This is the first post on the new Podcast User blog.  This website is going to be the home page for the Podcast User blog, Podcast and YouTube channel. I will be doing reviews of podcast apps, Podcast listening platforms and technology that podcast listeners care about. The plan is to do demo and reviews of Podcast Apps, Directories and Networks. Also some how-tos and podcast history articles. All from the listener side of things. Thanks for checking out Podcast User!

When do you know it's time to call it quits on a podcast? 

Should you do live video?  If so, where? Facebook, YouTube, Others. Riverside.fm, streamyard or direct.  Podcast Movement Review  Website caching.  Getting a bit geeky.  This podcast is posted on PodcastHelpDesk.com.  Go there and subscribe!

I will be back in September 2021.  

I had the opportunity to talk to Dave Jones from Podcast Index and the Podcasting 2.0 show about PodPing and other podcasting stuff. 

itunes:subtitle, itunes:summary, or description tags - Today I talk about Episode Notes tags  (Show Notes).  This is part 1 of an experiment.  Please email me and let me know what app or apps you see this in and what tags (at the top of this text) you see and where.   This is a LINK to something cool.    https://mikedell.com

One thing you can always say about how podcasting works, it's always changing.  The last couple of weeks it seems that there is a sort of shift in how it works on basic levels.  Or, does it work the same and only some apps are changing? Apple changed Subscribe to Follow for free podcasts. Apple added "Subscribe" for premium podcasting. Spotify say "Me too!" and adds Premium Podcasting for a very limited number of people. Apple may have changed how their app works when it comes...

Apple announced "Subscriptions" after changing the name of subscribing to a free podcast to "Follow".  We have more details about that system.  Today I will attempt to tell you, technically, how this is going to work and what it will not do. 

100% my opinion. I air my podcasting grievances.

I love it when people correct me! Andy Lehman tells me all about what I didn't get quite right about the Podcast Namespace.

In the history of podcasting, there have been a few Namespaces added to RSS to make podcasting work.  Apple added the namespace, Google added the namespace and even Blubrry added the namespace.  Now there is a new one done by independent podcasters, app developers, companies and other interested people called the namespace.   It's done by the Podcast Index people at  https://podcastindex.org.   I explain what a namespace is and go over the new tags being added by the "podcast" namespace.

Today I want to go back to the REAL basics of how podcasting works.   So, without going into a history lesson,  podcasting has worked the same way since it started  16 years ago.  (some say longer). 

Why would build your podcast on someone else's platform when you can build your own?

In 2020, the podcast industry added over 1 million shows.  Out of 1.7 million shows listed on Apple, 60% (ish) are inactive. 

Here is what I do. I do more show prep.  It seems I get more motivated to podcast if I do show prep on a show I'm about to record. 

There are lots of apps you can use to play podcasts.   As a podcaster I'm sure you are also a podcast listener.  Here is my top 6 (in reverse order of use).

RSS is what powers podcasting.  In fact, this is why podcasting even exists. The enclosure tag in RSS2 allows you to “attach” a media file. Mainly an MP3 but you can also attach just about any media like a video file, a PDF or ebook file.  “Podcasting” is mostly audio but there are some that do video via RSS. 

Podcast Index: "Lets preserve podcasting as a platform for free speech!"

I failed miserably at completing the NaPodPoMo 30 episodes in 30 days this year.  OH well,  Such is life getting in the way.  The Good News and part of the "big" announcement I teased is this show is going 2 times weekly starting on Dec. 16, 2020.  

I'm not only a podcaster, but an avid podcast listener.  I have something like 30 shows that I subscribe to plus I listen to a lot of one-off shows that I don't subscribe to.   Here is my top 8 (as of late November 2020) Also, not in Rank order.

Keeping it simple makes it easy for you to produce your podcast and not worry about waisting a lot of time if you don't have a lot of time.  

YES, I really did just say don't look at your stats for 3 months! THIS MEANS YOU!

So, who exactly is your show for?    When you try to make a podcast for EVERYONE, you really are making a show for NOBODY.  

There are many things about a podcast that a podcaster needs to know even if you don't do everything for your show.  A lot of indie podcasters do everything.  Prep, Talent, Recording, Editing, Producing, Publishing, Booking guests and ALL of it.  Some only do the parts of it.  Sometimes it's a whole team.  BUT, YOU as the owner of your show, need to know some things no matter if you do them or not. 

As a Podcaster, your RSS Feed is your connection to the world for your podcast.  The transmitter for your "Radio Station".  Your RSS feed address is just like a "Frequency" Like "101.9 FM".