Education Episodes

How do you define a podcast in 2025? Is it audio only? Do video podcasts count? If the content holds up with your eyes closed, is that a podcast? These are some of the questions we pose as we break down the mini-series, “What’s A Podcast.” We share our thoughts on its immersive storytelling, stylistic choices, and the hot takes shared by the PMC team and community. Is podcasting still about independent voices, or is it destined to be shaped by corporate giants and their algorithms? We're weighin...

Curious how to kick off your podcast with confidence? Today, we dig into a mailbag question about how to launch your podcast and be prepared. We share tips on hyping your show before it drops, knowing your podcast’s purpose, and why starting with more than one episode can make an enormous difference in growing your bond with your audience. Then, we switch gears to share weekly wins and set new goals that keep us moving forward together. Episode Highlights: [02:06} Upcoming “What’s a Podcast?” D...

It’s April Fool's Day, but this is no joke. I’m in the hot seat today! We kick off with a behind-the-scenes look at my recent “Top 50 Over 50” award, including how I found out and how it felt to give my acceptance speech. Then we unpack a listener mailbag question about how we go about recording our podcast intros. We share our various thoughts on teasers vs intros, best practices, and how critically acclaimed podcasts can teach us how to hook the audience from the start. Episode Highlights: [4...

When the cat’s away, the mice will play, and that’s just what happens today! With Marc out, longtime contributors Sid and Billy lead a fun-filled takeover episode. We kick things off by celebrating Marc’s “Top 50 Over 50” podcast win and share our ways to mark a big achievement. From there, we offer “wrong answers only” advice for new podcasters, then wrap it up with a round of overrated or underrated, covering everything from the Shure SM7B mic to podcast networks and teaser trailers. Episode ...

If you had to follow ONE golden rule for podcasters, what would it be? Today, we share our ideas for the one rule we believe every podcaster should follow. We cover several opinions provided by, long-time podcasters. Plus, to wrap up the week, we share wins and celebrate each other’s progress. Episode Highlights: [4:46] Debating the Golden Rule of Podcasting [5:27] Active Listening in Interviews [17:18] Preparation and Authenticity [31:15] Niching Down and Knowing Your Boundaries [42:16] Ce...

Podcasting isn’t solely about hitting the record button. It’s full of unexpected life lessons as well. After a day of frustrating tech setbacks, I was reminded of the importance of patience and reaching out for support. This reminder sparked today’s topic which led to an insightful discussion centered around the lessons we have learned from our podcasting journeys. To wrap up the week, we reflect on our wins and celebrate each other’s progress. Episode Highlights: [3:11] Mac Mini Setup and Init...

Since you’ve been on your podcast journey, have you ever found yourself in the situation where you are on the home stretch, the recording has been done, and the final edits have been made, but you just can’t bring yourself to publish the episode? What emotion is behind that resistance? This is a place even podcast professionals find themselves in, and today, our community steps up to the plate to help with overcoming the fear of launching a podcast by sharing personal anecdotes dealing with perf...

What would you do if someone repurposed your content without permission? Would you be flattered or offended? This recently happened to me when a video editor on LinkedIn repurposed a recent clip of mine, tagged me and the guest, and didn’t bother to ask my permission. This led me to wonder how the community would react in this situation, which leads to a rich conversation with many perspectives. We also address the question, “Do podcasts have an expiration date?” Many podcasters go through burno...

Are the “rules” of podcasting helping you or holding you back? Today, we challenge some of the biggest myths in podcasting and break down whether they’re worth following—or just fear-based tactics. I'm joined today by PMC co-host and podcast producer Matthew Bliss to dive into topics like AI tools, SEO myths, audience engagement, and why questioning the status quo could be the key to podcasting success. Episode Highlights: [4:19] The “rules” of podcasting—do they really matter? [9:16] The trut...

What role does episode numbering play in your podcast strategy? We address this question first, and then we'll turn our attention to some major headlines. YouTube has recently implemented a significant algorithm update aimed at providing more visibility for small creators—could this be your moment to shine? We're also celebrating the 10th anniversary of Serial, a podcast that put podcasting on the map, and we'll explore why its latest season might not resonate with listeners. Additionally, we'll...