Podcasting Step By Step

Turning your podcast into a book is one way to monetize your show while growing your influence, so why not plan for that from the beginning? On Podcasting Step by Step, I share how you can map out an entire year’s worth of podcast content in an hour, which can then be repurposed into blogs, social media posts, books, and more. Visit sarahmikutel.com for show notes.   *** You're invited to join the Podcasting Step by Step Facebook Group!   Also, visit sarahmikutel.com for more resources on how to podcast.   Ready to start your own show? Download my free guide: “8 Mistakes New Podcasters Make and How to Fix Them.”    Looking for a podcast media host? Use my Libsyn affiliate code POSTCARD to get the rest of this month for free and next month free.    I’m your podcast launch consultant, Sarah Mikutel. If you’d like to learn more about me, you can check out my other podcast, Postcard Academy travel podcast. This travel podcast is for the ‘experiences not things’ kind of person who believes travel goes deepe

When I hear people ask podcasters what their proudest, most satisfying achievement has been in podcasting, they never say ‘money,’ or ‘popularity,’ or ‘I get to be the boss.’ They tell stories of listeners writing in to them thanking them for saving their lives. For helping them to feel less alone. For motivating them to try something new or to get out of a bad situation.    People today feel more alone than ever. In fact, Yale Professor Laurie Santos, and host of the Happiness Lab podcast, says feelings of loneliness have doubled since the 1980s and that 60 percent of college students in the U.S. say they feel very lonely most of the time. The negative health consequences of this are equal to smoking 15 cigarettes a day!    People are desperate for to feel part of something, and I believe that’s why they are flocking to podcasts.    This year, 32 percent of Americans say they listen to podcasts monthly, up from 26 percent in 2018, the largest year-on-year jump since Edison Research started tracking this data

Don’t have a massive following on social media? No worries! Who needs a million followers anyway? Right now, sponsors are loving micro-influencers, people with smaller but loyal followings. This is, of course, fantastic news for podcasters.    On episode 31 of Podcasting Step by Step, I talk to Andrea Jones, founder of the Savvy Social School and the Savvy Social podcast, about how we, as podcasters, can grow our influence — and our podcast audience — via social media in only an hour a week.   Head to sarahmikutel.com for full show notes and to download your 6-Step Strategy for Social Media Growth.    You’re also cordially invited to join the Podcasting Step by Step community :D  Become a member of the Live Without Borders Community ❤️Let’s continue the conversation. Head on over to my blog on Substack for more on how to thrive through better communication, Stoicism, and global exploration.  We can chat together in the comments and I have fab bonuses for paid subscribers. Or, you can read new posts fo

You’re invited to join the Podcasting Step by Step community on Facebook.    What’s that? You have a love hate relationship with social media? Join the club. A lot of podcasters wonder if it’s worth spending time on social media to market their podcasts.    For a long time I felt completely burned out by the screaming and negativity found on some of the platforms. But social media does have some tremendous benefits, including the ability to attract a global audience. But we have to avoid some common mistakes.    On episode 30 of Podcasting Step by Step, I talk about four of the biggest mistakes podcasters make when it comes to social media.   Even though social has its problems, right now I’m loving Facebook Groups. I’m loving the conversations that are happening there. The connection. The learning. That is social media at it’s best, which is why I’ve just created the Podcasting Step by Step Facebook Group.   I love receiving email from listeners, and everyone I hear from is so lovely and curious and interest

People pleasers, raise your hands! Do you feel guilty speaking up or saying no to people? Like when a fan writes to you asking to be a guest on your podcast but you don’t think it’s a good fit and then you start stressing and asking your friends ‘what should you do’ and before you know it an hour has gone by and why did you check your email instead of recording your show?    On this episode of Podcasting Step by Step, I share actionable steps to help you let go of the stress, take control, and become the leader your show needs you to be.    Visit sarahmikutel.com for more articles on how to podcast. Ready to start your own show? Download my free guide: “8 Mistakes New Podcasters Make and How to Fix Them.”    Looking for a podcast media host? Use my Libsyn affiliate code POSTCARD to get the rest of this month for free and next month free.    I’m your podcast launch consultant, Sarah Mikutel. If you’d like to learn more about me, you can check out my other podcast, Postcard Academy travel podcast. This travel

As podcasters, we want to do what we can to help people discover and listen to our show. This means being in all the podcast directories, like Apple Podcasts, but should we be on YouTube, as well? On Podcasting Step by Step, I dig into why this can hurt us if we do it the wrong way, and how to use YouTube right.   Visit sarahmikutel.com for more articles on how to podcast. Ready to start your own show? Download my free guide: “8 Mistakes New Podcasters Make and How to Fix Them.”    Looking for a podcast media host? Use my Libsyn affiliate code POSTCARD to get the rest of this month for free and next month free.    I’m your podcast launch consultant, Sarah Mikutel. If you’d like to learn more about me, you can check out my other podcast, Postcard Academy travel podcast. This travel podcast is for the ‘experiences not things’ kind of person who believes travel goes deeper than a fantastic meal (though that is pretty great). Every week, I interview people who packed up everything to start a new adventure in ano

Just Breathe! That’s actually the name of the talk today’s guest gave at Podcast Movement in 2019. One of the biggest mistakes new podcasters make is over-editing -- taking out every um and deleting all the breaths.    Carrie Caulfield Arick, owner of Ya-Ya Podcasting editing services; founder of the Just Busters Facebook Group for female podcast editors; and host of the podcast Just Podcasting wants us to take a deep breath and relax.   In this episode, we discuss some common audio problems and how to prevent and fix them. We’ll also share some tips and tricks to make your podcast editing go faster.     Visit sarahmikutel.com for more articles on how to podcast. Ready to start your own show? Download my free guide: “8 Mistakes New Podcasters Make and How to Fix Them.”    Looking for a podcast media host? Use my Libsyn affiliate code POSTCARD to get the rest of this month for free and next month free.    I’m your podcast launch consultant, Sarah Mikutel. If you’d like to learn more about me, you can check out

One of the biggest peeves listeners have is when podcast host/s waffle on for too long before getting to the point of the episode. Your audience wants to know where you’re taking them, or they’re going to bail. In fact, the average podcast loses about a third of its audience in the first five minutes, according to NPR One. So how can you create an above average podcast?   In this episode, I’ll talk about how to keep your podcast audience listening by hooking them with a great intro.    Key takeaways: Hook your audience from the beginning. Let them know what they’ll get out of spending the next 30 or 60 or however many minutes with you.  Teasers, stories, and questions are great ways to hook your audience.  In addition to your hook, your intro should include your name and the name of your show.  Music is a nice way to brand your show and get your listeners in the right mood to hear your message.  Speak to one person. Use the word ‘you’ instead of ‘all of you.’  Consider including a call to action in your int

What should you name your podcast? This is an important question. You’re pouring your heart and soul into this show and can literally name it anything you want (as long as it’s not trademarked). So how do you choose a good name for your podcast, also known as a podcast title?    Well, if you want to help listeners discover your show, follow the tips I share in today’s episode of Podcasting Step by Step.    Snapshot of this episode  Keep your podcast name short and sweet and choose clarity over cleverness (but do both if you can). Don’t keyword stuff your title, and stay away from numbers. Make sure no one else is using your podcast title.    Visit sarahmikutel.com for more articles on how to podcast. Ready to start your own show? Download my free guide: “8 Mistakes New Podcasters Make and How to Fix Them.”    Looking for a podcast media host? Use my Libsyn affiliate code POSTCARD to get the rest of this month for free and next month free.    I’m your podcast launch consultant, Sarah Mikutel. If you’d like to

When you’re new to podcasting, everything can seem like a challenge. Choosing the right equipment; learning to edit audio; coming up with great content. But one of the biggest challenges — maybe the BIGGEST thing holding back people from podcasting — is imposter syndrome. Those feelings that we’re unworthy. That we don’t know enough or aren’t good enough.     “Who am I to start a podcast? What if no one listens? What if people hate my show?”    These are totally natural feelings that most people suffer from. I put off podcasting for years because of those thoughts. But you can greatly minimize these negative feelings with a few simple actions to shift your mindset, and I dive into those in today’s episode.    Show notes and a cheat sheet of questions to keep you in a positive, motivated mindset.    Visit sarahmikutel.com for more articles on how to podcast. Ready to start your own show? Download my free guide: “8 Mistakes New Podcasters Make and How to Fix Them.”    Looking for a podcast media host? Use my

Have you ever traveled to a place that was absolutely phenomenal...the food tasted amazing, the architecture blew you away...you know your friends back home would love it.    But when you try to share your experience with them...it falls flat. They’re just not interested in your story, and, quite, frankly, neither are you. Your words aren’t matching up with what you want to convey.    The good thing is, storytelling is both an art and a science, and you can learn techniques to become a better storyteller. As podcasters, this is a craft that we should at least know about, even if we don’t plan on producing a storytelling or narrative show.    Since, it is summer in most of the world as I’m recording this, I thought this would be a great time to share an interview I did with Matthew Dicks on my travel show Postcard Academy.     Mathew is a five-time Moth GrandSLAM storytelling winner and the author of Storyworthy. On this episode, Matthew coaches us on the craft of storytelling, and at the end of the show, weav

Hooray! You sent the perfect pitch and now someone wants to interview you on their podcast. On this episode, you'll learn how to bring your absolute best to the interview so the host falls in love with you and so do their listeners.   Show notes and a free podcast pitch template can be found at sarahmikutel.com    Visit sarahmikutel.com for more articles on how to podcast. Ready to start your own show? Download my free guide: “8 Mistakes New Podcasters Make and How to Fix Them.”    Looking for a podcast media host? Use my Libsyn affiliate code POSTCARD to get the rest of this month for free and next month free.    I’m your podcast launch consultant, Sarah Mikutel. If you’d like to learn more about me, you can check out my other podcast, Postcard Academy travel podcast. This travel podcast is for the ‘experiences not things’ kind of person who believes travel goes deeper than a fantastic meal (though that is pretty great). Every week, I interview people who packed up everything to start a new adventure

We all want to grow our podcast audience, right? Well, one of the best ways to do this is by getting on other people’s podcasts. But how do you find the right podcasts to pitch to, and how do you get the podcast hosts to say yes? I cover it all this episode, plus I created a free pitch template for you, which you can find at at sarahmikutel.com    Visit sarahmikutel.com for more articles on how to podcast. Ready to start your own show? Download my free guide: “8 Mistakes New Podcasters Make and How to Fix Them.”    Looking for a podcast media host? Use my Libsyn affiliate code POSTCARD to get the rest of this month for free and next month free.    I’m your podcast launch consultant, Sarah Mikutel. If you’d like to learn more about me, you can check out my other podcast, Postcard Academy travel podcast. This travel podcast is for the ‘experiences not things’ kind of person who believes travel goes deeper than a fantastic meal (though that is pretty great). Every week, I interview people who packed up everyth

Have you ever wondered, “Can I share a clip of this music on my podcast?” or “Should my guest sign a release form?” or “How do I legally disclose affiliates so I don’t sound like an awkward shill?” Well, you have come to the right place with your podcast legal questions.    Entertainment lawyer Gordon Firemark joins me on Podcasting Step by Step to discuss:  why your guest should sign a release form and what should be on it; whether you can (or should) choose a podcast name that already exists; how to disclose affiliate relationships on your podcast; what fair use is and whether you can use music, news, or film clips on your show;  the benefits of registering your podcast as a business;  the difference between copyright and trademark and whether you need this for your podcast; if we need formal working agreements when hiring people to help us with elements of our podcast, like show notes and audio editing (you do -- ‘work made for hire’ contracts);  the elements of a podcast sponsorship contract;  the rules

How do I get more listeners to my podcast? Have you ever asked yourself that? I’m sure you have because we all ask this. Until we get clear on what we stand for, we won’t be clear in what we want to share with the world, on our own shows and on the ones we guest on. If we don’t know what we’re all about, why would an audience rally behind us?    Identifying your mission, vision, and values for your life is your foundation. When you have clarity on this, everything related to your podcast will flow more easily, from the interviews you participate in to what you post on social media. Your messages will be more consistent and more meaningful. This is when people will really start listening to you. This is how you grow your podcast audience.   Visit sarahmikutel.com for more articles on how to podcast. Ready to start your own show? Download my free guide: “8 Mistakes New Podcasters Make and How to Fix Them.”    Looking for a podcast media host? Use my Libsyn affiliate code POSTCARD to get the rest of this month

At some point, most podcasters recording a remote interview will flub it up in some way, whether that’s by technical or human error. On Podcasting Step by Step, I talk you through exactly what you need to do to minimize those snafus that happen when recording an interview with your computer. Download your free Pre-Record Checklist.   Visit sarahmikutel.com for more articles on how to podcast. Ready to start your own show? Download my free guide: “8 Mistakes New Podcasters Make and How to Fix Them.”  Looking for a podcast media host? Use my Libsyn affiliate code POSTCARD to get the rest of this month for free and next month free.    I’m your podcast launch consultant, Sarah Mikutel. If you’d like to learn more about me, you can check out my other podcast, Postcard Academy travel podcast. This travel podcast is for the ‘experiences not things’ kind of person who believes travel goes deeper than a fantastic meal (though that is pretty great). Every week, I interview people who packed up everything to start a ne

There’s no time like the present -- we hear that all the time. But do you feel it? Do you make time to enjoy yourself? To try something new that scares you a little? Maybe you’ve got everything in place to start your podcast, but are afraid to hit publish. Or there’s something you’re dying to talk about, but you’re scared about what others might think of you. Newsflash, friend: Our time on this Earth is almost over. You will never have this day again. Make it matter.    I’m your podcast coach, Sarah Mikutel. Did you know that I also host the Postcard Academy travel podcast? Check it out if you’re the ‘experiences not things’ kind of person who believes travel goes deeper than a fantastic meal (though that is pretty great). Every week, I interview people who packed up everything to start a new adventure in another part of the world. You’ll learn how they did it and get their best insider food and culture tips.    Ready to start podcasting? Download my free guide: “8 Mistakes New Podcasters Make and How to Fix

You may know that the big podcast ad agencies want you to have 5,000 downloads an episode before they’ll talk to you (see The Five Best Ways to Make Money with Your Podcast if you need a refresher on the CPM model). But small podcasts can do just fine without them by negotiating their own sponsorship deals.    On this episode, I dive deep into sponsorship for the indie podcaster with Jessica Kupferman, CEO of She Podcasts, the largest women's podcasting community, which she co-founded with Elsie Escobar.    Subscribe to Podcasting Step by Step for free and listen to the episode with Jess to learn:  the right way to approach o sponsor; how do decide what to charge for an ad; what to include in your media kit and in which order; and so much more.   Show notes. Visit sarahmikutel.com for more articles on how to podcast. Ready to start podcasting? Download my free guide: “8 Mistakes New Podcasters Make and How to Fix Them.”    Looking for a podcast media host? Use my Libsyn affiliate code POSTCARD to g

There’s this myth out there that anyone can start a podcast and the money will just start flowing in. As I mentioned in the episode on identifying your ideal listener, most podcasters do not make any money with the traditional CPM advertising model. And most ad agencies won’t even look at you unless you’re getting at least 5,000 downloads per episode within a 30-day period.   BUT your podcast can help you generate income, especially if you use your show to build your brand and business in a way that serves listeners and potential clients. Here are the five best ways podcasters can make money with podcasts -- plus a bonus.   Visit sarahmikutel.com for more show notes. Ready to start podcasting? Download my free guide: “8 Mistakes New Podcasters Make and How to Fix Them.” Looking for a podcast media host? Use my Libsyn affiliate code POSTCARD to get the rest of this month for free and next month free.   I’m your podcast coach, Sarah Mikutel. Did you know that I also host the Postcard Academy travel podcast? C

Let’s say you have a brilliant idea for a podcast, and then learn that someone else just started something similar. Or, maybe three others already exist and they have a lot of ratings and reviews and loyal fans. This is actually great news because it means there is an audience for what you want to do.   But if you are the new podcaster in town, how do you set yourself apart from those existing shows in your niche? In Steal Like an Artist, Austin Kleon says we are a mashup of everything we’ve experienced and that anyone can be creative with the right influences. On episode 14 of Podcasting Step by Step, I’ll share how you can use some of his tips and other techniques to take an existing podcast theme and make it your own. (visit sarahmikutel.com for show notes)   Visit sarahmikutel.com for more articles on how to podcast. Ready to start podcasting? Download my free guide: “8 Mistakes New Podcasters Make and How to Fix Them.” Looking for a podcast media host? Use my Libsyn affiliate code POSTCARD to get the re