Podcast Production and Marketing

Here are the slides for a presentation I gave this week at Social Media FTW Conference in Portland, Maine

(I currently speak on creative marketing, social media, creative career development, new media production, podcasting, photography, on-line video production, web technologies and on-line marketing. If you have an event coming up and would like me to cover these or related topics, drop me an email at frank@fmstudio.com)

http://www.franklinmcmahon.com
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Podcast Production and Marketing – Presentation Transcript

Podcast Production and Marketing • Franklin McMahon frank@fmstudio.com www.fmstudio.com www.FranklinMcMahon.com twitter.com @franklinmcmahon facebook.com/franklinmcmahon

Podcast Highlights • Media Artist Secrets • Rumor Girls • Creative Cow • Women of YouTube • ShowGirls • Secrets of Second Life • Mary and Karla Show

• Featured on ABC-TV in Boston (Chronicle), BBC News (The Money Programme) Wired (Wired.com). • Sirius satellite radio and Computer Arts Magazine / Podcast Awards – Media Artist Secrets, ShowGirls • Franklin featured in Podcasting books: • “Podcasting Pocket Guide” by Kirk McElhearn (O’Reilly) • “Promoting Your Podcast” by Jason Van Orden • “Tricks of the Podcasting Masters” by Rob Walch (QUE)

• I produce my own productions as well as podcasts for clients – I develop show ideas and work with companies to extend their brand through podcasting • Podcast sponsors – Shell, Splenda, Marie Claire, BBC America, Tylenol PM, Sony Pictures, McDonalds, Covergirl

• Rumor Girls 5th most downloaded Podcast of 2006 • 1) ABC World News 2) Keith and The Girl 3) X-Play 4) CNN The Grist 5) Rumor Girls 6) ESApod 7) ICONS Democracy Now! 9) Diggnation 10) TED Talks • Most popular podcasts I produce are Rumor Girls, Women of YouTube, Creative Cow and Media Artist Secrets • Also produced Rumor Girls Uncut, Rumor Girls HD, Rumor Girls Diaries

• Podcasting is a huge market untapped by many, it is an incredible way to get your message and your brand out to thousands or millions for a very low cost

• Podcasts are the TV shows of New Media – You are the star and this is your show – best way to take your brand and business message to the masses

Podcasts • Inexpensive way to reach thousands or millions • Reach is 20+ countries via iTunes, audio or video • Best success for my clients, always outperforms YouTube, web video • Most shows I produce over time attain millions of views • Shows can be portable, more intimate

PODCAST Briefly… PRODUCTION

Pick Show Topic • What are you passionate about? • What are others passionate about? • How crowded is the market for your topic? • What show would you love to see?

Hosts • Someone to steer, someone to paddle • Add in comic relief • Avoid serious coverage of just facts • Keep it loose, fun • If it’s an information show, stay on topic (news, tech, etc.)

Production • Decide on audio or video • Don’t get bogged down with equipment choices • Some shows are shot with a small point and shoot camera, some with a full HD camcorder • It takes about 5-7 shows to get into the groove

PODCAST Here we go… MARKETING

Take aim at profitability

Take aim at profitability • Your podcast is making as much as you want it to now, no more no less • Deal with money – be comfy with it • Don’t handle revenue or sales – delegate it

Take aim at profitability • Most hosts or creators are not the sales force • Everyone wants to know how to make money at podcasting – it needs to be a mission • Making a profit helps you grow the show

Promote what separates you

Promote what separates you • Tech news, Photoshop tutorials, etc. – much more competition • Be unique • Stress your strength • Promote everywhere

Promote what separates you • How many elements does your show contain that can’t be found elsewhere? • Your strength is you – can’t get “you” on other shows • Focus on the talent as what makes the show unique

Promote what separates you • Make them love you or hate you • Windows vs. Macs – passionate fans • Don’t make it so everyone will love it • You want a show that people are passionate about or really can’t stand

Be a rock star

Be a rock star • Confidence • Have the big vision • No talent needed..just drive • Be tenacious

Be a rock star • Face forward – market everything with your image • A lot of life is luck – a visual identity will provide recognition and more encounters • Get a professional photographer – not your cousin Fred – for promo pics

Be a rock star • Humble is boring • Secret of getting anything you want in life – ASK – ask for help when promoting • Audio is very intimate – video is personal – fans are dedicated • Remember how close you are to your fans

Create a community

Create a community • It’s a family – not a show • Community will ride you though ups and downs, stats, income, etc. • A large community can be steered – a small one you are not usually steering • Your fans will spread the word

Create a community • A large fan base provides momentum you can’t get with a small group • 100 fans vs. 500,000 fans – the higher number lets you take more chances • Start a movement and rally the fans

Content before marketing

Content before marketing • Stats are like waves – keep the waves rocking – there will be ups and downs • Don’t let production weight you down • Low res is better than no res • Blog is not the best website for every show – think different

Don’t make a show, build a brand

Don’t make a show, build a brand • Do several shows – different formats – different demographics • Niche or go wide, middle ground is boring • Create a new market – a new industry – be first – be best

Don’t make a show, build a brand • Know who your market is • Positioning yourself as an expert is the best thing you can do – become the go-to person • Focus on your passion

Don’t make a show, build a brand • Podcasting is a level playing field – much like the web • Don’t always talk all about yourself unless the show is all about you • Keep on topic

Game plan

Game plan • Have a plan, what you want out of the show • No goals – no show in a year • Create benchmarks – measure your success and track it – have goals for the show • Roadmap of your empire – visualize the future of your show in a year

Game plan • Don’t just assume that if stats are up then your mission is accomplished • Define success – is it attention or money, pick one

Delegate what you are not good at

Delegate what you are not good at • Get a designer • Unless you are a graphic designer, do not do your logo • Did Charles Gibson do the ABC news logo?

Delegate what you are not good at • You are judged on your website, images, everything • Some may not even get to the show if the site is lame • You may have 30 seconds to win them over if they visit your website

Smart interacting

Smart interacting • Message board vs. emails • Once they are in your world, work hard to keep them

The Wrap…

The Wrap… • Take aim at profitability • Promote what separates you • Be a rock star • Create a community

The Wrap… • Content before marketing • Don’t make a show, build a brand • Game plan • Delegate what you are not good at • Smart interacting

Franklin McMahon • New Media Producer • Studio page – www.fmstudio.com Media Artist Secrets Blog and TV Show – www.franklinmcmahon.com • Questions? 207.772.5724 frank@fmstudio.com • twitter.com @franklinmcmahon facebook.com/franklinmcmahon facebookmaine.com twittermaine.com linkedinmaine.com

Franklin is founder of Franklin McMahon Studio and is a New Media Producer specializing in creative marketing, social Franklin McMahon media, on-line video, podcasts, multimedia, writing and photography. With a client list that includes Adobe, FOX, Time Warner, McDonalds, Covergirl and HP, his range of work spans many industries. His on-line podcasts have produced millions of downloads in over 20 countries and he has been • New Media Producer featured on Wired.com, ABC Boston and BBC America. His podcast Rumor Girls ran weekly on Sirius Satellite Radio and specializing in creative the video version was the 5th most downloaded podcast of marketing and production, the year in 2006 according to Yahoo News. As an international photographer, his photo work has been seen in ads and audio and video, podcasts, magazines for clients such as Microsoft, and his coverage of photography, on-line video and the industry as a writer can be read in publications such as social media MovieMaker, Millimeter, DV, Res and Computer Arts Projects. Locally he has developed several Maine-based social organizations such as Portland Media Artists and Facebook Maine. His website and podcast Media Artist Secrets features • Studio page – career advice for content producers specializing in creative industries and social media. www.fmstudio.com • Media Artist Secrets Blog and TV Show – www.franklinmcmahon.com