The Podcast Guy

Hey Podcast Messengers! Welcome to episode 36 of The PodQuest Show. I am your host Michael Neeley, and today I am joined by my dear pal, an amazing human being and new podcast host, Mellissa Seaman.

Mellissa gets called a lot of things. Lawyer. Channel. Business Mentor. Deep Intuitive. Marketing Strategist. Mother. And she’s hired by a lot of impressive people, from Silicon Valley creative tech founders, to Fortune 100 executives, to internationally renowned artists, filmmakers and thought leaders. But her heart is especially devoted to supporting professional creatives who are waking up to their deepest calling as channels of their own unique genius.

Since she had an “accidental” psychic awakening with the birth of her daughter in the year 2000, Mellissa has devoted herself to helping emerging channels of genius to bridge the worlds of spirit and business.

Her Soul Gift Quiz has helped over 10,000 people worldwide to identify their deepest gifts, talents, and purpose. Her business school for intuitives has helped hundreds of gifted creatives identify and create the business that fulfills their calling. And her new podcast, Channel Your Genius, showcases highly-successful professional creatives who utilize their intuition to innovate solutions the world needs now.

You can check out her details and more at www.mellissaseaman.com.

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Inside this episode, our featured Promo-Bite is for: The Nice Guys on Business Podcast with Doug Sandler and Strickland Bonner.

Don't forget to listen for your PQ Token and go to PodQuest.net/Rewards to enroll and play for awesome prizes.

Follow us on Facebook and check out our Website for more details and to engage with our podcast community. If you'd like to have your own Promo-Bite for your show, go HERE. And if you'd like to be a guest on the show, click HERE.

Hey Podcast Messengers! Welcome to episode 12 of The PodQuest Show. I am your host Michael Neeley, and today, we are going to do a deep dive into a better understanding of your podcast – by the numbers. More specifically, we’re going to look at reading your stats – what they mean and what you can infer from them, along with what’s real, what’s bogus and what you’ll never know.

To truly understand your podcast by the numbers, we’re going to have to have a “let’s get real” moment. I’m just going to put it out there first, and then we’ll break it down.

Here it is – “you don’t, and perhaps never will, know how many listeners you have”. That’s the truth of the matter that you need to get right up front. And, as has been said on other episodes, anyone that tries to tell you definitively is blowing smoke up your ass, or they simply don’t know that they don’t really know.

So, before we get into your stats, let’s define a few things to make this more clear.

A download does NOT necessarily equal a listen!

I subscribe to many podcasts. Many of them! And my iPhone automatically downloads them. That doesn’t mean that I listened to them yet, nor that I ever will. Some will get deleted without ever being played.

And while many hosting platforms would like to measure the “plays”, they simply might not have the capability.

Why?

Because even though they are hosting your show – the actual playing of an episode is happening outside of their realm.

Now to be fair, Apple is giving more access to your analytics so that you can see some play stats. You can look to see how much of your episodes (on average) are being consumed.

But here’s the thing: this is a subset of all of your downloads. And while it’s certainly a decent enough sample-size, it’s still just a subset. Perhaps your listeners on Spotify are more voracious of your content and they listen more. Again, you may never know.

Similarly, be careful of platforms that tell you you’ll get more detailed information on your plays, your downloads, heck, even on your listeners. If they’re telling you that – it is likely ONLY going to be details about listeners who choose to use their player. In other words – they can’t give you any more play detail than Apple would. They simply don’t have the data.

Using Soundcloud as an example, if someone is playing your episode on the Soundcloud platform – sure, they’ve got the details to share with you. BUT ONLY the details of plays that happen there – which, in the big picture, is a really small percentage.

So... knowing that you don’t have those type of full analytics available to you (at least not at the time of this recording), what CAN you know?

Well, for starters, you’ve got your download stats. And while downloads don’t necessarily equal plays, at least we’ve got a number to work with. And that’s a great start.

We still can’t use those numbers as factual data, though. Why?

Because not all downloads are created equal.

In other words – some are legit and some are not.

There are bots that scour the web looking for keywords and often they end up clicking a “play” command on one of your episodes. Not a real play – certainly not a real listener – thus, a bogus download.

But don’t let that discourage you... on the bright side, these are common enough and relatively consistent enough that we can still look at the usefulness of our numbers.

Ahhh, but there’s more.

Sometimes, a listener may start your episode on their phone as they’re commuting to work, but they may finish your episode by playing it on their PC at home. Thus, this will look like two downloads, when in fact it was a single listener.

Or maybe they subscribed to your show on Apple Podcasts, but recently found a cool new player they love and they like to listen to your show there.

If they didn’t unsubscribe on Apple Podcasts, they are downloading your show twice (or more) but still it’s only one listener.

Fortunately, these occurrences are small enough to not be overly concerned with. The only real value of your numbers, at least in the beginning, is as a time-bound comparator.

What the frack does that mean?!?

Look at it like this: Today (we’ll call this Day 1) you release a new episode and within 24 hours you get 1,000 downloads. Does it matter if that number is not 100% accurate? Nope, not at all.

Now, over time, we take a look at Day 8, a week later. Again, you release a new episode and within 24 hours you get 1,047 downloads.

That’s an indicator of growth. At least potentially. There are other factors to consider, which we’ll cover in a moment; however, with all else being equal, we could look at those numbers, with all of their ugly inaccuracy, and still surmise that we had some growth.

If the numbers had been down, we could assume a decrease in listener...

Welcome to Episode 7 of The PodQuest Show! Today, we’re going to dive into the world of advertising and a very important aspect of it that you’ll want to consider for both sides of the microphone.

And by the way, when I say both sides of the microphone, I’m referring to Side A, being the host, and the flipside, being a guest on someone else’s show.

And the particular element of advertising that we’re going to dig into today is known as Reach & Frequency, or sometimes simply as R & F.

So, let’s get started...

Prior to becoming a podcast host and business mentor, my first profession, was as an actor. I hold degrees in acting and performed professionally for 20 years before hanging it up to become a proper dad. I used to joust and sword fight for a living, both at Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament for six years, and then another 6 for the New York Renaissance Faire.

I’ve performed in several soap operas, had big roles in small films and small roles in big films, and instead of supporting my acting career as a waiter, I worked in sales. I even spent several years working in television advertising and that’s where I learned this super important piece of the selling puzzle.

Nowadays they’re called “touch points”, and research has shown that the number of them required has gone up. You may have heard of the old standard that someone needed to hear your product name seven times before they’d remember it or consider buying it.

Of course, these are averages, but they held true. More recent stats are reflecting the need for 10 or more touch points in order for a customer to make their buying decision.

So, let’s think about that from the A-Side...

You’ve got a potential sponsor looking to run a spot on your show. Maybe they’re your first one, you haven’t yet monetized your show, and you find yourself chomping at the bit to collect some revenue – any revenue!

Of course, you could provide a low-ball quote and offer them a 5-episode package – BUT... I wouldn’t recommend that.

Keeping in mind the element of touch points, you should probably put together a 10-episode package knowing that it will produce better results for your sponsor.

In scenario one, with only 5 episodes, they’ll likely get little traction with their spot and walk away feeling like they wasted their money. You’ve got a much better chance of keeping their business if you help them to make some sales – and you’re only going to do that by increasing the mention of their product or service.

My recommendation is to never offer a package of fewer than 10 episodes, unless there are other circumstances.

What might those be?

Well, a live event, for example. If someone is promoting an upcoming class or seminar, or even a webinar, just a few spots will work fine. Why? Because there is more urgency – the event is coming right up – you either want to attend or you don’t. A quick and easy decision.

Another example might be a common referral. What do I mean by that?

Let’s use The PodQuest Show as an example. You’re a podcast listener, obvious by the fact that you’re hearing this now. Thus, as a podcast listener, it would be common for you to consider another show you might like. Running the promo-bites that I do, can often engender a new listener just from hearing about the show one time.

Speaking of Promo-Bites, let’s hear one for this episode...

Featured Promo-Bite: The Pausecast

Another cool podcast you’ll want to check out.

Now, of course, three mentions would be even better than one, and that’s why I offer a 3-episode sponsorship package for other podcast hosts.

The bottom line is to keep these things in mind as you create packages for your potential sponsors.

Now let’s look to the flipside...

You’re hoping to be a guest on someone else’s show. Fantastic! I highly recommend it.

But, please consider this...

If you don’t have your own podcast yet, and you go on the “guesting circuit” as I call it, you’re gonna leave a whole lotta money on the table.

Why?

Because you’re getting a bunch of Reach and zero Frequency.

Sure, you’ll potentially make a sale or two, but that’ll be about it. I can tell you this – as someone who has been a guest on over 50 podcasts – I have never sold anything, or gotten a new client, directly from being a guest.

I say “directly” because, yes, it has paid off by being on other shows, but ONLY because I also have my own podcast.

Here’s the scenario you want, and what actually works:

You become a guest on someone else’s show. During the interview, and of course the reading of your bio, the fact that you host a podcast comes up a few times. Your show gets mentioned, ...

In this RoundTable episode (RT), Michael is joined by podcast pros, Doug Sandler and JJ Flizanes, as they breakdown some of the BS stories you constantly encounter in the podcasting world.

Today they bust these 5 myths:

1. You have to sell advertising to make money
2. Apple Podcasts is a hosting platform
3. Downloads equate to dollars
4. You know your subscriber numbers
5. Podcasting can make you rich quick

It was tough even writing these un-truths down with proper wording. Listen to the episode to get the real scoop on these topics and more.

We also talk about "podfading" and the real GIFT of podcasting: the network and relationships you can build.

Inside this episode, we also have Promo-Bites for: Midlife Love Out Loud with Junie Moon Schreiber, and Man Alive with Shana James.

Don't forget to listen for your PQ Token and go to PodQuest.net/Rewards to enroll to play and redeem for prizes.

Follow us on Facebook and check out our Website for more details and to engage with our podcast community. If you'd like to have your own Promo-Bite for your show, go HERE. And if you'd like to be a guest on the show, click HERE.

Welcome to The PodQuest Show, your place to go for insider insights and tips of the trade that too frequently get swept under the rug until you start tripping over it on your road to success.

I am Michael Neeley, the creator and host of the series, and I’m absolutely thrilled to have you join me on this messenger’s journey. I call it that, because I believe that that is truly what a great podcaster is – a messenger. Here to spread the word, whether it’s comedy or drama, fact or fiction – you’ve got something you want to say and you aspire to reach your target audience with ease and speed.

I’ve been hosting podcasts for over 5 years and more than 500 episodes. My other shows are Consciously Speaking, Buy This – Not That!, and Something to Wine About, and I’ve also got a fifth one on the way. I’ve been teaching podcasting for several years and have helped to launch over a hundred shows in a wide variety of categories and industries.

I love podcasting and have a deep awareness of the value it can bring to both sides of the microphone. But there’s one thing I hate – and that’s the bullshit that inevitably springs up around any new or growing industry.

With podcasting’s steady growth, there have been, let’s just say, more than a few false gurus out there. And now, with the upsurge in the industry and the likes of Spotify and Pandora jumping on board, there are nefarious business practices getting added to the mix.

The mission of The PodQuest Show is to dispel a few myths, out a few charlatans, share some insider secrets and strategies, and actually set you, the new (or even seasoned) podcaster, up for optimal success.

On some of the shows, I’ll bring in other expert podcast hosts and we’ll talk about their show, how they grew it, how they monetize it, and what’s the method to their madness. You’ll get to hear about equipment favorites, best practices, shortcuts to save time and money, and a few other golden nuggets, I’m sure.

There will be solo shows where I’ll talk about topics that often get overlooked or under-utilized. Effective launch strategies, understanding your stats, improving your discoverability, social media effectiveness, and more. And sometimes, I’ll debunk a myth or two, in hopes to steer you away from rookie mistakes that many podcasters make along the way.

Every now and then, I’ll facilitate a roundtable episode with myself and a few other podcaster friends as we review an industry event, or software, or even a training program. This will provide you with more than just one perspective on the tools and support you’ll be seeking out during your podcasting career.

You’ll want to subscribe to this show so that you can learn some incredible audience growth hacks, the nuts and bolts of podcasting that slips through the cracks, what’s important and NOT important when it comes to editing, guesting, releasing shows, and everything else.

Typically, a new episode should drop each week on Tuesday morning, but that is subject to change – as is every aspect of the show. And this is important for you to know for two major reasons:

1. This is your show, too. Not just mine. We’re no good without each other. So, I’m hoping that you’ll participate to the fullest you can. This means sending me questions and engaging in our Facebook group (which, btw, you can join by clicking on the link you’ll find in the show notes). It is through your feedback that the show will evolve and grow to best fit your needs. And this may mean changing the format, the release dates, etc.
2. The other reason is that your show should be ready and able to pivot, as well. It’s important to understand that what we think the audience wants to hear and what they ACTUALLY want to hear, could be two very different things. It’s only when we request feedback, listen to it, and then ACT upon it, that our show will ultimately fulfill our listener’s needs.

Each episode will also feature a podcast or two that you may want to give a listen to. These are almost like mini-sponsorship spots. They run about 30 seconds and are available as “Promo-Bites” for interested podcasters. You can learn more about them in the link in the show notes or on our website.

And finally, I want to invite you to joi...