Advent Calendar 2014
The promo for the 2014 edition of Grant’s Advent Calendar went live this morning. Like a lot of Advent Calendar video ideas, it took me forever to come up with the idea for it, but then once I did, it came fully realized and was pretty easy to shoot.
If you haven’t seen the trailer yet, It’s at the bottom of this post and it’s just a hair over 30 seconds long. I tell you, editing the current project I’m doing for Stan Lee’s World of Heroes, has really drilled into me the importance of tight, quick editing. A lesson I applied to this promo which would have been much longer if I kept it in its original form. (Now if I could only apply the same thought on editing to my writing.)
I am excited to start the Advent Podcast, of course, but I’m also a little nervous this year, for a few reasons. One is that I have, practically, no ideas. Last year, I thought about it all year and came up with a huge list of ideas. This year, I have about three ideas. Not that good when you need, at least, 24.
Another reason I’m a little nervous this will be the first year without direct promotion on Facebook. I completely deleted myself from Facebook earlier this year and that included the fan page for the Advent Calendar. I feel like I may have shot myself in the foot, promotion wise, because it seems that if you want to promote something, you have to do it on Facebook. But I just can’t be on Facebook anymore. So, I’m going to put all my focus in promoting the show in other outlets and also hope that word of mouth kicks into high gear this year. So, if you’re reading this, and you’re a fan of Grant’s Advent Calendar, please tell a friend. Or five.
I started the podcast in 2005 and one frustration I have is that the podcast has never been featured in the iTunes Podcast Directory. I don’t know why, but it’s always been a dream/wish to make that accomplishment happen. I know there’s a million other podcasts out there, but you’d think the longest running Holiday Video Podcast on the web would get some sort of mention. I do understand that getting that mention wouldn’t mean THAT much in the grand scheme of things, but it’s something I’d love to see happen.
Anyway, here we stand on the edge of another Advent Calendar season. Despite my nervousness, I’m super excited to get going. Check out the promo below and, if you’d like to help produce the show, check out the Saturday Morning Media Patreon campaign I have running and consider making a pledge. And, as always, thank you for the support.
I’ll post to Facebook for you, Grant. I’m not afraid! I’m thinking about ideas for you and what are the top 10 YouTube channels that appeal to kids about? Video game walkthroughs and showing the newest toys and gadgets and how you play with them in creative ways. Anything you can do with that? I’m new to promoting podcasts, but are you listed in more than one category? That’s a promotional tip I’ve heard. You’re smart to use Google+ because it has very high search engine results. Good luck. I’ll be watching.
Thank you. I used your idea for popular YouTube videos as an idea to do the unboxing video on day one. And, yes, the podcast is listed in multiple categories on iTunes. During December, it’ll pop up into the Top 100, but it never gets featured.
I left facebook too. I was on it for two reasons, keeping up with friends and promotion. And FB was making promotion harder and harder, and I didn’t see the point in staying with a service I hated if they were going to negate the promotion aspect. I feel you.
Can’t wait for Monday!