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Carly Baker Podcast - Uploading
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Carly Baker Podcast - Uploading
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Blaine
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Speaker
Carly Baker
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Ramon Berrios
00:00 Increased focus on partnership-based growth in industry. 05:53 Brands struggle with reach vs.
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“If you haven't already, be sure to join Castmagic, the all in one content workspace for professionals.”
“Launch podcasts, grow podcasts, acquire listeners.”
“What I'm loving seeing now is just larger focus in general on partnership based growth. So whether it's partnering with brands, whether it's partnering with other creators, whether it's having sort of more of a holistic, comarketing approach to shows that have guests, all of these levers are really just rooted in less growth being one sided, or depending on other parties to push you forward and betting and depending more on yourself and leveraging others to help you grow.”
“So I think when it comes to starting a new show, it's much harder to have a very broad audience. You should have three kind of audiences or personas that you're thinking about. So you have the core audience, which should be the audience that you want all of your content to resonate with... the secondary audience, which has some overlap with the core, but might be straying a little bit further... and then you have what we like to call the transformational audience... And those are folks where if you can serve the core and the secondary and bring those transformational people into those inner circles, that's really where you're going to see explosive growth.”
“SMB has been really hot on Twitter and the SMB sector has blown up, whereas like three years ago it was all like, nah, SMB, not like SaaS is the so, but now sort of like, there's a turnaround in the market and the economy and the broader sector that SMBs are really profitable.”
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Welcome to today's episode of uploading and today we have the pleasure of speaking with Carly Baker, who is the listener acquisition manager on the audience development for podcast side of things at HubSpot. She's really involved in the HubSpot podcast network and helping and just overseeing so many different creators. Launch podcasts, grow podcasts, acquire listeners. Carly has experience working with one of the biggest podcast networks and access to a bunch of the best industry experts. So we're really excited to chat with Carly. Carly, if there's anything I missed in that intro, I'd love for you to kind of hit on it, but why don't you tell us a little bit about your background and then we can jump into the conversation in terms of what it takes to grow and acquire listeners at the podcast level.
Awesome. Yeah, thanks for having me. I'm really excited to be on. I think you pretty much hit everything and my background and sort of what led me to the industry is, I'm finding out is similar to many folks, but I come from the audio industry on the music side. I went to music school and have just been in sort of the music creator sphere for a very long time as a freelancer myself and went on to study music business and somehow all paths led to podcasting. And yeah, I've been in the industry for a couple of years now and have had a really great opportunity to be a part of sort of the entirety of the podcast lifecycle and creator Lifecycle at HubSpot as it's been developed and have had many different roles and just had a chance to kind of soak in and learn from so many people both in network and out of network, that have really sort of crafted a lot of my holistic approach to how I think about creators and brands and just leveraging the power of podcasting.
Yeah. And today one thing we're really excited about is I feel like in the podcast space, everything in the content space, in general, everything's happening so fast. There's always changes. One day one thing's working, the next day everyone's doing it, and it's not performing as well. So one of the things I really want to focus on this conversation is now that we're into 2024, you've seen kind of what's going on in the landscape. I'd love for you to kind of talk about what are you seeing? What is it in podcasting, especially this year, that is really working on the acquisition side of things?
Yeah, absolutely. So there's many things, there's many levers, and I think actually sort of more levers than ever that folks can pull for growth. What I'm loving seeing now is just larger focus in general on partnership based growth. So whether it's partnering with brands, whether it's partnering with other creators, whether it's having sort of more of a holistic, comarketing approach to shows that have guests, all of these levers are really just rooted in less growth being one sided, or depending on other parties to push you forward and betting and depending more on yourself and leveraging others to help you grow. So that's definitely a huge sort of increase that we're seeing in the industry as a whole, which I think just sort of mirrors now. The fact that it seems like every single brand has a creator program now just the world in general is really feeling the power and the influence that creators have and are really diving in. And so for folks that are looking to break into the industry, while there are more podcasts than ever, there's also more listeners than ever. And so the pools that were previously available to us have just expanded so much more.
And that's allowing the sort of barrier to entry and the amount of niches and specialized folks just an easier path forward in terms of starting and growing their audience in a way that's just much easier.
I think the one thing that you just mentioned was the term niche, right? And one thing that Ramon and I talk about a lot is that not all podcasts are necessarily created equal. When you get into niches, you can go really deep and you can maintain an audience that is into a very specific topic, and that's inherently very difficult than just going super broad and talking about everything, right?
Yeah.
So for someone who's thinking about either starting a podcast or they're trying to decide what topic to focus on, how do you guys see the evolution of niches, and how does that play in the podcasting world? Are all audiences created the same? Is there different value in different niches. How do you guys think about that?
Yeah, absolutely. There's definitely different value in different niches, especially on the brand side. What I think we're seeing a lot of right now is that there's a lot of shows that have a really large audience, but with a large audience, just innately comes a more disengaged audience. And then on the other side of the coin, we're seeing shows with a much smaller audience, but they're very engaged. They follow the creators or the talent or the host, whatever word you want to use on multiple social channels. They hold a lot of influence over their audience. So when working with brands, there's a higher level of conversion. They're really believing in this person and there's much more of kind of like a parasocial relationship.
And so what I think brands are struggling with right now is do we want to go for reach? Do we want to reach a larger pool of people who might not be a good fit for our product or service, but we have very sexy numbers in terms of the reach that we're getting? Or do we want to focus on trust and conversion and make bets and work with sort of these smaller creators, knowing that the outcome and how far people down the funnel are going to go is actually probably much higher? So I think when it comes to starting a new show, it's much harder to have a very broad audience. The other thing that I will say is that no show should have a single audience that they're trying to reach. You should have three kind of audiences or personas that you're thinking about. So you have the core audience, which should be the audience that you want all of your content to resonate with. You could think about it as like the center of a circle, the secondary circle around that is your secondary audience, which has some overlap with the core, but might be straying a little bit further, might expand a little bit on what your core is, and then you have kind of what we like to call the transformational audience. So these are people that are not even in the third circle. They're just kind of hovering around the other two circles. And those are folks where if you can serve the core and the secondary and bring those transformational people into those inner circles, that's really where you're going to see explosive growth.
So not only thinking about audiences as one person, but thinking about it as many people and trying to serve and always iterating on that, I think is going to be a really good way to continue with growth. And this translates well for shows that want to be a little bit more broad, and it translates really well for shows that want to be super niche. I mean, I think I get a little scared by people that are like, I'm trying to come up with an example. Maybe they're like, in the lawn care industry and they want to start a podcast about the history of having manicured lawns or whatever and use it as like a marketing play for their business. Is that going to have a million downloads a month? Absolutely not. But it doesn't mean that it's not valuable for them or valuable for the business or a way to get clients. So with the way that audiences are growing in general, in the medium, there is a way to grow no matter what size you are, you just have to be really intentional and really figure out how is the audience that you're reaching different than who you're reaching, and how are you going to sort of hold those two things as truths and continue forward while also expanding on those.
Yeah, and sometimes some of those niche audiences can cross the chasm into the mainstream if a huge trend takes over. For example, SMB has been really hot on Twitter and the SMB sector has blown up, whereas like three years ago it was all like, nah, SMB, not like SaaS is the so, but now sort of like, there's a turnaround in the market and the economy and the broader sector that SMBs are really profitable. And so I think it's important for people to know, too, that you don't necessarily want to start something to catch on a trend. Just be early to what you really know and what you're an expert on, and just stay faithful, that it could catch on and then you're perfectly positioned. So I'm curious, based on you're mentioning growth, et cetera, and so some podcasts know, they know that they're not going to get to a million downloads. But there are other metrics that aren't just downloads that define success. So how else do you guys look at success outside of, say, download numbers? And what are some of the benefits that people might be able to look for so they don't get discouraged of like, okay, well, I don't have a million downloads, podcasts. This isn't going to work.
Yeah, absolutely. So my own sort of personal crusade, you could say, is that downloads are not people. That's the most simple way to put it. The downloads that you're seeing does not mean that someone is actually listening to the episode. And that's a very important distinction. If we think about the amount of players, the technology, the way that every player counts downloads sort of differently. There are industry standards of what's counted and what's not. I think it's really important to not look at your download number as a source of truth and as a success metric.
It's the best reach metric that podcasters have, but it shouldn't be the primary focus. So I always want to say that, that downloads do not equal people. It's very important. Success looks different to everyone. I think it really comes down to the core reason or reasons why you've started the show. I think what's great now, and sort of what we're seeing that's changed over time, is that creators have a lot more control in how they monetize their show. So the dependency on ad revenue or revenue shares through sort of traditional advertising buys is no longer the only way that creators can make money by having a podcast. So we think about companies like Supercast, which maybe you've heard of, that allows direct audience to create our monetization.
We have private memberships, of course. People are selling courses and digital products and all these other things. You have a lot more options and choices. On the monetization side, I think one of the challenges that goes along with monetization and with reach or with downloads is that many folks expect when they start a show that it's just going to be explosive and they're going to make a ton of money, and the downloads are going to be insane and their audience is going to be massive. And podcasting really is a slow burn. It's not like the TikToks and the YouTubes of the world. And if you are at a place where you want to sort of capture the trends and the virality of the Internet, like podcasting is probably not going to be the best medium for you to do that. And so those are two things that I also like to call out.
But on the editorial side, something that we look at a lot is like average consumption rates for episodes. We look at average listen time. This tells you a lot about where your audience is dropping off, what they want more from you, what they want less, those types of things. We also are looking at deliveries, which is like a little bit different of a metric than downloads. It's sort of like how many episodes are automatically going on your devices, which has changed a lot with sort of the new Apple updates and those types of things. But I think the most important thing is when you're starting, figure out what success means to you and know that's going to change as your journey continues. It's never going to look the same as it was when you started. And if your numbers don't look how you want them to look now, that's okay.
They may not ever look like that. And that's also okay. It's figuring out how you want to use those numbers to give you the success that you want, even if it looks different.
Yeah. And it can also be an educational source. It's just an easier way with less friction, to make content that can feed other channels, et cetera. I know that's the way we're leveraging, uploading. We get so many questions from cast magic in terms of b two B content. So we might as well speak with the experts and relay that. So I want to speak about Hopspot and the creator network. So creator networks are something fairly new, super interesting, great way for creators to grow their audiences and get exposed to more data that they couldn't get by themselves.
And we can expand into that. But first I want to talk about how this whole initiative started within know. I know HubSpot has always been big with content. They did it with blog really early in the day. So why podcasting and how did that decision sort of came about in terms of the inception of the program?
Yeah, absolutely. So something that I think, well, a couple of things folks may not know about HubSpot is we've actually had our own HubSpot podcast for a long time. I think probably for like ten years now. We have regional shows that are done in different languages because our market is very global focused and a lot of these shows are still going on. So there's kind of always been a very quiet podcast arm as a content play, especially like early in the industry. So that's kind of always been going on in the background. But I think folks don't realize we have an entire media team of 100 plus people at HubSpot that are all focused on all of our media properties, meaning all of our newsletters, our blog properties, our podcasts. We have owned original content and licensed content, YouTube channels.
We have a YouTube network. We have an entire team of people that are kind of functioning as a media company within HubSpot as a whole. And a lot of this was of course built on the acquisition of the hustle, which is what brought my first million to us. And with that acquisition and with having my first million, the conversation was, well, we should start a network, why should we not start a network? And at the time we were very early in identifying podcasting as a medium but also really wanting to invest and kind of lead the way in the b two B creator space, which, of course, led to us starting the network. We also had an accelerator creator program. We were one of the first, if not the first, business network to offer that. Creators have always been really important and kind of a part of the fold and podcasting as well. So as the business has grown and as the media company as a whole, or the media function has grown, we've just kind of continued to expand the way that we work with creators, but also thinking about it in a different way.
Right. So when we think about traditional networks, many of them are built on revenue, ad shares. So the network has an ad sales team that goes out and pitches your show and brings in advertisers for you to work with and takes a cut of that, and you're kind of at the liberty of whatever they decide is a good fit and you're really not in the driver's seat for many decisions of your show. And when we think about the network that we've built, it's very creator first. It's very education and community focused. We don't do participate in those sort of ad sales and revenue shares. So we really want to focus on educating and helping our shows grow in a really holistic way and also having a community. And this is easier because we have a niche network, right? We're all business shows.
Everyone's in a different lane, but the lanes are next to each other. And so we have people that have expertise in kind of every area of business. And most of the people that are in the network are business owners themselves, either their podcast business or another business. We have executives, we have ceos, we have all sorts of different people in there. And so that's what's really special about it, I think, is we've found a way to build it that is not primarily to benefit us, although it is, it's also really strongly built to benefit the people that are in the actual community itself.
Carly, could you talk a little bit about, just know, maybe some of our listeners who are getting their shows off the ground, maybe they haven't joined a network like Ramon and I are lucky enough with our other podcast, DTC pod, to be part of the HubSpot podcast network. But for a show that's like getting off the ground, they're seeing some early success as a creator. What's the benefit of joining a network? How do these networks work for shows? What's the value prop to the creators? And then what? Right. Then how do things function and how do things happen on a more day to day basis once you're part of a network?
Yeah, absolutely. So for anyone that's considering joining a network, I think having intentionality behind it is really important. So really sitting down and thinking about, okay, what do I not have the capacity to do for my podcast or for my podcast business that I know would make a difference? That should be number one. Number two, what are some initiatives or marketing plays or strategies that I have that are going on that are kind of working, kind of not working and could use the help of a team to optimize and make these work for me? And number three, what do I want help with? What would I want to offload and be fine giving someone else and having them take full ownership of doing on my behalf. Right. And so once you kind of have those three big pillars, then that's going to help you filter out networks. So if you have a big pool of networks, you say, this is what I need them to have the capacity to do. I need them to be experts in this area so that I can optimize these.
And this is what I want taken off my plate, then you have a much smaller pool. Right. What I think is after being on the network side, on the seller side, I wish that more creators came to calls with networks and could strongly share their value proposition and what would make them a great fit for the network, what they can bring to the network so that it's not so one sided. It should be a partnership of here's what the network is giving me and here's what I'm giving back to the network. And I think that's one of the biggest things that creators miss out on. And they get a really sexy sales pitch from a network who's going to do Xxx and X and they get in there and it's not what they were promised, nothing's happening. They have no idea what's going on. They've gone dark.
It's not the experience that they want. And so being able to advocate for yourself and knowing what you're bringing to the table, what they're bringing to the table and what that's actually going to look like is very important from a deal perspective. There's many different types of deals, some networks, and this is something to be really wary of too, especially for a lot of larger networks. You need to think about if you want to maintain ownership of your content, if you want to own the ip, if you want a license deal, if you're okay with working in a network where if you leave, you can't take any of the content that they produced on your behalf. There's many different legal things that are very important to understand what it would mean should you decide to leave and what the ownership rights are and all of these different types of things. I know a lot of people that have been burned by networks because of this, and they lose two, three, four years of their show because they left their deal early and they maintained the rights. And now all of this amazing content is gone. So that's something to be wary about and always to make sure that you're informed about what's going on and work with an attorney and those types of things.
And that's not like a very sexy part of the answer, but it's very important because there's no kind of standard for how networks are doing that as a whole. And the other thing I think that's important is when we think about creator networks, like, think about the network effect, right? So if you're trying to monetize your podcast without doing revenue sales, if that's not a part of your network, and you're really looking to build a private membership, and you see a network where six out of ten of the shows, those folks have very successful private networks or private memberships, that's a network you should be interested in, because you can learn from the people that are in there, and in return, you can give them something back. So, thinking about how to leverage not only the network as the network, but the actual people that are participating in the network and what they're bringing to the table and what that looks like, and also what you're bringing to the table. So, looking very closely at the talent that's in the network, the shows that are in the network, figuring out what you can learn to learn from them, and also what you can bring to the table. Super important.
What do you guys look for when vetting out or seeking potential shows? You're not just investing in the show, you're investing in the host as well. So what do you guys look for within the components of the show, and then the components of what makes a person be a good fit to join the Hopspot podcast network?
Yeah, great question. So we take a really sort of holistic approach, so we don't have barriers to entry in terms of numbers. Like we don't say, oh, this person has, you have to fit between this amount of downloads and this amount of downloads. We really have shows of kind of every shape and size. What's really important to us, more than reach. I think I guess you could say reach is important, but believing in the editorial angles and the talent of the host is very important, especially in the business space. You want to work with someone who's giving legitimate advice, has diverse viewpoints, has their own experience, and is aligned with what we call our heart values here at HubSpot. So that's really important part of it.
We also look at the diversity of guests that they bring on. Are they bringing on diverse voices? We look at production stuff. Is their production value really high? What kind of social channels do they have? Are they like a thought leader in their industry, those different types of things? And then we sit down and kind of look at all the different components and score them based on that. We also think about shows in terms of what the priority for the business is. And I think this is a way that makes us a little different, maybe, than some networks is. We have strategic priorities as a business, and of course, because we are advertisers, we're always interested in reaching audiences that could benefit from our products. So if we have a big sales push coming out, which we did last year, we really wanted to get more like sales leaders in the mix. So some of it is dependent on sort of the business and how we want to expand the business's audiences sort of as a whole.
But also the qualitative and quantitative aspects of shows are really important. The one thing I will say during my time looking for shows is please invest in podcast SEO. I think some people call it PsO, which is really funny. I really like that term. But discoverability is really hard. And if I'm looking for a sales leadership show, and when I search sales leadership podcast on Google and your show doesn't come up, how is your audience going to find you? How are advertising? How is anyone going to find you? So think about that. Think about what networks and advertisers and your audience would search for and make sure that you're optimizing for that, because I'm sure there's many shows that I would love to listen to, but I can't find them. So think about your digital footprint.
Yeah, that reminds me of the easy and lazy name of DTC pod. If you just look up DTC podcast, just make the title what people would Google and then you will be number one on the results. But as we approach towards the end, I definitely want to touch on discover. Wait, what was the word? Geez, I just blanked. Discover.
Discoverability.
Okay, discoverability. That's my spanish kicking in in my subconscious saying, don't make up a word. So discoverability, rss and so podcasts are rss. And so there is this kind of blend happening now between YouTube shows being ran as like podcasts. So speaking of SEO, there's a bunch of SEO benefits from YouTube. People are reverse engineering the show to even start based on the SEO volume from YouTube. So where do you see this going? How are you thinking about YouTube SEO? You can chip away years and years at a podcast and the RSS feed is, there's no algo to boost you. And so people are coming to this realization.
How are you thinking about YouTube as sort of like podcast YouTube first shows?
Yeah, absolutely. So I think it's really interesting and people ask me about this all the time and I think it's kind of become like very divisive thing to talk about in the industry. Personally, I think YouTube is amazing for so many reasons. I think you have so much freedom to do a lot of testing. You can test thumbnails, you can test titles, you can really go on the back of YouTube studio and see what terms people are searching for that are coming to your videos. That is mind blowing compared to what we get on the RSS, which is literally nothing. So the power of YouTube is certainly amazing. Do I think that everyone should upload their podcast to YouTube? Personally, I'm going to say no.
And what I think it comes down to is that your audience isn't necessarily on every channel. And if there's not an audience on YouTube for what you have going on with your content, because a lot of people are doing it, doesn't mean you should do it. Right. And so that's kind of one of the big things. The big viewpoints that I have on, like after working with youtubers, YouTube native creators have such high production value in their setups that it makes, if you're going to compete with people that are professional youtubers, the barrier to entry is extremely, extremely, extremely high. So it's much easier to build an audio audience and maybe try to convert some of that audience over to YouTube once you have kind of more of an infrastructure going on that can support that really high production value. So you can kind of compete with other people that are only investing in YouTube. YouTube also has a direct feedback, you can get direct feedback and you have more of a parasocial relationship with your audience.
Right? Like they're seeing you, they're seeing your set, they're seeing your mannerisms. It's kind of taking that one step further, but that can also be distracting. I think in some ways opening up the floodgates to direct comments and feedback on the content that you're making. But I think ultimately there's lower lift, lower barriers of entry to sort of explore what video could look for you. So TikTok like YouTube shorts and having a clips channel for your podcast with CTAs to move over to your audio show I think are a good way to kind of like dip your toe in the water with video and see kind of what's going on. I do think that SEO and discoverability on the RSS side will hopefully continue to become better over time. And I think with sort of the way that Google search is changing and kind of the new era of search and just asks for increased discoverability for these platforms, that it will happen. I think it's a little bit slower and because YouTube is so dependent on search, it's always kind of just been a part of the platform in a really easy way.
And so I'm hoping that these players on the audio side will continue to invest in tools and just increased insights. But long story short, my answer is, is YouTube right for you? Yes. No, maybe. Depends what your goals are. Depends about your content, depends about your audience.
Yeah. And I think an easy way to even get started with YouTube, and this is something we even did for uploading, was you can just start by syncing up your RSS feed to publish to YouTube podcasts. So at least you're covered on that side. You've got some of the discoverability, and then when you've got the bandwidth, you know what content's hitting and you've got the kind of operations in place to pursue a video strategy, then you can kind of go to YouTube. But Carly, I think you're spot on. Sometimes one of the most overwhelming parts of creating content is just nailing the operations to be able to create content that's purpose built for all the different platforms in the way they need to be. So I think that's probably a really good middle ground. And I also love what you were saying about SEO and podcasts.
One thing that Ramon and I have been doing a lot of has been using a tool like castmagic and taking the content that we're generating from our own episodes and actually creating it, publishing it to our own website. So we're outranking even the hosting providers that just have, they don't have really complex show notes and they don't have the full transcript or anything like that. So we're kind of using that as a medium term arbitrage to be able to put out more of our own content so we'll be able to beat them to our own SEO.
Yeah, no, I love that. And definitely transcripts and really detailed show notes are great for SEO. Like, investing in having a really good podcast website and being able to dominate search is great. I love that. And of course, it makes me so happy that you all use your own tool because I feel like most people that are founders don't use their own tool. So I'm glad that you're testing and iterating and using that as a part of your strategy. It makes me happy.
Yeah. And now we've got a whole new podcast to use it on, too. Carly, as we wrap up here, just have a few lightning questions for you. So wanted to get your thoughts on these. So first one is, could you name a creator that you really admire and why you admire them, and it can't be us.
Okay, my gut reaction is Brittany Broski. Do either of you know who Brittany Broski is? She's kind of a she. Her initial rise to fame, I'll keep this short, was she became famous or became sort of on the scene for the Kombucha girl meme? Do you know what that is? Am I exposing myself as Gen Z here?
Please.
So, in the early days of TikTok, she made this video of her reacting to taking a sip of Kombucha and then just kind of went viral during the early TikTok days. And in general, she's continued to build her brand. And what I admire the most about her is I think it's extremely difficult to be authentic online. She is a youtuber. She also has a podcast and also has a very big TikTok following. And she is one of the few people that, as she has grown and sort of risen in fame really quickly, is still exactly the same person as she was in that meme video and just fully embodies and shows up as herself every single time and is like, in a way that's kind of jarring, but is also so heartwarming because you just know it's truly her and who she is. And she talks about that a lot, how being really authentic online is important. And I think it's really commendable, especially being a woman on the Internet.
It's very hard. So I really just love her and love kind of what she has going on. So that's my answer. I think her YouTube is the Broski report, and her podcast is called that as well, if anyone wants to listen. But she's great.
Love that. We'll check it out. Next one is, I know this one might be a tough one for you because you have so many shows, but why don't you name a show in your HubSpot podcast network that you guys are really excited about? Maybe they just joined. And what gets you excited about their show?
Oh, great question. So hard because we've had a lot of people join recently. I want to give a shout out to the show called mistakes that made me. It's a brand new show she just started in January, and it focuses primarily on mistakes that business owners have made and what that has meant and how that they've turned that into success. And she's really wonderful. The conversations are great, really authentic conversations. And I also love that for her sort of full time job, she's an email copy strategist, which I feel like is a very niche job and is also very interesting. So really excited about her show.
And then we also just signed, just signed last year, talking too loud, which is a Wistia podcast, which is just hilarious. Chris Savage is the host, and it's very funny, very irrelevant. Just great conversations with folks in the C suite that are not your typical interview show.
Perfect.
And the last one I got for you is, if there's one content, strategy or medium that really excites you in 2024, what is it and why?
Yeah, great question for a platform. I'm going to say LinkedIn. LinkedIn is going to be the future of b to B. I mean, it's already kind of coming there, but that's going to be huge. That's what I would say. I'm excited about in terms of platforms for creators, is LinkedIn for sure, for trends. I think social selling is getting really big, and it's very interesting. Like we're having the old early 2000s, like QVC live tv is coming back on TikTok with TikTok Shop.
And I think it's such an interesting investment for TikTok as a platform, and I'm really excited to see kind of what that means for creators and how sort of the new era of social selling sort of continues to grow in 2024.
I love that.
Ramon, we may have to do a feed swap with our DTC pod because we go all the way in depth on TikTok shop and all these ideas on that podcast. But anyway, Carly, I want to thank you for coming on the show. For our listeners who are tuning in, where can they connect with you and learn more about the HubSpot podcast network or anything that you guys are working on.
Yeah. So if you want to learn about the network, you can go to the website HubSpot.com slash podcast network. If you want to connect with me, I'm on LinkedIn. My at name is Carly C. Baker. Pretty easy. We'll link it down below in case you can't find me, but feel free to hit my dms if you have any questions. And thank you both for having me on.
It's been real fun.
Thank you for coming on.
Also generated
More from this recording
💬 Keywords
podcast network, emerging creators, intentionality in podcasting, legal implications, ownership rights, network effect, private membership, HubSpot podcast network, editorial angles, podcast talent, diversity of guests, production value, podcast social channels, industry thought leadership, podcast SEO, YouTube-first podcasts, content creation, marketing, professional development, audience acquisition, podcast growth strategies, niche podcast audiences, podcast conversion, podcast success metrics, podcast monetization, digital products, B2B marketing, social selling, LinkedIn for podcasting, TikTok for creators.
💡 Speaker bios
Carly Baker is a seasoned professional in the podcasting and audio industry, whose passion for music and sound has been the cornerstone of her career. Her journey began with a deep immersion in the music creator sphere, as she honed her craft and gained experience as a freelancer. With a foundation in music performance, Carly's academic pursuits led her to a thorough exploration of the music business, equipping her with a comprehensive understanding of the industry.
Driven by a dedication to audio storytelling and content creation, Carly's career path naturally evolved, steering her toward the rapidly growing field of podcasting. With several years under her belt, she has been instrumental in the establishment and progression of podcasting initiatives at HubSpot. Here, she has navigated through various roles, allowing her to engage in the full spectrum of the podcast lifecycle, from conception to execution.
Carly's diverse experiences within and beyond her network have informed her holistic approach to the medium. She believes in the converging power of creators and brands and is adept at leveraging podcasting as a platform for influence and engagement. Her insights and contributions are shaped by a tapestry of collaborations, each enriching her perspective on content strategy and digital storytelling.
ℹ️ Introduction
[Begin Intro Music]
Ramon Berrios: Welcome, podcast enthusiasts, to another captivating episode of "Uploading..."—your go-to portal for the ins and outs of content creation, marketing, and professional growth.
Blaine: Absolutely, Ramon. Today we're diving deep into the evolving world of podcasting with someone highly regarded in the industry. We have the pleasure of being joined by Carly Baker, the listener acquisition manager at HubSpot, who comes with an extensive background in music and podcasting.
Ramon Berrios: Carly is here to unravel the intricacies of joining a podcast network, the art of growth strategies, and the essence of carving out a niche in the booming podcast market. We’re talking everything from the significance of advocating for yourself in network deals to leveraging the network effect for your show’s triumph.
Blaine: And that's just scratching the surface. Carly will also shed light on the importance of a solid content strategy, why downloads aren't the be-all and end-all, and how to tap into untapped SEO potential through platforms like YouTube.
Ramon Berrios: With insights on educational content, the creator-first approach at HubSpot, and the latest on social selling trends, this conversation is jam-packed with actionable advice for every podcaster.
Blaine: Plus, we'll get Carly's take on what content medium is sparking excitement for 2024. So, creators, get your notepads ready—you won't want to miss a minute of this episode.
Ramon Berrios: Sit tight as we welcome Carly Baker to "Uploading...". Carly, thank you for gracing us with your expertise today.
Carly Baker: Thrilled to be here, and I’m eager to chat with you both.
[Transition into Body of Podcast]
📚 Timestamped overview
00:00 Growing focus on partnership-based growth in the industry as the influence of creators increases.
05:53 Brands face dilemma: reach vs. trust & conversion. Shows should target core, secondary, and transformational audiences for growth.
07:24 Serve diverse audiences intentionally for growth in podcasting. Size doesn't matter, be valuable to your audience.
11:23 Podcasting is a slow burn for monetization.
15:01 HubSpot has a YouTube network and invests in podcasting and B2B creators.
20:02 Advocating for yourself in network deals is crucial for maintaining ownership and rights to content.
21:16 Emphasizes importance of networks for podcast monetization.
27:24 Focus on specific channels for audience, build audio audience first, then transition to YouTube.
28:28 Using video platforms like TikTok and YouTube shorts, and creating a clips channel for podcasts can offer lower barriers to entry, but could also bring distracting feedback. SEO and discoverability may improve over time.
32:25 TikTok and YouTube personality stays authentic and builds brand.
35:00 LinkedIn future for B to B, social selling trends on TikTok Shop.
📚 Timestamped overview
00:00 Increased focus on partnership-based growth in industry.
05:53 Brands struggle with reach vs. trust, audiences.
07:24 Serving diverse audiences, intentional growth, niche content.
11:23 Podcasting monetization is a slow burn.
15:01 HubSpot has a YouTube network and accelerator.
20:02 Advocate for yourself, understand deal terms. Be cautious.
21:16 Leveraging creator networks for podcast monetization strategy.
27:24 Focus on audience, high production value on YouTube.
28:28 Exploring video content tips for beginners.
32:25 TikTok star stays authentic despite rapid fame.
35:00 LinkedIn will be future platform for B2B.
❓ Questions
Can you give an overview of what new or emerging podcast creators can expect when joining a podcast network, and why should they consider it?
What are some of the common legal pitfalls that podcast creators should be aware of before signing deals with podcast networks, and how can they protect their ownership rights?
How can podcast creators take advantage of the network effect within a podcast network to grow their private membership and improve their show?
What criteria does HubSpot consider when vetting potential shows for their podcast network, and how important is alignment with business priorities?
Why is podcast SEO crucial for discoverability, and how can creators optimize their shows for better search visibility, particularly on platforms like YouTube?
In the context of growth strategies for podcasts, how has the evolution from niche audiences to mainstream trends impacted the way podcasters should engage with their listeners?
Could you elaborate on why download numbers might not be the best success metric for podcasts and what alternative metrics creators should consider?
How can podcast monetization strategies, such as private memberships, selling courses, and other digital products, contribute to a creator's success?
Carly Baker touched on the importance of defining personal success. How should content creators approach setting and adapting their own success benchmarks?
With the growing focus on video content, what advice would you give to audio podcasters considering transitioning to video platforms like YouTube, and when is it appropriate for them to make the move?
❇️ Key topics and bullets
1. Introduction to Carly Baker and Her Expertise
Carly Baker's role at HubSpot as the listener acquisition manager
Her background in music and podcasting
2. The Benefits and Considerations of Joining a Podcast Network
Pros of being part of a network for new and emerging creators
Importance of being intentional when choosing a network
Advocacy for creators regarding network deals
Risks such as loss of ownership rights
3. Building and Leveraging the Network Effect
Strategies to enhance one's own podcast show
Building a private membership
Learning from other creators within the network
4. Vetting Shows for the HubSpot Podcast Network
Criteria for selecting shows for the network
Aligning shows with business priorities
Assessing editorial content, host talent, diverse guests, and production quality
5. Podcast Discoverability and SEO
Emerging trend of YouTube-first podcast shows
Importance of podcast SEO for visibility
Strategies to improve discoverability
6. Growth Strategies in Podcasting
Changing landscape of audience acquisition
The significance of partnerships and niche targeting
Building trust with audiences
Defining core, secondary, and transformational audiences
7. Podcast Audience Metrics and Success
Challenging the download metric
Exploring alternative measures of success
The shift in podcast monetization options
8. Evolving Landscape of Podcast Monetization
Opportunities for creating private memberships
Selling courses and digital products as revenue streams
9. Defining Personal Success as a Content Creator
Adapting to one's journey in content creation
Focusing on individual success metrics
10. Podcasts as Educational Tools
Leveraging podcast content across multiple channels
HubSpot's initiatives for education and community building
11. HubSpot's Podcast Network and Global Market Focus
Growth of HubSpot's media team
Prioritization of education and creator-first approach
Emphasis on global market integration
12. Future Trends and Platforms for B2B and Social Selling
LinkedIn's emerging role in B2B podcasting
TikTok's growing trend for social selling
13. Carly Baker’s Engagement and Recommendations
How to connect with Carly Baker
Promoting audience engagement through YouTube
Channels appropriate for podcast content
14. Podcast SEO and Audience Transition Strategies
Transitioning from audio to video content
Improving RSS feed discoverability
The significance of detailed show notes and transcripts
15. Content Creator Influences and Recommendations
Brittany Broski's authenticity and content
HubSpot's "Mistakes That Made Me" podcast
Wistia's "Talking Too Loud" podcast
16. Carly Baker's Anticipated Content Strategies for 2024
Inquiring about mediums and strategies to watch
17. Closing Remarks
Hosts thank Carly Baker for her insights and participation
Final thoughts and episode wrap-up
🎬 Reel script
Hey entrepreneurs and creators, Ramon here, and in today's episode of "Uploading...", we were joined by the phenomenal Carly Baker from HubSpot. Carly dropped invaluable insights on joining podcast networks and how new creators can make the most of it. She underscored the need for being intentional, knowing your legal rights, and using network synergy to enhance your podcast. We dove deep into the importance of podcast SEO, the emergence of YouTube-first shows, and the future of discoverability. If you're serious about audience growth and monetization, this is one episode you can't afford to miss. Carly's expertise is your gain, so tune in, level up your game, and remember – in podcasting, your voice is your most powerful tool! Catch the full episode on "Uploading..." wherever you get your podcasts.
🔑 7 Key Themes
Podcast network benefits for creators
Legal implications in network deals
Leveraging network effects for growth
Vetting criteria for HubSpot network
Podcast discoverability and SEO strategies
Evolving podcast monetization methods
Social selling on B2B platforms
Short Blurb
E105: On this electric new episode of "Uploading...", we break down the intricate dance of joining a podcast network with none other than Carly Baker, the savvy listener acquisition manager at HubSpot, who brings her A-game in unraveling the tactics and techniques of the podcasting sphere.
Carly masterfully lays out a roadmap to podcast success that both novice and established hosts can navigate. This treasure trove of an episode is rich with real-world advice for upping your podcast game.
In this conversation, you’ll discover:
Key considerations before joining a podcast network and the impact of doing so with intention.
The traps to avoid in network deals and keeping control over your creative output.
Strategies to capitalize on a network’s influence to foster your podcast's growth.
What HubSpot looks for in podcasts and how their focus aligns with their business objectives.
Why podcast SEO and YouTube-first approaches could revolutionize your show's discoverability.
With insights that only an insider like Carly can provide, this episode is as enlightening as it is engaging. Did you know that Carly Baker advocates for a strong presence on LinkedIn for B2B engagement? Well, plug in to learn why this could be a game-changer for your content!
As we wrap this episode, we are left buzzing with a wealth of knowledge and a newfound appreciation for the power of networking, strategy, and content in the podcast world.
Now, if you’re revving to take your podcast from obscure to ubiquitous, then wait no longer—hit play on this episode of "Uploading..." and mark today as the start of your podcasting breakthrough. Carly's mind is a compendium of industry nuggets, and trust us, you want in on these secrets.
Listen now, and let's upload your expertise to the world together!
Interview Breakdown
In today's episode, we're diving deep with Carly Baker, a powerhouse in podcast listener acquisition, as she shares her insider insights on navigating the ever-evolving landscape of content creation. Discover the strategies that could elevate your podcast from hidden gem to headline act.
Today, we'll cover:
The inside track on joining a podcast network and how it can benefit emerging creators.
Crucial tips for understanding and negotiating network deals to safeguard your creative control.
How to use the 'network effect' to expand your podcast's reach and create a buzzing private membership.
Carly's professional take on what makes a podcast stand out to networks like HubSpot.
Unpacking the rise of YouTube-first podcasts and the impact of SEO on your show's visibility.
Tune in for a masterclass with Carly Baker on taking your podcast to the next level and making sure your voice is heard in the crowded podcasting space.
Short Recap
In this episode, Carly Baker unveils the intricacies of joining a podcast network and maximizing growth through strategic partnerships, niche audiences, and diverse monetization paths. It's a deep dive into leveraging your podcast's potential, understanding audience behaviors, and navigating the podcast SEO landscape, serving as a blueprint for emerging creators aiming to amplify their reach and impact.
🎠 Social Carousel
Slide 1: Cover Slide
Title: "10 Podcasting Insights"
Subtitle: Essential Know-How for Creators
Slide 2: Join Networks
Explanation: Elevate your podcast with the right network, tailored to your niche and growth goals.
Slide 3: Self-Advocate
Explanation: Understand contracts, preserve rights. Your content is your legacy.
Slide 4: Network Synergy
Explanation: Grow by engaging with fellow creators and sharing insights.
Slide 5: Holistic Vetting
Explanation: Networks consider many facets, not just numbers. Think editorial value and talent.
Slide 6: SEO Mastery
Explanation: Prioritize podcast SEO for enhanced discoverability. YouTube-first approach is trending.
Slide 7: Audience Layers
Explanation: Identify core vs. transformational listeners for targeted content strategies.
Slide 8: Beyond Downloads
Explanation: Use diverse metrics for success, including engagement and community strength.
Slide 9: Monetize Differently
Explanation: Explore memberships, courses, and partnerships to diversify your podcast's revenue streams.
Slide 10: Authenticity Wins
Explanation: Be real like Brittany Broski. People resonate with genuine content creators.
Slide 11: CTA Slide
Title: "Stay Connected"
Subtitle: Follow the conversation & build your podcasting journey with us on [PodcastName]! Subscribe & Tune In!
New Idea
Idea #2: Navigating the Network Advantage
Maximize the potential of joining a podcast network by understanding and utilizing its collective resources and support:
Intentional Selection: Carly Baker stresses the importance of being selective with podcast networks. It is vital to choose a network that aligns with your specific needs, creative direction, and values. This ensures that the partnership will be beneficial and support your growth as a creator.
Learning and Collaboration: Being part of a network isn't just about the increased exposure; it's also about learning from your peers. Carly highlights that there is a significant opportunity to enhance one's show quality and understanding of the podcasting landscape by engaging with and learning from fellow creators within the network.
Access to New Audiences: Carly advocates for leveraging the 'network effect' to reach new and diverse audiences. She suggests that since networks often focus on cross-promotion, creators within the network have a better chance of tapping into the listenership of other shows, effectively expanding their reach and listenership base.
1 Key Learning
Leverage Podcast Networks Intentionally
Emerging creators should carefully contemplate the benefits and drawbacks of joining podcast networks, ensuring they retain content control and understand legal aspects.
Harness the Network Effect Smartly
By joining a podcast network, creators can benefit from shared resources and audience reach but must vigilantly maintain ownership of their content. This strategy empowers growth while safeguarding the podcast's integrity.
Understand Your Network Deal
Creators are advised to fully grasp the legalities of network contracts to avoid losing control over their work. Advocating for clear terms can prevent potential ownership conflicts and preserve the podcast's future autonomy.
💎 Maxims
Based on the key insights shared by Carly Baker in the "Uploading..." podcast episode titled "Carly Baker Podcast - Uploading," the following maxims can be created for new and emerging podcast creators:
Join with Intention: Align with podcast networks that resonate with your creative vision, goals, and audience needs.
Know the Deal: Educate yourself on the legal aspects of network agreements to protect your ownership rights and creative control.
Collaborate to Elevate: Utilize the community within your podcast network to cross-pollinate ideas, enhance your show, and foster growth.
Quality Over Quantity: Focus not just on the count of downloads, but on meaningful engagement and the value provided to actual listeners.
Customize Your Content: Recognize and cater to your core, secondary, and transformational audiences for sustainable and explosive podcast growth.
Explore Beyond Audio: Consider diversifying your podcast content across different formats and platforms while maintaining the central essence of your brand.
Measure Success on Your Terms: Define what success means for your podcast and continually adapt your strategies to achieve it.
Embrace Educational Outreach: Use your platform to inform and educate, building authority and trust with your audience.
Build with the Future in Mind: Stay ahead of platform trends, like LinkedIn for B2B content, and evolving technologies for better content distribution and engagement.
Diversify Monetization: Look beyond traditional advertising to include private memberships, digital product sales, and personalized content offerings.
Be Authentic, Be You: Authenticity resonates with audiences. Let your genuine personality and values shine through your content.
Craft for Discoverability: Pay attention to podcast SEO through detailed show notes and transcripts to improve audience reach.
Start Where You Are: Begin with audio content as it has a lower barrier to entry, and transition to video when your audience and resources are ripe for it.
Value Feedback: Utilize platforms like YouTube for direct audience engagement and content testing.
Choose the Right Channels: Be selective about expanding to video platforms; ensure it matches your audience's preferences and content style.
Remember, these maxims are derived from the particular themes discussed by Carly Baker and may not be universally applicable to all podcast creators. Tailor these principles to fit your unique podcasting journey.
Hustle Thread
Tweet 1:
Carly Baker was once backstage.
Managing music, dreaming in audio waves.
She faced obscurity.
Yet, she broke through in marketing mastery,
At HubSpot's acclaimed podcast network.
Tweet 2:
Meet Carly Baker (@CarlyOnCast), the maestro of listeners' acquisition.
Her symphony? Amplifying creators in a diverse podcast collection.
She's got the blueprint for audio growth and network effect.
Tweet 3:
Carly's journey started in a tangle of legal strings.
Joining a network? Weighty contracts could clip wings.
Ownership rights were her ballad.
She sang for self-advocacy, not silent acquiescence.
Tweet 4:
This creator knew networks could bolster a nascent show.
Tailored support, shared knowledge — a communal glow.
But, intentionality was key,
As she sieved through potential harmonies.
Tweet 5:
Podcasting was changing — growth strategies had to evolve.
Carly turned obscurity into a riddle to solve.
Building trust, carving niches,
Her podcast grew in leaps, not inches.
Tweet 6:
Yet, downloads didn't echo listener truth.
Carly sought new metrics, unearthing the proof.
Beyond raw numbers, engagement was crowned,
In private memberships, community was found.
Tweet 7:
From audio roots, she eyed YouTube's lure,
For feedback, for testing — an engagement tour.
But warned, mismatched platforms could lead to decline,
Aimed for impactful SEO — online.
Tweet 8:
Now, Carly Baker stands on digital stages.
At HubSpot, she orchestrates the shows that engage us.
From music's sidelines to podcast vanguard,
She's redefining success bar by bar.
🧿 Viral Breakdown & CTA
Is your podcast network really helping you?
NETWORK LEVERAGE 🔗
Unlock growth with your podcast network's power.
Podcasting pro and HubSpot's Carly Baker dishes out nuggets you can't afford to miss.
20 years in music and podcasting, now managing listener acquisition. If there's a North Star in podcast networking, it's Carly.
Wondering how to filter the noise and find your growth path?
Find the GOLD in NETWORKS:
Advocate and Align
Curate and Collaborate
Metrics that Matter
Let's dive in…
~~
ADVOCATE AND ALIGN
You join a network, now what? Advocate for yourself!
Carly warns: networks can be a maze or a springboard. Identify those aligned with your passion, content style, and aspirations. She insists on awareness of the deals – read the fine print! Ownership matters, so does the intention behind your association. Scrutinize the support on offer; it should amplify your reach without stifling your voice.
CURATE AND COLLABORATE
The wisdom within a network is like a living library.
Curate your interactions, learn from peers, and form strategic alliances. Carly advocates for collaboration over competition. Sharing insights can sharpen your show, and watching peers can inspire innovation. It's about leveraging communal knowledge to bolster your podcast's reputation and resonance. Engage actively with the community, and your private membership can flourish.
METRICS THAT MATTER
Down with download dependency!
Carly stresses that downloads don't equal devout listeners. Explore metrics that mirror engagement: listen-through rates, audience feedback, and social interactions. Understand your audience at a granular level – who's listening, why, and how can you serve them better? These insights fuel a targeted content strategy, fostering a loyal listener base and sustainable success.
Ready to harness your network's full potential? Unpack more insights and immersive discussions with top Founders and Operators across Consumer, Creator, and Commerce businesses over at the DTC Pod. Don't just upload; Uplevel.
Uploading... Titles
Carly Baker, Listener Acquisition Manager at HubSpot - Networks Unlocked: Amplifying Your Podcast's Reach & Revenue
Carly Baker, Podcasting Prodigy - The Insider's Guide to Podcast Networks & Why Joining One Could Skyrocket Your Show
Carly Baker, HubSpot's Audience Guru - Harnessing SEO & Network Synergy for Explosive Podcast Growth
Carly Baker, Soundwave Strategist - Decoding the Podcast Algorithm: Mastery for Discoverability & Dominance
Carly Baker, Voice of Value - Building Audiences & Authenticity: The New Era of Podcasting Success
Carly Baker, HubSpot's Media Maven - From Downloads to Dollars: The Evolution of Podcast Profitability & Purpose
Carly Baker, Content Creation Connoisseur - LinkedIn & TikTok: Disrupting B2B with Social Selling & Storytelling
Twitter Post 1
Here's a fun fact from Carly Baker's insights on podcast discoverability:
Maximize your podcast SEO in no time.
Incorporate detailed show notes and transcripts.
Watch search engines pick up your content quickly, without the endless keyword scramble!
Mindsets
If you’re aiming to navigate the evolving podcast landscape and grow your show, here are some mindset shifts that can serve as your north star:
💭 Transition from a download-centric focus to a relationship-building approach. As Carly Baker astutely expressed, downloads aren't the end-all metric in podcasting. Seek to create a bond with your listeners by delivering consistent value and engaging with them beyond the audio. This paradigm shift forms the foundation of a loyal and active audience that will champion your content.
💭 Embrace podcast SEO and diversified content distribution as your new best friends. Podcast discoverability is paramount, and the tactical use of SEO principles and multi-channel strategies can be game changers. As suggested in our discussion with Carly, nailing your show notes, using transcripts, and considering a YouTube presence when appropriate - these actions can significantly enhance your podcast's reach and engagement.
💭 Cultivate a creator-first mindset that prioritizes innovative learning and community building. Carly highlighted HubSpot's commitment to creator education and the fostering of communities through their network. Transform your podcasting journey by seeking networks and tools that offer learning opportunities and connect you with fellow creators from whom you can draw inspiration. Prioritize networks that align with your content goals and personal ethos, advancing your show and your mastery of the craft.
Don't forget to tune in to the latest episode, "Carly Baker Podcast - Uploading," for deeper dives on these insights with our thought-provoking guest, Carly Baker. Whether you're new to the scene or looking to level up your podcast game, let our conversation empower your content creation journey through 2024 and beyond!🎙✨
Future State, 6 reasons post
In six months, our podcast, Uploading, experienced a 300% increase in unique listeners, achieved a 200% rise in audience engagement, and successfully launched a private membership program. As content creators dedicated to podcasting and audience growth, we've discovered the golden nugget within the vast world of digital audio. However, the podcasting industry still has a breadth of untapped potential. Here's how embracing certain developments could dramatically change the game:
BACKGROUND:
Ditch the traditional audio-only approach; the future is multi-platform, immersive podcasting experiences.
Podcasting today is where creators connect directly with listeners, where the audience doesn't just consume content passively but engages actively with their favorite shows.
To drive the podcasting industry forward, new strategies and technologies must be implemented, taking the creator-listener relationship to new heights.
Old Podcasting:
Restricted to audio platforms
Ignoring the nuances of each unique listener
Standardized content; a one-size-fits-all approach
Divided attention across disparate channels
New Podcasting:
Expanding to video, live interactions, and social platforms
Personalized listener experiences
Diversified content; catering to niche demands
Unified, multi-platform audience engagement
At Uploading, we've tasted the sweetness of impactful content and loyal listenership; a success that's challenging to mirror with older, outdated methods.
HOWEVER...
The journey to reach this point has involved extensive experimentation and manual processes. The podcasting industry should look into advancing certain features to make it a comprehensive, intuitive platform for growth.
Here are my 6 recommendations:
Implement smarter RSS feeds that interact with algorithms for enhanced discoverability based on listener interests and podcast compatibility.
Develop podcast analytics that go beyond downloads, to measure true engagement allowing for a more authentic connection with audiences.
Introduce dynamic content personalization tools to deliver tailored recommendations and discussions, fostering deeper community bonds.
Incorporate integrated, native scheduling tools enabling listeners to seamlessly interact with creators for events, live recordings, or one-on-one sessions.
Enhance SEO capabilities of podcast platforms, ensuring content is discoverable through web searches, not just within podcast apps.
Leverage social listening tools to provide creators with insights on discussions around their podcast, empowering them to respond and interact with their community.
I strongly believe that these resources could skyrocket listenership, engagement, and monetization opportunities for podcasts globally.
The podcast industry has the potential to transform how we think about digital content creation and consumption.
P.S.
Are there any features or strategies you believe podcast platforms should implement to support creators?
Do you agree that podcasting needs to evolve into a more interactive and personalized medium for content delivery and audience engagement?
Workbook
Uploading... Podcast Workbook
Episode Title: Carly Baker Podcast - Uploading
Hosted by Ramon Berrios and Blaine with Special Guest Carly Baker
This workbook is designed to accompany the "Uploading..." episode featuring Carly Baker. It will guide you through key insights from the podcast and help you apply the strategies discussed to your own content creation journey.
Introduction:
Listen to the full podcast episode featuring Carly Baker to get the most out of this workbook.
Take notes on ideas, strategies, or tips that resonate with you.
Section 1: Joining a Podcast Network
Assessing Your Needs:
Write down what you want to gain from a podcast network.
Identify networks that align with your podcast's niche and values.
Advocacy and Legal Considerations:
Research how to advocate for your rights and interests as a creator.
Learn to review contracts or seek legal advice when necessary.
Leveraging the Network:
Brainstorm ways you can collaborate with other creators in a network.
Plan how to benefit from shared resources or audiences.
Action Item:
Create a list of potential podcast networks you would like to join and the reasons why they're a good fit. Prepare questions to ask before signing any deals.
Section 2: Vetting and Discoverability
Understanding HubSpot's Approach:
Reflect on how your podcast might meet the criteria that HubSpot uses for its network.
How do you currently approach editorial angles, production value, and industry thought leadership?
SEO for Podcasts:
What SEO strategies can you implement for your podcast?
How could you make use of YouTube to improve discoverability?
Action Item:
Optimize one episode with detailed show notes and a full transcript, then track any changes in its discoverability over a period of time.
Section 3: Growth Strategies and Monetization
Exploring Audience Segmentation:
Differentiate your core, secondary, and transformational audiences.
Plan content for each of these segments.
Redefining Success Metrics:
What alternatives to download numbers can you use to measure success?
Track and analyze these metrics over the next few months.
Monetization Models:
Investigate various monetization options that could suit your podcast.
Draft a plan on how to introduce private memberships or other digital products to your audience.
Action Item:
Craft a survey for your listeners to find out which monetization options they might be interested in supporting.
Section 4: Platform & Content Trends
Platforms of the Future:
Explore how you can utilize LinkedIn for B2B connections or TikTok for social selling.
Strategies for Content Creation:
Consider how Brittany Broski's authenticity could inspire your approach to podcasting.
Listen to "Mistakes That Made Me" and "Talking Too Loud" for inspiration on content and format.
Action Item:
Experiment with a new content strategy or medium in a small-scale test and document the results.
Final Thoughts:
Reflect on the discussion between Ramon, Blaine, and Carly. Identify one key takeaway that you will implement in your content creation strategy moving forward. Write it down and develop a plan for integrating it into your work.
Please remember, the aim of this workbook is to serve as a supplement to the insights provided in the podcast episode. Be sure to reference Carly Baker's advice and strategies discussed, and most importantly, tailor these exercises to fit your podcast's unique context and goals. Happy podcasting!
Tweet thread on learnings
Tweet 1:
In the latest episode of Uploading..., @CarlyBaker broke down the ins and outs of joining a podcast network, and the takeaway is invaluable for creators looking to amplify their reach: 🎙️ Leveraging the network effect is key. Here’s what we unearthed from the conversation: 👇
Tweet 2:
Intentionality in Network Selection
Like finding a record label in the music biz, @CarlyBaker emphasizes you can't just join any podcast network. It's about aligning with networks that have specific initiatives and needs that complement your vision and content. #PodcastingNetworks
Tweet 3:
Know The Legalities of Your Deal
Creators, pay attention to the fine print! @CarlyBaker warns against deals that could strip you of your podcast's ownership rights. Advocacy and legal literacy can save you from losing what you’ve built. #CreatorRights #PodcastOwnership
Tweet 4:
Community & Learning Over Competition
Being part of a network isn't just for distribution; it's a hive for learning. @CarlyBaker suggests drawing insight from fellow creators within your network to grow your podcast and potentially kick off a private membership. #PodcastGrowth
Tweet 5:
Holistic Vetting for Adding Value
When @HubSpot vets shows, they look beyond listener numbers. They consider the editorial angle, host talent, guest diversity, and how well the show fits into the larger business goals. Each podcast adds to the network's tapestry. #ContentCreation
Tweet 6:
Discoverability is Non-Negotiable
You're not just creating; you're competing in the SEO Olympics. @CarlyBaker advises harnessing the growing trend of podcast SEO to catapult your show's discoverability, especially with YouTube's dual benefit of searchability and viewer retention. #PodcastSEO
Tweet 7:
Alternative Success Metrics
Downloads ≠ Listeners. @CarlyBaker urges podcasters to look beyond traditional metrics and discover more substantial measures of success, such as listener engagement and conversion rates. #PodcastMetrics #AudienceEngagement
Tweet 8:
The Evolution of Podcast Monetization
@CarlyBaker gives us the scoop on monetization beyond ads. Think private memberships, courses, and digital products. Creators have an ever-evolving toolkit for making their content work for them. #PodcastMonetization
Tweet 9:
LinkedIn: The B2B Frontier
While popular platforms like TikTok are trending, @CarlyBaker points out LinkedIn as the game-changer for B2B podcasters. It's about tapping into networks where conversations convert into leads. #B2BPodcasting #SocialSelling
Enjoyed this thread? Catch the full conversation with @CarlyBaker on "Uploading..." and get ready to upload your podcasting strategy to the next level. 🚀🎧 #UploadingPodcast
Castmagic LinkedIn Post
Carly Baker, Listener Acquisition Manager @HubSpot, dives deep into the world of #podcasting on this week’s episode of "Uploading..." 🚀
Carly shares invaluable insights on joining podcast networks and the crucial aspects of vetting potential shows and SEO strategies for growing audiences. With a keen focus on understanding the implications of network deals, she stresses advocating for creators' rights and optimizing discoverability.
She also explores YouTube's role in podcasting and the shift towards social selling platforms like TikTok. Learn from Carly’s expertise in building engaging, successful podcasts tailored for business and professional development!
Tune in for a masterclass in podcast growth and strategies: [Link to episode]
#UploadingPodcast #ContentCreation #PodcastNetworks #SEOTips #SocialSelling #ProfessionalDevelopment
Youtube Description
The Evolution and Future of Podcasting: Techniques and Trends with Carly Baker
Unlock the Potential of Podcast Networks: How to Boost Your Show's Growth and Outreach
Join us on this essential episode of our podcast, where Carly Baker, an expert in listener acquisition at HubSpot, shares her invaluable insights into the evolving world of podcasting. Whether you're a budding podcaster or looking to enhance your established show, this episode is tailored to equip you with the latest strategies and innovations in the podcasting industry.
Podcast Networks and Creator Advocacy:
Carly kicks off by discussing the advantages of joining a podcast network, especially useful for new and emerging creators. Learn why being intentional about selecting a network that aligns with your goals and values can be a game-changer in boosting your podcast's visibility and growth.
Legal Implications and Ownership Rights in Network Deals:
This segment is crucial as Carly outlines common pitfalls in network deals. Understanding these can help you navigate contracts better, ensuring you retain ownership rights and reap the maximum benefits from your partnerships.
Leveraging the Network Effect:
Dive deep into making the most out of your network relations by learning from fellow creators. Carly highlights strategies to enhance your show's quality and build a loyal listener base through shared learning and community interactions.
SEO and Discoverability:
Discover the significance of podcast SEO to make your show stand out. Carly discusses the trend of podcasts on YouTube as a strategic move for improved SEO and what you need to consider before leaping to video podcasting.
Holistic Focus for Show Vetting by Networks:
Uncover what networks like HubSpot look for when adding shows to their roster. From the editorial angle, host talent, diversity, and production values to aligning with broader business objectives—know what it takes to make your podcast appealing to top networks.
Monetization Techniques Beyond Downloads:
Downloads aren't the only success metric. Carly explores innovative monetization options such as private memberships, digital products, and courses, providing you with diverse ways to capitalize on your content effectively.
Differentiating Your Audience:
Learn to categorize your audience from core to transformational, and understand why this differentiation can fuel explosive growth for your podcast.
Carly's Take on Future Trends:
Keep ahead of the curve as Carly shares her predictions for future trends in podcast content strategies and the platforms to watch, like LinkedIn for B2B content.
Why You Should Listen:
Every minute of this episode is packed with actionable insights tailored not just to help you grow your podcast but to transform it into a thriving digital platform. This is more than just advice—it's a roadmap devised by a seasoned expert aimed at elevating your podcasting journey to new heights.
Whether you're here to refine your strategy, explore new monetization avenues, or understand the dynamic podcast landscape, tuning into this conversation with Carly Baker is your next best move in the podcasting world. Don't miss out—equip yourself to navigate the ever-changing tide of podcast popularity and maximize your show’s potential today!
Simplify
In this episode of "Uploading...", Carly Baker shares insights into joining a podcast network, focusing on choosing the right network based on needs and goals. She highlights the importance of understanding legal terms to avoid losing control over one's own content and emphasizes the value of learning from other network creators to grow one's audience.
Carly also discusses how she looks for shows to join the HubSpot podcast network, considering things like the show’s quality, diversity, and alignment with HubSpot’s business goals. She notes the importance of being easy to find on the internet, citing podcasts that also air on YouTube as a growing trend because of their SEO benefits.
The conversation covers podcast growth strategies including how creators should focus on meaningful metrics beyond just downloads and should develop unique content for different types of audiences. Carly advises creators to define their own success and stay adaptable.
Ramon highlights the educational potential of podcasts and HubSpot's commitment to supporting podcast creators through education and community-building.
Finally, Carly touches on the effectiveness of YouTube for podcast engagement and the benefits of detailed show notes for improving a podcast's searchability on the internet.
Uploading LinkedIn-YouTube
@Carly Baker of @HubSpot delves deep into the dynamics of podcast networks on this week’s episode of Uploading. With her keen insights into listener acquisition, Carly explores why downloads don't equate to engagement and how strategic SEO can elevate your show's visibility. From advocating for legal safeguards to leveraging network communities, she lays out critical strategies for burgeoning podcast creators.
Tune in to uncover how these insights can transform your podcasting approach and ensure sustainable growth in this evolving landscape.
Full episode here: [YouTube link]
#UploadingPodcast #PodcastingTips #HubSpot #ContentCreation #SEOStrategy #NetworkGrowth
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