Hi. I'm the host of Karras Tonight and so far my podcast has seen 200 downloads per episode but no live callers; this is important since call-ins are an important part of the show and so far nobody has called in. Tell me, how do I get more live callers to the show?
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Getting more live callers.
- Thread starter KBBR-TV
- Start date
I've been hosting a show for about 4.5 years and even though I've had more than 200k in podcast downloads, my live audience is normally small. The vast majority of my listeners do so through podcast downloads, etc. I get callers on occasion, sometimes several, but to be honest, I'm happier when I don't as I'm able to stay on topic better and don't get distracted by a caller who wants to go off on their pet peeve, etc. I looked at your website and noticed that you mentioned on it that you weren't getting many callers.
Just some free advice.....that's a mistake in my opinion. Never let the audience in on that kind of stuff. It doesn't inspire confidence in you or your show. If you get no callers, don't even mention it and just do your show. You should assume that there will be NO callers and if you get a few, fine go with it, if that's what you want, but be prepared to do a full show. If that's not your thing, get a co-host to liven things up a bit.
Quite a few of the shows on the station that I own/operate have co-hosts, but many do not. Different strokes and all that.
Again, Just my opinion.....
Just some free advice.....that's a mistake in my opinion. Never let the audience in on that kind of stuff. It doesn't inspire confidence in you or your show. If you get no callers, don't even mention it and just do your show. You should assume that there will be NO callers and if you get a few, fine go with it, if that's what you want, but be prepared to do a full show. If that's not your thing, get a co-host to liven things up a bit.
Quite a few of the shows on the station that I own/operate have co-hosts, but many do not. Different strokes and all that.
Again, Just my opinion.....
Wait a minute. Define your terms a bit better. Define what you want a bit better.
A "downloaded Podcast" is by definition "pre-recorded".
A straight reading of your request would be: I recorded this podcast yesterday, and you are listening today, but if you will pick up the phone now, you will be included in the broadcast from yesterday, live... right now." No. You and I know that is not what you meant.
I haven't taken the time yet to go to my other computer where I can listen to the podcast from your link, but I assume you are not asking a technical question about getting a phone conversation recorded. I assume you are doing that.
What you are asking is: What kind of incentive, what kind of bribe does it take to get more people to pick up the phone and participate.... right?
A "downloaded Podcast" is by definition "pre-recorded".
A straight reading of your request would be: I recorded this podcast yesterday, and you are listening today, but if you will pick up the phone now, you will be included in the broadcast from yesterday, live... right now." No. You and I know that is not what you meant.
I haven't taken the time yet to go to my other computer where I can listen to the podcast from your link, but I assume you are not asking a technical question about getting a phone conversation recorded. I assume you are doing that.
What you are asking is: What kind of incentive, what kind of bribe does it take to get more people to pick up the phone and participate.... right?
Callers can't be an important part of the show if you don't get any.
A wise broadcaster once said that you have to be prepared to do an entire show without callers. The callers are there to add to the show, not make it. What if the phones go down? What if everyone is listening but are too busy to call?
For a podcast, no callers is the norm. Especially if you only have a couple hundred downloads. The rule of thumb in real radio is that only one percent of listeners will EVER call a show. By those numbers you would only ever get 1 or 2 callers ever. They might call every week, but it would still be the same 2 people.
If you need calls to get by, or you need someone to feed off of, ask someone to come over and do the show with you. Or ask a friend to call.
A wise broadcaster once said that you have to be prepared to do an entire show without callers. The callers are there to add to the show, not make it. What if the phones go down? What if everyone is listening but are too busy to call?
For a podcast, no callers is the norm. Especially if you only have a couple hundred downloads. The rule of thumb in real radio is that only one percent of listeners will EVER call a show. By those numbers you would only ever get 1 or 2 callers ever. They might call every week, but it would still be the same 2 people.
If you need calls to get by, or you need someone to feed off of, ask someone to come over and do the show with you. Or ask a friend to call.
F
FredLeonard
Guest
If you want callers to be part of a podcast (as GRC says, by definition, a recorded show), ask them to email you if they want to be part of the show. Then you call them. You can arrange either to do calls during your recording session or you can schedule calls at the "callers'" convenience and put the call into the show. Don't think of them as callers; more as guests from the audience.
Since your audience can't call in response to something they are hearing, you and they have to plan ahead.
Since your audience can't call in response to something they are hearing, you and they have to plan ahead.
F
FredLeonard
Guest
If you want callers to be part of a podcast (as GRC says, by definition, a recorded show), ask them to email you if they want to be part of the show. Then you call them. You can arrange either to do calls during your recording session or you can schedule calls at the "callers'" convenience and put the call into the show. Don't think of them as callers; more as guests from the audience.
Since your audience can't call in response to something they are hearing, you and they have to plan ahead.
Since your audience can't call in response to something they are hearing, you and they have to plan ahead.
If you're not getting live, incoming calls, revise your strategy to focus on outgoing calls, from you to listeners. Use e-mail or social media to prepare ahead of time and get opinions going, then prerecord outgoing calls to people who've expressed interesting opinions and use them in the otherwise live production. Any time you finish a call, let listeners know that they can call right now, and see if the recorded calls prime the pump for more live calls.
This "problem" can be a blessing in disguise, especially if you're a one-man show. No need to screen calls, because you're making them and can edit afterward.
Be careful not to edit calls so tightly that they no longer feel natural.
I've done over 3,500 episodes of four different podcasts over the years, and more than 50% of the downloads have occurred more than 30 days after they were first published. A show focused on current events without interviews of high-profile guests will have a higher percentage of listening close to release date, but check your stats and see when your downloads happen. You might be surprised, and it may change how you approach the show.
We tend to think of podcasts as "radio on the internet," but they're not; the usage models are completely different. Success will require exploiting different production techniques to optimize the medium.
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I wish more people realized this. Expecting callers on a podcast is like expecting the next episode of your favorite soap opera to have live callers.
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ok walters
Guest
"Calls, calls, calls - nobody takes more calls than me." Translation - "Calls, calls, calls. Nobody is less prepared than me."
If the person above it doing their show using a service like BlogTalkRadio, you actually do a live show and can take callers on the air. Once the show is completed, it's available as a podcast that can be downloaded at BlogTalkRadio and syndicated through iTune, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podomatic, etc.
JeeperOne
Banned
I would also add that if you want TRULY LIVE callers, a podcast alone is MOST DEFINATELY NOT what you want
What you want in this case is to set up a live stream. You can do this thru Live365, BlogTalk Radio, Talkshoe, etc. or set up a webcam & a stream on someplace like Livestream or UStream & use the audio portion of that for a podcast
But if all you want to do is set up a voicemail box with a personalized message & have people leave a message there for possible playback on later shows, then a podcast would be a nice way to go. You could also use YouTube as an alternative to a conventional podcast hostif ya wanna take the KISS approach & not pay for hosting too
But whatever you do, don't go expecting a podcast listener to call the number you put out unless a voicemail box can answerthe caller as it just won't work
I haven't been streaming for quite awhile but still.....
Hope this helps
Cheers & 73
What you want in this case is to set up a live stream. You can do this thru Live365, BlogTalk Radio, Talkshoe, etc. or set up a webcam & a stream on someplace like Livestream or UStream & use the audio portion of that for a podcast
But if all you want to do is set up a voicemail box with a personalized message & have people leave a message there for possible playback on later shows, then a podcast would be a nice way to go. You could also use YouTube as an alternative to a conventional podcast hostif ya wanna take the KISS approach & not pay for hosting too
But whatever you do, don't go expecting a podcast listener to call the number you put out unless a voicemail box can answerthe caller as it just won't work
I haven't been streaming for quite awhile but still.....
Hope this helps
Cheers & 73
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