PodMov Daily: Friday, July 19

Episode 4: First Friday Freshness

Making a First Im-press-ion: Press Tips for Podcasters

Our guest article for this first Friday is one we’ve been excited to share. Elena Fernández Collins is a podcast critic, reporter, and forensic sociolinguist. Wil Williams is a podcast reviewer, consultant, and former audio editor. Together, they’ve written an anxiety-assuaging roundtable piece on talking to the press.

Podcasters have to get the word out about their shows, but dealing with the press is something many are unfamiliar with. Being members of the press themselves, these talented critics explain why and how to communicate your creation to the world. They get specific on common mistakes made by podcasters, including hammering reporters with unhelpful emails. Putting your show on the map doesn’t have to be an ordeal: take it from these two. You’ll be glad you did.

Internal Podcasts: Painless Employee Outreach

Branded podcasts, or “original podcasts with brands,” have been popularized in recent years, with companies like Trader Joe’s and Slack releasing their own content. Listeners don’t necessarily have to be product superfans to enjoy them as long as they’re well made. Inside Trader Joe’s and Slack Variety Pack are known for their beyond-the-brand forays into storytelling and human interest.

The success of some of these shows has been surprising: Who knew that quality alone could overcome listeners’ wariness of what could easily be an overlong commercial? Now, a new type of show begets a similar question. Can quality overcome fears of a department meeting in podcast form? Internal podcasts, or privately distributed podcasts meant for a company’s employees, are on the rise.

American Airlines is one company giving this idea a shot, and it seems to be going well. The internal podcast Tell Me Why, hosted by Vice President of Global Communications Ron DeFeo, publishes several brief episodes per month. It does what the title indicates, illuminating corporate policies for employees. 122,000 of them reported via survey that they wanted more information on issues like routes, uniforms, and emotional support animals on board. Pacific Content produces and makes a strong case for internal podcasts, pointing out that they may actually prevent unnecessary meetings.

From functions like new-hire onboarding to learning and development, these episodes offer employees the chance to listen on their own time. The control to repeat or skip information alone makes personalized learning much simpler. Another key factor is that a podcast is not an email or a video. (We can hear employees’ sighs of relief from here.) Larger companies with high-traffic communication are seeing the benefits of this unlikely victory, and we’re paying attention.

Blubrry and Stagepass Partnership: Auctioned Experiences

Blubrry Podcasting, one of the biggest players in podcast hosting, has become the first to partner with Austin, TX-based Stagepass. Over 100,000 podcasters and shows use Blubrry, which offers monetization options like affiliate advertising and dynamic ad insertion. Many podcasters earn partial or full income through these services, but the options have just expanded significantly in an unexpected direction.

Stagepass is an unusual model borne of the gig economy, with a refreshing twist. According to its website, the company was developed with “the purpose of helping creative people become financially stable so that they can pursue their creative passions full-time.” Sounds like a tall order, but for especially extroverted podcasters, it may be an all-around win. The premise of Stagepass is that creatives like podcasters can auction off experiences to their fans. These experiences may be an inside look at a production editing session, a guest appearance on an episode, or even a game of racquetball. Right now, one can bid on a 30-minute conversation with founder Thom Hart at an Austin Brewery.

Time will tell how the Blubrry-Stagepass partnership shakes out, but both parties are confident about its future. “With podcasting probably being the most intimate medium of consumption, it’s very intuitive to think that this should be one of the first places for Stagepass to pursue,” Hart says in a blog post. “We believe that Stagepass experiences have more potential than sponsors and membership monetization methods.” Blubrry’s post on the new feature claims that “audiences don’t necessarily want more, exclusive content, they want to participate and interact with their favorite hosts.”

Ambassador Keeton is Tweetin'

Sharing is caring, and free stuff is the best. Especially when you can spread educational joy, and the stuff is exclusive PodMov Ambassador gear. If you’re subscribed to our newsletter, you’ll see a URL at the bottom of the email. That right there is your unique referral link that earns you points when your friends use it to hop on our list. Refer one and you’ll be eligible. Three? You’re in! B.J. Keeton, host of The Geek to Geek podcast, recently shared some wise words via Twitter:

We think you’re awesome, too, B.J.! Thanks for the support, and we can’t wait to see you in Orlando. Visit his Twitter for the link! And, since we’re talking Twitter: #belikeBJ

Love,

Tearm PM

Here's what else is going on:

• Keeping your podcast sponsors: Finding them is hard enough, but sustaining relationships takes finesse. Sticking to the talking points, reexamining audience targets, and paying attention to sponsors’ activity are just a few pearls of wisdom that can prevent communication breakdown.
• Spreaker Studio offers new editing options: The on-the-go software update allows users to trim and crop saved drafts and imported files. Prerecorded audio can be imported, edited, and then published when finished. The effect is described as “live feel with a polished edge.”
• How to talk into a microphone: Seriously. Revisiting this basic audio skill is worth your while with these well-explained tips. This introduction/refresher offers specific instructions and explanations, plus a hilarious mention of the Ying Yang Twins (2003 time warp!) No more asking, “Is this thing on?”
• Audioboom’s making bank: In the first 6 months of 2019, total revenue increased 171% over this time last year. The United States makes up most of the market, but UK presence is growing. Between new offices and adjustment of financial packages, the only publicly traded podcast company is growing fast. If you’ll be at PM19, make sure to find them for a hearty “high five”!