Another year at the Podcast Movement, another exciting and successful week for TalkShoe! With over 3,000 attendees and 150+ speakers this year, the conference has grown beyond our expectations. Being the world’s biggest gathering of podcasters, this convention is such a spectacular way to meet members of the community who are just as enthusiastic about podcasting as we are. The energy of everyone there was contagious. It was hard not to reach out and grab every opportunity to both speak out about your own desires and achievements, and to listen to what everyone else had to offer. Although we came as sponsors seeking to educate podcasters on our product, we were just as much students and there to learn. Our team has been continuously improving the product since the re-launch last year. The results have been so positive, and it’s becoming increasingly easier to promote TalkShoe, especially with the help of The Podcast Movement.
We are passionate about podcasting, and strive to create the best experience for the community. This annual conference not only allows our team to promote our product, but it also gives us an opportunity to stand face-to-face with our customers and see WHO you all are. Being surrounded by podcasters and sponsors alike allows us to connect more intimately with the people who are genuinely excited about how far this creative broadcasting medium can go. From those who have yet to begin their podcast, to those who have been in the industry for years (and everyone in between), the desire is the same. The art and skill of podcasting will be forever evolving, and TalkShoe will continue to grow with it.
The mission behind the Podcast Movement is to unite aspiring podcasters in hopes to educate and inspire community members as individuals, and to expand the podcast industry as a whole. With featured events from keynote lectures hosted by inspiring guest speakers, to winding down and the networking parties, we can say with confidence that they have executed their vision with success in every aspect of the convention.
Our booth featured two tables with four ElectroVoice microphone sets each, giving podcaster the opportunity to record on TalkShoe live from the convention. Giving people the chance to use the platform for themselves has proven to be the most effective form of promotion. The TalkShoe team works hard to make the most affordable, accessible, and forward looking product for podcasters. In addition to that, we seek opportunity in partnerships to excel our offerings beyond what we’ve created. We’d like to give a special thanks to our equipment sponsors, ElectroVoice, for providing our booth with the microphones and for giving away four RE320 mics to our well-deserving attendees. For those who recorded live with us, thank you for broadcasting your voice and letting your story be heard, whatever it may be! With the combination of an interactive set up and vivacious crowd of podcasters, exhibitors, and press, getting brand awareness for TalkShoe was easy to achieve. The TalkShoe Pavilion 
provided attendees an engaging space to mingle with others beyond recording at our booth, and the people who showed up most definitely took advantage of it.
Thank you again to everyone who signed up for TalkShoe and entered to win the raffle for microphones. We are beyond excited to have so many new members of our community and passionate advocates for TalkShoe. 
Congratulations to our four lucky winners of the RE320 ElectroVoice Microphones: Lilian Myers, Jerry Dugan, Simone Cavallaro, and Caitlin Darras.
With so many new incredible bonds and relationships, we want to stay as connected as possible. The 2019 conference may have ended, but we can continue to grow and learn from one another online, at least until Podcast Movement 2020. Keep up the good work pocasters!
If you didn’t get a chance to check out Talkshoe, be sure to sign up free
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Twitter: @TalkShoe
Plenty of podcasters use TalkShoe because of how easy it is to produce and record shows. From phone calls to co-hosting to two-way dialogue, TalkShoe provides podcasters with a platform to record, stream host, and share one platform. Now you can even import your podcast series to TalkShoe, and this process is as easy as 1,2,3. Let’s take a look at the one-click import feature.
If you have a podcast series hosted outside of TalkShoe and want to import the entire series to TalkShoe, it's a very simple process. You will see a blue Import show button on the top right of your dashboard or Shows page once you log in to your TalkShoe account. Once you click it you simply enter the URL to your podcast RSS feed into the import bar.
All of your show details, including the description, category and image will be automatically imported to your TalkShoe account.
RSS feeds (Rich Site Summary and Really Simple Syndication) are web feeds with simple text files with updated information. Once this information is uploaded to a “web feed reader,” such as a news aggregator, blog site, or in our case a podcast hosting platform, it will consistently check the RSS feed for new content, automatically passing content between different websites. You can also find the URL of the RSS feed of any of your TalkShoe podcasts by clicking the RSS Feed button next to New Episode once you are in the series page.
Uploading an episode to your existing podcast series is also a simple process. Once you are in your podcast series page, click on New Episode then click Upload. The rest of the steps are just like scheduling any live episodes, date recorded, title and description if needed, then on the bottom, click the Add recording button in the bottom to upload the audio file of the podcast you wish to upload. Your new episode will be available instantaneously.
There are two different ways to publish your podcasts on TalkShoe.
1. Live options - this is the option people are most familiar
2. Upload an audio file that was recorded earlier.
It’s really easy to do and means you can record your podcast whenever you want, edit out any accidents and even add extra features, like introduction music or sound effects. Once you have your mp3 audio file ready to upload, you only need to login to your TalkShoe account, create a new episode and choose the ‘Upload’ option instead of schedule.
We recommend Audacity for recording and editing your podcasts in advance. You can use any recording/editing software with Talkshoe, but we really like Audacity as it’s free and can be used on Apple Mac, Windows PC and also Linux computers. There are also oodles of features available that make it a really powerful tool. That can seem daunting at first, but even for an entry-level user like me, the recording process is straightforward.
1. Download and install the software from this link.
2. Open the Audacity application.
3. Ensure the correct microphone/recording device is selected from the drop-down menu.
4. Hit the red circle ‘record’ button or simply press the letter ‘R’ on your keyboard when you are ready to start recording.
5. Hit the pause button anytime to temporarily stop recording audio and the square stop button when you are done.
6. Save your recording: Unlike using the voice recorder on Windows or Quicktime on a mac, recordings on Audacity first need to be 7. saved as a ‘Project’. This allows you to come back at any time to edit the audio from your original recording. Select File > Save Project As.
7. Export your recording: Select File > Export Audio
8. Select File Type > MP3 Files
9. Enter a name for your file and hit save.
For more detailed information about editing and other audio settings, please take a look at Audacity’s comprehensive online tutorials:
10. Login to your TalkShoe account and navigate to your shows.
11. Select one of your shows and click on New Episode > Upload
(If you haven’t already created a show, instructions on how to do that can her found here)
12. Choose a past date/time
13. Edit the title if you want and add a description
14. Click +Add Recording > select the file > open
15. Wait for the file to load then hit Save and you are done!
Summer is here in Toronto, and the city is brimming with outdoor events to check out during these sunny, warm months. The ever-evolving metropolis has no shortage of delicacies to eat, places to go, things to do. And now, there’s even a way to hit record and tell the world what’s on your mind by making an on-the-spot podcast. That’s right, a pop-up podcast studio at Stackt Market, brought to you by TalkShoe. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like sitting in a recording studio with a mic ready for you to express yourself, now is the perfect time to give it a shot and see if you like it.
Occupying unused land smack dab in the middle of the city nestled between thriving neighborhoods, Stackt Market has set up shipping container upon shipping container to create a curated space that celebrates community and culture. Its ever-changing nature (pop-ups and market vendors are always rotating) gives this sprawling retail/brewery/chillout space an inspiring, fun and experiential vibe – a suitable home for TalkShoe’s very own recording studio. It’s designed with everything you need to speak, stream and record. The coolest part? This fully decked out, state-of-the-art studio is in a shipping container too, and is free!
TalkShoe’s pop-up podcast recording studio, in partnership with Remenyi House of Music and Electrovoice, is outfitted with the latest and greatest equipment tailored to every podcaster’s need. With a soundboard, headphones, speakers and computer system all hooked up and ready to go, the TalkShoe recording studio experience is made complete with heavy duty telescopic mic stands, and high quality, smooth sounding microphones provided by Remenyi and Electrovoice, respectively. This is the one-stop shop to record and or live stream your podcast – even if you’ve never done it before!
TalkShoe is a free all-in-one podcast platform that gives anyone the ability to produce, stream, record, host and share. The community-centric approach is the perfect place for people to learn more about the craft of podcasting and how to do it. Plus, it’s super simple. Dora Bloom, Senior Marketing Manager for iotum Inc., explains that this pop-up is dedicated to people who are curious about exploring the benefits and possibilities of podcasting. “We really want to get people talking about whatever passion, interest, focus they have. Dreams, aspirations, our goal is to get people to open up, expressing themselves however they see fit. Being on location and hitting the street for real stories and discussion is what we’re all about.”
Go online right here where you will be greeted by a calendar. Simply select the date and preferred time, then you will be redirected to fill in your information. Each session is 60 minutes with all the equipment at your fingertips to put out a hit podcast with top of the line gear! Oh, and every podcaster gets their picture taken and hung on the wall. Once you come into the studio to record, you’re part of the community!
And, it gets even better! Ask any podcaster and they’ll tell you that one of the pitfalls of podcasting technology is that it’s a challenge for guests to call in (whether local or international) while recording/streaming. TalkShoe’s distinguishing feature is that anyone from anywhere can call in real-time with a dial-in number. Yep, even here at the pop-up at Stackt. Set up your own show on the fly, and have a guest call in! It’s easy, accessible and totally fun!
Bloom continues, “Podcasting is quickly unfolding as an integral component to a fully integrated marketing strategy, and combined with the added layers of participation and inclusivity, what TalkShoe stands for really gets blown wide open. Our pillars for this experience and what underpins our brands values is community, expression and accessibility. We couldn’t have asked for a better collaborative opportunity.”
Intrigued? If you’re in town, get down to Stackt Market at 28 Bathurst St. (Bathurst and Front), M5S 2R5, Toronto, and look for the TalkShoe Studio at Booth 1-101B. For more information about TalkShoe, click here or contact Marketing Community Coordinator Erica Donner at erica@iotum.com
From the Podcast Movement in Philadelphia to the Toronto Podcaster Meet-Up in Toronto, TalkShoe is taking its podcasting studio to the newly opened Stackt Market.
Stackt Market is a creative commercial space that uses shipping containers to house businesses, cultural exhibits, and more. Located in downtown Toronto, TalkShoe also launched a podcast studio in its own hip shipping container, blending into the cultural lifestyle in this new market.
TalkShoe is a one-stop-shop podcast platform that has everything you need to host a podcast. The online studio allows the podcast host to record at anytime by computer or by phone without having to download any other programs. This allows easy access for co-hosts or listeners to connect to the studio for input, giving unique joint moderator and co-hosting options. Did we also mention free and unlimited storage for all of your podcast series? That’s right, save money by switching to TalkShoe if you’ve had it with paying for storage.
If you’d like to record a podcast at our stackt market studio, simply click here to book a time with us! Spots are getting reserved quickly as you are reading this, so sign up now! All you need to do is to sign up for your free TalkShoe account, and utilize the easy-to-use TalkShoe software to record your podcast. We’ll guide you every step of the way, not to worry!
It’s always been known that seeing is believing, but nowadays, we’re shifting more towards hearing is knowing. Podcasting isn’t the trend it once was, it’s actually a preferred way in which way we consume information, data, news, and knowledge. In fact, half of Amerian homes are listening to podcasts, with over three-quarters of them tuning in for all or for the majority of a podcast episode. That’s hours of streamlined focus from your targeted audience on your content during the waking moments of their lives spent at home – and you’re invited!
If you’ve been on the fence about whether or not to start your very own podcast, humming and hawing about how you’ll do it, can you do it, how do you do it, should you do it – this is the sign you’ve been waiting for. With so much room for opportunity and growth, the possibilities for scalability are wide. You will, however, have to put in a little elbow grease. So if you want to launch a successful podcast, run down through these questions first:
1.) What Are My Motives?Do you want to gain authority? Are you looking to grow your business or brand? Do you want to boost your audience numbers? Is your motivation to use podcasting as a way to make income?
These questions will help drill down your intentions, thereby shaping the content you will be sharing while in the creation stage.
How much time can you dedicate to getting this thing off the ground in the beginning? Can you create a calendar you can stick to? Are you ready to devote time to all aspects – including editing, recording, researching, and writing?
Podcasters with high-engagement know that posting a podcast every week pays off. Be regular, be consistent and watch the numbers climb.
What content am I going on about for hours on end? What is it that excites me enough to research, dig, probe, discuss and invite special guests to chat with about? What are other podcasters doing in terms of similar niche and content?
Break down who your ideal listener is, and envision how you’re able to help them or what you’re able to offer. Then work back from there. Take TalkShoe’s podcast, “Slashers,” a podcast where “two guys talk to you about horror movies, because even their wives won’t listen.” This is pretty niche, but if you speak it, they will come. This show chats about beloved classics and dissects them further, allowing horror movie fans to revel in their gory glory!
Does the name of my show convey the idea of my podcast? Does it give a good first impression? Is it memorable? Does it pique curiosity?
Your title is everything! Spend some time brainstorming, and before you fall in love with one, double check multiple podcast platforms to make sure it’s original and unique!
Do you have certain details that need to be communicated with every podcast? Have you drilled down who you are, what you’re doing and can listeners find you elsewhere? Do you have a recognizable audio signature?
While your episodes should be relatively freestyle, scripting your intro and outro is a forward-thinking move that will ensure all your details are included in each and every episode. An intro is to introduce and play opening music, and an outro is to announce upcoming episodes, and remind listeners to like, subscribe, comment or visit your blog!
Have you thought about what symbol, colours or graphic language reflects your podcast? Do you know any artists or designers who can help you? Have you looked to see what the competition is doing with their thumbnails?
It may never appear larger than a postage stamp, but it’s the only visual element you have in an otherwise auditory medium! It’s to your advantage to make it look cool and attention-grabbing.
7.) Do I Have The Right Gear?Do you have a microphone? A microphone stand? A compressor? A USB box? Headphones? Podcasting software?
Seriously, that’s all you need to get started.
Do you want to take guest calls? Will you execute lots of interviews? Should you keep it open mic style and chat away to your audience? Do you want a partner to add in a layer of spontaneity?
Having a rough idea of how each episode will be laid out will add structure and flow to your delivery! Remember, you can always change or adapt down the line.
Where do you start? What about hosting, storage, and streaming?
Let TalkShoe bring you into the podcasting community and support you on your exciting journey. With everything you need to host a podcast all in one place, all you have to worry about is creating exciting content. TalkShoe ensures search engine optimization, and unlimited and free cloud hosting while providing state-of-the-art administrative tools and zero downloads!
The legs upon which your podcast stands on is the dynamic, engaging and original content you deliver. It’s your unique voice and how you use it that will shape your audience. But let’s get real and not forget that it’s 2019. The way listeners, viewers, and your greater audience as a whole digests content is by way of social media, most notably Instagram. Instagram is notorious for its return on investment and when it comes to user engagement, it blows other social media channels out of the water (by a long shot) at a rate of 58 times more engagement per follower than Facebook, and 120 times more engagement per follower than Twitter.
As a podcaster, this affects you in many ways. Firstly, it’s no secret that users rely on mobile to access social media (a staggering 80% in fact), positioning them as a large and valuable part of the market. And with 3G/4G and wifi access available in almost every nook and cranny of day to day life, users can stay online and connected everywhere they go while driving, flying, and who knows, soon enough maybe even underwater!
As a podcaster, this is a dream set-up, offering endless opportunity to touch lives and send your message across. Are you ready to up your game and promote your podcast using Instagram? Let’s go deeper and see how this platform can launch your podcast farther than you ever imagined:
Tell Your Story Using Instagram StoriesThe “Stories” feature connects you with other communities by posting up a snippet of hot and fresh content that disappears after 24 hours. It’s a bite-sized segmented slideshow that can include photos and videos for other users to check you out. For podcasters, this means you can make an announcement when your new episode is out, and when you reach 10,000 followers you can insert a link with a “swipe up” call to action that gives instant access to your podcast. Bingo!
New podcast episode? Putting your link front row and center on your page might seem a little obvious, redundant even. But with a visual medium like Instagram where the text is limited, your episode link stands as the introduction to the rest of your content. Plus, if a user lands on your account and like what you have to offer, it’s a no brainer that offering a direct link to your podcast should be there!
Announce Special Guests On Your PodcastInterviewing an influential individual is valued highly by fans listening in. Leading up to the big day, dropping hints, and making announcements all add to the marketing content you can include on Instagram via posts and stories. And with hashtags and tagging, everything is cross-posted for better aggregation and more excitement!
Promote, promote, promote! The main feature of Instagram is the revolutionary hashtag, so why not create your own? They’re sticky, easy to remember and a thoughtful hashtag has the ability to sum up a big concept into a dozen or so characters! A branded hashtag (think: #Toddcast) can get inserted on all your posts, making them more visible and accessible over a period of time.
To keep eyeballs on your account, your posts and podcasts need to be promoted through videos and clips. Instagram relies on visual energy to keep eyeballs invested and clicking through. When on air, consider snapping behind-the-scenes clips and photos for later use in your Instagram stories or posts. Take a look at TalkShoe’s very own The Todd Shapiro Show. His feed (@iamtoddytickles) and hashtag (#Toddcast) is loaded with photos snapped of him and his guests plus behind-the-scenes video content of his recordings and going live to air. You can even create transcribed mini videos to add interest. Use your phone, or hire someone but don’t forget the value of this much-needed visual aspect.
This is the next step following videos – give people what they want which is more of you! Instagram's IGTV allows you to upload longer, more produced complex videos. Not only can you air your full podcast, approach it from different angles. Based on how you’ve been marketing yourself, you can bring in your audience to see you on a more personal level – take them with you on your next keynote lecture, or into a pre-production meeting.
And of course, content is king. Your visual voice is a reflection of you and your podcast. Staying on brand and crafting content that is aesthetically pleasing to followers will keep them on your page and wanting more.
Let Instagram take your marketing to a whole new level of aesthetic. Once you’ve nailed the beginning, middle and end of your podcast, it’s time to set it free and let it take off. With TalkShoe, all your podcasting needs are met from storage to hosting to production – for free. TalkShoe’s community-building platform has state-of-the-art tools you need to get noticed online before you even take it to social media!
There are hundreds of thousands of blogs on the Internet, each with their own unique voice telling a different story. From mommy to fashion blogs, and every other blog in between about pretty much any topic you can conjure up (gaming, lifestyle, music, etc), if you can think of something to write about, you can find someone to read about it – and now hear about it.
Once you’ve found your niche and audience, establishing a blog can become a serious business. And just like any serious business, the more demand you create, the more you have to supply. These days, if you really want to up the ante on your online business or blog, creating a podcast is the next push to get you there. Incorporating a podcast show can be very advantageous to enhance your blog’s reach while improving website traffic.
Here are a few initial steps to think about before launching a podcast from your blog as painlessly as possible.
It probably is, but there are two things to check. First, technological suitability: A self-hosted WordPress blog with your own domain name is typically the best place to start as plugins that give you accessibility and control over your podcast are much more feasible – feeds, artwork, content delivery, it’s more convenient and effective this way. A blog on WordPress means you’re off to a good start!
Secondly, creative suitability: Successful podcasts stem from a plethora of information while attempting to make the world a better place. Yours should revolve around a concept that can continually include new content and be tailored towards who you are trying to help offering consistently fresh ways of how you’re going to accomplish that. Who are are you speaking to? What problems/solutions will you cover?
An example of abundant creative suitability is the podcast, “Originz” hosted on TalkShoe. It’s geared towards the Renaissance man and woman, discussing broad intellectual topics concerning science and medicine. Dipping into other themes such as language, history, and medicine, host Paul takes his listeners through many different realms with plenty of ripe discussions that ignite curiosity.
Invest in the best tools you can afford, and that includes a microphone and software (assuming you already have a computer). In the beginning, you don’t have to shell out a lot to put forth a quality podcast. Maybe later, as you become more popular and want to experiment with different technical approaches, but until then, spending around $100 on a microphone is a good benchmark to get you going. Check reviews, and make sure you can plug it into your laptop or desktop.
(As for software, you can record using TalkShoe. It’s free, plus you can stream and host – but we’ll come back to this later!)
The back end of your blog needs to be optimized for supporting the audio files that will be embedded into your post. Once you’ve created a few recordings, the next step is to take these sound files and connect them to your blog post. Using an RSS feed, these podcast episodes are picked up and fed to people via notifications through a plugin – all sent automatically! Your sound files live on a hosting site but are accessed through your blog, easily.
4. Do you have some awesome artwork that matches your brand?The artwork that goes with your podcast is likely the first (only) visual component your audience will see and therefore create a connection with. The image needs to be 3000 pixels by 3000 pixels and can be done in Photoshop or Pixelmator. Not a graphic designer? Reach out to designers on 99designs to find a professional who will help bring your vision to life.
Finding a platform that offers one place for all your podcasting needs will save you time, effort and money. A one-stop shop that has storage, streaming, global call-in capabilities and state-of-the-art tools to help you get seen and heard online is your segue into adding your podcast to your blog effectively.
Just don’t forget to spend time promoting your podcast, too. To get people listening, there are few surefire ways to get attention – networking with other podcasters, paying for a mention (advertising on podcasts is cheap and very effective!), building a social media presence and even getting your friends to leave a review, all help to enhance appeal and ultimately, your brand.
Once you’ve recorded even just one episode, you’re able to bring together your blog and podcast seamlessly for a multifaceted user experience. Let TalkShoe take care of the groundwork, setting you up for success with hosting, recording and all the tools you need to creatively pursue your blog and podcast. Learn more here.
What’s stopping your business from starting a podcast? You’re probably thinking, “I don’t have an audience.” Not to worry. This is where you build listenership by appealing to a small but mighty core audience which will eventually give way to a larger one that naturally stays targeted. What’s more, it doesn’t take up much space or cost very much to start. If you have a desk then you have the space for the microphone, computer and podcasting software (Garageband already comes on a Mac!) that are required to get recording! The last thing you need is a good topic to discuss. Once you’ve checked these boxes, it’s time to put words into action and get recording. Here’s why your business needs a podcast:
8. People Dig Podcasts. Period.In its infancy, podcasts were...different. They weren’t radio or video, rather they straddled a limbo between the two that no one could relate to. But that was over a decade ago and now podcasting has become a mega tour de force for businesses, brands, advertisers and more who are looking to speak their truth. Podcasting is the go-to medium if you want to make a difference and get your voice heard.
People will never actually stop reading, however, with so much movement and commuting involved on a day to day basis, it’s far easier to listen. Driving, walking, working out, mowing the lawn, flying overseas – these are all ample opportunities to get into someone’s head literally through their ears!
Podcasts are conversational and you don’t have to go through hundreds of revisions to produce perfection. Little imperfections and improvisation give your podcast authenticity. Even if your business is big and corporate, you can still nail professionalism while throwing down a strategic joke. And if you do need to make a revision? You can re-record and edit. No big deal.
If someone decides they like a podcast, chances are they’ll stick with it. Here’s proof – “The Cultdom Collective” is a podcast hosted by TalkShoe that touches upon everything to do with Doctor Who, sci-fi, fantasy, cult TV, superheroes and all the movies, books, and comics that come with it. With discussions that include reviews, commentaries, interviews and more, it’s no wonder this fan fave has been running for 9 years with over 620 episodes. If you speak it, they will follow!
4. Personality Is MemorableGot a personal brand? Time to add a whole new layer. A logo, slogan and digital presence are critical when establishing yourself, but to be a cut above, it’s your physical voice that will give your brand personality. It’s the cherry on top, really. Personality shines through voice – think about your tone, vocabulary, accent, speaking style, guest choice... these all add to the allure and genuine appeal of your brand.
At this point, you’ve already got your hands in the ‘digital cookie jar’ with emails, sales funnels, social media marketing and more – but with a podcast, this is your chance to become the ultimate digital entrepreneur. It might be weird to be speaking in front of an audience that isn’t physically there, but practicing this skill enables you to be convincing when pitching a business idea; delivering engaging content on a webinar or articulating the right words when closing a big contract.
If you know your audience and customers are opening up your emails, reading your blog posts and registering for your webinars, then getting a podcast running is really just the next step. You can form deeper relationships by creating content, for example, through interviews (aligning yourself with successful people in your niche to build rapport) and case studies (which puts what you teach into play).
Startup Business People Working on Laptop
The beauty of a podcast is that while you might go in with a plan and a script, you will also have nuggets of insight that naturally come up, and can spin off into other content or trigger an additional idea, and so many more possibilities. A podcast can be a content goldmine:
Planning to go forward with a podcast takes practice, patience and a good set up. Let TalkShoe host your business’ podcast from the beginning. With a community-building podcast platform that has all the essential features like free storage, RSS feeds and easy web and phone connection, your business’ voice is just episodes away from being heard. Try it out here.
If you’ve got a podcast or you’re thinking about starting one, guaranteed you’ve heard whispers of the term RSS feed and you’ve seen the symbol on various web pages or Facebook posts (it looks like the wifi symbol fell over on its side and it’s now radiating the arcs on an angle rather than just up).
You probably even know that RSS stands for Rich Site Summary (also referred to as Really Simple Syndication) and you may even know that plenty of news sites, weblogs, Twitter feeds, podcasts and online publishers use an RSS feed to syndicate and get their content read or heard.
But there’s lots more to how an RSS feed works, what it is, why you need it and how to use it to make your podcast a thing of beauty and joy. Not a sound engineer? No problem. Here’s the 411 about RSS feeds written in plain English and drilled down for easy understanding and implementation.
Okay, so first things first – There is a lot of content on the Internet. In fact, that’s an understatement. On YouTube alone, more than 4 million hours of content is uploaded every day, with users watching 5.97 billion hours of YouTube videos each day. And that’s only one website.
So much content, yet so little time! Sorting, reading and consuming relevant content that matters to you can be terribly daunting considering the breadth and depth of the Internet. This is where RSS feeds come in. Rather than the user going to each individual site to check for updates, the updates and new aggregated content to the user which ultimately saves time and patience.
It’s like using Netflix where all the movies are there in one place for your perusal compared to walking into a Blockbuster to see if the new releases are there yet. An RSS feed makes content available for the masses so creators can distribute their blog, posts, articles and podcasts to the audiences who want them the most. It’s mandatory for podcast syndication and distribution and becomes the URL for your show.
Specifically for podcasts, it’s extra important that you create a podcast only RSS feed instead of one that has other content. Unlike a radio or TV show, a DVD or magazine (these describe the media and distribution) a podcast is downloadable episodic multimedia (audio, video, and PDF) that gets syndicated through RSS – no one can hear your podcast without the feed.
Having an RSS feed is kind of a big deal (totally, a big deal!) because it contains all of your podcast’s information including the title, image, description, mp3 file URL, and category. Basically, all the nuts and bolts for your podcast to be distributed outside of your hosting platform so you can broaden your audience reach without them needing to visit you on the regular.
For listeners, an RSS feed removes the heavy lifting of creating an email list and sending out push notifications. It couldn’t be easier. Listeners can stay up-to-date with all of their favorite podcasts right at their fingertips in one podcasting app. No searching for new content required, which makes it easy for podcasters to get new listeners without having to put in a lot of time creating email databases and funnels, or putting out newsletters.
Bonus: you can spark more engagement by using the RSS reader to link back to your website. What’s more – and this is the best part – all your content can live and breathe in one place (the hosting site) while the RSS feed disseminates your show for you – that’s what it’s there for!
Now for the hosting site. Self-hosting is always an option, but if you’re not down to code and aren’t in tune with exactly what’s happening in the industry, a hosting service might be better suited to your needs. Check out Spanish Mustang Radio, an audio journal hosted on TalkShoe’s hosting service (no special tech skills needed!) that discusses everything about and everything to do with Spanish Mustang Horses. Listeners get to hear guest speakers that are breeders, traders, owners, and preservationists who are passionate about the breed discuss stories and personal histories.
As with any show, specifications and technology shift so a hosting site that’s able to ebb and flow and is designed for end-users, is what will help you get noticed. Your feed is the groundwork for your show to be built upon. Choosing the right hosting service will ensure your podcast grows and your audience multiplies. While you’re responsible for the content, a good hosting service is responsible for packaging your content well.
Take a look at TalkShoe where it’s super easy to produce, stream, record and share via RSS feed. TalkShoe takes the guesswork out because your podcast comes with a built-in feed that connects to iTunes and other sharing sites. With a simple code provided upon sign up, your podcast gets to live across multiple channels and you don’t even need to be a technical genius. It’s really that straight forward.
