Podmastery: podcasting insights and advice for indie creators – Details, episodes & analysis

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:

• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Apple Podcasts

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

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

Links:

🔗 Podmastery site – https://podmastery.co

🔗 Book a Podcast Audit – https://podmastery.co/lite

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.

In this episode:

• This podcast is taking a new direction.
• Audience is split; creators want craft, while marketers crave strategy.
• A brand new show called B2B Podcasting Insights is launching for the business-minded listeners.
• Podcasting Insights will still be your creative haven, sans the marketing jargon.
• Expect shorter, punchy episodes that dive into serious ROI without the fluffy stuff.
• Next week, we'll chat about why consistency in podcasting might just be overrated.

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

👉 Site: https://podmastery.co

👉 Contact: https://podmastery.co/contact

👉 Leave me a voicemail: https://podmastery.co/voicemail

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

Podcast Improvement Audit (Lite): https://podmastery.co/lite

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.

Prefer an actual audit with me? Book here: podmastery.co/lite.

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/

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:

• podmastery.co
• rockflight.co
• podmastery.co/contact
• podmastery.co/voicemail

Also mentioned in this episode:

• Sugar Hill Gang
• Jubilaires
• Diary of a CEO
• Stephen Bartlett
• Primark
• Rock Fight
• Podmastery.co
• Apple Podcasts