Very simple, concise, and clear. I’m following your instructions, and should be (god help us) a podcaster soon. Just what the world needed…

Ian, thanks for making this so simple.

By Walter Feigenson on 11.17.08 9:08 pm

Additional resources for intro/outtro music – royalty-free, no-charge sound files to clip for the opening and closing of your podcast:

http://www.publicdomain4u.com/

http://www.royaltyfreemusic.com/free-music-resources.html

http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/collections.php

http://www.pond5.com/

And last but not least istockphoto – the well-known stock photography site – has a whole series of audio files. Not free, the pieces cost $5-25 each. But there is a vast range of audio on the site. There are collections of files for themes in these ‘lightboxes’ or search by keyword for the sound you need:

http://www.istockphoto.com/audio

Just heard (10/28/11) that Vimeo has a Music Store licensing thousands of tracks for videos and podcasts.

Another low-fee resource:

http://www.productiontrax.com/music.php

And another recommended site:

http://www.arthurstead.com/About_Us.htm

Another route you could go is “public domain” anything created before 1923 is in the public domain so most classical music, hymns, and things like that, but new music can be released to the public domain for anyone to use how they see fit. A simple google search will render thousands of sites with public domain music, video, and images.

By Ian on 02.25.09 2:25 pm

Important guidelines on the necessity of licensing music for podcasts or presentations.

By Ian on 10.26.11 3:53 pm

Check out Pat Flynn’s impressive resource on podcasting.

By Ian on 12.05.14 12:33 pm

Useful list of podcast apps in the Friday Dec 12, 2014 Financial Times. These are recommended “to improve your listening experience, help you find new podcasts and manage them into playlists”

Overcast: Best for beginners. Suggests podcasts people in your Twitter stream listen to. iOS only.

Instacast: Best for free. iOS only.

Castro: Best design. For aficionados of a minimalist approach. iOS only.

Stitcher: Best for personalization. Browse new or trending shows based on your preferences. iOS and Android.

Pocket Casts: Best overall. iOS and Android.

By Ian on 12.13.14 9:32 pm

Impressive charts and stats on the continued growth of podcasting.

By Ian on 03.11.15 1:00 pm

I’m a big fan of the NPR Planet Money podcasts. Here’s a guide to how to take their approach to podcasting and storytelling.

By Ian on 04.20.15 10:19 am

Here’s a free course on podcasting.

By Ian on 05.01.15 6:07 am

New York Times reports on the increasing popularity of podcasting: 17% of Americans had listened to one in Feb 2015.

By Ian on 07.01.15 7:12 am

Thanks to NSA member Shep Hyken for this list of podcasting tips that he noted from Cliff Ravenscrapt’s session “Podcasting: 9 Questions to Ask to Help Design a Successful Podcast Blueprint” at the Social Media Marketing World:

Interesting stat: 80% of podcasters never make it past the 7th episode.

1. What is the purpose of your podcast? Why do you want to create the show? Credibility? Positioning as a thought leader or authority figure? More exposure? This is the beginning of the WHY behind the podcast.
2. What goals do you hope to accomplish? Some of this may include the WHY, such as getting more credibility, exposure, etc. Can any of these be measured? How many subscribers would make me happy? Will it make me money?
3. What is your niche focus? Consider a title that closely ties to the niche. The niche focus is what will get your listeners to want to listen to every episode.
4. Who is the target audience? Who wants to hear everything I have to say? Be specific. Is it an individual with special interests, a corporate title at a company (C-Suite, manager, etc.), an age range, etc.?
5. How often will I publish new content — or a new show? Cliff suggests consistent weekly podcasts. Every week, on time, etc. IMPORTANT: SAME TIME!
6. What is the target length of each episode? Perfect length, according to Cliff, is 20–40 minutes. Keep in mind that average commute time is 26 minutes.
7. What is the name of your podcast? Does it reflect what the show is about? If it doesn’t, have a tag line to describe it. Start with the most boring descriptive title and work from there. (Example: Customer Service Podcast)
8. What is the one-paragraph description of your podcast? The description should be a sales pitch. What is your CLEAR message?
9. What format will you use? Solo-hosted, co-hosted, panel discussion, interview-based?

By Ian on 05.06.16 12:59 pm

A new service Podcast Guests connects podcasters with experts, authors, and other podcasters to be guests on their podcasts.
https://postaga.com/guest-podcasting/

By Ian on 05.11.16 7:29 am

Amazing resource from NPR. Transom.org filled with tips & techniques on podcasting and radio:

Transom is a performance space, an open editorial session, an audition stage, a library, and a hangout. Our purpose is to pass the baton of mission and good practice in public media through tools, philosophy, and technique.

By Ian on 12.26.16 4:53 pm

Here’s a fascinating story of one man’s growth as a podcaster.

Podcasting lets me tell stories that cannot be told in any other medium. It let me create a community that would not have formed around video or print. Podcasting has been financially rewarding and an amazing tool for networking and building a personal brand.

By Ian on 05.13.19 4:40 pm

Eduard Klein takes a detailed look at podcasting in 18+ Best Podcast Hosting Sites 2020 – Fresh & Trendy. The article covers a wide range of topics:

• What Is Podcast Hosting And Who Needs It?
• How Can I Find The Best Podcast Hosting?
• What To Look For In Podcast Hosting Services
• What is the Best Podcast Hosting?
• Extra: Professional Podcast Editing Services
• Which Podcast Hosting Service Is Right For My Business?
• Is There Free Podcast Hosting I Can Use?
• Podcast Distribution On Directories
• The Best Podcast Equipment For Recording
• Free Podcast Recording Software
• How to Enhance Results and Convert Listeners into Customers

By Ian on 12.31.19 7:08 am

Anastasia has listed a baker’s dozen (and some) of 13+ Best Podcast Hosting Sites and Platforms for 2020 (Free & Paid) which claims “50% of households in the US being podcast fans” — that certainly wasn’t the case back in 2008 when I wrote ‘Podcasting 101’. She lists the top reasons to podcast:

1. What is Podcast Hosting?
2. What are the Best Podcast Hosting Sites?
3. What are the Best Free Podcast Hosting Sites?
4. How Do I Choose the Best Podcast Hosting Site?
5. What Are Podcast Directories?
6. What Podcast Platforms Should I Publish My Podcast On?
7. What is the Best Podcast Equipment I Need for My Show?
8. What is the Best Podcast Software to Record My Episodes?
9. The Best Reasons Why You Should Have Your Own Podcast
10. 7 Useful Steps to Start a Podcast.
11. Podcast Hosting FAQ.
12. Wanna Start a Podcast? Remember This

This is an excellent resource for anyone who is curious about the nuts and bolts of podcasting. Recommended.

I loved this slide she shared from Jay Baer

By Theboss on 09.04.20 12:19 pm

Chris from Descript shares tips on How to Record a Podcast Remotely And Get It Right The First Time.

Descript is a tool that addresses a range of tasks from meeting notes transcription to multitrack audio & video editing.

By Ian on 09.28.20 12:23 pm

Use the software Audext to convert podcast audio to text https://audext.com. I use every day to convert all of my voice, video, and audio files to text. 

By Jordon Montes on 01.17.23 3:19 am