The podcast All the Hacks is a show about all the optimization tips and tricks needed to make life easier without spending a fortune. The show covers topics like travel, investing, credit card points, and more. Each episode dives into the details of each topic and is packed with strategies and tactics that can be used to make life easier.
Let's take a look at what makes this podcast so successful and how you can leverage some of the ideas to take your content to the next level.
About the host: Chris Hutchins
Chris Hutchins is an expert financial and life optimizer and, since 2021, also a successful podcast host sharing ways to make everyday life more efficient and enjoyable. He has been featured for his work in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and CNBC, and also appeared in the financial independence documentary Playing with Fire.
Hutchins is also the co-founder/CEO of Grove, a former partner at Google Ventures, co-founder at Milk (acq. by Google), and creator of LaidOffCamp. He has become an expert on life hacks that can make life easier for everyone by leveraging his trademark combination of technical and entrepreneurial skills.
Episode highlights, format, and website
All the Hacks is a great study for podcasters because while it follows the rules, Hutchins also "breaks" them when it serves to make better content. Let's walk through his episodes more in-depth to show you what we mean.
Episode highlights and content
Episodes on the All the Hacks podcast usually start with an overview of a specific hack, tip, or trick that can help you in everyday life. Through this introduction, Hutchins features a guest on nearly every episode about their personal expertise and how to apply the hacks to everyday life.
For instance, he recently featured author and financial advisor Ben Carlson to talk about how to navigate a high-rate market when buying a home. He’s also featured travel experts to help listeners travel smarter for cheaper. Hutchins and his guests dive into the details and tactics. Hutchins also frequently has Q&A episodes dedicated specifically to addressing questions from his listener mailbag.
Note: Podpage comes with a built-in voicemail system that allows listeners can leave voicemails directly from your website. From there, you can download the audio to use in your podcast!
Episode format
Episodes range from 20 minutes to nearly an hour and a half. This is good intel for a podcaster because it shows you don't have to stick to any particular episode length, even though the most popular episode length is between 20 and 40 minutes.
Generally, a good rule of thumb is: make your content as long as it needs to be and no longer. If you can say what you need to in 20 minutes or shorter, that's great. A longer-form episode for a deeper dive into a more complicated topic works just as well as long as you are providing true, high-quality value to listeners.
Podcast website
All the Hacks is hosted with Podpage and showcases many of the premium features available to users. The site is user-friendly and organized and makes it easy to find what you're looking for–it also goes above and beyond in a few simple ways to provide visitors with extra value.
The site features the latest episode on the homepage with several subscription icons and playback capability. Further down the page, visitors can scroll through recent episodes and some featured ones too. Each episode has its own episode page with show notes, chapter markers, partner links, and a very thorough list of resources mentioned in the episode.
The site also has a "Deals" page with all the deals and discounts on products and services Hutchins recommends for hacking your life. This page is a treasure trove for All the Hacks listeners looking to get the most out of the show's content in one centralized hub.
There are also other helpful features, including:
- A newsletter sign-up tab: A newsletter-sign-up page that lets visitors opt-in to the All the Hacks email newsletter.
- A page dedicated to credit card recommendations: A place where listeners can actually see Hutchin's credit card advice on one easy-to-digest page.
- An About page: Always important for SEO purposes, the About page includes basic information on the host that helps viewers and potential companies looking to partner with him know a little more about his background.
- A Contact page: A basic contact page––nothing fancy! But it gives viewers an easy way to shoot the host an email. It's an important feature on a podcast website because it opens an easy line of communication with listeners, potential guests, brands, and affiliates.
- A Members page: The All the Hacks members page includes various tiers with ways to support the content and get perks like monthly video calls with the host, priority response in emails, the ability to contribute to future episode topics, etc.
Hutchins brought the same thoroughness to his website that he brings to his episodes, and it helps make his content more accessible for everyone looking to engage with it.
Learn more: The Comprehensive Podpage Guide: Everything you need to know to get started
Key takeaways and awesome episodes
Every episode provides listeners with actionable tips from an industry expert that can be applied to their everyday life. Here are a few of the show’s top-ranked episodes to get a feel for the best of his content:
- Live a Happier Life, Saying No, and Prioritizing Goals. Chris talks with entrepreneur and writer Derek Sivers about achieving fulfillment in life. They delve into decision-making, experiencing meaning, personal happiness, journaling, and asserting boundaries. They also discuss parenting, traveling with children, and aligning your personal values with your actions to achieve objectives.
- Die With Zero: Net Fulfillment Over Net Worth. Chris speaks with Bill Perkins, a hedge fund manager and writer who shares insights on the concept of dying with zero. Topics include prioritizing net fulfillment in life stages, experiences to focus on, banking memory, and using self-reflection to make optimal spending choices. The discussion also covers solving for maximum fulfillment, among other topics.
- Mastering the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication. On this episode, Chris welcomes communication expert Vanessa Van Edwards. Together, they delve into the language of social cues, how to master charisma, and the impact of vocal, written, tonal, and visual communication on successful interactions with colleagues, friends, and family.
- Pro Travel Hacks for Every Aspect of Your Next Trip. Chris chats with travel expert Leigh Rowan who shares invaluable travel tips and tricks. They cover everything from securing the best prices on accommodations and flights to authentic local experiences.
Now let's see what listeners say about the show.
Impact and reception
Looking at a podcast’s reviews can be an effective way of figuring out exactly what it is listeners value about the content and what they don't. All the Hacks consistently gets 5-star ratings with an overall rating of 4.9 on Apple Podcasts. Listeners usually praise the targeted questions that Hutchins asks as well as how in-depth he goes on topics.
While it's difficult to say how many listeners a podcast has exactly, he has a loyal listenership who are likely highly engaged–not only because podcasts attract high engagement as a medium, but because he works hard at providing consistent value with quality production, good guests, and ach a certain flow with every episode.
Final thoughts
Chris Hutchins has built All the Hacks with a lot of care and attention to detail. From the website, show notes, episode topics, guests, and quality production–he's created a solid podcast that helps listeners solve the problems of their everyday lives.
Just to recap: Let’s review what podcasters can learn from his approach:
- Lay a strong foundation: Provide consistent value, and you will increase your chances of success in whatever your podcasting goals are.
- Go above and beyond with your podcast website: Some podcasters see their podcast website as an afterthought or something that mostly serves to archive their episodes and promote new ones. Hutchins does a great job of showing a few extra things you can do with your website to make it more engaging for visitors.
- Be willing to break the rules: Hutchins makes small but significant moves that help his content stand out. So the next time you wonder if you can release an episode three times the length of last week's, or make your podcast website a different element that most have, etc., remember to "Learn the old rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist."
Don't have a podcast website yet and want to try out Podpage? Preview your site for free to see what you think!
