The Podcast Accelerator: How to Grow Your Podcast

We love podcast industry podcasts - there are a lot of them and they're run by smart, passionate people who live and breathe podcasting and who are usually industry professionals. Sometimes though, they don't give the day-to-day enthusiast, creator or indie podcaster a platform to have their say, often taking "the view from the top" as delivered by the "podcasting professionals". In & Around P...

It's time for a change: https://www.inandaroundpodcasting.com . Fan of the show? Find it helpful? You can become a supporter of the show via a one-off tip that I'll use to buy a beer at this link: Support The Podcast Accelerator: How to Grow Your Podcast . Your next steps I teach podcasting a lot and for free. So, here's what I'd recommend you do next: Watch my free podcasting tutorials on YouTube...

What does the future of podcast monetization look like? Today I'm joined by Sam Sethi, founder of https://www.podfans.fm, a new platform embracing creator culture and a pioneer of the value for value movement within podcasting and beyond. Fan of the show? Find it helpful? You can become a supporter of the show via a one-off tip that I'll use to buy a beer at this link: Support The Podcast Accelera...

I got into podcasting a decade ago. Since then, I've seen it change from a fledging industry with little revenue flowing through it and flourish into a genuine media industry with billions in ad revenue available every year, the teething problems of a measurement industry, and the "boom" of 2019-2021 (ish). There are people who have been in this game longer than me, and we've all seen the industry...

You know me, I don't sugarcoat when I feel that something isn't as good as it could be. And, with the world of podcasting growing and, in particular, the choices that consumers have about the myriad shows they can listen to, it's never been more important for your show to "get things right". But what is "right"? Surely that's subjective? Yes, of course, it is - but there's little doubt that best p...

I'm delighted to be able to give my reaction to the Squadcast acquisition by Descript, plus I preview a little of Podcast Movement 2023 and thank Josh for his kind beer money! Fan of the show? Find it helpful? You can become a supporter of the show via a one-off tip that I'll use to buy a beer at this link: Support The Podcast Accelerator: How to Grow Your Podcast . Your next steps I teach podcast...

Design is everywhere. Design is every THING. You simply cannot escape it. But, as podcasters, we fall into the same trap that so many other types of organisation fall into: commoditising design and believing it to be something that we can either skimp on, do ourselves or that doesn't matter. All of that is simply wrong, and very seriously wrong. We also believe that design simply means "graphic de...

When I first started my journey within the podcasting world, I was lucky enough to meet a range of people who have gone on to become genuine friends. Amongst those is one of the finest, most revered people within our industry, Dave Jackson, a friend, mentor-from-afar and Podcast Hall of Fame inductee who continues to help podcasters around the world every single day. On this episode, Dave and I di...

In this episode, I have a deep-dive conversation with Mike Wooller, Head of Content Partnerships at Global. Mike has a wealth of experience in the industry and this episode is a must-listen for the serious indi podcast creator. We kick things off by demystifying some of the often-used industry jargon. Mike breaks down what terms like "Spot", "Programmatic", "Direct Sell", "Host Read", "MRG", and "...

Warning! This episode contains some f-bombs and other well placed word bombs - but they’re worth it. Threads, the brand new "chat app" and Twitter alternative from Meta, aka Facebook, aka Instagram, aka Zuckerberg, launched last week and has already amassed almost 100 million users. Within three days, I saw a podcast "guru" claiming to know how to use Threads to grow your podcast and, sure enough,...

When it comes to generating predictable revenue from a podcast, reliability in downloads is vital. Whether that podcast is monetised via programmatic ads, directly sold host-read ads, selling merch, selling live-taping tickets, listener support via tips and memberships or a diverse combination of these and more, there are certain elements that make that show reliably profitable. When a podcast is...

I frequent many podcasting communities and without a doubt, the biggest question (and the biggest question for the last decade) is " How do I grow my podcast? ". I've spoken before about why this isn't an easy task and why that might even be the wrong question to ask. The truth is that running a podcast as an independent creator is really hard, it's really time-consuming and by the time we've prod...

In this episode, I discuss how to build audience loyalty and drive podcast growth through exclusive content and early/premium access. Learn how to identify the types of content that resonate most with your listeners and create a compelling premium offering that sets your podcast apart. Get practical tips on delivering high-quality, exclusive material and fostering a sense of community among your s...

In this episode, I dive into my experience at the Podnews Live Manchester event on June 13, 2023. Held at The Lowry Theatre in Salford, Manchester, this event was an absolute success, buzzing with industry experts and enthusiasts. An impressive lineup of speakers took to the stage, including industry stalwarts like Podnews' James Cridland & Sam Sethi, little ol' me, Crowd Network's Michael Car...

Last week, me and the Captivate (@CaptivateAudio) team hit London for The Podcast Show (@PodcastShowLDN). We joined our fabulous Global family (@Global) as podcasting industry experts, enthusiasts and creators descended on England's capital to celebrate, learn and hypothesise about podcasting and the way that the industry has been, where it is today, and where it will be tomorrow. In its sophomore...

In this episode, I'm taking you on a deep dive into YouTube's long-awaited new podcasting features that have the potential to increase and enhance the way that we, as creators, connect with our audience. Join me and special guest James Cridland, the founder and editor of Podnews, as we explore these new features and address some critical questions. We'll begin by discussing the specifics of YouTub...

In this episode, I explore the power of podcast memberships and share valuable strategies for creating irresistible subscriber experiences. Learn how to design a membership program that captivates your audience and keeps them engaged, with tips on content selection, delivery, and promotion. Discover how you can leverage the potential of memberships to boost your podcast's growth, revenue, and long...

As I bring The Podcast Accelerator back from hiatus, I wanted to share my thoughts and experiences from over a decade in podcasting. But, rather than just rattle through a list of things that I've seen and how the industry has developed, I thought it's be fun to bring on a podcasting talent and good friend to interview me for my own show - so, welcome to the show my interviewer, Danny Brown of Pod...

Today I'd like to run you through what's coming up on the podcast that will help you to grow your audience! As I come out of hiatus I've planned an array of content to help with your podcast growth, monetisation and that will also give you some insights into the state of podcasting on YouTube, via community and more. And I've got some fantastic guests lined up to help me! Fan of the show? Find it...

The hiatus is over! It's been a while but I'm back to educate and (subjectively...) entertain those creators looking to build a meaningful, sustainable podcast audience. There will be some changes so I want to spend a little time reflecting on why I took a break and talking about what's coming up, what's changing, and more about the format. Plus, I'll tell you a little about the things that I've b...

I'm having a little bit of a break from the podcast to focus on family and Captivate but will be back shortly! In this episode I'll talk to you about why, when I'll be back and recommend a LOT of excellent content to help you to grow your podcast while I'm away!  Useful links from the episode How to Get More Listener Engagement - We all want more “engagement” on our podcasts but the word itself p...

Podcasting tech can seem overwhelming but it rarely is once you know how to use it. Here are three creative and actionable ways that you can instantly start to use dynamic ad and content insertion to enhance your podcast today. Fan of the show? Find it helpful? You can become a supporter of the show via a one-off tip that I'll use to buy a beer at this link: Support The Podcast Accelerator: How to...

The truth is that you and I, we don't know everything and remaining humble is a skill and mindset that we all, as podcasters, must practice and adopt so that we don't limit the potential of our podcast by letting our ego get in the way. Fan of the show? Find it helpful? You can become a supporter of the show via a one-off tip that I'll use to buy a beer at this link: Support The Podcast Accelerato...

An interview show is touted as the way to "explode" your influence and increase your impact by the gurus who sell anything to anyone, but you've followed all of their advice and for some reason, your numbers aren't moving and your guests don't often share the interviews that they do with you. Why? Fan of the show? Find it helpful? You can become a supporter of the show via a one-off tip that I'll...

The panacea for the busy podcaster is a robust set of processes. But are your processes devolving your podcast into a lifeless cookie cutter template? Are your processes undermining your creativity and, if so, how can you achieve the perfect balance? Welcome to The Podcast Accelerator, the thrice-weekly show that brings you podcast education, industry insights and straight-talking reactions to pod...