Geek Smack! Episode 300: This is the End. For Now.

Episode 300 is here! I take a look back at the start of Geek Smack (aka the Geekazine Podcast) and where it went from here.
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Other shows: Day in Tech History – Geekazine Special Media Feed – iPad365 – This Week in Google Glass
Geek Smack: Its been a Blast. 300 and out – For now
I remember when I started this podcast. October 2007 I finished up a run with another show – the Independent Music Podcast. I wanted to create something new revolving around technology and I found it – what would become Geekazine.
The first show was a little rough – using the music and intros to the last podcast because I still didn’t have a name for it. The podcast was simply called “The Show – with Jeffrey Powers”.
It wasn’t until November 7th that the official name “Geekazine Weekly Podcast” came about. Reading off tech news and geek happenings. I didn’t know what was going to happen with the show and where it would take me. But I am glad I jumped over to build my Geekazine brand.
My weekly process would include: Getting up and packing the laptop to head to the coffee shop. Eventually, it would become the local Panera Bread – their Wi-Fi would turn into a 30 minute use at 11:30 AM. It kept me on task to get the show notes set up. It also got me out of the house to focus on the tech news of the week.
The show got a major face-lift in June 2011. I wanted to bring a new direction – especially since I was going all-in on video. The studio got upgraded so you had something to watch while the talking head moved.
As I continued on I upgraded the intro, graphics and more. Even moved from the original intro music I created over 6 years ago.
Here we are at episode 300. A great milestone to head out on. For now.
A couple weeks ago, I started thinking about what shows are working and what are not. While Geek Smack! does a good job with unique viewers, it still is the lower of the watched shows. Further, expirable content gave this show a shelf life of maybe 2 weeks at best. Whereas other episodes were climbing in the 30 day mark, Geek Smack! would stay stagnant.
I have been going out to some major events this year. This caused some very big gaps in Geek Smack! which ultimately hurts an expirable content show. To also compete with other tech news shows such as Tech News Today and the Daily Tech News Show – which run 5 days a week – my weekly show of news and an editorial were definitely lacking.
The schedule for Geek Smack! took me 4 hours to pre-produce, 1 hour to record, and up to 8 hours to finish (2 hours on a good day). The reason why simply was the waiting game. Waiting for video to post – waiting to edit and repost to the masses – could take me up to the 10 PM hour before I was done. Sure, I could remove the live element from the show and make it easier, but that was not the direction I wanted to go.
My crazy schedule also affected other shows that do make some serious numbers and bring in more revenue. iPad365, for example, has been on a hiatus due to this. Day in Tech History also has been suffering – Sometimes I was getting to the show last minute, which ultimately hurts its direction.
Finally, Google Penguin has really affected podcasters’ websites. Doing any podcast with a series of links in the post gets downgraded no matter what you do. I have attempted everything – including a very text-heavy set of show notes. The end result is good posts that don’t go anywhere via discovery.
I talked with Jennifer about all this and tried to figure out a new direction. We assessed the shows and planned where I am going with Geekazine.
We decided its time for me to take a hiatus from this show. Not sure what type of hiatus, but I will definitely be taking the summer off from Geek Smack! I am hoping this will rejuvenate me to where I can possibly come back and really kick this into higher gear.
During the summer I will be focusing on the other parts of Geekazine – Special Events feed with more reviews and possibly interviews of technology – Day in Tech History with full rundowns of tech history – iPad365 with iPad apps for you to use – This Week in Google Glass with my co-host Luke Wallace. HowToRecordPodcasts.com where I will have time to write some great articles on how to podcast and the finalization of my first two e-books on podcasting.
I have 3 major events I’ll be covering during the summer and the Podcast Movement in August where I’ll be speaking.
I might even take some time to soak in the sun…. Yeah. Right.
I am already freaking out on this decision. How do I stop doing something that I have been working on for 6 1/2 years. But then some inspiration hit me via a post last night from a friend – Scott Monty. Apparently, Scott also made a life-changing decision and announced yesterday he left his position at Ford Motor Company.
If Scott can do it, so can I.
While I am not leaving the brand altogether, I am taking the main show out of commission. The video will be turned off, and – to keep the audio side from going completely idle – I will probably run a monthly “What’s happening” section until the time the Smack comes back.
I want to thank all my sponsors over the years. They have helped keep the lights on and I appreciate that. Thanks to all the people who watched and listened to the show. You truely kept me going all these years. Thanks to those who even emailed and called in. I’ll never forget the first email I got. The guy was very blunt and it shook up my show a bit.
Now, its time to smack this show to bed for a while. Not an easy thing to do – but a necessary one.
I will make one last pitch – Please feel free to donate to this and any other show I do. Part of staying around for so long has been through donations. You can always send one via Paypal using my email address ([email protected]).
Thanks for watching and geeking out with me. Stay tuned…
Geek Smack! episode 300 Tech News:
Thanks. There will be no tech news for this episode.
Geek Smack! is a weekly video show and podcast that comes out every Tuesday evening. Your host: Jeffrey Powers – talks tech news, IT news and geek news for the week. Geek Smack! is ©2014 under a Creative Commons no-deriv license. The cold never bothered me anyway. If you would like more information about what is technology, recent news, Geekazine, and Jeffrey Powers, feel free to contact him. Jeffrey Powers does interviews, just ask!