The rise of streaming services, podcasts, and media consumption post-pandemic has created the perfect storm to build an independent media empire. Wait, before you think that I'm going to tell you that you must amass a large audience, this guide is for the small shows that want to have the opportunity to monetize their small audience and scale along the way.
I've broken down the guide by category, so feel free to skim and skip to the sections that interest you.
Let's jump right in…
The Technology.
Software
Zencastr — Zencastr is an easy way to record interviews with your guests. It's straightforward to connect with your social media for streaming, but the main thing that makes it so valuable is that you can download audio and video after recording. So after each show, you can quickly and easily download the file and upload the video version to YouTube and the audio version to your Podcast.
It only takes a few minutes to setup and y,ou'll be ready to record and post your Video Podcast.
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Hardware
I like to keep it super simple with equipment. Your podcast setup can get very complex if you want it to be, but if you don't have any experience with audio editing I'd s,uggest getting a "plug and play" option so you don't spend any time setting up your Podcast setup.
Shure MV7 — This microphone connects to your computer or phone via USB. (If you're going to use an iPhone you will need an Apple adapter, Android will plug right in). This microphone does all of the heavy lifting for you and is pretty affordable at $249. It even has a headphone jack in the back so you can hear yourself while recording.
Computer — Zencastr works right in your browser so any type of computer you want to use will work. I always suggest Mac because of its reliability and ease of use but if you're a PC pro just open a browser and record right on Zencastrs' site.
The Format.
This is the part that you've been waiting for, the part of the talk show where you chat it up with your guests. Once you've got all of the hardware and software set up it's time to start booking interesting guests and planning out your shows.
Interview Style. Zencastr currently supports a maximum of 5 total participants (1 host + 4 guests) on a recording when all participants are connecting from computers or laptops that meet the system requirements.
Video is recorded per participant in the maximum resolution allowed by each participant's camera, up to 1080p.
The Distribution.
Always start your growth strategies with free options that can get your content to a large audience so that you can convert them to paid subscribers. If you don't want to post the full versions of your content to non-paid subscribers, create short promo reels for YouTube to give people a little taste of the subscriber experience of your show.
YouTube has 2.6 Billion active users and is a great place to post your show so that new people can discover you. Growing your audience on YouTube has some significant benefits. If you have more than 1,000 subscribers you can join the YouTube Partner Program and sell channel memberships right on your Youtube Channel.
I suggest using Vimeo to create a custom channel for your show. You can sell monthly memberships, and one-time pay-per-view shows and you also immediately make money from video ads if people want to view your content for free. (YouTube makes you get 1000 subscribers first)
In order to host all of your videos and sales, you will need a video-on-demand platform, Vimeo. A video-on-demand platform is a way to stream and sell access to video content through subscriptions, rentals, or purchases.
This independent content sales and distribution strategy is regularly referred to as OTT streaming.
What is OTT?
OTT stands for “over-the-top” and refers to the productized practice of streaming content to customers directly over the web.
An “over-the-top” media service is any online content provider that offers streaming media as a standalone product. The term is commonly applied to video-on-demand platforms, but also refers to audio streaming, messaging services, or internet-based voice calling solutions.
Source: TapJoy WHAT IS OTT? — UNDERSTANDING THE MODERN MEDIA STREAMING LANDSCAPE
The Money.
Creating your own show has its perks and being in control of your monetization is the top benefit. Most people create their shows and then try to solicit major advertisers, this might work for people with a large audience but this strategy doesn't work for independent shows. I suggest focusing on what independent do best; focus on local sponsorships and partnerships to grow the show's revenue and distribution. How is this done? Based on the interests of your audience, reach out to local businesses and offer 60 -second host read ads on your talk show, encouraging your audience to shop with your sponsor.
If you have a small audience, charge $25-$50 per ad read as you grow your audience. Provide the business owner with an MP4 video copy of the ad that the business can use on social media for marketing.
Repeat this process and adjust your rates at your discretion.
Ready to create the video talk show of your dreams? We can help, E-mail Hey@TrindiMediaGroup.com.
