How to Setup your Podcast on Amazon Alexa | Podcast Distribution

In 2018, Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) estimated that Amazon Echo/Alexa made up about 70% of the U.S. smart speaker market. In order to get your podcast on Amazon Echo and Alexa, you’ll need to submit your podcast to the TuneIn Directory.

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How to Submit your Podcast to TuneIn and Amazon Alexa

What is TuneIn?

TuneIn is an American audio streaming service that delivers live news, radio, sports, music, and podcasts to over 60 million monthly active users. Thanks to their built in Alexa Skill, podcast shows on TuneIn are automatically available on Amazon Echo devices.

First, you’ll want to submit your Podcast details through their Podcast Application form.

What information will you need to have ready?

It’s always a good idea to have your podcast and account information on hand so you can quickly run through the application process.Here’s what you’ll need in order to add your podcast to Tune In and Alexa:

• Your email address: (required)
• Podcast Title: (required)
• Host Name: 
• XML/RSS Feed URL: (required)
• Country:
• Language: (required)
• Website Address:
• Podcast Genre: {Pick one that best matches your podcast} (required)
• Podcast Email:
• Phone Number:
• Twitter:
• Comment:

After that, you’ll need to accept the terms and conditions. By selecting yes, you are saying that you are authorized to update the podcast and understand the terms.

How long does the application process take?

It can take up to two weeks for your podcast to be available on TuneIn and Amazon Alexa.

You should get an email that says your show has been accepted. If not, just check the 

And that’s it! Getting your podcast on Amazon Alexa is easier than you probably thought. 

Click here to visit Alesia's website and get even more great podcasting info!

The post How to Setup your Podcast on Amazon Alexa | Podcast Distribution appeared first on Jessica Stansberry.

How to Launch a Podcast Successfully | 10 Tips for a Successful Launch

Launching a podcast successfully is a lot easier than you might think, but it always starts with clarifying what that success actually looks like for you. I’ve launched 10+ podcasts. None of them were alike. The audiences were different, the niches were different, and the launches were each different than the others. But these tips never changed for any of those launches.

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10 Tips to Launch a Podcast Successfully

Since there is not a single way to launch a podcast successfully, I’d at least like to supply you with some tips and tricks so you can have a great launch.

Read through each of these tips to ensure you launch a podcast successfully.

Tip 1: Define what successful launch looks like for you

The quickest way to set yourself up for failure is to set unreasonable goals for yourself. That’s why this first tip is so important. When you define what it looks like for you to launch a podcast successfully, then you are able to create a plan that will allow you to do just that.

So here are some things to consider: 

• How many downloads do I want in the first 24 hours of launch? The first week? The first month?
• What does my audience look like now and how will I need to leverage or grow that audience before I launch?
• Who will I need to have on my show (if I’m having guests) that can help me reach my goals?

Notice that I’m not providing you podcast stats for launches or anything like that. That’s because each podcast launch number looks different. You get to decide what that goal is for you and how you are going to achieve it.

Tip 2: Identify the kind of podcast you want to create

Getting clear on the podcast audience, content, and format will help you create a podcast that launches successfully. When you aren’t clear on this, your listeners won’t know if the show is for them and if they’ll want to continue listening. 

Sure, you might get a good number of initial downloads, but without a clear idea of what kind of podcast you’re creating, you are stuck with dwindling stats. That’s not going to keep you motivated to keep podcasting.

Tip 3: Invest in quality podcast equipment

Note that I didn’t say to invest tons of your money into a full home studio or the top of the line microphone.  Some of the best podcasting microphones are less than $100. 

I wrote an article on the best microphone for podcasting and you’ll be able to skim that for what will work best for your budget and type of podcast.

Tip 4: Create a quality podcast experience for your audience

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Done is better than perfect.” While I wholeheartedly agree with that in most cases, I don’t recommend that for a podcast launch. 

Take the extra time to ensure that your audience is getting clear audio or they’ll only tune in for a few minutes. We want to keep them coming back for new episodes.

Tip 5: Start marketing your new podcast well in advance of your launch week

I can’t stress this enough! If you want to launch your podcast with raving fans, then you can’t start promoting one week before your launch. I will say it a million times if needed.

If you want a successful podcast launch, you have to put in the work leading up to your launch. Here are some ideas of things you can do beyond what’s recommended here.

• Do a countdown on your social channels. No surprises or saying that something is coming. Tell them exactly what it is and what day you are launching. Get them prepped and lined up.
• Show the podcast graphic multiple times so they know exactly what to look for in their listening apps. Sometimes the search for your podcast or name comes up further down the scroll. We want them to know what to look for.
• Reveal snippets of the conversations using audiograms and graphics to tease the content.

Tip 6: Take other people’s opinions with a grain of salt

Because every podcast launch is different and people define success differently, it’s important to only focus on your goals and what you want to accomplish. Some people will tell you to focus on downloads. Others will say how important reviews are. 

They are both important and are things you can work on in the long run, but for your launch, focus on what you would like to achieve. Also, there will be those who will have negative things to say about your podcast. You may get 1 star ratings. Pull the facts out of the opinions and work on the things you want to in order to reach your goals.

Tip 7: Make sure your Podcast is Optimized for Search Engines

Since Google is indexing podcasts, you’ll want to be strategic about optimizing your podcast and podcast episodes right away. This is one of the best ways to organically and continually reach new audiences with your audience.

Tip 8: Get a Launch Team Together

Your launch team should consist of business friends, personal cheerleaders, and supportive family members. Reach out to them well in advance and ask if they would be willing to support your new podcast launch. 

When you upload your trailer episode for podcast platform approval in anticipation of your launch, send them the links so they can leave a rating and review before you officially launch.

Before launch day, send them graphics and links they can share with their audience and friends. Make it very easy for them to support you.

Tip 9: Hire help where you need it

Having trouble with your editing or can’t seem to get your graphics to look how you want them to? Hire help in these areas. One of the first places podcasters hire support is with editing. It’s time consuming and takes a bit of tech knowledge. 

Don’t be afraid to ask for support or help when you need it.

Tip 10: Organize and Automate

There are going to be a lot of moving pieces when you are launching a podcast, so make sure you have a secure place to keep all your files together. I always recommend keeping a backup of all your files on a virtual file system like Google Drive or Dropbox.

Having a cohesive virtual filing system will keep you organized and helps so you don’t lose anything on your computer or laptop should it crash.

—–

As you can see, there are quite a few things you can do to ensure you launch a podcast successfully. I’d like to leave you with a reminder from the beginning. 

A successful podcast launch looks different for each show. Realistically define what that looks like for you based on your capacity, audience size, niche, and support.

Alesia knows all there is to know about podcasting! Click her to grab her free Podcast Launch Training workshop and make sure your podcast launch is everything you want it to be!

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How to Easily Edit a Podcast | A Step-by-step Guide

The idea of having to edit a podcast might be the thing holding you back from launching your show. I’m here to tell you that with the rise in podcasts and updates to  software, it’s never been easier to edit a podcast than it is today. 

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Things to Consider that will Help you Easily Edit a Podcast

Plan your Episode before you start recording

When you plan out your episode before you start recording, you minimize the amount of editing you will need to do during post-production. 

Pro Tip: If you make a mistake during production, take a 5-10 second pause to both reset your thoughts and so you are able to visually see where you need to remove something during editing.

Important terms you’ll need to know

Audio Editing is the process of moving audio sections around, taking out unwanted sections, and adding music and/or effects to your audio.

Mixing is balancing the audio levels between tracks, using noise reduction to eliminate or minimize background noise, and exporting your audio into a single track.

Mastering is usually the last part of the process before you upload your audio to your podcast hosting site. Mixing takes place on a track level, while mastering is looking at the entire piece of audio as one. It is used to adjust the overall sound levels.

Easily Edit a Podcast Using Software

So, what software should you be looking at when looking to edit a podcast?

There are quite a few different softwares available that make it easy to edit a podcast. These are just a few of the most popular audio editing software options. 

Use Audacity to edit a podcast (FREE)

Audacity is a free, open source, cross-platform audio software. It is the software that I personally use to edit all my client’s podcast episodes. If you are somewhat tech savvy and willing to learn, it’s a fairly simple audio editing software.

Use Garageband to edit a podcast (FREE)

Garageband should come already downloaded on your Mac. It is a fully equipped music creation studio. This audio software works just as well for podcast audio and is also very simple to use.

Use Adobe Audition to edit a podcast ($20-$50 per month)

Adobe Audition is a professional audio workstation that allows you to create, mix, and design sound effects using one of the industry’s best digital audio editing software. It comes highly recommended and is designed to make the audio production workflow quicker. This audio software does take a bit of a learning curve to master but it is worth it if you want to use the Adobe Suite.

Step-by-Step Guide to Easily Edit a Podcast

Let’s get into each of the steps needed to easily edit a podcast.

My brain works best in taking the audio apart in sections. By the time I’m editing the end of an episode, I want that to be the last thing I’m doing. We’ll call that technique “Editing by Section.”

Some editors prefer to listen to the full episode 3-5 times through, looking for a single thing to edit each time. This technique works for some, but is not something that I actively do. We’ll call this technique “Overview Editing.”

Step 1: Import your Audio Files into your Software and Organize Them

Both techniques require that you do this. You’ll want to arrange the audio clips in the way the listener will hear them.

As you can see in the picture below, I’ve taken a client’s entire episode and laid it out in a way that will make sense for the listener.

Step 2: Mix and Master your Tracks as Needed

Sometimes one track of audio might be recorded at a lower volume than the rest. Meaning, one of the speakers was further away from their microphone or talking softer than the other person.

Compressing, equalizing, and normalizing the audio track will help adjust for these differences during the editing process. You can also skip this step if you are going to use an audio leveler during post-production as described in Step 5.

Step 3: Edit the Podcast Audio

This is where the different techniques vary the most. 

Editing by Section

With this technique, you’ll go through the episode one full time and edit out everything as you hear it. For example, I would start with the episode setup and take out all the weird noises, heavy breathing, “ums,” “ers,” “ya know,” false starts, and side tangents. I would do that until I’ve gotten to the end. I don’t feel the need to run through the audio again until I’m spot checking.

Overview Editing

Using this technique, you would go through the full audio several times looking for specific things and taking them out. So your first run through might be to take out any side tangents or parts of the conversation that don’t add value to the podcast. Your second run through the audio would take out the weird noises, heavy breathing, “ums,” “ers,” “ya know.”

It doesn’t matter which technique you use when editing your episode. It’s completely up to you and how you best like to work through the audio.

Step 4: Process (Export) your Audio into a Single Track

You’ll want to export your entire audio into a single track once you are done with the editing and mixing. The standard audio file required by most podcasts hosts is an .mp3 file. If you are using a leveler, you can export as a .wav file. I do this to help differentiate between the original and the remastered audio.

Step 5: Master your Audio using a Leveling Program

I use Auphonic to level out my audio once I’m done doing all the other things we’ve outlined above. Auphonic is an automatic audio post production web service. I love this service because it’s free for 2 hours of audio per month and their paid versions are very affordable.

I love that they normalize all the audio levels to broadcast standards. That way, I don’t have to worry about that part of the editing when I’m focusing on editing.

Step 6: Spot Check your Final Audio for Issues

Listen through small parts of your audio to ensure there aren’t any weird humms, clicking, or volume adjustments that happened accidentally during the process.

Final Thoughts on How to Easily Edit a Podcast

You get to choose how much editing actually goes into your podcast. That’s the best part about this. If you know your audience doesn’t care so much about the audio experience, then don’t feel pressured to create a professionally produced podcast. 

Your podcast is unique to you and the audio experience should be as well.

Do you still feel overwhelmed at the idea of editing your podcast yourself? My company offers podcast editing only services as well as full-service podcast management. Book a call today to see how we can serve you.

The post How to Easily Edit a Podcast | A Step-by-Step Guide appeared first on Jessica Stansberry.

The Best Microphone for Podcasting

Picking the best microphone for podcasting can turn into a hot debate. There are those who swear by the Blue Yeti and others who think that the Blue Yeti microphone is the worst for podcasting. That’s why we’ll cover a few of the best microphones for podcasting so you can choose the one that works well for you.

Why a Microphone is Important for Podcasting

If you want a quality audio experience for your listeners, you’ll want to make sure that you use a microphone. If the audio is not up to par, you will find that listeners are quick to leave your show and won’t come back. We definitely don’t want that for your podcast, so let’s make sure you give them a quality audio experience.

Are there different types of microphones?

Yes, there are different types of microphones for podcasting! Microphones usually come with two different connections. There are USB and XLR connections.

A USB connection is great for anyone who is a solo podcaster or conducts virtual interviews. It plugs directly into your computer via USB.

An XLR connection is perfect for those who record two people in the same room. The audio quality is better, but these microphones do require additional equipment, like a mixer. 

Since most business podcasters will be doing solo episodes or virtual interviews, this post will cover USB microphones since those are the best for podcasting about business.

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Best Microphone for Podcasting by Brand Name | Blue Yeti Microphone

Everyone who has considered podcasting has probably heard about the Blue Yeti microphone. 

The Blue Yeti microphone is one of the best microphones for podcasting, but it isn’t the best option for everyone. There is a small learning curve with the Blue Yeti mic. If you don’t set it up properly, it will likely pick up noises around the room while you are recording. 

You can also use it to record a group of people by changing the settings and putting the microphone in the middle of the group. It’s a very rugged and versatile microphone, so a lot of podcasters like it for those reasons. The Blue Yeti also travels well. Those who love it absolutely love it. But there are other options!

Best Microphone  for Podcasting By Value | ATR2100x-USB Microphone

Which microphone will give me the best bang for my buck?

I get it. The Blue Yeti Microphone is on the pricier side and might not make sense for everyone. I have a client who uses the ATR2100x along with a pop filter and her podcasting sound quality is better than my clients who use a Blue Yeti.

The Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB was the original (which is still fantastic) and the new version is called the ATR2100x-USB. It performs great for the cost and has both a USB and XLR connection. It also travels well because of its size.

This microphone will not work for recording in a group setting like the Blue Yeti, as it works best with head-on recording.

Best Microphone for Podcasting for Backup | Samson Q2U Microphone

What if the Yeti and Audio-Technica are sold out?

Sometimes, the demand for microphones increases or some microphones are not in stock outside of the United States. In this case, the Samson Q2U is a great backup microphone if you need one quickly and can’t wait for the restock.

The Samson Q2U has all the same features as the Audio-Technica with a smaller price tag. It’s versatile and offers both USB and XLR connections. It works well for beginners and is easy to set up. Just because it is a beginner microphone doesn’t mean it will be low quality – on the contrary, the Samson Q2U is a good quality microphone.

As you can see, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all choice when it comes to the best microphone for podcasting. Feel free to test things out and ask your podcasting friends which microphones they use. I highly recommend the ATR2100x above all else, but you’ll have to decide for yourself which one will work for you.

Looking to start your own podcast? Check out Alesia's free podcast launch training for everything you need to know to create a successful podcast!

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Podcast Workflow Suggestions | Creating One that Works Best for You

Podcast workflows come in all shapes and sizes depending on what your goals are for your podcast. If your podcast is your content strategy, then you will need to show up consistently. The best way to stick to your plan is to have a workflow that works for you. 

Podcast Workflow Basics

What is a Podcast Workflow? 

A podcast workflow is basically taking each show from idea to promotion. It’s the list of phases and tasks needed to get your podcast episode out into the world on a regular basis.

There are obviously a ton of different ways you can get this done, which is why I’ll go over the three most common podcast workflows to get you started.

Why is a Podcast Workflow Important?

Creating a successful podcast can simply ride on how consistently you show up on your podcast with quality content. Also, if you want to improve your productivity (I mean, don’t we all!), having a workflow will keep you on task and less distracted with all the things that want to grab your attention.

You can look through each of these podcast workflow suggestions and tweak them to fit your specific needs.

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Outsourced Podcast Workflow Suggestion

So, what’s the simplest way to do this?

I’ll walk you through this step-by-step so you don’t feel too overwhelmed. This podcast workflow suggestion is great for those who want to have a podcast but feel overwhelmed by everything that goes into producing a successful podcast.

Phase 1: Plan and Create the Content

I always recommend you plan out your podcast content three months at a time. This will give you plenty of time to book guests that are relevant to topics or do any research needed for episodes.

Next, you’ll schedule time on your calendar or with your guest to record the episode.

Record the content and pre-roll (content before your intro that pulls the audience in to the content) all in one sitting.

Upload your episode audio and pre-roll to the cloud ie. Google Drive or Dropbox. This part is important because it will keep you from losing anything if your computer were to crash.

Phase 2: Let your podcast manager know that it’s ready for post-production

Your podcast manager will be able to take it from there with any of the post-production. If you work with a full-service podcast management company then they will handle EVERYTHING all the way to promotion.

This is literally the easiest way to get your podcast out into the world.

Done-With-You Podcast Workflow Suggestion

What if I want to have some control over the podcast workflow?

I get it. I’m an Enneagram 1 so I always want to have some control over the process. I’ll walk you through this next podcast workflow suggestion step-by-step so you don’t feel too overwhelmed when it comes to hiring out only a few of the tasks. This podcast workflow suggestion is great for those who want to have more control over their podcast workflow but still need some help along the way.

Phase 1: Plan and Create the Content

It is encouraged that you plan out your podcast content three months at a time. This will give you plenty of time to book guests that are relevant to topics or do any research needed for episodes. 

Next, you’ll schedule time on your calendar or with your guest to record the episode.

Record the content and pre-roll (content before your intro that pulls the audience in to the content) all in one sitting.

Upload your episode audio and pre-roll to the cloud i.e. Google Drive or Dropbox. This part is important because it will keep you from losing anything if your computer were to crash.

Phase 2: Outsource your Editing

Editing is the number one thing that podcasters outsource first, so it’s no surprise that this is the done-with-you workflow suggestion.

Your editor would then edit the episode, integrate the pre-roll, intro, outro, and ad (if applicable).

They would export the audio file as an mp3 and share it with you in the predetermined cloud sharing folder.

Phase 3: Have your Virtual Assistant Write the Copy for the Show

You’ll want to make sure your VA (virtual assistant) is writing out the show notes with SEO in mind so you can show up better on Google searches.

They can pull social copy from the show notes and quotes for your social graphics.

They can run your episode through a transcription service to ensure your podcast content is accessible to those who might be hard of hearing or may want to read along while they listen.

Upload all written copy to your cloud.

Phase 4: Have your VA or Graphic Designer create the Graphics

You’ll want at least one standard graphic that shows your podcast cover art and one quote graphic from the episode per platform.

For example: If you are active on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, you would only create graphics for those platforms. One standard graphic and one quote graphic would mean two for each platform or six in total for this example.

They would then upload all graphics to the cloud.

Phase 5: Upload all Content to your Podcast Host and Website

This is something you can easily have your VA do to keep the tasks lighter. 

These are the steps for the podcast host:

1. Upload audio file
2. Add show notes
3. Add SEO tags 
4. Schedule episode for date and time

These are the steps for uploading to your website:

1. Create a new post
2. Add show notes or blog post, quotes, and link to transcription
3. Insert embed code for hosting player
4. Check for SEO driven title, url, and long-tail keywords
5. Schedule post for the same date and time as episode

Phase 6: Promote your Episode to the World

Schedule your graphics and copy onto the social media platforms.

Schedule pins to Pinterest and all applicable boards.

After the episode goes live, do an IG story and/or IGTV talking about the new episode.

Do-It-Yourself Podcast Workflow Suggestion

But that’s great for someone who is ready to outsource. What about the solopreneur who wants to do it themselves?

I’ll walk you through this last podcast workflow suggestion step-by-step so you don’t feel too overwhelmed in doing it yourself. This podcast workflow suggestion is great for those who want to bootstrap their podcast production but still want to make sure they do the things necessary for their show to be successful. 

Phase 1: Plan and Create the Content

Plan out your podcast content in a way that works best for you.

Next, schedule time on your calendar or with your guest(s) to record the episode.

Record the content and pre-roll (content before your intro that pulls the audience in to the content) all in one sitting.

Upload your episode audio and pre-roll to the cloud ie. Google Drive or Dropbox. This part is important because it will keep you from losing anything if your computer were to crash.

Phase 2: Edit your Show

Upload your audio to your editing program. 

Edit the episode for anything you’d like to take out.

Integrate your pre-roll, intro, outro, and ad (if applicable).

Export your audio as an mp3.

Upload audio mp3 to the cloud.

Phase 3: Write all the Copy for the Show

Here you’ll want to write out the show notes with SEO in mind so you can show up better on Google searches.

Pull social copy from the show notes and quotes for your social graphics.

Transcribe the episode to ensure your podcast content is accessible to those who might be hard of hearing or may want to read along while they listen.

Take your transcription (or written episode if you read something already pre-written) and turn that into a readable blog post or extended show notes.

Upload all written copy to your cloud.

Phase 4: Create the Graphics

You’ll want to create at least one standard graphic that shows your podcast cover art and one quote graphic from the episode per platform.

For example: If you are active on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, you would only create graphics for those platforms. One standard graphic and one quote graphic would mean a minimum two for each platform or six in total for this example.

Create an audiogram graphic. I usually like to create 1 square size and 1 Story Size

Then upload all graphics to the cloud.

Phase 5: Upload all Content to your Podcast Host and Website

Since you’ve already spent the time organizing the content for this phase, it shouldn’t take you too long to copy and upload to your podcast host and website.

These are the steps for uploading to your podcast host:

1. Upload audio file
2. Add show notes
3. Add SEO tags 
4. Schedule episode for date and time

These are the steps for uploading to your website:

1. Create a new post
2. Add show notes or blog post, quotes, and link to transcription
3. Insert embed code for hosting player
4. Check for seo driven title, url, and long-tail keywords
5. Schedule post for the same date and time as episode

Phase 6: Market and Promote your Show

Schedule your graphics and copy onto the social media platforms.

Schedule pins to Pinterest and all applicable boards.

After the episode goes live, do an IG story and/or IGTV talking about the new episode.

And that’s all for the do-it-yourself workflow.

As you can see, there are quite a few podcast workflow suggestions you can pick from. 

BUT…

Don’t let the options keep you from picking a workflow that works best for you. And don’t forget that you can change things based on your specific needs. As long as you do tasks within each phase, you will be able to produce your show regularly.

Want to learn more podcast workflow tips from Alesia? Check out her FREE Podcast Workflow Training Course!

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