Since starting the Productive Flourishing podcast, we’ve had a lot of questions about how to leave ratings, get new episodes, and support the podcast, as well as some questions about the production of the podcast itself. We’re answering them here.
Before I get into the nitty-gritty, though, I want to ask you to leave a star rating or review for the podcast on iTunes or Stitcher. It’ll take less than 30 seconds, but it’s the single biggest way you can support the podcast.
Since it can be confusing to know what to do, here are screen shots and instructions on how to do this from a computer and a mobile device. It’s actually a lot easier to do it from a mobile device, with the advantage that if you subscribe from your mobile device, you’ll get new episodes delivered automagically to that device.
How to subscribe and leave a review from a computer on iTunes
Please note that to subscribe to or review the show, you’ll need to use the iTunes software and you’ll need to sign in with an Apple ID.
Here are the steps for how to leave a review on a computer:
1. Find Productive Flourishing. (This link takes you to the iTunes PREVIEW page, where you can click “View in iTunes” to get to the correct place within the iTunes application. See picture below.)
2. Go to iTunes. (You should now see what’s in the picture below.)
3. Click the Subscribe button to get new episodes of the show automagically. They’ll be downloaded to your Podcasts library in iTunes.
4. Click “Ratings and Reviews” under the show’s title.
5. Click on the stars next to “Click to rate.”
6. Click the “Write a Review” button if you are compelled to say something.
Done!
How to subscribe and leave a review from a mobile device on iTunes
Here are the steps for doing this on a mobile device (see below for picture help):
- Click this link from a mobile device. (To subscribe to or review the Show, you’ll need to use the Podcast app and sign in with an Apple ID.)
- Click the Subscribe button to get new episodes of the Show automagically. They’ll be downloaded to your Podcasts library in iTunes.
- Click the “Write a Review” text to write a review. You actually don’t have to write anything — you can just tap the stars to leave up to five. Five are really appreciated.
Done!
How to leave a review from a computer on Stitcher
Here are the steps for how to leave a review from a computer. If you do not already have a Stitcher account please complete steps 1 thru 4. If you do already have a Stitcher account please complete steps 2 thru 4:
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Go to stitcher.com, and click on “Sign Up” at the top. Enter your information to create an account.
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Once you’ve signed up, Stitcher will automatically log you in and take you back to the homepage. Click on the magnifying glass to search for “Productive Flourishing”. Then click on the podcast name/logo. You can also click here to take you to our podcast page on Stitcher.
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Under the image for the podcast, you will see 5 stars. Click on the stars to scroll right to the review section.
- Click “Write a Review” to give us 5 stars and write something lovely!
Frequently Asked Questions About the Productive Flourishing Podcast
1. What’s a podcast?
A podcast is like an audio blog. Rather than written content being delivered to you via email or website, the audio episode goes right to your computer or mobile device. Podcasts are typically available as a series or have a theme.
Podcasts are really popular because you can listen to them on commutes or while working out or doing chores — you’re not just looking at a computer screen. The conversations can also be much richer since you’re getting authentic conversations and stories.
2. How do I subscribe to or rate your podcast?
See above. Thank you!
3. How can I support your podcast?
Leaving a rating and review is the single best way to support the show. Next up would be sharing an episode with your friends or network. If you’re down for doing that right now, share our podcast archive page.
4. Why is leaving a rating and review the best way to support the podcast?
In many ways, iTunes works like the search engines do. iTunes uses ratings and reviews as a way to gauge popularity, and the more popular a podcast is, the higher up it goes in its category’s listing. But iTunes also uses the number of listens to determine how popular a show is, and the higher up in a listing the podcast is, the more listens it gets.
So, yes, it creates a positive loop: the higher up on the page a podcast is, the more listens it gets. And the more listens it gets, the higher up on the page it goes.
Leaving a rating and review is something we can all do, whereas directly causing a bunch of listens is something only a few people do.
Listens and rankings are important for three reasons:
- They help us get great guests (if I don’t already know them).
- They affect the amount we can get from sponsors. It’s expensive to run a great podcast and we’re far from breaking even in current expenses, let alone startup expenses.
- They help us evaluate whether it’s something we should keep doing. There are only so many things we can do, and we’re continually evaluating which projects are providing the most value to us and our community.
So, leaving a rating is also a way for you to reciprocate in the value that you receive from the Show, and it doesn’t cost you anything. Thanks for your support!
5. What do you use to record your podcast?
My guests and I do a video meeting via Skype, and I use a HeilPR40, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, and my laptop. I upgraded to pro gear after I had done about 50 episodes.
6. How do you choose your guests?
I’m blessed to know a lot of interesting people doing courageous and creative work. I ask them to come on the podcast. Then I ask them which of their friends they think would be good fits for the show.
Sometimes people ask to be on the show. If they’re not trying to just sell something, I often say yes. Tip: Don’t ask a podcast host to be on their podcast just so you can promote your wares.
7. How did you get Big Names on the podcast?
Again, I’m blessed to personally know a lot of Big Names. Occasionally, I’ll muster up the courage to ask some Big Name I don’t know to be on the Show. Sometimes they say yes. Then I freak out a little bit, count my blessings, and start prepping to make it the best interview they’ve had in a while.
8. How do you figure out what to talk about?
For interviews, I mostly research what my guests are interested in, which makes me interested in it, too. I learn about how they got to where they are and ask them to share that journey, especially the not-so-glamorous parts of it. I’m intensely curious about people. Though I always have questions to ask, which my guests never see, I often abandon those questions. If I wanted canned conversations, I’d ask people to contribute something to the blog instead.
Solo riffs and jams with Angela are harder because I often can’t see my own work. I try to pick content and ideas that are good brain food more than list-ey stuff since list-ey stuff works better as written content.
9. Who produces your podcast?
The good people at Podfly do the audio editing and get it into Libsyn for us. The rest of the workload is distributed among different members of the PF team. Shannon’s the showrunner, manages guest coordination, works on the written content, and chases me down; Jess works on the promotional materials and designs the lead banners. Their support helps me focus just on the interviews and on recording great episodes.
11. Podcasting is a lot of work. How do you publish one episode per week?
Podcasting is a lot of work. A lot more than I estimated. But it’s also something I really love doing and it has business value for us, too.
The distributed workload above is the only way we get it done.