Podcasting Step By Step

Have you thought about adding video to your podcast? You might know that YouTube is the second-largest search engine after Google -- people can’t get enough of video and consumption is only going up. There’s also a lot more video on social media. So if you’re trying to grow your audience, should your audio podcast also show up as a video show? Today, my friend Andrea Jones is back to talk to me about who should and shouldn’t bring video into their podcast production; how producing video positively altered her life in massive ways; and the tips and tools you need to get started with video if you’re a team of one. Andrea is founder of the Savvy Social School and host of the Savvy Social podcast. She is the go-to expert for all things social media, and in our discussion, she also talks about how we can repurpose the video we create so we are not constantly reinventing the wheel when it comes to content creation. show notes

How often should you release podcast episodes if you want to build a following? Weekly, bi-weekly? Does it matter? In this episode, I break down the key criteria to consider when choosing your podcast frequency.P.S. Podcasting Step by Step is going bi-weekly because I'm developing a new podcast that is very close to my heart. Want a behind-the-scenes look at how I'm creating it? Watch my Stories on Instagram @sarahmikuel***Hiya, I'm your host Sarah Mikutel, podcast launch consultant at your service. Are you ready to launch a podcast that builds your brand and business, connects you to your global community, and grows your influence? Visit sarahmikutel.com to see how we can work together.Here’s a special treat for you: Use my Buzzsprout affiliate link to sign up for their podcast media hosting and get a $20 Amazon gift certificate. I’ve gotten to know the Buzzsprout team over this last year and love their customer service so much, I moved my shows over here. sarahmikutel.com/buzzsproutIf you’re

When you upload a podcast episode, are you filling out the podcast description?   If you are not, you are driving listeners away. They don't want to guess what you're about -- there are many other podcasts they can choose.   Need more motivation?   Last year, ABC Audio Studios in Australia, came out with a study that said 71% of people are motivated to try a new podcast based on the description and title. More motivating than friend recommendations or podcast artwork.   Let’s talk about how to keep listeners coming back by writing excellent podcast episode descriptions for your show.   *** Hello. I’m Sarah, your host and founder of Podcast Launch Academy. Are you ready to launch a podcast that builds your brand and business, connects you to your global community, and grows your influence? Visit sarahmikutel.com to see how we can work together. Here’s a special treat for you: Use my Buzzsprout affiliate link to sign up for their podcast media hosting and get a $20 Amazon gift certificate. I’ve g

Wondering if now is a good time to start a podcast?   NPR and Edison Research have just put out The Spoken Word Audio Report, which includes stats and stories you’ll definitely be interested in.    Let's dive into some juicy podcast 2020 statistics.   Show notes at sarahmikutel.com *** Hello. I’m Sarah, your host and founder of Podcast Launch Academy. Are you ready to launch a podcast that builds your brand and business, connects you to your global community, and grows your influence? Visit sarahmikutel.com to see how we can work together. Here’s a special treat for you: Use my Buzzsprout affiliate link to sign up for their podcast media hosting and get a $20 Amazon gift certificate. I’ve gotten to know the Buzzsprout team over this last year and love their customer service so much, I moved my shows over there. sarahmikutel.com/buzzsproutIf you’re a podcaster, one of the most important things you need is a podcast media host.I use and recommend Buzzsprout. Excellent customer service and so easy to use

What do you do if a podcaster copies your content? You file a DMCA Takedown Notice.   On this episode of Podcasting Step by Step, I walk you through the steps I took to get plagiarism of my work removed from the infringer's podcast media host. *** Hello. I’m Sarah, your host and founder of Podcast Launch Academy. Are you ready to launch a podcast that builds your brand and business, connects you to your global community, and grows your influence? Visit sarahmikutel.com to see how we can work together. Here’s a special treat for you: Use my Buzzsprout affiliate link to sign up for their podcast media hosting and get a $20 Amazon gift certificate. I’ve gotten to know the Buzzsprout team over this last year and love their customer service so much, I moved my shows over there. sarahmikutel.com/buzzsproutIf you’re a podcaster, one of the most important things you need is a podcast media host.I use and recommend Buzzsprout. Excellent customer service and so easy to use.And, you can try them for free for 90 d

What do you get for the podcaster who has everything? Pod Decks!   Travis Brown is a podcast editor, host of the podcast Podcast Therapy, and creator of Pod Decks, which are decks of cards with interesting questions to use during your podcast interviews. These questions can also be found in a new app that includes podcast mini courses, royalty-free music, giveaways, and more.   A lot of people have told Travis, “Hey, I had the idea for Pod Decks years ago.” But they never did anything with it.    On Podcasting Step by Step, Travis and I not only talk about how to become better podcast interviewers, but how to take fast action even when we’re scared, rather than dream about something and then watch someone else follow through with our ideas.   sarahmikutel.com   *** Hello. I’m Sarah, your host and founder of Podcast Launch Academy. Are you ready to launch a podcast that builds your brand and business, connects you to your global community, and grows your influence? Visit sarahmikutel.com to see how we can wo

With more than 1 million shows in Apple Podcasts, how can you make sure your show stands out?    On Podcasting Step by Step, I talk you through my 5S framework for creating the kind of irresistible podcast that builds your brand, increases your influence, and connects you to your community on the deepest level.   Use my 5S test to audit your existing podcast or as a pre-launch blueprint for creating a bingeworthy, brand-building podcast.   sarahmikutel.com *** Hello. I’m Sarah, your host and founder of Podcast Launch Academy. Are you ready to launch a podcast that builds your brand and business, connects you to your global community, and grows your influence? Visit sarahmikutel.com to see how we can work together. Here’s a special treat for you: Use my Buzzsprout affiliate link to sign up for their podcast media hosting and get a $20 Amazon gift certificate. I’ve gotten to know the Buzzsprout team over this last year and love their customer service so much, I moved my shows over there. sarahmikutel.com/buz

Hello, it’s the end of summer in my part of the world, and I’m in the States visiting my parents.   So Podcasting Step by Step will be taking a little vacation.   I’m also taking this time to do a little refresh of the podcast.    New intro and outro. New music. New bonuses for you.   And I’d encourage you to take some time in the next week or two to evaluate your own podcast. What do you love about it? What feels heavy that you want to change? Is there something you can stop doing? Are you happy with the frequency and the length of your episodes?  Do you want to change your call to action on your show, or introduce one if you don’t have one yet? Do you want to add or subtract a segment? Have you asked your audience what they’d like to see included?    Speaking of, are there any episode ideas that you’d like me to cover on this podcast? Something I haven’t covered before, or maybe it’s time to revisit a certain topic.    Find me at sarahmikutel.com and let me know.    OK, I’ve got some brilliant guests comi

After you’ve been podcasting for a few months, you’re going to start attracting a global audience.   How you communicate with them can make or break your relationship, and on Podcasting Step by StepI talk about the three things you need to do to nurture a show that grows beyond your borders. *** Live Online Training: Podcast Interview Perfection    Does this sound like you?   You started your podcast to show up as a leader, but now you worry your interviews make you look like an awkward robot.    Breaking the ice with online guests you’ve never met feels forced.   Your conversations sound like job interviews. The kind that make people nervous.   If you feel sick before an interview and pray the guest cancels last-minute so you don’t have to do it, congratulations on being a totally normal human being.    Most of us aren’t born with amazing interview capabilities. It’s a skill we learn.   And developing your interview skills is essential if you want your podcast to portray you as both an expert in your field,

Do you feel like your podcast is taking you way too long to produce? Or maybe you haven’t even launched yet because just starting seems endless?   Parkinson’s Law might have something to do with it. And today, I’m going to teach you how to break the law.    In this episode, you'll learn how to speed up your podcast production process by: Setting real deadlines Time blocking Finding ways to hold yourself accountable   *** Live Online Training: Podcast Interview Perfection    Does this sound like you?   You started your podcast to show up as a leader, but now you worry your interviews make you look like an awkward robot.    Breaking the ice with online guests you’ve never met feels forced.   Your conversations sound like job interviews. The kind that make people nervous.   If you feel sick before an interview and pray the guest cancels last-minute so you don’t have to do it, congratulations on being a totally normal human being.    Most of us aren’t born with amazing interview capabilities. It’s a skill

“Some people naturally seem to be storytellers who are more expressive vocally than others, but that doesn't mean that there aren't skills and tools that you can learn to have more control over your voice and to have more fun with it, and to really use it as a tool for self-expression in a way that still feels natural and authentic,” says Andrea Klunder, my guest on Podcasting Step by Step.    “It just comes with knowing what to play with and giving yourself permission to go there and experiment and see what feels good for you.”   In addition to being a pod expert, Andrea is classically trained in voice. In our episode together, she teaches us how to * warm up our voice * improve our posture * speak with more energy and clarity * take care of our bodies * and more   *** Hello. I’m Sarah, your host and founder of Podcast Launch Academy. Are you ready to launch a podcast that builds your brand and business, connects you to your global community, and grows your influence? Visit sarahmikutel.com to se

“I hate hate my voice.”    So many aspiring podcasters say this. But do they really hate their voice? Or is something else going on here?   On this episode, I dig into how to become more comfortable with your podcast voice.   Don't miss next week's episode, which will be a deep-dive vocal training on how to enhance your natural voice (which sounds great, by the way).   *** Hello. I’m Sarah, your host and founder of Podcast Launch Academy. Are you ready to launch a podcast that builds your brand and business, connects you to your global community, and grows your influence? Visit sarahmikutel.com to see how we can work together. Here’s a special treat for you: Use my Buzzsprout affiliate link to sign up for their podcast media hosting and get a $20 Amazon gift certificate. I’ve gotten to know the Buzzsprout team over this last year and love their customer service so much, I moved my shows over there. sarahmikutel.com/buzzsproutIf you’re a podcaster, one of the most important things you need is a pod

Today is podcasting 101 for new and aspiring podcasters. If that is you, then welcome to the podcasting family.    I’m sure you have a ton of questions, which is why today I’m speaking with Buzzsprout’s Priscilla Brooke.   Buzzsprout is a podcast media host and Pricilla is part of their customer support/customer happiness team, which means she spends all day answering podcast questions.   I asked her to join me on Podcasting Step by Step to discuss the most frequent questions that new podcasters ask.    We cover: Why you need a podcast media host What an RSS feed is  How to get into Apple Podcasts Why, when hit publish, you’re not seeing your latest podcast episode in Apple Podcasts and other directories right away How to improve your audio quality  What you should podcast about  How to get paid via affiliate marketing And how to switch podcast media hosts   I’ve gotten to know the team at Buzzsprout over the last year and I love their customer support and how easy and innovative their podcast hosting platf

Today’s interview with Jasmine Star will blow your socks off. There is just so much meaty goodness that I can’t wait to share with you.   I originally wanted to talk to Jasmine because she is the queen of Instagram — literally every business owner I know follows her — and I knew she’d share really good strategic and tactical advice to make Instagram work better for you. We do talk about this, but...   I’m even more excited to share how Jasmine used her podcast to make her latest launch of Social Curator such a smashing success.   In case you don’t know, Social Curator, which I’m a member of, helps small business owners elevate their social media presence and overall strategy for doing business on social.   In this episode, you will learn: how Jasmine used her podcast to prime people to buy during her latest launch of Social Curator; her podcast strategy, including who her ideal listener is and the kind of content Jasmine’s creating to help and empower her — and how this content is evolving; the difference b

Do you ever feel like the rest of the world knows a secret that you don't about growing an audience? Like when you're in a Facebook Group and someone humble brags that they just started their podcast and already have 100,000,000 downloads (this statement is usually followed by the online equivalent of Bambi blinking his eyes all innocent-like and saying, "I don't know, is that good?") And then you start to feel crummy. “What am I doing wrong?”    You’re not doing anything wrong. It takes time to build your audience, but some podcasters start out with a larger following because they’ve built one up on their blog or social media or maybe they are a celebrity of some kind.    Also, some podcast categories will always have a bigger audience than others. True crime and comedy will always have more downloads than an obscure hobby podcast.   Having said all that, we all want to grow our audience, and in this episode, I break down the three ways to do that.    But let’s jump to the spoiler: T

My guest today is Danielle Desir, host of The Thought Card travel podcast and founder of WOC Podcasters — that’s Women of Color Podcasters.   Danielle actually started her podcasting community before she started her podcast, and she shares that brilliant story in today’s episode.   WOC Podcasters now has 3,000 people in its Facebook Group, and you’ll learn how Danielle is nurturing and growing this community.   Danielle’s mission with this group is to amplify the voices of women of color podcasters, and we talk about how you can get involved in this mission.   P.S. Did you know that getting on other people's podcasts is the best way to grow your own show? If you'd like my fluff-free success plan for getting on podcasts, I have a special offer for you at sarahmikutel.com/podcastpitchperfection    *** Hello. I’m Sarah, your host and founder of Podcast Launch Academy. Are you ready to launch a podcast that builds your brand and business, connects you to your global community, and grows your influence?

In the last episode,  podcast editor and host Emily Prokop told us about how she manages her ADHD as a podcaster and business owner, and she gave us some great advice on how we can find our focus and be more productive.   Today I’m continuing the conversation with Emily to learn about her podcast production process, specifically how she’s using Facebook Lives to build community.   I hope this episode inspires you to try a new way to connect with your audience.   Enjoy the show. *** Hello. I’m Sarah, your host and founder of Podcast Launch Academy. Are you ready to launch a podcast that builds your brand and business, connects you to your global community, and grows your influence? Visit sarahmikutel.com to see how we can work together. Here’s a special treat for you: Use my Buzzsprout affiliate link to sign up for their podcast media hosting and get a $20 Amazon gift certificate. I’ve gotten to know the Buzzsprout team over this last year and love their customer service so much, I moved my shows over there.

Are you having a hard time focussing on your podcast?   Maybe you’re a daydreamer. Maybe something is going on with your family. Maybe you’re devastated at the state of the world. Maybe you’re happy and hopeful and jumping around from thing to thing because you’re so excited. Maybe you have ADHD like today’s guest.   I’m speaking with my friend Emily Prokop, podcast editor, host of the Story Behind, and co-host of the Hate to Weight podcast.   Emily and I have a lot in common, including being recovering research-obsessed perfectionists. That doesn’t mean we’re natural planners. We definitely fall in the daydreamer category.   We still have big goals that we want to accomplish.   One very important thing that I learned this year is that there are several different personality types — you can go back and listen to my Myers Briggs episode to hear more about that.   Our brains work in very different ways. We’re motivated by different things.   Some podcasters are natural organizers and they love talking about spr

Are you overthinking something right now and can’t seem to move forward? Today, I have a simple yet very powerful mindset mantra that will get you moving in the right direction.   I had a mind-blown experience this week. One of my online business mentors, Elizabeth Goddard, said, "Let Future You take care of it."   Whoah! So simple yet such a powerful mindset shift.   Here's what Elizabeth means: Have faith that Future You will have the experience and the context to make the right decisions.   So often we tie ourselves in knots about whether we should try this or that. Should I start a podcast? Should I move to Paris?   But Present You can't know the answers because you don't have the experience of trying yet.   The job of Present You is to try, experiment, and play. To take action on something now and let Future You decide if it's working, if you love it, or if you want to try something else.   Future You has more information and, therefore, more answers. Yes, Present You will h

How do I make money with my podcast? That’s always a hot topic amongst podcasters.   A few episodes ago we talked about affiliate marketing, which is a good way to get started. But if you want to make real money, you need to sell your own products and services.   Today I’m speaking with Crystal Davis, the Borderless Coach and founder of High Income Digital Nomad. Crystal’s mission is to help people build thriving and enjoyable businesses that let them travel and work remotely.   We get into the nuts and bolts of how to get up and running with a profitable online business right now. We discuss: why conventional wisdom regarding online business keeps people in a long slog, and what you should do instead to earn the income you want; what kind of offer you should create; how to find clients; who you should sell to and who you shouldn’t target; the three daily activities you need to do to make money; and more.   This isn’t the usual business advice you hear, and I think you’re going to love Crystal’s fresh, and