Podcraft | How To Run A Great Podcast

Podcast celebrities aside, how much money can the everyday independent podcaster expect to make?Well, the answer is “it depends”. But, based on our own experiences of well over a decade in the medium, here are some realistic breakdowns, examples, and goals. Full article: How Much Money Do Podcasters Make?Elsewhere, we also talk through a brilliant piece titled Podcast Marketing and Publishing: What’s in and What’s Out for 2025?

Colin and Matthew analyse some interesting data from our Podcast Planner tool. 43% of over 1,500 respondents told us they’d rather host a solo show than create content with other people. So why might this be? Perhaps there's a bit of post-pandemic Zoom fatigue in here where people are fed up with feeling like they are "on a call". There are a lot of positive reasons for going solo, too, including the flexibility, simplicity, control, and ownership. Here's the full report if you'd like a look over the data for yourself: https://www.thepodcasthost.com/business-of-podcasting/solo-podcasting/

Do you ever find yourself thinking, "I have so much time to work on my podcast, I struggle to even fill it"?  No?  Well, let's see what we can do about that, then. Here are nine great podcasting time-saving tips for you to try out.  Batch recording  Use fewer tools Do fewer things Don't multitask (and, time block) Click/MEE editing  Speeded-up editing Use templates Utilise dynamic ads Automate and outsource wherever possible

Being interviewed on another podcast is a great way to bring value to a wider audience and grow your own as a result. But most podcasters (even those who don't run interview shows) have inboxes choked full of spammy and cynical requests to guest on their show. On this episode, we'll show you how to create a compelling pitch that actually gets seen by its intended recipient. Who knew such things were possible? On top of that, we discuss podcast listener pet peeves, as well as the various ways you can (effectively) get feedback on your podcast! MentionedHow to Get Booked as a Guest on Another PodcastIs Your Podcast Annoying?How to Get Podcast FeedbackInterview with the Founder of PodchaserIndiePod CommunityThe Podcraft Academy

We've run a fair few surveys and reports this year, all of which have produced some interesting and actionable data. On this episode, we look at nine headline stats from 2024, and talk through the takeaways and lessons we can glean from them. “If It’s Not Got an RSS Feed, It’s Not a Podcast,” say 67% of PodcastersMost Podcasters Upload Audio-First Content to YouTubeSurvey Reveals How Listeners Want to Engage With Your PodcastOnly 8% of Podcasters Enter AwardsOnly 1 in 4 Podcasters Monetise The Blue Yeti is Still the Most Popular MicInstagram and Facebook Are the Most Popular Social Platforms for PodcastersData on How Podcasters Measure SuccessMost Listeners Find it Easy to Discover New Podcasts

It's tempting to take a break from podcasting over the holidays, not because you necessarily want to, but because you think your audience will do the same. However, data from the latest Podcast Marketing Trends Report suggests that isn't true, and December is actually one of the top months for combined podcast downloads. On this episode, we dig into the details and offer some tips for keeping your feed active without doing yourself out of a well-earned rest. MentionedKeep Publishing Over the Holidays, Podcast Report SaysYour Podcast Won't Go Viral, and That's a Good Thing

It's time to delve into the findings of our 2024 Podcast Discoverability Survey. Here, you'll find data on everything from whether or not it's easy to find new podcasts, to how audio quality and ads affect podcast listenership. We also talk through some other new posts on the site, as well as some published elsewhere (including one that we disagree with quite heavily!). The Podcast Discovery Report 2024MOVO iVlogger-PRO ReviewBest Podcast DirectoriesFull Disclosure: The Power of Unedited Audio (Blubrry)Do we need to kill off the word Podcast? (John McDermott)Adapt or Get Left Behind: The Future of Podcasting Is Multi-Platform (Max Cutler)The Hidden Risks of YouTube and Spotify That The Suck-Up Podcast Bros on LinkedIn Won't Admit (Neal Veglio)

In this episode, Colin covers two major topics to help podcasters improve their shows. First, he dives deep into creating a unique value proposition, sometimes called a unique selling proposition (USP) for your podcast, explaining how to make your show stand out and attract more listeners. He breaks down what makes a great USP, using examples from brands like Airbnb and Fjallraven, and shows how to apply these principles to podcasting. The second half focuses on interview preparation, where Colin shares nine actionable tips to conduct better podcast interviews, from proper guest research to creating engaging conversations that benefit both the guest and the audience.

There are plenty of places online where you can ask for podcast comments and get in on the episode discussion. Here are some of the more popular options.And, does your podcast need a media kit? Yes, definitely. A podcast media kit is a package of information about your podcast that’s easy to share and consume.Also MentionedThe Podcraft AcademyThe Podcraft Listener Space

It isn't hard to make a podcast. Making a good podcast, however, is not easy. Here are nine common podcasting mistakes: think of this as a map to the traps that many podcasters tend to fall into, so you can avoid them.Also MentionedAlitu: The Podcast MakerPodcraft Listener CommunityBest Podcast Boom Arms3 Signs Listeners Are Making More Time for Podcasts

To grow audiences of people as passionate about your show’s topic as you are, podcasters need to do the work to engage non-listeners. Not only does this grow your show, but it helps the podcast medium as a whole. It’s rare for a podcast listener to only listen to one show, so others will benefit from the work each creator does to engage non-listeners. As the old saying goes, “A rising tide lifts all boats”.We’ve written about the “Why” before; now it’s time to turn to the “How”. So here are 13 tips and strategies to reach podcast non-listeners and turn them into podcast lovers. Also MentionedBest Podcast GiftsThe Yoto PlayerThe Lizard Pro Boom ArmThe Podcraft AcademyThe Podcraft Listener Space

If you’ve published your first handful of episodes and already feel your momentum, motivation, and inspiration slipping away, then here are eight pieces of advice to help you turn things around.Preventing PodfadeWhatever Happened to the Blue Snowball?Best Podcast Interview QuestionsWhy Does My Audio Hiss?The Podcraft AcademyThe Podcraft Listener Community

Many podcasters are looking beyond download stats to get success metrics for their shows. But the nature of podcasting doesn't make it easy. On this episode, we discuss data from a study that suggests indie creators want podcast measurement standardisation. Also MentionedPodcasting News & AnalysisPodcast Promotion on WhatsApp Finding & Using Podcast MusicBest Patreon Alternatives for PodcastersThe IndiePod Community

There’s no doubt that we’re living in a world of micro-content overload. With the rise of short-form platforms like TikTok and Instagram, creators and brands are in a continuous fight for a piece of our attention spans (which are now shorter than a goldfish’s, apparently, thanks to smartphones). You don’t need to look far to see marketers proclaiming the death of long-form content. I’m paraphrasing here, but it’s certainly the sentiment we’re being fed: Our lives are way too busy, there’s too much to consume, and no one has the time or patience to go deep into the detail anymore.But is this really the case? And is the rise of short-form content really a threat to podcasting?Full article: Is There a Future for Long-Form Content in a Short-Form World?How to Sell Podcast EpisodesOpusClip ReviewTop 10 Worst Pieces of Podcasting Advice (Blubrry)6 Ways To Turbocharge Your Podcast Growth With LinkedIn AdsHelp Share the Podcast Discovery Survey

One of our IndiePod Legends on Season 20 was Daren Lake of the One Percent Better Runner podcast. Throughout the season, Daren talked passionately and enthusiastically about his content-stacking approach and how he produces each episode in a way that enables him to meet his target audience where they are - on dozens of different platforms.And the good news is that he's just laid out his entire framework for us, step by step. In ​How to Create 24 Pieces of Content From One Video Podcast​, Daren holds nothing back as he walks us through his remarkably effective workflow. This guide provides a straightforward process for creating 24 high-quality content pieces from a single episode, covering audio, video, written and image content. It’s a direct plan designed to enhance your podcast’s promotion efficiently and cost-effectively, helping you to achieve significant growth without extra frustration or financial burden.Also MentionedHelp Share the Podcast Discovery SurveyWork With Daren Lake & Pod Paste

Our indiepod legends have given us many insights, tips, and words of advice this season. They're speaking from positions of authority and experience, but they didn't get there overnight. On the final episode of Season 20, we'll dig into what they wish they'd known before they started and ask about some mistakes they see new podcasters make.Also MentionedThe Podcraft Academy - Let us help you launch and grow your show by giving you the tools to stay consistent.Established Podcaster? Tell us all about your show; we're always looking for future guests and case studies!Check out the full Season 20 episode list.

There is no shortage of potential income streams for your podcast. But rather than telling you all the things you could try, how about some real-world case studies from ten successful independent podcasters?Our recent survey suggested that only 1 in 4 indies monetize their content, despite the majority of them wanting to build some income streams.So, on this episode of Podcraft, we’re going to dig into the monetization methods and strategies that have actually worked for our IndiePod Legends, as well as the many that haven’t!The aim here is to show that while some revenue streams are a good fit for some, they don’t work so well for others. We’ll also answer questions like:WHEN should you try to monetize?What are some great on-ramps for smaller podcasts?Can monetizing your content hamper your creativity?The PodcastsThe Joy of CruisingWild for ScotlandTravel N Sh!tBoard Game Design LabShe Well ReadFighting ThroughLush LifeThe Mindful Marketing PodcastI Should Be Writing

We haven’t run a podcast gear survey since 2019, and that was starting to feel like an awful long time ago. In fact, I wasn’t even born then. Captivated by the old black-and-white photos of Colin on his Penny Farthing, delivering printed copies of the data to the local town crier, I thought to myself, “Let’s do another one”. So we did. And here are the results.The Podcaster Gear Survey 2024

I’ve lost count of the number of recordings I’ve had to pause or abandon because a lawnmower, siren, or enthusiastic dog has fancied getting in on the act.Back when we ran our podcast production service, clients regularly sent over audio that was full of distracting background noises. Not the ongoing hum of an AC unit or the gentle ambience of a cafe, but things like door slams, annoying desk tapping, or phones ringing.Then came the inevitable question, “Can you just edit that out?” followed by a patient explanation from our end that the noise was happening underneath the vocals, so if one was cut out, the other would be, too.Sure, spectral view tools and earlier iterations of iZotope RX were still exceptionally powerful. But I could never truly strip out a noise from underneath a conversation without it sounding like it was recorded underwater.And this isn’t just about noise. Reverb has always been notoriously hard to remove from voice recordings. On top of that, if one person sounded very obviously off-mic,

On this episode of Podcraft, we have a special episode swap with our good friend Joe Casabona from Podcast Workflows. Podcast Workflows provides insights into how to improve your podcast systems and workflows — allowing you to create and grow a high quality podcasting by showing you how to best spend your limited time.Here, Joe will help us think about our own podcast workflows by encouraging us to think about what's missing from our existing processes. ---------One of my favorite Disney+ shows is Loki. It’s a truly fascinating look at time travel, predetermined events, and controlling your own destiny.And now I’m going to give you a major (if not very simplified) spoiler, if you haven’t seen it.In the finale, Loki masters the ability to “time slip,” or transport to any time, any place, in any timeline (for all intents and purposes, a timeline is a parallel universe). This also allows him to relive events over and over again.So as all of existence faces eradication, he can take as much “time” as he wants to l