Explore every episode of the podcast Podmastery: podcasting insights and advice for indie creators
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nobody Has Ever Recommended Your Podcast Out Loud | 02 Nov 2026 | 00:09:00 | |
Finish this sentence out loud: “You should listen to this podcast. It’s about…” If you hesitated, so does every listener you’ve got. Last week, on episode 100, I failed my own check three. My last three titles sounded like three different shows sharing a microphone, and I promised we’d sort out theme this week. It turns out theme isn’t really about your titles. It comes down to one sentence, and that sentence is the only bit of marketing your listeners are ever going to do for you. So meet Mary. She loves your show, she’s in the pub, her mate needs something for the drive to work, and she’s about to recommend you. Then she can’t tell anyone what you’re about, and her mate orders some crisps. I go through the three things a sentence needs so somebody else can repeat it after a glass of wine. Then I hold my own show’s sentence up to the light (36 words, Mary’s got about 10) and cut it down to the pub version. I finish with the bit almost nobody does: saying it on every episode, in the same words, until it feels repetitive to you. Podmastery: Podcasting Insights is for people who already make a podcast and are sick of being told they’re doing it wrong. Chapters 00:00 Finish this sentence 00:32 Intro 01:12 Mary in the pub 02:01 Why it went nowhere 02:34 Word of mouth does work 03:06 A category isn’t a sentence 04:00 What the sentence needs 04:43 My show sentence 05:43 Back to last week’s titles 06:53 Say it every episode 07:58 Your one thing 08:22 Pass it on Links Ep 100, I audit podcasts for a living: https://podmastery.co/episodes/i-audit-podcasts-for-a-living-lets-do-yours/ Rerun check three with the free health check: podmastery.co/health-check When it’s bigger than one sentence: podmastery.co/need-podcasting-help Free 7-day podcast makeover email course: podmastery.co Listener survey (free download as a thank-you): podmastery.co/listener-survey | |||
| I Audit Podcasts For A Living. Let’s Do Yours. | 26 Oct 2026 | 00:13:33 | |
Get your phone out. I’ve audited around 150 podcasts, and this time we’re auditing yours, together, while you listen. It’s episode 100, so instead of a party I’m doing the thing people usually pay me for: the four checks I run on every show before I write a word of an audit. You pause me, check your own show, come back, and we score it. Check one is how quickly your latest episode gets going, and how clean the edit is getting there. Check two is how your voice is recorded. Check three is your last three titles, and I fail that one on air. Check four is the bit of your description people see before it says “more”. Checks three and four, a machine can do, so I built one. Paste your RSS feed or your show name into the free health check and you’ll get a score out of 10 in red, amber and green, the same standard I use in my paid audits. If you want me actually listening to your show, the Lite audit is at the end of your results. Chapters 03:27 Check one: editing 04:56 Check two: your voice 06:16 Check three: titles 08:27 Check four: descriptions 09:11 The score 09:53 The free tool 11:35 Your one thing 12:31 Close Links Free podcast health check: podmastery.co/health-check When it’s bigger than four checks: https://podmastery.co/need-podcasting-help/ Free 7-day podcast makeover email course: podmastery.co Listener survey (free download as a thank-you): podmastery.co/listener-survey | |||
| Opinion: They’re Telling Us There Are Too Many Ads | 24 Oct 2026 | 00:10:39 | |
54.8% of podcast listeners say shows already carry too many ads. 8.6% say they’d put up with a few more to keep their favourite shows free. That’s roughly one in 12, and honestly, I’d quite like to check he’s okay. Same week, Joe Rogan re-signs with Spotify (Podscribe reckons his recent episodes carried 15 ads), and audio fiction network Fable and Folly says it’s closing because podcast advertising changed under it. Bit of a week for ads. And if you’re thinking “but Neal, I don’t run any ads”… I know. This is still your problem. Your listener’s patience for being sold to doesn’t belong to each show. It’s one tank, the big shows have been draining it all evening, and by the time they press play on yours, your rate and review ask sounds exactly like a mattress advert. The people who walk first aren’t the casuals, either. It’s Mary. Your best listener. I also owe you an asterisk on something I said recently about empty sponsor slots, and Spotify’s relaunched Memberships has accidentally pointed at the one asset nobody can skip, and nobody can take 10% of. The one thing to change on your next episode is at 08:22. Chapters 00:00 Listeners have filed a complaint 00:44 54.8% say too many ads 01:34 Rogan’s 15 ads and a network closing 02:19 But I don’t run ads 04:37 Mary skips you 05:47 The asterisk 06:53 Beyond the pre-roll 07:30 The tenant put the rent up 08:22 Your one action this week 09:45 The small print Links The Podcast Study 2026 on ad load: podnews.net/press-release/podcast-ad-load-2 Beyond the Preroll, the follow-up: podnews.net/press-release/new-revenue-opportunities Fable and Folly to close: podnews.net/update/fable-and-folly-closes Spotify Memberships: podnews.net/update/spotify-memberships The landlord and tenants episode: podmastery.co/episodes/opinion-podcasters-youre-the-landlord-the-platforms-are-just-tenants When it’s bigger than one episode: podmastery.co/need-podcasting-help Free 7-day podcast makeover email course: podmastery.co Listener survey (free download as a thank-you): podmastery.co/listener-survey Got your own opinion on this? I’d love to hear it: podmastery.co/get-in-touch | |||
| How to Read a Podcast Script Without Sounding Like You’re Reading | 21 Oct 2026 | 00:10:21 | |
My script said “leave”. My mouth said “ditch out”. Nobody listening ever knew, and that’s exactly why your script is the problem, not your voice. If you sound like you’re reading when you record, someone has probably told you it’s your voice. Smile more. Slow down. Warm it up. It’s very rarely your voice. It’s the page. In this episode I play you the line I couldn’t get through last time, take Dennis (of imaginary biscuit tin fame) through the wrong fixes, and tell you what happened when I tried to say the same passage twice, word for word, with 30-odd years of practice and the script right in front of me. I couldn’t do it. Most scripts are written to be looked at. Long sentences, the important bit buried mid-clause, words nobody says out loud. Your eyes can go back over a sentence. Your listeners’ ears can’t. Your mouth knows that, so it argues with the page the whole way through, and that argument is what people hear. The fix takes one voice memo and a bit of humility. It’s at 07:57 if you want to skip straight to it. Chapters 00:00 The line I couldn’t read 01:05 Dennis has a lovely voice 02:40 Scripts are written for eyes 04:30 One job: say it twice 06:22 Why good writers sound worse 07:57 The fix: let your mouth rewrite the page Links Ep 98, the quality floor episode: https://podmastery.co/episodes/heres-what-definitely-wont-make-your-podcast-sound-better/ When it’s bigger than how you sound reading: podmastery.co/need-podcasting-help Free 7-day podcast makeover email course: podmastery.co Listener survey (free download as a thank-you): podmastery.co/listener-survey | |||
| Here's What Definitely Won’t Make Your Podcast Sound Better | 07 Oct 2026 | 00:12:56 | |
I recorded this one on a USB mic at a hotel desk, next to a kettle and some UHT milk I’m going to regret. If you can’t hear much difference, that’s the whole episode. There’s a quality floor in podcasting. Below it, people leave. Above it, something odd happens: nobody notices anything at all. Nobody has ever finished an episode, turned to their partner and said “lovely compression on that one.” Most of us got over that floor years ago, thanks to Descript’s Studio Sound, Adobe’s free Enhance Speech button and Auphonic. Nobody told you. So we keep buying things our listeners can’t hear. In this episode:
Chapters: 00:00 The same recording, played twice 02:24 The quality floor (and when you got over it) 05:23 Dennis, the biscuit tins and my £300 box in the loft 07:39 February me was half right 10:31 What actually makes a difference 11:28 Your one thing: the wardrobe test Links: The Podmastery community founding-members waitlist: podmastery.co/podcasting-community Got a problem that’s bigger than your sound? podmastery.co/need-podcasting-help Auphonic (free for 2 hours a month): auphonic.com The February episode I mention, When Tools Make Bad Audio Sound ‘Good’, Who Loses?: https://podmastery.co/episodes/when-tools-make-bad-audio-sound-good-who-loses/ Descript (affiliate link: you get a bargain, I get a kickback, that’s how this works): | |||
| How Long Should A Podcast Episode Be? (The Honest Answer) | 28 Sep 2026 | 00:06:01 | |
There's a moment about nineteen minutes into a lot of podcast episodes where you can hear the host has checked out. They made their point at minute six. It was quite good. But there were eleven minutes of slot left, so they made it again, slightly differently, this time with a story about their brother-in-law's conservatory. This one's about the clock. The one radio had, the one podcasting got rid of, and the brand new one we all built ourselves about five minutes later. It's short on purpose. You'll understand why. In this episode: — The radio news jingle, and the best podcast editor I ever had — How we escaped the clock and built a new one immediately — The dinner party and the single Twix — Gareth (made up, but you've heard his show), his caravans, and 28 minutes of car park — The question that'll make you wince. It made me wince. My last one was 26 minutes. — The Post-it test Six minutes of me, plus a podcast from one of our Podmastery Community members — which doesn't count, because it's theirs and they can make it as long as they like. Want in on the Podmastery Community? Doors open in October. Get on the waiting list at podmastery.co/podcasting-community Stuck on something specific? Come and get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one with me at podmastery.co Podmastery: Podcasting Insights is my podcast for people who've actually had a go at this and are a bit sick of being told they're doing it wrong by people who've never properly done it at all. I'm Neal Veglio, the Podmaster. | |||
| Need Podcast Coaching? Have You Tried Dave Jackson? He's Three Stalls Down | 21 Sep 2026 | 00:26:05 | |
I was minding my own business, about ten minutes into a podcast I listen to every week, when the host said my name out loud and told his audience to go and listen to my show. Nobody asked him to. There was no deal, no swap, no "I'll do yours if you do mine." Which is incredible, given that, on paper, the man is my competition. This episode is about the one group of listeners the ideal listener exercise specifically tells you to ignore — and why they're the only people in your audience who arrive with an audience of their own. There's a bit in here I don't soften, and it's aimed squarely at me as much as at you. In this episode: — The three approved British responses to being complimented in public — Why a man with 1,000 episodes and a Hall of Fame induction owes you nothing, and said it anyway — The Saturday morning cheese market, and why Trevor sends people to Maureen — Same counter, different cheese: the reason "but they might not come back" is the wrong worry — Bev, the Martins, and two allotment podcasts that have never spoken — Why the promo swap is a hostage exchange, and what to do instead — The column that isn't on anybody's connection spreadsheet Mentioned in this episode Dave Jackson — Attention vs. Connection, School of Podcasting (14 September 2026): https://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/connection-attention School of Podcasting: https://www.schoolofpodcasting.com Ask the Podcast Coach — Dave Jackson and Jim Collison, Saturday mornings: https://www.askthepodcastcoach.com Podnews Weekly Review — James Cridland and Sam Sethi, every Friday: https://weekly.podnews.net In & Around Podcasting — Rob Walch and Elsie Escobar (the "Rob and Elsie" I apologise to about seven minutes in): https://podnews.net/podcast/ic1o5 Building The Brand with James Burtt — two Ts, which I did not manage on air: https://podnews.net/podcast/i11l3c David Hooper's Big Podcast: https://www.bigpodcast.com Mark at Podcast Branding: https://podcastbranding.co Switchy — Dave Jackson's affiliate link, not ours: https://www.supportthisshow.com/switchy That's Dave's affiliate link, not mine. If you buy through it he gets the commission, which is entirely the point — it's the fastest thank-you I could think of. I've had it about five minutes, so treat this as a thing I bought, not a thing I'm recommending. Want in on the Podmastery Community? The waiting list is open — come and be in a room with other indie podcasters being genuinely useful to each other: podmastery.co/podcasting-community Stuck on something specific? Come and get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one with me at podmastery.co Podmastery: Podcasting Insights is my podcast for people who've actually had a go at this and are a bit sick of being told they're doing it wrong by people who've never properly done it at all. I'm Neal Veglio, THE Podmaster. LOLZ | |||
| How Much Does A Podcast With 1,000 Listeners Make? (The Real Number) | 07 Sep 2026 | 00:09:08 | |
A podcast with a thousand listeners makes about a hundred and forty-four dollars a month. I checked that properly. So then I say the second thing, which is the bit that makes people go quiet. You don't want a hundred and forty-four dollars a month. You want one thousand four hundred and forty-four. And the way you get there is by not doing ads. In this episode: — Why the hundred and forty-four dollar figure is right, and why that's the problem — The only lever CPM gives you, and where it leads — The arithmetic that made me laugh — What renting your mid-roll actually costs you — My affiliate disclosure, said out loud, because this episode demands it — One thing to do this week that takes sixty seconds of 'tape' Tools I use and get paid to mention. I record on Boomcaster, edit in Descript most weeks, and Captivate hosts this show. Affiliate links below — I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I'm telling you because the whole episode is about people who don't. — Boomcaster: https://www.boomcaster.com/?ref=AzyWVAUu8UgsoCAZT (free trial + 50% off first three months) — Descript: https://descript.cello.so/Kct9xUy3ilR (50% off first two months) — Captivate: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=nealveglio The Podmastery Community is open soon. Come and join us: https://podmastery.co/podcasting-community Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at https://podmastery.co Podmastery: Podcasting Insights is my podcast for people who've actually had a go at this and are a bit sick of being told they're doing it wrong by people who've never properly done it at all. I'm Neal Veglio, the Podmaster. | |||
| I Told Them My Podcast Audience Wasn't For Sale... To THEM | 31 Aug 2026 | 00:12:04 | |
About four years ago, a very popular remote recording platform offered me money to talk about them on this show. I'd been using it that week. It had also, that week, lost one of my recordings. Not glitched. Lost. I said no. And I want to be clear that this wasn't a moral decision, because it wasn't. It was arithmetic. This episode is about the thing you're holding and consistently failing to price. Because the belief is that sponsorship is a reward for volume — hit some magic download number and you're finally allowed. So you wait. And when someone eventually offers you something, you say yes very fast, because you've been told this is the gate opening. Here's the problem with that. Only 7% of podcasts reach 5,000 downloads an episode. Two per cent reach 20,000. The benchmark show you've been measuring yourself against is a rounding error. You've been waiting for permission from a category that's almost entirely empty. Meanwhile the advertising industry — not me, them — describes mid-tier and niche shows as underpriced. They're on record. And when you look at what they actually pay, business and B2B shows pull $40 to $80 CPM while the big broad comedy and lifestyle shows pull $15 to $35. Narrow is worth more per listener than popular. So the question stops being will anyone ever pay me? and becomes what's the cheapest I'd take for it? Most podcasters have never answered that. Which is exactly how you end up saying yes to something you've never used. There's an uncomfortable bit in here about what actually happens when you do. It isn't unsubscribes. Nobody storms off. It's quieter and considerably worse than that. In this episode: — Why the download benchmark you're chasing barely exists — The word the ad industry uses for shows your size, and why it should annoy you — Why a $50 CPM show can be a better buy than a $15 one — What it actually costs you when you endorse something you haven't tested — My entire sponsorship policy, which is one sentence long and slightly embarrassing — One thing to write down today, on the back of a receipt Tools mentioned in this episode. I record on Boomcaster, I edit in Descript most weeks, and Captivate hosts this show. I have affiliate links for all three, which means I earn a commission if you sign up through them at no extra cost to you. I'm telling you that because the whole episode is about people who don't. If I stopped using any of them, I'd stop talking about them. — Boomcaster: https://www.boomcaster.com/?ref=AzyWVAUu8UgsoCAZT (Free trial, plus 50% off your first three months) — Descript: https://descript.cello.so/Kct9xUy3ilR (50% off first two months) — Captivate: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=nealveglio Want in on the Podmastery Community? We're opening the doors to the public soon. To join the founding members, go to https://podmastery.co/podcasting-community Stuck on something specific? Come and get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one with me at https://podmastery.co Podmastery: Podcasting Insights is my podcast for people who've actually had a go at this and are a bit sick of being told they're doing it wrong by people who've never properly done it at all. I'm Neal Veglio, the Podmaster. | |||
| Why Your Podcast Numbers Make You Feel Like A Failure | 24 Aug 2026 | 00:09:57 | |
I was on YouTube the other night. Not for a good reason. Twenty minutes later I'm looking at one of the big ones — two lads in a studio worth more than my house, four cameras, somebody just out of shot whose entire job that day was deciding where the lamps went. Two point three million views. Up about a day and a half. And I'm sat on the edge of the bed with my shoes still on thinking: how the hell am I supposed to compete with that. I think that every few weeks. I'd love to tell you I don't. This episode is about that moment, because I've decided it isn't what we all think it is. Everyone will tell you comparison is the thief of joy, which is a lovely thing to put on a tile in a nice font and about as much use as a chocolate mixing desk. So instead, let's look at what you were actually doing. A download is a file moving from one computer to another. It doesn't mean anybody listened. A YouTube view is a video starting to play — a completely different event. Chart positions aren't a measure of size at all; they're a measure of momentum. And Spotify and Apple count things differently and won't tell you exactly how. So when you put your number next to theirs, you aren't making an unfair comparison. You aren't making a comparison at all. Which raises the more uncomfortable question of what you were really asking. Because nobody has ever done competitive analysis at half eleven at night with their shoes on. And then there's the number you had in your head when you started. You've almost certainly passed it. You almost certainly didn't notice. One thing to go and do at the end, and it takes about a minute. Founding member doors for the Podmastery Community open soon — podmastery.co/waitlist Everything else, including the emails Sangeeta was on about: podmastery.co | |||
| Your Podcast Has A Second Name. Someone Else Might Own It. | 17 Aug 2026 | 00:10:27 | |
I typed my own podcasting agency's brand name into Google. Spelled wrong, completely on purpose, because transcription services keep hearing "Podknows" and writing "Podnose."
Something was living there. A whole podcast network. Twenty-odd shows. Says it's been going since 2013.
I was already writing the angry LinkedIn post.
And then I did the thing I keep telling everybody else to do. And for a good few minutes back there, I was the villain in this story.
Which is where the actually useful bit starts.
Because the mistake I made wasn't the accusation. That was just ego pain.
The mistake was made years earlier, and I suspect you have made exactly the same one without ever finding out.
In this episode: why nobody discovers a podcast the way we imagine they do, what actually happens when a bloke at a barbecue in Fareham recommends your show out loud, and the reason you will never, ever see this problem in your analytics.
And then one thing to go and do about it, which takes ninety seconds and costs nothing.
Chapters
01:02 Obviously I checked the name
02:42 I was the villain in this story
03:36 Your brand has two names
04:31 How people actually hear about podcasts
05:23 The listener you'll never know you lost
07:26 What do you do about it?
08:17 Why a trademark won't save you from this
08:57 Podmastery Community Member trailer
The bloke I accused of nothing:
Podnose, an independent UK entertainment podcast network founded in 2013 by George Grimwood. A couple of the shows are genuinely good but the majority of them seem to no longer be publishing. podnose.com
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
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| Opinion: Podcasters, You’re The Landlord. The Platforms Are Just Tenants. | 14 Aug 2026 | 00:11:24 | |
Alex Cooper's company Unwell took its first outside investment, from Patrick Whitesell's WTSL, at a $500 million valuation. Every podcast expert on LinkedIn immediately pointed out that this is more than iHeartMedia. I went to check that, because I don't repeat numbers I haven't checked, and I got several different answers from several perfectly respectable financial sources on the same day. Turns out iHeart has multiple classes of share and the best part of $6 billion of debt strapped to its back, so depending which bit you measure you can have whichever number you fancy. It's less a valuation and more a horoscope.
But here's what survives all of that, and it's the bit nobody's saying.
The story doing the rounds is "creator wins, platforms lose."
That's rubbish.
I'll explain why.
In this episode:
— What a humming shed in a field had to do with your career for 100 years
— Why "it's worth more than iHeart" is a number nobody quoting it has checked
— Barstool, Spotify, SiriusXM: three tenancies, one landlord
— The bit where I admit I didn't clock any of this for years
— Why you've been feeling rubbish about yourself on the wrong scoreboard
— One number to look at instead, today
Note:
Unwell has been the subject of reporting this year, including a Vanity Fair investigation, alleging a difficult workplace culture. Cooper disputes it. Nothing in this episode is a comment on that either way — the point here is structural, about who owns what, and it would hold regardless of who the owner turned out to be.
This is Podmastery: Podcasting Opinions — the spinoff from Podcasting Insights. Insights is where I think properly about something. Opinions is where something's happened in the industry and I've got a view.
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
💬 Work with me one-to-one — https://podmastery.co I'm Neal Veglio, the Podmaster — podcast producer and consultant, 25+ years in radio and audio, founder of Podknows Podcasting. | |||
| Podcasters, should we all boycott Spotify? | 10 Aug 2026 | 00:14:52 | |
Last week I suggested, in a LinkedIn comment, that podcasters should all walk off Spotify together and keep them honest.
Then I went and looked into how you'd actually do it. And that's when the truth of the situation emerged. And OMFG is it a situation.
So this episode was going to be the good news about organising a walkout. Instead it's the honest version of why we can't.
In this episode:
— Where's the button to leave Spotify
— One tap to skip you, a support ticket to go
— The free rider problem, and why strikes need strike funds
— Why the trade bodies can't help with this one
— What happened when Neil Young actually tried it
— My own conflict of interest, stated plainly
— The one call to action worth changing this week
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
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| Opinion: Spotify Now Decides Which Bits Of Your Show Are Worth Hearing | 07 Aug 2026 | 00:15:51 | |
Spotify has secretly built a button that tells your listener which bits of your episode aren't worth hearing.
It's called Skip Ahead. It's in testing, they haven't announced it, and the excellent podcast industry journalist James Cridland broke it on Podnews. One tap and you're past the entire ad break — not fifteen seconds, everything.
The ad still gets delivered to the device, so the impression still counts and the advertiser still pays. They're just encouraging nobody to hear it. Including, in some cases, ads Spotify sold themselves.
That's the industry story and it's been well covered.
This episode is about the bit that hasn't.
This isn't an advertising story. It's a platform applying editorial judgement to the stuff you made.
And then there's the part where I have to be a little bit honest with you - you might have brought this on yourself.
In this episode:
— What Skip Ahead does, and why "you could always skip" doesn't hold up
— Why "we're not affecting ad delivery" is technically true and completely dishonest
— James Cridland on the terms and conditions nobody read
— The membership pitch that got flagged as skippable
— Why your intro is on the list too
— The one thing a machine can never skip
Clip from Podnews Weekly Review with James Cridland and Sam Sethi, used with thanks. Subscribe at weekly.podnews.net — he does the reporting, I just have opinions about it.
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| You Only Ever Have To Make One More Episode | 03 Aug 2026 | 00:12:02 | |
It's stupid o'clock in the morning. You've just finished editing. And instead of feeling good about it, one horrible little thought is living rent free in your head where the zzzzzzs should be: do I have to do this forever?
In this episode I troll the consistency doctrine which the gurus peddle. The show-up-every-week-forever commandment that gets drummed into you from day one, usually by someone whose whole business model is selling you the cure for the anxiety they just handed you.
I also make the case that publishing in seasons is one of the worst ideas going for most indie shows. Not for the reason you'd expect.
Seasons aren't a strategy, they're something else entirely.
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| I Use AI to Make This Show. Here’s the Line I Won’t Cross. | 28 Jul 2026 | 00:14:19 | |
Ninety seconds into another consultant’s podcast, I got the 'shiver'. it wasn't over the mic quality. It wasn't because of bad editing.
It was the words. They were tidy, warm... and hauntingly empty, like a very confident ghost had written the lot.
This episode's about the single line that decides whether AI sharpens your show or hollows it out. Plus a confession I fully expect to get grief for...
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| The Hidden Failure Around Podcasting Failure | 22 Jul 2026 | 00:12:38 | |
Here's the super uncomfortable truth this episode's built on: the day you publish makes not the slightest difference to a single download you receive. I will stake this whole show on it. And yet I still missed my Monday slot, published on a Wednesday, and felt like a failure anyway.
That first feeling — the flicker of disappointment — is fine. It's just data. It's the second feeling that does the damage.
In this one I'm being properly honest about the trap nobody warns you about when they tell you to "build your personal brand": you make the thing personal on purpose, and then every wobble in it feels personal too. So what do we do about it?...
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ Got a podcasting thing you're quietly beating yourself up about? That's exactly the kind of problem I love to solve. Head to podmastery.co, click "Need Help", and book a 60-minute call. It's him on the other end — not a sales funnel. | |||
| Is “Be Everywhere” The WORST Podcasting Advice Now That YouTube ‘Dominates’? | 13 Jul 2026 | 00:12:40 | |
YouTube just overtook Spotify as the UK's most-used podcast platform. By one point. Everyone reported the crossover — almost nobody read the rest of the data, which says your podcast is effectively now a radio station, and you're broadcasting on every frequency at once.
Hi, I'm Neal Veglio, founder of Podknows Podcasting and the Podmastery community.
Edison Research's latest UK numbers gave the podcasting press its headline: YouTube 29%, Spotify 28%. Tectonic plates, apparently. One percentage point.
I spent 25 years in radio before I ever touched a podcast, and the first thing that world drums into you is that a station is never for everyone. Which is exactly what this data is saying — if you read past the crossover.
Different platforms. Different people. Different reasons. This is Radio 1 and Radio 4 all over again, just dressed up with an app icon instead of a frequency. And a lot of podcasters are currently trying to be all three stations at once.
In this one:
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| What 5,000 Podcast Listeners Just Told Us About Indie Show Growth | 07 Jul 2026 | 00:09:11 | |
New research from Signal Hill Insights, presented by Tom Webster at Sounds Profitable, surveyed over 5,000 podcast listeners — and the findings are uncomfortable for most indie podcasters to hear. Probably the most uncomfortable for me to hear, considering they contradict everything I've ever told people around podcast growth. But, as with all things, this research is not gospel. It's, as usual, a soupçon of insight into a complex and wide challenge.
It challenges what our audio is, what our newsletter does and why our video clips should be.
So listen as I break down the Podcast Atlas findings and what they actually mean for indie shows without a publisher, PR team, or paid clip editor behind them.
You’ll hear:
— Why the 43% trust number matters — and why it’s useless until someone finds you first
— What the data says about clips as a discovery engine (and my nuanced take on whether that shifts my position)
— Why 61% of your potential audience is untapped and ownable — and what to do about it
— The only two things in this whole system you actually own
📊 Download the full Podcast Atlas report (free): https://soundsprofitable.com/research/the-podcast-atlas/
Three ways to work with me:
1. Start the free 7-day podcast makeover email course at podmastery.co
2. Take the listener survey and receive a free download: podmastery.co/listener-survey/
3. Ready to work directly? podmastery.co/need-podcasting-help/ | |||
| I Added Video to My B2B Podcast Using Apple Podcasts’ HLS — Here’s What Actually Happened | 30 Jun 2026 | 00:21:35 | |
A couple of episodes back I made the case for Apple Podcasts’ new HLS video. Then I had to go and actually do it — because the theoretical version of podcasting-about-podcasting is slightly embarrassing, and I hold myself to a better standard than the people spouting expertise about things they’ve never tried.
So I enabled video for B2B Podcasting Insights, my other show, in Captivate. A real show, in a crowded market, with real numbers. This episode is the field report.
In this one:
LINKS
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ Recorded on Boomcaster — free trial + 50% off your first three months (affiliate link): podmastery.co/boomcaster And go follow B2B Podcasting Insights if you want more on getting the most from a B2B show: podknows.co.uk/b2bpi | |||
| Why Your Podcast Episode Sounds Good But Feels Empty… And How To Fix That | 22 Jun 2026 | 00:11:52 | |
Your show sounds cleaner than it ever has. You've sorted the room, fixed the levels, maybe even brought in an editor. And when you listen back — nothing.
No connection. No feeling. Just technically correct audio with nobody in it.
Hi, I'm Neal Veglio, founder of the Podmastery community from Podknows Podcasting. And this week, I'm exploring why that hollow feeling has nothing to do with your equipment — and why the fix is simpler than you think.
I share a story from my radio days about a presenter who went from compelling-but-rough to polished-and-forgettable, what broadcast training actually teaches about the difference between performing and talking, and the 30-second exercise I even use myself before every recording.
If you'd like a proper look at what's sitting between your show and where you want it to be, these might help:
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| They Just Changed What a ‘Play’ Means In Podcasting. Did You Notice? | 16 Jun 2026 | 00:08:52 | |
Somebody just moved the goalposts on podcast metrics. And most podcasters didn’t even notice.
The Alliance for Measurement in Podcasting — AMP — has defined a new cross-platform standard for what counts as a ‘play.’ Spotify has already adopted it.
In this episode, Neal breaks down what this actually means for indie podcasters — why your dashboard numbers are about to look fairly different, why that doesn’t mean your show is doing better, and why optimising for any play-count threshold is optimising for the wrong thing.
You’ll hear:
— What AMP is and why they’re trying to standardise this
— What is ‘intentional consumption’ in Spotify’s words, and what that actually means
— Why Apple’s definition is still extraordinary (and not in a good way)
— The one metric that actually tells you if your show is working
🔗 Listen to other episodes here: https://podmastery.co/
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| Why podcast guest cross-promotion as a growth strategy is a fairytale | 18 May 2026 | 00:09:48 | |
Every podcaster who's ever had a guest on has felt it. You do the edit, write the show notes, create the clips, tag them everywhere — and hear absolutely nothing back. No share. No repost. Not even a like.
So is it you? Is it them? Is this just how guests are?
In this episode, I'm getting into why podcast guest cross-promotion is one of the most persistent myths in indie podcasting.
If you're booking guests to borrow their audience, this episode is going to save you a lot of disappointment.
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| Apple Podcasts Video: The Benefits | 12 May 2026 | 00:08:05 | |
In the previous episode I explained why we need to be cautious around Apple Podcasts new video HLS streaming feature. Well, this podcast about podcasting is about balance. So now, it's important we look at all the good things about the feature.
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| Apple Podcasts Video: The Painful Truth | 05 May 2026 | 00:05:14 | |
With Apple Podcasts video now becoming a mainstream feature as the main hosting platforms roll it out, there are more and more creators leaning into creating this content.
But should you be joining them?
Well, before we can answer this question, we need to establish the answer to another one; do you understand the algorithmic differences surrounding video and audio?
Click play.
I'll explain.
Companies mentioned in this episode:
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| Your podcast audience may not be what you thought it was | 21 Apr 2026 | 00:09:57 | |
This episode will challenge a lot of assumptions you may have about your audience. If you’ve been losing sleep over whether you need to shift all your energy into video, or feel the pressure to keep up with multi-camera setups just to stay relevant, you’re going to want to pay attention to this one.
We’re sharing new research from Tom Webster and the Sounds Profitable team that uncovers who your most valuable listeners really are — and it’s not who you think.
Link to report: https://soundsprofitable.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Audio-Primes-2026-Webinar-Version.pdf
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| Is Beehiiv The Ideal New Platform For Indie Podcasters? | 02 Apr 2026 | 00:04:26 | |
Beehiiv are targeting podcasters with offers to join their new creator platform. But is this the solution podcasters have been waiting for?
Link to check out their teased offer: https://www.beehiiv.com/beehiiv-for/podcasters
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| Don’t Compare Your Podcast to “Diary of a CEO”. Here’s why | 30 Mar 2026 | 00:20:29 | |
Diary of a CEO is doing something genuinely damaging to indie podcasters. Not maliciously. The damage is the business model.
Hi, I'm Neal Veglio, The Podmaster.
In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly why comparing your show to mega-podcasts like Diary of a CEO, High Performance Podcast, and Young and Profiting isn't just unhelpful — it's statistically irrational.
Using Phil Rosenzweig's Halo Effect, Nassim Taleb's Silent Graveyard, the Columbia Music Lab experiment, and Daniel Kahneman's narrative fallacy, I'll explain the intellectual architecture behind why these shows exist, who they're actually designed to serve, and why their 'success strategies' are largely retrospective fiction.
You'll hear why the gap between what these shows promise and what they can actually deliver is not a flaw — it's the product.
Also in this episode:
Listener email: Do you actually need a trailer episode before you launch?
Experiment: Listen back to your three most downloaded episodes and steal from yourself.
If you've been measuring your show against something that was never real — head to podmastery.co and click 'Get your podcasting challenge solved'.
Useful links:
Phil Rosenzweig's The Halo Effect summarised: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klngdRa8nOI
Nassim Taleb's Fooled by Randomness: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fooled-Randomness-Hidden-Chance-Markets/dp/0141031484
The music lab study: https://www.princeton.edu/~mjs3/salganik_dodds_watts06_full.pdf
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| When Tools Make Bad Audio Sound ‘Good’, Who Loses? | 03 Feb 2026 | 00:09:39 | |
A lot of people are excited about AI tools that promise instant, studio-quality podcast audio.
Record on your phone. Click a button. Sound professional.
But that story deserves a closer look.
Hi, I'm Neal Veglio, founder of Podknows Podcasting and the Podmastery community.
In this episode of Podcasting Insights, I unpack what happens when technology starts erasing the difference between effort and outcome — and ask what podcasting quietly loses when “good sound” becomes a default instead of a craft.
This isn’t an anti-AI rant.
And it’s not about gatekeeping beginners.
It’s about incentives.
Standards.
And what we’re rewarding at scale.
You’ll learn:
• Why AI audio tools raise standards and lower effort at the same time
• How one-click fixes create a podcasting “house sound”
• The difference between accessibility and erasing craft
• Why effort still matters, even when listeners can’t hear it
• The question creators should be asking before relying on AI cleanup
Links:
Waves Voice Regen:
https://www.waves.com/voice-regen
I’d love YOUR feedback:
https://www.podmastery.co/survey
I’ve been doing this for 20+ years and run a successful podcast marketing agency.
Want me to audit your podcast?
https://podmastery.co/lite
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| Is Edison Research Correct? Is Video Podcasting Creating New Podcast LISTENERS? | 31 Jan 2026 | 00:06:46 | |
A lot of people are saying video is the future of podcasting.
That video is the gateway drug — the thing that creates new podcast listeners.
But that story deserves a closer look.
In this episode of Podcasting Insights, I question the growing narrative around video podcasting, discovery, and conversion — and ask whether we’re confusing reach with commitment, and visibility with attention.
This isn’t about dismissing the data.
It’s about questioning the story we’re telling around it.
You’ll learn:
• Why “discovery” is an incomplete metric
• The difference between conversion and gravity
• Why video often benefits from defaults, not desire
• What podcasting’s real strength has always been
• The question creators should be asking instead of “Should I do video?”
Links:
Podnews story on charting clips based podcast:
https://podnews.net/update/complete-rankers
Edison Research – The Evolving Ear:
https://www.edisonresearch.com/how-new-consumers-are-shaping-podcastings-next-chapter-the-evolving-ear-webinar/
I’d love YOUR feedback:
https://www.podmastery.co/survey
I've been doing this 20+ years and run a successful podcast marketing agency.
Want me to audit your podcast?
https://podmastery.co/lite
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| Podcast Feedback vs Strategy: Rebrand? Or Just Ask? | 30 Jan 2026 | 00:05:12 | |
A lot of podcasters don’t actually need any kind of new strategy.
They just need honest podcast feedback that tells them what it actually feels like to listen.
In this episode of Podcasting Insights, I explain why so many shows stall at “fine,” why polite feedback keeps podcasts forgettable, and how growth usually comes from being braver with what already exists.
You’ll learn:
• Why “competent” podcasts struggle to grow
• The real question listeners ask in the first 30 seconds
• Why delivery matters more than structure
• How feedback beats endless strategy tweaks
Links:
I'd love YOUR feedback: https://www.podmastery.co/survey
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| ‘Evergreen’ podcast content is a total myth! | 23 Jan 2026 | 00:08:26 | |
Seriously. It's become a buzzword of basic b*tch podcast coaching.
Evergreen podcast content is definitely not timeless.
It is just content you have not looked at in ages.
If your back catalogue feels a bit… awkward, this episode is for you.
Not because you need more episodes.
Because you probably need to stop pretending.
Hi, I’m Neal Veglio, and in this episode of Podcasting Insights, I’m breaking down why “evergreen” became a polite way of saying “I’m never thinking about this again”, and what to do instead.
In this episode, I cover:
If you have episodes you avoid because they make you cringe a bit, or because you mentioned a tool that no longer exists, you’re not broken. You’ve just progressed. Now treat the work you already did with a bit more honesty. Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| Your Podcast Doesn’t HAVE To Be Weekly, Ya Know! | 16 Jan 2026 | 00:07:47 | |
Most podcasts don’t struggle because the ideas aren’t good.
They struggle because the release schedule quietly starts to drain the energy out of them.
Somewhere early on, a lot of podcasters decide they probably 'should' be weekly.
Not because it makes sense.
Because it feels serious.
In this episode, I talk about why recording less can actually make your podcast better.
I also share a simple way to decide your schedule based on intent, not pressure, and explain why consistency isn’t about never missing a release day. It's about something far deeper.
If your podcast is starting to feel heavy, rushed, or obligation-driven, this episode will help you reset without disappearing.
Chapters
00:00 – You Probably Overcommitted (And You Know It)
00:53 – Why Weekly Feels “Serious” (But Usually Isn’t Thought Through)
01:36 – The Guilt Loop That Quietly Ruins Podcasts
02:12 – Recording From Obligation vs Recording With Intent
02:47 – What Actually Happened When I Missed Episodes
03:19 – The Spotlight Effect (And Why No One’s Watching You That Closely)
03:53 – Frequency Doesn’t Build Trust. Intent Does
04:15 – What Listeners Really Respond To
05:07 – Consistency vs Frequency (They’re Not the Same Thing)
05:50 – Recording Less Without Disappearing
06:46 – Choosing a Schedule That Actually Fits You
07:27 – Why People Forget Podcasts (And It’s Not Because You Missed a Week)
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| Why Podcasts Lose Listeners (How to Stop Breaking the ‘Quiet Agreement’) | 09 Jan 2026 | 00:08:25 | |
Most podcasts don’t lose listeners because the content is bad — they lose them because trust gets broken quietly.
Every time someone presses play, they’re making a small agreement with you.
And most podcasts break it without even realising.
In this episode, I unpack the idea of the “quiet agreement” — and why most if not all small podcasts break it, at least at first.
I also share a simple test you can run on yourself to check whether your episodes earn the next listen.
If you want your podcast to feel intentional, human, and worth sticking with — this episode will change how you think about every minute you record.
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| Why most podcasts sound the same (and how to fix yours) | 12 Dec 2025 | 00:12:04 | |
Most podcasts sound the same — and it's killing your growth.
If your show blends into the feed, this episode breaks down exactly why… and what to change.
In this episode you’ll learn:
Why copying “successful” shows usually backfires
The #1 format mistake (hint: your guest intro)
How to build episodes around pain points
Why packaging matters more than you think
The simple rule for titles, intros and structure
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| This BS advice is consistently peddled by gurus | 14 Nov 2025 | 00:13:39 | |
Consistency. The word that sends podcasting “gurus” into fits of self-righteous joy as they pedal their courses and services. Think about it—how many times have you been told you have to publish your podcast on the same day, every week, at the exact same time? Some of you are still clutching your calendar and sweating because you’ve missed a Thursday morning release and assume your show’s doomed.
Today, I’m slapping the nonsense out of that belief.
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| This podcast is now fixed. Kinda… | 06 Nov 2025 | 00:04:37 | |
In this episode:
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| Cringe! This podcast strategist screwed up his own podcast strategy | 24 Oct 2025 | 00:21:40 | |
You know that thing where you give everyone else great podcast advice… and then ignore it yourself?
Yeah. That.
In this episode, I’m calling myself out.
And fixing my own podcast strategy in public.
I realised my show had drifted, lost focus, and wasn’t clear who it was really for. So I’m stripping it back, rebuilding the positioning, and showing you exactly how to get clarity on your own audience too.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your show’s serving the right people, or just shouting into the void then this one’s for you.
You’ll learn:
🎯 How to define your podcast audience (for real)
🚫 What to cut
⚖️ The balance between craft, creator joy, and cash in the bank
🔁 How to rebuild a show without starting from scratch
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| Why you don’t need a camera to grow your podcast! | 18 Oct 2025 | 00:14:03 | |
If you're fed up with hearing people insist you "need to put your podcast on YouTube", this episode will give you a sense of relief.
I've just come back from judging the Independent Podcast Awards and spent time with some of the best indie creators around.
What struck me wasn't how eager they were to jump on video, but how quickly the myth started to unravel once we looked at what video actually costs independent podcasters, in cash, energy, and lost focus.
This episode is all about unpacking the hard truth behind the "you must do video to grow" narrative and how most audio-first shows are actually better off keeping their attention on what already works.
I share a case study of a winning indie show, Floating Space, and its host’s reaction when I pushed back on video hype and explained why going all-in on YouTube rarely delivers for indies who aren’t looking to become full-time video editors.
There’s plenty here that you won’t find in any of the LinkedIn gurus’ posts, and you’ll walk away understanding why "discovery" isn't just about being searchable—it's about being findable and worth listening to.
Chapters:
00:00 The Video Myth
02:00 Hype vs Reality
05:00 Awards Night penny-drop
08:00 “But you publish video…”
11:00 What to do instead
15:00 7-day focus
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| Slopcasting! Inception Point AI’s Efficiency Kills Intimacy (and podcasts) | 11 Oct 2025 | 00:16:25 | |
AI makes it easy to ship more… of nothing. Here’s why “slop-casting” is flattening audio and how to outplay it with Voice, Value, and Vulnerability.
Bonus: suggestion for a simple A/B experiment you can do today to audit your soul in the feed.
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| Your podcast promotion strategy’s in reverse! | 04 Oct 2025 | 00:17:09 | |
There’s a hard truth most podcast experts will dodge, but I don’t have the energy or patience for avoiding it - there’s a reason your podcast audience isn’t growing, and it’s not because you haven’t been hustling hard enough on LinkedIn or spamming your socials.
Look, I see it over and over; brand new podcasters with all the energy in the world, launching their show and immediately going full throttle with promotion before even figuring out whether the content’s actually any good.
In this episode of Podcasting Insights, I lay out why that’s a sure-fire way to set yourself up for repeated disappointment and burnout.
Instead, I’ll walk you through my entire approach for building podcasts people actually want to talk about, and not just because you begged them to on LinkedIn.
We get into why promotion isn’t the lever you pull first, what actually matters to develop a show that holds attention, and what I make every client face up to before they spend a penny (or another hour) trying to chase down listeners.
00:00 Why Your Promotion is in Reverse!
04:53 Integrity and Strategic Success
07:34 "Building Loyal, Valuable Audiences"
12:57 Silent Launch Strategy Advice
13:59 Proof Before Promotion Strategy
Useful links:
Get your audit - https://podmastery.co/lite
See your Apple Podcasts retention data: https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/
Spotify dashboard: https://podcasters.spotify.com/gateway
Find all episodes of Podcasting Insights: https://www.podmastery.co/
Tom Webster's The Audience Is Listening: https://audienceislisteningbook.com/ | |||
| Don’t Diary of a CEO! Instead, Sugarhill Gang your podcast! | 27 Sep 2025 | 00:08:21 | |
Rapper's Delight might be the anthem we often think of when it comes to hip hop's origins, but let me hit you with a plot twist – it wasn’t the first. That honor actually goes to a gospel group called the Jubilees, who dropped a rap-like hit back in 1946! Wild, right? This kick-off leads us into a deep dive about the real essence of being ‘first’ in the podcasting world. It’s not just about who got there first; it’s about who can break through the noise and grab attention. We’ve all seen the podcasters vying to become the next ‘Diary of a CEO’ but spoiler alert: that’s a one-way ticket to nowhere. Instead, let’s focus on carving out our unique space. How do we find our own ‘Rapper’s Delight’ moment? It’s all about framing our conversations in a way that makes our audience stop, listen, and think, ‘wow, this is fresh!’ We chat about flipping the format, leading with tension, and showing up authentically. The takeaway? Don’t worry about being first or copying others; instead, aim to be the one who resonates. Let’s turn those critiques into stepping stones and make our voices heard in this crowded podcasting arena!
Links referenced in this episode:
Also mentioned in this episode:
Podmastery goodies you can grab:
Stuck on something specific? Get your next podcasting challenge solved one-to-one at podmastery.co Got your own opinion and want to share? Great! I love hearing from you. Here's where to do it - https://podmastery.co/get-in-touch/ | |||
| Love your podcast's haters: turning critics into your secret weapon | 20 Sep 2025 | 00:21:09 | |
Every podcaster dreads it: that brutal one-star review, the public comment that rips your hard work to shreds. But what if your harshest critic is actually your greatest growth tool? In this episode of Podcasting Insights with The Podmaster, I'm sharing the real story of how a vocal hater went from blasting my radio morning show to becoming one of my biggest advocates, even booking me for private gigs. You’ll learn how I made that happen, and how you can use the same methods for your podcast and any critics you get along the way. Also, I'll share the four ways critics can sharpen your podcast, and the simple rules that stop you from losing your mind when trolls strike. If you’ve ever felt crushed by negative feedback, this episode will change how you see it forever. Don’t fear your haters. Love them, learn from them, and watch how fast your podcast grows. | |||
| Coming up on Podcasting Insights... | 04 Sep 2025 | 00:01:05 | |
Curious? | |||
| Build it, sure, but they won't come! Yet... | 22 Aug 2025 | 00:10:41 | |
Let me tell you where most podcasters get it wrong right from the jump. It’s that tired cliché “If you build it, they will come.” This episode is my reality check for you, and if you're honest with yourself, it could save you more disappointment and wasted effort than you realise. I walk through why just recording a bunch of episodes and putting them online is never going to magically build an audience, no matter how unique your idea feels. What you’re going to hear is the real work that has to go into positioning, marketing, production, and – above all – earning the right for your audience to come back again and again. It’s not glamorous, but it works, and I’m breaking down exactly why. The episode gets into the numbers, the psychology, and the relentless myth that your social media follower count will somehow guarantee instant podcast listeners. It doesn’t. You’ll learn why podcasts and radio might share a delivery method (audio) but are incomparable when it comes to how people find and commit to content. I’m calling out the ‘gurus’ peddling fairytales and laying out instead the importance of actionable strategy. With thanks to Irina Tudorache - https://www.linkedin.com/in/irina-tudorache/ and Michelle J Raymond for their valuable contributions towards this episode. If you'd like to leave me a message, the voicemail is https://podmastery.co/voicemail | |||
| New podcast? Your analytics are lying to you! | 16 Aug 2025 | 00:07:34 | |
Every new podcaster does it. You launch your show, then spend the whole week refreshing your hosting dashboard analytics like it’s going to magically change. And when those first week podcast download numbers trickle in, they feel… embarrassingly small. Here’s the truth: those numbers don’t matter. Like, at all. In this episode, I’ll explain why your launch week stats are useless, the psychology behind why we obsess over them (hello, spotlight effect), and the success metrics that actually fuel real podcast growth. From listener retention to 30-day rolling averages, I’ll show you what’s worth tracking — and what’s just noise. If you’ve ever felt crushed by your first week’s downloads, this one’s going to reset how you think about podcast success. | |||
| LinkedIn followers aren't listeners. Do the math! | 09 Aug 2025 | 00:11:29 | |
Why Your LinkedIn Followers Don’t Listen To Your Podcast A painful truth for business podcasters who still think follower counts equal listeners... Let’s get uncomfortable for a moment. LinkedIn tells you that bigger is better. Hit that 10,000, 50,000, or even 100,000 follower milestone, and suddenly you’re tempted to believe you’re sitting on a goldmine of eager podcast listeners. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I’ve consulted with more than enough LinkedIn 'influencers' to know this: if you’re counting on that social proof to deliver actual podcast results, you’re going to be disappointed. In fact, if you’re expecting more than a handful of listeners per episode simply because you have a five-figure following, you’re already losing the game. Here’s the reality. LinkedIn is a platform designed to serve its own interests, not yours. The algorithm is geared towards creating a false sense of reach and relevance. You post about your new episode, rack up a few dozen likes, maybe a polite comment from that one guy who always chimes in, and screenshot the analytics because they look impressive. But when it comes to actual podcast listeners—real people pressing play, not bots or random scrollers—the numbers barely register. And don’t just take my word for it. I’ve literally done the math for clients. The entire illusion falls apart once you work through the numbers on how posts convert followers into listeners. You’d be amazed (or horrified) at how small that number is. Imagine this: 100,000 LinkedIn followers. That’s enough to fill a stadium, right? So, if you’re chasing followers and bragging about your vanity metrics, you’re fooling yourself. Want to break this cycle? Listen to this episode to get the background on the problem. Then, get the Swipe Files so you can fix it. Ready to do the math? Get your free files at podmastery.co/math, or reach out for a straightforward audit of your podcast’s real growth potential. Because your real audience deserves better than a vanity strategy. Timestamps00:00 "LinkedIn Followers Don't Equal Success" 03:57 Deceptive Podcast Popularity Tactics 08:59 Boost LinkedIn Engagement Tactics 10:46 "Podcast Growth and Mastery Tips" | |||
| How to handle the podcasting 'summer slump'! | 02 Aug 2025 | 00:06:01 | |
Every August, you'll hear the same noise about everyone disappearing. Holidays, beaches, the world moving a little slower. I used to kinda buy into this myth myself, until I watched a client hit pause, just to realise that their audience hadn't gone anywhere. They'd simply found something else to jam into their earbuds. This latest episode of Podcasting Insights is all about flipping the so-called 'summer slump' on its head. I’m walking you through three moves you can make right now, literally before the weekend’s over, to keep your download numbers in healthy shape and your listeners coming back for more. No grand production, no drama, just practical steps you can act on right away. | |||
| How long should a podcast episode be? | 31 Jul 2025 | 00:03:40 | |
How long should your podcast episodes actually be? Today, we’re tossing the rulebook out the window and figuring out episode length. Forget those guru-mandated magic numbers; it’s all about what suits your story and your listeners' needs. Whether you’re aiming for a quick, snappy 15-minute burst or a deep-dive extravaganza of over an hour, we’ll guide you through the pros and cons of each format. | |||
| Podcast marketing with clips - you've got it all wrong! | 26 Jul 2025 | 00:07:13 | |
It’s a well-worn scene now, isn’t it: you spend your evenings slicing up episodes, creating what you’re told are “virality-ready” podcast clips, then blowing them out across Instagram and TikTok, all on the promise - usually delivered to you by a LinkedIn “guru” - that social video is the missing link between your pod and the big leagues. You get a few views, maybe even a flattering comment from someone you’ll never meet. But, let’s be honest. The podcast stats don’t move. Maybe there’s the odd outlier, but mostly, you’re banging your head against the same wall every upload cycle. I see it every week with new clients, and it’s always the same confusion: “I’ve got the clips, Neal. I followed the formula. Why is my actual audience not growing?” There’s a reason for it. And in this episode, I break open exactly why your current approach isn’t moving the needle and what you need to flip around to get real, sustainable listener growth. | |||