What is International Podcast Day?

A day to raise awareness about podcasting and podcasts, as well as celebrate within the podcasting community.

New to podcasts?

If you’re new to podcasts, now is a great time to learn about them. ***Warning*** Once you do, there may be no going back. I hardly watch TV, listen to the radio or music anymore, as there is almost always a podcast I’d rather listen to.

No matter what your interests are, there is probably a podcast about it. And, if you do want to retain your connection to TV shows or music, there are probably podcasts which will enhance your knowledge or entertainment level around those interests as well.

A quick search via Apple’s iTunes or via the Podcast app on your iPhone (or iOS device) might be the best way to find one you like, but you can also usually find them via their website as well or via various apps on other platforms.

The nice thing about mobile devices and podcasts is that it makes it so easy to reclaim some time that is otherwise wasted or where you can effectively multi-task, like doing the dishes, the daily commute, or even some forms of work.

Already into Podcasts?

Well then use this day to reach out and introduce someone you know to the wonders of podcasts. Or, maybe reach out and thank one of your favorite podcasters. I’m sure they will appreciate it. Maybe add another podcast subscription to your collection.

Are you a podcaster?

It’s then a great day to celebrate and join in the community. Even if you still haven’t quite jumped in all the way (like me), this is quite a friendly group who can give you the remaining know-how, or help welcome you and encourage you to overcome any fears or hurdles in the way.

My podcasts?

I’d also like to announce that I’m planning to start two podcasts in the near future (late-2015 or early 2016), one on how to build and use websites at WebsiteMeetsWorld.com and the other, a Christian apologetics podcast at TilledSoil.org. That should keep me more than plenty busy!

But, I’m also an avid podcast listener. I had thought about listing them all here until I realized the time it was going to take me to list and link 54 of them. Yes, I can hardly believe it myself…. I follow FIFTY-FOUR podcasts!

These range from about once per month to once per day episodes, with the average being weekly, and in length, from 1 minute to over 3 hours. Actually, several of them are 3-hours or more. Of course, I can’t listen to every episode, especially all the daily ones. But, I’m guessing I listen to about 80-90% of the episodes across them all.

I decided to pick out and highlight some of my favorites. And don’t forget to check out our article, Why Your Business Should Consider A Podcast.

Podcasting

The Audacity to Podcast w/ Daniel J. Lewis
School of Podcasting w/ Dave Jackson
Podcaster’s Roundtable w/ Ray Ortega and other hosts

Marketing / Entrepreneurial / Design

AskPat and Smart Passive Income w/ Pat Flynn
The UnPodcast w/ Scott Stratten and Alison Kramer
EOFire w/ John Lee Dumas
Kate’s Take w/ Kate Erickson
The $100 MBA Show w/ Omar Zenhom
Online Marketing and Communications Podcast w/ Jon Buscall
The Deep End Design w/ Wes McDowell, Mikelle Morrison, Nick Longo
The Boagworld Web Show w/ Paul Boag, Marcus Lillington

WordPress

WordPress Weekly w/ Jeff Chandler, Marcus Couch
WordPress Plugins from A to Z w/ John Overall, Marcus Couch

Personal Improvement

The Art of Charm w/ Jordan Harbinger
ONE Extradorinaiy Marriage w/ Tony and Alisa DiLorenzo
The Anxiety Coaches Podcast w/ Kevin Davis, Kelli Walker
Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing w/ Mignon Fogarty

News & Politics

Congressional Dish w/ Jennifer Briney
No Agenda w/ Adam Curry, John C. Dvorak

Comptuers / Tech

MacNN Podcast w/ Charles Martin and other hosts

Health and Fitness

The Model Health Show w/ Shawn Stevenson

Christian Apologetics

Alpha and Omega Ministries w/ Dr. James White
Stand to Reason Weekly Audio w/ Greg Koukl
The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast w/ J. Warner Wallace
Unbelievable? w/ Justin Brierley
The White Horse Inn w/ Michael Horton
Apologetics.com Radio Show w/ various hosts
Apologetics Canada Podcast w/ Andy Steiger, Steve Kim

OK, I guess that list got pretty long after all! Many thanks to all of the above (and those I didn’t list), and be sure to check some of them out. Happy #PodcastDay  !!!

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After much debate and discussion in the comment sections of the original article, as well as other sites talking about it, I was asked if I’d like to write a response. I was honored and set to writing one up. Follow this link to read why I don’t think managed Web hosting companies are in much danger.

The post cgWerks featured on WPMayor.com – future of web hosting response article appeared first on cgWerks.

Classes were offered, helping businesses properly prepare to greet and serve all the new people in town. But, were their Websites ready? If my experience holds true, probably not.

Click bait? Kinda

While the opportunity to create a Website for the 2015 Canada Winter Games has come and gone, it is a good representation of why a Website is so necessary. Prince George is a transitional city. New workers routinely come to Prince George, or at least come through PG when conducting business around northern BC (and beyond) . Every year (or more often), many new students call Prince George home, for at least a time, at UNBC or other local schools. The Winter Games represent a daily occurrence, just on a bigger scale.

As I’ve talked to business owners in Prince George, all too often I find they don’t see a Website as a necessity, or they are depending on a rough ‘web-presence’ such as a Facebook page (more on that later). Or, worse, they once had a very ineffective ‘Website’ and now consider it a waste of time and money. These people were often burned by high-cost – but nearly zero-effect – offerings by big traditional media outlets who scoured the area with their teams of sales-reps. And sadly, many who do have a Website don’t see it, or use it, in an effective manner. (I’m also guilty of this, but at least I can claim the “shoemaker’s children” excuse, right? But I’m not pushing for perfection on this point, just forward momentum. We can all do more with the business tools we have.)

Why a Website?

“I get my business through word-of-mouth.” I often hear something similar when speaking about Websites. The truth is, I currently do too – at least a good portion of it. But this hardly means a Website is unnecessary. Even if most of your customers just walk through the front door, you likely still have a phone. The Internet is not an either/or proposition any longer; it is mode of communication with existing and potential customers.

Rather than simply being an Internet ad, a Website is a form of contact, relationship building, discovery, customer service, image, marketing, business-to-business relations, and a great way to tell your story. Once this is understood, saying there is no need for a Website is akin to saying there is no need for a phone! (Actually, it might be worse than having no phone.)

First impressions really are important

First, note that 80% of potential customers will check out your Website (or, try to). But, as for the above ‘word-of-mouth’ potential customers (the best kind!), consider this: Recent research has measured the impact of perception on referrals. Over 50% of referrals never end up talking to you, because they rule you out before they get that far. Why? They look at your Website (almost 30% cite this reason), check social media, Google you… and decide against following through.

Is it a good idea to be passing up 50% of the best possible method you have to gain new customers, especially when 72% of businesses identify attracting new business as their biggest challenge? If a potential customer – a referral nonetheless – rules you out before even attempting to talk to you, what good is that phone?

Own your Internet presence! or, Don’t build on rented property.

One thing I have been troubled by in the Prince George market, is the number of businesses and organizations who rely solely on social media (especially Facebook) for their Web presence. Why this is such a bad idea will be the topic of a whole other article, but to summarize it, control of the experience and visibility (social media continues to evolve and change, often to the detriment of the ‘page’ owner) and building YOUR audience (site authority, search ranking, email list, user retention, etc.). You need to own the home-base of your Internet presence. Social media then becomes a great tool for driving customers there. And then, while changes to social media need to be watched, they typically don’t make or break your connection to your customers.

Every day is a mini-Winter Games for businesses

Every day, new people come to Prince George. And every day that your business or organization doesn’t have a Website, you’re losing a lot of great opportunity to reach these potential customers. The way businesses prepared to welcome new people to the area should be business as usual. This including having a good Web presence.

cgWerks is a Website design and Internet marketing services firm based in Prince George, BC. Please see our Web Design services page for more information. Also, watch for upcoming articles on why every business needs a website, why businesses should blog, and why businesses should consider a podcast.

Photos: © Depositphotos.com/pressmaster, Depositphotos.com/pressmaster/gubh83

The post Canada Winter Games in Prince George: Was your Website ready? appeared first on cgWerks.

This article is the first in a series concerning online business and marketing. I had intended it to be the last (with why you need a website being first!), but since it is National Podcast Day ⁽¹⁾In the USA, but it is being celebrated internationally within the podcast community. Also check Twitter hashtag #podcastday I decided to start with podcasting. Watch for upcoming topics: Why your business must have a Website, Why your business should have a blog, and Why should a business care about social media?

Why does this matter? Don’t you make Websites?

Yes, we create Websites at cgWerks, but we also do a whole lot more. We want your business to succeed, thrive, and flourish. Accomplishing this takes more than creating a website and putting it out on the Internet. A website should be only one component of your communication and marketing strategy. Blogs, podcasts, and social networking layer into this big picture of your online presence – which is yet a segment of overall communication and marketing.

Wouldn’t a podcast be expensive or time-consuming?

On first glance, it does seem unlikely to pay off. Producing a good – or better – worthwhile podcast will take some resources. While it can be done on a minimal budget, it is going to be a considerable time investment. Most businesses or organizations, especially small ones, would seem to have far better things to do with their time. And on some level, I agree.

I see a podcast as something you add after you have done a reasonable job with your website, blog, and some social media interaction. If you can’t find time or money to do these, you’re unlikely to be a successful podcaster either. And all of these components tie together. While you could create a killer podcast, if you don’t have a website, blog, or a basic understanding of social media, growth will likely be slow. Even if you gain popularity on iTunes or Stitcher, such interest will be greatly diminished when listeners go looking for you online and come up empty.

So, how much time and money?

First, the cost at getting started podcasting can be quite minimal. Assuming you already have a reasonably capable computer, I’d recommend you have a decent microphone. And once you’ve produced your podcast, you’ll need to host it somewhere. This is going to cost you less than $100 in hardware and $5-$15 per month in hosting fees. While I could make recommendations here, you’ll find the advice you need by following the experts at any of the resources listed at the end of this article. Of course, you can buy all sorts of fancy gear to up your game, as well as software and services. If you do interview based podcasts, you’ll need another mic, maybe a mixer, and/or software. But, the cost of entry should be a non-issue for most businesses or organizations.

Time, however, is another matter. Most experts indicate approximately a 4:1 ratio of time producing a podcast to the actual run-time of the podcast. ⁽²⁾For example, I know Daniel J Lewis of The Audacity to Podcast recommends this calculation. This means that a typical hour-long podcast is going to take 4 hours of work. And, this is after you’ve gotten over the initial learning curve and have your format down. ⁽³⁾Note: that initial learning curve can be greatly reduced – and costly mistakes avoided – by learning from the pros through their podcasts and websites, or by paying for their educational services! And great content will likely require even more time in research and preparation before the production even begins.

Most experts also recommend a consistent release schedule, typically weekly. While a few podcast daily, and some monthly or less, the most successful (within reasonable time-constraints), are the weekly podcasters. And, that is a pretty big resource commitment.

So, why podcast?

Unless you already agree with me that podcasting might be an important aspect of your online communication and marketing strategy, you’re probably wondering why anyone would put in such effort. Podcasts don’t seem to make much sense to bean-counters. Very few podcasts directly earn any income.

But, in the big picture, it might be the single most important marketing move you ever make! Podcasting is about building trust, relationship, and authority. In the end, that’s really what good business boils down to. Podcasting is also incredibly important in terms of communicating your brand and ideology. In fact, I’d argue there is no better medium for doing so!

Visibility

But before we even get to the relationship building aspect, it is good to realize something about visibility of your message and content. There are literally hundreds of millions of blogs on the Internet. There are only a couple hundred thousand podcasts. While both sound like a lot, once you get into a particular niche or industry, both numbers greatly reduce. But just a simple calculation indicates you’re looking at thousands of times less competition in getting noticed through a podcast. Cliff Ravenscraft refers to this as shrinking the haystack. ⁽⁴⁾Referring to the concept of finding a needle in a haystack. If the haystack gets small enough, you’re much more likely to find it.

Trust

People these days dislike – and are often skeptical of – being sold to, cold-called, or pressured into anything. Podcasting lets your customer come to you on their terms, after they have already decided they like you, your company, and products.

I listen to a lot of podcasts, and I often find myself wanting to justify buying something from many of these folks. They have given me so much great information. I’ve gotten to know them. I want to be their friend and help support them. If their product is useful to me and within my budget, I’m almost a certain sale.

The result is that the audience you draw has great potential to become very invested listeners and customers. Even a small audience can bring about much larger results than their numbers would indicate to traditional marketers. I heard one podcaster say they would rather have 1 dedicated podcast listener than 1000 blog visitors.

Relationship

Once someone trusts you, it is much easier to build a lasting relationship. While it is a bit different in business than our personal lives, it isn’t as different as is often portrayed. Business today depends more on relationship than ever.

Many years ago, relationship was crucial. The problem was that with limited communication, the snake-oil salesman could just move to another area. During the Industrial Revolution until the recent Internet Age, communication just couldn’t keep up with the scale of business. An effective marketing effort and PR campaign could often outweigh a lot of bad business practices.

This simply isn’t the case any longer. A business with poor customer relations will soon be having business difficulty. On the flip side, those with the best customer relations can hardly keep up, if they can effectively communicate and demonstrate this attribute. Remember the old adage that a happy customer tells 2-3, while an unhappy customer tells 8-10 or more. With today’s communication abilities, this old adage can be greatly amplified – for better or worse.

Podcasting leverages that happy aspect. It becomes a voice to let your audience know how excellent your customer service is, by demonstrating it. It separates you, moving you from the good-company pack, to the excellent company pack. And when you are excellent, people begin to tell others; they are happy to do so.

Authority

This is the often missed benefit of podcasting. If you are a smaller business or organization in your industry, it can be the great equalizer. When you put your knowledge and expertise out there, people begin to take note. You don’t necessarily have to be the biggest or best any longer because you’re the most helpful and visible. As far as your audience is concerned, you are the most knowledgable because you’ve actually demonstrated it.

For example, I have no idea if Daniel J Lewis from The Audacity to Podcast is the most knowledgable person out there on how to start a podcast. However, because he has demonstrated his knowledge again and again, who do you think I’ll send someone to who asks me how to start a podcast? Maybe someone out there is ten-times better than Daniel, but I trust Daniel. When people look for how to start a podcast or ask around, they are going to find Daniel or one of a few other people you’ll find listed below. This didn’t happen by accident! It involved a lot of hard work and a giving attitude.

Other benefits

Non-overlapping audiences • While some of your blog readers will probably be the same as your podcast listeners, chances are you’ll also reach a whole new market through a podcast. Some people just like listening better than reading. Others might like to read blogs, but only have free-time during their commute.

Expand to new platforms • In addition to the visibility within your community, industry, and by word-of-mouth, there is also visibility in the massive search engine of Apple’s iTunes and others that a Google search might not represent. Pretty much every smart-phone out there makes an ideal podcast player. Services like Stitcher and upcoming Apple CarPlay will play a huge role in reaching new audiences beyond people sitting behind their computer screens.

Internal industry networking • Getting to know and work with others in your industry can be a great benefit. While it initially seems like you wouldn’t want to befriend your competition, that attitude comes from a mentality of scarcity. From a mentality of abundance, you often gain much more by doing such networking than keeping to yourself. Who knows where making such connections will take you? Mentors, influencers, referrals, clients, friendships, the list goes on!

Change lives • It would be hard to express how much personal development I’ve experienced since I started listening to podcasts. I began, many years ago, listening to Christian apologetics and theology podcasts (just a personal interest at the time). This was a major benefit in pursuit of my M.A. in Theological Studies. I then branched out to listening to technology, Internet, and podcast related materials. I’ve gained incredible knowledge which has benefited my business ventures. I then started listening to some productivity and health podcasts. I’m getting more done, eating and sleeping better, and have increased my energy levels and health. I even listen to a marriage and family podcast, which has helped improve my parenting skills and relationship with my wife. What could be more important than that? Probably not much for me personally, but I have even heard stories of lives being saved due to podcasts.

Tips

If you are intrigued to look into podcasting, you would do well to check out the resources I’ve listed below. While I’ve been learning from these fine people for years now, they are the real-deal in podcasting education. But, I’ll pass along a few tips I have picked up:

Frequency is more important than length • While some argue that listeners like to fill a commute or exercise session, it is more important to put something out regularly, of high quality, than to try and fill time. If you only have 10 minutes of quality material, do a 10 minute podcast for that episode.

Subtle advertisement • I think most people who listen to podcasts expect that the host, while being helpful, is trying to gain something back in trade for all the effort. They might be hoping to sell a product or gain the listener as a customer in some way. But, a podcast shouldn’t be an advertisement. Being subtle is key. This is long-term relationship building, not a quick sale!

Niche industries • If you are in an extremely niche industry, your main benefit might be business to business rather than business to customer. For example, I recently heard a question and answer on Pat Flynn’s excellent AskPat.com podcast (AskPat.com #178) where an expert in mosquito repelling asked about starting a podcast. Pat’s response was that while it isn’t likely many typical people would subscribe to such a podcast, people who work in the insect repellant and extermination industry might be very interested. If this guy really knows his stuff, doing such a podcast could open all kinds of opportunity. (ie: teaching, speaking at industry conferences, business to business networking, training materials, etc.)

Calls to action are difficult, so simplify! • People who listen to podcasts often do so while accomplishing other things, such as their commute, doing dishes, etc. This means it is often hard for them to take action on items of interest they hear on your show. First, it is good to keep in mind the long-term relationship aspect. Taking action isn’t the primary objective at any given moment. But second, your calls to action need to be consistent and as easy as possible. In other words, episode after episode and easy to remember and get to. For example, you might always tell your listeners to go to yourdomain.com/offers to see a list of offers you’ve made during the show. After a few episodes, they will start to remember.

Are you convinced yet?

If you don’t believe what I’ve told you above, please go and listen to this 49 minute presentation by Cliff Ravenscraft, someone who has helped thousands of people start a podcast, including some of the most successful people on the planet.

And, please keep an eye out for cgWerk’s upcoming podcast!

Resources

• The Audacity to Podcast – Daniel J Lewis
• Podcast Answer Man – Cliff Ravenscraft
• School of Podcasting – Dave Jackson

Update: Tuesday, December 9, 2014

I recently listened to a great mini-series of podcasts by Ben Krueger at Authority Engine about business and podcasting. The first one is especially important for readers of this article.

• How To Know Whether a Podcast Is Right For Your Business with Ben Krueger
• How To Avoid The 7 Major Podcasting Pitfalls
• 5 Costly Misconceptions About Starting a Podcast

Update: Monday, August 24, 2015

I ran across a few more resources which may be of interest:

Cliff Ravenscraft recently highlighted an older resource for his top 4 reasons why a podcast can be such a great marketing tool. ⁽⁵⁾This may have influenced my list above, along with other podcast gurus I’ve been listening to for years. In summary:

1. Smaller haystack

It is much easier to get noticed with an audio podcast than a blog or YouTube videos.

2. Smartphones

Billions of potential listeners on a platform where it’s easy to subscribe to podcasts.

3. No Screen-time required

When you watch a video or read, you can’t be doing something else. With an audio podcast, you catch people on their commute, watering the lawn, or exercising.

4. Greater influence

Podcasting creates a personal, engaging connection with your audience. Yes, the impact is higher with well-made video, but with audio podcasting, you have way more of their time.

But go watch/listen, because Cliff goes into a lot more detail.

Also, he addressed the topic of how often one should release podcast episodes. We have often heard that the more often the better, but Cliff disagrees with this ‘common wisdom’ in the podcast community. He makes some really valid points, and considering my own podcast consumption, I’d have to agree with Cliff.

Why I Advise Against Doing A Daily Format | Podcast Answer Man

Update: Wednesday, October 28, 2015

If the above isn’t already enough reason to consider podcasting, Google recently jumped in the game, asking podcasters to submit their feeds to Google Play Music. This is BIG as Google hasn’t really put their weight behind podcasting so far (which might be one reason the iOS/Android podcast listener ratio is like 5:1 or more). Also, their stated goal is to target people who don’t yet know about podcasts.

So, this might mean a lot more than just bringing a bunch of Android users to podcasts (which is big in and of itself), but if they incorporate this data somehow into Google Search, it could get even better. Currently, if you’re looking for a podcast, they are pretty easy to find. But, if you’re not looking for them or familiar with podcasting, they could become much more obvious in search (i.e.: think about how visible YouTube now is in search results).

The Feed SPECIAL: Google Play Music And Podcasts!

Update: Monday, November 9, 2015

How effective is podcasting?

Roman Mars, a popular San Francisco NPR radio host and podcaster said the following about podcasting:

H/T: Ray Ortega on The Podcaster’s Studio

Photo: © Depositphotos.com/denrud

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