Rob Walch, recently inducted into the Podcast Hall of Fame, is the VP of Podcaster Relations with Libsyn and hosts the podCast411 podcast.  His books, “Podcast 101” and “Tricks of the Podcasting Masters,” are available on Amazon and iBooks.

In this episode, Rob outlines his tips to entrepreneurs interested in starting a podcast, including when and why to monetize, how to use a podcast to build credibility in your niche, and the importance of providing great content in podcasting.  Rob also discusses his opinion of where the future of podcasting is going.

In This Interview I Ask:

2:50 - What were you up to before you got into the podcast world?

6:45 - When you say clients, what do you mean? What were you helping them with at the time?

8:50 - What is your opinion for entrepreneurs on poor reasons to start a podcast?

11:50 - What are some opportunities available to you if you do start a podcast?

17:30 - If someone wants to build authority in a niche, how does podcasting compare to self-publishing?

21:40 - What is the key to someone new picking a topic?

24:00 - What is the right length for an episode?

31:25 - Tell us about people using their Twitter to inflate their numbers.

35:10 - What are the real, important numbers to be tracking?

43:25 - What is the future of podcasting?

47:50 - What advice do you have for new podcasters with regard to the importance of interviewing as a skill?

52:30 - Where can people go to check your stuff out?

Starting a Podcast: Pros and Cons

If your goal is to start a podcast as a means of income, you have better odds elsewhere.  With or without great content, income is not a guarantee.  On the other hand, podcasting is a great way to set yourself apart in your niche as an expert, and an equally great way to get speaking gigs at conferences in your industry.

• There is about a 2000:1 ratio of bloggers to podcasters.  If you want to stand out in your niche, start a podcast.

Choosing a Topic and Format

It is important to choose a topic you care about and and produce content you yourself would want to listen to.  The length of your episodes is not nearly as important as the content provided.  Great content wins over great marketing every time.

• Great content trumps bad marketing, bad content trumps great marketing.

• When people drop off after 5 minutes, it’s not because the episode was too long, it’s because the episode was bad… people like long-form content.

The Future of Podcasting

The future sits in the hands of the people… literally.  Although car-connectivity makes listening easier, we are all very attached at a personal level with our mobile devices, and they make it simple to listen while we’re doing everyday tasks.  Our devices put podcasts in the hands, at the fingertips, and in the ears of the people.  Because of this, podcasters should also look into apps to maximize the potential of their podcast.

Resources:

• Free Book: Podcast 101 (iTunes)
• Book: Tricks of the Podcasting Masters (Que Publishing)
• podCast411 Podcast: www.podcast411.com
• Today in iOS Podcast: www.tii.libsyn.com
• http://bit.ly/tiipodcast (apple devices)
• http://bit.ly/tiiandroid (android devices)

Production & Development for The Foundation’s Starting From Nothing Podcast by Podcast Masters