EP5: Re-launch my beard (Launch Week)

Yesterday was launch day for the podcast. It landed on Product Hunt, and there was a flurry of excitement. But what happens the day after you launch? Today I talk about the post-launch blues.

We launch part of ourselves with the stuff that we do. We're launching ourselves in a podcast, or a book, or product. It's tough. - Paul JarvisYou're in really vulnerable position. You're putting something you've been working on in private out in public. The launch is fun, but then you have to do the work. And you're back by yourself. - Jarrod Drysdale

Stats update

• Podcast listens: 2312 listens so far (up from 955 listens yesterday)
• Most popular episode: Podcast Gear Starter Kit
• 29 ratings in the US iTunes Store (up from 12 yesterday)
• My favorite review so far
• 677 views on buildandlaunch.net (up from 671 views yesterday)

Beard update

Current photo.

Launch week: How to make a podcast

• Episode 1: Choosing a topic
• Episode 2: Record your first episode
• Episode 3: Podcasting equipment
• Episode 4: Recording, interviewing, editing (yesterday's episode)
• Episode 5: Launching and promoting (this episode)

How to launch your podcast

1. Have 3 episodes in the bag before you submit to iTunes.
2. Create a podcast-friendly RSS feed with your 3 episodes (I used simplecast.fm for this).
3. Submit it to the iTunes store by going into iTunes, clicking on iTunes Store, selecting Podcast on the right-side, and the clicking on Submit a podcast (screenshot here)
4. Wait for Apple to email you.
5. Once it's live in iTunes, it's time to start hustling. You need to get as much initial traction you get (rating, downloads, subscribes) will determine how you rank in iTunes.
6. Write your network individually, and ask them to rate the show. Here's the email template I used.
7. If you use Overcast to listen to podcasts, you can share the show on Twitter.
8. Find an online community that would be interested in the show. Examples: Product Hunt, Designer News, or a sub-reddit on Reddit.

Show Notes

• Rate the show on iTunes!
• Allan Branch (from Less Accounting) left this tweet
• Gumroad's 30 Day Challenge
• Build & Launch newsletter
• Follow Justin on Twitter: @mijustin

Podcast hosting provided by Transistor.fm.

Update from 2021: A lot has happened since I recorded these episodes: I launched a podcast hosting company, Transistor.fm, with my friend Jon Buda! If you want to hear what I'm up to now go to transistor.fm/justin.