Podcast Help Desk

This is the first post on the new Podcast User blog.  This website is going to be the home page for the Podcast User blog, Podcast and YouTube channel. I will be doing reviews of podcast apps, Podcast listening platforms and technology that podcast listeners care about.

The plan is to do demo and reviews of Podcast Apps, Directories and Networks. Also some how-tos and podcast history articles. All from the listener side of things.

Thanks for checking out Podcast User!

When do you know it’s time to call it quits on a podcast?

What do you do after killing the show?

Podcast Movement Review 

Website caching.  Getting a bit geeky. 

This podcast is posted on PodcastHelpDesk.com.  Go there and subscribe!

I will be back in September 2021.  Be sure to check out PodcastInsider.com for weekly podcasting content.

I had the opportunity to talk to Dave Jones from Podcast Index and the Podcasting 2.0 show about PodPing and other podcasting stuff.

We talked about the comments we made about PodPing on the Podcast Insider show with Angelo Mandato, CIO of RawVoice Inc. / Blubrry Podcasting. Also a lot of other podcast related things. It was a fun conversation for sure!

Also, be sure to check out NewPodcastApps.com for all the Podcasting 2.0 powered apps and things out there.

This podcast is posted on PodcastHelpDesk.com.  Go there and subscribe!

content:encoded tag –

Today I talk about Episode Notes tags  (Show Notes).  This is part 1 of an experiment.  Please email me mike@mikedell.com and let me know what app or apps you see this in and what tags (at the top of this text) you see and where.

This is a LINK to something cool.

https://mikedell.com

This podcast is posted on PodcastHelpDesk.com.  Go there and subscribe!

One thing you can always say about how podcasting works, it’s always changing.  The last couple of weeks it seems that there is a sort of shift in how it works on basic levels.  Or, does it work the same and only some apps are changing?

What do we indie podcasters have to do to insure our shows remain free of gatekeepers and the cancel culture?

This podcast is posted on PodcastHelpDesk.com.  Go there and subscribe (or Follow)!

Apple announced “Subscriptions” after changing the name of subscribing to a free podcast to “Follow”.  We have more details about that system.  Today I will attempt to tell you, technically, how this is going to work and what it will not do.

Apple announced a lot of other things in both the Tim Cook public announcement and in the Briefing that podcast hosting companies go to go to after that announcement.

This podcast is posted on PodcastHelpDesk.com.  Go there and subscribe and/or Follow!

I put on my Grumpy Old Man hat on today.  Here are the top 10 things that bug me about podcasting and podcasters these days…

10. WordPress.com is NOT the same as WordPress.org.

9. People that use “POD” to mean Podcast.

8. Companies that want to change the word “Subscribe” to Follow.

7. No Tech Support for some podcast directories and apps.  They blame the podcast hosting companies for any issues.

6. So-called Podcast Consultants.

5. Podcasters that focus too much on one platform.

4. People who think Apple and others can do no wrong.

3. People that say they know how many Subscribers (or followers) they have total.  It’s an unknowable stat for the most part.

2. BAD ad insertion in podcasts.

1. YouTubers saying they have a PODCAST on YouTube.

Bonus: Of course, Spotify.

This podcast is posted on PodcastHelpDesk.com.  Go there and subscribe!

I love it when people correct me! Andy Lehman tells me all about what I didn’t get quite right about the Podcast Namespace.

Andy is the guy that does the Podcast Namespace WordPress Plugin, an Add-on to PowerPress to add more namespace tags to your RSS feed.   –  https://github.com/Lehmancreations/Podcast-Namespace-Wordpress-Plugin 

Andy also does a podcast called Dudes and Dads Podcast – https://dudesanddadspodcast.com/ 

We had  a great chat.

** The Podcast Namespace is a project of podcastindex.org

Andy’s plugin adds (or improves) the following tags:

If you get value from this plugin and want to toss a few dollars my way you can support the podcast I produce and Host, via paypal Support me

To install this Plugin, you have to download the zip file here: https://github.com/Lehmancreations/Podcast-Namespace-Wordpress-Plugin/releases/tag/v1.3 and side-load it by following these steps.

You will find the channel level tags in the WordPress settings > Podcast namespace menu.

This podcast is posted on PodcastHelpDesk.com.  Go there and subscribe!

In the history of podcasting, there have been a few Namespaces added to RSS to make podcasting work.  Apple added the namespace, Google added the namespace and even Blubrry added the namespace.  Now there is a new one done by independent podcasters,...

Today I want to go back to the REAL basics of how podcasting works.   So, without going into a history lesson,  podcasting has worked the same way since it started  16 years ago.  (some say longer). 

Why would build your podcast on someone else's platform when you can build your own?

In 2020, the podcast industry added over 1 million shows.  Out of 1.7 million shows listed on Apple, 60% (ish) are inactive. 

Here is what I do. I do more show prep.  It seems I get more motivated to podcast if I do show prep on a show I'm about to record. 

There are lots of apps you can use to play podcasts.   As a podcaster I'm sure you are also a podcast listener.  Here is my top 6 (in reverse order of use).

RSS is what powers podcasting.  In fact, this is why podcasting even exists. The enclosure tag in RSS2 allows you to “attach” a media file. Mainly an MP3 but you can also attach just about any media like a video file, a PDF or ebook file.

Podcast Index: "Lets preserve podcasting as a platform for free speech!"

I failed miserably at completing the NaPodPoMo 30 episodes in 30 days this year.  OH well,  Such is life getting in the way.  The Good News and part of the "big" announcement I teased is this show is going 2 times weekly starting on Dec. 16, 2020.  

I'm not only a podcaster, but an avid podcast listener.  I have something like 30 shows that I subscribe to plus I listen to a lot of one-off shows that I don't subscribe to.   Here is my top 8 (as of late November 2020) Also, not in Rank order.

Keeping it simple makes it easy for you to produce your podcast and not worry about waisting a lot of time if you don't have a lot of time.  

YES, I really did just say don't look at your stats for 3 months! THIS MEANS YOU!

So, who exactly is your show for?    - When you try to make a podcast for EVERYONE, you really are making a show for NOBODY.  

There are many things about a podcast that a podcaster needs to know even if you don't do everything for your show.  A lot of indie podcasters do everything.  Prep, Talent, Recording, Editing, Producing, Publishing, Booking guests and ALL of it.

As a Podcaster, your RSS Feed is your connection to the world for your podcast.  The transmitter for your "Radio Station".  Your RSS feed address is just like a "Frequency" Like "101.9 FM".  

Do you use ID3 tags? If not, no worries. It's only used in very unique circumstances.

There are reasons you might want to number your episodes in the title of your post. Also, there are reasons you might not want to.

We talked yesterday about why you need a website.  Here are my top 6 web hosting platforms and why (Plus a few I don't recommend). 

Do you need a website for your podcast?  YES! Here are my 5 reasons.

Do you do advertising in your show?  Do you WANT to do advertising in your show? 

I don't care how you listen to Podcast Help Desk.  I just want you to listen. 

How long should your Podcast Episode be? Only as long as it needs to be to get what you want to say, said. Period.

Do you need good shownotes? Yes, you should put SOMETHING for the search engines to find.

Today I talk about keeping your podcast simple.  Simple to use, simple to subscribe, simple to produce, simple to post and keeping the website easy to manage.  Complicated always turns out to be harder than simple. 

I go into the history of Podcast Help Desk and why I am doing #NaPodPoMo in 2020. - This podcast is posted on PodcastHelpDesk.com.  Go there and subscribe!

I I will be joining with a bunch of other podcasters this year doing National Podcast Post Month in November. That is 30 episodes in 30 days for the entire month of November. - This will be the 4th or 5th time trying it for me.

Free Speech,Spotify, Podcast Index, REAL podcast apps and more on today's show!

I'm doing an experiment for Show Notes. This text is typed in the Description tag.

Just a quick note to let you know I will no longer be on Spotify with this show. IF you are listening there, please go to podcasthelpdesk.com and resubscribe using another platform by September 7th, 2020. - Thank You! -  

I took my portable setup on a walk in the woods in a industrial park. I talked about RSS, big shows vs. Indie shows, Joe Rogan's deal with Spotify and a bunch more. - Recorded using a dynamic clip on microphone from Shure.

The results are in!  Thank you for those that reported what you saw in your app of choice. - I put different images in different places. I put a Green logo image in the ID3 tags (embedded in the mp3 file),

In today's episode I am testing what episode artwork shows up in which apps and directories again.   Things are changing and I want to see what apps show which artowrk. -   - I have an RSS image for this episode with blue type,

In today's episode I am testing what episode artwork shows up in which apps and directories again.   Things are changing and I want to see what apps show which artowrk. -   - I have an RSS image for this episode with blue type,

I am going to leave PodcastHelpDesk active.  Just going on 'indefinite Hiatus"  or "once in a while" mode.    So no expectations of an episode every week or even every month, but I will put stuff in this feed once in a while.    Stay subscribed! -

Looking for some help here.  What do you think I should do with this podcast?   I am not consistent (as you can tell) and I want to pair down the number of shows I feel obligated to do. - Should I leave it online and just let it podfade and exist?

What is going to happen to podcasting in 2020? Who knows, but i make some predictions and ramble about podcast topics at random in this informal Podcast Help Desk episode. - Catch me on Evo's Podcast Pontifications as the Guest-host. -

Typed into the 'iTunes' Subtitle box

Every part of my studio, other than the mic boom and cable is new.  The Rodecaster Pro has replaced a whole rack of stuff.  I gush about how much Love this thing.  It may not be perfect but man-o-man does it make things a bunch easier for most average ...

A quick update of what is going on with Podcast Help Desk and Blubrry. Will be at Podcast Movement with "Podcast Help Desk" office hours.  Stop by the booth if you need some help with your show's tech.

Today I go through what I'm using currently for podcast production.   Here is the list: - Mackie 1202VLZ4 Mixer Behringer Composter PRO XL 2 channel Compressor, Limiter, Gate Denon DN-300R Rack Mount Digital Recorder Heil PL-2T Boom