This newsletter contains affiliate links. Not all of them, but some of them. I earn a small commission, and it doesn’t cost you anything. I call that a win-win.

If you are a premium subscriber, you got to read about my bike ride where I said, "Changing my goal gave me more energy."

Serve First

This week I ran into something that makes me think you have to be careful what goal you pick. I was working with a client who has been podcasting for four years, so I am now trying to help them with their show. I asked them why they started it, and like many podcasters, they are doing it to "pay it forward." Often I hear things like, "If I can help one person, it's worth it," and that's a beautiful thing because at the heart of every good podcaster is a servant.

You Can Make Money With a Podcast?

So what was the problem now? This particular podcaster had just found out that you can make money with your podcast. After podcasting for the love of helping people for four years, she changed her goal to wanting to make money. The problem was that for many years, she had not built an audience that she could monetize.

As I always say, "You don't monetize a podcast, you monetize an audience." Because they weren’t making any money with their podcast, even though a few months ago they were happy doing the show, now that they weren’t making any money, they were ready to hang it up.

Where previously I said, "By choosing a different goal, it gave me energy," if your goal is monetization in podcasting, that may actually suck the life out of you. It's not that you can't make money with your podcast. I know plenty of people that make enough money to pay for their media hosting and maybe a little extra.

Making a Living With Your Podcast

The problem is when you want to make a living with your podcast, that is a completely different picture, and most people don't even factor in the fact that you have to pay taxes. So 30% of that income is going to go to Uncle Sam.

Money or Babies?

I often joke that babies are the arch nemesis of podcasters. They're so needy. Everything is about them: feed me, wipe my butt, etc. I wonder sometimes if the second greatest enemy of podcasters is monetization, because I watched it suck the life out of someone who loved serving their audience.

My Latest Content

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Podpage June Town Hall
Lots of new features are here, and more or coming

Every month I ask my audience a question for the School of Podcasting. Here is this month’s question:

This may be the question that I get no response as it takes some thought. I’m going to leave it open (rather than “lead the witness”).

How do you measure your podcast success that is not downloads. I need your answer by June 26th. Don’t forget to tell us a little bit about your show.

So it might be “This is (your name) from (name of show) at (website url) where we (tagline of show). The measurement I use that is not downloads is _______ and why...

Ready to Answer? Click Here

Elsie Escobar Thinks Video Isn’t the White Knight of Podcasting

People brought this up last week on Ask the Podcast Coach. Hall of Famer (and friend) Elsie Escobar post a piece about how the rush to video may be the same as the rush to audiograms. Which at one point was a way to grow your show - until it wasn’t.

Read it here.

I Am Torn. I Love Her Opinions But I Really Tune in For…

So apparently the YouTube algo thinks I like boobs. Most men do. How did we get people to go to the moon? We told them there were boobs up there.

Anyway, Snarkyjay is a YouTuber who spews opinions on the entertainment industry. They are great thoughts that make me think “hmmmmmm.”

But the host must have a designer make all of her outfits as they all expertly spotlight her boobs (I know this makes me sound like a creep, but I’m stating the obvious).

So as I’m staring at her cleavage (think Elvira of YouTube) my brain is scolding myself, “Hey Dave her eyes are up there.” But I also know that she knows that men will do anything (including subscribe to a YouTube channel) for Boobs.

So I kind of think, “Aw, she is sinking to men’s lowest common denominator…” and on the other side, I think she knows that and laughs all the way to the bank.

Flightcast

I can’t remember if I told you but I got a demo/interview with Rox Codes of Flightcast podcasting’s first video first hosting company.

Is Podcasting Cooked?

I’m putting this here to show two things:
1. I respect Justin Jackson and Jeremy Enns

2. Word of mouth works (as I’ve had a few people mention this talk to me).

This is a talk from the Podcast Show in London. I wll be watching this as soon as I press send on this newsletter.

What’s Coming In The Future

I’m reading the book “Save the cat: The last book you will ever need on screenwriting” and it has some great points about storytelling and one is simply asking, “What makes your movie different?” so I’m turning that on podcasters.

Need Help With Your Podcast?

Whether you’re just starting or a seasoned podcaster, the School of Podcasting can help. Helping podcasters is what I do, and I’ve been doing it since 2005

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If you start now, you’ll be in the right place to take over the world in July

Just need a strategy call? Schedule one today.

OK, I’ve got my whispr flow powered up, which means this probably will be long, but I had a “Fun” experience yesterday riding my bike, and like everything in my life, I related it to podcasting

I Want To Ride My Bicycle

The plan was simple.

It was a beautiful day in Ohio, pushing close to 80 degrees, and I was determined to get my bike rack back on the car, drive to one of my favorite riding spots near the Ohio & Erie Canal, and enjoy the kind of ride that clears your head and fills your lungs.

On the way there, I noticed I had driven 15 miles to get to the trail. Naturally, I decided that meant I should ride 15 miles too. That felt fair.

But somewhere around six miles in (and feeling tired), I saw a sign for Brandywine Falls.

I had seen pictures of it before. It always looked incredible. So I did what many of us do when something interesting appears just off the planned route: I turned.

Read more

Hello,

You’re invited to an exclusive live webinar today at 2 PM ET with Rox Codes, Co-creator of Flightcast.

Discover how Flightcast is helping creators, brands, and teams streamline content creation, amplify their message, and get more value from every conversation. Rox’s other co-creator is Steven Bartlett of Diary of a CEO.

Flightcast is designed to help modern content teams create smarter and scale faster. I can’t wait to see how all the stats from ALL the locations are in one dashboard.

During this live session, Rox will demo the platform, share how it works, and answer your questions in real time.

Register now and don’t miss out: RSVP

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This is not a knock on Podmatch as they were only the place I went to find shows to appear on. I had not logged in for some time, and when I did there were people waiting to have me on their show. Great.

Did I take the usual steps to vet the person, their show, etc? No, so the predicament I got into is my fault. But I saw something very strange. Like, twilight zone kind of weird.

Give Them Grace

To give them some grace, these were very new podcasters. I accepted their invitation and the interviews happened less than a week later. With this in mind, I figured they were aware of me, or were really good at research. It sure felt like what they did was use AI to research me, and to create the questions. Why do I think this?

Because they all mentioned that I had started in my brothers basement after going through bankruptcy and divorce. Now that is all true, but it’s not in the bio of my press kit.

Something I’d Never Done

I did something else I had never done which was schedule these four interviews all in the same day. Almost back to back, which made it easier to notice “trends” like “you started in your brother’s basement…” and then they would go through my bio (Libsyn, Podpage, Hall of Fame, yada, yada, yada) and then you know what they would ask (being new podcasters)?

They said, “Tell the audience a little bit about you (to which I thought, um, you just did…).” One person I replied, “Well as you said, I’ve started podcasting in 2005…”

But wait, there’s more.

Then all four interviews asked the same questions, in the same order. Almost like there is an “Interview Dave Jackson” kit. Break glass in case of emergency interviews.

So I logged out of ChatGPT and stated I was interviewing Dave Jackson from the School of Podcasting. Please write an introduction and give me eight questions to asked.

The intro I received did not contain the “brother’s basement” reference, but the questions were almost identical. So I’m not saying my brand new podcasters were going to ChatGPT for “research” but it was quite the coincidence.

And You Want Me To Share This Right?

If you want to have a guest share their interview, it needs to be different than their previous interviews. My audience has heard “my story” before, why would I subject them to it again.

Now I once interviewed Justin Moore, and I did my research and before we even pressed record I said, “Justin, I hate to do this to you, but I’m going to run you through your “Greatest hits” but my audience hasn’t heard these” and he was perfectly fine. Why? Because I’ve had 359 people click the link to his book Sponsor Magnet according to Genius Link.

It Was Just WEIRD

Again, I appreciate the opportunity to be on these shows. It just felt strange. Actually, it felt very strange like some Podcast/Internet Guru gave a checklist and everyone followed it to the letter. Weird.

So if you are the one who is corrupting young podcasters selling them “You can use AI to do the whole podcast for you - you just press record and the money comes flying in” please stop.

One More Thing

Also, can you tell new podcasters that if their audio is a 3 on a scale from 1-10, nobody is going to share the interview. Buy a microphone for Pete’s sakes, and don’t make your setup on the curb next to a busy street.

They are new. They’ll learn. I’m just trying to help them avoid “the hard way.”

If you want to avoid the hard way, come see me.

Have you signed up for Podcasting in Six Weeks? This LIVE course starts June 3rd and is great for those lost in the jargon of Podcasting and felt overwhelmed. Check it out at
schoolofpodcasting.com/sixweeks

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Seriously? People Still Say ‘New Episode Out’?

Every month I ask my audience a question for the School of Podcasting. Here is this month’s question:

Let's talk remote recording. Many podcasters have made their way through more than one. So which one did you land on? Which ones did you pass on? Would you recommend your current tool to a new podcaster? I need your answer by May 22nd

That’s today! Hop to it!

Ready to Answer? Click Here

Mark Rober Tells You How to Go Viral

This may be my next episode. I’ve always had my list of what makes a remarkable episode, but YouTuber and now Netflix star shared his insights and talked about grabbing the audience by the heart (this will start at the question).

Geddy Lee Talks About the Importance of Listening to Your Art

Geddy Lee (bass player from the band Rush) explained how they would do a live album a about every four episodes. Why? Because it gave him a chance to not worry about what he was playing, and listen to how the band sounded at this point and time and decide it they need to make adjustments.

A Great Example of a Running Gag

I have no idea why YouTube put this in front of me. This guy is shouting (you know, sports, you have to shout), but he keeps screaming BURN!, and after a while it’s so silly, you have to giggle.

Sweetwater Is Now Carrying Video Equipment

I love Sweetwater. Their borderline stalker-ish support is AMAZING. They announced they are now carrying Video Equipment.

What’s Coming In The Future

We have the question of the month coming, and with the end of “The Late Show” I have an opinion on why this show ending, and how it may not be as political as you think.

Need Help With Your Podcast?

Whether you’re just starting or a seasoned podcaster, the School of Podcasting can help. Helping podcasters is what I do, and I’ve been doing it since 2005

USE THIS LINK ««and save 20% using the coupon code newsletter

If you start now, you’ll be in the right place to take over the world in July

Just need a strategy call? Schedule one today.

This newsletter contains affiliate links. Not all of them, but some of them. I earn a small commission, and it doesn’t cost you anything. I call that a win-win.

I’m not looking for a pity party, but this is a pep talk to anyone who ever made a decision you wish you hadn’t. After going to the Podcast Show in London (on Libsyn’s dime) I didn’t go back after leaving (and wished I had).

I made a plan and put money away for the trip. Things were looking good. Then I went downstairs and heard what sounded like someone peeing in my basement (which is weird when you live alone). What I found was this:

So as I saw water spewing into my basement I thought, “Well that looks expensive” (and seriously unhealthy). It turns out it was…

As I had just gotten out of debt for this first time in probably 40 years, I really didn’t want to go back in debt. So I thought I would empty my savings (including my Podcast show money) to pay for five guys with jack hammers digging to China from my basement.

So Where Did I Land?

Fast forward, I’m not going to the Podcast Show in London again, half my savings is gone, and I’m back in debt. It was very expensive (so thanks to all of you who support this newsletter financially I DEEPLY appreciate it). The fun part is I’m not done. Everything I get into needs replaced (windows, electric and more…).

It dawned on me today, that had a just put the trip on a card (as I’m back in debt anyway) I would be at one of the largest (if not THE largest) podcast shows making connections, planting seeds, that might eventually lead to opportunities to make money. I mean when you’re going back five figures in debt what’s another $3k?

You Do What You Can With What You Got

Life throws you curve balls. To quote the great philosopher Myley Cryus

There’s always gonna be another mountain

I’m always gonna wanna make it move

Always gonna be an uphill battle

Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose

Ain’t about how fast I get there

Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side

It’s the climb

Yes, you get tired of climbing. But if you can’t enjoy the climb, you’re never going to make it.

Get a New Perspective

Another thing dawned on me. I got out of debt after divorce one. I got out of debt after divorce two. I know how to save money. As a child my family was once on welfare, so I know how to get by on what you need not what you want.

I’ve done this before, and I’ll do it again.

So if you made a decision about your podcast and looking back you think, “I should’ve zigged when I zagged” don’t look at it as a failure, but as a lesson. Got to college in the USA is ridiculously expensive (and I’ve got two degrees so I know of what I speak).

My second divorce was just about as expensive as my teaching degree from Akron University. I learned more from the divorce than I did in the classroom. Life is a classroom. Try to learn something every day.

They aren’t failures, if you lean from them, they are lessons to prepare you better for your future.

Have you signed up for Podcasting in Six Weeks? This LIVE course starts June 3rd and is great for those lost in the jargon of Podcasting and felt overwhelmed. Check it out at
schoolofpodcasting.com/sixweeks

My Latest Content

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Podpage Town Hall
All the latest news and features.

Start your 14-day free-trial by going to podpage.com/preview

Every month I ask my audience a question for the School of Podcasting. Here is this month’s question:

Let's talk remote recording. Many podcasters have made their way through more than one. So which one did you land on? Which ones did you pass on? Would you recommend your current tool to a new podcaster? I need your answer by May 22nd

Ready to Answer? Click Here

The Classics Never Get old

David Letterman joined Stephen Colbert to throw things off the root of the Ed Sullivan Theater (which Letterman invented years ago).

DesignCrowd for Graphics

This is not a new concept, but at DesignCrowd you put our a dollar amount you want to pay for artwork and such, and people enter their artwork, and you choose the one you feel is best, or use their built in tools to have your audience vote on their favorite. Check it out.

Macaulay Culkin Totally Blows an Opportunity to Promote His Podcast

So Macaulay Culkin is on the Ellen show, and they talk Home Alone and his other movies, but he’s out to promote his podcast Bunny Ears, and when she finally asks about it, he describes in such a way that I can’t see anyone saying, “Oh man I can’t wait to hear this!” (Click play, it will go to that spot). He made is 97 episodes.

Shortstack for Giveaways, Sweepstakes, etc

While shortstack does landing pages, forms, and popups, they came on my radar when looking into giveaways. If you’re brand new, you might be able to use their free plan which is less than 500 views of your item in a month (no credit card required). Prices start at $29 a month. Check it out.

What’s Coming In The Future

I interviewed Jordan from Buzzsprout about her podcast that she was able to monetize (when she is a team of one).

Need Help With Your Podcast?

Whether you’re just starting or a seasoned podcaster, the School of Podcasting can help. Helping podcasters is what I do, and I’ve been doing it since 2005

USE THIS LINK ««and save 20% using the coupon code newsletter

If you start now, you’ll be in the right place to take over the world in July

Just need a strategy call? Schedule one today.

Have you been thinking about starting a podcast, but keep putting it off because it feels too complicated, too technical, or too expensive?

That is exactly why I created Podcasting in Six Weeks.

This step-by-step course walks you through everything you need to launch your show, from finding your concept and planning your first episodes to choosing equipment, recording, editing, publishing, and promoting your podcast.

And right now, you can get in for just $1.

Yes, really.

In the past, I offered this training as a live cohort for $700. This time, I am trying something different and making it available for just one dollar so more people can finally stop overthinking and start podcasting.

Why not free? Because even a small investment creates commitment. When you have even a little skin in the game, you are far more likely to follow through.

If you are ready to learn from someone with more than 20 years of podcasting experience, this is your chance to get the guidance you need without a big price tag.

Join Podcasting in Six Weeks today for $1 and take the first real step toward launching your podcast.

Sign Up Now

Here is What You Get

Week 1: Concept & Planning Define your unique angle and target audience Choose your format and episode structure Create your content calendar for the first 10 episodes Develop your show name and description

Week 2: Equipment & Setup Essential equipment recommendations for every budget. Recording space optimization (even in noisy environments). Software setup and configuration Audio quality testing and troubleshooting

Week 3: Recording Techniques Professional recording techniques. Interview skills and guest management. Solo episode strategies. Overcoming “mic fright” and speaking naturally.

Week 4: Editing & Post-Production Editing basics that save time and sound professional. Intro/outro creation and music selection File management and organization systems Quality control checklists

Week 5: Hosting & Distribution Choosing and setting up your podcast host Submitting to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other platforms RSS feeds and technical requirements Show artwork and metadata optimization

Week 6: Marketing & Growth Launch strategies that actually get listeners. Social media promotion and repurposing content Building relationships with other podcasters Long-term growth strategies and monetization

EXCLUSIVE BONUSES:

BONUS #1: “Podcast Equipment Starter Kit Guide“ (Value: $97) No more confusion about what to buy. Get our curated equipment list with specific product recommendations for three different budgets – beginner, intermediate, and professional.

BONUS #2: “First 10 Episodes Content Planner“ (Value: $67) Never stare at a blank screen wondering what to talk about. This detailed planner gives you proven episode templates and topic ideas to keep your content engaging from day one.

BONUS #3: “Podcast Launch Checklist“ (Value: $47) A step-by-step checklist ensuring you don’t miss any crucial steps during your launch. From technical setup to promotional tasks – it’s all cover

Who is This For?

It’s for those who have tried to start a podcast, and got lost in the jargon, or felt overwhelmed. It’s for those who wanted to start a podcast back in January, and “life got in the way” and now they “really want to do it” (but don’t want to wait till January to start). It’s for those who don’t want to do it alone.

What This Class Does

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to launch a podcast? Well this class shows you what needs done, and helps you do it. If you come along and do the work in between classes, you will have a podcast by the end of the class.

Enroll Today: Classes start June 3rd

Just go to schoolofpodcasting.com/sixweeks and enroll today, and get to know your fellow students.

Enroll Now

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Thanks for reading,

Dave

This newsletter contains affiliate links. Not all of them, but some of them. I earn a small commission, and it doesn’t cost you anything. I call that a win-win.

I’m not saying I know everything about podcasting, but I’ve seen a lot of things come and go. This has built up my skill in identify BS. Tonight as I type this, I just waded through a few feet of what I consider not entirely true advice and I’d like to just talk it out shall we?

Advice: Just Start
Why This is Bad Advice:

Read more

This newsletter contains affiliate links. Not all of them, but some of them. I earn a small commission, and it doesn’t cost you anything. I call that a win-win.

I think I was four (maybe five) when I went with my big brother to ice skate on a pond. I was so small I couldn’t find skates to fit me feet so I just slid around the pond in my boots. My Mom told me, “Don’t get too close to the heater, it will melt your jacket.”

The heater was five foot tall metal tube where they built a fire and it became a giant radiator. You know how this ends right? With my brother saying, “Mom is going to kill you” as I had a coat on my arms and chest, but the back had melted (luckily without melting me).

So when I see things/companies leading podcasters a little too close to the heater, I’m the one saying, “You might not want to get to close to that…”

The Last Newsletter

In the last newsletter I pointed out a fair number of things that make nervous about the state of podcasting.

Then, in my latest School of Podcasting episode I asked my audience, and some of them as well are worried about AI Slop, The Government, Ad Loads, and more being detrimental to podcasting.

I got some feedback that summarized as “Dave you might not get new students to the School of Podcasting if you keep painting the picture so dark.”

To this I agree with them. But the Mom who says “Don’t stand so close to the heater” may sound like she’s worried about the coat, but in reality she’s more worried about the boy inside the coat.

More Noise Helps to Create the “Discovery Problem”

So when I say, “It’s harder to grow your show with more noise in the air” it’s because I need you to set realistic expectations . We see reports where the number of people stopping their podcast is about the same as the number people starting a podcast. We’d (those who build stuff for podcasters) would like to slow down the exits.

While most people who say there is a “Discovery problem” in podcasting are saying that because their podcast hasn’t been discovered. With more noise, it just means the already poor search in apps will face more strain.

This is why you need to make a “Follow” page with links to your show on different apps. It’s easy to share, easy to use, easy to remember. Then get your audience to share it with this friends.

My Latest Content

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My YouTube Channel

Riverside Hosting is very basic

Editing Automated Transcripts in Podpage

Start your 14-day free-trial by going to podpage.com/preview

Every month I ask my audience a question for the School of Podcasting. Here is this month’s question:

Let's talk remote recording. Many podcasters have made their way through more than one. So which one did you land on? Which ones did you pass on? Would you recommend your current tool to a new podcaster? I need your answer by May 22nd

Ready to Answer? Click Here

The Genre of YouTubers Being Demonetized

An interesting video by Steven Song where he helps define “Inauthentic Content.”

How to Pitch a Podcast Artwork Finalized.

Mark from PodcastBranding.co has finished my artwork (after going through a few options) which you can see in this thumbnail/video. The goal is to have the show live in two weeks. If you want to talk about a bad (or good) pitch you received, go to www.pitchapodcast.com/story

Right Tool for The Job Alban Brooke on Podcraft

(for the record, I can’t link to the episode on Podcrafts site, as they only provide a little player - it’s not a post).

In this episode of Podcraft Alban Brooke from Buzzsprout talks about using YouTube just for discovery (as that is what it does best) he also shares how Buzzsprout is integrating video into their platform.

What’s Coming In The Future

I’ve interview Justin Jackson from Transistor on why he’s so optimistic about HLS Video coming to Apple. I also will be talking about the value of dialogues.

Need Help With Your Podcast?

Whether you’re just starting or a seasoned podcaster, the School of Podcasting can help. Helping podcasters is what I do, and I’ve been doing it since 2005

USE THIS LINK ««and save 20% using the coupon code newsletter

If you start now, you’ll be in the right place to take over the world in January!

This newsletter contains affiliate links. Not all of them, but some of them. I earn a small commission, and it doesn’t cost you anything. I call that a win-win.

So the question of the month is “Are you more optimist or pessimist when you think about podcasting. What do you think is in store for the future of podcasting?

Answer at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question by the last Friday of the month.

Spotify the Walled Garden

We have Spotify allowing tons of free shows on a platform that has expressed frustration with RSS while also stating they love open RSS. The features they create ignore open specs and only work in their app. This results in them being known as “The Walled Garden.” My favorite is when they had a GIANT booth at an event that you needed an invite to go into (thus, and actual walled garden).

YouTube

We have YouTube launching a massive campaign on changing the definition of what a podcast is and borrowing the prestine reputation of podcasting like a Hollywood vampire. The biggest issue is this messes up our reports. Some of the reports are just stupid, “YouTube podcasts are blowing up on YouTube!” No kidding. Where else can you watch a YouTube video?

Insloption Point

You’ve got insloption point AI, oh wait, inception point AI now - on some days -creating more SHOWS (not episodes) than humans. This makes discovery harder as people have to step over the trash as soon as they step into the door of podcasting.

Douchebag of the Year

Then you’ve got assholes like Ibnul Jaif Farabi, who is making AI shows that are almost like another show so instead of “Dave Jackson Power Hour” it’s “Dave Jackson Power Hour Podcast.” When asked for comment by Podnews, he replied,

“F(-) you lot because you don’t like competitions. If your entire business model is being threatened by one person using AI agents, then you need to adapt. Otherwise, perish.” (Mom should be so proud).

To that I say if anyone wants to take this douchebag to court, I’ll be one of the first to chip into your go fundme. If you haven’t watched the documentary Inside the Manosphere, it is sad and shocking, and it’s time to talk to your young males and see who is influencing them. It is all about $$$ - morals be damned.

So It’s Up To us

We NEED our audiences to tell their friends about your shows. So make sure that you make it E Z to find and follow your show (Podpage makes a /follow page all you do is put in the links). It also helps if your show is amazing.

What is louder than two giant companies with an endless marketing budget who like to “bend the truth?” What can be louder than morally deficient companies flooding out space with valueless, time wasting shit? Word of mouth can be, but only if we circle the troops and assemble your army to fight back.

Trever Noah has a new comedy special on Netflix. It made me smile, but it also made me think. He mentioned how black people would go to “white only” places to eat, get verbally abused, physically abused and thrown out and return the next day to do it again. We all say, “Well, yeah, they had to so we have integration…”

We know that NOW because we know how it ended (hindsight is great). THEY DIDN’T. They didn’t, and yet they returned every day. We are living through history. When we look back five, maybe ten years from now, we will be proud of how we handled the new obstacles that podcasting faces?

My Latest Content

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I Don’t Care - I Do What I Want!

Every month I ask my audience a question for the School of Podcasting. Here is this month’s question:

I'm looking to hear how you feel about the future of podcasting. Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of podcasting? Let us know why, and also be sure to tell us a little bit about your podcast and your website address. I need your answer by April 24th

Ready to Answer? Click Here

WordPress Back Doors

Dozens of WordPress plugins were secretly compromised this month. If your podcast website runs on WordPress, here's what to check to make sure you're safe.

More information

Also, FYI Podpage now has a WordPress migration.

Building a New Version of Podcasting Resources

I’ve had a directory of resources at podcastingresources.com but it’s on Wordpress, and to make a long story short, the updates, the cost, etc I wanted a different version.

So I found Easydirectory.com (aff) and I put THIS together. It’s not done (as of 4/17) but it was so much easier, and there some features I won’t use. It’s run by ONE guy, and he’s super transparent. There is a lifetime deal that I’m going to probably pull the trigger on. This could be a way to grow affiliate income, as well as potentially sell ads on the site.

A Nice Kick in the Pants - Spoiler Alert You’re Aging

So saw SuperPower on Facebook. The idea is for around $200 you get a ton of tests done to your blood. When you login to your account, you have a 3D version of you and you can click and learn what is in good shape, and what is not.

I found out that my perceived age is 20 years OLDER than I am. Look, I’m a diabetic, and I’m overweight, so I didn’t expect a glowing report, but it did help me to see how important it is that I do whatever I can to get my blood sugar down.

If you’re looking to see how your really doing, this is a way to do it. Now, of course they have supplements to help you get more healthy. That was just one of what seemed like quite a few upsells.

What’s Coming In The Future

In cleaning up my office it turns out I have quite the collection of wireless microphones so I’ll be doing a shootout as well as chiming in with the new information from Captivate about HLS video with Apple. Got a topic you want to hear on the School of Podcasting? I’m taking requests.

Need Help With Your Podcast?

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First, thanks for being a supporter. This edition is just for you.

It finally hit 70 (21.1 C) degrees here in Ohio. I started walking on my breaks instead of taking involuntary naps on the couch. I put the bike rack on the trunk and got my 10 first miles in.

Read more

This newsletter contains affiliate links. Not all of them, but some of them. I earn a small commission, and it doesn’t cost you anything. I call that a win-win.

I just saw a presentation from Seth Resler from Community Marketing Revolution and was talking about building a community. One strategy is to talk to those people who are always active and ask them what they want. This way instead of building a community for your audience that nobody wants, you are building the community with the audience that everybody needs.

I love an app called Volley that I use in my coaching. When it first came out I was worried as it was free, but the creator assured me that a new paid tier was coming that would fuel the app moving forward.

The paid version came out and it was overflowing with features nobody wanted, and the eventually went out of business. We were all devastated. Luckily they found some funding and changed their business model. Their initial failure was they built their paid tier for the audience, not with them.

My sister is horrible at buying Christmas lists (she is aware), so you need to polish off your Oscar winning performance when she draws your name in the gift exchange. Your podcast is a gift for your audience. It might help to know what they want.

Podpage is now doing monthly “Town Hall” meetings where a good 30% of it is just fielding questions from our users. This helps us see what they want, and in some cases where we need more education.

One thing I always do is if someone contacts me from my podcast audience, I always ask them what they would like to hear. I want to build the show with them as well as for them.

I had three people tell me how great the movie “Project Hail Mary” was, so I decided to go see it (see again, the power of word of mouth).

I’m not going to spoil it. Here are some of the reasons it was good:

• It wasn’t a sequel

• It wasn’t a prequel

• It had no super heroes

• It had no political agendas

Throw on top that a good story has tension and release, this movie had multiple ups and downs and I was surprised by the ending (as you’re trying to guess how its going to end through the whole movie.

So this is nothing new. It was unique compared to current movies, and used good storytelling techniques.

Shocking.

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Podpage Videos

Setting the Time Zone of Your Website

Podpage Built in CDPR Compliance Tool

Every month I ask my audience a question for the School of Podcasting. Here is this month’s question:

I'm looking to hear how you feel about the future of podcasting. Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of podcasting? Let us know why, and also be sure to tell us a little bit about your podcast and your website address. I need your answer by April 24th

Ready to Answer? Click Here

Beehiiv Bolts on Hosting

Maybe I’m weird. I don’t mind having multiple companies that do things very well instead of having one place that does a ton of stuff very “meh” but Beehiiv (known as a newsletter with advertising) has bolted on media hosting.

So let me get this straight. All the audio people are being told they need to do video, while all the newsletter people are being told they need to do audio?

More information

Michael Girdley’s “Rise and Fall” YouTube Channel

It’s story telling in video. Does he have a fancy camera and background? No, it’s on his phone with a self stick and a DJI Lavalier (on sale!). Here is one (again, building a product your community doesn’t want).

What’s Coming In The Future

I’ll be doing a deep dive into affiliate marketing, and how it may be the best way to monetize our podcast when you have a smaller audience. Got a topic you want to hear on the School of Podcasting? I’m taking requests.

Need Help With Your Podcast?

Whether you’re just starting or a seasoned podcaster, the School of Podcasting can help. Helping podcasters is what I do, and I’ve been doing it since 2005

USE THIS LINK ««and save 20% using the coupon code newsletter

If you start now, you’ll be in the right place to take over the world in January!

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This newsletter contains affiliate links. Not all of them, but some of them. I earn a small commission, and it doesn’t cost you anything. I call that a win-win.

I had an AMAZING weekend in Austin Texas at the Novel Marketing Conference put on by Thomas Umstattdt Jr from Author Media. It was a single track conference and in my opinion those are the best. Why?

• Everyone gets the exact same information

• You don’t have to decide which session to miss

• They are typically smaller and you get to meet almost everyone.

Podcast Adjacent

You might call this “Podcast Adjacent” as all the marketing advice for books applies to podcasting about 98% of the time. I once went to an SEO seminar at a local library and got two clients. Why? People at an SEO seminar are trying to get more exposure. A great way to get more exposure is PODCASTING. Likewise, a great way to get the word out about your new book? PODCASTING.

I was lucky enough to have two of the speakers point me out and say “If you need your podcast questions answered, talk to that guy in the back - Dave raise your hands will you?” (which doesn’t suck). So I might look for more events that are “Podcast adjacent.”

Little Word That are Big Takeaways

I talk about the four D’s of Podcasting based on a keynote from Chase Replogle and it was simple advice that makes you go, “Oh yeah, I should do more of that.”

The Power We Forget We Have

I had buried to get that episode out (including a typo in the title DOH!), and I realized I had forgotten one golden nugget that I think we often overlook. I can’t remember if it was Thomas or Chase, but they said:

So why is this powerful? Because it’s true.

I remember once I going through the torture that is “assembling some furniture” (slot C into screw AA behind peg hole E) and I was really getting frustrated. I turned on a podcast and the voice of “The Real Brian” came out who made me smile, and my evening got instantly better.

You have the power to shape how people think and feel.

I’m looking to start a new podcast, but it’s an audience participation show, and so I need you to participate.

When some wanna be guest sends you a horrible pitch (or if it’s a good pitch) I’d love to have you record you reading it and explain why it’s a bad pitch, and what you perfect guest would look like (as they might be listening) as always include your website address ( so I can link to you) and tell us a little but about your show.

I’m not looking to throw people under the bus (or get sued), so I’ll scrub specifics about the person trying to be a guest. Here is a quick example (although I was somewhat snarky).

I need to to share your story at www.pitchapodcast.com/story by February 28th (I need 20 to start and would DEEPLY appreciate your help). The goal is to:

• Help PR agencies understand what podcasters need from a quest pitch

• Help podcasters feel “not so alone” as we swim in Spam

• Give the podcaster who contributes a bit of exposure and potential future guests.

Send in your story today.

My Latest Content

School of Podcasting (​follow​)
The Four D’s of Podcasting: Novel Marketing Conference Recap

Ask the Podcast Coach (follow)
Should You Join a Podcast Network: The $300 Question

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Overthinking Your Podcast Posting Schedule

My Induction of Mark Asquith into the Podcast Hall of Fame

Every month I ask my audience a question for the School of Podcasting. Here is this month’s question:

From Emily Kate (at the Novel Marketing Conference) I want to know in the beginning, throughout your story, what sacrifices and shortcuts did you take? Did they work out well? The ones that worked out well and made you a success? What were they?

Ready to Answer? Click Here

Jordan Harbinger on the New Media Show

I’ve known Jordan for a while and one of the things he doesn’t do is follow the leader if it leads him in a direction he doesn’t want to go. This interview he reveals how some YouTubers are getting stuck talking about things they don’t want to talk about. It’s a great interview.

Some Absolutely Horrible Podcast Advice From Pete Davidson

Pete Davidson was on the Tonight Show where he admitted:

• He kind of wants to do the show, he guesses… sure why not

• He does no prep. He’ll talk to someone and see “where it goes.”

• He’s not happy talking to boring people

• He just had a baby

So let me get this straight, a guy who is sleep deprived and not thrilled to talk to his guest, and won’t do prep to create a good conversation is doing a podcast that you can’t get on any podcast app (only Netflix). Don’t expect to see this show lasting long.

An Interesting Site About the Rise of Ad Load

This site is really a ploy to get you to buy an app that helps you skip ads, but it has some research on how we’ve been stuffing more and more ads into podcasts (39%+ in four years) see

https://podcasts.rip/

The Podcast Editor’s Academy is OPEN

If you’re an editor (or wanna be editor) you can lock in the $300/year price by ordering in the next 26 days. I even have an affiliate link. Steve Stewart and Mark Deal have made a truly special place for podcast editors. Learn how to run your own editing service. More Info.

What’s Coming In The Future

I think I uncovered the recipe of what makes people binge content. I figured it out after watching multiple shows I normally wouldn’t binge, and yet I was …. Follow the show and never miss an episode.

Need Help With Your Podcast?

Whether you’re just starting or a seasoned podcaster, the School of Podcasting can help. Helping podcasters is what I do, and I’ve been doing it since 2005

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This newsletter contains affiliate links. Not all of them, but some of them. I earn a small commission, and it doesn’t cost you anything. I call that a win-win.

Podfest 2026 Was a Great Event

Every time I went to walk to another session, or lunch, etc I met someone new or caught up with old friends. I was lucky enough to speak on two panels, one solo session, and I inducted Mark Asquith from Captivate into the Podcast Hall of Fame. The networking is non-stop. I missed so many sessions cause I was having a blast in the hallway.

There was a different vibe for some of us. Last year both Todd Cochrane and Neil Guilarte died suddenly. It’s like Thanksgiving with the one empty chair except it was doubled. However, I think we all have a better understanding on how short life can be, and we need to make the best of it.

One night I was in the hotel restaurant freezing when I then understood where that cold breeze was coming from. Rob Walch (formerly of Libsyn and now with Podcast411) and James Cridland (of podnews.net) were at the same table. Not only were they civil to each other, but I might even say had fun trading stories about “back in the day.” As these two were never fans of each other, this lead me to believe that Hell had indeed frozen over and the breeze went straight to Florida.

We live. We learn. We grow.

Why Is Nobody Doing This?

Peanut butter and jelly are always together. Do you know what else is? These two sentences, “I need help growing my audience,” followed by, “I don’t need any help with my content.” For my solo talk I did a poll and asked how many people had surveyed their audience to see how their content was resonating. Only 32% of respondent had done a survey (and if you’re a Podpage user it’s built int!).

If you need help I strongly urge you to buy the book The Audience Is Listening: A Little Guide to Building a Big Podcast. It’s also available on Audible.

The Only Tool That Caught My Eye

Where was Shure? Riverside? Descript? (I’ve got an answer on that in a second). The one new thing that made me stop and go, “Hmmmm” was episodic.ai Their website says this:

Episonic brings you Lauralai—your AI-powered producer, researcher, showrunner, and content strategist, all dedicated to helping you grow your audience and delight your listeners.

Start with the Persona Builder (always free), then let Lauralai help you design and build your best episodes ever.

While I get that the name of their AI helper Laralai has oral and AI in the name (but it has a “Mildred” feel for me). You give it three episodes and it “listens” to them and then creates a target audience avatar. It was intriguing. It also tied guests to topics it came up with and then tied the topic to your audience.

These Do Seem Expensive

When it comes to pricing, you can’t blame the event organizer. I spoke with Nick Pavlidis the CEO and he explained that by the time you pay $135 for a gallon coffee, add 20% gratuity, and an additional 6% of tax, a cup of coffee cost about $14. It would be cheaper to leave his credit card at the nearest Starbucks and let people charge their next cup.

The LED screen behind the speakers at the Hall of Fame cost $10K to rent, and another $8K to plug it in. Yes, that’s a thing, and that’s why the tickets were $50/each.

So the hospitality industry is going to price themselves right out of customers.

A Great Time Was Had By All

I don’t drink or smoke, but had a great time with a group of about thirty people standing around a fire outside sharing stories and having a good laugh. New friendships were made, and old friendships were made stronger.

Many of us learned a great lesson: You’re not 22 anymore, and you don’t bounce back as fast as you used to after staying up until 3:30 am.

My Latest Content

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What Would You Do If You Actually Loved Podcasting?

Tom Webster knocks it out of the park in this article that makes sure you’ve answered some questions you need to answer as you podcast. I love the point, “People don’t go to quilting conferences expecting a dozen sessions about monetizing your quilting.” Read More

The Media Roundtable Mentioned This Newsletter

Dan Granger on the Media Roundtable podcast mentioned that I had made a point about banner ads and how they went down the drain and are programmatic podcast ads going to go the same place? Nobody addressed it except to say I had sensationalized it, and it was a powerful metaphore (but they didn’t say I was wrong…). Listen.

A Frivolous Lawsuit for Me!

I received a lawsuit that is suing the School of Podcasting because my chat box didn’t warn them that if they entered their name and email address to talk to me that it would be stored (even if I don’t use it which I don’t). I will share more on that as a I can (expect a Gofundme in the future).

Rode Coming Out with Video Component for Rodecaster Pro and Duo

Later this year, if you’ve been thinking about in person video, this looks cool and affordable. See Video

What’s Coming In The Future

Per the lawsit, I’ll be talking about Podcaster Insurance, and other things to make sure you, your show, and your website are “troll free.”

Need Help With Your Podcast?

Whether you’re just starting or a seasoned podcaster, the School of Podcasting can help. Helping podcasters is what I do, and I’ve been doing it since 2005

USE THIS LINK ««and save 20% using the coupon code newsletter

If you start now, you’ll be in the right place to take over the world in January!

Will Podcast Advertising Go the Way of the Banner Ad?

OK, this post is a little wordy, but that’s because it’s important.

I’m really worried about the advertising space in podcasting. Why?

Because I lived through the 90s, and if we go back, there were banner ads on websites, and they were making decent money because you were renting a space, much like a billboard on a street.

But by 1995, pricing had shifted from renting that space to our good friend CPM (cost per thousand impressions). There were ad servers like DoubleClick that enabled advertisers to track performance and move their spends between sites, which initially made banners feel targeted and more valuable compared with offline media, and it looked great.

The Race to the Bottom Begins

The problem was there weren’t that many websites until suddenly, well, there were millions of sites, blogs, and later apps. They all added display slots, and suddenly the supply exploded far faster than advertiser demand, and those cost per thousand impressions were pushed way down.

Click-through rates collapsed as users developed banner blindness. Advertisers, well, they shifted their budget towards better attributed channels like social and retargeting, which further pressured generic display CPMs.

Ad networks and then exchanges aggregated inventory, and they took, of course, their own cuts, so even when advertisers’ CPMs looked decent on paper, what actually flowed to publishers, especially the smaller ones, kept shrinking, and it’s that programmatic buying and real-time bidding that turned banners into a (for the most part) automated commodity, and in major markets, the vast majority of display spend is now programmatic.

Sacrificing Content and Experience for Pennies

Meanwhile, of course, there are ad blockers, slower and more cluttered sites, and too many units per page that basically reduce view ability and engagement.

I had a client of mine explain how he wasn’t getting any newsletter sign-ups. I went to his site and it just smacked in the face with multiple pop-ups and a barrage of Google AdSense ads. I couldn’t even find the newsletter, let alone sign up for it (and of course he got mad at me, ‘cause I’m taking “food off the table” when I suggest he back off a bit).

Is Podcasting Going Down the Same Route?

Now let’s look at podcasting. We can program our apps to skip the beginning of shows, especially when they start off with one, two, three, or seven ads at the beginning.

We can program our fast forward button, so that “we’ll be right back” is now gone from 30 seconds to 60 seconds to four minutes. Yeah, we can skip through that, and I really worry that podcast advertising may be walking the same path.

Not only can we skip ads at the beginning, I can dump out of the end as well in Pocketcasts (on a per show basis).

Now Every Podcast Can Add Advertisements

Five years ago, there weren’t tools to do dynamic ads, and now Captivate, Transistor, Libsyn, Blubrry, and RSS.com (probably more) all have the ability to insert ads. When supply outpaces demand, I just think it’s a race to the bottom.

Even if we all band together to demand higher rates, there are companies like Inception Point AI that flood our space with horrible content that will take (apparently) any CPM. They have admitted publicly they don’t listen to their own shows so integrity is not their strong suit (IMHO).

I think going forward we’re going to see more and more podcasters adopt premium podcasting. I think we’re going to see more patronage of just, “Hey, I want you to keep doing this. I want to give you money because you deliver value” with sites like Supercast and Patreon. Media hosts like Captivate and Buzzsprout have this built in.

The Negative Trends Started Last Year

I know three shows where the hosts make a living from ads. Last year they did the following:

• Added more episodes

• Made them longer (to keep the percentage of ads lower)

Why? Because they have children to feed. So when you used to make a living from podcasting, and now you make half that you either jam in more ads into your current schedule (because the big agencies want to turn podcasting into radio which is 30% ads) or add additional episodes so you have more ads (or develop a love of ramen noodles).

The problem is these additional episodes are often not the same quality and value of their original episodes, which may lead to people tuning out, which makes them panic and leads to people adding more ads to their current episodes (ruining the experience).

In some cases, I was listening to the show because it was short. Now it’s not.

Because the way it’s going now, more and more ads are getting squeezed into shows that often are now making themselves longer just so they can add ads, and that extra content there that they’re delivering is not up to speed with their typical remarkable content.

The Hallmark Channel Playbook

I watched some Hallmark Channel this holiday season. At one point, they showed seven minutes of content followed by four minutes of ads. I busted out my phone and after watching 30 minutes, the content I had watched was 32% advertising. One of the ads I would watch was pointing me to their Hallmark+ program where there are no ads, and the more I watch I earn credits to buy things in their store.

This strategy also used by YouTube, which is the annoy them into paying us strategy.

And yet I keep hearing the same thing.

A new energetic wanna be podcaster comes to me and says, “I want to start a podcast and make money.” There is nothing wrong with that until I ask, “How are you going to do that?” and the answer is, “Well, I guess through advertising.” They assume people are stuffing ads into their show because they are making some of that sweet sweet podcast money.

Then I explain that when I wrote my book on podcast monetization there were CPMs listed as $1.80 or $0.0018 per download. Now there are times when you earn $5/1000 which means if you get 400 downloads you might be able to buy a Mountain Dew.

Strap yourself in as we race to the bottom (?)

My Latest Content

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Hook Them Before You Sell Them

An Inch Wide and a Mile Deep

This is a clip from a musician and YouTuber I follow. She tries things and shares the results. If you think the “big companies” care about you, and believe they will help promote you, well….

Google Tasks

I’ve used Todist for my To Do List for years (decades?). I love it. I have found that I live in my calendar as I HAVE TO check it every morning. I don’t HAVE To check my to do list (I should but I don’t). I always saw the task list in Google calendar, and it may turn out, I could use this (Free) and the pray Google doesn’t cancel it.

What’s Coming In The Future

I haven’t done a “How to Start a Podcast” Episode in a long time, so I’ll be doing one for those who are beginners and this time, I’ll be talking video.

Need Help With Your Podcast?

Whether you’re just starting or a seasoned podcaster, the School of Podcasting can help. Helping podcasters is what I do, and I’ve been doing it since 2005

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Four Opinions and None of them Wrong

Last week, I put out an episode of the School of Podcasting where I threw Steve Goldstein and Jay Nachlis under the bus. I couldn’t understand how they were calling things like newsletters, TikTok a podcast. It just seems like everything was a podcast, the kitchen timer that’s sitting on my desk was a podcast, and it drove me absolutely bananas.

I was so upset that I recorded that episode four times, and each time I was telling myself to tone down the emotion and stick to the logic. In the end, I don’t think I ever achieved that.

The Low Blow

I even stooped so low as to making fun of their audio quality. Now, it’s not that their audio quality was good, but it made it a bit too personal to say, “Why are you listening to these guys when their microphones sound like crap?” I mean, they could easily go, “Why are you listening to Dave when that guy’s 40 pounds overweight?”

It reminds me of being a musician when you make an ever so slight mistake in a song. When you hear the recording of that song, all you hear is the mistake, and you kind of cringe every time you hear it. And I believe that part of that episode is one that I always kind of go, “ooh, I probably should have taken that out.”

Let’s Have a Dialogue

I sent an email to Steve the night before because I’ve known Steve since probably 2006, and I let him know that I was politely throwing him under the bus. It wasn’t personal; I just disagreed with his opinion. If he wanted to get on Zoom, I would love to hear his side of his findings. And in true fashion of Steve, who is a great guy and is always open to a great discussion, gladly accepted and we got together on Zoom.

Looking back, it would’ve made more sense to do that before doing a twenty minute rant on a podcast…

I’ve Looked at Podcasting from Both Sides Now

I am a guy with a technical background. I have a degree in education, but before that degree, I had a degree in electronic engineering. I canbe a very logical guy (per my ex-wives). And so when you ask me what a podcast is, I’m going to quote the specs from the RSS namespace that a podcast is audio, video, or a PDF delivered via RSS. If we wanted to get super nerdy, we could talk about enclosures. I’m not wrong based on what I see.

Steve is an old radio guy who is now teaching a podcast class at NYU, and he is surrounded by younger people better known as Gen Z. If you ask those people what is a podcast, they will tell you anything on YouTube. This is what Steve sees on a regular basis. So when you ask him what is a podcast, he’s going to include YouTube based on the evidence that is surrounding him. He’s not wrong based on what he sees, and that is enough for my logical brain.

Did I Change My Mind on What a Podcast Is?

Do I think we should be letting people that don’t understand podcasting define what it is?

No.

But I now see where Steve is coming from. And I see where people and companies like Sounds Profitable, who surround themselves with advertising people, and the people over at Oxford Road who are surrounded by advertising buyers, everyone has their own opinion. And none of them are wrong.

It’s what we all see from our chair. And we all try to pieces part these all together to get an accurate picture. But as everyone has said, getting podcasters together to agree on something is like herding cats.

No RSS No Podcast

I will continue to be the one that waves the flag that says if there isn’t an RSS feed, it’s not a podcast. That is my stand, and I believe in it 100%.

What I’m going to try to do in 2026 is when I hear a different opinion is to not let it get under my skin and just understand that they are reporting what they are seeing from their chair.

I might put an uptime counter on my site “X days since dave complained about YouTube being a podcast” and see if I can make it to double digits.

What Does This Have to Do With Elephants?

Here is the parable of the blind men and the elephant:

A group of blind men heard that a strange animal, called an elephant, had been brought to the town, but none of them were aware of its shape and form. Out of curiosity, they said: "We must inspect and know it by touch, of which we are capable". So, they sought it out, and when they found it they groped about it. The first person, whose hand landed on the trunk, said, "This being is like a thick snake". For another one whose hand reached its ear, it seemed like a kind of fan. As for another person, whose hand was upon its leg, said, the elephant is a pillar like a tree-trunk. The blind man who placed his hand upon its side said the elephant, "is a wall". Another who felt its tail, described it as a rope. The last felt its tusk, stating the elephant is that which is hard, smooth and like a spear.

They all had different opinions based on what they felt. All had a different opinion, and none of them were wrong. Then again, they were blind - and we’re not… hmmm…

SIDE NOTE

I had quite a few people reach out to me because I started off that episode with a Christmas story explaining how if you keep changing the definition of something to achieve your goal, you end up ruining the thing that you are trying to build.

And that was creative, but I also thought it was kind of weird because yes, it included Dave doing his famous, horrible English accent, and I wasn’t sure how it was going to go over. But by taking a chance, I had numerous people say, “That was hilarious. One of your best episodes.”

So maybe one of the things we all need to do is take those risks, be a little more creative, and do our best to entertain and not just educate those who are listening.

Podcast Hot Seat Black Friday Deal Still Going

Want real, actionable feedback on your podcast? The Podcast Hot Seat gives you expert insights on what’s working—and what’s getting in your way. You submit your show, and we break down your content, delivery, structure, branding, and listener experience. You walk away with clear recommendations, practical fixes, and fresh ideas to elevate your podcast and grow your audience. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start improving, and save 45% it’s time to take a seat!

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P.S. It comes with a free month at the School of Podcasting

My Latest Content

School of Podcasting (​follow​)
Who is Peeing in the Podcast Pool (I’m naming names)

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Your Podcast Consultant (​follow​)
What is The Streisand Effect?

TODAY 12/27 is the Last Day to Submit to the Question of the Month

Every year I ask my audience (better known as YOU) to answer this question:

What is your favorite podcast (and I know it’s hard but you can only pick one) and then tell me why it’s your favorite show (we really want to know the WHY)?

Then tell us a little bit about your show, and your website address. If you want to be included I need it right now as I assemble it on the 28th (the original deadline was the 26th).

Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/question

Stuff That Caught My Eye

Look Ma No Hands!

My buddy (and School of Podcasting member ) Craig Vanslyke (host of the AI Goes to College and Live Well and Flourish) turned me on to wispr flow.

Right now this app is just for Macs, but it is text to speech on steroids. Did you notice the above paragraphs were a bit more wordy that usual? It’s because I didn’t type a word. I held down two keys and talked into a microphone and it just typed it in. It has a cool dictionary feature, and lots of toys. You can get up to 2000 words a week for free, but as someone who types for 8 hours a day, I’m going to spring the $12/month for the unlimited plan

If you use my affiliate link, you get a free month of Pro, and I get a free month of pro if you dictate 2000 words.

Check it out.

It All Begins With A Song

Ok, I might get into this documentary a bit more because of my musical past when I played in bands from the age of 15. But there are so many things that are similar to songwriting that apply to podcasters.

these are professional songwriters, and they say things like, “If you want to be a songwriter, write every single day. That’s how you get better.”

Also, the best songwriters work with someone else because when you bounce ideas off each other, eventually you’ll say something that resonates. When it resonates with both of you, then you know you’re on to something.

For me, this is why I think every podcaster should get feedback on their episodes. I know it would be hard to do that on every episode, but feedback is a much-needed ingredient that is missing from much of podcasters’ toolbox today.

So if you want an inside look into professional songwriting, and maybe learn some tips and insights you could apple to your podcast. It’s on Amazon prime, and I was surprised it’s also on YouTube for free.

What’s Coming In The Future

My last episode of the year is always your answer to “What is your favorite podcast and why” and if want to be included, I need your answer now.

Need Help With Your Podcast?

Whether you’re just starting or a seasoned podcaster, the School of Podcasting can help. Helping podcasters is what I do, and I’ve been doing it since 2005

USE THIS LINK ««and save 20% using the coupon code newsletter

If you start now, you’ll be in the right place to take over the world in January!

Is the Scapegoat in the Mirror?

A while back I came up with what I called, “The Equation for Downloads.” It is

Contact X Smart Marketing = Total Downloads

One on hand, I thought, “That’s about right. If your content isn’t good, no amount of marketing will help. If your content is good, but your marketing is off, your downloads will be slow in rising.

There is one problem with this equation. I’m responsible for my content, and I’m responsible for the marketing. If the downloads are not where I expect them to be that means the person to blame is me and I don’t like that. It can lead to self-loathing, and other depressing thoughts.

It’s Not My Fault

I had a client this week who wanted to blame Podpage for not feeding stats back to their media host (Podpage doesn’t don’t do that, your media host does, and also they didn’t have Google analytics installed so they could have stats on their website - although I prefer Fathom website stats).

They expected the website to help grow the show, but their show notes were short, and when I pressed play I waited two seconds for sound to come out of their player (which is a long time to wait - I thought something was wrong) . Behind the scenes the system was figuring out where I lived so it could give me not one but TWO ads that I didn’t care about.

The ads were followed by what I call “Music for the sake of nothing” that ABRUPTLY stopped and the voice of the host finally came into my ears.

But its the websites fault, right?

I’ve been married twice. I’ve also been divorced twice (not something I’m proud of). But the one thing I’ve done in both cases was to sit back and not blame the other person, but to ask, “What could I have done better in this marriage.

I almost don’t want to say this as some will use it as a scapegoat, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say luck often (but not always) has spurred some creator’s shows faster than others. Just keep in mind “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

Don’t stop tweaking. Don’t stop trying. Don’t stop pushing yourself out of your comfort zone (where the learning lives), and always enjoy the journey. You’re not done yet.

Podcast Hot Seat Black Friday Deal Still Going

Want real, actionable feedback on your podcast? The Podcast Hot Seat gives you expert insights on what’s working—and what’s getting in your way. You submit your show, and we break down your content, delivery, structure, branding, and listener experience. You walk away with clear recommendations, practical fixes, and fresh ideas to elevate your podcast and grow your audience. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start improving, and save 45% it’s time to take a seat!

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P.S. It comes with a free month at the School of Podcasting

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Stuff That Caught My Eye

Utter Podcast Nonsense

You’re allowed to disagree with your friends. I respect Steve’s Goldstein’s history, but he was one of the guys who helped introduce “YouTube is a Podcast” and now has come back with “Podcasting is no longer a one-size-fits-all medium. It has become an ecosystem. A podcast can be a YouTube show, vertical clips, newsletters, short episodes, livestreams, or even a live event.” Source.

So a newsletter is a podcast? Yeah, I’ll be writing about this in the future. I’m just two flushed to write something without using naughty words.

12 Days of Tella Video Creator/Editor

We all know Loom.com, but I discovered Tella for not only making and hosting videos, but they enable me to make BETTER videos FASTER. Case in point I do “Lunch with Dave” ever Friday where members of the School of Podcasting get to hang out, exchange strategies, ask questions, and more. I take the video from Zoom, upload it to Tella, cut off the 5 minutes of chit chat, let it make chapters via AI, and have it posted in less than 15 minutes once the meeting is over. Here is one I did for Podpage.

They are doing a 12 Days of Tella where each day they announce a new feature, and I’m pretty sure tomorrow they will announce that Tell will do your laundry. This is a great marketing strategy, and it worked (I’m excited about the software enough to share it with you). Check out their 12 Days of Tella

What’s Coming In The Future

I can’t lie, the Steve Goldstein article has me on my soapbox. I’m also working on a “Podcast Soup” episode which is a bunch of “mini topics” not long enough for an episode, but important enough to mention. I’m always open to your suggestions

Need Help With Your Podcast?

Whether you’re just starting or a seasoned podcaster, the School of Podcasting can help. Helping podcasters is what I do, and I’ve been doing it since 2005

USE THIS LINK ««and save 20% using the coupon code newsletter

If you start now, you’ll be in the right place to take over the world in January!

If you love diving into a…

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If you’re attending, please register to help them order food.

Date: 12/11
Time: 5:30-7:30 PM
Register (free)

I hope to see you there, and may Podfest in January?

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Did We Make it Too Easy?

Oh here we go with another “Back in the Day” story, but hear me out. In the same way that music is devalued, and we have an endless stream (so we take music for granted), …

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