Archive for October, 2006

Episode 005 - Podcast & Portable Media Expo Wrap Up, Part 2

Podonomics explores corporate & business podcasting tactics. Join Leesa Barnes as she sums up the Podcast & Portable Media Expo and provides insights from some influential podcasters on how to benefit from podcasting.

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In Part 2, Leesa interviews a few video podcasters about ways in which video podcasters can use this method to engage prospects and customers.

Episode Notes

Joanne Colan, Host of Rocketboom.com

  • Talks about the cool and interesting things she’s seen at the Podcast & Portable Media Expo
  • Talks about the differences and similarities between her days at MTV and now at Rocketboom
  • Gives advice to the person who wants to launch a blog or podcast at their company and needs to convince their boss or team (she also mentions why Mozart or Shakespeare would’ve been great podcasters)
  • Uses her French skills to give a message to French Canadians

Charles & Chris Baker and Jim Kirks, Host of The Clip Show

  • Offers 3 big content ideas that corporations must use to make video podcasting a viable tool

Tim Street, Producer of French Maid TV

  • Why corporations need to treat podcasts differently than a 30-second ad
  • What you really need in a video podcast to grow your audience (it’s easier than you think)

Episode Resources

Podcast & Portable Media Expo
Rocketboom
French Maid TV
The Clip Show

To leave your comments or feedback about this episode, type it up in the comments area or pick up your phone and call 206-339-4348 to leave your audio feedback.

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Podcamp Toronto at Ryerson University, Feb 24 & 25

Thanks to Jay Moonah, one of the organizers for Podcamp Toronto, we have secured a location. The School of Radio & Television Arts and the Rogers Communications Centre at Ryerson University have graciously donated some space at their facilities for Podcamp Toronto, taking place on February 24th & 25th, 2007.

So, start booking your flights. Now that we have a location, we’re going to start looking at getting hotel discounts and finalizing some other logistics for those of you coming from outside Toronto.

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Elements of an Effective Podcaster

I’m currently reading Tim Sanders The Likeability Factor. I came across a chapter called Unlikeability Doesn’t Work, where Sanders describes the 4 reasons why being unlikeable can not be an option in our modern world.

I decided to take a spin on Sanders’ unlikeable factors and turn them into reasons why using these factors can make you a really effective podcaster. Aside from frequency, length and content, here are elements I believe make a podcaster effective and relevant in our modern world:

  1. Effective podcasters desire long term results, not quick hits. Building relationships with other podcasters, building their platform and building a loyal base of listeners can only be done over the long haul. In his book The Long Tail, Chris Anderson argues that the long tail effect has much more of an impact on businesses than does the one hit wonder. With limited budgets, effective podcasters understand that popularity is built over the long haul and that the quick hit is no longer good for business. Effective podcasters understand that success is measured, not by links and clicks, but through long shifts, moments of time ticking away while you rise in popularity.
  2. Effective podcasters measure success not by number of listeners, but by involvement. People desire to belong to something. This is something that Andrew Michael Barron has been saying in his presentations recently. Belonging is one of the steps on Maslow’s Hiearchy of Needs. Individualism is dead on the internet, especially when it comes to using social media tools. Just because I’m the sole podcaster on my podcast doesn’t mean I’m alone. People comment on my blog, call my comment line and send me emails. They’re involved in my dialogue, although I set the tone. Yet, I don’t control the outcome of that conversation. Effective podcasters don’t measure success using an outdated ROI model, instead, they measure success using a ROLI method - return on listener involvement.
  3. Effective podcasters understand that physical boundaries don’t exist. A podcast is created that doesn’t speak to any one culture or way of life (not unless the podcast is specific to a particular group eg. gays, republicans, Catholics). They refrain from mentioning local landmarks in their hometown of Edmonton because they understand that someone in the UK may be listening. They are aware of their place in the global marketplace and produce a podcast that addresses this awareness.

Can you think of any others?

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The Dangers of Video Podcasting

Video podcasting has its merits, put there’s also a dark side emerging.

  • Two kids in Toronto caused 2nd degree burns to a young girl as they poured gasoline on her chest and lit her on fire, all in an attempt to capture the deed on camera. Now, it’s not clear what they were producing their video for, but if it were for a video podcast, I’m sure that this would count as one of those on the “dark side.”
  • While at the Podcast & Portable Media Expo (PME), I was alarmed at the number of women who are sexualized in video podcasts. I noticed that I’m one of the few women using podcasts as a business strategy, yet the more popular women at the Expo were those who wore tight shirts or explored suggestive themes as a star (or host) in their video podcasts.

Those are just a couple of what I consider to be video podcasting’s dark side. I have come across audio podcasts that I deem to be crass or crude, however, after hearing that news story above, I was just anxious to start the conversation about video podcasting.

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Podcasting Jobs Galore

I’m on the look out for good help. As the number of projects grow in my pipeline, so too does my need for people with the right skillset to complete these projects.

These positions are ideal for those of you who are producing your own podcast and are looking to supplement your current income. You’ll work from home using your own equipment and you can decide how much or how little to take on.

What am I looking for? Check out this page for more. Some training is provided, but you’ll learn how to do it the Caprica way. I won’t be spending time teaching you how to use Audacity or how to interview like Andersen Cooper as I’ll expect that you already know how to do this stuff.

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Podcamp Toronto Registrant List Growing

Without announcing the venue or the exact date of this unconference, the list of registrants keeps growing. We’re at 14 and although since we’re still 4-months away, I fully expect this list to grow.

Some developments:

We’re looking at a downtown location for the last weekend in February, so head over to the Podcamp Toronto wiki page and add your name to the registrants page. Then, add a session to the session page.

A word about the sessions - No matter what you’re an expert in, just tag on the word podcasting and you’ve got one you can contribute to Podcamp Toronto. At Podcamp Boston, Suzanne Falter-Barns presented on a topic called How to Attract Media to Your Blog or Podcast. It was one of the more popular sessions at the event.

So, all are welcomed. Just head over to the wiki and start adding your name.

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Leesa Barnes, Boomed

By way of Paul, I discovered that I’m one of the featured faces on the October 3rd episode of Rocketboom. They recapped the Podcast & Portable Media Expo by interviewing a few people, yours truly included.

So, I’ve been boomed. It’s an honour.

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Episode 004 - Podcast & Portable Media Expo Wrap Up

Podonomics explores corporate podcasting tactics. Join Leesa Barnes as she sums up the Podcast & Portable Media Expo and provides insights from some influential podcasters on how to benefit from podcasting.

Click the Arrow Below to Listen

In Part 1 of the Podcast & Portable Media Expo wrap up, Leesa provides interviews from Tim Bourquin, Robert Scoble & Ron Moore.

Episode Notes

Tim Bourquin, Founder of the Podcast & Portable Media Expo

  • How he’s handled his lack of sleep (the Canadian way)
  • Reasons why more corporations are not podcasting
  • Thoughts on Apple’s quest to trademark the word “pod”
  • The big job that attendees have to do once the Expo is over

Robert Scoble, VP Media Development of Podtech.net

  • Why Robert believes everything he writes on his blog
  • Why you should live your life like it’s going to be on the front page of the NY Times everyday
  • Why using podcasts and blogs can help you save tons of money on focus groups and the quality assurance process
  • Why “showing up” helps you to raise your profile and be seen as an expert in your field
  • How diversity helps to improve your products and services

Ron Moore, Executive Producer of Battlestar Galactica

  • Why podcasting will help you boost your bottom line and help you win more customers

Episode Resources

Podcast & Portable Media Expo
Robert Scoble’s blog
Ron Moore’s blog
Ron Moore’s podcast
Hewlett-Packard’s legal drama

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Scott Bourne’s No-Brainer Advice on Raising Your Profile

Scott Bourne called me “smart as a whip” on his blog and I wear that honour with lots of pride. Plus, he has a soft spot for Canadians and anyone who loves us Crazy Canucks gets mucho points in my book.

If you don’t know who Scott is, he works closely with Leo Laporte - hailed as the Podcaster of the Year by the Podcast & Portable Media Expo - on a few podcasts in the TWIT network. According to respondents of the Canadian Podcast survey, TWIT was slated as the top viewed podcast in Canada, so you get an idea where TWIT stack up in the podcasting world. I mean, people were clamouring for Scott’s autograph at the Expo, so he packs alot of star power in podcasting.

I ended up chatting with Scott for about 2-hours on Saturday morning over really bad coffee in the speaker’s room (no Tim Horton’s in Ontario, CA). Our conversation was so engaging, I missed Andrew Baron’s keynote (Paul provides a nice summary). Sorry Drew.

Scott gave me some great advice on how to raise your profile and funny enough, it has nothing to do with podcasting. His tips:

  • Network like crazy.
  • Attend industry events.
  • Ask for favours.
  • Write a book.
  • Be authentic.

You may be reading the tips above and saying to yourself, “Leesa, that’s obvious.” However, these no-brainer tips from an industry heavyweight such as Scott are easily forgotten.

He gave me very specific ideas that I can use for my own situation. I’m not in the habit of spilling the beans on private conversations on a public forum, however, I will announce some of my plans very soon.

In the meantime, take a look at your own situation and ask yourself if you can use Scott’s advice to raise your own profile. If so, put a plan in place and make it happen. Don’t just say it, write it down, committ your intention to dates, then follow through.

Now, where’s my pen & paper?

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Barnes: 7 Deadly Sins of Business Podcasting

Jason Lee Miller over at WebProNews.com attended my session at the Podcast & Portable Media Expo and provided a very nice summary of the seven deadly sins of business podcasting.

He’s asking for more sins. Can you think of any?

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