The Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice

What shifts in podcasting have you noticed in the last few months? In the first episode of 2025, Mary dives right into the changes we've seen in podcasting just since last fall. More and more hosts are leaning into partisan politics and using their shows to share their thoughts and concerns with a huge audience. This has further legitimized the industry, similar to when celebrities started to don the mantle of podcast host several years back.

This mainstream growth has a real impact on your show, even if you aren't interviewing Canada's Prime Minister or the Democratic presidential candidate. Mary explores how you, as a podcast creator, can seize this opportunity to transform or elevate your show—ultimately your own media platform—to refresh stagnant formulas and revisit the most essential question: how does your podcast align with your values?

Whether you're brand new or years into podcasting, let's think about:

• How podcasting becoming more mainstream affects you and your show
• How you can lean into the shifts to bring a fresh perspective
• Why you should use your podcast to control the message you want to spread

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Find Podcast Success While Doing Less, Episode 87: https://www.organizedsound.ca/find-podcast-success-while-doing-less-episode-87/
• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on facing impostor syndrome and taking criticism, Rethinking with Adam Grant: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/canadian-prime-minister-justin-trudeau-on-facing-impostor/id1554567118?i=1000658497013
• Gratitude enhances health, brings happiness — and may even lengthen lives, Harvard Health: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/gratitude-enhances-health-brings-happiness-and-may-even-lengthen-lives-202409113071

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voice note with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.

Transcript with Audio Description:

[MUSIC IN - GHOSTHOOD FEATURING SARA AZRIEL "LET'S GO" BEGINS]

MARY: Although it's February, and this is my first episode back from my year end break. Welcome back. It feels like a lifetime ago because so much has changed in this short little bit of time from my last episode that I published in early December. It's amazing what a few months can do for you. And toward the end of last year, too, in episode 87, called Find Podcast Success While Doing Less, that episode is a good one to listen to before this one, because it's kind of a continuation or maybe like a little addendum to that episode. Where are you on your podcasting journey to make your podcast more integrated with what you do and your values, especially in today's world when, yeah, we're still trying to figure out what to do with less time, less money, less capacity, all of that sort of stuff.

So if you haven't listened to episode 87 yet, make sure you go find that one and then continue on to this one. Because, yeah, the world has changed. It doesn't matter which part of the world you live in. And I usually don't get very political. This podcast isn't political at all. And I don't slide into that realm. But I feel like with everything that I do, whether that is my personal life, my podcasting life, my business life, everything is all intertwined. So what does that political landscape actually mean for podcasting as a whole? And then more specifically, what does it mean for your show? A few things, actually. So listen in.

This is episode number 90 of the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice.

>

Hey, welcome back to the show. Oh, my gosh. This is episode 90.

[INTRO MUSIC ENDS]

And as I usually start my year, I like to go back on, okay, what did I do on my podcast? What do I want to talk about this year? And things like that? And I realized I'm going into my sixth year of this particular podcast. I've done podcasting before with a different show, but this one, this is my sixth year for this. And that also means I'm going into my eighth year in my podcast production company. Who would have thought when I started this adventure?

So thank you so much. Whether you are a longtime listener, whether you've known me from the beginning of my podcast production company or even before then, if I'm lucky enough to have a few listeners that are from before that time, or if you're relatively new here, or this is your first episode, you know, it also still feels, very much new to me, because every time I produce an episode, every time I come up with an idea, I take it from that curiosity and learning angle, what can I learn in this moment and how can I share that learning piece with you? So thank you so much for coming on this ride, listening to this specific episode, and we're going to talk a lot about what's shifted in the past few months since I last recorded an episode from December and what is going on right now in February and into the future of podcasting, of course, for your show.

[MUSIC IN]

So what is shifting in podcasting? Like I said at the top of the show, I don't usually go political, but podcasts as an industry have gone political. It really has taken that mainstream effect because of the U.S. election back in November and we're starting to see like how that all played out with the podcasting space. So the way I see things is in some ways this is all a good sign for the podcasting industry as a whole. Just like when celebrity podcasts were starting to be a big thing, that started to drive the industry even more. I'm thinking maybe like Dax Shepard has this podcast, Armchair Experts, that started in 2018 and then a few years after that you're starting to see like, podcasting mention in TV shows.

And in fact there are shows that are based on this idea of podcasting, like Only Murders in the Building, which I love, love, love. And what are they just finished their fourth season or they're going into their fourth season. Either way it's a hilarious show and there's all these goofs on like how the podcast is actually made and as an audio person I'm like, oh, you can't do that. But whatever, it's a TV show, it doesn't matter, right? And it's fun, but it's good to see it in mainstream. There's also Based On A True Story, which is about podcasting as well, and how do you make money and that celebrity status of a podcast and stuff like that.

So it's really good to see that the podcasting industry as a whole, because of these celebrity type podcasts, has made it more accessible for you, an independent podcaster. Like, why do you care that there are celebrity podcasts? Why do you care that there are politics in podcasting now? As an independent and someone who is not on a network show, how does this really impact you? And the whole bottom line is that it legitimizes the platform, meaning if your show is produced well and it stands out in your industry, you become the leader.

I mean even before the U.S. election, being Canadian, myself, Justin Trudeau, our Prime Minister in June of 2024, he was on Adam Grant's podcast ReThinking. Love Adam Grant. And I'm not saying to, like, listen to this episode because, oh, my gosh, Justin Trudeau was on and politics and this stuff, but it was just that Adam is also using this podcast as a little bit of behind the scenes of how he even got the Prime Minister onto his show. Like, he's an American going to Ottawa to meet Justin Trudeau. Like, I don't think that would have normally happened in an everyday scenario. But now, 2024, 2025, into the future, podcasting is a legitimate media platform.

So taking this into consideration for your podcast, how are you using your podcast as a media platform? Meaning, what is it doing for you? Whether that is having a business behind it or you're marketing your personal brand, or maybe you're just getting awareness for an organization, or a brand, or something that you work with or work for. What is that point of that podcast? Because now you're creating your own media assets. That's what your podcast is. So in order to do that, we need to start thinking about what you want that podcast to do and to make your listeners feel, because that feeling then translates into action. So let's dig into that feelings bit first.

[MUSIC ENDS]

When you're creating your podcast, what's feeling new? So if you're trying to figure out, okay, do I still want to do interviews, do I want to add solo episodes? What does the format of my show look like and feel like right now, and do I want to change anything? What's feeling stagnant, either for you or maybe for your listeners? And how do you want that refresh to happen? Because, again, you're going to look at this from a media platform lens. How does your podcast play into your overall work? If it's a passion project or, like I said before, part of a business or organization, what are these goals and how does your podcast align with that for this specific year? Because, like I said, everything's changing, everything's new. It's a great time to have that fresh eyes on something.

And it's never too late. If you're listening to this episode and it's way past February and not the week that it is published, then that's totally fine. It's never too late to think about your podcasting journey that you've been on so far, even if you haven't launched a show yet. Like, you were still on this podcasting journey, because it all started with that spark of an idea. Where are you on this journey? Have you created hundreds of episodes? Are you only on your 5th episode? Are you on your 100th episode? What has shifted for you since that spark of an idea until today? What's different?

[MUSIC IN]

I mentioned earlier the episode Doing Less For Your Podcast. That's episode number 87 that I did at the latter half of 2024. This is still happening now in 2025, in the beginning stages of the year, I'm seeing people wanting to rest, uh, to shift away from that constant productivity and the daily grind. So listen to that one if you haven't yet. But part of that episode, too. I talk about finances and being Canadian, paying a lot more for things online because they're in U.S. dollars. And our dollar right now is what, 68 cents? 68 cents per U.S. dollar. It's not, not as great as it used to be. So it means that, as Canadians, we are even paying more and more and more for the same product or service from last year.

You know, for me, on the business side, that's great because I am getting a lot more Canadians who want to work with me, right? Working with a fellow Canadian, few and far between in the audio world and the podcasting space. So, love to support the Canadians where I can. But what that means is that everything at the start of the year is playing out with a lot of uncertainty. You know, people are trying to figure out, do you want to pay more for this, or should I streamline and not pay for a lot of things here and don't pay for this there?

And, you know, podcasting isn't cheap to run your own show, to host a show, at least it does take some money or time. It's not an easy thing to do if you want to put some intention behind it. So with all this uncertainty and all this back and forth, what do we do now in this climate that we're in? I want you to take a step back as well. What can we control to keep the fear of the unknown at bay?

[MUSIC ENDS]

Sometimes these tips can feel like very broad and very nebulous. But I think for one, this one is something I didn't want to mention at first because it feels kind of like cliche. But the more I thought about it, I didn't want to edit my own thoughts and kind of stay true to my speak with spirit ethics that I've got. It's gratitude. And you might see it online and be like, oh, yeah, I want to be grateful for this and thankful for that, but it really does help. And from a personal standpoint, I do journal every single night. It's quick bullet form. It's not a bullet journal, per se. I don't know if you've heard that type of journal before, but this is what I do. And I find it works simply for me because they're easy points and it's just to get things out of my head so I'm not constantly thinking about stuff before I go to bed.

So I do this every night. Again, whatever works for you. If you are a morning person, maybe you do this in the morning, but for me, five things that were a success could be as simple as tasks, you know, that you checked off. That still counts. Then the next section is three things I'm grateful for and my role in it. What did I do to actually make that happen? So usually I don't do, like, I thank the warm weather today. I thank the sunshine. Well, what did I do to make the warm weather happen? Or what did I do to make the sunshine happen, right? So, not just this nebulous gratitude, but how did this gratitude happen? Because of something that you did.

The last section is three actions I took to drive any big dreams or made my day really, really happy. What were those three things? And I've been writing down these points every night since 2019. I would probably say I may have only missed one or two nights because I was sick. Like, if I was traveling, I'd bring my journal with me, my notebook. It's not really like a formal journal. It's just a notebook of blank pages. And then I just put in these notes and headers every day so I can say that the gratitude changes the perspective.

And when you are grateful for others and yourself, your brain's chemistry changes, and it can shift your experiences. There's actually a lot of research about how gratitude changes mental health for the better. Even last September, there was research from Harvard Medical School saying how gratitude not only brings happiness, but also lengthens lives. So living longer. Woo! Who wouldn't like that, right? Living longer is amazing. So throw a little gratitude in your space. It's that creation of a habit can be easy as taking down those notes. Like I say that I do every night before bed. But this habit that I really enjoy too, because this way I have time to myself, I get to wind down for a better night's sleep. And I actually do this as the very last thing. Not to get too intimate here, but it is the last thing I do in the bathroom before I literally get into bed.

The house is really quiet. I'm usually the only one left awake, and then I do my journaling and I go straight to bed. And actually, you'd be pretty surprised how podcasting actually comes up in my nightly journal. Comes up more often than you might think. Whether that is, you know, something I've been listening to that I learned from a podcasting client that I'm working with. Actually, maybe something that I learned from one of my clients, right? Like, there's just so much that goes into podcasting that you can actually be grateful for. Even though this isn't a podcasting gratitude journal, it's not specific to podcasting, but it does help in your podcasting world.

[MUSIC IN]

And another thing, during all of this uncertainty, a podcast as your media platform is a way for you to control the message, unlike all the bro culture that is there that I've been trying to stay away from. And we are seeing play out in the real world when we as a podcaster speak with spirit. And I mean it in a heartfelt, tactful way. Not like I'm gonna yell, and scream, and speak on what's on my mind. Like, that is a really unkind move, right? Like, we're not being mean spirited here. We are not just saying whatever we want on our mind when we're speaking with spirit, it is in a way that we say it with the intention of love, with an understanding that we are doing our best with the situation that we have and that we have this platform now, this podcasting platform to share that message.

So what do you want to say? It's your podcast. It's not social media, which can shut down, or change algorithms, or do all sorts of weird things that you can't control, but this idea that you can still be a leader in, in your industry with your podcast, because you have created your own media platform, your message never goes away until you want it to.

[MUSIC ENDS]

So I hope you got a little bit of something out of this episode to start your year or to continue that fresh podcasting energy for the year. Keeping this one short, because trying to stay away from all the doom scrolling and all the news. I watch a lot of news, so trying to stay away from that right now. So food for thought, how do you feel in this climate, this political climate that is affecting your podcast, if any, because I'm sure you never even thought about that connection, right? But there is, because now podcasting, it's a legitimate media platform. People are coming to the space to share their message as well. So how are you going to promote other people's voices with intention?

We're going to dive deeper into a lot of nuance in this sort of realm this season. So I would love your hot take on what do you want to hear? What do you want to move towards this year? Leave me a voice note. I'd love to hear your voice, VisibleVoicePodcast.com There's a purple button that says send voicemail. Leave me a note there. Or email, as always [email protected].

And on the next episode, like I said, we're going to continue a bit on this theme here. It's an extension where you're going to talk social media. No, no, it's not what you think. I'm not a big fan of social media either. I don't know if you've noticed...

How are your values guiding your voice, schedule, and future plans for your show? The holiday season is upon us, and that makes this the final 2024 episode of The Podcaster's Guide to the Visible Voice! Throughout the year, Mary fields tons of questions about all things recording, speaking, and producing. So, here's a round-up of some of the impossible-to-Google questions most podcast creators ask at some point.

From embracing the volume of your voice to easy-to-implement recording hacks for guest episodes, wrap up your year and feel empowered to launch or continue your show in 2025 with these practical tips from a seasoned podcast strategist and voice coach.

Get inspired for your upcoming podcast season:

• How to reframe the "professional" voice in podcasting
• Consider capacity: taking breaks as a solo creator
• The future expectations of adding video
• Easy tips to take your recording process to the next level

Listen to this year's guest episodes:

• Accessibility in Podcasting for Hard-of-Hearing Listeners with Kellina Powell, Episode 88: https://www.organizedsound.ca/accessibility-in-podcasting-for-hard-of-hearing-listeners-with-kellina-powell-episode-88/
• Warm Up to a Healthier, More Confident Voice with Nic Redman, Episode 86: https://www.organizedsound.ca/warm-up-to-a-healthier-more-confident-voice-with-nic-redman-episode-86/
• Simplify Your Workflow to Keep Your Podcasting Passion Alive with Craig Constantine, Episode 84: https://www.organizedsound.ca/simplify-your-workflow-to-keep-your-podcasting-passion-alive-with-craig-constantine-episode-84/
• Start a Ripple Effect of Continuous Learning with Beth Cougler Blom, Episode 81: https://www.organizedsound.ca/start-a-ripple-effect-of-continuous-learning-with-beth-cougler-blom-episode-81/
• Making Accessibility Possible in Podcasting with Joel McKinnon, Episode 79: https://www.organizedsound.ca/making-accessibility-possible-in-podcasting-with-joel-mckinnon-episode-79/
• Why We Need To Highlight Our Humanity In Podcasting with Erin Moon, Episode 77: https://www.organizedsound.ca/why-we-need-to-highlight-our-humanity-in-podcasting-with-erin-moon-episode-77/
• Writing For Your Podcast with Shannon Kirk, Episode 75: https://www.organizedsound.ca/writing-for-your-podcast-with-shannon-kirk-episode-75/
• Crafting a Consistent Brand Story with Brigitte Bojkowszky, Episode 73: https://www.organizedsound.ca/crafting-a-consistent-brand-story-with-brigitte-bojkowszky-episode-73/
• Voice Health: Treat Your Podcasting Instrument With Care, Episode 85: https://www.organizedsound.ca/voice-health-treat-your-podcasting-instrument-with-care-episode-85/
• Organic Discovery for Podcasts, Episode 67: https://www.organizedsound.ca/organic-discovery-for-podcasts-episode-67/
• Learn more about Spotify for Creators: https://creators.spotify.com/

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voice note with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.

Transcript with Audio Description:

[MUSIC IN - GHOSTHOOD FEATURING SARA AZRIEL "LET'S GO" BEGINS]

MARY: Over the course of the year, I get plenty of podcasting and audio or voice related questions, as you could guess from the work that I do. And like we've talked about on the podcast before, no question is a dumb question. Podcasting questions come up all the time. Whether they might be a bit more foundational, like, what mic do you buy? How do you record online, how do you get the best sound? Those are more technical questions, but for this episode I wanted to go beyond that, because if you can google it, does it really make for an interesting or exciting podcast episode? Probably not. So I wanted to get under those almost superficial layers. So as we wrap up the year, I'm going to answer three very common questions that I get a lot. And as always, touch upon your podcasting values as we close out this year.

This is episode number 89, the last episode for 2024, on the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice.

>

Hey, thanks for listening to the show, but before we get to the questions, a little Q&A. I wanted to share a voice note with you first, from someone's voice story.

[INTRO MUSIC ENDS]

This is back in episode 85 about your voice health and treating your podcasting instrument with care. I asked you to say and complete the following sentence stems. The first time someone said something about my voice, it made me feel, dot, dot, dot, fill in the blanks, and then end with the second sentence stem, today, what I love about my voice is, dot, dot, dot, so this is one of the voice notes I got.

[VOICE NOTE AUDIO]: I'm calling from New York City, New York. The first time someone said something about my voice, it made me feel very self conscious. Today, what I love about my voice is that I've learned to speak slower. My ideal voice is that of many hosts on NPR public radio, which I listen to all day. And I've often been reprimanded by friends and family for having a very loud voice when I become excitable. And I don't notice that I have such a loud voice. So I'm always really thrilled to listen to voice coaches and experts when it comes to voice. Thank you so much. [VOICE NOTE AUDIO ENDS]

MARY: Thank you so much for sending the voice note. I love it. I wish more people would send voice notes. Honestly, I talk about them all the time and a lot of people don't have that bravery. And so the voice notes that do come into my inbox, I love them. So thank you so much for sharing.

Now, when I heard that voice note, I do have to say I heard the words loud voice, and I too was reminded about how when I was a kid or, you know, even when I was working in radio, when other people use their voices for a living, I was told I was too loud. My coworkers would do that, if you kind of squish your fingers trying to pinch together with your thumb that pinching together to tell me to be quiet, softer, I'm like, no. Because that's when, you know, I am passionate about something. [LAUGHTER] But what I have to say is that it's okay to be loud because it is that passion coming through. It can be.

When I get loud that way, I am passionate about something. But that doesn't mean you have to speak that way all the time, right? It's when we can play with our voice to be loud and passionate, but also soft and vulnerable when we need it. So thanks again for your note. Thank you so much for recording it and sending it. I'm glad you have a loud voice when you need it, as I do as well, because loud doesn't always equal bad.

[MUSIC IN]

So this leads to my first question for this little Q and A episode. How do I sound more professional? I get this one all the time because, yes, I worked in radio, as you know, and so when people hear my voice, they're like, oh, you've got a great radio voice. And I'm like, yeah, well, been in the business for like 20 years. Like, this isn't the way I started out. This is not how I sounded when I started. So, how do I sound more professional? My short answer is, you don't. Not exactly at least, for podcasting. Like, even in that voice note earlier, she mentioned NPR. For me, it's CBC in Canada or in Europe, it might be the BBC voice. Those are broadcast voices. And even those are slowly changing.

But when we podcast, listeners are looking for someone to connect with. So that means also sounding like them, not someone sitting behind a big desk with a microphone. I think the deeper question that someone is actually wanting to ask, when they ask about that professional sounding question, it's that confidence piece with their voice. Like, how do I know when to bring the emotion? Or when should I sound like that journalistic voice? But I think that's the key, though, in podcasting you're not reporting a story or being a journalist. That's a totally different kind of podcast. So unless you are creating a true crime podcast, we really need to reframe this.

The professional, quote unquote sound in podcasting is essentially that confidence in your voice. Because in the podcasting industry, most of the popular podcasters don't have a broadcast background. The podcasters, they sound like you, or your friends, or your family. It's when you have confidence to play with your voice, to bring out the anger when you need it, or that sadness when it comes to share your happiness, your excitement, and joy. We're along for that ride with you.

So as I said earlier, it's not a one note show. As humans we have many emotions and expressions to play with, and that can also be expressed through your voice. Your listeners are going to get it when you're loud and excited, like I said before, because they'll be there with you. How do you want them to feel? How do you want your listener to feel? Feel that way too. Because we're sharing the feelings. We're not just talking heads.

[MUSIC ENDS]

The next question is a big question I get all the time. It's usually around taking breaks. Do I take a break from my podcast? Can I take a break on my podcast? The productivity aspect in us, in our society, that accountability part where we hear everyone saying, you need to create content, you need to have a weekly show, podcast once a week, post something once a week, or twice a week at this specific time, et cetera, et cetera. You know, you got to work ahead, so you never take a break. But you know, that doesn't work for everyone, especially if you don't have a team behind you. In all honesty, podcasting is a lot of work.

So producing a weekly show on top of if you have your own business, your work, your family life, personal life, taking time to have some fun, there's not a lot of time in one person's life to produce that much content, you know, to have that many episodes. So we have to look back at what our podcast means to us. Why are we building this show? Does your ideal listener expect this productivity from you? Or is this something that you've absorbed from, I don't know, reading something on the Internet that, you know, society is kind of saying to you, this is what you need to do.

But I truly believe any creative pursuit. Podcasting, yes, is included as a creative pursuit has their own cycles. So for me to create my best show, I need to include breaks or else burnout is going to set in. So these breaks include the year end break. This is the last episode before 2024 ends. As I told you, I always take a break roughly around the last two weeks of December, and then I come back sometime after Chinese New Year. And Chinese New Year moves, right? It's either in January or February, anywhere between mid-January to early mid-February, because I take that time to go over to Vancouver, see my family, celebrate with everybody.

In the summer as well. I take a break usually in July and August because it's the summer here. It's amazing where I live, I want to be outdoors. I'm an outdoorsy person. I want to go out there and really experience the environment that I am in. And so there's not a lot of time for podcasting. I mean, there could be, but honestly, I don't really want to, [LAUGH] right? Podcasting isn't the end all and be all. It is really fun to do though. And I get it too. Like some people might say, you need to keep podcasting or else you'll lose your listeners. But I also understand if your listeners know where you're coming from, they understand your values for your podcast. They will come back.

So take a look at those foundations for your podcast again, what was the point of your podcast? Why are you creating the show? And for me, it's not about making money. So my podcast goals are not to monetize and make money, but it is to establish my thought leadership, showcase my work so that down the line I can have clients and make money, right. People hear what I can do and they're like, oh yeah, you know what you're talking about. I'd love to hire you. So it's a long term marketing strategy. This podcast of mine is a marketing platform. But yes, I do love sharing my knowledge and that is fun for me. So that thought leadership aspect of the podcast really works. But that also means I don't have to produce a weekly podcast. That is not important.

So what is your plan to take a break as the year is winding down? I challenge you to think about what your production schedule is like and how does that fit into the capacity of your life? What do you need to tell your listeners so that they are kept in the loop and they'll come back, when you're back from your break?

[MUSIC IN]

This next question is a recent one, because it's a recent discovery. It's what's with Spotify for Creators? If you haven't heard what Spotify for Creators is yet, maybe you don't read the industry news like me, or you don't check your email from Spotify. That might not be your main question actually. When I get that question asked, to me, it's really around the idea of videos in podcast. Because Spotify has been making huge investments into podcasting in recent years, buying up podcast shows with big names. But then also buying up podcast businesses to integrate those platforms and those solutions onto the Spotify platform.

So their latest is Spotify for Creators, which really is just a rebrand of Spotify for Podcasters, which you might be familiar with. That's where you go to upload your show, your RSS feed, to put onto Spotify for people to listen to. And originally, like most podcasting, it all starts as audio-only. But because the podcasting landscape is now blurring with video, this rebrand is to incorporate video content creators too. So it's not niching down to podcasts only and making sure that they're getting more than just podcasters, meaning they want to include video podcasts.

Last year, October, actually in 2023, I had the episode Organic Discovery For Podcasts. That was episode number 67. This one was about when YouTube made a huge shift in their podcasting landscape to announce that they were shutting down Google Podcasts and integrating podcasting into YouTube. So a whole year later, now we see Spotify going head to head with YouTube to try and compete in this space with Spotify for Creators. So really, the question that I also get is, do I have to do video now, too? You hear it in their voice. They're like, oh, not one more thing, [LAUGHS] right? Like I said, podcasting is a lot of work. Now we have to do video, too. Short answer, no, you don't.

So here's where that line gets blurred again. When listeners or viewers on the video side, see, there's already a distinction in the wording, at least viewers versus listeners, they understand that a podcast is a show where essentially there's a microphone and people talk to each other. So when you think of podcasting, you might think of the really big shows that have video. But you also have to remember that these big shows, they were also paid big bucks to be on Spotify. And some of them to, then when they got on Spotify, to include video in their strategy to compete all with YouTube. That was Spotify's whole grand plan.

So now people think that a successful podcast must have video because those big names have video. But again, you also have to remember, those quote, unquote, successful podcasts, they have a big team behind them, they understand video and how to integrate that video audience, the viewers, into the goals of their podcast. So you might want to ask yourself, do you have the resources to make a highly produced show? So, I mean, highly produced, because it's not just a basic video call like over Zoom, and then you put it out on the Internet, if you have those resources, then good on you. Go and make that podcast on video happen. You will use Spotify and YouTube to their fullest advantage.

But for most podcasts, consumption is still mostly done on a podcast listening or audio only app. And as I hinted earlier, audio only is a very different medium and listener type than a video watcher. You need to be mindful to cater to either one of those. So, if you're doing both, not just to cater to the video side or not just to cater to the audio side, because then the video side loses out or the audio side loses out, right? No one is a winner. So the other platform will always suffer. If you're only catering to one and thinking like, oh, we'll just do the video, because YouTube has so much algorithm that we'll just strip the audio from the YouTube and then we'll just post it for audio only, that's great but, your audio will suffer because you're not focusing on that. And the audio only listeners will probably not listen to the show as much as...

How can you make your podcast more accessible to people who are deaf and hard of hearing? It goes without saying that we don't know what we don't know. When it comes to how people with auditory differences—such as those who are deaf and hard of hearing—interact with our podcasts, the only way to learn how to do better and make those episodes more accessible is to ask. And that's exactly what this episode does.

Kellina Powell is an author and speaker who helps deaf and hard-of-hearing women express themselves with confidence in a hearing world. Tuck in your earbuds and get ready to listen and learn as Mary and Kellina discuss the nuances of engaging with podcasts as a hard-of-hearing listener. How big a role does video play? Is all the effort we put into creating transcripts paying off? Kellina weighs in with helpful transparency from first-hand experience about the accessibility questions you've always wanted to ask.

Learn from Kellina's unique perspective of the audible world:

• How your microphone affects sounds picked up during recording
• The difference in how hearing and hard-of-hearing people filter ambient noise
• How we can make our transcripts more accessible to those who need them
• How to respectfully ask questions about accessibility

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Episode 84 "Simplify Your Workflow to Keep Your Podcasting Passion Alive with Craig Constantine" - https://www.organizedsound.ca/simplify-your-workflow-to-keep-your-podcasting-passion-alive-with-craig-constantine-episode-84/

Engage with Kellina:

• Buy Kellina's book, "Everyday I Am Just Deaf" - https://bookshop.org/p/books/everyday-i-am-just-deaf-life-in-a-hearing-world-with-deaf-queen-boss-kellina-powell/18522433?ean=9781778112102
• Connect with Kellina - https://www.kellinaempowerment.com/

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voice note with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.

What could doing less look like for your podcast? Life is chaos these days. The hours often seem to fill up instantly with all the things on your plate, so don't feel bad if publishing podcast episodes start to slide to the bottom of your to-do list. Stumbling on the podcasting flow is totally normal—and totally fixable. The good news is that you can cut back on your workload and still release an impactful, exciting show.

Curbing the number of hours you spend prepping, recording, editing, publishing, and promoting doesn't have to result in lower-quality episodes. By circling back to your original goals and finding ways to trim, rearrange, and even cut tasks that don't serve you, a process emerges that keeps you excited to create but not bogged down for hours and hours you just don't have.

Yes, you have the potential to balance more rest and a meaningful show:

• How to check in on your definition of success
• Why you're getting better with every show, even if you didn't notice
• How to go out with heart if you decide to take a break

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Episode 84, "Simplify Your Workflow to Keep Your Podcasting Passion Alive with Craig Constantine" - https://www.organizedsound.ca/simplify-your-workflow-to-keep-your-podcasting-passion-alive-with-craig-constantine-episode-84/
• Episode 86, "Warm Up to a Healthier, More Confident Voice with Nic Redman" - https://www.organizedsound.ca/warm-up-to-a-healthier-more-confident-voice-with-nic-redman-episode-86/
• Edison Research, Infinite Dial 2024 - https://www.edisonresearch.com/the-infinite-dial-2024/
• Edison Research, Infinite Dial 2023 - https://www.edisonresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/The-Infinite-Dial-2023.pdf

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA

What can you do to keep your voice in tip-top shape? As podcasters, we use our voices a lot. Chances are, that essential instrument of yours has temporarily abandoned you in the past. Whether the symptom stems from getting sick or from overuse, waking up to croaks, rasps, or silence is an awful feeling, especially if deadlines or interviews are looming. In this timely episode, Mary returns to the mic on the heels of her own voice loss to talk swollen vocal folds and slug tongue with Nic Redman, a vocal coach and voiceover artist who has spent almost 20 years helping professional speakers hone their voices.

Nic is a font of healthy voice inspiration, sharing everything from the importance of hydration (and the truth about which beverages count) to warmups that will get your tongue trilling, your lips flapping, and your vocal cords folding. Come to terms with what you can and can't control about your listener's reaction to your unique voice and be reminded about what a privilege it is, literally and figuratively, to have a voice. This episode is packed with light science and exaggerated facial expressions you can practically see, all in the interest of keeping you talking for years to come.

Join Nic and Mary for interactive vocal warmups and other voice health tips:

• Silly faces and weird noises that can help your voice even when you're sick
• Why you need to get out of your own head and stop self-editing your voice
• How to sound just as energized at the top of your episode as you do at the end
• The benefit of vocal warmups beyond just keeping your voice healthy

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Podcasting For Business Conference - https://pfbcon.com/
• Enter to win a ticket to the conference by sending your voice note - http://www.VisibleVoicePodcast.com/
• Listen to Episode 70, How to Use Research and Reports to Guide Your Podcast with Megan Dougherty - https://www.organizedsound.ca/how-to-use-research-and-reports-to-guide-your-podcast-with-megan-dougherty-episode-70/

Engage with Nic:

• Learn more about Nic's work on her website - https://nicolaredman.com/
• Listen to the Voice Coach podcast - https://nicolaredman.com/voice-coach-podcast/
• Get your copy of Nic's book at www.onthemicbook.com
• Connect with her on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nicredvoice/

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA

How much do you prioritize your vocal health? Most of us, even if we work in the voice acting, podcasting, or broadcast industries, don't think too much about our voices. But remember: if you don't have a voice, you don't have a podcast!

In this episode, Mary breaks down what we can all do to take better care of our most important business asset. The solution can't be to never speak or raise your voice except while you work, but preemptive planning, some mind-body connection, and a little (or a lot of) self-love go a long way to keeping those chords healthy for when you need them.

Give your voice the TLC it deserves! Listen in to find out:

• Why glugging water right before you speak doesn't cut it
• How to balance those fun, loud nights out with your podcast-related voice work
• The mental component of taking care of your voice

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Win tickets to the Podcasting for Business Conference by leaving a voice note! https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice
• Attend the Podcasting for Business Conference - https://pfbcon.com/attend-2024/
• Mary's voice love notes chat with Andrea Klunder of the Creative Imposter - https://bit.ly/cimarychan
• Read the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's article, Effects of Hydration on Voice Acoustics - https://pubs.asha.org/doi/pdf/10.1044/cicsd_36_F_142
• Episode 50, "Stop Thinking About Yourself" - https://www.organizedsound.ca/stop-thinking-about-yourself-episode-50/
• Episode 54, "The Process of What's Working, What's Not Working, and What to Celebrate For Your Podcast" - https://www.organizedsound.ca/the-process-of-whats-working-whats-not-working-and-what-to-celebrate-for-your-podcast-winter-break-episode-54/
• Episode 55, "How to Find Your Podcasting Voice" - https://www.organizedsound.ca/how-to-find-your-podcasting-voice-why-authenticity-is-100-times-better-than-a-traditional-radio-voice-episode-55/
• Episode 70, "How to Use Research and Reports to Guide Your Podcast with Megan Dougherty" - https://www.organizedsound.ca/how-to-use-research-and-reports-to-guide-your-podcast-with-megan-dougherty-episode-70

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA

Transcript with Audio Description:

[MUSIC IN - GHOSTHOOD FEATURING SARA AZRIEL "LET'S GO" BEGINS]

MARY: Your voice is your number one instrument. This is something I talk about a lot. I mean, it's also one of the first things you see on my website, because without your voice, and take it from me, I lost my voice in the middle of September for almost a whole week. Without your voice, you don't have a podcast. So why is it, as podcasters, we don't think about our voice as much as, say, the person we want to interview, or the titles, the artwork, those aspects always get a lot of focus. But your voice, not so much.

So in this episode, we're talking voice. Why it's not exactly what you hear in your head and how we can move forward to record more episodes with more love for your vocal cords and your heart.

This is episode 85 of the Podcasters Guide to a Visible Voice.

>

Welcome back to the show. And like I said at the start, I did lose my voice in the middle of September,

[INTRO MUSIC ENDS]

and I still feel like it's a little dry and scratchy. So bear with me. But I do sound so much better even my daughter was like, you sound like a grumbly bear. Before I was kind of talking like this, and I actually didn't do any talking because I couldn't talk. So when you're a podcaster, it's like, your worst nightmare, losing your voice.

[MUSIC IN]

You know, it's funny how most people, even those who work in the industry, like voiceover artists or broadcast media, they don't always think about their voice until they lose it, like I did. I remember one of my coworkers back in the radio days. She hosted a four hour Monday through Friday show, but she lost her voice because she was screaming and having fun at a concert the night before. Long haul voice usage, so talking to people is one thing, but when you're a podcaster, you're actually performing with your voice. That's a totally different thing. That's like presenting, or teaching, or voicing audiobooks, and, yeah, like I said, when we're podcasting, this is when we are being intentional with our voice.

Whether you are actually thinking about that on purpose or not, it isn't just about having a conversation. In the back of your mind, you want to make an impact with your podcast episode. So before you get to the, oh, my God, I've lost my voice like I did.

Let's talk about prevention. I know, my version of getting sick and losing my voice, that's harder to prevent. You know, you can't prevent the fact that my daughter brought home a cold and then she passed it on to me. That's just part of the September back to school blues. But what I'm talking about is maybe that concert that my coworker was screaming at or talking all night at a loud dinner party, that part, we can do more to nurture our voice. And just whenever we use our voice on a day to day process, we can nurture our voice at any point in time.

[MUSIC ENDS]

I think more and more people these days are more aware of hydrating. So drinking water, you know, those Stanley tumblers that have been out on social media, huge water bottles that people are drinking out of, because they want to stay hydrated. But what podcasters might not realize is that you're just not hydrating your body. That also means you're hydrating your voice. But when you drink, the interesting thing that most people often think is that drinking water will immediately hydrate your vocal cords. But really, your vocal cords live in the same world as where you breathe air makes them work, not your digestive system.

So when you drink fluids, the water actually isn't coating or washing out your vocal cords. You actually need to hydrate, meaning drink well before you speak in order for that hydration to reach your vocal cords, because what we drink or eat, those fluids need to be transported through the body system in order to be absorbed by cells for it to work, and that could take 24 hours. If you're more of a science nerd, you can read more about it in an article called The Effects Of Hydration On Voice Acoustics from the American Speech Language Hearing association. I'll put that link in the show notes. But, yeah, when we're breathing, we're using our vocal cords, but when we hydrate, we need to drink well in advance. Stay hydrated is what that means. You gotta drink well in advance to make sure that your vocal cords are hydrated.

[MUSIC IN]

So the Internet myth of lemon and honey or gargling salt water won't actually fix your voice. Oh, the Internet. We love busting myths. Rest is also key, and I know you can't just not talk. You know, we still have to do our day to day work. But with some advanced planning, rest could help.

For example, you know, you're heading out to a loud restaurant for dinner one night. When you plan your podcast recordings, make sure you give your voice a break. So don't schedule any recordings the day after or even first thing the next morning. Give your voice time to get back to normal. You have to think of your voice like other muscles in your body. You just did a huge workout with it the night before. Talking loudly at that dinner party. So are you going to be doing a marathon the day after? Probably not.

So when we have the luxury of time and planning, think about what you've got planned around any big vocal events. And I know vocal events might be hard to grasp, like, okay, concerts, dinner parties, but what else? Sometimes you just never know when you need to speak loudly for long periods of time. And one of those things too is like a networking event. You know, I go to those, but I make sure because they're once a month or what have you. I'm not scheduling anything after that networking event, I'll make sure my voice has time to rest. It's like having a little vocal nap. Naps are lovely, so why not one for your voice?

Another vocal event could be like recording a podcast episode. Yeah, you might think, okay, I'm gonna record back to back, to back, to back, so I can just batch record everything and get things out of the way. But are you scheduling time in between to rest? Those vocal cords need a little bit of a rest before you take it out for another workout. So, make sure little voice snaps are scheduled in for you when you're even batch recording podcast episodes.

[MUSIC ENDS]

And using your voice goes beyond the physical aspects we've been talking about. Your voice is really multi-layered, and there's always going to be a mental component as well. We worry about every word and how we sound, but imagine being able to strip away all of that. But I know it's easier said than done. When we use our voice all that muck from our past, the subconscious stuff. It all gets kinda in the way. When I use my voice too. I think about all the times my family told me not to say anything because it's quote unquote private. Which in my mind equals to. Should I share this one story on a podcast? Can I talk about this with a friend? When should I hold back? How much do I share? There's some mental gymnastics going on there. Or I might also be thinking about my experiences in grade six. My teacher giving me the nickname motormouth Mary all year.

So today I still wonder at times, am I talking too fast? I'm just going on and on and on and on. All that history with your voice comes back every time you do some vocal work, the little nuances creep up. But what I found is that, as you heard, I've made those little connections with my voice story. That grade six moment, my family moments. I've realized how past experiences affect my voice today.

I can acknowledge it and be quicker at moving past it so that mental gymnastics doesn't take as long and realize things like, nope, not talking too fast. This is just my energy. It's my speed. It's just the way I'm passionate about expressing something. When you know your voice story, you get to rewrite that ending. So we're rewiring our brain at the same time we're doing this. And I've got a great step by step for figuring out your voice story. I talked about that in episode 55, How To Find Your Podcasting Voice. So make sure you listen to that one if you haven't yet.

[MUSIC IN]

Recently, I also had a chat with Andrea Klunder of the Creative Impostor Podcast, all about voice. You can hear the whole conversation on her podcast link in the show notes, of course. But one of the main things I got to was that need to love our voice as much as we love other parts of ourselves, or as much as we love our loved ones in our life. When you're listening back to your episodes, and I recommend that you do want to check out episode 50, Stop Thinking About Yourself, or episode 54, The Process Of What's Working, What's Not Working, And What To Celebrate For Your Podcast. Those are some good ones. If you're not so great about listening back to your episodes anyway.

The point is, when you listen back to your episodes, I want you to listen like a friend. What would you say to your voice? Write down those notes as you listen, and write down those examples when it made you go, ooh, that's nice? We don't love our voice enough. So when you're writing down your notes, they're like little love notes to your voice, because your voice is doing a big job every single day, and it's really been underappreciated up until this point. So now that you've got that awareness, what are some little love notes that you're gonna leave for your voice?

And if you wanna learn more about how to use your voice, Andrea and I, along with Brienne Hennessy, will be on a panel all about voice, called your voice, using it, shaping it, and protecting it. I would love for you to join us. We'll be at the podcasting for business conference. It's happening November 13 to 15th. It is all online, so this conference is going to be great for you. It was created by Megan Dougherty of One Stone Creative. She was actually a guest on this very podcast, episode 70, How To Use Research And Reporting To Guide Your Podcast. So make sure you listen to that one. If you haven't listened to Megan yet she is a fount of information. She is the one that's creating the conference. So make sure you head to the link to attend the conference and I'll see you there on my panel about using your voice. Of course, as always, as I've already said, link will be in the show notes.

[MUSIC ENDS]

Ooh, also, thank you for listening this far along. I'd also love to give you a free ticket to join us. I have a ticket for the conference for you, so if you would like to enter to win between now, so now, meaning when this episode is published on October the 14th until the end of the day on November 1st, if you want to win a ticket to the conference, all you need to do is leave me a voice note from my website because I want you to share your voice. Head to VisibleVoicePodcast.com, there's a purple send voicemail button to the right of your screen.

From there, I want you to leave a 90 second voice note from your device. One, state your name where you're calling from. Two, say and complete the following sentence stems I want you to say, the first time someone said something about my voice, it made me feel dot, dot, dot fill in the blanks and then end with, today, what I love about my voice is dot, dot, dot. This is part of the voice story that I mentioned early on in the episode. So, this is part of the inner work, the mental work that we're doing with our voice, and I would love for you to share that with me, please. So yes, state your name, where you're calling from and then complete the following sentence stems. The first time someone said something about my voice, it made me feel and then end with, today what I love about my voice is.

So thank you so much in advance for sending in ah, your voice note, your little love note for yourself, and I'll do a random draw for a free ticket to the podcasting for business conference. So good luck. And again, thank you in advance.

[MUSIC IN]

So I hope this was a good little reminder or love note to you and your voice. Don't forget, stay hydrated, give your voice a nap when it needs it, and I'll see you at the Podcasting For Business Conference online in November.

On the next episode, we're going to talk more vocal health and warm ups with Nic Redmond. She shares some really great short exercises to love your voice before you settle in behind the mic. She also gives some really solid tips for when you need to podcast while you're sick. And yeah, it was more personal for me because when I recorded the episode, I was just recovering from losing my voice, and I was still a little scratchy. So you're not gonna want to miss this, it's cold and flu season. We all need these tips, and, uh, they're such great reminders for your voice. So join me next time with Nic Redmond. We're gonna talk vocal health and voice warm ups. We'll talk to you then.

[MUSIC ENDS]

>

MARY: Thank you so much for listening to the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you share it with a podcasting friend. And to reveal more voicing and podcasting tips, click on over to VisibleVoicePodcast.com. Until next time.

>

[MUSIC ENDS]

How do conversation skills make your podcast process more enjoyable? Even if we're lucky enough to "do what we love," work tends to have tedious aspects we don't like. Craig Constantine is a passion podcaster who, through the creation of thousands of episodes and rigorous reflection, has built a workflow that simplifies every step of his method, from prep to publication.

A consummate conversationalist, Craig's overarching goal is to use understanding and compassion to have exciting exchanges that inspire listeners to dive directly into meaningful dialogues. In this episode, he gets into the nitty-gritty of the personal process that led him to discover his devotion to podcasting.

Let Craig's passion inspire you to:

• Understand the difference between compassion and empathy in conversation
• Consider why you might not want to bring your prepared questions into the conversation
• Approach AI tools to create the perfect research assistant
• Simplify your process to make it more fun in the long run

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Listen to Episode 51, Honing Your Podcast Voice Through Second Language Learning with Stephanie Fuccio - https://www.organizedsound.ca/honing-your-podcast-voice-though-second-language-learning-with-stephanie-fuccio-episode-51/

Engage with Craig:

• Keep on top of what Craig is up to - https://craigconstantine.com/current-projects/
• Learn more about Craig's podcasting mission - https://openandcurious.org/

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA

How do you create clear and open communication with your podcast guest? Every podcast—and every episode, for that matter—has a lot of moving parts. As podcast hosts, we know that in order to stay organized, we need systems in place. But those systems should extend to more than your recording and editing tools, and how you publish your episode. You need systems in place for your guest interactions, too.

An unfortunate experience shared by a fellow podcast host prompts Mary to explore podcast etiquette and guest/host interactions. She outlines how to approach this important relationship before, during, and after the interview to make sure you're setting the clearest possible expectations.

Consider how you could fine-tune your own podcast guest etiquette:

• Ace the early interaction that will set you up for that "easy yes"
• Keep your guest in the know as the interview begins
• Make sure you're both set up for success once the episode airs
• Red flags to watch out for when you're the guest!

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Listen to Episode 66, Continuous Improvement as a Podcaster with Christian Klepp - https://www.organizedsound.ca/continuous-improvement-as-a-podcaster-with-christian-klepp-episode-66/
• Check out Episode 62, How To Land Someone From Your Dream Guest List - https://www.organizedsound.ca/how-to-land-someone-from-your-dream-guest-list-episode-62/

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA

Part of podcasting is to review and audit your show. How are your listeners growing alongside you? So a little reminder that I need your help! My show also needs an audit and so I'm looking for your feedback. Your comments will guide me to support you with your show! A ripple effect!!

And as a thank you for taking your time to share your thoughts, although the survey is anonymous, if you enter your details for this giveaway, this will provide one entry for you to win a deck of my Voice Connection Cards. This deck of 39 cards will give you a boost of compassion before you hit that record button! Plus, a 30-minute strategy session with me to talk voice or podcasting!

Contest and survey closes on Sept 13th at 5pm pacific time.

You don’t have to enter the contest, that’s optional, but I would love love love for you to at least fill in the survey, so I can help you with your podcast through this podcast!

**TAKE THE 2024 LISTENER SURVEY! https://forms.gle/4ZVTANgCuiMNteBY6

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA

How do you make sure your show evolves along with your listener? As an independent podcast creator, chances are you wear a lot of hats. You're the host, of course, as well as the producer, the audio editor, the marketer, the designer… When you're so focused on doing all the things for your show, it can be easy to forget that your podcast isn't about you at all. It's about your listener.

Being a podcaster means you're responsible not just for putting out a show you think your ideal listener will connect with, but for diving deep into your current listener and making sure that your episodes evolve alongside them. In the last episode before the summer break, Mary takes you through the many steps she follows when she conducts a podcast audit, so that your show can evolve to serve your audience better.

Take these pro tips on a test drive to guide the evolution of your podcast:

• How to learn more about your current and ideal listener
• Why defining success is directly linked to podcast growth
• How to evaluate your show, inside and out

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Take Mary's listener survey and be entered to win a deck of her Voice Connection Cards and a 30-minute strategy session - https://forms.gle/GrCcLd4GXybGmfvb8
• Schedule a complimentary strategy session - https://www.organizedsound.ca/contact/

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA