Promoting Your Podcast by Jason Van Orden

Have you called the podcast line to tell us about a holiday book yet? You still have a few more days, and believe me, I sure could use your call. Don’t be shy, please! Please.

I have been wanting to create a podcast ever since I got this book, Promoting Your Podcast by Jason Van Orden at BEA. I met the author, who signed my book, and since there wasn’t anyone else waiting, I got to chat with him for a moment. He explained that this book is not your usual podcasting book, because it does not teach you how to make a podcast. Rather, it assumes that you already have a podcast, and focuses on how to promote it to gain listeners.

Since the technical details of podcasting and blogging are very similar, I have already used the information from several of the chapters to promote my blog. I was able to do simple things like list my blog on the main directories get involved with the community, which is the best way for people to find out about your blog.

But now that I am on the cusp of actually podcasting, I have started to read this book more seriously. But the very first chapter stopped me in my tracks. Item number one on the list of must-haves “for standing out in the podcast crowd as if you were wearing a polka dot shirt with striped pants” is a gripping podcast title. According to Van Orden, this title should not only sound good, but it must also “1. Give the listener an idea of what your show is about,” and “2. Entice him to click and give it a try.”

Oh no! "Renee’s Book Club" doesn’t really tell you everything you need to know about this podcast, does it? I mean, the most important thing about the podcast isn’t really Renee, it’s YOU, the contributors. So I came up with some other possibilities for a title. I’m not wild and crazy about any of them, but I do have a favorite that I’m leaning toward. However, I thought it would be fun to conduct a poll to see what YOU, the actual sources of this podcast, think. Even if you don’t actually call in and leave a message, please vote!

Promoting Your Podcast by Jason Van Orden

Tags: books podcasting podcast+promotion book clubs Jason Van Orden