Updates on the Podcast and the Spooktacular Crew!

Anytime a podcast is initially launched, changes are sure to follow and that is what this update is all about.  The podcast has been on air for nearly a month now and the feedback we have been getting has been phenomenal - thank you to everyone for your feedback!  We have struggled a bit with the idea of how to generate income for the podcast and we decided to try the route of other podcasts, but it never sat well with us.  We are avid podcast listeners and one thing that can annoy us to the point of unsubscribing from a podcast is ads.  We would never run ads on the show other than those that promote the show itself, although we are not against sponsorship of a show because this is generally announced at the beginning of the show and is unobtrusive.  So we decided to go the route of offering extra content for monetary supporters of the show like some of these other podcasts.

Yesterday, we received an email that changed our thinking on membership in the Spooktacular Crew.  Becoming a member of the crew required supporters to donate at least $5 a month.  This email we received came from a podcaster whom we had never heard of before, nor had we listened to his podcast.  The email read as such:

"Hi Diane,

I recently left a rating and review of your podcast and was wondering if you could do the same for mine?

As you probably know, ratings and reviews are the mother’s milk of podcast rankings. I’d love to have a review from someone like you.

When you do, let me know that you did, and I’ll give you a shout out on the next show."

Of course, no such review had been left for our show, but the point about this email is this idea of bribing people or something of that nature to get them to support the show.  This jackass had never listened to our show.  And what does it mean to get a review from someone who has not listened to the content?  Nothing.  We have also been sent emails that a certain company could get us Twitter followers for a price.  What?!  We want people to listen to the show, not fake numbers in some kind of popularity contest!

If people donate to the show, we want it to be because they have a little extra cash and want to help further a show they enjoy listening to and we want to make sure to not alienate people who are having a tough time in this economy.  SOOOOOOO...membership in the Spooktacular Crew is open to:

EVERYONE!

This means that everybody will have access to bonus content and that content includes not only a newsletter, but also access to the HGB BonusCast.  What is the HGB BonusCast you ask?  This podcast is different than the regular podcast because it contains bonus material such as outtakes, bloopers, extended interviews and real life ghost experiences as told by listeners. There will be between one or two of these extra podcasts a month in addition to the regular show and are uploaded to the regular podcast feed!  In the future, we will also be adding video content other than just the videos running the podcast audio.  Please check out the Spooktacular Crew page for more information!

We still have Milestone Goals and Rewards set up at the Patreon Page, so that people have an idea of what monetary contributions will equate to when attained.  And we would greatly appreciate any little bit that people are able to donate.  We are managing to produce the show with old software and one microphone, but we would love to set-up a professional type studio to bring listeners the quality production they deserve and to start having interviews.  Even $1 a month makes a big difference, especially when every listener sends in that $1!

So stay tuned for the launch of the HGB BonusCast and the Newsletter!  We should have a subscribe button set-up shortly for the newsletter.  Thanks so much you Spooktacular people!  And welcome to the Crew!