How to Create Online Radio Show?

[Nightengale]

Hi All,

This sort of follows the questions I posted earlier about creating audio messages. I just saw a site selling an audio course on how to produce and broadcast your own online radio show. I think the price is $197.

It seems to me that it can't be all that hard, especially if you're like me and don't want to produce a full-blown radio show, just more of a weekly audio tip which I'd then dispense across the Web. It sounds very interesting.

I'm mainly a copywriter. I have professional training as a writer, but the size of project I'm considering just seems so daunting right now. (It's not a lack of information, it's TOO MUCH information!)

So I'm looking at disseminating my information primarily via audio accompanied by either transcripts or just PDF notes. I talk even easier than I write and it will be easier (and faster) for me to do since I only have to write down a basic outline and talk from that. It's a lot faster and will help me get it in gear. Plus, audio isn't easily scanned like a long Web page can be. (Though I most definitely think long Web pages have their place.) And audio has distribution possibilities that an e-book just doesn't.

So, does anybody have experience hosting/producing an online radio show? Any suggestions for someone completely unfamiliar with doing them? I think I'd prefer to do short, 5-10 minute segments focusing on just one tip. But I want it to sound nice, maybe even add a little royalty-free music to it.

Normally, I'd just buy the course. I've got literally thousands of dollars worth of marketing courses I've bought over the years. I love learning and I've come across some really high-quality information over the years. But at this time, it's a better idea for me to do this as simply and as inexpensively as possible.

Plus, the author promises you can be producing/hosting your own radio show in just 50 days. That seems a little long to me. Doing a somewhat shortened format like I envision, it seems like I should be able to do it in 30 days or less.

Is that realistic? I'd greatly appreciate any ideas, tips you can give me!

Thanks,
Michelle

[Andrei Rotariu]

The 50 day thing is because there is more to consider. If you will be broadcasting you need licences etc. I personally dont believe this can be done with only 197dollars. Either way if thats what you want to do thats cool.

The radio show is perfect if you have heaps of traffic and some prospects. Is there a link?

[Nightengale]

I've never done audio before except to record a 60-second welcome message for my Web site.

I was just doing some research and it looks like I'm thinking more of a podcast instead of an actual radio show. Basically, I want to focus on just one tip per show/episode -- or whatever it's called. I'm thinking of taking my e-zine content (which is one tip and one resource per issue) and translating it into audio -- nothing more. I don't want guests, I don't want advertisers, I don't want to make money directly on the show. It's basically a promotional tool.

Though I DO have an iPod, I've never been into podcasting or have subscribed to podcasts in iTunes. "Podcasting" just never appealed to me or caught on with me. I use my iPod mainly for music and have more recently begun listening to business-oriented teleclasses and CD's whose content I've ripped into my copy of iTunes on my computer. But if I WERE to do podcasts, I'd also like to have the short eposides available for live streaming from my site as well as for download.

Maybe I should re-phrase my question: How many here have done podcasting and how beneficial was it to your business? Did it actually contribute to your bottom line?

Thanks,
Michelle

[Dave777]

Why don't you just create your own radio show through podcasting! Mostly free...

Lots of internet marketers start loving it once the list building and money starts rolling in...
Google Directory - Computers*>*Internet*>*On*the*Web*>*Podcasts*>*Dir ectories

Dave

[James Foster]

Internet Marketing Seminars | Hard to Find Seminars | Michael Senoff

[Nightengale]

Yep. :P After a little quick research, I realized I should have been thinking "podcast" instead of "radio show." Sorry, thought I'd clarified my mistake in my earlier post. (See? Told you I haven't done much with audio. And it shows. :P)

Thanks for the resource!

Michelle

[Nightengale]

Ok, why don't any of the links the the audio interviews go anywhere or open anything up on Senoff's site? Anybody know? ????

Michelle

[Lee MacRae]

Michelle

Go check out BlogtalkRadio and you will see you can get involved as it says Free Internet radio talk show: No software download. Free.

Free Online Radio - Internet Talk Radio | BlogTalkRadio

Let us know when your first show airs

[Dave777]

You might also get some ideas throughout the following resources and by Googling other internet radio related keywords...
Google Directory - Arts*>*Radio*>*Internet

Dave

[Affiliate Marketing Guy]

I created a three part 90 minute radio show complete with bumper music and interludes. The key is in the editing! I first learned thru Michael Senoff's free website on audio creation-audio marketing secrets(is a paid course I did enroll in). I then hired my technical guy that won 4 emmy's with his work at ESPN--so I hit the jackpot really. I get 500 hits per day on i-tunes where I first posted the golf author interview about a unique swing method learned from the late great Ben Hogan(who talked to two people on earth about the mysteries of his swing).

I now circulate it around on blogtalk radio and other websites. Audio content is way easier than writing a book. However, I worked real hard on my questions after reading his book. I e-mailed the questions to the author who slightly changed two questions. When I put him on the phone he was so natural and interesting, the final audio product was very informative. I am in the process of doing artwork so it can be distributed on physical cd's for car use. I have learned audio effects the decision processes in the brain different than video and you can do other things while listening to audio(drive a car, surf the web).

You can just plunge into it with free conference call - which records bridge calls for free. You then have something that can be played back into a audio editing product. I do have some suggestions if you need help later....just get your feet wet and you will develop your own style. I can't say enough about quality editing....editing is the key to holding ears.

Tim Flaherty

[Mark Riddle]

Nightengale,

Part of the 50 days is getting involved in syndication, that's generally the lead time you need to do it right, with local promo etc..

I've help produce several podcasts and radio shows, there is a slight difference.

Podcasts are much more flexible on times, when creating a radio show the segments have to be a specific length (to the second) with insert times for local sponsors, weather and station promos, and the top and bottom of the hour station IDs.

Podcasts are much more time friendly.

As it has been mentioned before, blogtalk radio is an excellent platform to get your feet wet without the expense of equipment.

Regardless of your choice podcast or radio show....

Here's a brief outline of what is needed to keep you on track.

No single segment should be over 7 minutes, in between segments can be sponsorships or promos, its also a good time to give out tips that are in your expertise that is not part of that specific show.

The breakaway (time between segments) should be no shorter than 60 seconds and no longer than 3 min.

When you return in every segment, re-introduce the topic and the guest if you have one (not a full intro - Something like, "This is nightengale and we're talking with Jeff Bezos about the popularity of the new Kindle reader, Welcome back Jeff, now you were saying that your expecting content for the kindle to explode in the coming months")

Final segment is where everything is wrapped up, thanking guests, listeners, giving contact details for you, the show, products mentioned, and the guests, and a tease about next week show topic and guess always invite the listener to tune in next week.

As you prepare for the show, create a list of questions and put them in the flow of your segments, if you get off topic in one segment, the next segment will be back on track.

Most guests have prepared questions for you, take their questions and form them in your own words while keeping the focus of your shows topic.

For example, the guest is speaking on home gardens and your show is about stay at home moms. The guests sheet could say What are the best times to plan your garden.

You would take that sentence and say:

"With stay at home Mom's is always important for them to keep schedules because they have so many things that they need to take care of, while also tending to the kids, So for Moms when is the best time to plan their gardens ? "


There are many other details but this should give you a good idea of how to make even your first show a winner ~!

Mark (with over 30 years in broadcasting and voice work)

[Chuck Evans]

Originally Posted by Affiliate Marketing Guy

I created a three part 90 minute radio show complete with bumper music and interludes. The key is in the editing! I first learned thru Michael Senoff's free website on audio creation-audio marketing secrets(is a paid course I did enroll in). I then hired my technical guy that won 4 emmy's with his work at ESPN--so I hit the jackpot really. I get 500 hits per day on i-tunes where I first posted the golf author interview about a unique swing method learned from the late great Ben Hogan(who talked to two people on earth about the mysteries of his swing).

I now circulate it around on blogtalk radio and other websites. Audio content is way easier than writing a book. However, I worked real hard on my questions after reading his book. I e-mailed the questions to the author who slightly changed two questions. When I put him on the phone he was so natural and interesting, the final audio product was very informative. I am in the process of doing artwork so it can be distributed on physical cd's for car use. I have learned audio effects the decision processes in the brain different than video and you can do other things while listening to audio(drive a car, surf the web).

You can just plunge into it with free conference call - which records bridge calls for free. You then have something that can be played back into a audio editing product. I do have some suggestions if you need help later....just get your feet wet and you will develop your own style. I can't say enough about quality editing....editing is the key to holding ears.

Tim Flaherty

Tim,

There are LOTS of people that THINK they know what Hogan did. The ONLY person that Hogan truly mentored was Gardner Dickinson. Gardner and I were friends for many years and we talked a lot about what Mr. Hogan shared with him. I also told Tom, the guest you had, a couple of these things but AFTER he had already produced his DVD's.

chuck

[Mike Hill]

Originally Posted by GoinDeep

The 50 day thing is because there is more to consider. If you will be broadcasting you need licences etc. I personally dont believe this can be done with only 197dollars. Either way if thats what you want to do thats cool.

The radio show is perfect if you have heaps of traffic and some prospects. Is there a link?

You don't need a license to broadcast over the internet...

If you want to start your own radio sho look into UBroadcast.com and do a search on Google. I figured it out and am setting up a website for it so I can direct traffic to it and store the archives as well as build my list...

Mike Hill

[Bryan Zimmerman]

My brother used to have an online radio show he did out of his house. I can tell you it was not cheap. After the inital set up which consisted of mics, insulated cables (so you don't pick up actual radio waves from the normal radio), head phones,phone and cable set up,the server and then to host it (the cost varies by how many people you have listening). After all that it still cost him about $149.00 per month. If you something like 300 listeners on at one time that price woudl go up to something like 220.00. It cost him almost 800.00 just to get set up. It was a hell of a lot of fun though. The site is still up but there is really no content on it. www.abonetopickradio.com.

Let me know if you have any specific questions and I'll see if he can get you some answers

[David-JP]

If you are looking to do just podcasts, you don't have to spend a fortune. I did one for my english learning niche, and had 10's of thousands of subscribers to whom I could market to.

1) a usb mic - plantronics headset will do $20-$30
2) recording software- audacity Free
3) domain name - godaddy $8 a year
4) hosting - libsyn $5 a month, unlimited bandwidth
Libsyn was built for podcasting so you can use their online editor to build the feed

Thats it!

Now just write up and record your content, upload and request the feed be put in itunes podcast directory. Submit to feedburner etc.. Then its all about traffic.

You can get fancy and add intro music- get some cheap royalty free music, like $7 for the track. There are even sites that offer free music for podcasts.

David

[Quentin]

Pretty simple Michelle

Just create your radio show in Audacity and then strem it from your website. Here is a video tutorial and if you have any questions feel free to ask.

Audacity | mp3soundstream.com

Quentin

[TimPhelan]

This would be my recomendation also. I have three different shows on Blogtalkradio. The social network aspect can get you listeners you likely never would have on your own. Plus, the shows rank really well in the serps. Google loves the site. You can do a lot with the show: have up to 6 callers at once, chat, a separate blog, the shows are archieved and downloadable. Plus, you can make money from their revenue sharing program.

Originally Posted by Lee MacRae

Michelle

Go check out BlogtalkRadio and you will see you can get involved as it says Free Internet radio talk show: No software download. Free.

Free Online Radio - Internet Talk Radio | BlogTalkRadio

Let us know when your first show airs

[Michael Taylor]

Also check out Live 365.

[Nightengale]

Wow! So much info! Thanks so much for the input. I greatly appreciate it.

I've been a long-time member of a personal finance forum. It's a paid membership and while I don't get the hard-copy newsletter anymore, I have access to a lot of cool tools on the site (like a Rapid Debt Repayment calculator among other goodies). Plus of course, the monthly newsletter in PDF format.

I'm so bad. I go there mostly for the forums and rarely read the actual newletter, but I recently opened up the current issue of the newsletter. And lo and behold the editor had mentioned a blog talk radio site. (I don't remember the exact URL right now.) That's kind of what got me started.

A full-blown radio show is NOT what I'm looking to do right now. But a brief, weekly podcast/audio blog sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. And much simpler. Since I'm a total greenhorn about this, simple is good. :P If I could even add some bumper music, that would be great! I'm looking at this as a primarily lead generation/traffic tool. And I know that I'd get even more exposure posting my audio blog on sites for such things than I'd get even for my e-zine.

I already have a microphone and Audacity. I'd be fairly picky about the audio quality, but keeping it simple like this would help a lot in that department too. I've done teleseminars and recorded them with Audio Acrobat, so I DO have a little experience. But not much and more along the lines of a podcast instead of a radio show I guess.

David, Tim and Quentin:

You have the right idea. That's pretty much what I'm looking to do. Thanks again for the resources!

Michelle

[Scott Woodside]

Beware of Audacity. It is free and that's a good thing, but it loves to crash during your recordings. It's just like an early word processing software package, just remember to constantly save what you're doing or you'll lose it all.

[Magic_Salmon]

Check out Talkshoe.com. They are an Internet radio network. All you need is a microphone headset. That's it. You record using their website software. Two years, I made a radio show for them. It was simple and easy. There's free software you can download to edit your show that their forum posters will tell you about.

Good luck!

[Nightengale]

Thnaks for the warning Scott.

I have Audacity on my computer but have never used it since I haven't been into audio in the past (except for telemseninars of course). Do you have any other recommendations for a free audio recording program?

Mark,

Can I listen to samples before I purchase?

Michelle

[Mark Riddle]

Originally Posted by Nightengale

Mark,

Can I listen to samples before I purchase?

Michelle

Yup in the post there is a link to listen

Mark

[jmaduk]

I have a station that broadcasts 24/7 that you can listen to at: mysmallbizshow.com/start/jammaduk/

Select the icon of the audio player you want to listen with an enjoy...

The station is broadcast using a service i provide to clients called MySmallBizShow.com

[Magic_Salmon]

By the way, Talkshoe.com will pay you to produce for them. They pay a small amount per person that listens to your show. I think others do so as well. Been a while since I looked into those things.

Your show will then be listed with the shows they air. By contacting the hosts of the other shows, you can usually make a guest appearance on their show and in the process promote your show.

[jazzyjeff]

Michelle,

I think you should give this radio program a chance. It would be something fun and you can turn your copwriting skills into verbal words. It would be actually something easier to do. Did you know that you speak three times faster than you type? You can save your hands from gaining carpal tunnel syndrome.

Let us all know here on the warrior forum how that turns out to be!

Jeff

[Nightengale]

Jeff,

I'm very interested in learning how to do it. I'm sure there will be a learning curve. (I've found that IM isn't hard per se, but there's a HUGE learning curve, so it can be time-consuming and frustrating.) My concern is, I don't want to be so focused on creating the product (the podcast) that I forget the marketing. No matter how great a product is, it MUST be marketed.

Though I think I would find this a fun learning experience (it DOES sound fun and exciting!), I'm wondering about how effective it will be as a list-building and lead generation tool. That's my goal with it. But will it help attract the audience I'm seeking? I dunno...

I really wish I had a better idea of what to expect from it.

We'll see how it goes. I'll spend some time on it, but I don't want to get too wrapped up in it if it's not going to have a decent ROI.

Michelle