Chris Russo - MuddHouse Media

How Podcasters Can Overcome Creator Burnout

By MuddHouse Media Team

Podcasting has exploded in popularity in recent years, with more than 460 million people tuning in to their favorite shows worldwide. However, as with any creative endeavor, podcasting can lead to burnout. The constant pressure to produce high-quality content, grow your audience, and stay relevant can take a toll on even the most passionate podcasters. Here are three tips to overcome the burnout and find your creative energy again:

1 - Simplify your process

Podcasting can be time-consuming and overwhelming. To avoid burnout, try simplifying your process. For example, you could hire a podcast production company to help with the more tedious aspects of production, such as editing, transcribing, or scheduling guests. This can free up your time and energy to focus on what you do best in your business.

2 - Set realistic goals

Burnout can occur when you are constantly pushing yourself to reach unrealistic goals. Instead, set realistic goals that are achievable and sustainable. This can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed and make it easier to track your progress over time. For example, instead of aiming to release a new episode every day, consider releasing one episode a week.

3- Focus on your mission

Finally, remember why you started podcasting in the first place. Was it to promote your new company? Expand your group of consumers? Whatever your reason, make sure you are still passionate about it. When you focus on your mission, podcasting becomes less of a chore and more of a joy.

Podcast creator burnout is a common problem, but it is not insurmountable. By taking a break, simplifying your process, setting realistic goals, seeking support, and focusing on your mission, you can overcome burnout and continue to create great content for your audience. Remember, podcasting should be fun, not a burden, so don't be afraid to make changes to your approach if necessary.

Need help to overcome the burnout and get the creative juices flowing again? Let’s chat.

Why You Need To Be Collecting Feedback From Your Podcast Audience

By MuddHouse Media Team

Podcasting is a great way to connect with people and share your ideas with a wider audience. However, creating a successful podcast is more than just recording and publishing episodes. To truly grow your podcast and make it better, you need to collect feedback from your audience.

Here are a few reasons why collecting feedback from your podcast audience is essential.

1 - Feedback helps you understand your audience.

When you receive feedback, you get insight into what your listeners like and what they don't like about your podcast. You can learn about the topics they're most interested in, what format they prefer, and even the length of your episodes. With this information, you can tailor your content to meet your audience's needs and preferences. Additionally, feedback can help you identify areas where you need to improve. Perhaps your listeners are having trouble hearing you, or they don't like the background music. By collecting feedback, you can address these issues and make your podcast more enjoyable for your listeners.

2- Feedback can help you grow your audience.

When you listen to feedback, you can make changes that will attract new listeners. For example, if your audience says they want shorter episodes, you can make adjustments to your podcast to fit that preference. This could lead to more of your ideal listeners tuning in, as they're more likely to give your podcast a chance if the episodes are a length that they enjoy. Additionally, if you make changes based on feedback, you can let your audience know. This shows that you value their opinions, which can encourage them to share your podcast with others.

3- Feedback can help you build a relationship with your audience.

When you show that you're listening to your audience and that you care about their opinions, you're more likely to build a loyal following. Your listeners will feel like they're part of your community and that their input matters. This can lead to more engagement, as listeners are more likely to leave comments, ask questions, and even share your podcast with others. By building a relationship with your audience, you're more likely to create a successful podcast in the long run.

Collecting feedback from your podcast audience is essential if you want to create a successful podcast. It helps you understand your audience, grow your audience, and build a relationship with your audience. There are many ways to collect feedback, from creating surveys to encouraging listeners to leave comments. Regardless of how you do it, the important thing is that you take the time to listen to your audience and make changes that will make your podcast better. By doing so, you're more likely to create a podcast that your listeners love and that will continue to grow over time.

7 Steps To Starting a Branded Podcast

By MuddHouse Media Team

With podcasting being a popular medium for people to consume content (464.7 million listeners globally in 2023), they are an excellent tool for businesses to promote their brand and engage with their audience. Creating a branded podcast is a great way to showcase your expertise, share your brand story, and build a community of loyal customers. Here are seven steps to starting a branded podcast.

1 - Define your podcast's purpose and audience:

The first step in starting a branded podcast is to define its purpose and audience. Think about what message you want to convey through your podcast and who your target audience is. Understanding your audience's needs and interests will help you create content that resonates with them and a go to market strategy that reaches the right listeners.

2 - Choose a podcast name and format:

Choose a name for your podcast that reflects your brand and the content you'll be producing. Your podcast's format can be interview-style, storytelling, or a combination of both. Ensure that your format is engaging and interesting to keep your audience coming back for more.

3- Invest in quality equipment:

Invest in quality equipment–a good microphone, headphones, and editing software are a must– to ensure that your podcast sounds professional. Your audience will quickly lose interest if your audio quality is poor or difficult to hear.

4 - Create an editorial calendar:

Creating an editorial calendar will help you stay organized and on track with your podcast episodes. Plan your episodes ahead of time, and ensure that they align with your podcast's purpose and audience.

5- Promote your podcast:

Promote your podcast on your website, social media platforms, and other marketing channels to increase its visibility. Encourage your followers to listen, share, and review your podcast to help increase its reach and attract new listeners.

6 - Collaborate with other podcasters:

Collaborating with other podcasters in your industry can help increase your podcast's reach and audience. Find other podcasters in your niche and reach out to them to explore potential collaboration opportunities, like guesting on each other’s shows.

7 - Engage with your audience:

Engage with your audience by responding to their comments, questions, and feedback. Build a community of loyal listeners by creating a space where they can connect with you and other like-minded individuals.

Starting a branded podcast can be an effective way to promote your brand and build a community of loyal customers. By following these steps, you can create a podcast that engages your audience, showcases your expertise, and builds your brand's reputation. And if you need a little help along the way, we here at MuddHouse Media may be great resource for you!

How Grow Your Podcast Audience with Earned Media

By MuddHouse Media Team

You’ve probably considered, or already implemented, owned and paid media strategies for your podcast. You’re posting clips on social media, and you’re running targeted ads at your ideal listener. But have you considered the power of earned media?

Earned media includes media coverage, podcast reviews, and shares on social media from influencers.

Here are some ways to implement an earned media strategy:

Media Coverage: Pitching Your Idea

To gain media coverage for your podcast, you’ll likely have to pitch the media. Developing a press release around a launch or new season is a good start. You may want to offer exclusive content or access to your podcast host(s) or guests as a way to drum up interest for your pitch.

Sometimes gaining media coverage for your podcast doesn’t mean you’re pitching the podcast itself. Often, it’s pitching your host as a subject matter expert who can weigh in on news of the day. When media is secured for your host, they can bring the podcast into the conversation and be labeled as host of the podcast.

Our very own Patrick McEnroe, host of “Holding Court,” was selected as a contributor for CNN because of his robust coverage and commentary on news headlines in his podcast.

Podcast Reviews

Reviews for your podcast boost its discoverability on podcast platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. The more positive reviews of your podcast, the more legitimate your show appears. While the public can’t access backend analytics for podcasts, they can see two things: the number of reviews you have and number of followers on social media–these are often two good indicators of listenership for your podcast. Drive more reviews by asking your audience to leave a review as a call to action in the podcast itself and in your podcast promotions.

Driving Shares on Social Media

While your posts on social media are considered “owned media” every share you get is earned media! Consider the benefits of the various social media platforms for your podcast–YouTube for video episodes, TikTok and Instagram for short clips, and Twitter to continue conversations with your audience outside of episode releases. Ensure you are creating engaging content that drives shares. Before you post something, ask yourself, “Is this something that someone is LIKELY to share or send to a friend?” If the answer is no, it’s time to find a more compelling piece of content to share.

The power of earned media cannot be discounted and should be included in your podcast marketing strategy. If you need some guidance elevating your podcast marketing strategy, MuddHouse Media may be a great partner to you. Reach out here!

4 Reasons Your Podcast Should Be a Video Podcast

By MuddHouse Media Team

As the landscape of podcasting continues to evolve, transitioning your audio podcast to a video format on YouTube can be a strategic move. While many listeners prefer to consume audio content on-the-go, others find the visual aspect of a video podcast more engaging. Here are a few reasons why you should consider adding a visual component to your podcast.

1. We love seeing faces. By including video in your podcast, you're able to create deeper emotional connections with your audience by allowing them to see the faces of the hosts and guests. This adds a personal and relatable element to the content and fosters a greater sense of connection. Riverside.fm & Zencastr are two of our favorite tools to record video + audio remotely.

2. Video content opens up the opportunity for a wider audience. Many people prefer consuming video content over audio, and with the increase in popularity of video podcasts, YouTube is featuring more podcasts on their main page. This means that your podcast has the potential to reach a larger audience and gain more visibility.

3. Video content allows for flexibility in sharing content. While you can certainly post the entire episode, short clips can be taken from the episode and shared on social media platforms. This makes it easy for people to consume your content in bite-sized pieces, which can increase the likelihood of them sharing your content with their own networks.

4. Podcasts are no longer solely an individual activity. With video content, you can gather friends and family around the TV to watch and discuss your favorite podcasts together. This allows for a more communal experience and can even create a dedicated community around your podcast.

It’s clear that transitioning your podcast to a video format can have several benefits, including deeper emotional connections, increased audience reach, flexible content sharing, and a more communal experience. If you need a hand in making the transition to video for your branded podcast, let’s talk.

How to Choose The Right Podcast Format For Your Brand

By MuddHouse Media Team

Podcasting provides a powerful medium for brands to tell their stories and connect with their audiences. With the rising popularity of podcasts, it's important for brands to stand out with unique and engaging content. If you’re creating a podcast, here are four different formats to consider:

Interview Format

The interview format is the most popular choice for podcasts. In this format, a host interviews a guest, usually an expert in their field, to provide insights and knowledge on a particular topic. The interview format is great for brands that want to establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry. By featuring experts, they can share their expertise with their audience and showcase their brand's knowledge and credibility. A challenge for this podcasting format is managing the schedules of the host and guests and finding mutually convenient times to record. However, having guests on a podcast is highly rewarding as it provides engaging content, plus guests often share their appearance on with their following, helping you reach new audiences.

2. Narrative Format

The narrative format is a storytelling format that tells a story over a series of episodes. This format is perfect for brands that have a compelling story to tell or want to showcase their brand's history and evolution. The narrative format allows brands to create a narrative arc that engages the audience and keeps them coming back for more.

3. Roundtable Format

The roundtable format is a discussion-based format where a group of experts discuss a particular topic. This format is great for brands that want to showcase multiple perspectives on a particular topic. By featuring a diverse group of experts, brands can provide their audience with a well-rounded view of the topic and demonstrate their brand's openness to different viewpoints. A great example of this format is from an episode of Top of the World: Lessons From Rebuilding the World Trade Center, a branded podcast produced by MuddHouse Media that chronicled the historic 20-year rebuilding of New York City's World Trade Center after 9/11. Episode 10, "The Final Project" features a roundtable of different stakeholders who are completing the final pieces of the World Trade Center construction.

4. Solo Format

The solo format is a podcast where a single host speaks directly to the audience. This format is perfect for brands that want to establish a personal connection with their audience. The host can share their personal experiences and insights, providing a more intimate and relatable experience for the audience. The downside of a solo podcast is that it tends to be less versatile than a conversational podcast, which offers dynamic perspectives.

Why Brands Should Launch a Podcast

Podcasting is a powerful tool for brands to connect with their audiences and establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry. By choosing the right format, brands can create engaging and unique content that resonates with their audience. In addition, podcasts provide a platform for brands to share their brand story and showcase their expertise.

At MuddHouse Media, we believe that podcasting is a key vehicle to creating a deeper connection between a brand and its audience. By launching a podcast, brands can differentiate themselves from their competitors and create a loyal following of listeners. If you're interested in learning more, let's talk.

5 Time Saving Hacks to Podcast More Efficiently

By MuddHouse Media Team

One reason companies don't start podcasts or start them and give up shortly after is because podcasts can be a big time commitment. But they don't always have to be. Here are 5 time saving hacks that will get you podcasting more efficiently!

Prepare Your Podcast for Launch

When deciding to start a podcast, it’s more than just picking a topic. You need to think about how you want to present it, in other words, picking a format. What’s the podcast title that will communicate your brand and message best? What themes does your podcast cover? Is it an interview-style series or another format? What kind of recording equipment are you ready to invest in? Smart companies often decide to hire a podcast production company because they realize podcasting is not their core business, and it is very hard to maintain a successful podcast without a robust internal team including a producer and podcast marketing strategist.

2. Make a Plan

Planning is very important to use your time most efficiently. Coordinating schedules for your host and guest can be stressful. We recommend setting up a recurring time slot each week dedicated to podcast production so your podcast doesn’t get lost in the shuffle with your other priorities.

3. Don’t Rush. Learn As You Experience

The important thing when creating a podcast is to take your time. It’s not something that you need to learn all at once. Podcasting takes time to get used to and with each episode, you get to figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are. If you need all the expertise at the top, consider hiring a podcast production company to help you!

4 Simple Strategies for Launching a Successful Podcast

By MuddHouse Media Team

Some of your favorite podcasts were not overnight successes. If you’ve never launched a podcast before, chances are you don’t know how to begin.

Here are 4 simple starting strategies to launching a successful podcast:

Have a Strong Mission & Goals

It’s important for you to know why you want to launch a podcast. Figure out what your goals and purpose are, that way you’ll have a better understanding of how and where you want to take this platform going forward.

2. Clearly Define Your Target Audience

Your podcast should never be everyone’s favorite podcast, because a good podcast isn’t for everyone. A good podcast has a strong niche with a specific target audience–an audience that will most benefit from listening to your podcast. It’s okay to aim narrow and start with a small but mighty audience!

3. Expand Your Network With Your Podcast

Podcasting provides a major opportunity to elevate your visibility among your partners and prospective clients. Here's how: when you start a podcast, you automatically have a media platform that communicates your thought leadership to your audience. People want to get in front of your audience. Use your podcast as a business development tool to have conversations with those in your industry. It will open new opportunities for your brand.

4. Utilize Social Media to Elevate Your Visibility

Including your podcast in your social media strategy is a great way to increase your podcast’s visibility and drive listenership. With highlights from your episodes shared on social media, your listeners can stay up to date with the latest episodes and see the best of the best of your content. Additionally, social media provides a community for your listeners to engage with you and each other in the comments.

If you need a hand launching or producing your podcast, reach out to our team!

How to Create a Private Podcast For Your Company

By MuddHouse Media Team

What does a private podcast entail, who can create one, and how can you get started? This is how you can launch a private podcast for your brand or business.

Private podcasts are internal podcasts, built specifically for employees at your company to learn about company or industry best practices, entertain them by showcasing the best of company culture, and overall get a better understanding of your company’s mission and impact. Launching a private podcast requires a few key steps to ensure success.

You’ll first need to identify your target audience and ensure they have access to the necessary technology to listen to your podcast. This can include new hires, HR professionals, your C-suite–whoever your podcast is trying to reach
The type of content you produce can vary depending on your goals for your business. If you’d like your mid level employees to have a better understanding of company leadership, you might invite your company’s CEO to host a weekly 20-minute podcast with other organization employees.
You should look for a hosting platform to broadcast your message through. Many podcasting host sites can relay your message with a feature to privatize your RSS feed. This means that your private podcast will only be available to those you choose.

By following these steps, you can swiftly and successfully launch a private podcast that delivers valuable content to help your organization’s team be better equipped with the knowledge they need to succeed in their roles and connect your team better. If you’re looking for a partner to help launch your private podcast, consider a podcast production company (like Muddhouse Media) to help you get the job done.

Are Blogs or Podcasts Better Marketing Tools For Your Brand?

By Muddhouse Media Team

Blogs and podcasts are great marketing tools to expand your brand’s reach online. Which one has a better outcome for your brand?

Before you decide to implement a blog or a podcast, consider the following to help determine which platform will work best:

Podcasts

Podcasts are a marketing tool that allows your brand to establish itself as a storyteller, bringing it closer to listeners, right at their fingertips. Storytelling provides your brand an opportunity to become its most authentic self by becoming a thought leader about a certain topic in your industry. Your listeners will look to you for guidance to navigate anything they not only want to know, but need to know. Because of this, podcasts also build strong relationships.

Your audience is made up of a variety of different people from employees of your company to possible customers who want to learn more. Also, your audience can subscribe to your podcast, allowing a relationship to build out over the course of your series, as well as adding new listeners with the release of every episode.

As for the technology, podcasts allow for your audience to listen whenever they want for free. People have the ability to listen as they drive, exercise, or even do household chores.

Before you decide to create a podcast for your brand, recognize that podcasting does not attain results for your brand as soon as you would expect, and can be hard to measure performance if you don’t set the right KPIs and have the right expectations.

Podcasting requires a lot of time and energy to create because your brand needs to find the right podcast production team, how to divide the episodes with a variety of topics and guests, and an understanding of the equipment. Someone to book the guests, a producer to record every episode, and a marketing team to help promote your brand’s podcast are required to get your branded podcast off the ground in a successful way.

Even with a lot of effort being put into the podcast, your podcast will take time to generate good results. Consistency with your episodes is key because as you build your podcast, your audience will build with each episode. Your audience has to know that your podcast not only exists, but also has to resonate. When your podcasts resonate with your audience, they will subscribe to your show. As for your branded podcast’s performance, there is no right or wrong way to look for success, depending on how your brand defines its success. Your brand could focus on the downloads of each episode, how many subscribers your series has, or a conversation rate on social media. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn are great resources to see how your content is resonating with your audience.

Blogs

Blogs are an effective way to market your brand because to power your SEO. Your brand will appear on different search engines, like Google, if you are planning blog topics, targeting keywords, and most importantly, producing great content.

As for reputation, your brand will establish itself as a thought leader because your audience would find the answers to their questions by reading your blogs. You would earn your audience’s trust if you create a wide range of content that is meaningful to people who are looking for answers for their brand, or are interested in your brand and its leadership.

Even though blogs provide brands with great opportunities, they do take a lot of time to find the right audience and time to create. Similar to podcasting, blogs take time for your brand to be discovered because your brand is not going to find success from writing one blog. Your brand will need a strategy on how to divide up content that will keep your audience engaged, as well as how to get your brand in front of search engines.

Your audience will build overtime, if you keep being consistent with your content. Unlike podcasts, blogs are implemented by brands to increase their awareness. If you decide to make blogs a part of your marketing strategy, you will be competing with many other brands who are looking for the results that you are.

When deciding whether you believe podcasts or blogs will be better for your brand, you should know that both are great tools to help expand your brand’s presence. Just remember that you should consider your audience, your team, your content, and how you want to best represent your brand.

Interested in developing a branded podcast?

At MuddHouse Media, we are a team of experienced media professionals who specialize in expert storytelling. We’ll help you find the right story (or stories) to tell through a podcast, and we’ll be with you every step of the way. Learn more.

By MuddHouse Media Team

1 - Simplify your process

2 - Set realistic goals

3- Focus on your mission

Recent Posts

How to Reach a Global Audience with a Podcast

4 Ways Branded Podcasts Strengthen Customer Loyalty

Debunking 4 Myths About Branded Podcasts

By MuddHouse Media Team

Recent Posts

How to Write a Memorable Podcast Intro and Outro

Why Are Branded Podcasts A Powerful Marketing Tool?

3 Reasons Why Storytelling with a Branded Podcast Is the Best Way To Connect With Your Customers

By MuddHouse Media Team

Recent Posts

How to Write a Memorable Podcast Intro and Outro

Why Are Branded Podcasts A Powerful Marketing Tool?

3 Reasons Why Storytelling with a Branded Podcast Is the Best Way To Connect With Your Customers

By MuddHouse Media Team

Recent Posts

How to Write a Memorable Podcast Intro and Outro

Why Are Branded Podcasts A Powerful Marketing Tool?

3 Reasons Why Storytelling with a Branded Podcast Is the Best Way To Connect With Your Customers

By MuddHouse Media Team

Recent Posts

How to Write a Memorable Podcast Intro and Outro

Why Are Branded Podcasts A Powerful Marketing Tool?

3 Reasons Why Storytelling with a Branded Podcast Is the Best Way To Connect With Your Customers

By MuddHouse Media Team

Recent Posts

How to Write a Memorable Podcast Intro and Outro

Why Are Branded Podcasts A Powerful Marketing Tool?

3 Reasons Why Storytelling with a Branded Podcast Is the Best Way To Connect With Your Customers

By MuddHouse Media Team

Recent Posts

How to Write a Memorable Podcast Intro and Outro

Why Are Branded Podcasts A Powerful Marketing Tool?

3 Reasons Why Storytelling with a Branded Podcast Is the Best Way To Connect With Your Customers

By MuddHouse Media Team

Recent Posts

How to Write a Memorable Podcast Intro and Outro

Why Are Branded Podcasts A Powerful Marketing Tool?

3 Reasons Why Storytelling with a Branded Podcast Is the Best Way To Connect With Your Customers

By MuddHouse Media Team

Recent Posts

How to Write a Memorable Podcast Intro and Outro

Why Are Branded Podcasts A Powerful Marketing Tool?

3 Reasons Why Storytelling with a Branded Podcast Is the Best Way To Connect With Your Customers

By Muddhouse Media Team

Podcasts

Blogs

Interested in developing a branded podcast?

Recent Posts

How to Write a Memorable Podcast Intro and Outro

Why Are Branded Podcasts A Powerful Marketing Tool?

3 Reasons Why Storytelling with a Branded Podcast Is the Best Way To Connect With Your Customers