The Question…
How would I set up a podcast for an e-zine or newsletter that I am planning to self-publish?
Biggest Takeaway…
[Tweet “Figure out where your market is and determine if a podcast is the right way to go.”]
Steve’s Answer…
Steve doesn’t consider himself the go-to person for podcasting, so he’s going to share some resources he used to prepare for the Self-Publishing Questions podcast. They are not affiliate links; he simply wants to support the people who did a great job talking about their experiences with podcasting.
- Pat Flynn
Pat Flynn has a lot of excellent content on his blog and his two podcasts. He also has a massive free blog post on starting a podcast. He discusses equipment, recording tips, setting up an RSS feed, and uploading your podcast.
- Cliff Ravenscraft (Podcast Answer Man)
Pat Flynn recommends Cliff Ravenscraft’s podcasting equipment. Steve doesn’t use all of Cliff’s equipment right now, but he might in the future. At the very least, you should purchase a high-quality microphone. Cliff recommends the Heil PR-40 model.
- Podcasters’ Paradise
John Lee Dumas of the Entrepreneur on Fire podcast runs Podcasters’ Paradise. Steve finds the community at Podcasters’ Paradise to be very valuable. When he started the SPQ podcast, he needed help setting up his equipment and learning the ins and outs of podcasting.
Be very careful with doing a podcast in addition to your self-publishing business. Podcasting is not easy, especially when you do a daily show. It takes more than 15 hours of work each week to produce the Self-Publishing Questions podcast. It also costs $1,000 per month to put together the episodes. This includes creation of the show notes and editing of the podcasts.
You also want to know your “why.” Why are you taking away from your writing time? Will your podcasting help you connect to your ideal reader? Are your ideal readers podcast listeners? Figure out where your market is and determine if a podcast is the right way to go. Also think about how you will monetize your podcast. Will you use it to build an email list, generate advertising revenue, or earn money in another way?
Finally, think about how you will promote the podcast. Will you promote it via your existing platform or build a whole new platform? Make sure podcasting doesn’t take away from your self-publishing efforts. If you decide to go ahead with podcasting, check out the three resources mentioned in this episode.
Resources and Links
How to Start a Podcast: Pat Flynn’s detailed tutorial on starting your own podcast
Podcast Answer Man: Cliff Ravenscraft provides tips and resources for aspiring podcasters
Podcasters’ Paradise: An online community with videos and other resources to help you start and grow a podcast
Great points Steve. A lot of people keep saying that a podcast is the next big thing, but I can’t see how it will benefit anyone right now when my focus is on writing more books! Great resource links though, something to look at in the future 🙂