When Does A Podcast No Longer Require Her Own Website?

Posted by Paul Colligan on Sunday, May 23, 2010

At the big Ed Dale “Coming Home 3″ event this weekend, we got a chance to record a very special live version of Internet Marketing This Week as well as talk over some changes and ideas we have for future versions of the show. A plan for season 2, if you will. More on the specifics of that later.

One of the big questions we asked … Does the show actually need a website anymore? The Facebook Fan Page for the site does pretty much everything we do at the site – and it always feels pretty silly duplicating our content efforts.

We could easily make www.internetmarketingthisweek.com forward to the Facebook page and lose very little – while gaining back some time in the process.

Obviously, if we were an entity that sold ads at the site, we wouldn’t be asking this question. Since the monetization of the Podcast comes from building an audience that knows, likes and trusts us, what point is there in having the site?

And, if needed, we could always put ads and the like into the copy of the content at Facebook – disclosing accordingly of course.

I thought I’d pass this question on to you and see what you have to say.

When does a Podcast no longer need her own Website?


 
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  • http://FlourishAndProsper.com Stan Dubin

    Cross-posting can be time consuming, but if a good number of folks know to come to site A and are simply forwarded to site B which may not have all of the goodies of site A, there would seem to be a risk of losing some folks. An FB fan page can't do all of the things a web site (or even a blog) can do.

  • http://www.armchairtraveler.tv Austin Beeman

    Great idea, but that puts you at the mercy of Facebook. Paul – weren't you the guy that said “brand yourself” not someone else…

  • Adam

    I agree with Austin. Plus due to the respect I'm sure IMTW listeners have for you all I would have no issue with you including affiliate links or monetization options on your website. If good content is provided I am always happy to purchase through an affiliate link (if disclosed).

    What about using video for season 2 like TWIT.tv and having that downloadable from your website?

    Plus include an option that pulls in content from your respective blogs to IMTW.com as well for increased exposure for on topic discussions.

    Additional podcasts (content) that the panel do individually could also be listed there if they felt it appropriate.

    IMTW could be a way bigger brand if you ask me with the experts behind it. This way you might even have a greater incentive to podcast fortnightly :)

    Keep the website. Like you've said many times Paul, provide content to people in the way they want to consume it and where they want to consume it. Do not let Facebook be the only place to follow IMTW.

  • Adam

    Woops! Sorry did not mean to link to that IMTW site. Can't see a way now to remove the hyperlink now though.

  • stevemarkowski

    You're casting your lot with Zuckerberg on Facebook.. How much time would you save now vs. what would it take to rebuild the website if he changed the TOS again?

  • http://twitter.com/DaveJackson David Jackson

    Don't do it. You don't own it. MP3.com was huge, and then it got sued and sold, and thousand (millions?) of musicians lost their “website.” Always own your stuff.

  • paulcolligan

    I agree on the can do can't do issue but what do I need at say the IMTW site that I can't put at the Facebook page?

  • paulcolligan

    Yes I have been, and I would be branding myself at Facebook. I'd keep the domain name, always market that in the recordings. I'd just redirect to Facebook until/if something else came along better.

  • paulcolligan

    Good food for thought. Thanks.

  • paulcolligan

    No dramas.

  • paulcolligan

    Good point on the save time with change issue. Didn't ponder that one.

  • paulcolligan

    Well the millions of musicians were marketing MP3.com, not their own domain name redirecting.

  • http://www.armchairtraveler.tv Austin Beeman

    Branded graphic design for one thing. Also can one easily sell products off their facebook fan page?

  • http://www.armchairtraveler.tv Austin Beeman

    Good comment Steve

  • http://www.armchairtraveler.tv Austin Beeman

    Like a lot of great musicians are doing right now on Myspace

  • http://www.81x.com/garydotgray/home Gary Gray

    There is always a risk if you don't have your own site. However, the chances of a service like Facebook to wipe out would be akin to an entire internet wipe out. I know we don't trust our content on third party sites, but we don't trust banks either. Do you know where your money is tonight?

    My point is that my money goes in the bank. (not in my back yard) So, I am ok with IMTW podcast being on Facebook without the duplication of it on the IMTW site.

    Thanks, ;o)

    Gary

  • http://DanielPerry.com Daniel Perry

    Paul:

    Another consideration to the Facebook vs. separate website is the question of “ownership.” The Facebook Terms of Service http://www.facebook.com/terms.php?ref=pf
    grants Facebook a “… non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license …” which only ends when you “… when you delete your … content or your account unless your content has been shared with others, and they have not deleted it.”

    Freely translated – once you put it on Facebook you will likely NEVER be able to take it off if you have shared it with anyone.

    Daniel Perry, Attorney
    Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DanielPerry

  • paulcolligan

    Yes they can. But you certainly have to make everything look and feel like Facebook. But let's face it, most Podcasts don't sell antyhing.

  • paulcolligan

    Good thoughts, well stated.

  • paulcolligan

    Correct, but since it is a Podcast that I've access tens of thousands to download, I'm really not thinking that I'm ever going to take it back.

  • http://www.DanielPerry.com Daniel Perry

    Paul:

    Fair enough. My point was really one of ownership, though. If you have given Facebook a perpetual license, then who owns it? Perhaps the correct legal interpretation is that you both do. Now, as an attorney, if the issue comes down to a lawsuit, I would MUCH rather have the independent site I can point to to establish YOUR bona fides.

    BTW, don't be distracted by Facebook's “assurances” that you own the content. What you really own is a license – just like THEY do. BTW, this issue is coming to a head in the virtual worlds like Second Life NOW.

    Dan Perry
    PS Love your podcasts – am an avid listener!

  • paulcolligan

    Thanks!

  • http://www.81x.com/garydotgray/home Gary Gray

    Just curious…Has the most recent IMTW podcast been posted yet? I'm never really sure if it's this week or last week or some other week. lol How often do you record? The numbering does not appear consistant and sometimes a past recording gets posted as a new one. (keeps us on our toes) lol Hey I know that you are all busy, busy iPodin and globe trotten so thanks for taking the time to put up these great discussions. We love them and all of you as well…Smiles :)

  • paulcolligan

    latest one has been recorded and should be up soon. in terms of repeat episodes – we only did that once ;-)

  • http://www.81x.com/garydotgray/home Gary Gray

    Thanks Paul, appreciate your FAST reply! I knew you only did it once. ;o) lol

  • http://myonlinebusinessstrategy.net Doug Taylor

    I don't think you could ever get rid of a website if it relates to a podcast. Some people learn different that others. I have to read text and see it with my own eyes to understanding something I have heard. Others have picture memories who can listen to a vocal cast and remember what was said like it was yesterday. Better yet, posting a podcast on the website is even a better strategy.

  • paulcolligan

    good thoughts. thanks!