The How To Podcast Series - Podcast Co-Hosts, Practical Podcasting Tips, and Podcast Community

Episdoe 799 - The One Step Most Podcasters Skip, But This Step Might Be The One Step Could Make Your Podcast Better

Listen to Your Own Podcast

Publishing an episode does not end the work. Listening to your own podcast after it goes live gives you a chance to experience the show from the listener's seat. That shift in perspective can reveal problems you missed while recording and editing.

Podcasters often avoid hearing themselves. Dave challenges that habit by comparing podcasting with music, where musicians constantly listen to their recordings, evaluate their performances, and respond to what audiences hear.

Find What You Missed

Listening from beginning to end can uncover technical mistakes, awkward edits, unwanted silence, repeated music, sound effects that overlap your voice, or interview sections that fall out of sync. You can then replace the audio file on your hosting platform and correct the episode without creating a second version.

Your voice can also reveal habits you never notice while speaking. Repeated filler words, interruptions, awkward phrasing, and rushed responses become much easier to recognize when you hear yourself as a listener.

That awareness can improve more than your podcast. It can change how you communicate with people away from the microphone.

Put Yourself in the Listener's Seat

Recording requires a different kind of attention. You think about the next question, the guest, the technology, and keeping the conversation moving. Listening removes those responsibilities.

Now you can judge the experience your audience receives.

Listen for opportunities to tighten the content. Check the audio quality. Pay attention to the flow. Make sure the episode sounds the way you intended when it reaches another podcast app or device.

Listen Before You Publish

Dave also recommends scheduling episodes ahead of their release date. A future-dated episode creates a valuable window for quality control.

Listen before the episode reaches the public. If you catch a mistake, replace the audio while you still have time. Once someone downloads the original file, you cannot remove that version from their device.

Publishing should never become the final interaction you have with an episode. Listen to your podcast from start to finish, preferably before it goes live. That simple habit can help you catch mistakes, improve your communication, understand the listener experience, and make each episode stronger.

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Episode 798 - Spotify Subscriptions - Make Money From Your Content As A Spotify Creator

Spotify Subscriptions and Podcast Monetization

Spotify subscriptions give podcast creators another way to earn money from their content. Dave explores Spotify subscriptions, paid podcast content, and the challenge of deciding what listeners should receive when they support a show financially.

Dave has experimented with subscriber content before. One listener paid $3 per month for extra episodes, which created an unexpected problem. Dave felt responsible for producing additional content for one person, even when that content took more time than the subscription justified. That experience changed how he thinks about paid content.

Turn Old Episodes Into Value

Dave currently has hundreds of published episodes, including older material that rarely receives new listens. He considers placing those older episodes behind a paywall while keeping recent episodes freely available.

That approach could give existing content a second life without forcing him to produce another episode every day. It could also create a revenue stream from work he has already completed.

Early access offers another possibility. Creators who record episodes ahead of schedule could give subscribers access before the general audience receives them.

What Should Subscribers Receive?

Dave questions the value of bonus material that requires significant extra production. He sees more potential in simple, personal content that creates a closer connection with supporters.

A short walk-and-talk recording could work. No elaborate production. No complicated editing. Just a few minutes of direct conversation about whatever happens to be on Dave's mind.

The subscriber gets access to something personal and different. The creator keeps the workload manageable.

Spotify's Requirements

Spotify requires creators to publish at least two episodes and have at least 100 Spotify users interact with the show during the previous 30 days before they can set up subscriptions. Dave has more than enough published episodes and hundreds of Spotify followers, yet he needs more recent activity to qualify.

Spotify also provides options such as subscriber-only episodes, extended episodes, early access, and fewer ads.

Dave points out one significant tradeoff. Paid content sits behind a paywall, which limits its public visibility and its ability to attract search traffic.

A subscription only works when the audience sees enough value to pay for it. Before creating a paid podcast tier, decide what you can deliver consistently and what your listeners will genuinely value. Old content, early access, or simple personal recordings could create that value without turning your podcast into a second full-time job.

The episode also includes Dave's approach to choosing podcast guesting opportunities and evaluating shows before accepting an invitation.

Spotify Subscription Information in more detail:

https://support.spotify.com/ca-en/creators/article/setting-up-subscriptions/

My PodMatch Affiliate Link:

https://www.joinpodmatch.com/truemedia

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Episode 797 - Spotify's New Skip Feature - Not Such A Big Deal For Podcasters Without Ads and Boring, Predictable and Skippable Content

Spotify's Skip Feature Changes the Listening Experience

Spotify has introduced a skip option that can help listeners move past ads, promotional segments, intros, and other parts of podcasts that listeners frequently skip. Dave sees the feature from a listener's perspective and argues that podcasters should pay attention to what listener behaviour can reveal about their content.

The feature may have limited impact on podcasts without advertising. Dave sees a bigger question for every podcaster, though. Why does a listener want to skip part of your show?

Predictability Makes Podcasts Skippable

Listeners learn patterns quickly. If every episode follows exactly the same structure, they can predict when the intro ends, when an ad appears, and when the actual content starts.

Spotify can also recognize those patterns through listener behaviour. When many listeners skip the same section, the platform can use that behaviour to offer other listeners a shortcut.

Dave suggests a simple response. Change things.

Move your ad placement. Vary your introductions. Try different approaches to your episode structure. Give listeners something unexpected. When you keep every episode identical, you make your content easier to predict and easier to skip.

Make Your Podcast Worth Staying For

Dave sees the listener gaining more control through the skip feature. He also challenges podcasters who dislike the feature to examine their own content before blaming the technology.

If your show contains long predictable sections, listeners have a reason to move past them. Give them something that keeps their attention instead.

Creative podcasting requires movement. Experiment with your format. Break your routines. Keep your audience curious about what comes next.

If you hate the skip button, stop giving listeners predictable reasons to use it. Create episodes that surprise your audience and make the content worth staying for. Dave's advice comes down to a simple challenge: be unskippable.

The episode also includes advice for podcast guests. Keep answers concise, answer the question the host actually asked, complete your thought, and give the host room to continue the conversation.

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Episode 796 - How To Fall in Love With Podcasting This Fall Season - Podcasting is For Everyone

Fall in Love With Podcasting Again

Podcasting can become a chore when the work starts feeling heavier than the joy that brought you to the microphone. This fall, Dave encourages podcasters to reconnect with their why, simplify their workflow, and create some room for fun again.

Start with your purpose. Ask yourself, "I podcast because..." Then identify the listener you serve and the change you want to create. Write those answers down and keep them somewhere you can see while you record. Your why should stay visible when motivation fades.

Make Podcasting Feel Lighter

A complicated workflow can drain your enthusiasm. Dave recommends batching episodes whenever possible so one recording session can create breathing room in your schedule. Templates can also reduce the effort required to start each episode.

Give yourself permission to change things. Shorten your episodes. Try a different format. Record somewhere new. Create a cozy pre-recording ritual that helps you enjoy the process again.

Small changes can make podcasting feel fresh.

Bring New Energy Into Your Show

Step outside your podcasting bubble. Listen to shows completely unrelated to your subject and study how those podcasters structure their episodes, use their voices, and connect with listeners. Look at podcast artwork from outside your niche too. You can discover ideas that your usual listening habits would never expose you to.

Community matters as well. Dave encourages podcasters to connect with people who understand the work and genuinely care about their journey.

Treat Podcasting as a Season of Change

A 14-day fall reset can provide a simple way to rebuild momentum. Take one small podcasting action each day and share the journey with your audience. Your progress can become content that invites listeners into the process.

Dave also encourages every podcast host to become a podcast guest. Sitting in the guest seat forces you to react, experience another host's approach, and understand the listener experience from a different perspective.

Reconnect with why you started. Make the work lighter. Try something different and spend time with other podcasters. Podcasting can bring frustration, but it can also bring connection, creativity, and genuine joy. Give yourself permission to fall in love with it again.

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Episode 795 - The Podcaster That I Couldn't Help - What Blocked Our Path and Lessons Learned

When Podcasting Stalls

Some podcasting dreams never get off the ground because the creator cannot get past the barriers standing between an idea and a published episode. Dave reflects on four podcasters he tried to help and the obstacles that stopped each of them from moving forward.

The first struggled with production overwhelm. They saw podcasting as recording and publishing, then discovered the many small steps that connect those two points. Without a realistic workflow, the process became too much. Dave offered support and guidance, but the podcaster eventually stopped responding and abandoned the project.

Perfection Can Stop a Podcast

Another podcaster had a detailed plan and strong organizational skills, yet perfectionism kept them from publishing. They wanted every element to feel flawless and feared judgment from others.

Dave uses the example of Saturday Night Live to illustrate the value of working toward a deadline. The show goes on because Saturday night arrives. Podcasters can adopt a similar approach by setting a firm publishing deadline and accepting that future episodes will provide opportunities to improve.

Know Who You Serve

A third podcaster had plenty of ideas but lacked a clear audience and purpose. Each new idea pulled the show in another direction.

Dave argues that podcasters need to know who they want to reach and why their show matters to that person. A clear audience creates a destination. Without one, content decisions become difficult and the podcast can lose its direction.

Build Accountability

The fourth example involves a lack of sustainable accountability. Motivation fades when creators work alone and see slow results. A repeatable production system and connections with other podcasters can help keep a show moving.

Dave encourages podcasters to define their own minimum viable podcast. For him, one listener counts. One person who hears an episode and takes action can make the effort worthwhile.

Podcasting requires commitment to the process. Define a realistic workflow, publish before perfection takes over, understand who you serve, and create accountability around your work. Then decide what minimum result makes your podcast worthwhile. Build from there.

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Episode 794 - The Small Talk Skills Every Podcaster Should Develop - Better Podcast Conversations Start With Small Talk

Build Better Podcast Interviews Through Small Talk

Small talk can create a stronger connection between podcasters and their guests. Dave explains how finding common ground can turn an awkward first interaction into a conversation that feels natural and comfortable.

Research helps. Before recording, learn about your guest and look for genuine connections. Shared interests can give you an easy opening and help your guest feel that you actually care about the person behind the interview.

Keep the Conversation Moving

A conversation can stall quickly when someone asks a question that produces a simple no. Dave suggests looking for a related topic that keeps the door open.

If someone asks whether you play golf and you do not, you can connect the question to another outdoor activity you enjoy. That small shift keeps the conversation alive and gives both people another opportunity to find common ground.

The same approach works during virtual events, networking, and everyday conversations. Think beyond the immediate question.

Do Your Homework

Dave uses pre-interviews to break the ice and develop potential talking points. He then spends time learning more about his guests through their websites, videos, and social media.

Those details can create unexpected connections. When a guest discovers that you know something about their interests, the conversation can change immediately. Preparation helps guests feel welcomed and gives the interview a more genuine feel.

Keep the conversational door open. Find common ground, ask better questions, and look for ways to continue a conversation when a topic does not immediately connect with you. Good small talk can create the trust that leads to a much deeper podcast interview.

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Episode 793 - This Podcast Episode Is About Pickles, Sort Of - How A Pickle Could Settle the Debate Over What a Podcast Is

Podcasting Is Like Pickling

Podcasting starts with an idea, much like a cucumber starts as the raw material for a pickle. The recording, production, hosting, and distribution process transforms that raw material into something people can consume.

That comparison offers a useful way to think about the ongoing debate over what actually defines a podcast. Some people focus on the content. Others focus on delivery through RSS. Others focus on the way audiences consume the finished product.

Dave argues that each perspective captures part of the picture.

Define Podcasting for Your Purpose

The definition matters most when someone needs to measure podcasting for a specific purpose, especially advertising and sponsorship. Advertisers need clear definitions so they can measure audiences and evaluate their investment.

For podcasters focused on creating content and connecting with listeners, the debate carries less weight. Your audience cares about what you create and how the experience connects with them.

Podcasting combines the content with the process that turns an idea and recording into something people can access and consume. The process creates the result.

Stop Fighting Over the Definition

Different people approach podcasting from different perspectives. A podcaster may focus on content. A hosting company may focus on distribution. An advertiser may focus on measurement.

Understanding those perspectives can help creators avoid unnecessary arguments. Podcasting offers plenty of room for different formats and approaches, much like the many varieties of pickles available to consumers.

Think about podcasting as a process and a result. Your idea becomes a recording, the recording moves through production and distribution, and the finished podcast reaches an audience. The definition you choose should serve your purpose and your audience.

Dave also recommends The Audience Is Listening by Tom Webster as a starting point for people exploring podcasting or preparing to work with him.

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Episode 792 - A Novice in Motion vs Expert at Rest – Overcome Analysis Paralysis for podcasters

A Novice in Motion vs Expert at Rest

Podcasting rewards movement. The central idea is simple: a novice in motion can get further than an expert at rest. Progress comes from showing up, doing the work, and learning through experience.

Overcoming Analysis Paralysis

New podcasters face endless choices. Microphones, hosting platforms, editing software, episode formats, branding and promotion can create so much uncertainty that taking action feels difficult. Shiny object syndrome adds another layer, as creators chase better equipment or new tools instead of publishing.

Overplanning creates the same problem. A single episode can become a months-long project when creators keep refining outlines, branding and edits without setting a finish line. Perfectionism can then drain momentum entirely.

Action Creates Momentum

Publishing provides something planning cannot: real-world information. Each completed episode teaches you more about your workflow, your voice and the topics that connect with your audience. Confidence grows through doing the work.

Small actions can break the cycle. Record a short voice memo. Write a simple episode outline. Upload a working draft. Set a fixed amount of time for podcast work and make decisions within that window.

Limiting choices also helps. Pick a microphone, hosting platform, editing program or AI tool and learn it well. If it eventually stops meeting your needs, make a new decision. The goal is forward movement.

Progress Over Perfection

The seventy percent rule offers another way forward. When you have enough information to make a reasonable decision, act. Waiting for complete certainty can cost more progress than it adds quality.

Treat each published episode as a completed step. Review what happened, learn from the results and improve the next version. Failure becomes useful feedback when you keep moving.

Podcast growth requires consistent action. You cannot predict everything your audience will respond to from the sidelines. Publish, learn, adjust and keep going. Your next step will teach you more than another hour spent analyzing every possible choice.____Helping Podcasters Everyday! 

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Episode 791 - How to Become the Co-Host Your Podcast Needs - Things Your Co-Host Might Be Afraid To Tell You

How to Become the Co-Host Your Podcast Needs

A strong podcast co-host treats the show as a shared responsibility. That starts with preparation. Your co-host should never carry the conversation because you arrived without knowing the topic, guest, or goal. Prepare enough to contribute confidently, then stay flexible so the conversation can develop naturally.

What Your Co-Host Might Be Afraid to Tell You

Please come prepared. Your co-host needs you to contribute rather than simply show up and expect them to carry the recording. Preparation creates room for spontaneous conversation because you already understand the foundation.

Please listen to me. Your co-host may offer an idea that deserves a follow-up question or open a new direction for the discussion. If you spend the recording waiting for your turn, you will miss those opportunities. Listen closely and respond to what they actually say.

Please carry your share. Agree on responsibilities before you record and own the tasks you accept. Editing, scheduling, production, promotion, and preparation all require time. Your co-host should not have to chase you or rescue the show when you fail to complete your part.

Build the Partnership

A great co-host can move a conversation forward, offer a different perspective, and represent the questions your audience might have. Disagreement can create stronger conversations when both people respect each other and remain engaged.

Your podcast chemistry depends on your relationship away from the microphone. Small frustrations can grow when co-hosts avoid difficult conversations. Talk regularly about workload, expectations, communication, and what each person needs from the partnership.

Treat the podcast relationship as something that deserves protection and attention. Check in regularly and ask whether the arrangement still works for both people.

A successful co-host partnership requires shared effort and genuine attention. Show up prepared. Listen closely. Own your responsibilities. When both co-hosts feel heard, supported, and valued, the audience can hear that connection too.

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Episode 790 - How A Podcast Content Calendar Can Make Your Podcast Stand Out Amongst Your Competition

Podcast Content Calendar

A podcast content calendar can give your show a recognizable rhythm and help you stand apart from competing podcasts. A calendar maps out your publishing schedule, episode topics, guests, seasonal content, or larger themes. It gives you a clear view of where your podcast is heading.

Dave admits he does not currently use a full content calendar across his podcasts. He does use elements of planning, including mini-series and seasonal episodes. The episode explores what a more structured calendar could offer any podcaster willing to plan ahead.

Create a Recognizable Rhythm

A content calendar lets you organize related topics and create patterns that listeners can understand. You might dedicate certain publishing dates to specific content types or build monthly themes. That structure gives your audience a reason to return and makes your podcast easier to promote.

Predictability helps. Listeners know what your show delivers and can anticipate what comes next.

Promote the Next Episode

Knowing what comes next creates a built-in promotional opportunity. You can mention the previous episode, introduce the current topic, and preview the next one during the same recording.

That approach also works well for listeners who binge episodes months or years after publication. Each episode can lead naturally into the next, creating a listening path that resembles chapters in a book.

Build Connected Content

A calendar allows you to create episode series around larger themes. Instead of scrambling for the next topic, you can plan several connected episodes and let your research and ideas develop around that theme.

Planning also gives your brain direction. Once you know what you will discuss several weeks from now, related ideas start appearing in your conversations, reading, research, and everyday experiences.

Let Your Calendar Fit Your Podcast

The episode also addresses podcast length. Dave encourages creators to choose an episode length that fits their available production time and audience. Start with a manageable format, publish several episodes, then examine your analytics. Listener behavior can guide future decisions.

A podcast content calendar gives your show direction. It helps you create a recognizable rhythm, promote upcoming content, and connect episodes into meaningful series. You do not need a complicated system. You need enough planning to know where your podcast is going.

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