Hack44.Get Listed

Hack 44. Get Listed

Listing your podcast in public directories is the cheapest and easiest way to connect with and build your audience. Find out what directories are available and how to get signed up.

Any reasonable podcatcher will have support for browsing OPML directories [Hack #45] of podcasts. Users don't need to search for new podcasts; they see new podcasts listed in the New Podcasts portion of the directory every day.

A bunch of OPML directories of podcasts are available to listeners. You should sign up with all of them. The process varies from site to site, but usually it involves putting the basics of the show, the name, and the feed URL into some form fields and hitting Submit. The listing time can vary from site to site. So, it's best to do it as soon as your first show goes live.

Here is a short list of the directories open to submissions at the time of this writing:

iPodder (http://ipodder.org/)

This is the original podcast directory. Use it to find the category in which you think your podcast belongs, and use the "Suggest a link" button to add your podcast.

iPodder X (http://www.ipodderx.com/)

Add your podcast with the "Submit this Podcast" link on the Podcast Directory page (http://ipodderx.com/directory/add).

All Podcasts (http://www.allpodcasts.com/)

This is possibly the simplest submission form. It takes just your RSS 2.0 feed URL. Follow the Add A Podcast link on the home page.

Podcasting News (http://www.podcastingnews.com/)

You need to register with the site. Then you can surf the directory to the category where you think your podcast fits, and use the Link Submission button.

podCast411 (http://www.podcast411.com/)

Click the Add Your Podcast button on the lefthand side of the home page.

Podcast Alley (http://www.podcastalley.com/)

These guys have a link right on the home page that takes you to a simple submission form.

Podcast Network (http://podcast.net)

They have a podcast submission page with a fairly elaborate form (http://www.podcast.net/addpodcast).

Digital Podcast (http://www.digitalpodcast.com/)

This has a link right on the home page for adding a podcast through a simple form.

The Podcast Bunker (http://www.podcastbunker.com/)

Use the big Submit Podcast button and follow the instructions, which have you write a small blurb about the site and then send it through a simple submissions page.

Audio Weblogs (http://audio.weblogs.com/)

This has a very simple ping form for adding new podcasts (http://audio.weblogs.com/pingform.html).

Penguin Radio (http://www.penguinradio.com/podcasting/)

Click the Add your Feed form to go to the Podcast Directory to add your feed.

Podcasting Tools maintains a list of podcast directories that will be more up-to-date than the preceding list. Visit http://www.podcasting-tools.com/submit-podcasts.htm.

7.2.1. Mailing Lists and Bulletin Boards

In addition to adding your podcast to all the directories, you should become a member of the mailing lists and bulletin boards [Hack #48]. From there, you can post about your new show and point people to the site and feed. Some podcasters go as far as posting about every new show.

7.2.2. Open Podcast

Open Podcast (http://www.openpodcast.org/) is an open mic for anyone who wants to say, well, almost anything. There are a few guidelines about not using copyrighted material, but in general, as long as your segment is interesting, you are in.

You can mail in an MP3 to [e-mail], or phone it in to [phone]. Submissions vary in length, from 1530-second promos to full podcasts. I recommend that you put together a little teaser promo about your first podcast, with some choice cuts from the show, and use that as the submission. This will also help you with Adam Curry's Daily Source Code.

7.2.3. Daily Source Code

Adam Curry is one of the driving forces behind podcasting. His very well-produced Daily Source Code (http://www.curry.com/) is required listening because it has daily podcasting news and plugs for new shows. Adam is good about getting new-show information out there. Just send him a promo spot at [e-mail] and he likely will get it on the air in a day or two.

I suggest that you listen to more than a few of the most recent Source Codes to get a feel for what promos were interesting and well received. Then put something together that is short, funny, and compelling and send it up to him.

7.2.4. Podcast Networks

Even by podcasting standards the phenomenon of podcast networks [Hack #49] is relatively new. But the concept of a network of related shows isn't. The value to listeners is that they get a series of shows that reinforce a particular style or philosophy. It's a one-stop shop for shows that key around topics that interest them. The GodCast Network (http://www.godcast.org/)is a good example of this idea. The network presents several shows from a variety of podcasters on a daily basis. But listeners need to subscribe to only the single service.

Each show in the network remains an individual show, with its own production, host, and site. But it also contributes to the network and references other shows on the network in a cooperative fashion.

There were three networks at the time of this writing:

TechPodcasts (http://techpodcasts.com/)

A set of podcasts, all working the IT and technology angle

The GodCast Network (http://www.godcast.org/)

A Christian network with around 12 different shows

The Podcast Network (http://www.thepodcastnetwork.com/)

A set of related shows with a central production staff

Keep your eyes and ears open to Open Podcast (http://openpodcast.org/), the mailing lists, and forums to look for new networks that you can contribute content to.

7.2.5. Regular Old RSS

If you are running your podcast off your blog [Hack #38], be sure to register your blog with blog search engines. The two I use are Feedster (http://www.feedster.com/) and PubSub (http://www.pubsub.com/). These two services monitor your blog for new entries and allow subscribers to search your blog's content using keywords. This is another reason to make sure you use text content in your blog entry to augment what you talk about in your podcast.

7.2.6. See Also

• "Launch a New Category" [Hack #45]

• "Market Your Podcast" [Hack #46]

• "Make Money with Podcasts" [Hack #47]

• "Connect with the Community" [Hack #48]

• "Join or Build a Podcast Network" [Hack #49]