PodMov Daily: Tuesday, January 11

Episode 348: Testing, One Two-sday

Landing Guests: Advice from a Full-Time Podcast Publicist

According to writer and podcaster Jenna Spinelle, luck has little to do with perfect show/guest pairings: “[…] Chances are, there’s someone like Mariah Dwyer behind the scenes making those magic connections happen.” Dwyer, a full-time podcast booker at Fortier Public Relations, reveals some inside tips of the trade.

Before the official guest search, it’s essential for podcasters to present a clear picture of their reach. “Authors and publicists love numbers,” Dwyer told Spinelle. Numbers tell us how many people listen to you and is a persuasive key to getting authors on board.” Smaller, well-publicized shows may be attractive to niche guests.

Dwyer’s goal is to collect as many details as possible: “My advice for podcasters out there, please don’t be offended when a podcast booker is asking you for your show status. Podcast booking is a new world and, beyond sites like Chartable, your reach is unclear.” Hosts, here’s one more reason to build a press kit.

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In German Podcasting, “People Support Other People”

A year after launching a membership club, the German podcast production company Viertausendhertz (Four Thousand Hertz) is tweaking the model. According to co-founder Christian Conradi, through soliciting feedback the team has “learned that people support other people, not so much companies or brands.” 

The membership idea had minimal risk at the outset. “In Germany, podcasting support via donations and micropayments (Paypal, Flattr) was already established years ago,” Conradi says. “In the context of a podcast label that finances itself with advertising, we found it inappropriate to ask our listeners for money as well.”

The club has plenty of perks, like special versions of each podcast. One year in, listeners reported unsurprisingly that “they would rather listen to more content from existing formats than exclusive club content.” Though support is now ‘advertised’ as an opportunity rather than a benefit, annual pledges are going strong.

Memberful: Smarter Podcast Memberships

For podcasters, a strong community and stronger revenue are the dream. Memberful makes it easier than ever to have both. Used by the web’s biggest creators, Memberful is the convenient, safe, and intuitive way to sell memberships to your audience.

There are no hidden steps with Memberful: Just connect your Stripe account, add your podcast, and your listeners can subscribe immediately. Plus, Memberful integrates seamlessly with your favorite tools and works with your existing podcast hosting, so there's no need to change your workflow.

Your listeners already love your content. With Memberful’s features, like custom branding, gift subscriptions, Apple Pay, and free trials, you have even more tools to keep them tuned in. Ready for deeper connections and revenue to match? Get started for free — no credit card required.

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Here's what else is going on:

• Step forward: Tomorrow from 12–1:00 pm EST, the Webby Awards and Podcast Movement are presenting this year’s Webby Talk. For “Overwrite Tomorrow,” speakers will focus on how the global pandemic created an indispensable Internet, and ignited the urgency to build a better future.

• Out loud: “Clubhouse can be a fantastic discovery tool for podcasters,” says Cookery by the Book creator Suzy Chase. She offers tips for engaging on the new audio-based social platform, including how to present yourself and add value to discussion ‘rooms.’ The app is in private beta.

• Just asking: Listener surveys are ideal for fine-tuning podcast growth, says School of Podcasting founder Dave Jackson. One important question to ask is what other shows and platforms they’re into: “By knowing where your audience is you can go to where they are and make friends.”

• Tall order: “I think the Podcast Academy has a lot of potential,” says Podcamp Media founder Dusty Weis. “The industry is going to have to answer some very big questions about its future,” as well as about standards, ethics, and business models. Weis projects that TPA may be the right forum.