How To Rank #1 in iTunes New & Noteworthy with Craig Carpenter of “Modernpreneur” – Episode 3

The guest of Episode 3 is the host of “Modernpreneur”, Craig Carpenter.  Craig shares his strategies on how he made it to the top of the iTunes New and Noteworthy list and how they can be applied to anyone starting their podcast.  Some of the topics covered include: ASK “WHY?” – passion to do it is more important
– you can monetize podcasting in several ways but many of them require A LOT of commitment (as with any business) 
– ask yourself if this is a hobby, a sole way to make a living, a promotional traffic builder, or a way to enhance your current business and set you as an authority
– ask yourself if is it more important for you to have large numbers of traffic or a small niche that becomes huge fans
– define if your podcast is short term or long term

AUDIENCE & GUESTS:
– your vision will evolve and you’ll be able to know when a guest is right for your show
– importance of great brand and artwork that conveys your message (many people try to do it themselves)
– don’t be afraid to not release episodes that didn’t end up fitting with your vision
– choose a diverse set of guest that are well known in their markets
– solve a pain point or entertain
– don’t make the show ALL about your guest but rather about a concept or theme

BEST QUALITY:
– go for best of everything but don’t delay launch in lieu of perfection
– practice with some friends or family first
– go to local music store and test out a few mics with your voice to find the best one
– invest in nice headphones
– join a course if you can afford it but decided which one best fits YOUR style
– record on two different tracks with Skype and Adobe Audition
– it doesn’t cost a lot of money to have high quality audio

LAUNCH TIPS:
– create an event on Facebook and invite all of your friends
– the importance of having a lot of episodes pre-recorded
– be committed to personally emailing friends too
– have a funnel in place to capture an email list from your listeners
– make sure you have several episodes uploaded and ready when you go live

TRAFFIC TIPS:
– you only have 8 weeks – more episodes = more exposure – launch as many is possible even if you step it back later
– create catchy headlines for blog posts instead of naming shows only after your guests
– iTunes shouldn’t be the sole focus of your traffic
– consistency is key
– join a podcast community or group that exchanges honest reviews
– submit to niche blogs

OTHER CONCEPTS:
– a show can still be considered noteworthy even after it is no longer new
– cohost your show and other shows or invite multiple guests on to encourage sharing
– utilize Twitter and post in groups for best engagement – Facebook fan pages didn’t work for me
– don’t get discouraged by others that are posting big download numbers – focus on YOUR personal goal   Resources and links mentioned:

Modernpreneur on iTunes/Modernpreneur on Stitcher

Modernpreneur Facebook page

Craig’s Twitter page

Modernpreneur web site

Upward Image, Craig’s graphic design site

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