In a notice to all Podango users just two days ago, president Douglas G. Smith announced likely closure to take place Wednesday December 31st and that all users should take immediate measures to back-up media files uploaded there. ---- All rights reserved. nd.com Read on...

Today saw the Blubrry.com podcast network announce a free month of media hosting on their pay-to-host service to all Podango users affected by the closure, and a “tool” to help the transition – which is currently being created (anyone know i that’s actually available right now? – let’s hope it gets there in time). Taking up this Blubrry offer does not obligate ex Podango users to continue with Blubrry after the initial free month.

A free alternative

Another option that seems to have not been mentioned elsewhere – this one entirely free – is mevio.com who already have a simple system to automatically transfer all media available on another RSS feed and suck it into their servers (once you have verified you are the owner of a feed, of course!). Mevio.com hosting is entirely free of charge with no limits to storage or bandwidth.

Another blow for podcasting?

The loss of a hosting service is certainly not positive news, but begs the question as to the need for dedicated services with the cost of web hosting and bandwidth continuing to drop, a question also raised over at Podcasting News.

Where specialist hosting does become a factor is with very successful and high bandwidth shows. If audiences begin to stretch into the tens of thousands of media requests per episode, the small-time producer will be hard pushed to find a compliant shared web hosting service comfortable with the server and bandwidth load.

I cannot comment about Blubrry hosting as I have not had any personal experience, but mevio.com handles the demands of heavyweight video shows such as GeekBriefTV without breaking a sweat.

Let’s hope all Podango users find a new home so that their audiences have uninterrupted transmission.

If you are new around here and in the interests of disclosure, I would like to point out that I work for mevio.com and also chose to use mevio to handle my media storage and distribution.

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How you would achieve this, I have no idea. How I am – well on the way to – achieving this is what this post is about. Some of this may work for you, or not. ---- All rights reserved. nd.com Read on...

The first draft is crap – deal with it

That reality was one of the toughest ideas to overcome – understanding that it is just fine to write a first draft that you would only consider using as lavatory paper (and then only in secret just in case anyone gets even a glimpse of the text). No one will read the first draft. With my first draft, not even me! I’ll get to why in just a moment, but first another important step: I stopped editing.

Once I came to terms with the prospect of writing rubbish I began to be far more productive, but very soon fell back into the pit of over eager editing and the resulting snail’s pace in progress because I was editing too much too early.

A pen and a Moleskine

I learned writing by hand prevented editing beyond a scribbled-out paragraph or two and a scrawled note in some nearby free space. I calculated that my handwriting would squeeze around 90,000 words into a standard Moleskine lined notebook (spend money on a decent quality notebook so you are less inclined to actually use it as toilet paper later).

This process brought me to a first draft in a couple of months. The pages filled, the story unfolded, and I found myself rapidly heading to the start of the second draft.

I kept the pace of the writing moving forward as consistently as possible. When something blocked that momentum or where some scene or action could not be worked through at that point, I simply wrote “stuff happens here to get them to the station” or similar. Can’t deal with it now? Then move on and deal with it later – you’re going to have to re-write it all anyway!

Engagement

Writing by hand seemed to have the additional benefit of embedding the text deeper into memory, to the extent that, while writing the second draft, I rarely have to reference the notebook. This is good because I do not have the neatest handwriting, particularly when ideas are in full flow.

More of the right tools

The second draft had to be transferred into some electronic form. Having as much love for Microsoft Word as a Marmite encrusted stick of celery, it took some time and exploration to discover Scrivener. This tool does what I need it to, doesn’t try to teach me how to write, doesn’t get in the way when I want to write, and has just the right level of organisation and customisability to tailor it to my needs, while ensuring I do not lose endless hours messing with too many needless settings. It’s not perfect, but it’s just right for me.

I do not use post-its or cards stuck to cork boards to play with the story, but I frequently use my large whiteboard for brainstorming plot points and working through the odd character crisis. Whiteboards are essential.

The serialised audiobook

Now this stage is likely not for everyone, but starting early 2008 I committed myself to releasing the second draft of the novel as a weekly 20 minute audio book. This established a predictable regime of writing around 3,500 words per week and structuring the work to ensure the story is continually developing in order to keep the audience’s attention. It means not only I am imposing a deadline, but so are those who email me in anticipation of the next episode.

The process also forced me to read the text aloud, frequently bringing to light issues with the text, grammar errors, plot problems, and particularly highlighting poor dialogue, which could be immediately fixed. Being the second draft, the audio version is not perfect by any means, but the benefits of this part of my process far outweighs concerns over an uncorrected error here and there.

Vacations, sickness and work trips aside, this has kept me on track. It is not without its stress, of course, as I am adding several hours each week in recording, editing, mixing and publishing the audio files, plus online promotion and building an audience. I currently have well over 90,000 words under my belt. Without this self imposed routine, I am convinced this book would not be as far along as it is right now.

What’s next?

A third draft will be necessary, as will having a trusted friend or two reading the text and providing constructive criticism. The text must be edited to improve pace and flow in some areas, of that I am already aware. And certain (and irritating to me) aspects of my natural and imperfect writing style have to be polished.

There’s a lot more work to be done and since that is in the future I do not feel able to discuss a process that I have not yet personally applied – so more on this subject in other posts.

I am looking forward to starting on the second book in the series, with the knowledge and experience of the first behind me. I may find a slightly different process, or an identical one. Processes are always subject to change, but one thing of which I am absolutely certain is that its first draft will be hand written in a spanking new Moleskine.

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YouTube is UCG

The most clearly defined form of user generated content is YouTube (and similar sites). Anyone can, and does, upload anything. ---- All rights reserved. nd.com Read on...

The advertising industry and UGC

Advertisers are simply terrified of UGC (User Generated Content). With no means of predicting exactly what kind of content their brands will become associated with on the page, it becomes tougher for agencies to have confidence in reaching the audience they must reach on behalf of their clients (remember, in the vast majority of international brand advertising, it is not the brands themselves who buy the advertisement space).

What advertising buyers are hunting for is trusted, “brand-safe” content with which to associate their products. They need the confidence that there will be no unpleasant surprises and that their clients’ brands will have their image both enhanced by the associated content, and that it will reach their defined target audience.

True UGC cannot guarantee either of those important criteria.

Aren’t podcasts UGC?

In that they are generated by “users”, they are, of course. But in the eyes of the advertising industry, podcasts have unfortunately become tarnished with the very same brush as true UGC. Whereas, in fact, the vast majority of niche podcast-distributed programming is very much brand-safe.

Serialised, audio and video programming maintains an audience primarily through loyalty. That audience comes to expect a certain style and structure of content. If the show consistently fails to provide what they expect, they will move on. Producers understand this and strive to provide what their audience wants. Thus the loyalty grows and the show becomes increasingly brand-safe.

Within each individual show’s audience, the programming is entirely brand safe in that it is predictable, consistent, and reaches the same eyes and ears over and over again – and important factor in converting an advertising message into audience action.

So why aren’t advertisers clamoring to write cheques to independent podcast producers?

Apart fro the image problem (as mentioned above), the vast majority of the productions out there have far too small an audience to be attractive to international brands who need to reach millions. Networks such as Mevio get around that issue by aggregating similar audiences together across multiple smaller show properties. And it is working.

But whether any company can become strong enough to truly wipe the memories and associations podcasts have within the advertising industry remains to be seen. I do not believe that will happen – advertisers like to be in control, and no-one has broken them in the past four years (since podcasting first appeared).

This lingering, troublesome association is, as I see it, the reason for PodShow re-branding to Mevio.

The story has not changed

Since the dawn of podcast content, the key players have been preaching that the programming’s strength is its unique and intimate relationship with its audience, and that relation must, therefore, be attractive to advertisers. I have not seen this view change.

Along came the tsunami of UGC (YouTube, etc.) and what should have been a tall, razor-wire topped wall between the independent content productions and true UGC, became a fuzzy blurr of confused notions about the differences between professional, independent, and amateur produced content.

I believe this is one of the primary reasons why so many quality podcast producers did not see the returns they believed were possible from their content..

Disclaimer: I work for Mevio. The opinions in this article are wholly personal and in no way prompted, endorsed, or motivated by Mevio.

Photo credit: Bulent Fahri Ince

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When a new user signs up at TableRappers.com, one of the questions in the online form asks where or how they discovered the audiobook. Aside from those I know personally, almost all the remaining have discovered it through hearing about it on another audiobook or show, and hearing one of the audio promos. I can also direct relate the frequency of promos being played elsewhere with increases of media requests for the audiobook.

I remember a discussion with a podcaster a year or two ago (in the podcasting dark-ages) related to him receiving absolutely no spike in downloads after having his show mentioned and promo played on Adam Curry’s Daily Source Code. Similar stories were abundant at the time and the idea of reaching new ears through other shows dulled somewhat in my mind. That has changed, and here’s why I think the audio promos worked…

Drama!

The TableRappers promos are dramatic. That’s fairly easy to create with an audiobook thriller immersed in the paranormal with a good sprinkling of conspiracies and intrigue, but I believe the promo must be much more emotive than a simple “this is what my show is about, please come listen”. Demand the listener’s attention and insist they are missing something if they do not at least take a bite and taste your show. Listening to online audio shows is a passive activity, so you must get the listener motivated.

Be strategic

Spread the word across many other shows at around the same time. A listener who hears your promo just once within their favourite show will likely not act on it. Have them hear the same promo again (and again) in different shows at around the same time, and you have a greater chance of capturing their curiosity. All you can do is encourage them to take the bait, after that it is down to other factors as to whether they subscribe or listen beyond the initial taste.

Get the show’s host to mention yours

Build a rapport with the show host who wants to play your promo so that in addition to the promo itself, the host provides a brief endorsement. This may only be an intro, or could be a full-blown review of your show. However much they do, their personal mention draws their audience’s attention to your product much more effectively.

Don’t let them down

Keep your promo relevant to the theme and style of your show. The promo generates interest, but if the new listener’s expectations are dashed by inconsistent styles of promo and actual show, it is going to be very difficult to retain them beyond the first few seconds. If your show diesn’t have “drama”, you may feel this conflicts with the first point. In which case, boil your message down to what is truly compelling about your show – there must be something!

Make your show intro count

New listeners will make a decision on your show within the first few seconds – make them good! You’ve god the to take a bite, now hook them in good and proper. This is one of the primary reasons I decided to get into the story are quickly as possible with the Tablerappers audiobook and not have me waffling on before the story begins each episode.

Go get ‘em

Audiences are growing but unless you are taking positive action to reach them, they might as well be living on another planet. Audience growth is hard work and sometimes does not feel as though it is worthwhile the effort. But even from early on in this space, audience growth was a matter of getting in people’s faces, and the archaic notion of “if I build it they will come” (something, sadly, too many established and new show producers still believe!) is well and truly dead and buried.

Play one of my TableRappers audio promos on your show and I’ll play yours on a future episode of both TableRappers, and Minor Technicality.

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I have been a fan of Björk, discovering her music not from her breaking album Debut, but two years later with Post. For one reason or another – ranging from forgot to keep looking to unable to afford the ¬£300 tickets for Covent Garden – I never managed to see her live, until last Sunday. ---- All rights reserved. nd.com Read on...

The Hammersmith Apollo – once called the Hammersmith Odeon where I have seen the likes of Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and Peter Kay (there’s a much longer list somewhere) – is looking a little rough around the edges these days. It seems the signature crystal chandeliers hanging recessed into the walls to each side of the auditorium are the only parts properly looked after.

I’m not even going to mention the opening act, not that I can remember who it was anyway. Sampled music is one thing, playing someone else’s music almost in its entirety while now and then twiddling with filters and mixer knobs is an altogether different pointless exercise. One track was fine, by track three we were both bored.

Björk was, of course, a superb performer. This was very much a ‘greatest hits’ lineup, with a broad range of styles and, I think, at least one track from every major album. What pleased me the most was she did not simply replicate the recorded track, but created new arrangements, sometimes different rhythms atop the signature beats, played with the vocals, and performed to the entire audience.

There’s something brave and expressive about her. When she dances around, though deliberate and with intent, there are no finely tuned choreographed moves. What there is, is pure expression, and watching her I grasped just a little more depth and meaning to some of the tracks.

It is not until you hear such a broad selection of her music that you appreciate its breadth. From pounding dance beats to Icelandic nursery rhymes accompanied by a brass ensemble. I am always surprised, frequently challenged, and will likely never tire of her work.

So, today, what joy… there I was messing around on Emusic a few minutes ago – all to do with work, I might add – when I spotted what looks like Björk’s entire lineup available there for download!

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UPDATE: Adam Curry refers to this as less a facelift than a shot of botox!  ---- All rights reserved. nd.com Read on...

This interim change refocused the site around primary promotion of video content, which is – despite the understandable resistance from those involved solely with independent audio – is where both audience growth and advertiser interest are undergoing significant accelleration.

This morning was the first time I had seen the v2.5 interface (I have simply been too wrapped up in other projects), and I like the emphasis on show promotion right there on the front page. Much more is being done to push the content from producers with whom we have a relationship – something that is close to my heart, of course. The initial lineup seems a little weighted to the bigger productions, but that is understandable for day one to offer the strongest lineup.

One of the main challenges the site still faces is media persistence – the ability to keep watching or listening uninterrupted as you explore – and the ability to interact with the rest of the site without losing the connection with that already playing media.

With the very much stronger, and still growing interest from advertisers in associating their brands with video content, I think this new interface is going to open a number of doors for PodShow and associated producers, of course. We are already seeing a marked increase in the number of, and potential from, new advertisers. Most of the new campaigns being offered to producers have unlimited potential for growth and earning, regardless of audience size. Now that is an important point, it is no longer the shows with bigger audiences that are (potentially) able to generate the biggest earnings. Could we have discovered exactly how to tap in to the full potential of aggregating many small-audience productions to distribute brand and product promotion? Not quite yet, but every single day is a learning experience and we are a lot closer to understanding how to help producers make the most out of their shows.

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If you have not come across them, moo produce mini printed cards, stickers, and greetings card. What makes them stand out is the full integration with your flickr or facebook accounts (there are others, too), which offers dead easy selection of images to be printed on the cards or stickers. You can then print a few lines of text content on the reverse of each 70mm x 28mm card.

I was thinking about using them to help promote TableRappers, by giving away a special set of moo cards with exclusive art produced purely for fans of the audio book. Each month someone who has signed up at tablerappers.com would receive a free and unique set of moo cards. The art would appear on the front, and whatever text content the winner wishes, on the back.

Whether they end up as a giveaway promotion, I’ll almost certainly be getting my own set of moo cards, because they are simply so damn cute!.

MOO MiniCards – $19.99 for 100 unique photo cards

Save with GoDaddy – keep a note of these voucher codes and use them again and again!

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Welcome mozy. Plain and simple, there are two services here (for personal users – there are additional business user services too): get 2Gig of secure backup for FREE, or pay $4.95 per month for unlimited backup space.

Having just released the beta of their OSX backup client, I’m now most interested and am trying out the client while writing this post. Signing up is blindingly easy – as it should be – with the additional incentive that for every person you get to sign up and use the service, free or unlimited, you gain an additional 256Mb of backup storage. So, go on, get over there, sign up, and backup some files to help me get another free Gig! I’d do the same for you, you know I would…

The OSX client is dead simply, just enter your mozy account info and the client presents a bunch of sensible preset backup sets enabling one-click backup of your Keychains, Application Prefs, Address Book, etc. You can create your own backup sets using file search and list, or edit the details of the existing ones. It also then allows you to manually select individual folders to back up, all the while giving you a progress bar on how much of your 2Gig you are going to consume during the actual backup. Oh, and did I mention the 2Gig was completely free..?

I’m totally impressed in the ease of use of this Online backup service so far, as I have successfully set up the backup criteria while writing this post and the first backup of a couple of hundred Mb, is all set to run overnight tonight. If I get any problems, I’ll report back. If you hear nothing, then the “I’m totally impressed” status remains.

UPDATE: The backup was only a partial success. All the manually selected folders updated correctly, but the pre-selected Backup Sets were ignored by the Mozy client. It’s still in beta (v 0.4.1.1), so understandable there’s a bug or two right now.

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Handing this show over to the ladies!

Click below to listen or hop over to the 212Blues website.

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