Blogging, Podcasting, Marketing With Rob White
Rob White is the founder of NMP or New Media Pro network. He hosts a weekly podcast every Friday evening on Talkshoe.com called Podcaster and New Media Training where he shares tips, tricks, and techniques on podcasting, video streaming and blogging. Rob is also the host of Identify Theft radio. In this interview, I discuss all sorts of media with Rob such as podcasts, video, and blogging while I also get his take on Internet marketing.
How did you get involved with Blogging and why do you blog?
Ok, great question. I got involved in blogging about three years ago when I had a couple of clients that were interested in starting a blog and wanted me to help them set it up and show them how to run it. So, in order to help them out, I began to blog myself and after about a year, it became an everyday way of life for me and my business.
You’ve gone from just being a blogger to a full blown podcaster. Describe the transition from one to the other. Also, what are your thoughts on podcasting as a whole?
Well, like most things, going from blogging to podcasting was an easy transition. Since blogging is writing down your thoughts for others to read, podcasting is verbalizing those thoughts for people to hear. Podcasting is still a growing technology. Even though there are those who feel that podcasting has run it’s course, I strongly disagree. Podcasting is just beginning to get it’s legs, so to speak, and learning how to go from crawling to walking. With podcasting having so many facets, such as audio and video podcasting, not to mention translating your blogs to an audio format, just another way of podcasting, the sky is still the limit for this technology. I believe that we will see even more to come in 2009 than we have already seen in the past 3 to 5 years that podcasting has been actively working for many.
With that said, you have had your ups and downs with various video streaming websites. What can you tell those who are thinking about skipping audio and going straight to video streaming?
Yes, it’s true, I’ve had my share of issues with the video streaming sites. I think I’ve tried every one that is currently available and they all share the same basic issues along with not having the necessary backbone of hardware to handle the onslaught of users currently on their services. My advice to any one who wants to go straight video is, make sure that you are prepared to live with the frustration of the video streaming service when they are down, having technical glitches or even losing your recordings. All this will happen, especially when they are having tremendous server overloads. Also, be prepared to share your space with LOTS of, sometimes scary and downright silly types of live shows that are representative of these services. You may not want your videocast to be shown in this light. Carefully check out what other types of shows that are streaming on the service you choose.
Monetization is a hot topic for many people and for obvious reasons. Which techniques have you used and have you been able to make a living producing content for a living?
I have tried several types including affiliate programs, banner ads, Google Adsense and even offering my own products. Because I have a small following right now, I cannot produce much if any amount of income from my blog. I have had no success with the affiliate programs or banner ads. I have had some reasonable success by offering my own products, such as eBooks and software. It seems the personal approach works best for the small time blogger that doesn’t have thousands of readers and visitors.
Can you describe to us what the NMP Network is and your goals for it? Also, how difficult has it been to run your own network?
The NMP Network started as New Media Pro about two and a half years ago. When I started consulting other podcasters, I decided I wanted a brand that would stand the test of time and still convey the message I was trying to instill. About a year or so ago, The NMP Network (NMP stands for New Media Pro) was born to serve as a portal for the different shows and videos I produce. Today, it still does that, however, it is now also my main portal for my blogs, several that I write myself, and for the shows and video as well. It was difficult at first starting the network, just like any new business venture, you have to start from scratch in most cases, and starting this venture was no different. I had to bring together all of my blogs, most for the shows I produce, and the different blogs I was maintaining, into one place, so that it would be easier to update and maintain. After doing this, my blogging efforts became almost routine, instead of the giant chore I had prior by having to make sure every site, every blog, was updated when they needed to be, etc. Today, The NMP Network also has guest bloggers posting as well as different segment hosts from my Friday Night Podcaster Training Show, posting their show notes and making the site more of a hub of information than it ever was before.
I noticed that you now have a premium content section of your site online. What constitutes premium content? What can people expect if they choose one of your premium content packages?
The Premium Content is a mixture of Private label Rights Articles, PLR Videos, PLR Software and eBooks and Master Resell Rights Products, such as eBooks and software. There are four levels of content and each level gets a specific type of content. For example, the first level, Bronze, gets PLR Articles and nothing else. The Silver Level, gets the Bronze content as well as PLR eBooks. The Gold Level get the levels below and adds PLR Software and the Platinum Level get everything below along with PLR Videos and MRR products. In this way, the members get not only quality, but quantity too.
Any tips, tricks, or suggestions you can give to bloggers, podcasters, or video streamers?
Well, the main tip I can offer to bloggers is to use a quality platform such as Wordpress Self Hosted from Wordpress.org. In this way, you can customize and setup your blog any way you like and you won’t have to bend to any restrictions like you do with the hosted services out there currently. For Podcasters and video streamers, make sure you have the proper equipment and test it out BEFORE you try to go live to insure that you are ready to give not only quality content, but a quality performance too!
What do you think is the future of blogging?
I think blogging will be and already is for most, the next web site. Instead of learning HTML and hiring a web designer, you can easily get a theme you like or want and make simple modifications yourself and you can be online in no time at all and also consider the SEO that your blog brings you, it just can’t be beat! That being said, a blog will also let you not only showcase your products, services or business, but you can use the same blog site to showcase yourself without selling yourself short or detracting from your main topic of your blog.
This Interview was published on January 1, 2009 at 11:51 pm • Did you like it? Subscribe!
Submit to Reddit or StumbleUpon or Digg • Del.icio.us
What do you think?