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PODCASTER INTERVIEW
► Tell us about you and your podcast
Jason and Miss Elizabeth co-host this variety-show style podcast twice a week, presenting their original comedy fiction and music from a fantasy town called Smileton.
The Smile Syndicate Music Hour was born out of Jason’s music in combination with Miss Elizabeth’s fantasy narrative style. The two co-hosts work together to develop light-hearted content that emphasizes positivity in daily life.
Our listeners often compare our show to SCTV, saying, “It's quintessential Canadian humor in the tradition of Second City Television (SCTV). Liz is a joy, and the banter with her co-host is a lot of fun.” (Eric Boyd, Milpitas, California).
► Why & how did you start this podcast?
The Smile Syndicate emerged in 2010 in as a fictional musical entity for Jason to publish his original songs. In 2015, Elizabeth suggested creating a podcast to reach people with the music, while simultaneously developing a relationship with the listener through discussions about artistic creativity.
By 2018, Miss Elizabeth had joined the show, and the narrative structure of the show was taking shape. The podcast shifted from being solely about music, and started including regular comedy segments like the Smileton News, Death Metal Update, and Supernatural Mysteries. Now, the podcast consists of two comedy segments interspersed with 3 original songs, inviting the listener to participate in a community experience in the imaginary town of Smileton.
► How'd you find the time and funding to do this podcast?
The Smile Syndicate Music Hour is currently released twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays. It is a scripted show with ongoing story development and improvised banter throughout. Jason and Elizabeth plan the segments and story arcs weeks in advance of recording, and keep track of future shows using the project management tool Trello.
It isn’t easy to maintain this schedule for content creation and recording. Miss Elizabeth explains, “We developed our project management system over time, so we keep track of all our ideas, and know what each host needs to complete next.”
The Smile Syndicate Music Hour is funded by support from listeners who subscribe to the show in exchange for behind-the-scenes material and additional perks. “We prefer to keep advertising out of the show if possible, because the interruptions are detrimental to the experience of the listener,” says Miss Elizabeth. Additional funding needs are provided by the hosts.
► What do you gain from podcasting?
Our show has appeared in the iTunes podcast chart in the categories of Comedy and Comedy Fiction in the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, Sweden and Vietnam. Elizabeth interprets download stats from the website, and notes a steady increase in uptake of the show.
“People seem to be picking up the show and sharing it, which is nice,” she says. “We get some strong positive reviews on iTunes, but even more so in private.” Jason and Miss Elizabeth are happy to know that the show has a positive impact on their listeners in their daily lives.
“It is also a fun project that we enjoy creating together,” she adds.
► How does your podcasting process look like?
The Smile Syndicate Music Hour is created in a home studio, using two mics, a Focusrite box, and Studio One. The podcasters also have several cameras connected to OBS, allowing bonus materials to be recorded for supporters of the show.
Jason and Miss Elizabeth meet at least once per week to plan the next set of shows in Trello. Writing assignments are distributed, and these are completed through the week.
When it’s time to record, Jason prints out the show, and the podcasting pair meet in the studio with a glass of water and a lust for comedy.
“We try to record two shows during each recording session. After that, Jason processes the audio and edits the shows,” explains Miss Elizabeth.
► How do you market your show?
The Smile Syndicate Music Hour is available on most podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and many other listing services. Miss Elizabeth frequently announces new episodes on podcast subreddits on Reddit.com, Facebook pages and groups, and all social media channels.
Says Miss Elizabeth, “We find that our audience acquisition changes every few months. Apple Podcasts and direct website listens have predominated in the past, but with Joe Rogan and others moving exclusively to Spotify, we are already noticing a shift in our Spotify stats.” She adds that she watches those shifts and adjusts her efforts to find listeners where they feel most comfortable.
“Actually, I just noticed a spike in listener interest from ListenNotes.com! As podcasters, we need to respond to these stats by providing updated information and reaching out to potential fans.”
The podcast can also be found with behind-the-scenes information and bonus materials on both Patreon and Locals.com. There is often a code to access supporter materials for free. The current promo code can be found here:
smilesyndicate.locals.com/support/promo/FUNTIMES
“Our supporter base is growing, so we put a lot of effort into servicing that group of listeners. They are our biggest fans, after all!” says Miss Elizabeth.
► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?
Podcasting is not an easy project to take on as an independent creator because it is hard work to create a consistent, reliable show week in and week out. Jason and Miss Elizabeth call the process of creating a podcast “the Joyful Treadmill.”
Jason adds that you should have a plan, show up every week, and always consider the listener when you record each episode. “It’s going to be hard work, but you can make incremental improvements as you go,” he explains.
You can learn more about The Smile Syndicate Music Hour at thesmilesyndicate.com, and join the community of fans for free at smilesyndicate.locals.com.
Miss Elizabeth is also a moderator at two podcasting subreddits, r/podcast and r/CanadianPodcasts, on Reddit.com, where she maintains a positive community and provides updated information for emerging podcasters. “I love to support aspiring podcasters when they have questions on Reddit,” she says.
► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?
Find The Smile Syndicate Music Hour at:
Join the community of fans for free, or access exclusive content free with the promo code:
smilesyndicate.locals.com/support/promo/FUNTIMES
Send a message to Jason or Miss Elizabeth at:
