How Do You Hit 4000 Episodes Without Losing Your Mind?Today I'm talking with Glenn Hebert and Jamie Jennings from Horses in the Morning, the flagship show of the Horse Radio Network. They just crossed 4000 episodes, and since they're doing this daily, I had a ton of questions for them. Mainly: how do you keep your sanity?

Glenn has been on this show more times than any other guest, and I'll drop links to a few of those past conversations below. We also talk about how "Glenn the Geek" became a verb around here. I cut in a few times throughout the episode to riff on some of what we discussed, so stick around for that too.

Key Takeaways* Segments (not just guests) are what let a daily or frequent show survive without constantly reinventing the wheel. * A real community needs a place to talk to each other, not just a place to listen to you. * Feedback from your most invested listeners (not just anyone) should shape what you keep and what you cut. * You're making the show for the 80% who like it, not the 20% who don't. * If you're trying to make money at this, budget 10-12 hours of work for every hour that airs.

How Glenn and Jamie Keep Finding Something to Talk AboutJamie's husband asked her, before episode one, what she was even going to talk about after two weeks of a horse podcast. Sixteen years and 4000 episodes later, that question still makes her laugh. Glenn books guests only a week or two out, and most of the show's four or five segments per episode get planned the morning of. Being daily is actually their advantage: they can be timely in a way most podcasts can't.

Glenn admitted he basically is the show-prep service. Google Alerts and AI help him find stories faster than they used to, but the instinct for what's worth talking about still comes down to two to three hours of prep every single morning.

Segments Give You Somewhere to Put Your EnergyJamie is the storyteller. Glenn plays the guy reacting to it. He described their pre-show routine: Jamie says she's got a two-to-five-minute story, and he already knows it's going to stretch to twenty minutes and he'll happily let it. That contrast, he said, is what makes the show work.

I've got segments on this show too (if you've got a favorite segment idea, feel free to send it in). One of mine is built entirely out of "this happened because I have a podcast." I used to do a "last five in five" segment where I'd share the last five things I listened to in under five minutes. Segments are useful because they don't all have to show up in every episode. When I don't have a big topic, I create a "podcast stew," a handful of small segments squeezed together. Takes the pressure off having to fill a big block of time. An episode just needs to be as long as it needs to be, and not a minute more.

Building a Community That Actually Talks to Each OtherGlenn says their community basically built itself once Patreon entered the picture around nine or ten years ago. One of their own listeners asked if she could start a private Facebook group for supporters, and it's grown into 30+ subgroups on everything from dogs to mental health, plus in-person meetups they run themselves.

Glenn's take, and I completely agree: the biggest mistake podcasters make when they say they want "community" is giving people no actual place to talk to each other. A community needs a room. You don't have a true community until they can talk to each other.

They get supporters directly involved too, birthdays shouted out on air, segment material submitted by listeners themselves. If your audience made the content, you already know they're going to like it.

Sponsors Who Become Part of the FamilyJamie and Glenn have given away more than $80,000 in prizes over 16 years, largely funded by sponsors who get a bit of airtime in exchange for product. Those relationships often graduate into full paid sponsorships once the brand sees it works.

That reminded me of Mark from Beyond Bourbon Street, a past guest of mine (episode 829) who had Two Chicks Walking Tours as a sponsor, then had listeners telling him in his own community that they'd taken the tour and loved it. That's the kind of proof that makes a sponsorship renewal conversation easy. And speaking of sponsors sticking around, I was listening to The New Media Show recently and they mentioned Todd Cochran had GoDaddy as a sponsor for around 21 years.

The Focus Group Most Podcasts Never Bother WithThis one floored me. On top of their broader Patreon community, Glenn and Jamie run a rotating focus group of 12 listeners every six months whose entire job is to comment on every single episode. Every episode gets six to twelve honest responses.

That feedback has actually killed segments. They ran an "animal psychics" bit for a while that they personally enjoyed, but the negative response outweighed the positive, so it's gone. If you're going to ask your paying supporters for their opinion, you have to actually be willing to act on it.

Handling the People Who Don't Like YouGlenn's rule, learned from ten years running an improv theater company: about 80% of any audience likes what you do, and 20% doesn't. That ratio doesn't change. You're not making the show for the 20%. You're making it for the 80%, and Glenn pointed out the harder truth: a chunk of that 20% keeps listening anyway, seemingly just to be annoyed. Let it go.

Jamie added that after the true fans and the negative Nellies, there's a middle group whose feedback is the most useful because it's the most honest.

The Most Popular Segment Isn't the GuestsRight before hitting 4000 episodes, they surveyed listeners on favorite segments. The winner, by a wide margin: pure host banter, just Glenn and Jamie talking about nothing. Their biggest listener complaint over the years has actually been "too many guests." As Glenn put it, people come for the content and stay for the hosts.

What It Takes to Actually Make Money Doing ThisGlenn's advice for a new podcaster wondering when the money shows up: niches make it easier. Horse people, in his words, are some of the most dedicated hobbyists out there, and that's true of plenty of other niches too (cycling, golf, you name it). Small and mid-sized brands without their own ad agencies are the sweet spot, and Glenn's found 80% of his sponsors by showing up in person at trade shows and introducing himself at every booth. He's been to 38 of them.

Their own listener survey backs this up: 80% of listeners said they'd bought a product because Glenn and Jamie talked about it on air in the last year. Only 25% said the same about a banner ad. Trust is the entire business model.

Doing the Show Sick, and Other Real-Talk MomentsWhen you're sick, you address it up front. Ignoring it doesn't work, because that's all the listener will focus on anyway. Same goes for a loud remote recording location. Be real about it and people roll with it, sometimes they even prefer it.

One detail that stuck with me: Jamie trains off-the-track thoroughbreds and has personally placed horses with listeners in 18 different states just by mentioning them on the show. That's community turned into real-world impact.

My Takeaways After the InterviewA few things I wanted to add once the mic was off:

Contact info matters more than you think. Always tell people how to reach you. For me that's schoolofpodcasting.com/contact. Someone recently told me they'd left a comment on my Substack and had no idea if I'd seen it, because I hadn't told them how I check for those.

Where to find ideas, beyond hanging out with your audience the way Glenn does: Google Alerts will tell you anytime a topic (or your name) gets mentioned online. Answer the Public shows you what people are actually typing into search around a topic. Or just Google your topic and scroll down to "People Also Ask."

On Podcast Movement: I wasn't selected to speak this year, which is the first time that's happened after speaking at every single one. Disappointing, sure, but I'll still be there to say hi, and I'll have more free time than usual. I am speaking at the Empowered Podcasting Conference in Charlotte, NC, and at PodIndy in November.

Lesson learned: if a voting campaign like this comes around again, I'm rallying the troops early instead of assuming people will remember on their own.

On working with AI: I'm deep into learning Claude and all the "co-worky" automation stuff right now, and I'll be the first to admit I don't know what I don't know. I've been leaning on School of Podcasting members who are further along with it, including Craig from AI Goes to College and John Jamingo from Boomer Bunker.

If you're not doing audience surveys, that's its own version of not knowing what you don't know, and if you're not sure whether your audience is engaged, their silence on a survey is usually the answer.

Glenn's Past Appearances on the Show* Making a Living Talking About Horses * Learn How You Can Help Others by Sharing Your Abilities with Glenn Hebert

Take Live Classes at the School of PodcastingStarting August 19th, we're running two live classes. Podcasting in Six Weeks is back, and it's free this time, for anyone who hasn't launched a show yet: schoolofpodcasting.com/sixweeks. And for members, we're running a live Growing Your Audience course together, tracking your download numbers before and after: schoolofpodcasting.com/growcourse. Use the coupon code listener when you sign up for a monthly, quarterly, or yearly School of Podcasting membership.

Question of the MonthWhat's the smallest audience size you'd still do your show for? Would you quit if it dropped below that, or dig in to find out why? Send your answer to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th, and include your show name and website so I can link to you in the notes.

I'm Dave Jackson. I help podcasters. It's what I do.

Until next week, take care, God bless.

Class is dismissed.

Research Links

AnswerThePublic by Neil Patel: Keyword Research & Content Ideas
Google Alerts - Monitor the Web for interesting new content
How a Travel Podcast Survived Covid with Mark Bologna - Beyond Bourbon Street

Mentioned in this episode:

Take Live Classes at the School of Podcasting

Podcasting in Six Weeks is BACK! (and this time it's free!)We are continuing to experiment with marketing, and we had so much fun helping people launch their show that we are going it again (and dropped the fee). If you don't have a show but want to start one this is THE place to get going in the right direction. Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/sixweeksGrowing Your Podcast Live CourseFor members of the School of Podcasting we are all banding together to go through the steps of growing your show (so sign up now!). This will including feedback and strategies to get your show growing faster. You will write down your typical downloads before you start, and compare it to the final numbers. Use the coupon code listener when singing up to become a member and receive a discount.These live classes start August 19th. Please let me know if you have any questions at schoolofpodcasting.com/contact

School of Podcasting

Live Appearances

I love to meet people when I'm on the road. I'm going to be at Empowered Podcasting Conference in Charlotte NCPodcast Movement in NYCPodindy in Indianapolis In.For more information and links, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/whereTo have me speak at your event, reach out at schoolofpodcasting.com/contacnt

Where Will I Be?

Question of the Month: The Smallest Amount of Downloads

We all want a bigger audience. We all put a lot of work into our shows. With this in mind, what is the smallest amount of downloads you would do the show for? If it drops below a number would you stop, or put effort into finding out why?Does the size of your audience matter?Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th (and don't forget to say a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the notes)

School of Podcasting

Podpage Email Alerts

Podpage just launched a feature called Episode Alerts. It automatically emails your subscribers the moment a new episode goes live — no third-party email tool needed. When you publish, Podpage sends the email, links listeners straight to the episode, routes replies to your own inbox, and handles unsubscribes automatically. They also run every email address through validation and monitor bounces/spam complaints to protect your sender reputation.It's not meant to replace a full newsletter platform — no drip campaigns or segmentation — just a simple "hey, new episode's up" notification.It's available for Pro and Elite users, with monthly sending caps of 500 emails on Pro and 5,000 on Elite. For more information see https://www.podpage.com/updates/introducing-episode-alerts/

Podpage

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If you look at movies that you love, and you think about them, and you remember how they made you feel. Today we talk about three things you can have in your tool belt to use in your show to not just have something to listen to, but to have content that moves your audience. We also answer the question what do Sportcasters, Movie Reviewers, and Christians all have in common?

Pull Some Emotion Into Your ShowMost podcasters focus on information—tips, tactics, and how‑tos. But your audience doesn’t connect to information first; they connect to emotion first.

Three Tools To Boost Connection Nostalgia * Storytelling * Vulnerability*

As the old saying goes, "with great power comes great responsibility," so how do we use these ingredients in our show without sounding like we starting the sympathy engine just to grab attention?

What Do Christians, Movie Reviewer, and Sportscasters all have in common?They are all working with the same source material. The same bible (more or less), the same movies, the same games. In this episode we talk about how to make your show stand out?

The Best Book on StoryTellingI've read MANY books on storytelling, but Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks is the best - period. The audiobook is so good you will want to listen with a pad and pencil to take notes (or if you're loving in 2026, take notes on your phone).

Ready To Start Your Podcast?Podcasting in Six Weeks

Mentioned in this episode:

Live Appearances

I love to meet people when I'm on the road. I'm going to be at Empowered Podcasting Conference in Charlotte NCPodcast Movement in NYCPodindy in Indianapolis In.For more information and links, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/whereTo have me speak at your event, reach out at schoolofpodcasting.com/contacnt

Where Will I Be?

Question of the Month: The Smallest Amount of Downloads

We all want a bigger audience. We all put a lot of work into our shows. With this in mind, what is the smallest amount of downloads you would do the show for? If it drops below a number would you stop, or put effort into finding out why?Does the size of your audience matter?Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th (and don't forget to say a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the notes)

School of Podcasting

Take Live Classes at the School of Podcasting

Podcasting in Six Weeks is BACK! (and this time it's free!)We are continuing to experiment with marketing, and we had so much fun helping people launch their show that we are going it again (and dropped the fee). If you don't have a show but want to start one this is THE place to get going in the right direction. Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/sixweeksGrowing Your Podcast Live CourseFor members of the School of Podcasting we are all banding together to go through the steps of growing your show (so sign up now!). This will including feedback and strategies to get your show growing faster. You will write down your typical downloads before you start, and compare it to the final numbers. Use the coupon code listener when singing up to become a member and receive a discount.These live classes start August 19th. Please let me know if you have any questions at schoolofpodcasting.com/contact

School of Podcasting

Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling

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What if one book could change the way you tell stories, connect with your audience, or even see your own podcast? In this episode of the School of Podcasting, I asked a simple question: “If you found out someone was a content creator, what book would you recommend?” — and the responses were pure gold.

You’ll hear from working podcasters, educators, business owners, and storytellers sharing the books that sharpened their craft, grew their communities, and kept them going when numbers and algorithms tried to wear them down. Along the way, I share my own must‑reads and pay tribute to a podcasting legend whose work shaped an entire generation of creators. If you’re ready to level up your show — not with more gear, but with better thinking, storytelling, and heart — this is the episode you’ll want to queue up next.

ParticipantsKim Newlove

The Pharmacist Voice Podcast

The Perrysburg Podcast

Ralph Estep Jr.

The Content Creators Accountant

https://ralphestepjr.com

Chris Nessi

House of EdTech

Mark Lawley

Practical Prepping Podcast

Nancy May (with co‑host Sylvia France)

Family Tree Food Stories Podcast

Dave Cohen

The Shakespeare Mindset

Tom Haley

Bluegrass Region Voices and Views

Books MentionedFind Your Red Thread: Make Your Big Ideas - Tamsen Webster

The Audience Is Listening: A Little Guide to Building a Big Podcast – Tom Webster

How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie

Sacred Cows Make the Best Burgers – Robert J. Kriegel, David Brandt

12 and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success – Gary Vaynerchuk

Acres of Diamonds – Jentezen Franklin

Hello, My Name Is Awesome: How to Create Brand Names That Stick – Alexandra Watkins

Into the Woods: A Five-Act Journey Into Story – John Yorke

Build a Strong Podcast: From Creation to Captivated Audience – Jennifer Longworth

Make Noise: A Creator’s Guide to Podcasting and Great Audio Storytelling– Eric Nuzum

Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life Through the Power of Storytelling – Matthew Dicks

Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World – A Step-by-Step Guide for Anyone with Something to Say or Sell – Michael Hyatt

Big Podcast: Grow Your Podcast Audience, Build Listener Loyalty, and Get Everybody Talking About Your Show– David Hooper

So You Want to Start a Podcast: Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Story, and Building a Community That Will Listen – Kristen Meinzer

Out on the Wire: The Storytelling Secrets of the New Masters of Radio – Jessica Abel

Beyond Powerful Radio: A Communicator’s Guide to the Internet Age – Valerie Geller

Secrets of Dynamic Communication: Prepare with Focus, Deliver with Clarity, Speak with Power – Ken Davis

Sponsor Magnet – Justin Moore

Profit from Your Podcast: Turn Your Listeners into a Livelihood – Dave Jackson

Looking for more books on podcasting? Check here

In Honor of John C. DvorakThe Grief Recovery Handbook: The Action Program for Moving Beyond Death, Divorce, and Other Losses(20th Anniversary Expanded Edition) – John W. James, Russell Friedman

John was an amazing broadcaster. More thoughts on John's Impact.

Mentioned in this episode:

Build the Website You Want with Podpage

Podpage is flexible. If you want to promote something you can put it in the sidebar, on the front page, or at the bottom of every episode (not to mention the navigation bar, the footer and more). Podpage is designed specifically for podcasts. Quit trying to squeeze your podcast into a website made for a yoga studio. Start your free trial at podpage.com/preview

Podpage

Take Live Classes at the School of Podcasting

Podcasting in Six Weeks is BACK! (and this time it's free!)We are continuing to experiment with marketing, and we had so much fun helping people launch their show that we are going it again (and dropped the fee). If you don't have a show but want to start one this is THE place to get going in the right direction. Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/sixweeksGrowing Your Podcast Live CourseFor members of the School of Podcasting we are all banding together to go through the steps of growing your show (so sign up now!). This will including feedback and strategies to get your show growing faster. You will write down your typical downloads before you start, and compare it to the final numbers. Use the coupon code listener when singing up to become a member and receive a discount.These live classes start August 19th. Please let me know if you have any questions at schoolofpodcasting.com/contact

School of Podcasting

Question of the Month: The Smallest Amount of Downloads

We all want a bigger audience. We all put a lot of work into our shows. With this in mind, what is the smallest amount of downloads you would do the show for? If it drops below a number would you stop, or put effort into finding out why?Does the size of your audience matter?Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th (and don't forget to say a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the notes)

School of Podcasting

Live Appearances

I love to meet people when I'm on the road. I'm going to be at Empowered Podcasting Conference in Charlotte NCPodcast Movement in NYCPodindy in Indianapolis In.For more information and links, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/whereTo have me speak at your event, reach out at schoolofpodcasting.com/contacnt

Where Will I Be?

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When your CPMs start shrinking and programmatic ads feel like a losing game, it’s easy to wonder if podcasting is still worth it. In this episode, I want to show you a different path—one that doesn’t depend on ad tech behaving itself. I’m going to walk you through why community beats downloads, how smart feedback (like what Jack Rhysider does) can radically improve your show before it ever launches, and how simple tools like newsletters and Podpage can help you build a deeper relationship with your audience so your podcast is future‑proof, no matter what happens to ad rates.

Don't Take My Word For ItI heard it from on the Podbiz Show. Hall of Famer Leo Laporte shares a bit of history with ads, and Podfather Adam Curry explains how to future-proof your podcast. Brian Barletta explains how we need to move on from trying to get stats that are not possible, and focus on growing the industry.

Get Your Head StraightI also talk about how I was inspired by writer Talyor Sheridan cold care less about the critics. He write the way he wants to write, about what he wants to write about and now his audience has found him and he is making a killing.

Get Your Content StraightGeddy Lee has been performing in the band Rush for 50+ years and yet he still takes time to evaluate his playing. When we try to market "Meh" content we are wasting our time.

The Podcast Atlas ReportSounds Profitable has released the Podcast Atlas Report which approaches the industry from the creators point of view. Some great insights into clips, newsletters, and more.

This content may contain affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase through these links at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services I trust and believe will provide value to you. Thank you for your support!

Takeaways:* If you're feeling stuck with your podcast due to falling ad revenues, listen up! * Forget chasing ad dollars; focus on building a loyal community that supports your podcasting journey. * The real gold in podcasting isn’t just downloads; it’s about creating genuine connections with your listeners. * Ads might be declining, but trust me, building a community will make your podcast thrive in the long run. * The future of podcasting is all about community and trust, not just numbers on a screen. * If you want to grow your podcast, start by picking one simple thing to engage with your audience.

Also Mentioned:Sponsor Magnet Book

Podpage - Podcast Website Builder

Ray Arnott Interview - Around the Layout

Community ResourcesHeartbeat (We use this for the School of Podcasting)

Circle

Skool (affordable, simple community)

Newsletter ToolsKit (formerly Convertkit)

Mailerlite

Beehiiv

(and many more)

Mentioned in this episode:

Question of the Month: The Smallest Amount of Downloads

We all want a bigger audience. We all put a lot of work into our shows. With this in mind, what is the smallest amount of downloads you would do the show for? If it drops below a number would you stop, or put effort into finding out why?Does the size of your audience matter?Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th (and don't forget to say a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the notes)

School of Podcasting

Live Appearances

I love to meet people when I'm on the road. I'm going to be at Empowered Podcasting Conference in Charlotte NCPodcast Movement in NYCPodindy in Indianapolis In.For more information and links, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/whereTo have me speak at your event, reach out at schoolofpodcasting.com/contacnt

Where Will I Be?

Unlock Exclusive Insights: Subscribe to 'Podcasting Observations' Newsletter!

Get a look into the world of podcasting like never before with "Podcasting Observations," your go-to source for trends, tips, and transformative insights tailored just for podcasters. You also get "behind the scenes" info from the School of PodcastingDon't miss out on staying ahead of the game—join the 1700+ people who are already reading Podcasting Observations today!

Podcasting Observations

Take Live Classes at the School of Podcasting

Podcasting in Six Weeks is BACK! (and this time it's free!)We are continuing to experiment with marketing, and we had so much fun helping people launch their show that we are going it again (and dropped the fee). If you don't have a show but want to start one this is THE place to get going in the right direction. Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/sixweeksGrowing Your Podcast Live CourseFor members of the School of Podcasting we are all banding together to go through the steps of growing your show (so sign up now!). This will including feedback and strategies to get your show growing faster. You will write down your typical downloads before you start, and compare it to the final numbers. Use the coupon code listener when singing up to become a member and receive a discount.These live classes start August 19th. Please let me know if you have any questions at schoolofpodcasting.com/contact

School of Podcasting

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If you’ve ever thought, ‘I want feedback, but I’m terrified of the internet,’ stay tuned—I’ll show you how to get useful criticism without letting trolls live rent-free in your head.

Two Types of FeedbackI’m sharing how I handle trolls, reviews, and feedback—and how you can turn all of that into fuel to grow your show instead of reasons to quit. I’ll walk you through when to ignore, when to engage, and how to build a trusted focus group that helps you make your podcast better without letting anonymous strangers live rent‑free in your head.

Trolls, Critics and Focus GroupsI break down the difference between true trolls, genuine critics, and helpful focus groups—and how each one fits (or doesn’t) into your growth as a podcaster. I share real stories about nitpicky typo trolls, cyberbullying from years ago, people who send you two and a half pages of “do a different show,” and how other podcasters are using their audience—and even Snapchat—to get honest, constructive criticism.

By the end, you’ll see why I say feedback is the “breakfast of champions,” and why your fear of judgment shouldn’t keep your show stuck on your hard drive.

What You’ll LearnTrolls vs. Focus Groups How I define a troll: unsolicited, emotionally charged feedback that’s mostly about getting a reaction. * How I define a focus group*: people who actually want to help shape and improve your show. * Why some “trolls” are really just frustrated fans who want attention.

Classic Troll Bait Topics The three topics that almost guarantee you’ll attract trolls: * Politics * News / current events * Religion* * Why I’m okay with pushback when I brush up against these—and why you should expect it if your show leans into them.

My Rules for Dealing with Trolls Rule #1: Don’t feed the trolls. * I talk about why I always try to wait* before responding. * How I “kill them with kindness” when I choose to reply. * Why I often simply say, “Thanks for the feedback,” and move on. * How I remind myself that sometimes people are just having a bad day, and I happened to be standing in front of them.

Turning Feedback into a Tool for Growth The key question I always ask: “Do they have a point?” * An example: being told, “You interrupt your guests too much,” and how I go back, listen, and honestly assess if they’re right. * How I respond when someone clearly just wants me to do a completely different show* than the one I want to make.

How I Engage Without Losing My Cool Why I sometimes ask, “How could I have done this better?” to separate useful advice from empty criticism. * How I ask for evidence or sources in a non-defensive way: * “I’m interested in digging into this—can you share a link?” * When I’ll share my sources and politely stand my ground. * When I decide it’s time to block, report, and move on*, especially on platforms like YouTube.

Knowing My Audience (and My Why) How knowing who my show is for makes it easier to ignore the wrong people. * Why I consider the nastiest haters as “not my target audience.”* * The math I look at: out of hundreds of reviews, only a tiny percentage are negative—but they love to hog my attention if I let them.

Stories and Examples I ShareMark Maron on Trolls as “Frustrated Love” A clip from Mark Maron* talking about trolls who keep coming back. * How he describes repeat trolls as people who are weirdly in love with you and just want you to get mad so they feel seen.

The Typo Troll* The listener who went absolutely ballistic over typos and sent me 5–6 paragraph rants. * How I handled it when the comments got personal. * How I eventually “trolled the troll” with humor and kindness and watched him disappear (and reappear…and disappear again).

Madame Strangeways & Fear of Feedback A conversation with Madame Strangeways who was reluctant to ask for feedback because of a cyberbullying incident 20 years ago. * How I encourage her (and you) to start with trusted fans and patrons* as a safe focus group. * My “too much salt in the bread” analogy: people who love what you’re making will still tell you if something’s off, because they have to consume it.

Jr. Sparrow & Building a Focus Group How Jr. Sparrow used Snapchat’s Snap Map to find brutally honest listeners. * How he turned “this show is crap” comments into a small group that now: * Helps him curate which episodes to release. * Shapes themes and content months in advance*. * Why he says you need “skin like Shrek” (thick skin, many layers) if you want to attach dollar signs to your show.

Using Feedback Before You Publish How experienced podcasters (including me) use feedback on topics, guests, and angles before* episodes ever hit the feed. * Why I’d rather kill an episode early than spend years promoting something that doesn’t resonate with my audience.

SnapChat's Snap Map FeatureSnapchat’s Snap Maps

https://youtu.be/l4R-wu42gZk?si=BVhAiDeB_Tq6anoO

Getting Data From Snap Map

https://youtu.be/qGxblSXvEbU?si=KoeDP8aI32uKvKjS

My Key Takeaways for You You are already being judged—at Home Depot, in the grocery line, everywhere—so a few online comments shouldn’t paralyze you. * A tiny slice of reviews will be negative; they don’t outweigh the huge percentage of people who get value from your show. * Feedback is how you get better. You can’t fix what you don’t know is broken. * Learn to separate: * Trolls – don’t feed them, or reply calmly and briefly. * Constructive critics – look for the truth in what they’re saying. * True fans / focus groups – invite them in and let them help you refine the show. * If someone hates your show and clearly isn’t who you’re trying to reach, there’s a simple name for them: not your audience*.

Mentioned in This Episode School of Podcasting – Where I help you plan, launch, and grow your podcast, including listener parties to get safe, constructive feedback. * Ask the Podcast Coach – My live call-in/chat show for free podcast consulting. * Podpage – Website platform for podcasters (I’m the Head of Podcasting there). * Madame Strangeways– True strange stories at madamestrangeways.com. * Jr. Sparrow – WVU Uncommon Place* – Society and culture in West Virginia.

Call to Action Tell me what you think: * Let me know one thing you love and one thing you’d change about this show at schoolofpodcasting.com/contact or schoolofpodcasting.com/voicemail. * Need help with your podcast? * If you want a safe place to get honest feedback and improve your show, join me at SchoolOfPodcasting.com and use the coupon code LISTENER* for a discount. It comes with a 30‑day money‑back guarantee.

Mentioned in this episode:

Give Your Podcast A Home

When you look at our podcasting pieces, your media host is the engine. But your website is the home.It’s where your audience learns who you are, explores your episodes, and decides to subscribe.At Podpage, we build podcast websites that are fast, reliable, and designed to convert visitors into listeners. Every episode is automatically published, SEO-optimized, and structured for growth—so you can focus on creating, not managing your site.If your media host powers your podcast, Podpage gives it a place to live—and a place to grow.Start building your podcast’s home with Podpage by going to www.podpage.com/preview and start your 14 day free trial today.

Podpage

Take Live Classes at the School of Podcasting

Podcasting in Six Weeks is BACK! (and this time it's free!)We are continuing to experiment with marketing, and we had so much fun helping people launch their show that we are going it again (and dropped the fee). If you don't have a show but want to start one this is THE place to get going in the right direction. Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/sixweeksGrowing Your Podcast Live CourseFor members of the School of Podcasting we are all banding together to go through the steps of growing your show (so sign up now!). This will including feedback and strategies to get your show growing faster. You will write down your typical downloads before you start, and compare it to the final numbers. Use the coupon code listener when singing up to become a member and receive a discount.These live classes start August 19th. Please let me know if you have any questions at schoolofpodcasting.com/contact

School of Podcasting

Live Appearances

I love to meet people when I'm on the road. I'm going to be at Empowered Podcasting Conference in Charlotte NCPodcast Movement in NYCPodindy in Indianapolis In.For more information and links, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/whereTo have me speak at your event, reach out at schoolofpodcasting.com/contacnt

Where Will I Be?

Question of the Month: The Smallest Amount of Downloads

We all want a bigger audience. We all put a lot of work into our shows. With this in mind, what is the smallest amount of downloads you would do the show for? If it drops below a number would you stop, or put effort into finding out why?Does the size of your audience matter?Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th (and don't forget to say a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the notes)

School of Podcasting

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Nobody shares a video they didn't watch. Nobody shares a podcast they didn't listen to, so how do we get people to listen? This week we follow up form last week's episode about measuring success without downloads and today I talk about completion percentage in Apple, Spotify, as well as Google Analytics. Josh Liston explains how he and his co-host from the SAKÉ THIS show.

How Long Should My Podcast Be?The stand ard answer is "as long as it needs to be an not a minute longer." However, another way of looking at this is to ask, "How long can you hold someone's attention?"

You Can See How Far People Listen to Your ShowThe Apple Dashboard: https://podcastsconnect.apple.com

The Spotify Dashboard: https://creators.spotify.com

Question of the Month Audio ToolsLast week I had a ton of replies to the Question of the Month. The issue is some of you have a ton of bass. Some of you are so clear it's almost shrill. Other have lots of background noise. This use to take me FOREVER to deal with until I started using tools from Accentize. I use a tool called DXRevive Pro cleans up the audio. Their Dialogue Enhance helps adjust the tone and remove noise. Then they have a free plugin called DXLevel that adjusts the volume levels (and it's free).

Takeaways: How Dave thinks about episode length (and why “as long as it needs to be” actually works in practice) * How to use Apple Podcasts Connect and Spotify for Podcasters to measure completion percentage and attention, not just downloads * Why video and YouTube completion rates look so much worse than audio—and how not to let that crush your ego * How to use Google Analytics or Fathom* to see which episodes and pages really resonate * A behind-the-scenes look at the audio tools Dave uses (Accentize DX Revive, Dialog Enhance, and the free DX Level plugin) to make listener submissions sound more consistent * An update on the “free version” experiment of the School of Podcasting and why future focus is shifting to live cohort-style classes

Dave also shares a listener contribution from Josh Liston of the SAKÉ THIS podcast, with two non-download ways he measures success for his Japan-focused comedy show.

Mentioned in this episode:

Podpage is Now Included with Blubrry Hosting

Blubrry Podcasting — one of the longest-running podcast hosting platforms in the industry — has chosen Podpage to replace their built-in website tool entirely. That means every Blubrry hosting customer gets a professional, automatically updated podcast website powered by Podpage, included with their hosting plan.For Podpage, this is more than a partnership announcement. It’s validation that podcast websites deserve dedicated website tools built specifically for podcasters.

Podpage

Take Live Classes at the School of Podcasting

Podcasting in Six Weeks is BACK! (and this time it's free!)We are continuing to experiment with marketing, and we had so much fun helping people launch their show that we are going it again (and dropped the fee). If you don't have a show but want to start one this is THE place to get going in the right direction. Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/sixweeksGrowing Your Podcast Live CourseFor members of the School of Podcasting we are all banding together to go through the steps of growing your show (so sign up now!). This will including feedback and strategies to get your show growing faster. You will write down your typical downloads before you start, and compare it to the final numbers. Use the coupon code listener when singing up to become a member and receive a discount.These live classes start August 19th. Please let me know if you have any questions at schoolofpodcasting.com/contact

School of Podcasting

Check Out Dave's Newsletter With Behind the Scenes Content

In each issue of Podcasting Observations, I share my thoughts on what is happening in the podcasting space, my latest content, and things that have caught my eye. I also may ask for your opinion. Join the free community

Podcasting Observations

Question of the Month: The Smallest Amount of Downloads

We all want a bigger audience. We all put a lot of work into our shows. With this in mind, what is the smallest amount of downloads you would do the show for? If it drops below a number would you stop, or put effort into finding out why?Does the size of your audience matter?Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th (and don't forget to say a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the notes)

School of Podcasting

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How do you measure the success of your podcast that is NOT downloads?You’ll hear from a wide range of podcasters in different niches—storytelling, history, prepping, finance, faith, recovery, TV rewatch shows, local podcasts, health, creativity, and more—sharing how they really gauge success. Their answers include:

Direct listener feedback & real‑life impact (behavior change, decisions, staying sober, safer driving, adopting, spending time with Jesus, handling conversations differently)
Engagement & community (emails, voicemails, social comments, active groups, email lists, live events, guest offers, collaborations)
Actions taken (lead magnet signups, newsletter growth, memberships, classes, affiliate links, donations and financial support)
Enjoyment, fun, and personal growth (being excited about the next episode, getting better on the mic, becoming more confident and creative)
Alignment with purpose & service (sticking to your “why,” serving a niche community, “who many” vs. “how many,” “one life at a time”)
Legacy & memory (building an audio/video archive for family, preserving loved ones’ stories, creating a personal record you can revisit)

Along the way, Dave adds commentary on why downloads alone are a poor North Star, how to re‑center on who you serve and why you podcast, and how podcasting can be a tool for service, community, and legacy—not just stats.

Participants In This EpisodeScott from What Was That Like?

Kate from Drafting in the Past

Mark from Practical Prepping

Nancy from Family Food Stories

Buck

Ralph From Content Creator's Accountant

Steve from Podcast Editor's Mastermind

Trip From Home Brewed Christianity Podcast

Spencer from The Recovery Show

Travis from Bestie Approved

Ashriel from Called and Curious Podcast

Dave Interviewed Jesus

Zo from Back Look Cinema

Jen from Women in Podcasting

Marc from Solo Talk and Podcast Branding

Chris from Cool Cars with Chris

Howard from AA Recovery Interviews

Ray from Around the Layout

York from Welcome to Earth Stories

Rob from Softball Central

Dan from Based on a True Story

Tim from Create Art and My Solo MS Journey

Kim from the Pharmacist's Voice and the Perrysburg Podcast

Dave from Fix My Podcast

Mentioned in this episode:

You Have A Message That Needs to Be Heard

You have a message that needs to be shared. Discover the art of podcasting at the School of Podcasting. We teach you to shine a light on your stories, inspiring others one episode at a time.Let your voice be your legacy. Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/join

School of Podcasting

Build the Website You Want with Podpage

Podpage is flexible. If you want to promote something you can put it in the sidebar, on the front page, or at the bottom of every episode (not to mention the navigation bar, the footer and more). Podpage is designed specifically for podcasts. Quit trying to squeeze your podcast into a website made for a yoga studio. Start your free trial at podpage.com/preview

Podpage

Question of the Month: The Smallest Amount of Downloads

We all want a bigger audience. We all put a lot of work into our shows. With this in mind, what is the smallest amount of downloads you would do the show for? If it drops below a number would you stop, or put effort into finding out why?Does the size of your audience matter?Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th (and don't forget to say a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the notes)

School of Podcasting

Live Appearances

I love to meet people when I'm on the road. I'm going to be at Empowered Podcasting Conference in Charlotte NCPodcast Movement in NYCPodindy in Indianapolis In.For more information and links, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/whereTo have me speak at your event, reach out at schoolofpodcasting.com/contacnt

Where Will I Be?

View Details

Are you getting the most out of your RSS feed?To figure out if you are, you first have to understand how a podcast workflow works, which means you need to understand:

what an RSS feed is
how you make one
where you get the best feed
and how you make sure you're getting the most out of it

Don't Make These MistakesIn this episode, I'm going to explain some of the mistakes I see people making with RSS feeds, especially when it comes to getting the most out of transcripts. In some cases, people aren't putting their transcripts into their media host, which means their transcripts aren't going into their feed. That is not something the best way to maximize your show.

Where Do I Get an RSS Feed?Your RSS feed comes from your media host. For me, the best RSS feeds come from dedicated media hosts. Places like Captivate, Buzzsprout, rss.com, and Blubrry. All of these do one thing: they host your files, they provide an RSS feed, and they provide statistics.

Make Sure Your Transcripts are In Your RSS FeedWhile having transcripts on your website is good, you are missing another opportunity by having them in your feed (which can be used in Podcast apps). When it comes to Podpage, having the transcript in your feed put it into a place where Podpage can grab it and put it on your site.

Don't Hire Your Dentist to Work On Your CarOther places like Riverside are trying to be a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none. I don't want someone who's not a master of the RSS feed. The RSS feed is like the blood in your veins; it is your veins, and you don't want your veins to be Scotch-taped together. You want an RSS feed that is fully compatible with all the features available for podcasters.

Directing People To Your SiteWhen I recently tested Riverisde, you could not direct people at the episode level to your site. This is a missed opportunity.

This means that, when somebody is consuming your content in an app, usually there is a link to go to the website, which takes them to, (if you're doing it correctly) your website. On the episode page, I'm offering the ability to follow the show easily on Spotify, Apple, Pocket Cast, etc. If you don't have that link, you're missing an opportunity to send the audience where you want them to go. I need to email Riverside because this just reeks of a company who doesn't really understand podcasting getting into podcasting. Consequently, I know it's nice to have everything under one login, but how hard is it to login to more than one account (especially if you have 1password).

No RSS No PodcastPeople keep asking what a podcast is. I'm not sure why. It's audio, video delivered via RSS. This means YouTube is not a podcast. It's a show. Radio is not TV. Both are content. When we blur the definition it messes up all of our reports. People have asked, "Well, the audience thinks YouTube is a podcast are we supposed to tell them they are wrong?" The answer is yes.

Then we could have separate reports on YouTube vs Podcasts.

If someone hears me listening to the band Sum 41, and says, "I love blink 182," I would say, "That's not Sum 41, it's blink 182. You're helping them not look stupid in the future. You would do the same thing if they called a banana an apple.

Other Hosts I Don't RecommendSpotify: From their lying to their original partners, to making features that only work inside of Spotify (ignoring the open podcast system), and often eliminating features shrtly after they launch (never worldwide). I could go on for hours. Yes, it's free but so is RSS, Buzzsprout, and Red Circle.

Soundcloud: Soundcloud, to the best of my knowledge hasn't implement features that were introduced in 2017. You can buy soundcloud plays (Google it) so consquentially you will never have sponsors while you use Soundcloud.

Mailbag: AMP 30 Second RuleThanks to Mark for pushing back on my math. In the end (as of this date) AMP can't decide what their definition is (As they've already changed it). Also one of their "hidden" companies was YouTube. I'm sorry, if you're not doing anything wrong, why are you doing it in secret?

Defined in their original press release as “30 seconds of content played, audio or video, once per user per session”, the corrected text drops any definition of a session length, becoming just “30 seconds of content played, audio or video”. - source Podnews.

Mailbag: How Are Your Updating Your Question of the Month?Rob from Softball Central asked how I was having the current question of the month appear in episodes that are years old. For the last two years I've hosted on Captivate. I love their business model (Multiple shows for the same price - and their super flexible dynamic content system). Dynamic content doesn't always have to be ads. Here are examples

Question of the month
Where will I be (live appearances)
A pre-roll that mentioned that I had given out a wrong episode number.

They also allow me to tag the current promotional mp3 so later I can easily take all the "questions of the month" and update them with the new, current months question.

Click Here to watch me show this off.

Mentioned in This EpisodeThe 4 Cs of a Standout Podcast: Clarity, Contrast, Consistency, Character

Sponsor Magnet Book by Justin Moore

Captivate Media Hosting

Buzzsprout Media Hosting

RSS.com Media Hosting

Practical Prepping Show

Softball Central

School of Podcasting

Podpage - Build the Website your show Deserves

Mentioned in this episode:

Have You Heard About the Podpage Assistant?

Here's what it can do:Identify the best search keyphrase to target — The Assistant analyzes your episode and finds the keyphrase most likely to drive organic traffic.Generate optimized SEO titles and descriptions — Get search-friendly titles and meta descriptions written for each episode automatically.Expand your show notes — Turn brief show notes into detailed, search-friendly content that helps Google understand what your episode is about.Create SEO schema — Automatically generate structured data including FAQs and key takeaways, giving search engines even more context about your content.Generate episode transcriptions — If your podcast host doesn't provide transcripts, the Assistant can create them for you.Create companion blog posts — Each episode can get a dedicated blog post that supports your episode's SEO and gives listeners another way to find you.Automatically categorize episodes — Keep your episode library organized without lifting a finger.Start your 14 day trial at www.podpage.com/preview

Podpage

Question of the Month: The Smallest Amount of Downloads

We all want a bigger audience. We all put a lot of work into our shows. With this in mind, what is the smallest amount of downloads you would do the show for? If it drops below a number would you stop, or put effort into finding out why?Does the size of your audience matter?Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th (and don't forget to say a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the notes)

School of Podcasting

Don't Wait to Level Up Your Show

Thinking about starting a podcast—or already 300 episodes in? Skip the rookie mistakes, save money, and level up your show with the School of Podcasting with Dave Jackson, where you get hands-on feedback, one-on-one support, and practical advice that actually improves your podcast. Not sure? Just ask Krista and Mark from practicalprepping.info Then join the School of Podcasting at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/join (or use the link below)

School of Podcasting

Live Appearances

I love to meet people when I'm on the road. I'm going to be at Empowered Podcasting Conference in Charlotte NCPodcast Movement in NYCPodindy in Indianapolis In.For more information and links, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/whereTo have me speak at your event, reach out at schoolofpodcasting.com/contacnt

Where Will I Be?

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When I first heard about Flightcast on the Podbiz show, I thought, "I have to have Rox Codes on my show." I had Rox do a Flightcast demo for members of the School of Podcasting. Rox has worked for Mr. Beast, Microsoft, Facebook and many more.

In this episode of the School of Podcasting, I sit down with Rox Codes, co-creator of Flight Cast, the video-first hosting platform built in partnership with Steven Bartlett from Diary of a CEO.

If you’ve been thinking about getting more serious with video podcasting, YouTube growth, or centralizing your stats from multiple platforms, this one is for you.

This content may contain affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase through these links at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services I trust and believe will provide value to you. Thank you for your support!

Got Feedback On This Episode?

I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode. If you have a minute or two, it's less than five questions and works great on your phone or computer.

Share Your Thoughts

What We Talk About in This EpisodeIn this conversation, we cover:

What Flight Cast actually is (and who it’s for)
Why it’s a video-first hosting platform
How “one upload, one dashboard” pushes your show to YouTube, Spotify, Apple, RSS, and audio platforms
How you can keep it simple or go crazy with customization
Simple upload, powerful customization
Upload one episode and:
Send video to YouTube, Spotify, Apple, RSS
Send audio everywhere else
Schedule different release times per platform (e.g., 6 AM audio, 8 AM YouTube)
Use different titles, descriptions, and even different edits per platform
Upload separate versions of the file (say “subscribe” in one, “follow” in another)

Use AI to: Generate titles, descriptions, and chapters in your own style * Auto-format chapters correctly for each platform * All your stats in one place * How Flight Cast pulls: * YouTube views * Spotify streams * RSS downloads * And rolls them up into a single “plays” metric * Additional analytics you get: * Day-by-day performance * New vs returning followers * Cross-platform uniques * Breakdown by platform, country, state, city * A built-in “giant spreadsheet” you don’t have to build yourself * Audience overlap (who listens to episode A and episode B) * Using the built-in AI chat to answer questions like: * “Rank all my episodes on YouTube in the last 6 months by views in the first 24 hours.” * “What’s my 100-day average per episode?” * Ads, programmatic, and retention data*

How Flight Cast handles: Geo-targeting * Programmatic ads * Dynamic ad slots * Why retention graphs matter more than a single download number * How to look at: * Drop-off moments (what caused the skip?) * Chapter jumps (what are people skipping to?) * Rox’s “favorite stat” and why views still matter most in his world * Clips, test channels, and experimentation * Lets you “always be testing” in the background * How to ramp up clips: * Start with 1 clip/day * Slowly increase to 2, 3, then 4 max * Why this kind of ongoing experimentation is like treating your show as a recipe, not a statue * Moving from audio to video (without losing your mind)*

Rox’s core idea:Video isn’t a file format, it’s an algorithm

On YouTube, TikTok, Reels, Shorts: publishing and discovery are the same thing
The big mindset shift:
Audio podcasting = small optimization games (SEO, cross-promo, ads)
YouTube = “get good” at a few big levers:
Thumbnails
Titles
Ideas
Intros
Why the first 30 seconds, title, and thumbnail matter so much more than most of us want to admit
Talking-head video vs fancy production

Why talking heads are NOT bad content: Joe Rogan is talking heads * Diary of a CEO is talking heads * Why audio quality is still 80% of the experience even on video * When 4K matters (and when it doesn’t): * 720 → 1080 is a big jump * 1080 → 4K is “nice to have,” not mandatory * Flight Cast’s support for full 4K, including Apple HLS video*, and why they built it to “respect” creators who go the extra mile

Who Flight Cast is for and pricing Target user: serious video podcasters / “intermediate plus” * Why Rox calls it a “jackhammer”—powerful, but you don’t always need that much power * Pricing (at the time of this conversation): * Starts around $50/month for everything except clips * Higher tiers ($100–$250/month) if you want more clips and higher download limits * Basic plan includes: * Up to 50,000 downloads/month * Full 4K video, Apple HLS, no bandwidth charges * Around 3 TB of storage* (which almost nobody hits)

Learning YouTube: resources Rox recommends April Lynn Alter (YouTube channel) * Patty Galloway (YouTube channel) * Creator Hooks* by Jake Thomas (newsletter)

A dose of reality about YouTube and video We talk frankly about: * People who spend days or even weeks perfecting a thumbnail * The sheer amount of time it can take to get good* at YouTube

My big point: It’s okay if you don’t* have that time * Just understand what you’re up against so you don’t get discouraged

My biggest fear: People add video to an already full plate * Burn out on video * Then quit podcasting entirely * I want you to set realistic expectations*

Bonus: For audio-only podcasters who still want better stats PodAnalyst.com – in beta with their pro plan free for now * Tracks: * Listening completion at 25%, 50%, 75%, etc. * How long people are actually listening * To me, that’s the real “is my show any good?” metric: * If people are only listening to 25% of an episode, that’s a signal * You can track up to 10 keywords*, share stats with team members, and export data while they’re in beta.

My TakeawaysHere’s what I want you to remember from this episode:

If you go into video, YouTube is an algorithm game, not just a file format.
You don’t need cinematic production; you do need:
Strong audio
A compelling title
A curiosity-driven thumbnail
A sharp first 30 seconds
Tools like FlightCast can:
Save you time by distributing everywhere from one upload
Help you understand your audience by putting all your stats in one place
You don’t have to “go full YouTuber” to benefit from thinking like one.

And again, if you’re already overwhelmed with audio, please don’t feel like you “have to” add video. I’d rather you keep podcasting than burn out chasing an unrealistic video workload.

Links MentionedI’ll have links to everything we mentioned in this episode in the show notes at:

Research Links

Buy Dave a Coffee and Support the Work He's Done.
Get the Creator Hooks Newsletter by Jake Thomas
Paddy Galloway YouTube Channel
Aprilynne Alter YouTube Channel
Your Podcast Deserves a Better Website | Podpage
School of Podcasting: Launch, Grow, and Monetize Your Podcas
Flightcast | Podcast hosting platform made for video
Pikzels - Viral Thumbnails & Titles in Seconds
1 of 10: Best YouTube AI Tool for More Views: Research Viral Ideas
VidIQ - Grow Your YouTube Channel Faster with AI
What Podcasting Can Learn From YouTube Growth with Rox Codes - PodBiz | Acast
Expert Talk: Rox Codes From Flightcast - The First Ever Video First Media Host - YouTube - Demo of Flightcast from Co-founder Rox Codes

Thanks so much for listening. If you found this helpful, please share it with a friend who’s thinking about video or YouTube for their podcast.

This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Some Feedback On Your Show

“Want honest, helpful feedback on your podcast? At the School of Podcasting, we host ‘Listening Parties’ where members share short clips and get constructive, encouraging critiques from fellow podcasters and myself. It’s a safe, supportive way to hear what’s working, fix what’s not, and make your show stronger fast.”

School of Podcasting

Give Your Podcast A Home

When you look at our podcasting pieces, your media host is the engine. But your website is the home.It’s where your audience learns who you are, explores your episodes, and decides to subscribe.At Podpage, we build podcast websites that are fast, reliable, and designed to convert visitors into listeners. Every episode is automatically published, SEO-optimized, and structured for growth—so you can focus on creating, not managing your site.If your media host powers your podcast, Podpage gives it a place to live—and a place to grow.Start building your podcast’s home with Podpage by going to www.podpage.com/preview and start your 14 day free trial today.

Podpage

Live Appearances

I love to meet people when I'm on the road. I'm going to be at Empowered Podcasting Conference in Charlotte NCPodcast Movement in NYCPodindy in Indianapolis In.For more information and links, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/whereTo have me speak at your event, reach out at schoolofpodcasting.com/contacnt

Where Will I Be?

Question of the Month: The Smallest Amount of Downloads

We all want a bigger audience. We all put a lot of work into our shows. With this in mind, what is the smallest amount of downloads you would do the show for? If it drops below a number would you stop, or put effort into finding out why?Does the size of your audience matter?Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th (and don't forget to say a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the notes)

School of Podcasting

View Details

In this episode of the School of Podcasting, Dave Jackson shows you how to stop being “just another podcast” and start becoming someone’s favorite show (I love that line from Jay Acunzo).

You’ll learn how to:

Clarify what your podcast is actually about in one sentence
Choose (or tweak) your name and description so they signal your unique angle
Deliver on the promise of your premise so listeners trust you
Use your own stories, quirks, and background as an unfair advantage no AI can copy

Whether you’re launching a new show or trying to revive an existing one, this episode will help you stand out in a crowded market.

The Four C's of Building a Favorite Show1. You Need a Clear “What Is It?” Line (Clarity)

If you can’t describe your show in one sentence, your listeners definitely can’t.
Think of it like a movie logline:
“A shark terrorizes a beach town.” → Jaws
“A lawyer can’t lie for 24 hours.” → Liar Liar
If your answer sounds like “me and my buddy talking about stuff and stuff,” you have a clarity problem.

2. Your Name & Description Should Create Contrast

If your show is called something generic like “Thinking Outside the Box,” you’re competing with dozens of identical names.
Simple test: say your show’s name to someone and ask, “What do you think it’s about?”
If their answer doesn’t match your actual content, your name isn’t doing its job.
Your description should:
Say who the show is for
Say how it’s different
Promise what they get every episode - and then give it to them
Use your listeners’ own words from reviews/emails to sharpen your description.

3. Deliver on the Promise of Your Premise (Consistency)

Your title, artwork, and description are a promise. Your content has to deliver.
Click‑baity titles and vague descriptions might get a first click, but if the episode doesn’t do what it says, you won’t get a second one.

Examples:

Joe Rogan: long-form, open-ended conversations where people actually talk through ideas.
Podnews and Podnews Weekly Review: global podcast news with strong host chemistry and a predictable format.

4. Your Stories and Style Are Your Uncopyable Advantage (Character)

AI can write scripts and headlines—but it doesn’t have your bike ride, your great nephew, or your specific regrets and realizations.
You have stories, you just need to write them down.

5. Use “Homework for Life” to Capture Stories

From Matthew Dicks’ Storyworthy: at the end of each day, ask:
“What happened today that might be a story?”
Write down one sentence—just enough to remind you later.
Use any note tool (NoteJoy, Apple Notes, Google Keep, voice-to-text, etc.).
Over time you build a story library you can draw from to explain concepts and stand out from AI‑generated, story‑less shows.

Action Steps From This EpisodeBy the end of this episode, challenge yourself to:

Write your one-sentence “What is it?” line.
If you can’t say it clearly in one breath, cut it down.
Ask 2–3 non-podcaster friends:
Show them your title, cover art, and description.
Ask, “What do you think this show is about?”
If their answer doesn’t match your intention, revise your name/description.
Search your show’s name in Google and major podcast apps.
Is the name crowded? Already used?
Is there a dormant show with the name you want? Consider reaching out and asking to take over/buy the feed.
List 5 story moments from the last 30 days.
Use “homework for life” style notes.
Circle 1–2 you can use in upcoming episodes to explain a lesson.
Rewrite your podcast description to:
Say who the show is for
Say how it’s different
Promise what they’ll consistently get each time they listen

Resources Mentioned Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks – Book on storytelling and “homework for life.” * Notejoy* captiring tool * Research Links

+ Podcasting Morning Show
+ Save the Cat!: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
+ Hot Ones' Guests Impressed by Sean Evans' Questions | Vol. 6 - YouTube
+ Pacino Arrests Everybody (Samuel L. Jackson Cameo) | Sea of Love - YouTube
+ Homework for Life | Matthew Dicks
+ How Stories Happen: Creators and Entrepreneurs Dissect Their Signature Stories — Jay Acunzo - Jay always says, "Don't just be a podcast, be someone's FAVORITE podcast."
+ Podcast Network Insights - A show About Podcasting networks.
+ Podcast Momentum | Build Podcast Momentum – Geared towards businesses
+ Pedal Stomper Podcast. Podcasting Lessons from a Hall of Famer: 20 Years of Wisdom with Dave Jackson - YouTube

Work With DaveIf you want help:

Sharpening your “what is it?” line
Choosing or refining a podcast name
Rewriting your description so it stands out
And building a show that becomes someone’s favorite

…then join the School of Podcastingand get step‑by‑step guidance, resources, and a community of podcasters just like you. You can also sign up for a single podcast strategy session.

Mentioned in this episode:

Have You Heard About the Podpage Assistant?

Here's what it can do:Identify the best search keyphrase to target — The Assistant analyzes your episode and finds the keyphrase most likely to drive organic traffic.Generate optimized SEO titles and descriptions — Get search-friendly titles and meta descriptions written for each episode automatically.Expand your show notes — Turn brief show notes into detailed, search-friendly content that helps Google understand what your episode is about.Create SEO schema — Automatically generate structured data including FAQs and key takeaways, giving search engines even more context about your content.Generate episode transcriptions — If your podcast host doesn't provide transcripts, the Assistant can create them for you.Create companion blog posts — Each episode can get a dedicated blog post that supports your episode's SEO and gives listeners another way to find you.Automatically categorize episodes — Keep your episode library organized without lifting a finger.Start your 14 day trial at www.podpage.com/preview

Podpage

Get Some Feedback On Your Show

“Want honest, helpful feedback on your podcast? At the School of Podcasting, we host ‘Listening Parties’ where members share short clips and get constructive, encouraging critiques from fellow podcasters and myself. It’s a safe, supportive way to hear what’s working, fix what’s not, and make your show stronger fast.”

School of Podcasting

Question of the Month: The Smallest Amount of Downloads

We all want a bigger audience. We all put a lot of work into our shows. With this in mind, what is the smallest amount of downloads you would do the show for? If it drops below a number would you stop, or put effort into finding out why?Does the size of your audience matter?Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th (and don't forget to say a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the notes)

School of Podcasting

Check Out Dave's Newsletter With Behind the Scenes Content

In each issue of Podcasting Observations, I share my thoughts on what is happening in the podcasting space, my latest content, and things that have caught my eye. I also may ask for your opinion. Join the free community

Podcasting Observations

Live Appearances

I love to meet people when I'm on the road. I'm going to be at Empowered Podcasting Conference in Charlotte NCPodcast Movement in NYCPodindy in Indianapolis In.For more information and links, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/whereTo have me speak at your event, reach out at schoolofpodcasting.com/contacnt

Where Will I Be?

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Why Joe Rogan Beat Late Night TVWhen I was a kid, hearing Johnny Carson’s theme music meant it was time for bed. Today, nobody has to stay up for anything. And that one shift explains a huge part of why late night is fading and why your podcast has to work harder to earn attention.

Conversation vs Promotional AppearancesIn the early years of Johnny Carson, the show was 90 minutes and they actually had conversations as apposed to the "tell me about your family vacation, and let's roll the clip" interviews we see on late night shows

Appointment Viewing is DeadThe days of "must see tv" on Thursday night died with the VCR and DVR. I haven't watched live TV in years. So now the audience that is staying up to watch live is much older (somewhere between age 60-70), and is about HALF of the audience comparing it to the days wheh David Letterman get almost 7 million a night.

The Celebrity Mystique is GoneI once stayed up to watch B.B. King on the tonight show. Why? Because I couldn't hear him on the radio. I was too young to go to a concert. If I did that today and wanted to see Joe Bonamassa I wouldn't need to wait to see him on TV. I could see him on his YouTube channel, or multiple interviews on podcasts.

1 in Late Night is a Big Fish in a Much Smaller PondKeep in mind that Steven Colbert being #1 in late night in 2026 is way different than being #1 in late night in 1993. Late-night TV revenue has reportedly fallen from about $400 million a year to $200 million a year—a 50% decline—while some shows that once drew 7–8 million nightly viewers now struggle to reach 3 million.

YouTube Doesn't Pay the SameAccording to one report, YouTube pays one tenth of what a network ad spot would go for. When you audience is cut in half, you have less advertisers. When the advertisers you have are paying you 90% less and your expenses stay the same that is a problem.

Keep Control of Your ContentRemember big companies with big payouts WANT CONTROL. Conan focused on owning his content and that resulted in a 150 million dollar payout.

Only Amazing Content Will Stand OutIf you want podcast growth, you need to make sure you are doing as many of the following as possible.

Make them:

laugh
cry
think
groan

Make Sure The Content

Educates
Entertains
Saves the audience time
Saves them money
Makes them FEEL something

If it's information you can get any place else, even better. A great podcast can be boiled down to content and delivery. So this episode is focused on content.

Be Ready to PromoteWhen someone says, "Oh, you do a podcast?" be ready to explain what it is, what its about, and how people benefit from consuming your content (and say your website). We hear how Macaulay Culkin dropped the ball so bad on the Ellen show.

Housekeeping: How to Pitch a PodcastI am still preparing to launch this show and I'm accepting stories. I had some things pop up that are taking my attention as they are time sensitive. It's coming...

Mentioned in this episode:

Live Appearances

I love to meet people when I'm on the road. I'm going to be at Empowered Podcasting Conference in Charlotte NCPodcast Movement in NYCPodindy in Indianapolis In.For more information and links, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/whereTo have me speak at your event, reach out at schoolofpodcasting.com/contacnt

Where Will I Be?

Podcasting Six Weeks

Ready to start your podcast? Podcasting in Six Weeks gives aspiring podcasters a proven, step-by-step system to launch with confidence. Stop overthinking and start publishing. Enroll today and your podcast could be live in just six weeks. Classes start August 19th

Podcasting in Six Weeks

Question of the Month: The Smallest Amount of Downloads

We all want a bigger audience. We all put a lot of work into our shows. With this in mind, what is the smallest amount of downloads you would do the show for? If it drops below a number would you stop, or put effort into finding out why?Does the size of your audience matter?Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th (and don't forget to say a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the notes)

School of Podcasting

Have You Heard About the Podpage Assistant?

Here's what it can do:Identify the best search keyphrase to target — The Assistant analyzes your episode and finds the keyphrase most likely to drive organic traffic.Generate optimized SEO titles and descriptions — Get search-friendly titles and meta descriptions written for each episode automatically.Expand your show notes — Turn brief show notes into detailed, search-friendly content that helps Google understand what your episode is about.Create SEO schema — Automatically generate structured data including FAQs and key takeaways, giving search engines even more context about your content.Generate episode transcriptions — If your podcast host doesn't provide transcripts, the Assistant can create them for you.Create companion blog posts — Each episode can get a dedicated blog post that supports your episode's SEO and gives listeners another way to find you.Automatically categorize episodes — Keep your episode library organized without lifting a finger.Start your 14 day trial at www.podpage.com/preview

Podpage

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So many people need remote recording for co-hosts and guests. Yet in the 20+ years of podcasting once we get a solid solution, they upgrade the software and we're back to always having a backup "Just in case." So I reached out to my audience to see what they used and they chimed in.

The HistoryBlog Talk Radio (now gone) was an EASY choice but sounded like the phone. There was Skype (also gone), but everyone needed an account, and for the technically challenged, it was intimidating. Squadcast came on with a winning strategy with a firm understanding of what podcasters needed. Make it simple. Make it reliable.

Then Video Entered the PictureThen tools like Squadcast added video, and while I never had an issue I know people who spoke of "Drift" where the audio didn't line up with the video (making it look like a bad Godzilla movie). There are tools like Evmux (browser based), Ecamm (Mac Only), Descript (browser based), and Streamyard (brwoser based).

Text Based EditingWhen Descript entered the picture with text based editing (you edit the transcript, and it edits the audio) it became impressive after a few years. They purchased Squadcast, but haven't implemented all the tech from Squadcast (like being able to schedule a future episode in their "Rooms.").

All in One SolutionsThis is one of the symptoms of a "All in one" solution. They do most things about 75%, but the details in that last 25 is what makes the difference. Riverisde started as remote recording, added text based editing, clip generation, and recently podcast hosting (the podcast hosting is very basic see video as of May 2026).

It May Not Be All Riverside's FaultI wrote a blog post about all the things podcasters could do to be ready to make great recordings with Riverside.

If you want Riverside to work, don’t overcomplicate it:

Solid internet
Updated browser
Decent computer
Enough disk space
Don’t rush the upload

That’s it.

Do those things, and suddenly Riverside becomes “magically reliable.”

What I Use For Live Streaming and RecordingBefore moving to a Mac computer, I use Streamyard, and loved it. When I got a Mac Mini, I switched to Ecamm. It's amazing and much you have more control over how things look. If you have a Streamdeck, you can do some pretty magical things. Worth that said, I'm considering going back to Streamyard even though it's $5 more a month (I used Ecamm for making recording for the School of Podcasting, but I now do those in Tella).

What is The Most Reliable?For me, after talking with the School of Podcasting members and now hearing from the audience I would say Ecamm (mac only) and Streamyard (browser based).

That doesn't mean Riverside, Evmux, Squadcast are not reliable, but I feel Ecamm and Streamyard are more reliable. They also are primarily focused on one thing RECORDING (although streamyard just added clip generation).

So What If I Don't Want an All In One?Then you record with something like Ecamm or Streamyard, if you need clips, there is Opus Clip. There is free video software like Davinci Resolve, and free audio editing like Audacity.

Thanks to The ContributorsFrank Bravo From Your Tech Makeover

Todd the Gator from Gaurdian Downcast

Chris From Cool Cars with Chris

Ed from the Days Dumpster Fire

Tim from My Solo MS Journey

Mentioned In This EpisodeStreamyard

Ecamm

Riverside

Descript

EvMux

Cleanfeed

Zencastr

OBS Project

VDO Ninja

Podtrack P4Next

Zoom H6

Samson Q2U Microphone

Opus Clip

Boomer Bunker

War Room Online Journal

Takeaways:* Remote recording can be a total pain if you don't have solid internet; trust me, I know. * Zoom works great for audio-only shows but struggles with video quality when the internet hiccups. * Streamyard's simplicity makes remote recording a breeze; just send a link and boom, done! * Clean Feed is solid for high-quality audio, especially for those who want to keep it simple. * For video, Riverside sounds fancy but can be hit or miss; make sure it meets your needs first. * Discord is free and surprisingly powerful for remote recordings, even if you're not a gamer.

Mentioned in this episode:

Live Appearances

I love to meet people when I'm on the road. I'm going to be at Empowered Podcasting Conference in Charlotte NCPodcast Movement in NYCPodindy in Indianapolis In.For more information and links, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/whereTo have me speak at your event, reach out at schoolofpodcasting.com/contacnt

Where Will I Be?

Question of the Month: The Smallest Amount of Downloads

We all want a bigger audience. We all put a lot of work into our shows. With this in mind, what is the smallest amount of downloads you would do the show for? If it drops below a number would you stop, or put effort into finding out why?Does the size of your audience matter?Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th (and don't forget to say a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the notes)

School of Podcasting

Podcasting Six Weeks

Ready to start your podcast? Podcasting in Six Weeks gives aspiring podcasters a proven, step-by-step system to launch with confidence. Stop overthinking and start publishing. Enroll today and your podcast could be live in just six weeks. Classes start August 19th

Podcasting in Six Weeks

Podpage is Now Included with Blubrry Hosting

Blubrry Podcasting — one of the longest-running podcast hosting platforms in the industry — has chosen Podpage to replace their built-in website tool entirely. That means every Blubrry hosting customer gets a professional, automatically updated podcast website powered by Podpage, included with their hosting plan.For Podpage, this is more than a partnership announcement. It’s validation that podcast websites deserve dedicated website tools built specifically for podcasters.

Podpage

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So many people think the only way you can have a successful podcast is to be famous. Today we have a quick Interview with Jordan Blair from the Dreamful podcast and the Buzzsprout podcast Buzzcast. Jordan share all the straggles she is using to monetize her show.

Jordan's Been Podcasting For Seven YearsThis didn't happen overnight, but you will hear where Jordan recommends starting monetization efforts from day one. This way your family and friends who want to support the show can actually chip in, and the audience gets used to hearing you ask for support.

If you feel weird asking for value in return for the value you have given to the audience, keep in mind PBS has been doing this for decades.

Where Do You Start?Jordan recommends starting off with enabling donations (technically a tip not a donation, unless you're a non-profit). Buzzsprout has this built in or you could use buy me a coffee, and many others. If you start with subscriptions, as you're just starting the show, it may be a little overwhelming and you end up making extra content for an audience that doesn't exist (yet). Just realize if you want people to chip in, you have to ask.

You can see Jordan's support page here.

Affiliate Links Are a Great TestWe talked about tools for using affiliate links in a previous episode. Affiliate links enable you to make a commission on a sale from someone using your special link. This is a great test and practice to get used to doing calls to action, promoting a product, and seeing what products your audience is interested

The Pros and Cons of MerchJordan shares how she created some swag for her audience, setup a store and received absolutely zero sales. This is when she realized she should ask her audience what they want first before making swag. For more on merch sales check out my interview with Jayna Marie.

First Person Endorsements Deliver Tons of ValueJordan's show is for kids who are trying to go to sleep. She found some puzzles and bought them and tried them. She knew this would resonate with her audience, and talked about her own experience with the puzzles and the affiliate links came flowing in.

You Might Have to Take Partners to SchoolJordan explains that her first sponsor knocked on her door, and provided an offer. Jordan had to explain to them how partnerships work in podcasting (this isn't radio, and we have a much stronger connection with our audiences). She renogiated and came up with a dela that worked for everyone.

She Didn't Plan on Making MoneyJordan started the Dreamful stories podcast as a resource for her own children. She launched it, and focused on delivering value and connecting with her audience. She found out what they wanted and delivered the show they wanted. This lead to her show's downloads escalating while she was on a break!

Check out Jordan's ShowsDreamful Stories

Buzzcast

Got Feedback On This Episode?I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode. If you have a minute or two, it's less than five questions and works great on your phone or computer. Share Your ThoughtsOther Items MentionedPodnews Weekly Review

How to Turn Your Podcast Into Passive Income (With Tools I Actually Use)

Big Lash Energy: One Million Downloads Fueled by Coffee and Compliments

Profit From Your Podcast Book (by Dave)

This Old Marketing Show

Sponsor Magnet Book by Justin Moore

Mentioned in this episode:

Live Appearances

I love to meet people when I'm on the road. I'm going to be at Empowered Podcasting Conference in Charlotte NCPodcast Movement in NYCPodindy in Indianapolis In.For more information and links, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/whereTo have me speak at your event, reach out at schoolofpodcasting.com/contacnt

Where Will I Be?

Build the Website You Want with Podpage

Podpage is flexible. If you want to promote something you can put it in the sidebar, on the front page, or at the bottom of every episode (not to mention the navigation bar, the footer and more). Podpage is designed specifically for podcasts. Quit trying to squeeze your podcast into a website made for a yoga studio. Start your free trial at podpage.com/preview

Podpage

Question of the Month: The Smallest Amount of Downloads

We all want a bigger audience. We all put a lot of work into our shows. With this in mind, what is the smallest amount of downloads you would do the show for? If it drops below a number would you stop, or put effort into finding out why?Does the size of your audience matter?Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th (and don't forget to say a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the notes)

School of Podcasting

Podcasting Six Weeks

Ready to start your podcast? Podcasting in Six Weeks gives aspiring podcasters a proven, step-by-step system to launch with confidence. Stop overthinking and start publishing. Enroll today and your podcast could be live in just six weeks. Classes start August 19th

Podcasting in Six Weeks

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A Dialogue with Justin Jackson and Alban BrookeJust in Jackson from Transistor.fm is so enthusiastic about Apple's new way to add video to their platform (called HLS). I have felt "Meh" about it since it was announced (I'm worried about using API's instead of using the RSS feed). So I wanted to see if I was missing something that might lead me to feel more like Justin.

Later that same week Alban Brook from Buzzsprout reached out and so I combined the interviews to show multiple points of view about Apple's HLS implementation not that more hosts are being approved to connect to Apple via their API.

Justin's View is Based On Younger PeopleWhile I have no children Justin has a few and he explained how watching them he sees them move from watching video to switching to audio. So the HLS video in Apple supports this (and it's already available on YouTube music, and Spotify. This explains why Justin would have a viewpoint different than mine.

Dialogues are amazing, and you just might learn something. Try one today. They are free!

Alban's View on The "Give People What They Want" focus of Apple PodcastsWhen you go to YouTube, they drown you in options as they try to get you to click on anything. With Apple's new video options, when you log into Apple, you primarily see the shows that you've told Apple you want to see. Consequently, it may be a better experience. Kevin Finn on the Buzzcast show compared YouTube and the horrible experience to going to the movies, where everything is overpriced and the floor is sticky. The experience isn't as good.

Don't Take on Too MuchIf you're a video creator already, adding your show to YouTube seems like a no brainer, and Alaban and Just both mentioned that when people signed up to be beta testers, many of the people chomping at the bit were already video creators.

Justin mentions that much like coloring, you start with three colors and learn how to keep people engaged. Then start adding more colors. With podcasting it may make more sense to start with audio, and then add video.

We are in a Wait and See PeriodWe don't actually know if this is going to take off. While we don't expect Apple to topple YouTube, we are interested to see just how many people jump on board. Both companies mentioned the benefits of being an early adopter.

Pricing for HLS HostingTransistor offers HLS video on any package of of $49 and higher.

Buzzsprout offers 6 hours a month for $30 ($25 if you purchase yearly).

Captivate is $19/month with an additional $12 for video.

Keep in mind Transistor and Captivate operate on a "As many shows and episodes as you want (but you bill goes up depending on downloads/traffic). Buzzsprout's model is a "per show" fee, but you can have as many downloads as you want.

For more information on other hosts as they are added see this article on Podnews.

The Bridge Podcast on YouTubeJustin shared the story of The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge a former Candaian broadcaster who has now moved to YouTube who is having great success without amazing Thumbnails and fancy studios.

Acquired Charges Millions for SponsorshipThere are always shows that break the mold, and Acquired is one of them. They do limited shows that engage a certain audience (CEOs), and consequently are charging millions for sponsor a season (and are already sold out). They describe their show as, "We (Ben and David) personally invest 100+ hours each to research and produce a ~4 hour "conversational audiobook,” telling a company's complete history and strategy.

Spotify's Video Options are BlurryI am always cautious about Spotify. We all know they are not fans of RSS, and they like to make features that only work in Spotify. In a recent article at Podnews, Jame Cridlan explains how uploading a video from your media host into Spotify may lock you into using the media host (where an RSS enables you to redirect the feed). There is talk that Spotify may manually be able to switch your show back to RSS (with consequences). My point is we currently don't know so if you plan on posting video to Spotify, you might setup a free hosting account and uplaod the video there. ( I do that for my "Ask the Podcast Coach" show).

Mentioned In the ShowSchool of Podcasting

Podcasting in Six Weeks

Transistor Media Hosting

Buzzsprout Media Hosting

Captivate Media Hosting

The Video Podcast Show

Podcast Marketing Trends Explained

The Panel Podcast

Buzzcast Podcast

Research Links

Video podcast host pricing - comparisons from Podnews
Beware Spotify's video lock-in from Podnews

Mentioned in this episode:

Question of the Month: The Smallest Amount of Downloads

We all want a bigger audience. We all put a lot of work into our shows. With this in mind, what is the smallest amount of downloads you would do the show for? If it drops below a number would you stop, or put effort into finding out why?Does the size of your audience matter?Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th (and don't forget to say a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the notes)

School of Podcasting

Podcasting Six Weeks

Ready to start your podcast? Podcasting in Six Weeks gives aspiring podcasters a proven, step-by-step system to launch with confidence. Stop overthinking and start publishing. Enroll today and your podcast could be live in just six weeks. Classes start August 19th

Podcasting in Six Weeks

Podpage is Now Included with Blubrry Hosting

Blubrry Podcasting — one of the longest-running podcast hosting platforms in the industry — has chosen Podpage to replace their built-in website tool entirely. That means every Blubrry hosting customer gets a professional, automatically updated podcast website powered by Podpage, included with their hosting plan.For Podpage, this is more than a partnership announcement. It’s validation that podcast websites deserve dedicated website tools built specifically for podcasters.

Podpage

Live Appearances

I love to meet people when I'm on the road. I'm going to be at Empowered Podcasting Conference in Charlotte NCPodcast Movement in NYCPodindy in Indianapolis In.For more information and links, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/whereTo have me speak at your event, reach out at schoolofpodcasting.com/contacnt

Where Will I Be?

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Today we are talking about your show that just won't grow. It's time for a podcast experiment. I often say "You podcast is a recipe - not a statue." Well here is the good news. You know how to build a podcast to the current level you are at. The bad news is you've been here for a bit and it's time to try something to break you out of your plateau.

You Either Win Or You LearnWhen you try something new with your podcast we often feel like everyone will leave immediately, and that just doesn't happen. Have you ever gone to a concert of a band you grew up listening to? They say "Here is one from our new album!" and half the theater goes for a beer, but most of them stay because they like the band.

What If My Numbers Goes Down?So if you previously had 200 downloads an episode, and now you have 180 you learned something not to do. You've know how to grow a show to 200, so do that and try again.

Start With a SurveySpeaking of mistakes, I once did a survey that I talked about bear the end of my show. One of the questions was, "Do you think the show is too long?" Well, if you think about it (being near the end of the show) anyone who thought it was too long had already left.

Announce the survey, and really push it and explain how the audience will benefit. It could be as simple as:

Did you listen to the end of the episode?
If not where did you stop and why?
How likely are you to share it with a friend on a scale form 1-10?

You can use the built in survey with Podpage, or something like Tally forms.

Smart Experiments: One Step at a TimeWhen you test new parts of your show, change ONE thing only. If you change three things and one of them works, you won't know which one.

I would start with your episode titles, your opening two minutes (have a good hook), and get to the content ASAP.

My Current Experiment: Podcasting in Six WeeksI tried this class about six months ago, and only told my email list. That was a dumb idea, but I learned to use ALL of my outlets when promoting a product or service.

The course starting June 3rd will be once a week covering the following topics:

Week 1: Concept & Planning Define your unique angle and target audience Choose your format and episode structure Create your content calendar for the first 10 episodes Develop your show name and description

Week 2: Equipment & Setup Essential equipment recommendations for every budget. Recording space optimization (even in noisy environments). Software setup and configuration Audio quality testing and troubleshooting

Week 3: Recording Techniques Professional recording techniques. Interview skills and guest management. Solo episode strategies. Overcoming "mic fright" and speaking naturally.

Week 4: Editing & Post-Production Editing basics that save time and sound professional. Intro/outro creation and music selection File management and organization systems Quality control checklists

Week 5: Hosting & Distribution Choosing and setting up your podcast host Submitting to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other platforms RSS feeds and technical requirements Show artwork and metadata optimization

Week 6: Marketing & Growth Launch strategies that actually get listeners. Social media promotion and repurposing content Building relationships with other podcasters Long-term growth strategies and monetization

EXCLUSIVE BONUSES:

BONUS #1: "Podcast Equipment Starter Kit Guide" (Value: $97) No more confusion about what to buy. Get our curated equipment list with specific product recommendations for three different budgets – beginner, intermediate, and professional.

BONUS #2: "First 10 Episodes Content Planner" (Value: $67) Never stare at a blank screen wondering what to talk about. This detailed planner gives you proven episode templates and topic ideas to keep your content engaging from day one.

BONUS #3: "Podcast Launch Checklist" (Value: $47) A step-by-step checklist ensuring you don't miss any crucial steps during your launch. From technical setup to promotional tasks – it's all cover

Six hours of consulting with me would be $1200, but as we try this experiment it's only $1.

Why not free? Because we wanted people who would at least believe in themselves enough to spend $1 to help improve themselves.

In full transparency we hope you join the School of Podcasting when the class is over, but it is a free standing class. The sessions will be recorded.

Sign Up For the Class TODAY!

Got Feedback On This Episode?

I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode. If you have a minute or two, it's less than five questions and works great on your phone or computer.

Share Your Thoughts

Resources Mentioned in Episode 1034School of Podcasting

Pod SEO use sop10 to save 10%

Ausha SEO

Pod Analyist

Research Links

Dave Jackson #661 - New Media Show
Insight on Business - Dave Jackson Interview
Switchy Link Shortener
Stuck at 800 downloads per ep for almost a year. what actually moves the needle : r/podcasting
PodAnalyst - Podcast Measurement and Analytics For Growth
My Worst Takes & Mistakes Over 500 Episodes - Author Media
Podcasting Truth & Myths Learned Over 500 Episodes
What are examples that were accidents that turned out to be great?

Mentioned in this episode:

Live Appearances

I love to meet people when I'm on the road. I'm going to be at Empowered Podcasting Conference in Charlotte NCPodcast Movement in NYCPodindy in Indianapolis In.For more information and links, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/whereTo have me speak at your event, reach out at schoolofpodcasting.com/contacnt

Where Will I Be?

Question of the Month: The Smallest Amount of Downloads

We all want a bigger audience. We all put a lot of work into our shows. With this in mind, what is the smallest amount of downloads you would do the show for? If it drops below a number would you stop, or put effort into finding out why?Does the size of your audience matter?Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th (and don't forget to say a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the notes)

School of Podcasting

Unlock Exclusive Insights: Subscribe to 'Podcasting Observations' Newsletter!

Get a look into the world of podcasting like never before with "Podcasting Observations," your go-to source for trends, tips, and transformative insights tailored just for podcasters. You also get "behind the scenes" info from the School of PodcastingDon't miss out on staying ahead of the game—join the 1700+ people who are already reading Podcasting Observations today!

Podcasting Observations

Have You Heard About the Podpage Assistant?

Here's what it can do:Identify the best search keyphrase to target — The Assistant analyzes your episode and finds the keyphrase most likely to drive organic traffic.Generate optimized SEO titles and descriptions — Get search-friendly titles and meta descriptions written for each episode automatically.Expand your show notes — Turn brief show notes into detailed, search-friendly content that helps Google understand what your episode is about.Create SEO schema — Automatically generate structured data including FAQs and key takeaways, giving search engines even more context about your content.Generate episode transcriptions — If your podcast host doesn't provide transcripts, the Assistant can create them for you.Create companion blog posts — Each episode can get a dedicated blog post that supports your episode's SEO and gives listeners another way to find you.Automatically categorize episodes — Keep your episode library organized without lifting a finger.Start your 14 day trial at www.podpage.com/preview

Podpage

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In this episode, we answer a question I know has been on the minds of so many podcasters: Where is podcasting headed?

What We Covered Spotify, YouTube, and AI Slop: I kicked things off sharing my concerns about immoral creators, content exclusivity, and how blurry the definition of a “podcast” is getting. * Optimism vs. Pessimism: We heard from multiple voices on whether the future looks bright or grim, and what keeps each of us going. * Video, Discoverability, and Content Overload: How YouTube’s dominance and the rise of video (and AI-generated "slop") is shifting the landscape, sometimes making things more confusing than ever. * Monetization Woes and the Hopes for Crowdfunding: Many noted frustration with ads and the current monetization system, with hope for easier, more integrated crowdfunding in the future. * Government Regulation and Freedom of Speech: A Canadian listener shared real concerns about government overreach and its chilling effect on creators. * Defining Your “Why” and Staying True to Your Mission: Several contributors reminded us to focus on passion, purpose, and connecting with our audience. * Staying Resilient:* Through all the changes—algorithm shakeups, new platforms, and shifting formats—what matters most is keeping your audience at the heart of what you do.

Participants Steve Stewart (Podcast Editors Mastermind, Podcast Editor's Academy, Steve's Site)* * Kim Newlove (The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast, Perrysburg Podcast ) * Todd the Gator ( Guardian Down Roundtable, 50 Years Experience Required, Lessons in the Rearview * Leslie Marting (Greatland Media) * Ralph Estep Jr. ( AskRalph.com ) * Podcasting Morning Show * York Welcome to Earth Stories * Cool Cars with Chris

Mentioned In This EpisodeJJJAck Film's Video on youTube Demonetization

New Media Show Rob Greenlee and Brendan Monaghan

Podcasting 2.0 on the Slop Factory at Spreaker

Podnews on More AI than Human Shows

Profit From Your Podcast Book

Thanks for SharingThis episode became a great sharing of opinions, experiences, and predictions. Some worry about gatekeepers and algorithmic noise, while others find hope in podcasting’s unique intimacy and power to connect. No matter where things go, staying true to your purpose, your “why,” and serving your audience will always be the foundation.

Keep your ears open, your content honest, and your passion high. Thanks to everyone who contributed, and as always: if you loved this conversation, hit that share button and keep the School of Podcasting growing!

Mentioned in this episode:

Give Your Podcast A Home

When you look at our podcasting pieces, your media host is the engine. But your website is the home.It’s where your audience learns who you are, explores your episodes, and decides to subscribe.At Podpage, we build podcast websites that are fast, reliable, and designed to convert visitors into listeners. Every episode is automatically published, SEO-optimized, and structured for growth—so you can focus on creating, not managing your site.If your media host powers your podcast, Podpage gives it a place to live—and a place to grow.Start building your podcast’s home with Podpage by going to www.podpage.com/preview and start your 14 day free trial today.

Podpage

Question of the Month: The Smallest Amount of Downloads

We all want a bigger audience. We all put a lot of work into our shows. With this in mind, what is the smallest amount of downloads you would do the show for? If it drops below a number would you stop, or put effort into finding out why?Does the size of your audience matter?Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question by August 28th (and don't forget to say a little bit about your show and your website address so I can link to it in the notes)

School of Podcasting

Podcasting Six Weeks

Ready to start your podcast? Podcasting in Six Weeks gives aspiring podcasters a proven, step-by-step system to launch with confidence. Stop overthinking and start publishing. Enroll today and your podcast could be live in just six weeks. Classes start August 19th

Podcasting in Six Weeks

Live Appearances

I love to meet people when I'm on the road. I'm going to be at Empowered Podcasting Conference in Charlotte NCPodcast Movement in NYCPodindy in Indianapolis In.For more information and links, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/whereTo have me speak at your event, reach out at schoolofpodcasting.com/contacnt

Where Will I Be?

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In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of a good old fashioned microphone shootout—this time, it’s all about wireless lavalier mics! I (quickly) run through a lineup of wireless lavalier microphones including the DJI Mic Mini, Hollyland Lark M2, Rode Wireless Micro, Rode Wireless Go, and Shure Move Mic. Not only do I compare how they sound right out of the box, but I also show how a little post production can level the playing field between even budget and premium options. If you’ve ever wondered whether it matters which one you pick, you’ll definitely want to listen.

This content may contain affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase through these links at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services I trust and believe will provide value to you. Thank you for your support!

The Weight Of Adding Video - The First Look at Apple HLSThe second big theme of today’s show is the pressure, and potential pitfalls, of adding video to your podcasting workflow. I break down what’s happening with Apple HLS video, what hosts like Captivate are charging, and why you need to seriously consider the “weight” video adds before taking the plunge.

Getting Your Edited Audio To People In Apple - You Can't (If you add video)Can you maintain your audio quality? Should you be editing audio and video together, or keeping them separate? I also share some spot-on advice from Elsie Escobar about only adding video if it makes sense for your goals—not because you feel FOMO or outside pressure.

Whether you’re mic shopping, contemplating a shift to video, or just want a sanity check on your podcasting process, this episode is for you. Enjoy!

Gear Mentioned In This EpisodeDJI Mic Mini

Shure Movemic

Hollyland Lark M2

Rode Wireless Go 3

Rode Wireless Micro

DJI Mic 2

Captivate Media Hosting

In Case You Missed Last Week

We add a new clip from John Lee Dumas who shares what he would do differently. Last week we heard from Joe from Stacking Benjamins and other veterans on launching a pocast. Check it out.

Participants

Ariel Nissenblatt

James Cridland

Jessica Kupferman

Daniel J Lewis

David Hooper

A Newsletter Help Remind Your Listeners About You

Both James and the No Agenda Show see where their newsletter reminds your audience you exist and hopefully supports you.

You Can Use Auto Responders

You can create a series of email called an autoresponder to release at certain time intervals. This "Set it and forget it" can help build your connection with your audience (while you sleep)

Yes, You Can Automate Your Podcast to Email But...

While services Like Mailerlite, Convertkit, Aweber, SendFox, and many others will make it easy to enter your podcast RSS feed, and it will take your episode description and convert it to an email. Aside from James, who works some technical voodoo (he's a programmer), none of the participants used the "RSS to Email" tools.

They had developed their own format, topics, etc, and wrote them from scratch or copied and pasted their content in an effort to repurpose it.

Additional Email Topics

What NOT to do with your Email List

The benefits of Segmentation

Understanding Pricing

The Importance of Always Delivering Value

What you get from having a newsletter

Mentioned In This Episode

Last Week's Episode on Veteran Podcasting Tips

Join the School of Podcasting Community

Profit From Your Podcast Book

Power of Podcasting Network

Buy Dave a Coffee

Put Dave In Your Pocket

James Cridlands Radio Newsletter

How James Creates Podnews

My Podcast Reviews

Rumble Studio

Podcasting Deals

Newsletter Services

Convertkit

Mailerlite

Send Fox (lifetime payment)

Email Octopus

Mailchimp

Awber

Curated

Ghost

Substack

Medium

Activate Campaign

Ready To Start Your Podcast?

Are you looking to start your own podcast but don't know where to begin? Look no further than the School of Podcasting. Our comprehensive online courses and one-on-one coaching will teach you everything you need to know, from equipment and editing to marketing and monetization. With our proven methods and unlimited one-on-one consulting, you'll be creating high-quality, engaging content in no time. Say goodbye to the frustration and uncertainty and hello to a successful podcasting career with the School of Podcasting.

Use the coupon code schoolofpodcasting.com/listener to save 20%

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month's question comes from Louis Goodman of the Love Thy Lawyer Podcast, who wants to know if you are listening to any podcasts via Paid subscription. If so, what so and why. If not, please provide any insights. As always, be sure to mention your show, a little bit about it, and your website address.

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

I need your answers by 3/24/23

Where I Will Be?

I look forward to seeing you all; please come up and say hi. To see my full itinerary, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/where

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Planning, launching, and growing a podcast can seem daunting, but with the right guidance and advice from experienced podcasters, it is possible. Veteran podcasters like Joe Saul-Sehy from Stacking Benjamins, Kristen Meinser, and Jordan Harbinger have all successfully launched and grown their podcasts and have valuable insights to share.

We hear about the planning, shaping, and bumps and bruises of launching from the new host Allen Corey and Crystal Hammond of their spin-off show Stacking Deeds.

Take Aways

Sometimes a "No" is a Not Now.

Your podcast can bring you opportunities.

Diverse attitudes, experiences, and insights lead to a diverse audience.

Ensure that your show's first five minutes inspire people to want to hear more.

Joe truly appreciated the feedback that provided ways to improve his show.

Listen back to your show to catch mistakes you may have missed.

Learning to edit your show improves your relationship with a future editor.

They didn't release the first thing they recorded.

How they improved after a "brutal conversation."

The Importance of incorporating listener feedback into the show.

Advertisers are Partners that You've already worked with.

Start building relationships before you launch your show and build your network.

Know a person who knows the "WHO" in the industry and reach out.

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month's question comes from Louis Goodman of the Love Thy Lawyer Podcast, who wants to know if you are listening to any podcasts via Paid subscription. If so, what so and why. If not, please provide any insights. As always, be sure to mention your show, a little bit about it, and your website address.

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

I need your answers by 3/24/23

Where I Will Be?

I look forward to seeing you all; please come up and say hi. To see my full itinerary, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/where

Mentioned In This Episode

Stacking Benjamins

Stacking Deeds

Kristin Meinzer Interview on Episode 862

So You Want to Start a Podcast: Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Story, and Building a Community That Will Listen (also available as an audiobook )

Kristen Meinzer

Convertkit email list(send your RSS to Listeners. Also, Mailerlite has this as an option)

Jordan Harbinger Show

WDW Radio with Lou Mongello

The New Media Show

Podmatch

The Big Seance

Join the School of Podcasting Community

Profit From Your Podcast Book

Power of Podcasting Network

Buy Dave a Coffee

Put Dave In Your Pocket

Podcast Studio Pro

Libsyn.com Podcast Hosting. Get a free month with the coupon " sopfree ".

Start Your Podcast, or Grow The One You Have at the School of Podcasting

Are you looking to start your own podcast but don't know where to begin? Look no further than the School of Podcasting. Our comprehensive online courses and one-on-one coaching will teach you everything you need to know, from equipment and editing to marketing and monetization. With our proven methods and unlimited one-on-one consulting, you'll be creating high-quality, engaging content in no time. Say goodbye to the frustration and uncertainty and hello to a successful podcasting career with the School of Podcasting.

Use the coupon code schoolofpodcasting.com/listener to save 20%

So You Want to Start a Podcast: Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Story, and Building a Community That Will Listen

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Recording a podcast with an accent can be both intimidating and exciting. If English is your second language (ESL), you may feel nervous about speaking in front of a microphone; however, the ability to reach a worldwide audience is exciting. Today we answer a question from Jacob from the Old Men New Games wants to know if a host has English as a second language (and might mess up a word every now and then). Is that a “No Go, Instant Tune Out” for you?

I think this boils down to accents. My audience shares their thoughts.

PARTICIPANTS

Craig - Inglespodcast check out this write-up from the British Council about their show.

Anthony - Route 66 Podcast

Craig - Live Well and Flourish

Sarah from Kind Leadership Challenge

Mark from The history of North America Podcast

Wayne - Packers Fan Podcast , and Media VoiceOvers

Ian - English Coach Living the Language and Life is feeling

Mark from The history of North America Podcast

Colin and Matthew - Podcraft

Mentioned In This Episode

Join the School of Podcasting Community

Profit From Your Podcast Book

Power of Podcasting Network

Buy Dave a Coffee

Put Dave In Your Pocket

Gene Simmons Learn a language

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month's question comes from Louis Goodman of the Love Thy Lawyer Podcast, who wants to know if you are listening to any podcasts via Paid subscription. If so, what so and why. If not, please provide any insights. As always, be sure to mention your show, a little bit about it, and your website address.

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

I need your answers by 3/24/23

Where Will I Be?

I look forward to seeing you all; please come up and say hi. To see my full itinerary, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/where

Join the School of Podcasting

Are you looking to start your own podcast but don't know where to begin? Look no further than the School of Podcasting. Our comprehensive online courses and one-on-one coaching will teach you everything you need to know, from equipment and editing to marketing and monetization. With our proven methods and unlimited one-on-one consulting, you'll be creating high-quality, engaging content in no time. Say goodbye to the frustration and uncertainty and hello to a successful podcasting career with the School of Podcasting.

Use the coupon code schoolofpodcasting.com/listener to save 20%

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The great ones make it look easy. Jono drops easy, simple, powerful tips on starting a community, growing it, keeping it engaged, and if you want to build courses based on the information you've learned from your community.

Full show notes at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/867

Join the School of Podcasting Community

Are you looking to start your own podcast but don't know where to begin? Look no further than the School of Podcasting. Our comprehensive online courses and one-on-one coaching will teach you everything you need to know, from equipment and editing to marketing and monetization. With our proven methods and unlimited one-on-one consulting, you'll be creating high-quality, engaging content in no time. Say goodbye to the frustration and uncertainty and hello to a successful podcasting career with the School of Podcasting.

Use the coupon code schoolofpodcasting.com/listener to save 20%

Who is Jono Petrohilos? Jono is the co-founder and director of Fitness Education Online, one of the largest online course providers in Australia for Personal Trainers. He sells over $1,000,000 worth of online courses every year and has been awarded the Australian Fitness Industry Educator of the Year multiple times. He now also helps other professionals create and sell online courses with his free Facebook Group and Podcast - the Course Creator Community.

Wheat you Learn Today

When to start a community (Jono uses Facebook)

Why No Promotions Without Permissions is the best rule for Facebook/Communities

How to Keep Your Sanity and Nurture Engagement Using the Redirect Strategy

How Jono's podcast Course Creator Community helped him find speakers for his event.

How Jono made 100K from a course, he didn't create.

How to tell if your course will sell

Why New Zenler is currently the best course platform that you can try for free

Is an "All in one" platform the best to go for an online course?

Mentioned In This Episode

Jono's Course Creator Community.

Jono Petrohilos' Course Creator Community Podcast.

New Zenler

Teachable

Thinkific

Kajabi

Podia

Circle

Heartbeat

Grow Your Community Show (Podcast)

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month's question is from Jacob from the Old Men - New Games. When a host has English as a second language and may occasionally mess up a word or two, Is that a no go? Do you listen, or immediately back out?

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Deadline is 2/24/23

Where Will I Be?

I look forward to seeing you all; please come up and say hi. To see my full itinerary, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/where

Become a School of Podcasting Affiliate

Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/affiliates

and sign up. When someone signs up using your link, you earn a commission. That commission is paid every month they stay subscribed. Start Earning Today

Follow the Show and Never Miss an Episode on:

Apple - Google - Spotify - Amazon

Check out New Podcast Apps for apps to stream bitcoin to podcasters.

Did You Get Value From This Episode?

Enjoy the Show? Buy Dave a Coffee

and give some of that value back.

Thanks for listening to episode 867 of the School of Podcasting

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Mark Herschberg, a tech startup veteran, author of the book The Career Toolkit: Essential Skils for Success That No One Taught You, and MIT professor, set a goal of appearing on 150 podcasts. He pitched over 2000 shows and ended up on close to 350 shows. Mark did it through volume, which is a different strategy than Dave typically preaches. Dave and Mark get together to share their insights to discuss the pet peeves of guests and hosts to uncover the most efficient way to pitch yourself to shows.

"Focus on how you're delivering value to the audience. If your pitch starts out with the word 'I' too many times in the first paragraph, know what you offer and get to the point - delivering value to the audience is key!"

JOIN THE SCHOOL OF PODCASTING COMMUNITY

Are you looking to start your own podcast but don't know where to begin? Look no further than the School of Podcasting. Our comprehensive online courses and one-on-one coaching will teach you everything you need to know, from equipment and editing to marketing and monetization. With our proven methods and expert instructors, you'll be creating high-quality, engaging content in no time. Say goodbye to the frustration and uncertainty, and hello to a successful podcasting career with the School of Podcasting. Join worry-free with our 30-day money-back guarantee.

Save using this link www.schoolofpodcasting.com/listener

What You Will Learn Today

The strategies that Mark uses to make it easy to say YES to having him on your show.
How letting your guest know who they are talking to always leads to a better interview.
Make your guest comfortable by letting them know what to expect (audio, video, both?).
How having example questions makes connecting your expertise to your audience easier.
The two questions every guest should ask at the end of the interview
What a guest needs to make it easy to share
Mark (and Dave) use Podmatch, PodcastGuest and other resources.

For a full list, get the PDF Cheat Sheet Here.

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month's question is from Jacob from the Old Men - New Games. When a host has English as a second language and may occasionally mess up a word or two, Is that a no go? Do you listen, or immediately back out?

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Deadline is 2/24/23

Where I Will Be?

I look forward to seeing you all; please come up and say hi. To see my full itinerary, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/where

Other Episodes Mentioned In This Episode 20 resources to Help You Find Guests/Hosts

Less Annoying CRM

The Ultimate Guide to Hosting and Guesting Podcast Interviews.

Editing the Boring Out of Your Podcast

11 Steps I Took to Create a WOW Interview

How to Get Booked on Podcasts: Figuring Out Who and How to Pirch with Kristin Molenaar

Be A Guest Book a Guest

Podmatch (a “Dating Service” for podcasters).

Mark Herschberg: thecareertoolkitbook.com and the Brain Bump App

Dave: schoolofpodcasting.com

Become a School of Podcasting Affiliate

Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/affiliates

and sign up. When someone signs up using your link, you earn a commission. That commission is paid every month they stay subscribed. Start Earning Today

Follow the Show and Never Miss an Episode on:

Apple - Google - Spotify - Amazon

Check out New Podcast Apps for apps to stream bitcoin to podcasters.

Did You Get Value From This Episode?

Enjoy the Show? Buy Dave a Coffee

and give some of that value back.

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In December, we looked at why some podcasts become part of the listener's routine (and their favorite podcast) today; we are looking at the other end.

When it comes to podcasts, the goal of any podcast creator is to captivate their audience and keep them engaged. However, there are many reasons why listeners may choose to unfollow or unsubscribe from a podcast. In this episode, we will explore what makes listeners tune out of a podcast and how podcast creators can avoid these pitfalls. We will look at common issues such as poor audio quality and how extended chit-chat at the beginning may be causing people to tune out.

Are you looking to start your own podcast but don't know where to begin? Look no further than the School of Podcasting. Our comprehensive online courses and one-on-one coaching will teach you everything you need to know, from equipment and editing to marketing and monetization. With our proven methods and unlimited one-on-one consulting, you'll be creating high-quality, engaging content in no time. Say goodbye to the frustration and uncertainty and hello to a successful podcasting career with the School of Podcasting.

Use the coupon code schoolofpodcasting.com/listener to save 20%

Participants:

02:43 Paul from Fighting Through World War II Memoirs Podcast

04: 49 Orlando from the hablando de tecnologia 06: 42 Carrie Bock from Hope for Anxiety and OCD

08:36 Dan from the Dan Smith from the Honest Management Show 10:40 Heather from the Politics Free show 12:19 Seth from Geekville Radio and Classic Wrestling Memories 17:04 Kris from the Kris and Kristine show

18:29 Paul from Pass ACLS

22:09 York from Welcome to Earth Stories

24:07 Beth from Unraveling Adoption

25:02 Sarah from Kind Leadership Challenge 27:25 Mark from The history of North America Podcast

28:29 Todd from Guardian Downcast 30:25 Kim from The Pharmacist's Voice

35:05 Neil from Recovery Coast to Coast

38:33 Lee from the Covert Nerd and You Choose Podcast (Lee your Squarespace expired! and there is no way to contact you)

40:05 Steve from Steve Stewart and the Podcast Editor Academy

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month's question is from Jacob from the Old Men - New Games. When a host has English as a second language and may occasionally mess up a word or two, Is that a no go? Do you listen, or immediately back out?

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Deadline is 2/24/23

Where I Will Be?

I look forward to seeing you all, please come up and say hi. To see my full itinerary, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/where

Mentioned In This Episode

Your Podcast Consultant Worst Way to Start Your Episode

The Ultimate Guide to Hosting and Guesting Podcast Interviews

Duolingo

Other Products From Dave

Get Your Podcast Reviewed

Profit From Your Podcast: Proven Strategies

Follow the Show and Never Miss an Episode on:

Apple - Google - Spotify - Amazon

Check out New Podcast Apps for apps to stream bitcoin to podcasters.

Did You Get Value From This Episode?

Enjoy the Show? Buy Dave a Coffee and give some of that value back.

View Details

In today's episode of The School of Podcasting, I recount my experience at Podfest which was attended by many new faces. I share my conversation with the host of The Accidental Swingers, a podcast discussing non-exclusive relationships. I also discuss Cinemaker, a Mac-only video recording program for video interviews. Lastly, podcast hosts announced updates at Podfest. I also share my presentation.

Ready To Start Your Podcast You may think nobody would listen to you, but I'm here to tell you they will. I have proven strategies to help you identify exactly what your audience wants. You will sound professional, and won't have to spend a million dollars to sound great. Learn through our online tutorials, live group coaching and a private Facebook Group filled with brilliant podcasters. Join worry-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See schoolofpodcasting.com/listener

In this episode, you will learn the following: 1. Uncovering the secret to getting guests to share your episode. 2. Exploring the new podcast hosting technology available. 3. Examining the ingredients of a good podcast.

Timeline

00:04:05 Make your interviews unique.

00:10:58 Get feedback before launch.

00:17:14 Get to the point quickly.

00:19:41 Name your podcast clearly.

00:29:00 Grow your show by sharing.

00:34:09 Create great content consistently.

00:43:00 Grow with a consistent theme.

00:46:17 Podcasting never dies.

00:51:51 Tell someone about the podcast.

Questions: If you're consistent and persistent in producing shows, what else is needed to continue to grow the audience?

Does having a seasonal podcast make for lower downloads?
Does podcast growth depend on the platform (media host)?
Could it ever be the most painful? That people don't like it?
Is a specific theme best or should I have a variety of topics?
Are there typical plateau points?

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month's question is from Jacob from the Old Men - New Games. When a host has English as a second language and may occasionally mess up a word or two, Is that a no go? Do you listen, or immediately back out?

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Deadline is 2/24/23

Where I Will Be?

I look forward to seeing you all; please come up and say hi. To see my full itinerary, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/where

Mentioned In This Episode

Join the School of Podcasting Community

Profit From Your Podcast Book

Power of Podcasting Network

Buy Dave a Coffee

Put Dave In Your Pocket

Daniel J Lewis

Accidental Swingers

Podfest Expo

Podcast Branding

Cinamaker Video Recording/Streaming

View Details

In this episode, you will learn the secrets to writing an attention-grabbing podcast description that will captivate your listeners. Remember, you can update your show description at any time.

JOIN THE SCHOOL OF PODCASTING COMMUNITY

Are you looking to start your own podcast but don't know where to begin? Look no further than the School of Podcasting. Our comprehensive online courses and one-on-one coaching will teach you everything you need to know, from equipment and editing to marketing and monetization. With our proven methods and expert instructors, you'll be creating high-quality, engaging content in no time. Say goodbye to the frustration and uncertainty, and hello to a successful podcasting career with the School of Podcasting. Join worry-free with our 30-day money-back guarantee.

Save using this link www.schoolofpodcasting.com/listener

YOUR PODCAST DESCRIPTION

While every show is different, and thus, every description is different there are some items you may want to include:

Get Them Saying Yes

By stating an obvious truth, you show that you "Get" your audience and get them saying, "yes."

Frequency, Format, and Facts

This can be your schedule (Frequency). Your format (solo, interview, panel, narrative). Facts: Accomplishments of the host to establish street cred and answer, "Why should we listen to you?"

Who is This For?

By specifically identifying who the show is for, you better attract your target audience.

Why Should They Listen?What value and/or what benefit is the listener going to walk away with?

Call to Action

Your call to action in your description (as this will be seen in all the apps) should be to play or, even better, follow/subscribe. Regarding asking them to go to your website or other calls to action, do those in episodes AFTER they start listening.

YOU DON'T BENEFIT UNTIL YOUR AUDIENCE BENEFITS.

Other Options

Some people like to start of with a question.

THE FORMAT OF MY DESCRIPTION IS OFF

This is another reason to keep your description short. The more paragraphs you want and bold, italics, etc it is going to look weird. In most apps, the description is simple text. If you do include links, they won't work.

All you can do it enter things the right way and hope for the best.

Where I Will Be?

I look forward to seeing you all, please come up and say hi. To see my full itinerary, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/where

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month the question is one I often do in January. What are your top podcasting pet peeve? Those little things that drive you nuts.

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Deadline is 1/27/23

Mentioned In This Episode Creating a Promo For Your Show Episode 858

Getting Your Podcast Unstuck Episode 861

Celebrity Impostor Syndrome

Marriage Advice from the Divorced Guy Podcasts So Good Your Audience Can't Unhear Them

Make Noise: A Creator's Guide to Podcasting and Great Audio Storytelling

10 Magic Words Exercise

Join the School of Podcasting Community

Profit From Your Podcast Book

Buy Dave a Coffee

Podcasting Observations Dave's Free Newsletter

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When it comes to making purchases, we are often faced with a conflict between our emotional and logical sides. How we balance these two competing forces can determine our success or failure when it comes to spending. I had my wallet out, ready to spend almost $1500, and today I share how I identified my emotional and logical sides in the conflict and used logic to save my money for something better.

My Video Progression

I started with a Logitech C920 and upgraded to the Elgato Facecam. The Facecam had a better picture and NO MICROPHONE (so no accidental recordings using the camera microphone).

I later I upgraded to the Sony VZ-1. Why? Because YouTube told me that this was THE best camera for the new YouTuber/Content creator. Also, it had a button that MADE THE BACKGROUND BLURRY. I'm not making that up.

With the press of ONE button, the background would be BLURRY. OMG!

So I had to get it even though it was $900. I bought it on a payment plan but avoided paying any interest.

A little over a year the Sony ZV-10 came out, and not only did it have the one-button blurry mode, but you could also CHANGE LENSES. Again, YouTube erupted, letting me know that THIS, yes, THIS was THE camera.

I was THIS CLOSE to buying this camera, and then I saw another video because as I could switch lenses, I had to figure out what was the best lens. The one lens that made the Youtube host just look dreamy cost $400.

Wait, does that say $400? So $800 for the camera and $400 for the lens is $1200, but the other lens, and this and that.

QUESTION 1: Do I NEED this, or do I WANT THIS?

I thought about it. What happens if I didn't buy this camera? Were my videos on YouTube suffering? After all, I've been making videos for years without a blurry background and I have attracted 3000 subscribers. So apparently, you do not NEED a Blurry background.

QUESTION 2: Who does this benefit and how?

Does this benefit your or our audience, and if so, how?

Well, as I already had the ability to blur my background, there only perc was the ability to switch lenses.

Have I run into something where I wanted to change lenses and couldn't? No. Then why am I buying it? Is it easier to use? Slightly, but you will still need to unplug and replug in the cable, which frustrates me.

So I'm going to spend $1400 to pay for a feature that I will not need. With that, I put my credit card back in my wallet.

BE CAREFUL PAYING FOR FLEXIBLE FEATURES YOU CAN GROW INTO

I once signed a year-long contract with Vidyard. Why? Because it had TONS of features that I MIGHT use. After all, I could see how far people watched my video.

What was I trying to do? Make video messages I could email to my students and clients.

It turned it this would do it, but I found their interface clunky, and when I found a way to really use it, they wanted me to upgrade.

After my contract was over, I found LOOM, and it does exactly what I need it to do for a FRACTION of the cost.

Don't spend money on features you will never use.

OTHER ITEMS THAT HELPED

I've never had someone tell me, "You have to watch this video; the background is BLURRY."

HAVE YOU FALLEN INTO THE TRAP?

Maybe instead of spending so much TIME concentrating on your background, MAYBE we should focus more on what you are saying in the microphone.

WHY PEOPLE UPGRADE MICROPHONES AND VIDEO ITEMS

I understand that sometimes we don't feel confident with our voice, but in many cases upgrading from one microphone to another doesn't make that much difference (especially once you get over $100). But I understand that if you would feel more confident behind the microphone if you like your voice, it may be worth the upgrade. Just realize this:

Unless your microphone and sound is HORRIBLE, getting a new microphone won't grow your offense. Your content will. Now, if your content is noticeably better because you are more confident, then maybe it's worth the money.

CONCLUSION AND BONUS QUESTIONS

Is this a WANT or a NEED? 2. Who benefits from this purchase? 3. (bonus) What happens if you don't make this purchase (this helps identify if you need this or want it). 4. Are the features of the product something you WILL put into practice?

WHY I AM STILL NOT A FAN OR ANCHOR.FM

In the past Anchor.fm would submit your show to Apple, Google, and Sticher "For you" and "Forgot" to mention that you would lose access to stats on those platforms (oops!). I could go on for hours, but why I wanted to bring this up is they don't do this anymore. Does this mean I now recommend them? No.

Why? Well, here are some old and new reasons. 1. They are still free, and MANY free media hosts have gone out of business (some after burning through MILLIONS of dollars). So I don't want to build my show on something that is just using a bad business model.

If you upload an mp3 file and use their advertising tools, they change their file to an m4a. This makes no sense as Spotify only uses mp3 files from other hosts.
They sometimes leave out details when they announce things.

Example: You can play money in your podcast (that they approve, and only in Spotify, and only in the app, and only to paid users).

Example: VIdeos have come to Spotify (that you have to upload via Anchor, that only displays the video on Spotify, and only in the app).

Example: According to the Co-creator of How to save the planet (a Gimlet show) said, "Spotify invested zero in building the show’s audience, then forced us to go exclusive to Spotify, and then canceled it b/c it didn’t build a big enough audience…” she tweeted on Saturday. source

Example: Multiple people in an Anchor.fm user group have mentioned that even though Spotify mentions, as soon as you reach a level, you will have sponsors. These people have met the criteria and have no sponsors (one has 275,000 downloads and still has no sponsor).

You have to ASK for an RSS feed. This is like going to a restaurant and having to request food. Shouldn't you have that already?

Spotify (who owns Anchor) wants you to stay in their "Walled garden." When you look at their marketing material or hear any of the presentations that paint themselves as ABSOLUTE NUMBER 1, and they are THE COOL KIDS. When they are #2 to Apple by a LARGE margin, here again, they prey on the uninformed.

The co-founder of Anchor has said that RSS (the technology that Podcasts use and keep it open) is holding Podcasting back - while the actual spec of RSS is being updated AS YOU READ THIS.

PODCASTING FOR FREE MAY BE UNREALISTIC

I get that you want to podcast without breaking the bank. I understand that. When you try to do it without spending ANY money, your expectations may be in need of an adjustment.

Ready To Start Your Podcast You may think nobody would listen to you, but I'm here to tell you they will. I have proven strategies to help you identify exactly what your audience wants. You will sound professional and won't have to spend a million dollars to sound great. Learn through our online tutorials, live group coaching and a private Facebook Group filled with brilliant podcasters. Join worry-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See schoolofpodcasting.com/listener

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month the question is one I often do in January. What are your top podcasting pet peeve? Those little things that drive you nuts.

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Deadline is 1/27/23

Where I Will Be?

I look forward to seeing you all; please come up and say hi. To see my full itinerary, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/where

FREE CLASSES

Want to dip your toe into the podcasting pool? Check out the classes I have available for free at

https://schoolofpodcasting.com/freeclasses

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

New Media Show

Gimlet Issues with Spotify

Libsyn.com (get a free month using code sopfree)

Red Circle

Sony ZV-10

Sony VZ-1

Elgato Facecam

Elgato Facecam Pro

Logitech C920

Loom Video Tool

*links may include affiliate links and I may receive compensation for purchasing through these links.

View Details

Are you looking to grow your podcast? You’ve come to the right place! This episode shares how to get your podcast unstuck and find success. Whether you’re just starting out or have been podcasting for a while, the tips shared here will help you get your audience clicking with your content. We’ll provide guidance on finding and following effective strategies for growing your podcast.

Weight Loss and Podcasting

Instead of focusing on the goal of "I need to lose 40 lbs" focus on the actions that lead to weight loss. Starring at the scale won't make it move, and starring at your stats doesn't make them move easier.

What Do We Want Our Audience To Do?

When I thought about what we want our audience to do that leads to more podcast growth, it came down to these:

FIND: We need our audience to find us. To be easily found we need to know what they are looking for and word it in a way they will use.
CLICK: We need our audience to click on our listing, click on our titles, click on play and click follow.
FOLLOW: When your audience follows/subscribes to your show you are becoming part of their routine. Make it EASY to follow you
SHARE: We want our audience to share the show with their friends. According to Jacobs media 70% of new listeners discover a podcast from their friends.

Your Show Is An Experiment

Yes we would love to get our show perfect from episode one going forward. I didn't follow my own advice (and didn't get any other opinions) and named one of my shows (about the future of podcasting) "Leading the Bleeding" (as we talk about the bleeding edge of podcasting). I named another "test" show Podcast Rodeo Show (I bet you don't think its full of podcasting tips - it is). If you have to explain your show title - your might regret it later.

FIND MY SHOW MY NAME TEST

When I say to someone, "I'm doing a show called ______. What do you think it's about?" and they guess correctly, I've got a good name (Especially if there are some keywords in the name).

I see people put the name of their show asonegiantword and I'm pretty sure your audience isn't going to type that in.

If you want to be found by Goolge, you need a website. Check out www.trypodpage.com to make a site with Podpage, and to learn podpage, see www.learnpodpage.com

GET YOUR AUDIENCE TO CLICK

Here are some things that get people to click on your show:

The name of the show.
The name of the episodes
The artwork
An easy to find play button on your website

FOLLOW AND SUBSCRIBE

Search in podcast apps is getting better, but nothing beats having follow/subscribe buttons on your website. This way, when you tell people to go to your website on the special page made to follow and subscribe, it makes it easy; they don't have to "Find you," and you are reinforcing your brand.

There is a great plugin, Social subscribe and follow, that makes it easy to add subscribe buttons to your WordPress Website.

Here is my Follow Page, and Subscribe page.

SHARE THE SHOW

When your audience shares your content with their friends, you have a decent chance of getting a new listener. At Christmas, EVERYBODY was talking about the show Yellowstone. Consequently, I came home and started watching.

You do need to work on your pitch in a way that makes people want to go listen. You should practice this. When someone asks, "So, what is your show about?" they should hear a response that is um, well, kind like, um, you know, um.....

There are some cool plugins for WordPress like Novashare, Social Snap, the Monarch

USE THESE CRITERIA FOR MAKING A DECISIONS

I worked with someone who had named their show DCBN Lifestyle. When I asked (cause they didn't explain it in the show) what it stood for it was, "Don't cook bacon naked" which made me laugh. Which one would be found easier? DCBN or Don't cook bacon naked. The audience doesn't know you've abbreviated the title and if they can't find you they will never know.

If you're thinking of naming your episode School of Podcasting 861 or How to get your podcast unstuck, which one are you going to click on?

Should use create separate artwork for your episodes? She we use episode numbers in your title? Sometimes it is hard to decide (and there is nobody to ask). What do you do then?

Go with your gut. Your podcast is not a statue, and you can always change it later.

GROWING YOUR PODCAST AUDIENCE

Make it easy to find you by having a name the audience is looking for, easy to say, spell, and find. Have artwork that makes you stand out (and wasn’t done in crayon) with episode titles that make them click. Have buttons on your website so people can follow and subscribe to your show, and while they on your website they can use the share buttons as you ask your audience listening in their favorite podcast app (because your show is everywhere) to share their show with their friends. We want to grow our audiences, let’s focus on those steps that lead to our audience growth.

It all starts with knowing who your audience is, and what they want.

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month the question is one I often do in January. What are your top podcasting pet peeves? Those little things that drive you nuts.

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Deadline is 1/27/23

Where Will I Be?

I look forward to seeing you all; please come up and say hi. To see my full itinerary, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/where

Is Chat GPT the End of Civilization?

I've played with ChatGPT, which is somewhat like a search engine where you can ask it to write you a blog post, and it will. Remember, Google wants good words that deliver value. It does make me nervous as I can see where people could "use this for evil. I played with Revoicer (another one is Blakify is another one), which takes a script and has a robot read it. It's impressive, but almost all AI I deal with still needs a human to step in and polish the content (which, in some cases, is blatantly wrong).

We had a discussion on the Podcasters Roundtable about this and other things happening in 2023.

Ready To Start Your Podcast You may think nobody would listen to you, but I'm here to tell you they will. I have proven strategies to help you identify exactly what your audience wants. You will sound professional and won't have to spend a million dollars to sound great. Learn through our online tutorials, live group coaching and a private Facebook Group filled with brilliant podcasters. Join worry-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See schoolofpodcasting.com/listener

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

School of Podcasting

Blakify

Revoicer

Novashare,

Social Snap

Monarch

Social Subscribe and Follow

www.trypodpage.com

Leading the Bleeding

How to Make Episode Artwork Show in Podcast Apps (even in Apple Podcasts!) The Audacity to Podcast

Podcast Rodeo Show

Apple Website on Charts

Apple website - How Search Works

Click To Tweet

Chat GPT

No Agenda Show

Follow the Show and Never Miss an Episode on:

Apple - Google - Spotify - Amazon

Check out New Podcast Apps for apps to stream bitcoin to podcasters.

Did You Get Value From This Episode?

Enjoy the Show? Buy Dave a Coffee

and give some of that value back.

Become a School of Podcasting Affiliate

Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/affiliates

and sign up. When someone signs up using your link, you earn a commission. That commission is paid every month they stay subscribed. Start Earning Today

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Imposter syndrome is a feeling of self-doubt and insecurity that 70% of us experience at some point in our lives. It can be paralyzing and lead to a sense of being inadequate or undeserving of success. While it is difficult to eliminate the negative feelings associated with imposter syndrome completely, there are steps you can take to reduce its impact on your life. Today I talk about how it may be a GOOD THING to have imposter syndrome.

You Have Done Hard Things We have all done hard things in the past. One of the hardest things I had to do is let my Grandmother know she had outlived her daughter (my Mom). My last quarter in college was nuts as I was paying for myself to go to school. We all have a list of hard things, so we can do hard things.

It's Your Brain For whatever reason (probably due to things that got tattooed to our brains as children), those negative thoughts are hard to control. In researching this topic again, it turns out that most people just understand that they will have these thoughts, and in some cases, it's a good thing. Don't underestimate the power of your brain to manipulate you. David Tennant (Dr. Who) shares how his brain will try to convince him that you can remember large amounts of words and recite them AS HE IS LIVE ON STAGE DOING THAT EXACT THING.

You Are Not Alone In this episode, all of these people have imposter syndrome. I share clips from David Letterman with Billie Elish from his "My next guest needs no introduction."

Viola Davis from a 60 minutes interview.

Jason Sudeikis from his days at SNL.

Michelle Obama

Tom Hanks

Eddie and Wolfgang Van Halen

Awkwafina

David Tennant

Other people I didn't mention would be Rick Springfield and Meryl Streep

Why a little Imposter Syndrome is a Good Thing You are going to put content in front of an audience. There are two extreme reactions.

The extreme imposter feels they are not qualified and that nobody will listen, so they are frozen and never publish anything.
The obnoxious ego maniac that feels everyone will love their content and publish everything (and probably is not fun to be around).

As Viola Davis put it, if you think you will never work again, you will take any gig. Taking any gigs gives you the opportunity to work on your craft which results in you being a better podcaster.

You can't improve something that doesn't exist.

The Goal is to Be In The Middle You realize that you will always have that "negative voice" with you. As one person put it, "You can let them in the car, but they can't drive." Too many podcasts ae not being created because people are letting their own negative thoughts stop them from pressing record.

You want to build the habit of pressing the record button to feel comfortable behind the microphone without going too far to the point where you become obnoxious.

The Giant Carrot of Impact One thing that motivates me to create my podcast is I want to help people avoid making podcasting mistakes. Recently, I've been pointing out how Listennotes shows a bogus stat that can be disproven quickly. Consequently, anyone quoting these stats is either uninformed (and setting themselves up to look silly) or is preying on the uninformed. I ran into one person who seemed to fit the "prey on the uninformed" category. This depressed me. I was shocked. I felt like I had done a bad job in this video, and that video showed how stupid this stat was.

Then I got an email from someone who had seen an interaction I had with this person on YouTube and basically said that THEY HAD SEEN MY VIDEOS and now understood how stupid that stat is. So while this one podcast guru did not, this person did. My efforts had impacted this person in a positive way. I was amazed at how this made me feel (I'm sure a large amount of dopamine in my brain was released).

If you are a person with a mission, and a passion, don't let imposter syndrome stop you from impacting the world

Ready To Start Your Podcast? You may think nobody would listen to you, but I'm here to tell you they will. I have proven strategies to help you identify exactly what your audience wants. You will sound professional and won't have to spend a million dollars to sound great. Learn through our online tutorials, live group coaching and a private Facebook Group filled with brilliant podcasters. Join worry-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See schoolofpodcasting.com/listener

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month the question is one I often do in January. What are your top podcasting pet peeves? Those little things that drive you nuts.

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Deadline is 1/27/23

Where I Will Be?

I look forward to seeing you all; please come up and say hi. To see my full itinerary, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/where

View Details

Every year since 2013 I end the year asking my listeners what their favorite podcast is, and WHY it is their favorite podcast.

This gives me insights into my audience (many more females replying than I got back in 2013) and I find out about potential shows that I may want to network with (as we are already sharing an audience).

Thanks to everyone who contributed, I deeply appreciate your participation. Some of you have been around since episode 1, and that boggles my mind.

Ready To Start Your Podcast You may think nobody would listen to you, but I'm here to tell you they will. I have proven strategies to help you identify exactly what your audience wants. You will sound professional and won't have to spend a million dollars to sound great. Learn through our online tutorials, live group coaching and a private Facebook Group filled with brilliant podcasters. Join worry-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See schoolofpodcasting.com/listener

My Favorite Podcast Is 2:11 Steve Stewart still loves the Stacking Benjamins show, but instead of mentioning that show again he mentioned the This is awkward show about finance and more. Steve is also one of the founders of the Podcast Editor Academy. It is a phenomenal resource if you want to make some money as an editor.

05:24 Brian Goodwin from the Relaxed Male podcast loves the Life Coach School podcast.

08:20 Brooke Smothers from the RV Outwest show loves How I Built This by Guy Rax

09:43 Chris Lewis from the Dads with daughters loves the Real Brian Show

10:54 Chris Nesi from the House of Ed Tech loves the Warm Up Show.

13:53 Daniel J Lewis from the Audacity to Podcast loves the Podcasting 2.0 Show.

18:26 DR Who produces the Life After Corporate show loves the Build a Big Podcast Show by David Hooper.

21:44 Super Joe Pardo (organizer of the Indie Pod Conference) loves the Disney Dish Show 23:10 John Wilkerson from the Struggling for Purpose show loves the Truce Podcast. 24:23 Kim Newlove from The Pharmacist's Voice loves the School of Podcasting (this show). 28:23 Mark Vinet from The History of North America show loves the Book Notes Plus show. 29:09 Mike Dell from the Podcast Insider show loves the Lehto's Law show.

31:00 Neil Scott of the Recovery Coast to Coast show loves the Bob Lefsetz podcast.

34:06 Nina loves the School of Podcasting

42:23Nyree from The Ferret Paradigm Podcast and The Fauna Paradigm shows loves a show that just split in two due to some co-host tensions. Check out Curious Freedom and The Arto f Decluttering. 45:36 Paul From the Pass ACLS Tip of the Day loves the Everything Everywhere show. Here the host of Everything Everywhere on episode 854 where he explains how he grows his show. 47:38 Richard from the Veterans Day Room loves the Build a Big Podcast show. 51:43 Rich Palmer loves the Voice Over Body Shop Show.

54:03 Taylor Marek loves The Expert Ownership show

55:22 York From Welcome to Earth Stories show loves the Matt Walsh show. 57:11 Scott Johnson from the What Was That Like? show loves the 7 Minute Stories show. 59:49 Jim Collison from the Home Gadget Geeks show loves One Nation Under Whiskey show. 01:01:46 Dave Jackson from the Your Podcast Consultant show loves the No Agenda Show

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month the question is one I often do in January. What are your top podcasting pet peeve? Those little things that drive you nuts.

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Deadline is 1/27/23

Ready To Start Your Podcast You may think nobody would listen to you, but I'm here to tell you they will. I have proven strategies to help you identify exactly what your audience wants. You will sound professional and won't have to spend a million dollars to sound great. Learn through our online tutorials, live group coaching, and a private Facebook Group filled with brilliant podcasters. Join worry-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See schoolofpodcasting.com/listener

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month the question is one I often do in January. What are your top podcasting pet peeve? Those little things that drive you nuts.

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Deadline is 1/27/23

Become a School of Podcasting Affiliate

Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/affiliates

and sign up. When someone signs up using your link, you earn a commission. That commission is paid every month they stay subscribed. Start Earning Today

Follow the Show and Never Miss an Episode on:

Apple - Google - Spotify - Amazon

Check out New Podcast Apps for apps to stream bitcoin to podcasters.

Did You Get Value From This Episode?

Enjoy the Show? Buy Dave a Coffee

and give some of that value back.

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Creating a successful and engaging podcastpromo requires careful planning and dedication. Whether you are creating a podcast promo or radio ad, it is important to have a clear understanding of your target audience (hyper clear). By taking into consideration the message you want to convey, the format of your audio advertisement, you can craft an effective promo for your podcast that resonates with listeners. This episode Neil Hedley from Knopp Studios who has such a wide skillset (radio, tv, advertising, copywriting, comedian, and instructor of the copywriting 101 course - use coupon sop50). Helps me understand there is no "cookie cutter recipe" for making a good podcast promo.

Ready To Start Your Podcast You may think nobody would listen to you, but I'm here to tell you they will. I have proven strategies to help you identify exactly what your audience wants. You will sound professional, and won't have to spend a million dollars to sound great. Learn through our online tutorials, live group coaching and a private Facebook Group filled with brilliant podcasters. Join worry-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See schoolofpodcasting.com/listener

Creating a Good Podcast Promo In talking with Neil from The Voice In My Head we discover there is no "paint by numbers" path to making a great podcast promo. There are some best practices such as:

Niche down until you have a crystal clear picture of your audience.
The message about your show is not a one size fits all situation. If you are advertising on "Joe Rogan Experience" and the "Minister Bob" show,
What is missing in most ads is they are just the facts - they are not entertaining or memorable.
The job of the first sentence is to get you to listen to the second sentence.
There is a skip ad button on YouTube, but no "play ad again."
People don't hate ads, they hate BAD ads.

Connect with Neil

Copywriting 101 Course (use coupon sop50)

Neil's Book Copywriting 101: What Was That Number Again?: Crimes Against Advertising and How to Prevent Them

Neil's Agency KNOPP STUDIOS

The Voice in My Hed Show

Because of My Podcast I'm a Pop Up Pastor Because of the Speak Life Church Podcast Kenn was able to fulfill my Call to ministry.

The speak life podcast is a church without walls.

I am an at-large pop-up pastor to about 300 people nationally.

I have been able to travel to officiate Christian weddings, perform baptisms, and funerals, and answer the call to counsel ten people considering suicide.

https://www.blanchardnetwork.com/show/speak-life-church/ speaklifechurch.net

Can you finish the statement "Because of my podcast _______"? Head over to our contact page and share it.

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month the question is the one I do over December. What is your favorite podcast in 2022, and WHY? You can only choose ONE (I know it's hard). If you can get their website URL, that would be VERY helpful. Also, be sure to mention your show, it's the website and a little bit about it.

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Deadline is 12/30/22

Where I Will Be?

I look forward to seeing you all; please come up and say hi. To see my full itinerary, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/where

Mentioned In This Episode

Neil's Previous Episode Tips Podcasters Can Use From Radio with Neil Hedley

Seth Godin Books on Amazon (aff)

What Was That Like Podcast

Dave In Your Pocket - Coaching without Calendars

Follow the Show and Never Miss an Episode on:

Apple - Google - Spotify - Amazon

Check out New Podcast Apps for apps to stream bitcoin to podcasters.

Did You Get Value From This Episode?

Enjoy the Show? Buy Dave a Coffee

and give some of that value back.

Become a School of Podcasting Affiliate

Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/affiliates

and sign up. When someone signs up using your link, you earn a commission. That commission is paid every month they stay subscribed. Start Earning Today

Copywriting 101: What Was That Number Again?: Crimes Against Advertising and How to Prevent Them

View Details

A study has come out showing the results of 1700 new podcasters, and 41% saw their new podcast as an opportunity for additional income, with 29% of those wanting to be their main source of income. There are people who will charge you THOUSANDS of dollars (in three easy payments) who will GUARANTEE a top spot in podcasts apps. They quote their listennotes stats (even when they know they are bogus, see video 1 and video 2) and promote affiliate products - not because they are good - but because they have the highest commission.

I'm not them. Today I reveal the truth - even if it is not what you want to hear.

So The Plan is Start a Podcast and Get Advertisers? Less than 10% of podcasters get the number of downloads per episode after 30 days to get a host ready from a "big sponsor." source

Programmatic ads have a CPM that may be around $12 CPM (cost per thousand downloads) source

The median number of podcasters is around 150 (per libsyn)and the average is around 1500. The median on Buzzsprout is 30.

The aver CPM for Advertisecast is $24ish and they require 10,000 downloads per episode. source

Please note, I'm not saying smaller shows with 1000 downloads an episode can't get a sponsor. With podcasting, it always "Depends" on your topic. If you DO have a hyper niche or hyper-local podcast you can charge more than the rates above.

Bruce Chamoff from the NYC Podcast Network I first ran into Bruce when he invited me to be a speaker at his Podknow 2023 Online Event. I wanted to talk to Bruce because I don't see eye to eye on some of the things he does, and I wanted to no more. One was having a network where the topics weren't related.

Brice started the NYC Podcast Network back in 2005 (it was the Long Island Podcast Network back then). He has slowly broadened the scope and plans on rebranding it to the Global Podcast Network.

Bruce is monetizing by having podcaster pay to be promoted on his site, which gets 20-25 thousand unique visitors a month. That would put him in the top 20% (Source).

You can join for free or pay a small monthly fee to be featured on the site. Bruce monitors all the activity on the website so you can evaluate your traffic from the site and decide if it's worth the fee, or just stay with a free plan (or leave - I'm somewhat worried about having another site competing with YOUR website)

Certain plans on the site allow you to link to our show on popular podcast platforms, as well as monetization links, and link to your website (which you can do on your own site for free).

Bruce likens it to a social media site based around podcasting. What makes his site different is his level of categorization.

You can sign up for free, try it, and check your stats to see if this works for you.

My "Thanks Dave" Engagement Experiment For three weeks, I swapped out my typical School of Podcasting Advertisement and askws people if they felt I had given value over the years (and they had never joined the School of Podcasting) if they would give some of that value back by going to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/thanks

Six people said "Thanks" and gave some value back (Ranging from $5-$25).

Steve at Wayword studios

Letitia Evans

James Cridland From Podnews

Craig Wealand from Ingles Podcast

DR from Mouthy Broad Media

Try Price from Front Porch Studios

If you take 6/1500 that is .04% (not 4% POINT ZERO 4)

I've mentioned in the past that I've heard the VERY popular show Radiolab do a "Fundraiser" type episode trying to get UP TO 1% of their audience to donate. When I've spoken to other people in the industry, a good engagement level is 2-3%.

If I count the people who are Patrons and Students, I'm somewhere near that ballpark.

Mentioned in This Episode Building a Podcast Network

Behind the Scenes of the Trek.fm Network

How to Start a Podcast Network: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

Dave's Listener Survey

Join the Live Focus Group For the School of Podcasting

Question of the Month

Where I Will Be

View Details

Creating a successful podcast takes more than just having a great idea. To ensure that the show resonates with listeners, podcasters must understand their audience and the topics they want to hear. Audience surveys are an invaluable tool to help podcasters understand their listeners and create content tailored to them. In this article, we will look at why audience surveys are so crucial for podcasters, as well as some tips on how best to use them.

Why Have a Survey? 1. Advertisers 2. Understanding who listening? 3. Understand what they want 4. To help you deliver more value in your show

Creating Your Survey

What is the goal of this survey? Why are you creating this survey? What do you hope to accomplish with this survey? How will you use the data you are collecting?

Question Tips:

Explain to the recipients why you are doing this survey and how it will benefit THEM.

Start with general questions and then get specific.

If you are doing a sliding scale, make it an even number 1-4 instead of 1-5, as it eliminates the ability to choose the items in the middle.

If you have advertisers ask if people have purchased one of your sponsor's products.

Much more information on the site

Take My Survey

I'm giving away a $25 Amazon gift card, a 30 minutes consultation, and a copy of my book Profit From Your Podcast Proven Strategies to turn Listeners into a Livelihood

TAKE THE SURVEY

Attend the LIVE FEEDBACK Webinar on January 4th at 6:30 PM

Ready To Start Your Podcast You may think nobody would listen to you, but I'm here to tell you they will. I have proven strategies to help you identify exactly what your audience wants. You will sound professional and won't have to spend a million dollars to sound great. Learn through our online tutorials, live group coaching, and a private Facebook Group filled with brilliant podcasters. Join worry-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See schoolofpodcasting.com/listener

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month the question is the one I do over December. What is your favorite podcast in 2022, and WHY? You can only choose ONE (I know it's hard). If you can get their website URL, that would be VERY helpful. Also, be sure to mention your show, it's website and a little bit about it.

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Deadline is 12/30/22

BUILD YOUR PODCAST PROFITS STRATEGY WORKSHOP

Tired of struggling to monetize your podcast?

December 17th 10AM-1PM Central

This is not a webinar, it is a workshop, so come prepared to work. There are only 12 seats, so everyone walks out with their monetization strategy. The price is $97

Where I Will Be?

I look forward to seeing you all. Please come up and say hi. To see my full itinerary, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/where

Mentioned In This Episode

Google Forms

Edison Research Sample Podcast Listener Survey

Horse Radio Network

Dog Podcast Network

What Was That Like Show

Dave In Your Pocket (Coaching without calendars)

Podcast Talent Coach

Podcast Review Show

More information on website

Follow the Show and Never Miss an Episode on:

Apple - Google - Spotify - Amazon

Check out New Podcast Apps for apps to stream bitcoin to podcasters.

Did You Get Value From This Episode?

Enjoy the Show? Buy Dave a Coffee

and give some of that value back.

View Details

Podcasts are like Lay's potato chips (you can't have just one). Once you start one, Getting the itch to start a second is something people are thinking about. With this in mind, we look at questions you should ask before starting your first, second, third... podcast.

Ready To Start Your Podcast? You may think nobody would listen to you, but I'm here to tell you they will. I have proven strategies to help you identify exactly what your audience wants. You will sound professional, and won't have to spend a million dollars to sound great. Learn through our online tutorials, live group coaching and a private Facebook Group filled with brilliant podcasters. Join worry-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See schoolofpodcasting.com/listener

Podcasters Pondering a Second Show

Kim Newlove of the Pharmacist's Voice is considering doing a local show about Perrysburg Ohio.

Dr. Brad Miller of the Overcoming Adversity show has launched Santa Clause Says Podcast.

Mark Vinet of the History of North America show is mixing in his historical fiction books (for me I would put these in their own show, and promote them in his first show).

Matt Rafferty of the Author Inside You is thinking of doing a local show that interviews local businesses.

Dave Jackson (me) is bringing back a show with a new format at MonthlyChallenge.fit

5 Questions You Should Answer When Starting Your Podcast

Why are you starting a podcast?
Is this a passion project or a business?
Who is your audience
What do they want to hear? (Why will they listen to your podcast?)
How will you gauge your success?

(Bonus) What will you stop doing to find the time to do this show?

My Black Friday Purchases

I like the output of Deverberate for cleaning up bad audio that has lots of reverb.

I also purchased Wiser Notification (aff) to make my pop-ups on my site, and to show social proof on my site. (coupon BF2022-30 )

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month the question is the one I do every December. What is your favorite podcast in 2022 and WHY? You can only choose ONE (I know it's hard). If you can get their website URL that would be VERY helpful. Also be sure to mention your show, its website, and a little bit about it.

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Deadline is 12/30/22

Where I Will Be?

I look forward to seeing you all, please come up and say hi. To see my full itinerary, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/where

Put Dave In Your Pocket!

If you are a podcaster (or future podcaster) who would like to retain Dave's services without joining the School of Podcasting, I'm not using a new system to allow us to do this with zero scheduling conflicts. Check out daveinyourpocket.com

Mentioned In This Episode

schoolofpodcasting.com/listener

Northeast Ohio Podcast

Pharmacist's Voice

Overcoming Adversity

Santa Clause Says

the History of North America show

historical fiction books

the Author Inside You

MonthlyChallenge.fit

Building a Better Dave

Podcast Rodeo Show

Ask the Podcast Coach

Podcast Review Show

Your Podcast Consultant

The History of Six Shooter

This episode originates at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/855

View Details

Gary Arndt is an award-winning travel photographer, blogger, and podcaster who has been traveling the globe for 10 years when covid devastated the travel industry leaving Gary with nothing. Gary knows the value of promotion. He's used various strategies to grow his podcast Everything Everywhere, including partnering with other podcasts, leveraging his blog traffic, and giving listeners an incentive to subscribe. He also started paying for promotions on other podcasts. As a result, his podcast has reached a wider audience and he's been able to connect with more listeners and is approaching 1 million downloads per month.

Ready To Start Your Podcast? You may think nobody would listen to you, but I'm here to tell you they will. I have proven strategies to help you identify exactly what your audience wants. You will sound professional, and won't have to spend a million dollars to sound great. Learn through our online tutorials, live group coaching and a private Facebook Group filled with brilliant podcasters. Join worry-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See schoolofpodcasting.com/listener

Gary Arndt's Multiple Strategy Approach When Gary first launched his 7-day-a-week podcast Everything Everywhere Gary says he was getting around 6000 downloads per episode. Fast forward two and a half year and Gary is approaching getting 1 million downloads per month (a growth of 167%). How did he do it?

Gary's Strategies: He never turns down an interview.

He executes feed drops (cross-promotion) with other shows.

His show is listed in all directories.

He has a budget to promote his show on other podcasts.

He is investigating advertising in magazines that match his show.

It's Not the ONE thing he is doing. He is DOING THE WORK.

In today's show you will hear:

Why social media doesn’t convert that well for podcasting.
How Gary chooses his subjects?
What are Gary's growth strategies for your podcast?
Why do you think your media property can get away with doing nothing?
How to get people to buy your ads.
The Spanish National Tourism Board is one of Gary's biggest supporters.
Gary may turn his scripts into a book in the future.

Podcast Quick Tip: Trade Each Podcast Episode Like a Blog Post On Your Website

Make sure your podcast information in your media points to your website. Then when making a new episode, have the link in the episode point to a URL where your audience can find more information (and do all the things you want them to do on your website) This can also lead to boosting your Google SEO Score. If you need a website see Cooler Websites or Name Cheap. If you need a website check out Podcast Page, or Learnpodpage.com (Free course)

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month the question is from Matt Rafferty The Author Inside for You show and he wants to know:

The question is, “What is your Next Podcast going to be about?” Not your next episode, but your next SHOW. We all know it is hard to have just one…

If you're sticking to just one, explain that as well.

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Deadline is 11/25/22

Where I Will Be?

I look forward to seeing you all, please come up and say hi. To see my full itinerary, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/where

Mentioned In This Episode

Everything Everywhere

School of Podcasting.com/listener

Podcast Addict
Overcast
Buzzsprout Ads
Spotify Ads
Podbean
Pocketcasts
Castbox
Fountain.fm

www.trypodpage.com and www.learnpodpage.com

More info on ADvertising on other shows on Episode 843

Say Thank You

www.schoolofpodcasting.com/thanks

View Details

This podcast episode discusses the pros and cons of using artificial intelligence to help with copywriting for a podcast, and whether or not it's worth it. Is the Capsho software really worth the price tag?

Ready To Start Your Podcast You may think nobody would listen to you, but I'm here to tell you they will. I have proven strategies to help you identify exactly what your audience wants. You will sound professional, and won't have to spend a million dollars to sound great. Learn through our online tutorials, live group coaching and a private Facebook Group filled with brilliant podcasters. Join worry-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See schoolofpodcasting.com/listener

Holiday Hours For Apple and Your Media Hosts

Apple has posted their holiday hours.

From 11/29/22 - 11/27/22 along with 12/23/22 - 1/2/23, new shows and channels or subscriptions submitted during these windows may not be available within our regular. And responses to support inquiries might be slightly delayed plan accordingly and submit any new content with this in mind,

According to Rob Walch at Libsyn, "If you want to have a full launch by January 1, you should submit by November 15."

What If I don't submit by November 15th? All is not lost, the world has waited 18 years for your podcast, it may have to wait another week.

Be Kind To Your Media Hosts

No matter what the company is, your media host, email providers, etc, please remember that everyone is taking time off to be with their family and friends, etc. Lighting up a company on social isn't going to help because (more than likely) nobody is home as they are also with their friends and family (and maybe you should be too).

Join my New Dynamic Podcast Newsletter I'm "doubling down" on a podcast newsletter. This will have podcast news, spotlight podcasts, links to my episodes, what is catching my eye, and behind-the-scenes information at the School of Podcasting. If you go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/newsletter you can check what you want to read. If you're already on the list you will get an email asking you to specify later in the week. For those who are curious, I'm using Mailerlite.

Speaking of the newsletter, I am working on an episode about using a newsletter with your podcast. I've got a few interviews lined up as I want this to be a narrative-style podcast. If you use an email list with your podcast, I'd love to interview you. Contact me

My First Impression of Capsho the AI Copywriting Tool For Podcasters According to their website, Capsho claims, "The Best AI Copywriting Software for Podcasters. Create your podcast promotional copy in under 10 minutes." You upload your episode, and it spits out:

Episode title
Episode description
Show notes
Blog post
Promotional Email
Social Media Captions (for all platforms)
LinkedIn Article
Transcript

Is It Worth It? There are lots of products with AI (Artificial Intelligence). Word Hero will help you write over 60 different types of descriptions starting at $50/month (there is also a lifetime deal aff). Anyword is another copywriting tool for $30/month. Descript with transcribe and make it easy to edit your show (and they have that amazing studio sound tool). Headliner Studio from CoSchedule is $9/month. With Capsho plans starting at $29/month, I believe it delivers enough value (but that depends on your budget). In my world, I've decided to keep using it and see how it performs.

AI Will NEVER Release a Human I will get into this later, but while a computer can imitate a human, I feel it can't replace. We are all different with these things called opinions and personalities, and even though I can specify a tone in some AI products like Word Hero it almost always needs a tweak to match your personality.

So Who Is Capsho Good For? If you're not writing anything or struggling, this does a lot of the heavy lifting. If would love to have someone help you with your description, titles, etc but can't afford a virtual assistant, but can find $29-$90 in the monthly budget, then this might be a good fit. As always, you pay in one of two currencies, time or money. Whichever one you have the most of, use that.

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month the question is from Matt Rafferty The Author Inside for You show and he wants to know:

The question is, “What is your Next Podcast going to be about?” Not your next episode, but your next SHOW. We all know it is hard to have just one…

If you're sticking to just one, explain that as well.

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Deadline is 11/25/22

Videos To Watch Watch Capsho Video Demo

Up with People Special

Up With People Superbowl

Mentioned In This Episode School of Podcasting

Capsho

Word Hero (lifetime deal )

Anyword

Descript

Headliner Studio

Mailerlite

Repurpose.io

Jasper

Surfer SEO

Castamatic

New Podcast Apps

Neil Hedley Episode on Advertising

Neil's Copywriting Course Enhanced Marketing

Tom Webster penned two AMAZING articles on how podcasting needs to learn from radio. Part 1 and Part 2

Book: The Copywriter's Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Copy That Sells

The Copywriter's Handbook: A Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Copy That Sells (4th Edition)

View Details

This podcast episode discusses the pros and cons of using artificial intelligence to help with copywriting for a podcast, and whether or not it's worth it. Is the Capsho software really worth the price tag?

Ready To Start Your Podcast You may think nobody would listen to you, but I'm here to tell you they will. I have proven strategies to help you identify exactly what your audience wants. You will sound professional, and won't have to spend a million dollars to sound great. Learn through our online tutorials, live group coaching and a private Facebook Group filled with brilliant podcasters. Join worry-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See schoolofpodcasting.com/listener

Holiday Hours For Apple and Your Media Hosts

Apple has posted their holiday hours.

From 11/29/22 - 11/27/22 along with 12/23/22 - 1/2/23, new shows and channels or subscriptions submitted during these windows may not be available within our regular. And responses to support inquiries might be slightly delayed plan accordingly and submit any new content with this in mind,

According to Rob Walch at Libsyn, "If you want to have a full launch by January 1, you should submit by November 15."

What If I don't submit by November 15th? All is not lost, the world has waited 18 years for your podcast, it may have to wait another week.

Be Kind To Your Media Hosts

No matter what the company is, your media host, email providers, etc, please remember that everyone is taking time off to be with their family and friends, etc. Lighting up a company on social isn't going to help because (more than likely) nobody is home as they are also with their friends and family (and maybe you should be too).

Join my New Dynamic Podcast Newsletter I'm "doubling down" on a podcast newsletter. This will have podcast news, spotlight podcasts, links to my episodes, what is catching my eye, and behind-the-scenes information at the School of Podcasting. If you go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/newsletter you can check what you want to read. If you're already on the list you will get an email asking you to specify later in the week. For those who are curious, I'm using Mailerlite.

Speaking of the newsletter, I am working on an episode about using a newsletter with your podcast. I've got a few interviews lined up as I want this to be a narrative-style podcast. If you use an email list with your podcast, I'd love to interview you. Contact me

My First Impression of Capsho the AI Copywriting Tool For Podcasters According to their website, Capsho claims, "The Best AI Copywriting Software for Podcasters. Create your podcast promotional copy in under 10 minutes." You upload your episode, and it spits out:

Episode title
Episode description
Show notes
Blog post
Promotional Email
Social Media Captions (for all platforms)
LinkedIn Article
Transcript

Is It Worth It? There are lots of products with AI (Artificial Intelligence). Word Hero will help you write over 60 different types of descriptions starting at $50/month (there is also a lifetime deal aff). Anyword is another copywriting tool for $30/month. Descript with transcribe and make it easy to edit your show (and they have that amazing studio sound tool). Headliner Studio from CoSchedule is $9/month. With Capsho plans starting at $29/month, I believe it delivers enough value (but that depends on your budget). In my world, I've decided to keep using it and see how it performs.

AI Will NEVER Release a Human I will get into this later, but while a computer can imitate a human, I feel it can't replace. We are all different with these things called opinions and personalities, and even though I can specify a tone in some AI products like Word Hero it almost always needs a tweak to match your personality.

So Who Is Capsho Good For? If you're not writing anything or struggling, this does a lot of the heavy lifting. If would love to have someone help you with your description, titles, etc but can't afford a virtual assistant, but can find $29-$90 in the monthly budget, then this might be a good fit. As always, you pay in one of two currencies, time or money. Whichever one you have the most of, use that.

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month the question is from Matt Rafferty The Author Inside for You show and he wants to know:

The question is, “What is your Next Podcast going to be about?” Not your next episode, but your next SHOW. We all know it is hard to have just one…

If you're sticking to just one, explain that as well.

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Deadline is 11/25/22

Videos To Watch Watch Capsho Video Demo

Up with People Special

Up With People Superbowl

Mentioned In This Episode School of Podcasting

Capsho

Word Hero (lifetime deal )

Anyword

Descript

Headliner Studio

Mailerlite

Repurpose.io

Jasper

Surfer SEO

Castamatic

New Podcast Apps

Neil Hedley Episode on Advertising

Neil's Copywriting Course Enhanced Marketing

Tom Webster penned two AMAZING articles on how podcasting needs to learn from radio. Part 1 and Part 2

Book: The Copywriter's Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Copy That Sells

View Details

In a world where we are constantly bombarded with images and noise, it's easy to forget the power of words. But words are still the most powerful tool we have for communication. They can be used to connect with others, to share our stories, and to create change.

Podcasting is one of the most intimate forms of communication. It's a way to use words to connect with others in a very personal way. When you hear someone's voice, it feels like they're speaking directly to you. And when you share your own story, you have the opportunity to really connect with your listeners.

I was interviewed and the interviewer changed the question from "What is your favorite Books" to "What is one of your favorite books." It puts a whole different level of pressure on the guest. This got me to thinking are there any other words that we can substitute to have a larger impact on our audience.

Ready To Start Your Podcast You may think nobody would listen to you, but I'm here to tell you they will. I have proven strategies to help you identify exactly what your audience wants. You will sound professional, and won't have to spend a million dollars to sound great. Learn through our online tutorials, live group coaching and a private Facebook Group filled with brilliant podcasters. Join worry-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See schoolofpodcasting.com/listener

Mark Achieve More Success Quick by Changing From Whining to Winning

Mark start a new podcast about the new Lord of the Rings show, and instead of explaining how the was costing money, and it took time, and even when the show wasn't putting out more episodes, he had to pay for hosting, etc he changed his strategy.

Mark asked if they received any value, and if they did, would they mind giving any of it back and giving them one link (so it's one call to action).

In his first season, he received around $900. For this old podcast, he also received $900 but it took him between 9-0 years.

Don't Say This Say That

Instead of asking "What is your favorite ____? " you can ask a quest, "What is ONE OF YOUR favorite ____? This still allows us to hear their favorites without having to make them pick their absolute favorite

Instead of asking is someone interested in coming on your show, ask them if they are willing. When it comes to willing vs interested, willing sounds more open.

When the doctor asked "Are there any other concerns you'd like to address in this visit?" 53% of patients responded affirmatively. Yet when the doctor asked "Are there some other concerns you'd like to address in this visit?" a whopping 90% of patients responded affirmatively. Why? Patients were primed by how each of the words is used elsewhere. Naming "some" concerns implies you have options. "Any" implies random guesswork (at best) or an exhaustive list (at worst.) The word "some" evokes a positive response. (source) Quick Keys to Communication Keep it simple.
Is it unexpected?
Be specific
Say it in a way that makes your listener invokes emotions. Always use stories when possible Book: Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die QUESTION OF THE MONTH

This month the question is from Matt Rafferty The Author Inside for You show and he wants to know:

The question is, “What is your Next Podcast going to be about?” Not your next episode, but your next SHOW. We all know it is hard to have just one…

If you're sticking to just one, explain that as well.

Leave Your Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Deadline is 11/25/22

Where I Will Be?

I look forward to seeing you all, please come up and say high. To see my full itinerary, go to schoolofpodcasting.com/where

Mentioned In This Episode

School of Podcasting

Schoolofpodcasting.com/listener

Rings of Power Podcast

ringsofpowerpodcast.com

Resourceful Designer

resourcefuldesigner.com

Podcast Branding

podcastbranding.co

Book: Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

The Author Inside for You show

Jerry Seinfeld Explains the Pop Tart Joke

https://youtu.be/itWxXyCfW5s My Podcast Reviews
https://supportthisshow.com/mpr Dave Jackson's YouTube Channel

Book: Profit From Your Podcast

Ben Locker Copywriter

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die