Webmaster Radio

I admit it. I am a WebmasterRadio junkie. Not only do I listen to many of the live shows that they do on a weekly basis, I also find myself listening to archived shows as well. I absolutely love it. It allows me to not only keep abreast of the latest happenings in my industry very quickly, it also allows me to hear the audible voices of many folks that I already know online or have met in real life. If you frequent any of the popular search marketing forums or blogs or have attended conferences such as Search Engine Strategies, PubCon, AdTech and others, then surely you have heard of WebmasterRadio as well. In my opinion, they are very quickly becoming the audible voice of the search industry.

We already have a vast array of sites on the subject search engines and search. These include blogs, forums, resource sites and the like. Many have been around for years now, especially sites like Search Engine Watch which has been online since almost the birth of the search engines themselves. Even the trade shows have been around for quite some time now. However, lacking was a way to bring people together with audio and live chat outside the realm of a costly trade show or forum. That is where WebmasterRadio.FM fills the void.

WebmasterRadio is the creation of Daron Babin and Brandy Shapiro Babin, who are not only husband and wife but partners in business.

They officially launched in November 2004 at a Yahoo Party that was held during one of the PubCon conferences. It all started with a single show entitled RainMaker, an Internet radio broadcast that gained such favorable response from listeners and advertisers that more shows were soon added out of necessity.

Daron and Brandy's goal in establishing WebmasterRadio is to not only get info from industry leaders to help people in their business but also to bring people together and connect them through live broadcasts and chat. They have done this very well with more shows and listeners coming on board all the time.

So what were Daron and Brandy doing before WebmasterRadio? Well for starters, Daron was one of the pioneers in the SEO industry, coming onto the scene in 1996 (one year before myself). He even earned the nickname "SEGuru" which he is still known for today.

While WebmasterRadio occupies most of his time these days, he still does some SEO work.

Before WMR, Daron was in television, working as a director at NBC for twelve years. The combination of his television/broadcasting experience combined with search marketing expertise is a perfect match for what WebmasterRadio currently offers.

Brandy comes from a public relations and business development background. Before WMR, she was the Director of PR for two of the largest independent advertising agencies in the country. Brandy's extensive background has allowed her to see both the client and vendor side of product development and promotion. This has allowed her to guide clients to success, helping them to maximize their earning and growth potential with a special focus on non-traditional revenue. Some of the companies Brandy has worked with include SouthWest Airlines, SunBeam Inc, Data General, Sun Microsystems, Clear Channel Communications, Paxson Communications, Silicon Graphics and many other industry leading organizations. Combined, Daron and Brandy make an awesome team, along with all their staff as well.

Whose voices have been heard on WebmasterRadio? How about names like Noel McMichael - Vice President of Search Marketing for Digital Impact, John Marshall - CEO of ClickTracks, Rob Grosshandler - EcomExpo, Michael Korda - Simon & Schuster, Bruce Clay - Founder of Bruce Clay Inc., Tobi Elkin - Executive Editor of MediaPost, Communications, Matt Cutts - Google, Lee Nadler - Founder of Sherpa Marketing, Amanda Watlington, Ph.D. - author of "Business Blogs - A Practical Guide", and the list goes on and on and on.

So what does WebmasterRadio have to offer? A variety of talk shows dealing with many different topics which I will summarize below.

Before I provide a summary of current shows, keep in mind that WebmasterRadio is Internet based. That means anyone in the world can listen. The fact that they have a live chat room provides for an interactive experience when listening to live broadcasts. One can actually engage with others listening to the show at the same time as well as show hosts and guests themselves. The shows are also available as podcasts that you can listen on your iPod as well as mobile casts that you can listen on select mobile phones.

So their reach is without borders. Here are some of the shows they have on their line up:

• The Daily SearchCast - This is my personal favorite. 30 minutes with Danny Sullivan as he recaps current events as well as throwing in a rant here or there. Daron usually hosts the show but occasionally Dave Naylor, Todd (Oilman) Friesen and Detlev Johnson fill in as hosts.
• RainMaker - The show that started it all. Daron and Brandy interview various guests or sometimes just talk among themselves about current events. Each week immerse yourself in a different facet of online business, ask questions of the experts and hang out and have a great time.
• That's A Wrap - Ok, so its two of the old-timers, originals in the SEO industry, SEGuru (Daron Babin) and WebGuerrilla (Greg Boser). They are opinionated, bold and pull no punches. Expect their opinion of the current landscape in the world of technology, web, and life in general. Also expect to hear the dirt on the Search Marketing World and those who work in it. Its all a matter of opinion on this show... so everything is fair game.
• SEO Rockstars - Join Todd (Oilman) Friesen every week and have your eyes opened to the wide variety of search engine optimization tactics available to you. Covering the spectrum from low to high risk methods of online marketing, this show is guaranteed to make your head spin and keep you thinking.
• Strike Point - Hosts Mikkel deMib Svendsen & Dave Naylor bring you the first European show of its kind, addressing issues faced by European webmasters regarding search marketing and optimization. Expect to be informed on the nuances of maximizing earnings revenue from a European perspective. Irreverent, cocky and experienced... don't let the Eurotrash fool you! These guys are true experts and a show to not be missed.
• Cover Story - Host Brandy Shapiro-Babin reserves a headline for you. Each week she is joined with public relations powerhouses to share and discuss information which is vital and timely for you to maximize your public relations efforts.
• Affiliate Marketing Today - Each week hosts from Commission Junction share both advertiser and publisher perspectives ranging from basic to advanced on how to get the most out of your affiliate marketing program and often reach out to some of the industry’s top players. Listen in, learn what the other side is thinking, and make it a win-win.
• NextStuff Now - Hosted by Chris Tolles, vice president of Topix.Net; each week get a sneak peak behind closed doors to speak with the people who are developing new technology, products and services for the internet.
• Domain Masters - Hosted by Monte Cahn, founder and CEO of Moniker.com; learn how to be the master of your domain including legal rights, domain name monetization; ask questions live from the pro's.
• Ms. Write - A content moments segment brought to you by InfoSearch Media's Sarah MacKay (Ms. Write). The show focuses on building quality content while illustrating its usefulness.
• ad:tech Connect - Join ad:tech chair Susan Bratton and guest hosts as they interview top marketing leaders of today in this candid, one hour, web radio program.
• GoodKarma - Hosted by Greg Niland (GoodROI); this show helps explain topics for newbies and can even help an old dog to learn some new tricks. During the show there will be prizes given away as well as the answers to the newbie questions you were too embarrassed to ask.
• The Hook with Katie Kempner - Katie is VP and Director of Agency Communications at Crispin Porter + Bogusky. The Hook charts the territory where advertising and public relations meet providing exclusive interviews with the industry's finest advertising and public relations gurus, creatives and journalists to discuss the latest news and strategy in the industry.
• Power Source - Tim Mayer and Jeremy Zawodny of Yahoo! Search are your hosts for a power hour surging with an exciting look at some of the Valleys newest and hottest companies. Tap into interviews and commentary from people working behind the scene plus, Tim and Jeremy will light it up with the latest happenings in the online world.
• The Fringe - This show will keep you in the know on what's hot and what's not, tracking the future of cool! Delve into an entertaining journey to the edge. Celebrity designer, TV personality and international DJ Nani Vinken takes you to the fringes of our culture. To a part of our culture, that most rarely see, to entertainment and insight into hip, cool and intriguing parts of everyday life before it occurs. Philosophers idea generators, rule-breakers, social divas, cultural studs.

That's a lot of shows. Time in between shows is filled with a wide variety of popular music. There are also commercials but never over-bearing like you would experience with most radio stations. As you can see by the titles above, there is just about something for everyone. It is rumored that a couple of new shows that will be coming online shortly will include Jennifer Slegg of JenSense and Michael Korda from Simon & Schuster.

Besides having a great line-up of talk shows, WebmasterRadio is the official radio for Search Engine Strategies, AdTech, PubCon and EcomXpo. They are present at all of these conferences, broadcasting live and bringing an inside view of these conferences for people that cannot attend in person. This makes for a heavy travel schedule for both Daron and Brandy but they seem to love it. Did I also mention that they are great at getting parties started as well? They recently organized a party at blues legend, Buddy Guy's club where Buddy himself made an appearance.

So if you haven't tuned in to WebmasterRadio yet, what are you waiting for? They are truly creating a legacy. When interviewing Brandy for this article, she reflected that her and Daron feel overjoyed that they are responsible for bringing a community of people together. WMR is making a difference in people's lives, helping them improve their businesses and themselves. Listeners are also coming to depend on their daily dose of WMR. I know I am. For that, both Daron and Brandy are thrilled at what has transpired so far and look forward to a bright future.

About The Author

David Wallace is CEO and founder of SearchRank, an original search engine optimization and marketing firm providing keyword analysis, organic search engine optimization, link popularity enhancement, pay-per-click management, search engine friendly web design and ongoing campaign maintenance.

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