intimacy
Listening to a Podcast
At a recent networking event, I was telling people what I do and many of them asked the same question, "what's so special about a podcast?"  A lot of these people were in the digital marketing space and played up the importance of blogging, social media, video, advertising, etc.  And their collective attitude towards podcasting was simply "oh, another marketing channel we have to put some effort into."  As if it was literally just the audio form of being on Tumblr or the same thing as posting a video on YouTube but without the pesky need to be in front of the camera.

But podcasting's strength as a communications medium is so much deeper than many people realize.  The true strength of digital audio is in its intimacy.   More than 50% of the podcast listening audience consumes this media on a mobile device (smartphone/tablet/portable audio player) according to the Infinite Dial report from Edison Research and Triton Digital.  Most of those users are probably listening with headphones or are simply alone with their device.  In essence, listeners are individual audiences of one for content creators, and, as a result, good hosts know that they have to talk to their audience, not at them.

When listeners find a podcast that speaks to them, they easily feel like they are part of a community of other people that are in on the same conversation.  For me, listening to podcast interviewers like Marc Maron or Chris Hardwick, feels more like a conversation between friends that I am privy to than a produced piece of content. I connect with the hosts and the guests, forming what feels like an emotional connection.  

And that emotional connection is not only going to help you grow your audience, it's what is attracting new sponsors to podcasts every day.  Digiday's Senior Editor Lucia Moses highlighted the power of that relationship earlier this year when she wrote about Slate's podcast strategy and why brands like Acura want to get in on the action.

“For us, podcasting is not just another form of audio, but a means for advertisers to break through clutter and for people to give just a few minutes of their day or week to connect on a more personal, meaningful level with media personalities and outlets they trust and are interested in,” [Jessica Fini, spokeswoman for Acura]".

Any brand can pay to get their name in front of you.  Some spend $3 million on a Super Bowl spot, others shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars to appear in the trending section of Twitter and anyone can post a Facebook ad and beg for your money.  But for just pennies on the dollar right now (let's see how long that lasts) brands can become a part of that relationship that podcasters create with their audience.

Don't believe me?  Just ask the good people at Mail Kimp, err...I mean Mail Chimp, who saw their brand recognition explode on the back of Serial's success.

Anyone can publish content to the masses.  We can tweet, we can post on our Facebook walls, we can blog (present company included), we can post pictures on Instagram and fight for likes.  But if you really want to get intimate with your audience and you have the right message (see 'Should I be a Podcaster'), then this medium could be more fulfilling than you realize.





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Mar 23, 2015

Product Review: Yeti Mic from Blue

USB Podcast Microphone
Blue Yeti Mic (front)
One of the biggest mistakes that I hear people make when they start a podcast is using their laptop's onboard microphone as their recording device.  Sure, it's free and available to you but the sound quality is awful.  You can't get up close and personal with that mic, therefore you sound like you are 20 feet away, which results in really poor audio.  Unfortunately, (and predictably), bad audio quality can be an instant turnoff for your potential audience, no matter how good the content is. 

If you plan on taking your podcast (or any home recording) seriously, you need to invest in a microphone.  But that doesn't mean spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a studio quality mic, preamp, mixer, phantom power source, etc, etc.  Enter the Yeti USB microphone from Blue.  

Now if you are an audiophile, you may be cringing at the mere mention of a USB microphone, but for amateur/beginner podcasters out there, this one stop solution is perfect for when you are getting started.   

Feb 18, 2015

Should You Be a Podcaster

Do you really need to podcast?  In most cases, the answer is a resounding "NO".  Probably not the response you'd expect from a guy pitching podcast services.  But the truth is you can do a lot more damage than good to your brand by producing a marketing vehicle that is unnecessary or low quality.
So, what are the right reasons to podcast?

1. YOU'RE A THOUGHT LEADER
Maybe you are the best at what you do, or you are first one to try it.  It could be that you simply enjoy

talking to your colleagues and even competitors about your market.  If you have a voice that can make an impact on your industry, then a podcast may be right for you.  Sure you could blog about leading trends and include guest bloggers, but sometimes an intimate discussion can have a deeper impact on your customer and make you someone they want to engage with.