Podcast Gym
42 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 months ago -Starting a podcast is easy. Making a successful podcast is hard.
Listen to Podcast Gym for bite-sized, big impact ideas to better create, promote, and monetize a podcast.
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Episodes
Unconventional Podcasting Wisdom to Break the Mold for Success
March 15, 2024 12:30 - 4 minutes - 4.23 MB“In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” – Coco Chanel You’re a podcaster. You love creating your show. But sometimes marketing and promotion to stand out can feel like an insurmountable challenge. With so many podcasts (YouTube videos, television shows, radio stations, books, and blogs) vying for an audience’s attention, how can you make sure your podcast doesn’t get lost in the noise? While traditional advice like “know your audience” and “invest in quality equipment...
Boost Your Podcast's Reach by Repurposing Content on TikTok, IG, and YouTube
January 10, 2024 11:00 - 6 minutes - 6.38 MBIn the vast landscape of digital content creation, podcasters are constantly seeking innovative ways to expand their reach and engage with new audiences. One strategy that has gained significant traction is repurposing podcast content into short form videos for platforms like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and TikTok. While this effort may not immediately increase podcast downloads, there are numerous benefits to this approach that can elevate awareness and take your podcast to new heights...
How to Promote a Podcast and Gain More Listeners
November 29, 2023 10:00 - 5 minutes - 4.63 MBHOW TO PROMOTE A PODCAST AND GAIN MORE LISTENERS Launching a podcast is just the beginning of your journey. The real challenge lies in promoting it effectively to gain more listeners. In this article, we’ll explore fresh and unconventional tactics that go beyond the basics. Let’s delve into strategies that not only enhance the quality of your content but also help you define and engage with your ideal audience, collaborate uniquely, and experiment effectively on social media. 1. Elevate Yo...
Overcoming Discouragement in Podcasting and Finding Your Voice
November 02, 2023 18:00 - 5 minutes - 4.76 MBCreating a podcast can be exciting. It allows you to share your unique perspective, stories, and expertise with the world. However, like any creative pursuit, the journey isn’t always smooth, and you may encounter moments of discouragement along the way. In this article, I want to share common reasons for feeling discouraged about publishing your podcast and offer thoughtful solutions to help you overcome these challenges and stay inspired. Embrace Your Uniqueness One of the primary source...
How to Grow Your Podcast in 2023
October 18, 2023 10:00 - 6 minutes - 5.54 MBHey there, fellow podcasters! We understand the hustle and heart that you pour into your shows. Growing downloads, being recognized for your dedication, and getting your voice heard are universal dreams of podcasters, just like sculpting that perfect beach body at the gym. But much like the gym, podcasting success doesn’t come overnight. It’s about trying different exercises and consistently showing up for those reps. In this article, we’ll be your podcasting personal trainers, sharing idea...
Transform Your Podcast with 3% Risks
September 14, 2023 12:30 - 5 minutes - 4.98 MBIn a world full of great podcasts, it’s increasingly challenging to stand out and capture the attention of your target audience. But here’s the good news: you don’t need to reinvent the wheel to make your mark in the podcasting universe. Instead, you can take calculated risks, as small as 3%, to position your show differently, breathe new life into your content, and create a unique podcasting experience that keeps your listeners coming back for more. UNDERSTANDING YOUR TOPIC Before you emb...
How to Create a Fully Staffed Podcast Team with ChatGPT
June 28, 2023 10:15 - 7 minutes - 7.23 MBFor independent podcasters, juggling multiple roles and responsibilities can be a daunting task. You not only have to host engaging episodes but also take on the roles of a researcher, producer, and marketer. However, with the help of advanced language models like ChatGPT, you now have the opportunity to access a powerful tool that can help you perform like a fully staffed podcast team. Let’s explore how ChatGPT can empower solo podcasters, providing research assistance, production support, ...
Making Space to Create
June 28, 2023 10:10 - 4 minutes - 3.89 MBDon’t just be a podcaster. Dream bigger and be a creator. The act of producing original audio content requires coming up with episode ideas, writing scripts, recording, and editing, and promoting to build an audience. Similar to other types of creators, such as writers, artists, and filmmakers, you use your creativity to create something out of nothing that entertains, educates, or informs your audience. As you improve your craft, you’re likely to develop a unique voice and perspective, and...
5 Things More Important Than Consistency
June 28, 2023 10:00 - 4 minutes - 3.96 MBConsistency is often touted as the most important factor for successful podcasting. While having a regular schedule is important, there are other factors that are equally or even more important. Let’s be real. Things happen. If your podcast is not your full-time job, sometimes your next podcast episode might have to be delayed. That’s okay. In this blog post, we’ll discuss five things that are more important than consistency when it comes to podcasting. Quality Content The most critical a...
Get Your Podcast Noticed, Zag When Others Zig
March 09, 2023 13:00 - 3 minutes - 3.38 MBPodcasting has become an incredibly popular medium for people to share their ideas, stories, and insights with the world. I absolutely love it. Hitting publish on a great episode you created feels really good. The trouble is that the competition to stand out in the podcasting world has become increasingly fierce. You're up against hundreds of thousands of actively published podcasts. Some are supported by podcast networks with marketing budgets. If you're looking to increase downloads and c...
Avoid These Podcast Pet Peeves
February 08, 2023 17:25 - 5 minutes - 5.1 MBAfter ruminating on my podcasting pet peeves (I’ll share them at the end), I searched Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook to find out what bothers podcast listeners the most. There were commonalities and upvotes that we can use to improve our podcasts. It turns out that listeners do not just want to be entertained, educated, or inspired, but they want podcast creators to respect them and their time. Here’s what I found. TOP 10 PODCAST LISTENERS’ PET PEEVES: Uneven audio levels (especially loude...
What We Can Learn From Marc Maron's Three-Year Deal with Acast
June 01, 2022 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4.48 MBMarc Maron has struck a three-year deal with Acast to host, monetize, and distribute the comedian’s hit podcast, WTF With Marc Maron. Comedian Marc Maron launched “WTF” in 2009. 1,335 episodes have been published, with new ones coming out twice a week. The show gets about 55 million listens per year. Wow, that is a platform. And platforms are worth money. For example, former late-night host Conan O’Brien recently sold his podcast company to SiriusXM for a reported $150 million. In May ...
The Podcast Advertising Market Surpassed $1B in 2021
May 18, 2022 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4.36 MB“And all this science I don’t understand It’s just my job five days a week A rocket man” ― Elton John // Bernie Taupin During your podcasting journey, you’re bound to feel a bit lost. Things have been a little crazy for me recently. After many close calls, COVID got my family last month. I’ve caught 6 mice in my house in the last 10 days. My dad just returned home after a stint in the hospital. (Being a self-appointed patient advocate is exhausting.) The stock market is correcting. ...
Keep Your Eyes Wide and Stay Open
May 04, 2022 23:00 - 6 minutes - 6.34 MB“Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in.” ― Isaac Asimov The word for this post is “open.” Be open to unexpected guests. Be open to new ideas. Be open to being uncomfortable. Publishing a podcast regularly can be a slog sometimes. Being open to new things can keep things fresh — in a good way. I’ve talked previously about striving to get 100 nos in a year. This can push you to invite more guests and to reach hig...
Rebrand a Podcast Because Consistency Is Not Enough
April 20, 2022 13:00 - 3 minutes - 3.38 MB“Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.“ ― Theodore Levitt Pivot is a popular word in the start-up world. A pivot means fundamentally changing the direction of a business when you realize the current products or services aren’t meeting the needs of the market. It’s a fact that most entrepreneurial firms fail. For an entrepreneur, the idea that you can pivot and survive is critically important. Since most podcasts podfade, we’d better pivot too. This week,...
How to Get Booked as a Guest on Podcasts
April 06, 2022 14:00 - 5 minutes - 5.22 MBToday, I deleted 3,300 emails from my inbox. 5,748 unread messages stand between me and inbox zero. Oh dear. I’ll come back to my disastrous inbox later, but first… You want to grow your podcast, right? Many podcast gurus say the best way to grow your podcast’s downloads is to guest on other podcasts. Why? Because you’re getting in front of listeners who already listen to podcasts. Here’s where 2.4 million active podcasts in Apple Podcasts are a really good thing. Even if only 21% have p...
Getting Over Zero-Download Days
March 23, 2022 14:00 - 4 minutes - 3.67 MB“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.” Henry David Thoreau I was told early on, “Don’t look at your downloads.” Guess what? I looked at my downloads. If I had zero downloads, I would still enjoy hosting my podcast. To which a friend responded, “Then why do you bother editing?” Touché. Good friends keep you honest, even if they’re a pain in the ass. As...
Indie Podcasters Need More Money Too
March 10, 2022 00:00 - 4 minutes - 3.93 MBHappiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of the creative effort. – Franklin D. Roosevelt I read an article in the New York Times, “Surrounded by Big Tech, Small Podcast Shops Swim With Sharks.” The subheading reads, “Independent companies like Prologue Projects, Campside Media and Rococo Punch try different strategies in a market roiled by Silicon Valley and Hollywood.” The first subject is Leon Neyfakh’s podcast production company...
Why 100 Rejections Will Make Your Podcast Greater
February 25, 2022 13:15 - 4 minutes - 4.38 MBLife is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. – Charles R. Swindoll Are you generally more fearful or fearless? We all have our good days and bad days. It’s got to be partly innate, a trait present from birth. Some people were born fearless. Others have to work hard to build their courage. When it comes to rejection, fearing it is more universal. Really, who loves rejection!? Get rejected consecutive times and even the most fearless warrior can feel the slump and have ...
Monetize
February 09, 2022 14:30 - 5 minutes - 5.51 MBDo you podcast for the money or the fame? That emoji is me laughing and crying at the same time. It’s said that most podcasters do not make money. The truth is that most of us have negative cash flow after accounting for the cost of gear, time, and not taking a salary. We podcast for the love of it… the networking… building a personal brand. I get it. It’s not all about the moolah. As you publish each episode, though, wouldn’t it be nice to have more listeners… get more feedback… help more p...
How to Monetize a Podcast
February 09, 2022 13:30 - 5 minutes - 5.51 MBDo you podcast for the money or the fame? That emoji is me laughing and crying at the same time. It’s said that most podcasters do not make money. The truth is that most of us have negative cash flow after accounting for the cost of gear, time, and not taking a salary. We podcast for the love of it… the networking… building a personal brand. I get it. It’s not all about the moolah. As you publish each episode, though, wouldn’t it be nice to have more listeners… get more feedback… help m...
Woodshedding
January 27, 2022 13:00 - 5 minutes - 4.61 MB“Practice like you’ve never won. Perform like you’ve never lost.” I was recently invited to be a special guest of the Masters of Hawaiian Music in New York City. In the photo above, I’m in the center, seated between 5-time Grammy award winner George Kahumoku, Jr. and master ‘ukulele instrumentalist Herb Ohta, Jr. We each played a solo set and then jammed together to close the show. (Play the embedded podcast player at 0:24 to hear a music clip.) Getting on stage is a lot like podcasting. ...
The Many Hats of Indie Podcasters
January 22, 2022 10:00 - 3 minutes - 3.33 MB“When it is time to sow, sow and when it is time to harvest, you will harvest. Obey this rule.” ― Israelmore Ayivor, Become a Better You Few know the grind better than an indie podcaster. Am I right? We wear many hats… Booker, host, audio engineer, editor, promoter, copywriter, and VA. I’m sure there are more, but those quickly come to mind. Alexandra Cohl of POD.DRALAND expressed the indie podcaster experience perfectly in this tweet. See the tweet at http://podcastgym.com/the-many-...
Award Shows
January 19, 2022 10:00 - 2 minutes - 2.75 MB“The awards world can be ridiculous, but I’m not one to bash it. I love awards! When I’ve been nominated for Emmys and when I won my DGA Award, I couldn’t have been happier. I always liked getting a gold star in class.” ― Paul Feig I’ve never liked awards much. Perhaps it began in 1989 when the newly created Grammy Awards category for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental went to Jethro Tull instead of Metallica. I’m also parenting in the era of “Every Kid Gets a Trophy.”...
SEO for Podcasts
January 12, 2022 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4 MBI don’t know much about SEO, it’s short for Search Engine Optimization. According to Moz, SEO is a set of practices designed to improve the appearance and positioning of web pages in organic search results. There are best practices; of course, but, many variables go into an algorithm. What I do know is that when I pose a question to Google, the first page of search results is important. Most of the time, I click one of the top 5 search results. Google really is getting smarter. It’s not of...
Evolution of a Podcast
November 16, 2021 10:00 - 3 minutes - 3.71 MBIn biology, evolution is the change in the characteristics of a species over several generations. In business, products evolve over time to improve the customer experience. As a showrunner, you need to encourage the evolution of your podcast. At launch, it’s difficult to know if listeners will enjoy your podcast in the way that you envision it. Let’s assume that you followed podcasting for an audience of one where you created a podcast that you love and others have followed and listened ove...
Podcasting for an Audience of One
November 16, 2021 02:25 - 1 minute - 1.64 MBAn essential part of creating a successful podcast is to identify and serve your audience well. But what if you have no idea who your audience is? In marketing, they say you attract customers by creating a customer profile. Can we similarly attract listeners by analyzing their demographics, challenges, and psychographics? Probably. But are you podcasting to sell a product or to create a great show? Podcast for yourself and you’ll free yourself from worrying about what the listener thinks. ...
7 Real Reasons to Start a Podcast
May 26, 2021 11:00 - 5 minutes - 5.28 MB7 REAL REASONS TO START A PODCAST Create8 seconds ago5 Min ReadAdd Comment 7 There are many well-intentioned articles that say you should start a podcast because it’s easy. I’m going to be straight with you. While easy to start, producing and publishing a podcast regularly requires tremendous effort, energy, and discipline. You will encounter moments of joy, but you’re also likely to have moments when you question why you’ve committed to such a time-consuming project. As I reflect on my...
Use a Teleprompter to Make Eye Contact in Zoom
March 11, 2021 13:00 - 3 minutes - 2.89 MBAlthough the pandemic induced WFH (work from home) has had its share of WTF, there have been silver linings. I’ve enjoyed hiking with my family at nearby trails that I didn’t even know were there previously. The kids and I bike around the neighborhood regularly. We get to eat lunch together. As podcasters, we’re constantly striving for incremental improvements so, it’s not surprising that over the last few months, my home office has evolved in a big way. If you do a lot of virtual Zoom and ...
Never Hesitate to Imitate
January 06, 2021 10:00 - 2 minutes - 2.35 MBEpisode 12: Want a shortcut to creating a great podcast? Never hesitate to imitate another podcaster. Imitation is part of the creative process for anyone learning an art or craft. Whether it's painting, music, or podcasting, all find inspiration in looking up to others. In his book, Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative, Austin Kleon writes: What a good artist understands is that nothing comes from nowhere. All creative work builds on what came before. Nothi...
You Know You're a Podcaster When...
December 02, 2020 06:00 - 1 minute - 1.06 MBEpisode 11: You own more podcast t-shirts than dress shirts Bad audio upsets you You’ve forgotten to hit record, more than once You’ve asked more than one person to subscribe, rate, and review You’ve debated whether there’s a discoverability problem You know what a double-ender is You know Podchaser is the IMDb for podcasts You can report your downloads stats, as of three minutes ago You consider podcast conferences as reunions You’ve recorded under a blanket, in a closet, or both ...
Every Podcast Needs an Audience
November 02, 2020 07:40 - 3 minutes - 3.94 MBEpisode 10: Why do you podcast? Is your podcast intended to educate, inspire, or entertain? We all have different motivations. Maybe your goal is to grow your personal brand and build authority? Perhaps you want to monetize your show by building an audience and selling ads to sponsors. Or you might podcast for the simple joy of creating something with friends. Art needs no justification. I’ve listened to many podcasts, and I do believe that podcasting is an art. The phrase “art for art’s sa...
Choosing the Best Podcast Host
September 23, 2020 10:00 - 10 minutes - 9.69 MBEpisode 9: If you’re ready start a podcast, you’re probably asking, “Where should I host my podcast?” The good news is that you’ve got choices. The bad news is that you’ve got choices! Don’t get overwhelmed though. A dedicated podcast host is a specialized service that offers to store and deliver media files associated with a podcast. While you could host your media files (MP3 or AAC / M4A) yourself, either on your own server or wherever you host your website, this is not recommended for mo...
Best Podcast Microphones
September 16, 2020 10:00 - 6 minutes - 6.6 MBEpisode 8: A great microphone is an important tool of the trade so choose yours wisely. Type “Best podcast microphone” into Google, YouTube, or Pinterest, and you’re likely to find the Blue Yeti atop many lists. Before impulsively adding it to your shopping cart though, you should learn about different types of microphones and how they differ. Do your homework, because you should pick the microphone that is the best for your voice and your room. CONDENSER VS DYNAMIC As a podcaster, you don...
One-Star Reviews
September 11, 2020 10:00 - 2 minutes - 2.55 MBEpisode 7: Have you ever gotten a one-star review? Anything less than five-stars can be a crushing blow when you’ve worked so hard to build your show. I haven’t received a bad rating yet but kind of wish that I did. Am I a glutton for punishment? Probably, but let me explain. I’ve been thinking about this, and it dawned on me that every great show has haters. Lacking any negative reviews so far, I’m concerned that it could be a sign that I’m not taking a strong enough stand. My show is not ...
Just One Thing
September 01, 2020 19:45 - 3 minutes - 3.28 MBEpisode 6: What if you think of your podcast like a Western? Consider this. Podcasting is a new, untamed frontier. It can be a fast-paced action story. There’s archetypal conflict. Good vs. bad, villains vs. heroes, social law and order vs. anarchy. Podcast vs. radio, perhaps? The podcaster as the hero. A person of integrity and principle, courageous, moral, tough, solid and self-sufficient, maverick character (often with a trusty sidekick), possessing an independent and honorable attitu...
How to be a Better Podcast Interviewer
July 22, 2020 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4 MBEpisode 5: Great interviewers were made, not born. It takes practice, work, and experience. I'm listing resources that helped me prepare to launch my podcast. It's worth mentioning that there's not one best way to this. Interviewing is an art. I encourage you to find your voice and an approach that works best for you. Then, lean into it. My quest to become a better interviewer is ongoing, and I'm always learning. I've created my own master class on conducting interviews by reading, listeni...
Use Social Currency to Entice Guests to Share
July 15, 2020 10:00 - 3 minutes - 2.76 MBEpisode 4: If you do an interview podcast, how frequently do guests share the episode to their networks on social media? Probably, it’s not often enough. NOT GETTING ENOUGH SHARES? You created a stellar episode. You thanked your guest and provided her with marketing assets — pretty graphics, a quote card, and audiogram. That’s a good start but a lot of friction remains for a guest to take an image, write a blurb, and share it. Willie Mandrell, who was on my show a couple months ago, creat...
Stop Shouting, Start Talking
July 10, 2020 10:00 - 3 minutes - 4.42 MBEpisode 3: Podcasters tend to be a pretty well spoken bunch, especially those who do their own editing. There’s no better motivation to improve your diction than having to go back to edit all your ums, ahs, and mouth clicks. Time is money. With all the time invested in making our shows, it’s not surprising that we’re super eager to do anything in our power to get the word out. If you were guaranteed a 10 percent increase in downloads, would you scream from your rooftop? Heck, I would probab...
Best Advice For New Podcasters
July 07, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 2.69 MBEpisode 2: Before launching a podcast, most podcasters ask about things like gear, media hosts, and show art. Before I started, I asked a friend who had published over 1500 episodes for advice. His first reaction was, “Are you SURE that you want to launch a podcast?” When I assured him that I did, this is what he said. If you’re absolutely sure that you want to start a podcast, commit to doing it for a year. Once you start, keep publishing at whatever frequency you decide. Don’t look at do...
Podcast Rule #1: There are no rules
July 02, 2020 13:00 - 1 minute - 1.64 MBEpisode 1: When it comes to podcasting, rule #1 is that there are no rules. This is not television or radio where you are restricted to a set program length with a certain number of commercial breaks for ad spots. In fact, who says that you must have commercials at all? The choice is yours. What’s the ideal episode length for a podcast? I’ve heard it said, “Your podcast should be as long as it needs to be and not a minute more.” One of the many beautiful attributes of podcasting is that you...
Podcast Gym Trailer
July 01, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 2 MBPodcast Gym is a podcast and blog for podcasters who want to improve, grow audience, and monetize their show. Topics include insights, tactics, and resources.