<p>Instagram has released an amazing new feature that changes the way we experience social media. You can follow hashtags. This unique feature sets Instagram apart from (and ahead of) competitors in the social media industry.</p>
<h2>What’s New</h2>
<p>Before now Instagram limited users to three main buckets for content consumption. You could see the content from the friends and other accounts that you follow, explore custom content that Instagram thinks you would like, and you could search for hashtags for more specified content. However, now you can follow hashtags to bring them up quickly and easily. Not only does this save time, but it provides an easy stream of relevant content for you.</p>
<h2>How to Follow Hashtags</h2>
<p>Let’s say you want to follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/webdesign/">#webdesign</a>. Simply head over to the Instagram app and search for the hashtag. When you click on the hashtag it will bring you to the usual page with top and recent posts. The difference now is that there is an option on the top to follow the hashtag, similar to following a profile. Click follow and you’re all set!</p>
<h2>Where to Find Followed Hashtags</h2>
<p>Now finding the followed hashtag is perhaps not as intuitive as one would hope, but when you find the location it makes a lot of sense. Once you have followed a hashtag (or a few) all you have to do is navigate to your profile and click the “following” option. Before this area was just the home for the friends and accounts you follow. Now there is a new tab that allows you to switch to the hashtags you are following. Click “hashtags” and there is the list of the ones you follow!</p>
<h2>The Best Part About the Update</h2>
<p>Now I know what you’re thinking: “This is cool and everything, but what is so great about following hashtags??” I’m glad you asked! Following is just the first half of this update, the second half is your feed. When you follow a specific hashtag, like <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/graphicdesign/">#graphicdesign</a>, Instagram will start to insert top posts from your followed hashtags into your feed. This means that not only will you see the accounts you follow in your feed but also selected posts from your followed hashtags.</p>
<h2>Important Things to Note</h2>
<p>Now I’m sure you’ve realized that there could be some margin for error when following hashtags. Let’s say you follow something generic like <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/design/">#design</a> or a hashtag with multiple meanings. This could bring up some content that you do not want in your feed. To fix this you can click the three dots in the upper right of the post and select “Don’t Show from This Hashtag”. Selecting this option will let the Instagram algorithms know and it will show you less content related to that. Alternatively, if you like something that Instagram inserts in your feed you can like the post, just like you would any other, and Instagram will know to show you more content like that.</p>
<p>It is important to note that when you follow a hashtag on Instagram that anyone will be able to see what you follow under your following tabs. The only slight exception is if you have a private account. In that case, only your followers can see the hashtags you follow. Therefore, make sure you only follow hashtags that you don’t mind your followers (or the general public) seeing.</p>
<h2>How Marketing Fits In</h2>
<p>We here at <a href="https://spencercreative.co">Spencer Creative Co</a>. use Instagram as one of our favorite marketing tools (make sure to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/creative.cache/">follow us</a>). Before this update, we used to search specific hashtags to find potential clients and other important connections. After the update, these users come to you! Following the right hashtags can land target users right in your feed for you to interact with. Even more than this approach is the ability to go searching through your list of followed hashtags, rather than typing them individually. Now, what you do once you find those ideal users is best saved for its own post (coming soon!). However, as you can see the possibilities for increasing your marketing reach are endless. And the best part: this is free! All it takes is a little of your time to reap the extensive benefits this feature has to offer.</p>


Following Hashtags: Marketing with Instagram's Newest Feature

<p><em>Listen to the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1SoO9fQAvJCQnSBOqcAqUI?si=7YZEhoigS4yafA7dSPTWxA">related podcast episode</a> for this post.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>WordPress Multisite (WPMU) allows website owners to create a network of sites on a single WordPress install. It’s great because it allows you to create a new website by simply clicking a button. The pure simplicity of this makes it ideal for providing unique value to clients. You can the following information the get new clients or impress the ones that have already signed a contract with you.</p>
<p>What do I do exactly? I created a WPMU setup for my business, <a href="https://spencercreative.co">Spencer Creative Co</a>. Now, I can generate new websites quickly and the URL is even created using my business’ URL as a base. This enables me to quickly create a website that I think the prospective client will like. I can then send them the link and now I’ve provided value to them as I introduce myself.</p>
<p>Let’s go through a more in-depth rundown of this process!</p>
<h2>The Multisite Setup</h2>
<p>Most of you will either know how to set up a Multisite install or already have one. If you don’t know how to please check out the <a href="https://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network">WordPress documentation for creating a Multisite network</a>.</p>
<p>As I mentioned earlier, I set up my network on my business website. With WPMU you need to have a main or home website that everything on the back-end can be based on. When the Multisite network is established you can choose between subdomains and subdirectories for your new sites. What this means is each new website created will be based on the URL and the choice between these two. So your website’s URL would either be spencercreative.co/client-business or client-business.spencercreative.co. This can be changed, but I’ll get to that good bit later on.</p>
<p>Because WPMU is actually just a single install of WordPress all the sub-sites you create share themes and plugins. This is great for managing multiple sites because you only need to update the plugins and themes once across the whole network.</p>
<h2>The New Client</h2>
<p>Once WordPress Multisite is enabled you are ready to start creating a website. Start by creating the new subsite with the business name. Then utilize an existing theme or download a new one to the network that you want to use. This enables the creation of a quick mock-up of the website.</p>
<p>For prospective clients, I do some quick research into their current website and some competitors. For clients that are already interested in my services, I have them fill out a quick form to better understand what they are looking for in a new website.</p>
<p>This makes it easier for you to provide some value to the client or give massive value to a prospective client who has no idea who you are. What looks better: me reaching out to just tell you that you need a new website or reaching out and showing you what your website could be.</p>
<p>Many people like to give static mock-ups, but why not give them a real working website when it can be made at the press of a button. Putting the four hours in upfront to secure the client pays off in a big way. Especially because that’s four hours less than you have to do after you get hired.</p>
<h2>Taking It a Step Further</h2>
<p>Want to take this to the next level and make some additional income while doing it? Check out the follow-up post, <a href="/learn/business/host-client-wordpress-websites">Host Client Websites with WordPress Multisite</a>.</p>


Earning New Web Design Clients with WordPress Multisite

<p><em>Listen to the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/73Geen6xP539RHCjKEWxEC?si=f6169G8AQySJK6qxVISVfQ">related podcast episode</a> for this post.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>This post is a follow-up to my previous post, <a href="/learn/business/wordpress-multisite-new-clients">Earning New Web Design Clients with WordPress Multisite</a>. In that post, I outline how to utilize WordPress Multisite to quickly prototype a website to send to a potential client. The process involves using a multisite setup to quickly create a new website with a personalized link that you can send to the person. This is all great and you can certainly stop there and achieve huge success. But you could also provide even more value to the client and money in your pocket.</p>
<h2>The “Easy” Way</h2>
<p>Let’s say you followed along with my last post and set up a quick prototype website for a prospective client. Now, they are interested in working with you. You could up-sell them when you start the process of a contract by saying that you will host and maintain the website for an additional fee. You would then just need to make any edits they request to the existing site you made and point their domain at it.</p>
<p>Multisite provides the option to map an existing domain to the sub-site. What does this mean? I could domain map the client’s website, new-client.com, to my subsite so that the sub-site content is what shows up on the client's URL. So, what used to appear to be a sub-site of mine now looks like their website.</p>
<p>This is a crazy next step because after the project is complete you can now offer an additional service: web hosting. At the close of the project, you could offer to host the site for a monthly fee. You could include maintenance in the price or charge for that as well.</p>
<h3>Words of Caution</h3>
<p>It is important to note that you will need a great hosting plan yourself and some back-end knowledge to maintain the system. But if you can do that you’ve not only secured the client by providing value, but you’ve also given additional value and some extra ongoing cash in your pocket.</p>
<p>I call this the “easy” way because the path to get the client’s website up and running is fairly quick and painless. However, be aware it’s not an easy thing to host a website and maintain it as well. There is a lot that goes into it and although I talk about it in this post I don’t necessarily recommend it. Unless you are a well-established company that can manage a more sophisticated structure or only hosting a handful of small, local websites.</p>
<h2>The Recommended Way</h2>
<p>As I mentioned hosting the websites can be a great additional revenue stream for your company. If the website goes down the client is coming to you and you have to find and fix the problem. If the company wants to move its website elsewhere there is an additional hassle. Personally, I prefer to offload this plethora of problems that may arise to professionals.</p>
<h3>Hosting</h3>
<p>Find a good hosting provider to send your clients to. Make sure they have great customer service and are both affordable and reliable. You wouldn’t skimp on hosting for your website so don’t send your client somewhere bad. It will reflect poorly on you. Find a solid host and set up their website for them there.</p>
<h4>Additional Revenue</h4>
<p>While in this scenario we won’t be getting the recurring hosting revenue there are a couple of opportunities to tack on some additional income. You could potentially add an additional fee for hosting setup. Also, a lot of hosting providers have affiliate programs where you could get a small cut for your client’s signup. Again, make sure it is a quality host for your client. Don’t just go where the biggest affiliate cut is. Once the site has been handed off you can offer a maintenance plan. This can involve updating plugins, themes, and software. Or a holistic approach of managing everything including interactions with the hosting provider.</p>
<h3>Export the Theme</h3>
<p>If you’ve developed the prototype website with a theme (or child theme) you can export it to their new website. Just download the theme file, zip it, and upload it to the new site. An added bonus here is because your multisite environment is a live site you can use the WordPress export feature for any posts, pages, and images.</p>
<p>I would highly recommend hosting your custom theme and plugin files on GitHub. This allows you to have a place where your code lives and you can make changes for the client from a remote source. I use the <a href="https://github.com/afragen/github-updater">GitHub Updater</a> plugin to maintain these plugins and themes. It creates an update notification when you change the version on your code. The update notification works like the native update options from the WordPress repository. So, there appears to be no difference.</p>
<h2>Final Thoughts</h2>
<p>If you took the advice from my last post and use a live prototype to gain new clients remember to charge appropriately. You may have done the mock-up for free but you still took the time. Include the time you took in the proposal for the client. Never undervalue the cost of your time.</p>
<p>Soon you’ll be gaining new web design clients left and right!</p>


Host Client Websites with WordPress Multisite

<p>I go through the top 10 tools, services and software that I use to run my design business, Spencer Creative Co. Leave me a message on other tools you use!</p>
<p>Listen to the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/3yKTF1YLsAIR4plkwhST2K?si=Jp6PmscOTBezX-s8C-hV2Q">podcast episode</a> to find out more.</p>
<h2>Links</h2>
<p><a href="https://bit.ly/mms-kinsta">Kinsta</a> (affiliate)<br>
<a href="https://bit.ly/mms-wp">WordPress Hosted</a> (affiliate)<br>
<a href="https://bit.ly/mmswporg">WordPress Self-Hosted</a><br>
<a href="https://bit.ly/mmsmailchimp">Mailchimp</a><br>
<a href="https://bit.ly/mmsasana">Asana</a><br>
<a href="https://bit.ly/mmshb">Honeybook</a> (affiliate)<br>
<a href="https://bit.ly/mmsgooten">Gooten</a><br>
<a href="https://bit.ly/mmsbuffer">Buffer</a><br>
<a href="https://bit.ly/mmsqb">Quickbooks</a><br>
<a href="https://bit.ly/mmsanchor">Anchor</a></p>


The Tools and Services I Use for My Business

<p>Query strings are great for saving and generating data through a URL. There are many different applications and you have probably seen them before. Below I’ll explain exactly what they are and show you some use cases for them.</p>
<h2>What is a Query String?</h2>
<p>A query string is a string of code that is attached to the end of a URL. It allows the web page to dynamically pull data from it without passing it through a database. For example, if you search my name in Google you can see that it attaches a query string for the search term to the end of the URL: <code>google.com/search?q=morgan+m+spencer</code>.</p>
<p>This creates dynamic content that fills in the search information on Google. If I refresh the page or send the link to a friend the page will always search “Morgan M Spencer”. Google takes the search query and runs it through the search function automatically.</p>
<p>The query string does not have to pass data visibly either. One of the most common query strings is one for tracking analytics campaigns and ad traffic. By passing a value on the end of the ad URL Google can track the analytics for that ad and pass additional data through the query string. Query strings are also commonly used to track affiliate data. So, if you click on an affiliate link on someone’s blog, the data is passed to the destination to recognize that the user was referred from the blog.</p>
<h2>Using Query Strings</h2>
<p>How can we apply this to our own websites? I personally have used this several times, typically to create a more advanced search functionality.</p>
<p>For example, let’s say we have a search page with a list of options that filters as we type. So, as the user types in the search box, the list filters to only show matches to the input.</p>
<pre><code class="language-javascript">$('#search input').keyup(function() { // as user types
	var entry = $(this).val(), // get what user types
		url = window.location.protocol, // get current url
		newURL = url + '?s=' + entry; // append the search query
	window.history.pushState({ path: newURL }, '', newURL); // change the url without reloading
	filterListing(search); // run the function to filter the listing by the search query
});
</code></pre>
<p>This function will generate a search query at the end of the URL in real-time as the user types it. It then uses whatever function is desired to filter the listing on the page.</p>
<p>This is great but if we refresh the page the search field resets and so does the filtering. All we have done is stored a value in the URL but we haven’t done anything with the value.</p>
<pre><code class="language-javascript">if (document.location.search.length) { // if there is a query
	var search = document.location.search.replace('?s=',''); // get the query without the key
	$('#search input').val(search); // autofill the search field
	filterListing(search); // run the function to filter the listing by the search query
}
</code></pre>
<p>Here we checked to see if there was a query on the URL. then got the query value without the key. We then added the value to the search field. This would not filter the listing by default so we run the filter listing function to filter with the value provided.</p>
<p>Now if we refresh the page or send the link to someone the function will realize that there is already a default value and apply it to our search!</p>
<h2>More Advanced Applications</h2>
<p>We can also add multiple query strings to a URL to auto-populate a form. This involves adding multiple query strings. To do that use the ampersand (<code>&amp;</code>) for additional queries.</p>
<p><code>example.com/my-form?first_name=Morgan&amp;last_name=Spencer&amp;location=Charleston</code></p>
<p>You could then write a script to pass the data to the appropriate fields. Note that there are many different form plugins and features available and each one might process queries differently. For example, Ninja Forms has some <a href="https://ninjaforms.com/docs/querystrings/">documentation on how to properly call queries</a> that do not involve writing a script.</p>
<p>There are a wide variety of uses for query strings and you’ll soon find that they are incredibly useful in web development. My most recent example is using it on a page that users can report website issues to me. I use a query string to get the last page they came from and pass that to the form submission. When I get the submission from the user I can see which page they came from to report the issue so I don’t have to go searching!</p>


How to Use a Query String to Pass Values Between Pages and Forms

<p><em>Listen to the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4zTwpoqrbfwrrU9kdsvhLh?si=zr7eDapBQ6KqiC6m5Bfiuw">related podcast episode</a> for this post.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>Communication is key to a successful freelance project. In the past, you would need to call and visit with clients frequently to maintain lines of communication. Now we can easily and quickly get in touch with clients around the world from the comfort of our homes. This luxury can have its pros and cons so it is important to have efficient methods to convey information. The primary ways are through calls, emails, and online forms. I’m going to go over the latter and discuss an online form to use for each phase of a project.</p>
<h2>1. Contact Form</h2>
<p>The basic contact form is the most obvious of the three but is completely necessary. This form allows people that are interested in talking to you or working with you to get in touch. These are your future clients. Anyone that has been in touch with you before should be able to reach you by phone or email. However, this form allows new opportunities and prospects to reach out to you.</p>
<p>A contact form should at least include four fields: <strong>name, phone number, email address, and a comments box</strong>. These are the necessities to establish a good line of communication with your future client. You can also add more fields here, but <a href="https://www.ventureharbour.com/how-form-length-impacts-conversion-rates/">research shows</a> that the more fields you have the lower the conversion rate. Keep it simple to maximize conversions, you can always get more information from them later.</p>
<h2>2. New Client Questionnaire</h2>
<p>This is where you can go deeper into the information you will need from the client to make a project a success. You’ve already been in contact with the client so now you can start to ask all the details you’ve been wanting to know. There are many types of questionnaires that can be asked at varying times during the project.</p>
<p>I personally use a basic discovery one towards the beginning to help gain insights on the current state of the client’s website, the scope of their project, their budget, and their wants for a new website. This is sent after the first contact before any contract is signed. I use the information to get an idea for what kind of project this will be and it helps form the contract. I send this form in an email and also set up a discovery call once the form is complete so I can go over the answers with the future client.</p>
<p>Again, try to get as much information as possible but don’t send a 100 question form, no one will complete it. That is what the accompanying call is for. This form will be a constant adjustment as you tweak questions and refine predefined answers. You’ll learn not to use industry jargon that clients won’t understand and remove options that might send the wrong message.</p>
<h3>Learn from my mistakes</h3>
<p>When I started out I had a question that asked the client’s budget. I did have the foresight to not make this a fill-in box but rather a dropdown with a few different ranges. The first one said “$0 – $1,000”. I promise you that almost everyone will choose this option, which is exactly what happened to me. I then adjusted by finding my minimum charge for a project and having that be the lowest option.</p>
<p>So, for example, if you don’t want to do a project for under $1,000 set the lowest option to be something like “1,000 – $3,000”. This will set the baseline for your projects and has the added benefit of weeding out clients that do not have that budget. (Hint: those clients were probably not the clients you wanted anyway. Your work is valuable, never be afraid to charge what it is worth or turn down a client that won’t pay that price!)</p>
<h2>3. Follow Up / Recommendation</h2>
<p>The follow-up form might be the most important of the three, but also the most often overlooked or forgotten. This form should be sent out after every project is completed. If you already have it set up it becomes very easy to send in an email. This form serves a dual purpose: it provides feedback and gets recommendations.</p>
<p>You should use this form to gain feedback on what worked well and what could be improved on future projects. For example, your client may have liked quicker responses to emails. Without anyone telling you this you might not have known that it was an issue so you could then adjust for the next client or project. In this example, you could respond to client emails faster or you could set expectations upfront: “I only respond to emails between 9 and 5 on weekdays”.</p>
<p>The second part is to ask for a statement of recommendation. You have a few options here: you can flat out ask for a recommendation or you can ask questions that can create a quotable snippet. I usually choose the latter because I know how hard it can be to write a recommendation from scratch. Would you rather be asked “Write a recommendation for us” or “if you were to recommend us to your colleague or best friend, what would you say?” The second one provides more of a prompt for the satisfied client to write from. Also, make sure you <strong>ask permission</strong> before associating their name or company with their recommendation on your website or social media.</p>
<h3>Pro-Tip</h3>
<p>Don’t be afraid to ask if they know anyone that might need your services. <a href="/learn/marketing/more-clients-during-holidays">Referrals</a> are undeniably the best way to gain new clients. Asking after a satisfied client has just gotten a great deliverable from you is perfect!</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>Online forms are incredibly helpful for saving time and money when it comes to your business. Below I’ve linked to each one of the forms I have for my business to help you get an idea of what these might look like.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://creativecachemultisitenetwork.kinsta.cloud/contact/">Contact form</a></li>
<li><a href="https://forms.gle/CaLJ6r8AUA5veCqM6">Questionnaire</a></li>
<li><a href="https://forms.gle/CLq4RmzQY3yH4w2V6">Follow up</a></li>
</ul>


Three Forms Every Freelancer Should Have

<p><em>Listen to the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/46fSj4S3XwCXZnjfWHgSxW?si=SLNkNJ-JShCumwLxsClwKg">related podcast episode</a> for this post.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>I know what you’re thinking because it is exactly what I use to think. I thought that I could never wake up that early. The snooze button was my best friend until ten minutes before I had to leave for work. Over the years I had read articles and heard people talk about how the most successful people wake up at five in the morning. But there are also plenty of studies on how important a good night's sleep is. So, how do we accomplish both, and are there actual benefits of waking up that early?</p>
<h2>Getting Enough Sleep</h2>
<p>It’s true, sleep is incredibly important and a necessity for success. Most people think of entrepreneurs as zombies who work 22 hours and sleep for two. This is completely untrue. Most successful entrepreneurs and business executives make sure that they are getting enough sleep so they can perform at high levels during their waking hours.</p>
<p>So, how do we ensure that we get enough sleep if we are waking up at five? Well, it’s fairly common knowledge that we should be getting 6 to 8 hours of sleep per night. Simple math puts that at going to sleep between 9 and 11 at night. I try to make sure that I go to sleep by ten every night, giving me a good seven hours of sleep.</p>
<p>Note that this requires that you are not just in bed by ten but asleep by ten. This was where the big realization and change came for me. I was typically going to bed at ten anyway, but I was usually on my phone for another hour or two. Then because of the stimulation from my phone, it was hard for me to go to sleep right away. Take some time to decompress from your electronics at least 30 minutes to an hour before bed. Take the time to read or journal. It’ll make falling asleep that much easier. Plus, if you are anything like me, you’ll be pretty exhausted those first few nights after waking up early and you’ll fall right asleep.</p>
<h2>What Do You Want to Accomplish?</h2>
<p>So, now that we are getting enough sleep (perhaps without even changing the time you go to bed) we need to determine what we will do with these added couple of hours in the morning. The key here is to use the time for something that you really want to accomplish. If you are not motivated and excited about what you’re doing you’ll never wake up. For me, it’s my freelance business.</p>
<p>As I mentioned, I had known about the practice of waking up early for years. But I never had the motivation to get those extra couple hours back in my day. Then I started getting more freelance work. My weekdays are dedicated to my full-time job, so the only time to accomplish this was nights and weekends. However, this cut into my family time. I found it hard to balance this extra workload, spend time with my family, work on our new house, plus my graduate school classes. There were just not enough hours in my day. So, I added two more hours!</p>
<p>I started waking up at five to do freelance work, which includes non-client work to improve my business and knock out some graduate school homework. This left my nights and (most of) my weekends open for the other important things in my life. By waking up early and making sure I went right to sleep at night, I gained ten hours for my workweek. This was all without a noticeable change from my family and friends’ perspectives.</p>
<h2>The Benefits</h2>
<p>So now that we are up and in a mindset to get things done, let’s talk about the benefits.</p>
<h3>You’re Already Winning</h3>
<p>I was tired when I woke up that first morning. I didn’t want to get out of bed. But I pushed through because I wanted to accomplish my goals. After two straight hours of work, I felt like I had completed a lot in my day already. No one else was up but I had checked things off my list. Starting off the day with that mindset greatly improves the rest of the day.</p>
<h3>Higher Productivity</h3>
<p>Perhaps the biggest benefit of waking up before anyone else is just that: no one else is awake. My productivity dramatically increases when there are no distractions from the outside world like emails, texts, calls, and other notifications. The amount of work I can get done before everyone is awake is far greater than during regular work hours.</p>
<h3>Sets a Routine</h3>
<p>There are numerous benefits to setting a routine in your life. You will get better sleep which can improve your overall health. You’ll know exactly how much time you have in your day. There is more predictability. And the list goes on and on.</p>
<h3>Adds Time Back into Your Life</h3>
<p>I’ve already mentioned the biggest benefit for me: extra time to accomplish my goals. I’ve been able to check off items from my to-do list to keep everything more manageable in my hectic life. You’ll feel like an empowered superhero with everything you can do.</p>
<h2>Doing It</h2>
<p>I won’t lie to you, the first week or so will be hard. You’ll find yourself very tired especially if you work a full-time job as well. However, if you can push through and create that routine you won’t be tired and your productivity will go through the roof! Remember to set your goals so you actually wake up, be productive, and get the right amount of sleep. Soon you’ll be crushing your goals with at least ten more hours than everyone else!</p>


Why I Wake Up at 5 A.M.

<p><em>Listen to the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/3R1ow2eOAZXImMbtCCnDgV?si=Qvgk-oHoS3u1QMIq2UQGMA">related podcast episode</a> for this post.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>Podcasts are very similar to a blog in how they are hosted. They are uploaded to a server and an RSS feed is generated. Whenever a new episode is uploaded the feed is updated which lets anyone following the feed know. When you submit your podcast to Apple, Spotify, or any other provider you submit your RSS feed URL. These services essentially follow your feed and update their listing of your podcast when you add a new episode. Of course, you could create all the infrastructure for this yourself, but why would you want the headache. Therefore, it is important to use a hosting service for your podcast.</p>
<h2>What is a Podcast Hosting Service?</h2>
<p>A podcast hosting service can have a wide variety of features but at its core, it is a place to store your podcast. This is where your episode lives when you upload it, the housing. The provider then provides the RSS feed I mentioned above so that the podcast services can play your episodes. They take care of any encoding for the audio and help format your data correctly for distribution to the podcast listening services.</p>
<p>As I mentioned this is the base functionality that these hosts provided in the beginning. Now they have added additional features on top to maximize your value. Some provide recording services or editing or even websites for your podcast. The added features are all based on your desires for your podcast.</p>
<h3>Anchor</h3>
<p>When I first started my podcast I was not knowledgeable about podcast hosting. I also wanted a quick and easy way to get started to see if it was something I was interested in doing. <a href="https://anchor.fm/">Anchor</a> was that solution for me. It has a fairly easy to use mobile app that allows you to record and publish episodes quickly. They also have some decent editing and soundtracks that you can use for your episodes. Plus, it’s free to use!</p>
<p>Now I don’t want to seem like I’m bashing Anchor, quite the contrary. I was and still am a big fan of it! However, I believe only casual podcasters should use it. They’ve put a lot into it to make it easy, but if you want more advanced podcasting functionality or control over every detail they might not be right for you.</p>
<h2>My Reasons for Changing</h2>
<p>Once I hit episode 10 of my podcast I knew it was time to make the change away from Anchor. I wanted to make sure that I was serious about podcasting before I paid for a hosting provider. Switching from Anchor would involve more work for me not just in the short-term but the long-term as well. I would have to edit and upload my episodes rather than just doing it all in the Anchor app.</p>
<p>One of the biggest reasons for change is that I could own my content. The big podcast providers (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) have their own analytics tracking that you can view. These typically go well beyond what Anchor and other podcast hosts can provide. Data is a huge driving factor for any business so it is important to have access. With Anchor, they are pushing everything for you and they make it difficult to gain access to those extra analytics.</p>
<p>While the interface for Anchor may be convenient it is lacking in a lot of editing features. Your audio can only be trimmed and split, which is not substantial enough to provide good audio. You can always edit it outside of Anchor but then what is the point of using Anchor?</p>
<p>Anchor is free which is great for starting out. But remember, <strong>if something is free then you are the product</strong>. Anchor tends to own most of the content and attempts to push its brand on everything. Paid podcast hosts help you build your own brand which is incredibly important for the growth and success of your podcast.</p>
<h2>Transistor</h2>
<p>So, I decided to make the switch. When considering a new podcast host I was looking for one with a decent amount of features, ease of use, and room to grow. After a lot of research, I settled on <a href="https://transistor.fm/?via=morgan">Transistor</a>*.</p>
<p>So far it has been a great service! I got transferred over within a few minutes (besides redirecting my old feed). I adjusted a few settings and I was all set! Most time I spent was on getting the website the way I wanted it.</p>
<p>As a web developer, I had considered a custom website for my podcast. At this stage, I did not want to go through the extra work to make one so I used the built-in Transistor site. I found this to be a great improvement over Anchor’s solution, which felt more like a player on their server. <a href="https://bddpodcast.com/">My podcast website</a> on Transistor is an actual website and it allows you to have a custom domain instead of using their info.</p>
<h3>Features</h3>
<p>In addition to the website, Transistor packs a lot of features into its subscription plan.</p>
<h4>Analytics</h4>
<p>Transistor provides similar analytics to Anchor in regard to your episodes. However, I found that Transistor goes a bit deeper with its stats. You can see your downloads based on whatever date range you want. Downloads per episode shows both the first 30 days and all time. They graph out which podcast players your listeners are using over time as well as the countries where it is being played.</p>
<p>Additionally, Transistor allows you to easily set up your own Google Analytics tag to track your website. This is great because a lot of hosting sites don’t allow this feature.</p>
<h4>Integrations</h4>
<p>Transistor also has some great integrations directly in the dashboard. I can connect your email distribution provider (mine is Mailchimp) and it automatically adds a subscribe form to the bottom of your website.</p>
<p>Transistor can also automatically post to Twitter and to YouTube when you release a new podcast episode. This saves valuable time, especially for the YouTube video.</p>
<p>You can add your social media accounts and channels that you have distributed your podcast to. This creates a really cohesive experience on the generated website.</p>
<p>Transistor allows you to connect to other key podcasting services like Podcorn. This is where I connect with companies to create advertising partnerships, so integration is very important.</p>
<h4>Other Great Features</h4>
<p>These last couple of features really pushed it over the edge for me to make the transition. Transistor allows you to host as many podcasts as you want on one plan! I like the idea of having that kind of flexibility and ease of use.</p>
<p>It has an easy-to-use player that you can embed into almost any website. You can choose a single episode or a playlist.</p>
<h2>Should You Switch Platforms?</h2>
<p>I wouldn’t typically recommend switching platforms unless you are looking for something more. It can be an arduous process, especially if you have a lot of episodes. But if you feel restricted by your current provider and see something better out there at least consider it. Again, I have nothing against Anchor and I may even start another podcast on it. However, I would only use it as a casual recording more for convenience than anything. I’m also not saying you have to go with Transistor. There are many great podcast providers out there, I was actually in a toss-up between Transistor and <a href="https://www.captivate.fm/">Captivate</a> for a while. Do your research and see what best fits you!</p>


Why I Changed My Podcast Hosting Provider

<p><em>Listen to the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4dFdtVf7ykIadDXn2RZDaN?si=CpxlX9eYQl2JgDuYc2lUaw">related podcast episode</a> for this post.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>Every week I create a new episode of my podcast <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0YBqtNJ4TLAqUEUZ3qkv6O">Business for Designers and Developers</a>. I created this podcast to provide quick tips to creatives to grow their business. The podcast has the side benefits of improving my personal brand and potentially <a href="/learn/podcasting/new-clients-podcasting">gaining new clients</a>. But it wouldn’t be as successful without a solid process and framework.</p>
<h2>Pre-Recording</h2>
<p>Before I get started recording of course I need a topic. Getting started with a blank slate is incredibly difficult. Plus, being put on the spot to think up an idea is always harder. I tend to come up with ideas throughout my daily life. When I do I quickly make a note on my phone or set up a draft post with the idea. When it comes time to write a post for the week I can go through the ideas and pick one. I typically have about 30 ideas to choose from which makes things much easier.</p>
<p>I then do any research related to the topic and write a blog post with <a href="https://wordpress.com/">WordPress</a>. Writing helps me to gather my thoughts and properly present my idea. At least right now as I’m starting out I don’t feel comfortable enough to record a podcast from scratch. Writing also sets up a lot of the backend work for the podcast.</p>
<h2>Recording</h2>
<p>Once I’ve written my blog post I’m ready to record. I use <a href="https://www.adobe.com/products/audition.html">Adobe Audition</a> to record and edit my podcast episode. I use my blog post as a guide to keep me on track and make sure I hit all of my topics. Most importantly, I try not to read off the post as it would then sound too scripted. Once the recording is done I do some quick sound edits to remove background noise, mess with the highs and lows, and more. I slap on the intro and outro, then export the audio file.</p>
<h2>Post-Recording and Publishing</h2>
<p>Once I have the audio file I upload it to <a href="https://transistor.fm/">Transistor</a>, my podcast host. I use my template for creating the episode artwork and add any applicable links in the show notes. After adding all the data I schedule it to publish or I publish it immediately. I take the episode and embed it in my blog post before publishing that.</p>
<p>From here it is all about repurposing the content to all forms of social media. First, I copy the blog post as an article to both <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/morganmspencer/">LinkedIn</a> and <a href="https://medium.com/@morganmspencer">Medium</a>. This can help drive traffic to these accounts but also pushes traffic to my <a href="https://bddpodcast.com/">podcast</a> and <a href="https://creativecachemultisitenetwork.kinsta.cloud/">blog</a>. Transistor automatically tweets out my new episode to my <a href="https://twitter.com/morganmspencer">Twitter</a> account. I create an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/morgan.m.spencer/">Instagram</a> post with the episode artwork and I’m working on designing some carousels with the distilled down information. I share directly from <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0YBqtNJ4TLAqUEUZ3qkv6O">Spotify</a> to my Instagram and Snapchat stories. And finally, I post to my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/morganmatthewspencer/">Facebook</a> page.</p>
<p>The process is always evolving, especially in regards to posting to social media channels. I’m always exploring new avenues and methods to publish about the content.</p>
