Four SEO Tools and How to Use Them to Build Your Business > SEO & Traffic

Search engines matter. They send traffic to your website. Use them well and they send very targeted traffic to your website. Targeted traffic turns into customers and repeat visitors. This means it’s not only where you’re placed on the search engine rankings, but the keywords you use as well. You want to make sure you’re attracting targeted traffic to your site.

The world of search engine optimization and keyword development can feel overwhelming. It seems there’s a lot of information to learn, know and use. However, when you drill down, it’s actually quite simple. You want to optimize your website for a few primary keywords. These keywords ideally will have an acceptable amount of demand and supply. They’ll also be keywords that your audience is likely to use to find your information.

Then you optimize your pages for those keywords. You also choose some secondary keywords to support the primary ones. These may be keywords with less demand and less supply. However, they’re still keywords your audience is using to find your information.

How do you use these keywords? Content, content, content. Content gives the search engine spiders something to index. It also provides material that others may link to. This is an important part of SEO.

To help you manage and master your SEO efforts, there are literally thousands of various tools and gadgets. Some of these tools help you check the keyword density on your web page. They make sure your keywords are represented enough to help but not so much that your content reads poorly. There are also link checkers, keyword research tools, and so on. Here are four SEO tools you might find useful.

#1 Keyword suggestion tools – This is where it all begins. Keyword suggestion tools help you learn and research your primary and secondary keywords. The most common of these tools is the Google AdWords tool. It’s free and quite useful. There are also keyword tools that you can pay for. They offer a bit more information than the Google tool.

#2 Ranking checkers – Ranking checkers help you determine where you rank for various keywords and search engines. It’s a great tool for setting goals and tracking your progress. For example, you might set a goal to move up two pages in the rankings using article marketing. You can use a ranking checker to test and track your success. (You can also check to see how your competition is doing.)

#3 Link checking tools – Link checking tools help you determine the effectiveness of your back links. You can learn who is linking to you and how popular their links are. Again, you can also check to see who is linking to your competition. There are some basic, free tools that provide basic information. Or you can hire a service to analyze your back links for you.

#4 Keyword density tools – These tools can analyze a page or your URL for keyword density. There are a number of keyword density tools. Again some are free and some are paid tools. If you’re going to pay for this service, make sure it analyzes keyword phrases and not just one or two word keywords.

New SEO tools are being developed every day. Take advantage of these resources to strategically position your business. The easier it is for your prospects to find you, the faster you’ll achieve your business goals.

Five Questions to Ask about Your Competition > IM Management

Understanding your competition is important. When you understand them, you can position your business to stand apart. You can create an effective SEO and keyword development strategy. You can maximize your competition. And finally, you can position your products and services to sell.

When you created your business plan, you likely did a competitive analysis. If you didn’t, then now’s the time. Once you have a solid competitive analysis, the work’s not done. The world changes and so too does your competition. It’s important to stay abreast of their change. While it’s not a good idea to stress about your competition, it is important to review them semi-annually or quarterly.

So…how well do you know your competition? Here are five questions to get you thinking about your competition. Answer these questions, take action, and achieve better profits and a website that sells.

Question #1 – Do you know who your competition is? Do you have a competitive analysis? It’s difficult to differentiate your business if you don’t know who your competition is. Your USP, Unique Selling Proposition, is often created with your competition in mind. You need to know what you do better or differently so you can offer value and benefit to your audience.

Question #2 – How often do you presently analyze and evaluate your competition? Again, it’s not wise to obsess about your competition. However, it is wise to create an analysis strategy. Semi-annually, annually or quarterly are common periods to review your competition and update your analysis.

Question #3 – What are your competitions’ primary keywords? What are their Alexa stats? How do you compare? It’s important to know not only where your competition stands, but also where you stand in comparison. Create a chart or system to track this information.

Question #4 – Do you follow your competition on social networking sites? Do you receive alerts when they publish new content? Do you subscribe to their blog or newsletter? Simple strategies can help you stay abreast of your competition. You can collect the information and review it when appropriate. Or you can review it as you learn about it. Often, your competition’s actions and content can be helpful to you. Their actions might inspire a new content idea, product or service.

Question #5 – Does your competitive analysis and strategy include:

* Keyword analysis
* Linking analysis
* Products/services analysis
* Content analysis
* Advertising analysis
* SEO page ranking

Rest assured your competition is watching you. You might return the favor. Take advantage of automated technology to track their activities. Create a plan to assess your competition and reassess your strategies and tactics. There’s a lot to learn from the people that challenge you. Your competition may be the motivating force you need to take your business and website to the next level.

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Effective Strategies to Guarantee Targeted Website Traffic > SEO & Traffic

Website traffic is a sure way to boost your income. The more targeted your website traffic, the better your potential for profit. The good news is there are many ways to drive targeted traffic to your website. Here are just a few to help you get the ball rolling.

* Article marketing – Article marketing is a tremendously successful way to drive targeted traffic to your website. When you write and publish quality content, you attract readers. These readers will click through and visit your website for more information. And when you write and publish quality content, other website owners will republish your content. This exposes you to more targeted traffic.

* Blog and guest blog – Blogging and guest blogging is another great way to drive targeted traffic to your website. Again, when you publish quality content, people tend to click through to your website to find more great information. Include a website link in your blog posts. Include an author’s resource box in your guest blog posts.

* Comment on blogs – Registering and commenting on blogs is also a great way to generate traffic to your website. Make sure you’re doing two things. Provide a link to your website when you register. Provide a thoughtful comment. Intelligent conversation will generate interest for you and your website.

* Social networking – Social networking can send tons of traffic to your website. However, in order to ensure it is targeted traffic, make sure you’re publishing relevant information and links to your site.

* Post answers – Websites like MerchantCircle and Yahoo!Answers provide you with an opportunity to provide valuable information. Answer questions related to your niche and link to your website.

* Podcast – Publish podcasts on sites like iTunes and create a following. Make sure to include a link to your website or your URL in your podcast name and information.

* Reviews – Visit review sites and publish reviews for products or services in your niche. Share your expertise and experience with others.

* Social Media Pages – Create mini sites that provide a wealth of information. Use these informative sites/pages to drive traffic to your primary site.

* Local search and Google Places – If you have local customers, be sure to take advantage of local search directories and sites like Google Places.

* Social bookmarking – Don’t forget to pay attention to social bookmarking sites like Digg and StumbleUpon. Use these sites to drive traffic to one or two key web pages.

* PPC ads – Finally, while the other traffic tactics discussed are free, you can also pay for targeted traffic. PPC ads are great for driving targeted traffic to specific web pages. Use this tactic to drive traffic to a squeeze page, opt-in offer, or sales page.

The more targeted your traffic, the easier it’ll be to convert visitors into customers. Use these targeted traffic tactics to build your business today.

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Secret to Marketing to Women > Free Marketing Report

Free Marketing report “Secret to Marketing to Women” looks at: Why target your marketing message to women? Not all marketing methods work with women, What motivates women to buy? How women make purchasing decisions, What women want may not be what you think it is, Top tips for marketing to women and resources. Click “Secret to Marketing to Women” to download (374 KB pdf) this free Marketing report.

Marketing-To-Women-Report

Find Your Strengths and Choose Your Success > Free IM Management Report

Free Business & Personal mindset report “Find Your Strengths and Choose Your Success” looks into: How to Evaluate Your Strengths and Weaknesses, Capitalize on Your Strengths, Develop Your Skills, Do Your Weaknesses Matter? Tools to Help You Identify Your Strengths, Choosing Your Career – Entrepreneurial & Relationship Path Based on Your Strengths, What Should You Do Now? and Find Your Strengths Checklist. Click “Find Your Strengths and Choose Your Success” to download (377 KB pdf) this free personal improvement report.

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Creating High Converting Offers & Product Funnels > Sales Funnel & Conversion Ebook

Sales Funnel & Conversion ebook “Creating High Converting Offers & Product Funnels” covers: The General Structure, The Importance of a Headline, Tips for Creating Attention Grabbing Headlines, Creating Your Offer, Creating Your Call to Action, Different Types of Sales Pages, What Goes Into A Successful Product Funnel? Where Do Your Customers Enter The Funnel? Using Your List to Boost Sales, Moving Your Customers through the Funnel, What NOT To Do With Upsells and Pulling It All Together and Creating Your Plan. Click “Creating High Converting Offers & Product Funnels” to download (380 KB pdf) this free Online Marketing ebook.

Creating-High-Converting-Offers-ebook

Podcasting Basics for Beginners > Podcasting

Podcasting is the relay of information through audio. Rather than read an article or watch a video, your target audience will listen to your pre-recorded “internet radio show” as you provide content on topics of interest to them.

Once your podcast is recorded, it can be broadcast to a wider audience in a number of ways. It can be listed in directories so it can be discovered and listened to. It can also be broadcast to other websites and listened to anytime, anywhere, by people who subscribe to your podcast.

Podcasts are available via a service known as RSS (Real Simple Syndication). When they subscribe to your podcast, they will receive the latest files right in their RSS feed reader. Other websites in your niche can also embed your feed into their site so their audience can listen to it too.

Understanding Podcasting Terminology

It is important to understand key podcast terms if you wish to create a podcast of your own.

* Podcast – A series of recording audio programs, usually published on a regular schedule, such as once a week.

* Podcatcher – Software which detects each new podcast you publish and delivers it to your subscribers.

* RSS (Real Simple Syndication)- A way to share files with your target audience, or allow others to publish your content, or syndicate it, at their site.

* Aggregator – An aggregator, or RSS aggregator, collects RSS feeds. It will deliver podcasts and other contents you subscribe to. Feedly and Feedbin would be two good examples of RSS aggregators.

* Channel – A series of podcasts. Think of it as a radio station that can be listened to any time by people who subscribe to your channel.

* Enclosure – The file for the podcast. It is enclosed in a reader in order to be listened to.

* Metadata – The most important information about the podcast, so it can be discovered by readers and search engines. It will usually include title, recording artist, file format and so on.

* ID3 – ID3 is a metadata specification that allows information to be added to MP3 files. Commonly, items like track title, artist, album and track number are placed within ID3 “tags” that identify the type of data. It helps your podcast get discovered in locations like iTunes.

* iPod – The popular digital audio player from Apple. The word “podcast” comes from the combination of the words “iPod” and “broadcast”.

* Juice – Juice is a free program that automatically downloads new shows when they become available, and synchronizes them with your iPod or other digital audio player. Formerly known as “iPodder”.

* Item – A single show in your podcasting channel. It should be metatagged, preferably with ID3 tags.

* iTunes – iTunes is Apple’s multimedia store and software, which will allow you to buy, or access or subscribe for free, a range of content such as music, videos, TV shows and podcasts. It links to a directory of podcasts and acts as a podcatcher by allowing users to subscribe to podcasts and delivering them to their iPod or other player.

When you upload your content on iTunes, metatags for it will be created, making it discoverable to those interested in your topic or niche.

* MP3 – MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3) is the standard format for podcast files. The format compresses the data into a very small file while still maintaining sound quality.

Now that we’ve covered the basics about podcasting, it might be time to think about adding a podcast to your marketing mix.

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How to Make Money from Your Podcasts > Podcasting

Many people publish their podcasts for free, and that is good for marketing purposes so you can get your name and brand in front of a wider audience and sell more products and services. But there are also a number of ways to make money directly from your podcasts.

1. Affiliate marketing

Sell products for others in exchange for a commission. Make sure they are all related to the niche you are working in. Incorporate each item into the podcast with a short review as well if you wish. It will help keep your podcast fresh and new, with interesting content on a regular basis, while helping your audience and making money all at the same time.

2. Write a book and publish it

Write a book related to your niche and publish it on Amazon as a Kindle electronic book and through their CreateSpace service as a paperback book. Give your listeners little samples of what you talk about in the book and instructions on how to buy it. This should get sales for the book and prestige for you as an expert in your niche.

3. Podcast ads

Set a price for a 30-second to one-minute ad on your podcast. The price can be based on how many subscribers you have to your channel, such as a penny per subscriber per show. Consider giving them even more of a mention or taking content if they are willing to buy ads regularly (such as a month at a time).

4. Podcast sponsorships

Find companies associated with your niche who might be willing to sponsor you; that is, pay for the running costs of the program. They might get a mention at the start and end and a detailed two- to five-minute spotlight on all they have to offer their customers. Consider doing an even better deal of having them on for interview, or even giving them a regular spot if they are willing to sponsor your program for a month or more.

5. Build your mailing list and sell products to them

Increase the number of subscribers to your email marketing list, and offer a range of affiliate and homemade products to them.

6. Create products for your audience

It is easy to create digital and even tangible products for your niche once you have your finger on the pulse of what their problems are and what they are willing to pay to solve them. Show that YOU have the solution they are looking for, and they will buy online via the internet and your emails. Create the product, launch it on your podcast and in other online venues, and see how many sales you can make.

7. Create services for your audience

Membership sites, coaching program and consulting packages can also meet the needs of your target audience and relieve their pain points. Monthly memberships each month can help you steadily earn a predictable income rather than just have the “boom and bust” of launching a product and then watching sales dwindle after the fuss has died down.

Coaching programs are becoming increasingly popular as a means of learning essential skills from the comfort of the student’s own home or office. As long as you are a few steps ahead of complete beginners in your niche, you can set up a coaching program.

Consulting varies from person to person, but it usually involves focusing on a certain trouble spot in their business and offering a range of solutions. Some consultants are very hands-on and will implement the solution themselves. Others will offer an outline and suggestions for free and paid solutions that will work.

Now that you know how to make money from your podcasts, try at least one of these methods and see how much money you can earn.

How to Grow Your Audience for Your Podcast > Podcasting

Once you have decided to launch a podcast, the next main concern for most people is how to grow an audience for it. Your growth and marketing plan should actually be built right into the podcast.

1. Give it a strong, interesting name

It needs to appeal to your niche and be searchable on sites and aggregators.

2. Create strong titles for each podcast

Every podcast should have a keyworded name, not just numbers, to tell people what to expect and to make it more discoverable.

3. Write enticing teaser copy

Make sure the description of your podcast channel, and each podcast you create, is keyworded and sounds exciting enough for your audience to want to listen.

4. Be consistent

Set a schedule of regular podcasts so people know what to expect. It’s a big commitment, but it’s the only way to keep an audience coming back for more, and telling others about it.

5. Tell your lists

If you have email marketing lists, send an email to invite them to subscribe to the podcast, send in topic suggestions and guest suggestions, or even get involved by being interviewed online.

6. Social media

Tell everyone in your social media account about your new podcast channel. Each time you create a new podcast, post about it on your social media pages. Encourage people to share the post with anyone they know who might also be interested in it.

7. Forums, discussion boards and groups

Post information on your podcast on niche-related areas on the internet where your target audience will congregate.

8. Your blog

Embed your podcast feed into your site. Also, give a page to each podcast you create. Add a transcript to attract the search engines. Include a call to action or subscribe button.

9. Be a guest blogger

Guest blog; that is, give free content to one or more blogs related to your niche. Use the link back they should give you to point to you podcast subscription page.

10. Be a guest on other podcasts

Grow your audience by being a guest on high-profile niche blogs. In this way, you will get a chance to point your URL to the listeners who like what you have to say. Offer a guest spot in exchange, and ask the guest to share the URL once the podcast has been created. Or, offer them a copy they can use as is on their podcast feed once you have finished editing it.

11. Help a Reporter Out

The HARO website allows you to list yourself as an expert in your niche. Your biography can list your podcast. You can also mention it if you are interviewed and used as a resource for a journalist’s story.

12. Issue a press release

Tell the world you have a new podcast with the help of a press release. Chances are that journalists interested in your niche, or looking for interesting information to pass along to your readers, will be happy to pick up your story and share it. There are free and paid press release distribution services which can help you spread the word.

13. Blogger outreach

Blogger outreach is similar to issuing press releases, only it targets top bloggers in top niches. They might be interested in the podcast, the transcript, or having you on as a guest blogger.

Growing your audience for your podcast does not have to be an uphill struggle if you follow these tips and tricks. Use all you’ve learned and you should soon have an ever-growing audience of eager listeners.

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How to Find Inspiration for Your Podcasts > Podcasting

There are many places to get inspiration for your podcasts. In the same way that you will often find inspiration for your blog posts, so too can you find inspiration for your podcasts.

1. Brainstorm

When you are first starting your podcasting, it is probably because you feel inspired to do so and have at least a couple of topics on your mind that you would like to speak about. Don’t lose those ideas and that momentum. Do a brain dump in which you write down every idea you have. Then start tackling them one by one.

2. Look at discussion boards and forums

See what the people in your niche are talking about.

3. Check out social media

What are people talking about on the networks you use? Or in the groups, such as Facebook Groups?

4. The news

What’s going on in the world that you can connect to in your podcast?

5. Ask your audience

Get them to email you or tweet you what they want to hear.

6. Bring on guests

Bring on guests who have certain niche-related things they want to talk about. You can get audience members and experts to all join in.

7. Read frequently asked questions about your niche

FAQs can offer a wealth of content to help your audience get the most out of your niche and solve their problems.

8. Pay attention to your competition

What kinds of things are they talking about on their podcasts? Subscribe to at least two or three, or search their teaser copy to get ideas.

9. Go head to head with your competition

If you subscribe to different podcasts and hear something you disagree with, or want to cover in more detail, go for it. Don’t be harsh or adversarial, though. In fact, you might even suggest that you do a podcast together so that both your audiences can benefit from it.

10. Use customer support issues

If you get the same questions coming up over and over again in your customer support email, chances are it is something worth discussing in detail.

11. Check trends online

Most of the social sites, and the search engines, show what is trending. You can join in on the conversation.

12. Follow thought leaders

Follow thought leaders on Twitter, Facebook and so on. See what kinds of things they are talking about that inspire you.

13. Your own blog posts

You don’t have to keep reinventing the wheel all the time. Leverage the content you already have to create your podcasts by using your blog posts.

13. Private Label Rights (PLR) niche content

Private Label Rights content is pre-written content that you can buy a license to. Massage it into your own blog content and also use it for your podcasts. It is usually pretty cheap, about $1 per article, which is less expensive than hiring an article writer to do work for you from scratch. Search for NICHE PLR, with NICHE the topic you are working on, and see what comes up. Edit it for grammar as needed, and to give it your own voice and style. Then use as needed.

14. Top Ten Listicles

Listicles are articles in a list format, with Top 10 tips, Top 10 items and so on all listed, and then discussed briefly. We could title this article “Top 15 ways to get ideas for your podcasts”, for example. People love lists, hints and tips.

15. Article directories

Article directories were really popular a couple of years ago when Google gave higher rank to pages that had a lot of back links. This is no longer quite true, but there is still a lot of interesting content that was created by pretty talented business owners and writers to try to drive traffic back to their own sites. Search for your niche and see what inspires you.

Now that you know the best places to find inspiration for your podcasts, you should be ready to start your own, or perk up your existing podcast to give it a whole new energy.

Don’t Make These Podcasting Mistakes > Podcasting

Many people start podcasting with passion and enthusiasm, only to lose interest a short time later and abandon their channel. Or, they work really hard, but can’t seem to grow their audience. Here are some of the most common podcasting mistakes to avoid if you want to create a popular and successful podcast.

1. Not knowing your niche

If you don’t know your target audience, you won’t be able to create content that really speaks to their problems and interests.

2. Not scripting your podcasts

Some people think they can just hit the record button and rant about anything. NO. You need a beginning, middle and end to your program. At the beginning, you will have an introduction and a few warm-up statements and information. The middle of the program will be the meat in the sandwich, so to speak. The end of the program will be a summary, closing statements, and at least one call to action (CTA).

3. Not having a call to action (CTA)

Tell your audience what you want them to do after hearing the podcast. It could be “like” on Facebook, share, subscribe, take advantage of your great special offer at “this URL”, and so on.

4. Not setting a goal for each podcast

One of the main reasons why many podcasters don’t include a CTA is because they have not set a goal for the podcast in the first place. What do you want to achieve? More traffic, subscribers on your podcast channel, in your email marketing list, sales, something else? You can’t create a clear CTA and measure your results if you don’t set a goal from the outset.

5. Trying to do it all yourself

Some people want to be a one-man band and do everything themselves, but this will put a lot of pressure on you and eventually make it boring for listeners. Try to ask people who know about podcasting to help with the technology side. Make a list of people you would love to have on the show as a guest to chat with or to interview.

6. Not preparing the interview questions ahead of time

If you have a great guest coming on, make the most of it by writing the questions out in advance and giving them a copy prior to the podcast. In this way, everyone will feel less nervous and the interview will flow more smoothly.

7. Not having the right equipment

You need a high-quality microphone, such as a USB one that can record through your computer. If you are going to have guests in your studio area, you need to make sure your array can handle more than one microphone.

8. Not having the right recording software

You need a high-quality file that will be pleasant for your audience to listen to, without a lot of stammers, mistakes and long pauses. Audacity is the industry standard and is easy to use.

9. Not checking your recording level

It is really frustrating if any file has been recorded at such a low level it can barely be heard. Do a full check before recording.

10. Not using the right hosting for the files

Podcasts are usually recording in MP3 format, which compresses them down to about 1/12th their usual size while still retaining quality. However, trying to host them at your site can lead to uneven download and buffering rates, meaning pops, gaps and a slow experience. Subscribe to SoundCloud for around $150 per year. It offers unlimited hosting of files of any size and a superior playback experience.

11. Forgetting to name and tag your podcast with keywords

Attract the right audience by using the right keywords in your title and description of each podcast.

12. Using a homemade image

Your podcast should have a professional-looking logo to attract regular subscribers.

If you avoid these rookie mistakes, you should soon have a popular and profitable podcast to be proud of.

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40 Great Questions to Ask in a Podcast Interview

Once you have booked guests for your podcast, it will be time to start preparing for what you hope will be a great interview.

There are a number of questions to ask in each interview that can break the ice and get the interview off to a good start. These questions can apply to every guest, and open the door to a more detailed interview in which they then go on to talk about themselves and their topic in more detail.

Do Your Research First

Know who they are before you interview them, and help your audience get to know them through the questions you ask. Be sure to avoid asking any yes/no questions. Keep things open-ended.

Sample Questions to Ask

Here is a list of 40 questions to ask and make your interview a success.

1. Who are you?

2. Who do you work for/what is the name of your company?

3. How long have you been working in this niche or industry?

4. How did you get started in this niche?

5. How do you think your background influenced you to getting into this niche?

6. How has your role in this niche changed over time?

7. What are some of your favorite aspects of working in niche?

8. Describe a typical day in your life.

9. What hobbies do you enjoy when you’re not working hard?

10. What’s your favorite book or movie?

11. What accomplishments in your niche are you most proud of, and why?

12. What are you working on these days?

13. What do you think newcomers to the niche really need to know to be successful?

14. Who have been your role models?

15. What is your favorite part of your job, and why?

16. What is your least favorite part of your job, and why?

17. Tell us about a time when you got some very surprising results from a project you had been working on.

18. What is it about this niche that makes you passionate enough to keep working in it?

19. What is the main advice you would give people new to the niche?

20. What common questions do you get asked about our niche?

21. What are some of the main problems you see that prevent people from being more successful in this niche?

22. What are your strengths?

23. What are your weaknesses?

24. What attracted you to this niche?

25. When are you most satisfied in your work?

26. What can you do for your target audience that other people in your niche can’t?

27. What is your greatest success, and what did you learn from it?

28. What is your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it?

29. How do you want to improve yourself personally in the next year?

30. How do you want to improve your business in the next year?

31. What is your ideal working environment? Where do you spend most of your time?

32. What techniques and tools do you use to keep yourself organized?

33. Was there a person in your career who really made a difference?

34. What are you most proud of?

35. What three character traits would your friends use to describe you?

36. What would you like to learn to do better in your niche?

37. What is your greatest achievement outside of work?

38. Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

39. What’s coming up next for you in your niche that you are excited about?

40. Where can people get in touch with you for more information?

Make sure you ask these questions during each interview you host on your podcast and see what a difference it can make to your audience’s knowledge and enthusiasm.

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16 Tips for Giving a Successful Interview > Podcasting

There are a number of ways to conduct an interview on your podcast that can contribute to its success.

1. Be organized

Know how long the interview will take and how many questions you plan to ask. When inviting your guest, you can then give them an idea of how much of a time and effort commitment they will have to make.

2. Know your guest well

Be sure to do research about the person before you invite them, and again once they agree to come on. Make sure you know how to pronounce their name correctly and why they are important in your niche; that is, their major accomplishments.

Knowing them will help you formulate questions that will be most relevant to them and therefore to your audience.

3. Ask for a biography

This will also help you get to know them. In addition, use it at your site in order to entice people to tune in for that podcast.

4. Template a list of basic questions first

Create a list of questions you will ask any guest that appears on your show, so you don’t have to start from scratch every time.

Then, dig deeper, with particular questions to ask each guest based on their biography and background. Stay on topic related to their niche. Don’t get personal unless it’s to ask what inspired them to start working in your niche in the first place.

5. Send your questions ahead of time

Once you have formulated your list of questions, email it to your guest for pre-approval and preparation. You want the podcast to be spontaneous, but not catch them out with any surprises. This will help your podcast flow much more smoothly.

6. Be clear about the technology requirements

If your guest will be coming in to meet you face to face, be sure you have two good microphones and that your recording software is set up for this.

If you are interviewing them online, be sure that the technology is compatible and you can hear them at an easily audible level.

Practice a couple of times if you can with your guest as a sound check prior to the event, or with a friend.

7. Go online early

If you are going to stream a live podcast, get online several minutes early to greet everyone as they come on the line, and test that everyone can hear. If you are calling someone for a one-on-one interview, be ready to call at the appointed time – make sure you are not late.

8. Chat informally to break the ice

Greet and thank them for coming or agreeing to participate in the interview. Be polite and help them to feel at ease.

9. Script your introduction

Be sure to script your introduction to make sure you cover all the important points, make the guest sound exciting to listen to, and don’t sound too nervous when you start.

10. Stick to the question list

Work your way down the list. Don’t jump all over the place.

11. Do follow up on any interesting points

If something comes up that sounds like it is really interesting, ask another question about it.

12. Don’t talk over your guest

Give them time to speak, and really listen to what they have to say. Don’t interrupt them unless you need them to clarify something they said. Also remember that your guest is the star of the show, so let them take center stage as much as possible. Make sure they have finished speaking before you start again.

13. React to what they have said before going on to the next question

Don’t just fire one question after the other. React with sincere expressions of interest, like “Wow, I never knew that”, or “Thanks for sharing that, it was so interesting.”

14. Keep an eye on the clock

Be sure not to overrun your time.

15. Allow time to sell

Build in about 2 to 5 minutes to mention whatever products or services you both want to sell.

16. Thank them for coming

Successful interviews for your podcast aren’t difficult to conduct if you follow these tried-and-tested tips.

Related Info Products:

Modern Podcasting – Learn Profitable Podcasting

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11 Commonly Asked Questions about Podcasting > Podcasting

Once an online marketer begins to think about starting their own podcast, they will often get nervous because they have so many unanswered questions. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about podcasting, so you can decide whether or not it is right for your business.

1. What is podcasting?

Podcasting is a way of creating internet-based audio files for the purpose of offering information and entertainment to a wider audience.

2. How do I create a podcast?

You need a microphone, software to record the audio file, and a place to store the audio file so other people can listen to it.

3. What kind of microphone should I buy?

Buy a USB one for under $100 that has high-definition sound quality.

4. What kind of software do I need?

The industry standard is Audacity. It does take time to learn, but it is free to use.

5. What should I say on my podcast?

Choose a niche or specialized area or topic you want to talk about. Then think of how you can help people interested in that topic who have problems that need to be solved. Offer free information that will lead to paid product referrals, your own or someone else’s, that will make you money with each podcast.

6. How will people find my podcasts?

A content provider will create a podcast channel, or feed. Within that channel, they will create programs or tracks. Every time a new track is created, the channel will automatically update content on subscribers’ computers.

7. How can people listen to podcasts?

Your audience can listen to the files on their computer, or load them onto an MP3 player such as an iPod.

8. How can people subscribe to my podcast?

There are three ways they can subscribe. The most popular way is through an online service with software such as iTunes. Or, people can add your feed to their FeedBurner, that is, program that accepts RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds. You can also embed your feed into the pages of your blog or website and they can listen to them there.

9. How do people access the podcast recording files?

Most podcasts are saved in the format MP3 because it compresses the file so it will not take up a lot of room, while still maintaining high-quality sound. But the files are still pretty large, and can lurch and skip if people try to listen to them directly from a file hosted on your blog to their own computer or player.

Therefore, your best option is a podcast file hosting service. Some charge a per month and per total bytes storage feed, but since it is hard to predict how large some files will be, your best bet might be a service like SoundCloud, which offers unlimited storage for a low annual fee that works out to less than $15 per month. This will ensure you don’t eat up a lot of bandwidth on your site and your listeners get a great experience.

10. Can listeners hear podcasts in their web browser?

In most cases, yes. They could click on “play” and the player would start running the podcast. It does depend on the browser, though. In some cases, it might not play, but it will download the entire file to the person’s computer. If this is the case, searching in the downloads folder of the computer and clicking on the file will enable them to listen to it.

11. Can they listen to individual episodes?

They can listen to individual episodes by clicking on your title and/or link. Be sure to name each track something with relevant keywords in it, and write teaser copy so those people who are not already subscribers will get to hear your podcasts and might become interested in hearing more.

Now that you’ve reviewed these FAQs about podcasting, you’ll hopefully be feeling a lot more confident about adding podcasting to you marketing mix to boost your sales and profits.

Related Info Products:

Modern Podcasting – Learn Profitable Podcasting

Audacity Workshop – Cut Your Editing in Half