The Showrunner

Whoa.We're back!Jerod Morris and Jonny Nastor and reunite to talk podcasting ... for the first time in almost 18 months! We are actually killing two birds with one stone: a Lunch & Learn for folks in the Unemployable Initiative (a community that Jerod runs) and a new episode for this long-dormant Showrunner feed.Learn more about the community: http://unenployable.com/communityWe cover:• Takeaways from the annual Infinite Dial survey on the podcasting industry.• Why our four pillars of successful are still just as important now as when we developed them; in fact, they are probably more important.• What authenticity in podcasting actually means.• Why it's not just about connection anymore, but about developing something on top of that.• Umm ... what is a "podcast" anymore?• What impact with Spotify and other streaming services have on listening habits and the way we should think about our podcasts.• A few technological advancements worth considering.• A massive podcasting opportunity that not a lot of people are considering.We also answer several questions from the live folks:• How do you promote a new podcast and drive attention to it?• What should you consider if you have a thick accent?• Are short-form podcasts a good option for hyperlocal websites?And more. It was a jam-packed conversation. And you know what? It was just really fun. The Showrunner podcast worked because Jonny and Jerod have a lot of respect for each other, good chemistry, and different viewpoints. I think all of that was still there 18 months later. :-)

With the holiday season now in full swing, it's time to ask yourself a very important question: should you take a holiday break from your show?Here is answer: yes, we are.This will be our last episode of The Showrunner until January 9th, 2019. But before we go, we describe some important reasons why you should consider taking a break too, and offer up a few steps for how to execute a holiday break the right way so that you get the most out of the experience.

This week, we react to two articles that caught our eye — each of which deals with a topic we’ve discussed recently here on The Showrunner.First, we discuss this article from Nieman Lab (http://www.niemanlab.org/2018/11/consumers-love-smart-speakers-they-dont-love-news-briefings-on-smart-speakers-at-least-not-yet/): Consumers love smart speakers. They don’t love news on smart speakers. (At least not yet.)You may recall in episode we discussed a handful of reasons why short-form podcasts are a major growth opportunity. This article lends further credence to that idea … though we both urge caution before you think about just jumping right into producing one.Then, we discuss this article from Ahrefs (https://ahrefs.com/blog/podcast-advertising/): Podcast Advertising: $51,975 Spent. Here’s What We Learned.In episode 138 we discussed tips for striking a win-win-win deal with a new sponsor. This article provides a unique view of the sponsorship process from the perspective of the sponsor.

We talk a lot about the importance of building your email list and nourishing your subscribers — but what do you do when you are struggling to get anyone to join your email list in the first place?You need to examine (or reexamine) your lead magnet. And in this week’s episode of The Showrunner, we describe a simple 5-step process for creating a lead magnet that will lead to consistent conversions.Among the topics we discuss:• How to define the problem your lead magnet will solve (and why being able to complete this step is foundational for your ability reach your audience).• Why you need to provide ONE specific solution.• How to choose the best format for your lead magnet, with a handful of different types you should consider.• How to approach creating the content itself.• What steps you should take to make it look snazzy.And we use an example lead magnet Jonny created for Hack the Entrepreneur to walk through each of the steps. Click here to download it: https://www.dropbox.com/s/waztnafl5huz06u/10%20FILL%20IN%20THE%20BLANK%20HEADLINES.pdf?dl=Check out our sponsor Hover for your domain hosting needs. Go to Hover.com/Showrunner and get started today with 10% off your first purchase.If you find this episode useful, you should also check out these recent episodes: • [130] 23+ Ways to Earn Profit From Your Podcast• [132] 22 Tips to Help You Avoid Costly Mistakes With Your Email List• [137] How to Market a Podcast: 7 Ways to Get More Listeners

As we mentioned near the end of last week's episode, this week we're talking about listener life cycles -- because not all listeners are created equally, and without a proper understanding of your podcast’s listener life cycles you will find yourself fighting an unwinnable fight to keep every new listener who comes your way.We publish remarkable podcasts on a consistent basis and new listeners discover our shows each and every day. So why do new listeners not stick around? Is it something we did or didn’t do, or is it something deeper than this?Today we are going to expand upon a private conversation we had. We found them ourselves dissecting the growth of our podcasts -- and more importantly, the life cycles of our podcast listeners.A fair bit of warning: this discussion is not as tight and buttoned-up as some of our other discussions. We meander a bit, and even struggle to explain things at times. But it really comes around at the end, and the calls to action we suggest are extremely useful (and potentially fruitful) thought processes that you should go through to get to know your audience better, so you can serve people more appropriately at whatever part of the listener life cycle they are in.Among the topics we discuss:• Why all listeners have unique jumping in and out points• Three types of podcast listeners: passers-by, advocates, and fans• How to help listeners cross over to the next life cycle