Podcast Theory

FYI: A couple small changes coming to Pod Theory: Full episodes of the show (15 minutes or less as normal, long format on interview episodes every 30th installment) will release Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday On Wednesday, introducing Pod Theory Condensed - an even shorter offering (approximately 2-3 minutes) taking a quick look at a specific subject To wrap up each week, Friday releases will featu...

Taking a brief hiatus to put my attention on two big projects for the next two weeks. But don't venture too far away - Pod Theory will be back with new episodes starting Monday, March 1st! In the mean time, please take this time to explore the show's archives and catch up on any episodes you may have missed. Also, take a minute to re-listen to your favorites. And, finally - if you haven&...

BRAND ADVOCATE: Someone who goes over and above for a company. They proactively tell the world about your brand with every conceivable platform at their disposal - email, text, word of mouth, social media, blogs. And they typically serves this role without any compensation other than their affection for your brand. When a person becomes a brand advocate and attaches themselves to your brand, they&...

In a world dominated by grabby headlines, it's important to present something that will grab a reader's attention and draw them into the content of the article that headline leads. A podcast title works the same way. In order to grab a potential listener's attention, a podcast title should serve the purpose of generating interest, creating intrigue, and leading the person who finds...

2020 brought some big changes to the podcast space and many of those changes have spilled into 2021. A lot of what we've seen develop has been great for the podcast platform as a whole, with plenty more certain to unfold over the next 365 days. So, that said...what will podcasting look like a year from now? What developments will impact this industry? Will any podcast directory stake claim to...

In order for any podcast to get over with its audience, there has to be certain levels of quality, consistency, and engagement in play. If there is a disconnect between show and listener and/or host(s) and listener, the likelihood of retaining that listener for future episode releases is pretty slim. Simply put: there are a LOT of podcasts for your audience to choose from. Some directly related to...

It's inevitable - as a podcaster/content creator, you're going to upset some people. It's the nature of the beast. There is simply no way to please 100% of your listening audience 100% of the time. Unfortunately, we live in a world where people are two to three times more likely to leave you a negative review when they're upset about something versus a positive review when they...

Burnout is an ailment that impacts thousands of people and can cause severe mental and physical damage if not dealt with accordingly. According to helpguide.org: Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. When it comes to podcasting, one of...

As this episode of Pod Theory goes live, we are just a few days away from Super Bowl 55 featuring the Tampa Bay Bucs versus the Kansas City Chiefs. It should be a great game and, like always, the spectacle that is the Super Bowl will feature a lavish halftime show and entertaining commercials (at $5.6 MILLION for 30 seconds a clip). There's no question that advertising has changed significant...

It may not be something you think about, but proper hydration can lead to a more successful podcast. Keeping yourself well-hydrated throughout the day, every day, will lead to a much healthier voice. And that voice will lend itself to a better overall production. As a podcaster, your voice is your biggest asset. And often times, that asset gets taken for granted. You literally wouldn't have a...

On a daily basis, you should be focusing on developing good habits that improve your life. Whether it be habits that help you on a personal level or a professional level, committing to daily action will help those actions become habits.  According to the book The One Thing, forming a solid habit takes 66 days, not 21 days as is commonly shared. The more time spent making a certain activity part of...

A brand podcast has a ton of built-in value. Within your industry, you have the ability to connect with your audience on a medium that's gaining new listeners by the day. You also have the ability to establish authority and trust - two of the biggest components a brand needs to succeed. That authority will not only earn you respect with your listeners, but others in your industry as well.  Wi...

The Internet has a funny way of making us believe that goals can be reached without putting in the hard work it takes to accomplish them. Well...maybe you need to hear this and maybe you don't, but I'm using this platform to say...that's complete bullsh*t! There is no better feeling of accomplishment than achieving a goal you know you had to work like hell to conquer. Just having it...

Becoming a great podcaster doesn't happen overnight. You have to commit, you have to work hard, and you have to realize what you're working towards. If you are looking to stand out and get noticed, it won't happen without a dedicated effort to honing your skill set and without going beyond the work done on your podcast. On Episode 84 of Pod Theory, I'm going to share three ways...

The best podcasters in the game possess certain qualities that help them continue to master their craft and up their podcasting game. And if you want your show and your brand to be seen in a similar light, it's important you harness the power of these qualities as effectively as you can. In Episode 83 of Pod Theory, I'm going to share some of the characteristics the best podcasters lever...

Landing a VIP, celebrity, musician, athlete, or any person who is considered a big deal in your niche is a pretty big accomplishment. Clearly, this person saw some value in what you're doing and is willing to spend time with you on your show. Congratulate yourself, that's good stuff! Now...stop worrying about f*cking up the interview! I've seen this brought up in various podcast gro...

Time management is one of the most important elements in your life and, if you're like most people, you have a hard time maximizing the minutes in your day. It's understandable. We live in a world filled with distractions and interruptions, all pulling us in different directions and taking our attention from our most important work. In order to truly master time, you must develop the dis...

When you're laying out the initial plans for your podcast, one of the big components you need to decide on is the format and approximate length of your episodes. You don't want to be all over the map with your format and absolutely do not want to produce episodes that are five minutes in length one week, then an hour the next, then 10 minutes the week after that, and so on. Depending on...

Repurposing podcast content is a great way to work smarter, not harder. You can use audio clips from your podcast to share across the web. You can make video of your podcast recordings and use those on YouTube. OR you can reshoot your podcast content as a full-fledged video from scratch. Your research notes, bullet points, and scripts can be repurposed for blog posts, show notes, email newsletters...

Reviews help you gain credibility for your podcast. The positive ones reinforce that you are an authority on your subject matter and give new listeners some insight on what they'll gain by listening to your podcast. And the negative reviews, while not always popular, can help you look at your podcast from a different perspective and make adjustments to your approach if necessary. Additionally...

Spam sucks. It sucks when you get it and it sucks worse when you're supplying it to your community and you don't even know it. If you are constantly in a habit of selling yourself, your brand, and/or your podcast to people while never providing value, guidance, and advice to those you're communicating with, you, my friend, are spamming. In Episode 77 of Pod Theory, I'm going to...

Podfading - when your podcast disappears without warning. It can happen for a variety of reasons, such as not building a solid content plan and sticking to it, major life events taking place, losing passion for your podcast, or simply running out of ideas for new episodes. Podfading is something you want to avoid at all costs. That said, if something takes place and you can't and you're...

With the incredible growth podcasting saw in 2020, it's hard to envision 2021 delivering an encore performance. Or is it? A lot may have happened last year, but podcasting in 2021 has confidently said 'Hold my beer.' Will we hit 3 million active podcasts? Can we exceed 120 million monthly podcast listeners? How many brands will start using podcasting as its primary content strategy?...

With 2021 underway, we are already seeing a number of things unfolding that are sure to impact the landscape of the podcasting space. Amazon purchasing Wondery, a reported 1.7 million active podcasts and counting, more advertisers hopping on the podcast bandwagon. And that's merely scratching the surface. What does 2021 hold for podcasting? Let's just say it's going to be a busy yea...

The turn of the calendar to a new year always brings about those exciting feelings of reflection, change, and action. Everyone gets all geared up to achieve their New Years Resolutions and, like clockwork, falls back into a familiar rut by February and never really makes any progress. It's a story as old as time. New Years Resolutions are garbage. People give up on them so quickly because the...