The Why

Podcasts have grown so popular in the past few years that they now cover every topic under the sun, from technology to comedy, from family fun to business. And it’s no wonder so many people choose this medium to amplify their message—podcasts are a quick, portable, and oftentimes free way to reach an audience and spread your opinions and thoughts.

They’re also a valuable tool in growing your platform and diversifying your content, so if you have something to say, you should consider recording it in a podcast. A simple Google search reveals that several thousands of people have chosen to take that route.

Luckily for you, the hardest part of making a podcast isn’t in the technicalities. The difficulty comes in cutting through the clutter and reaching your intended audience. To do so, it is vital that you provide quality content and execute your podcast in a way that intrigues the public. Whether your intention is to put together a series or a one-time recording, a simple tool like an outline will help you gather your thoughts and keep you on-topic. Other things that you should keep in mind while brainstorming your podcast’s content include the following:

•  Make sure your objective is clear and your content differentiated.

• Let your personality show. If you want to grow your audience, your listeners have to feel like they’re getting to know you.

• Keep a steady pace. Don’t rush through what you have to say. If you want to go longer than the typical thirty- to sixty-minute runtime of a podcast, split it into two podcasts.

• Consider fielding questions through email or social media and then addressing them in future podcasts or in other content you produce. Use the podcast to familiarize yourself with the kinds of questions your audience wants answered and the kind of content they find helpful.

The How

While recording and broadcasting may seem like a daunting undertaking, there are several resources that provide software and instructions to record, broadcast, and market your podcast (quite a few of which are free). The easiest way to jump into the world of podcasting is to employ one of these resources and start recording.

Here’s a selection of services you can use to help you with your podcast:

Audacity is an open-source program that has many sound recording and editing capabilities. It allows you to record voice tracks, include music in your recording, and edit and manipulate what you have recorded. Audacity.sourceforge.net

Podbean is a one-stop shop for podcasting. You can use it to create and host your podcast, and it also offers special features like statistics, an iTunes preview, and opportunities to generate revenue from your podcast. Podbean.com

BlogTalkRadio is marketed toward users that want to create their own radio station. If you are looking to host a long-running series and are willing to buy into one of their packages, this may be a good option for your podcast. BlogTalkRadio offers features such as show scheduling, live interaction with your audience, and podcast hosting. BlogTalkRadio.com

All three of these services provide an easy-to-use interface and instructions that will walk you through the production of your podcast. You can also get a detailed how-to at Podcasting News.

The Who

After all the technicalities of the production of the podcast have been tied up, you will need to upload your file to a hosting site. The hosting site will be the place where people can go and listen to your podcast. The site will also provide you with a link that you can share on your website and through your social media channels. If the service you choose to produce your podcast includes hosting services, you shouldn’t have any problems following the instructions provided. If you choose to use software, like Audacity, that does not include hosting capabilities, you will need to choose a website that best fits your hosting needs.

There are several sites that can host your podcast. Most hosting sites will give you a small amount of bandwidth for free with a simple registration. If you’re aiming to produce a series, you may need a larger amount of space than is provided and need to pay a small fee. Figure out how much bandwidth each of your shows will take up and then gauge which site offers the best deal for you.

Here are some podcast-hosting services:

Easy Podcast takes you through three steps that get your podcast tagged, set up with a customizable RSS feed, and uploaded to your website.

Libsyn offers different amounts of monthly storage at different prices. If you’re looking for professional help in managing your podcast, they also offer a service called LibsynPro.

For maximum exposure, submit your podcast to search engines and podcast subscribing sites. The resources mentioned below are all great ways to market your podcast.

iTunes provides access to thousands upon thousands of podcasts and is one of the most popular destinations for podcast listeners. Because iTunes has established itself as a go-to destination for podcasting, there is an approval process and stipulations that need to be followed in order for your submission to be complete. For a complete rundown of how to get your podcast on iTunes, check out its FAQ for podcast makers.

Feed Shark operates by “pinging” services that target blogs, RSS feeds, and podcast promoters to spread the word about your podcast. It’s an efficient, easy way to reach out to a large number of sources.

Podcast Alley is a podcast directory as well as a wonderful resource for viewing tutorials and accessing information on podcasts. The site will index your podcast and make the link available to people searching for the particular topic or genre your podcast falls under.

Happy podcasting!

Writers are an enthusiastic and passionate bunch, but when it comes to marketing, we see more confused faces, blank stares, and resistance than in any other industry. It's easy to be idealistic about writing a book, but when it comes down to it, publishing is a business, and authors who want to sell books need to be on top of marketing. To offer some guidance on the topic, here are the top five mistakes we see authors make in their marketing efforts.

#1 Not Doing Any Marketing at All

The worst thing you can do as an author is nothing. Publishers and bookstores alike are concerned about bottom lines and profit margins. They won’t risk their money on a title with no marketing support. Even if you do manage to get it into bookstores, if you don’t drive people in to buy your book, you may be stuck with hundreds of returns as the books that never sell make their way back to the warehouse (leaving you looking like a dud not worth publishing again). In many cases, you have roughly three months from the date of publication to prove the strength of your title. If it doesn’t move, you can say goodbye bookstore and hello backlist.

#2 Waiting Until They’re Published

Everyone wants a bestseller. Did you know that bestseller status is based on velocity of sales and not on the total amount of sales? That velocity is built largely on preorders from retail stores? Retail stores start making their purchase decisions as many as six months before the date of publication, which means you have to prove you have the followers before you even have a book. You need to start building your author platform now. It takes three months to get traction, six months to see results, and a good year to build up a decent platform. Don’t wait.

#3 Expecting the Publisher to Do It All for Them

Again, publishing is a business. If you go out and start a business, you don't expect the bank who fronts the loan to do marketing for you. Publishers take on titles based on the assumption that you will actively sell your book, and they are expecting you to deliver. Even though this can be frustrating, it’s your career hanging in the balance if the book doesn't sell.

#4 Automating Everything

Too many people—not just authors—think that marketing is automated content. It’s not. I’m all for re-purposing content and streamlining processes, but a constant stream of one-way ads and promotional posts is a cop-out. Today’s market demands engagement. They want direct access to the real you in real time. Don’t set your marketing on cruise control.

#5 Not Making It Professional

Last but not least, too many authors plop a DIY website with no content and a few weak profiles on the Internet and attend one writer’s conference and call that being a professional author. You have to dress for success, and your marketing materials have to be up to snuff. You need to invest in professional websites, vibrant materials, and a professional appearance so you always make a great first impression. Any author with the intention of getting into Barnes & Noble should expect to spend at least $5,000 to $10,000 on marketing.

If you are an aspiring author, I implore you to take heed and put some thought and money into your marketing. To succeed in retail, you need great marketing in addition to a great book. Don’t leave it up to chance!

Shennandoah Diaz is president of Brass Knuckles Media, an uncensored PR & Marketing firm catering to creatives and the avant garde. Passionate about education, Diaz empowers creatives by sharing articles and teaching workshops on marketing, social media, and publishing. Learn more at www.brassknucklesmedia.com or at www.shennandoahdiaz.com.

As an author, you’ve probably been told you should be blogging. Blogs are an excellent way to engage your audience and establish yourself as an authority figure. Still, many find the idea of blogging overwhelming and the actual process of writing blog posts almost unbearable. But with a little bit of planning, a few shortcuts, and some tips from the blogosphere, you can be posting and engaging with readers in no time. Here is our five-part series on blogging to help you get started:

Part One: To Blog or Not to Blog (why you should blog)

Part Two: A Blog Without a Cause (what to blog about)

Part Three: Taming the Blog Monster (managing your blog)

Part Four: The Blog Without a Name (promoting your blog)

Part Five: Blog Vital Signs (tracking your progress)

Now that you’ve set up your blog, developed your content, and shared your posts, you’re probably wondering why you’re doing this in the first place? Does it really help you sell books?

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: Blogs are one of the best ways to create a community of followers. Still, you want to know your time is worth it and that your efforts are working, so it’s best to track your blog statistics. Luckily, there are a couple of free tools out there that make it easy to do so.

Google Analytics:

This free tool from Google lets you track how many visitors come to your site, how they are finding you, and what content they are viewing most. This is a great way to see what’s working, what’s not, and how well you are doing.

Spredfast:

Spredfast is a social media dashboard that lets you post and manage multiple media channels from one portal. There are several packages available, but you will need to contact them directly for pricing as it varies on a case by case basis. The depth of reporting changes with each package, but even the basic package lets you see which users are sharing your posts, how many people are viewing them, and what your total engagement with your audience is like.

How do you use these stats?

1. Share impressive numbers with your publicist or publisher to show demand.
2. Identify which content people are interested in—or not interested in—so you can adjust new information to meet those needs.
3. Track how offline trends affect online trends.
4. Work with your publicist to improve your overall marketing strategy.

Check the stats frequently so you can easily see the correlation between trends and content and adjust accordingly. Above all, don’t get so caught up in numbers that you ignore what people are actually telling you. Comments, also, are a great way to track your progress and get ideas for new content and books.

The digital world of books is changing fast, and the tools available are growing by the minute. One cool tool we recently came across is a concept from Japan that turns an iPhone into an interactive reading experience for children. The video below demonstrates this new concept of an interactive device inside a physical book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ-oQihxBws&feature=player_embedded

This application is available on Amazon.co.jp and a couple of other stores such as Rakuten and 7netshopping. The application sells for about $30 and as of now is only available in Japan. It actually debuted last year, but only recently hit the market. It may take several more months for it to reach American stores.