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Listener Q&A: Make Shownotes Great Again!

PodCraft takes you from novice podcaster to confident broadcaster. We’ll teach you how to start and grow a successful podcast in our easy-to-follow seasons.  Let’s start at the start with the groundwork and planning stages. Why do you want to podcast, who do you want to reach, and why? Then, let’s learn what we’ll need to record, publish, and distribute it. Once that’s done, we move on to marketing, growth, and monetisation. Here, we help you to reap the rewards of all your hard work.  On PodCraft we also run regular Q&amp;A episodes, offer analysis and data on the podcasting industry, and talk about the latest tools, tips, and tactics that are improving our own processes and workflows.

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We know from previous episodes that consistency leads to podcasting success - but how do you actually become consistent?
 
It’s all well and good to say, “Go out there and create lots of episodes,” when you might be intimidated by the idea of creating just one.
 
So, this time around, we’re going to explore the nuts and bolts of timeframes, workflows, and content creation. Here, you’ll get real-world examples of how long it actually takes to run a successful podcast, and how it can exist alongside other channels, such as blogging, social media, and video.

The Podcasts

Bring Your Product Idea to Life
The Joy of Cruising
Wild for Scotland
Travel N Sh!t
Board Game Design Lab
She Well Read

Fighting Through
Lush Life
The One Percent Better Runner
The Savvy Social Podcast
The Euro Trip
I Should Be Writing


Balancing Time, Workflow, & Content. The Nuts & Bolts of Podcasting

Almost all the benefits of podcasting stem from one thing – and that’s consistency. If you publish quality content over a prolonged period of time, you eventually hit a critical mass of episodes you can now call your “back catalogue” – and it’s a powerful tool.
On this episode of Podcraft, we’re going to look at the benefits of this published body of work, which includes the ability for new listeners to binge your content, as well as providing you with a tonne of repurposing options, too.
Following up on our previous episode, From Doubt to Determination, we’ll also continue to explore the barriers and challenges our Indiepod Legends have faced, as well as how they’ve overcome them. It’s another value-packed programme filled with lessons, takeaways, and motivating anecdotes!
The Podcasts

Bring Your Product Idea to Life
The Joy of Cruising
Wild for Scotland
Travel N Sh!t
Board Game Design Lab
She Well Read

Fighting Through
Lush Life
The One Percent Better Runner
The Savvy Social Podcast
The Euro Trip
I Should Be Writing


How Consistency Leads to Podcasting Success


What really makes someone a successful podcaster? Is it a certain number of episodes, downloads, or reviews? Is it whether content creation has become their full-time job? Or could it be because they've been recognised with a prestigious award?
 
In truth, we can gauge success in many ways, but ultimately, there's no certificate and a great degree of subjectivity. One thing we can all agree on, though, is that the best way to get to a position where you or your audience consider your podcast a success is to create quality content, consistently, over a prolonged period of time.
 
If there's one single answer to the "How do I make podcasting work for me?" question, that's it. It's an answer that sounds way too simple and obvious. And yet, actually doing it is much harder than choosing the right mic, the best software, and getting listed in all the major listening platforms.
 
Starting a podcast is relatively easy. Riding the wave of early enthusiasm to publish your first couple of episodes is easy, too. But to keep doing it for upwards of 300 episodes, or for over ten years? That takes something extra.
 
In this season of Podcraft, we're speaking to some of the best indie podcasters in the game. We want to really dig into how they've kept on going, the ways they've navigated each challenge or roadblock, and the many lessons they've learned along the way.
 
Listening to this series won't automatically pop a few hundred episodes in your own back catalogue, but it'll certainly arm you with enough knowledge and motivation to get there under your own steam.
 
In our opening episode, our Indiepod Legends share their insights into why they started out in the first place, and in many cases, it's because they made the podcast they wanted to listen to.
 
We're also going to talk about the thing that defeats many fledgling podcasters—quitting. You'll learn that many of our panel members have either wrestled with thoughts of giving up or taken long breaks to regroup and get back on track. Consistency over several years or hundreds of episodes isn't a straightforward, linear journey. If you do it for long enough, you'll hit many snags. But, as you'll learn in this episode, your podcast doesn't need to fall at the very first hurdle.
The Podcasts

Bring Your Product Idea to Life
Wild for Scotland
Travel N Sh!t
Board Game Design Lab
She Well Read

Fighting Through
Lush Life
The One Percent Better Runner
The Savvy Social Podcast
The Euro Trip
I Should Be Writing


From Doubt to Determination: Pushing Through the Podcasting Dip

Izabela and Mike Russell of Music Radio Creative return to continue our conversation about the ever-evolving podcast landscape. Gear and tools may have gotten much better, but that doesn't always make them easier to set up and use. We also discuss the role of DAWs like Adobe Audition and Audacity compared to newer (often AI-driven) software. Finally, Mike and Izabela answer some questions about podcast growth, being surprised, and changing their minds. 

Music Radio Creative
Mike's YouTube Channel
Izabela's Audio Unicorn Podcast
Mike's AI News Today Podcast
Alitu: The Podcast Maker


What's the Future of Podcasting Tech? With Izabela & Mike Russell (Part 2!)

In this episode, Colin and Matthew engage in a friendly debate about the role of gear in podcasting. While gear and equipment are often seen as important aspects of podcasting success, the hosts question whether they truly make a significant difference. They explore the mindset of successful podcasters and how their focus lies more on content creation, strategy, and promotion rather than the tools they use. The conversation also delves into the dangers of getting too caught up in equipment and workflows, which can lead to wasted time and distractions. Ultimately, they emphasize the importance of finding the right balance and avoiding the pressure to conform to popular gear choices, but rather focusing on what works best for your individual podcast.
Thanks to Alitu's AI for writing these shownotes!
Also mentioned:

2024 Podcaster Gear Survey
Podcast Equipment Guide


Listener Q&A: Make Shownotes Great Again!

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