Buzzsprout Weekly

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters!  While reviewing applications for our Start Podcasting cohort, I noticed a pattern: a lot of people have great podcast ideas! While it can be easy to come up with the concept, it’s actually hitting publish that can hold new podcasters back.  That’s why, in this week’s episode of ​Buzzcast​ , we decided to start a podcast from scratch in (alm...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters!  Have you ever tried to recommend a podcast to a friend and realized how many steps it took just to get them to the right episode?  For a long time, trying to convert a listener felt like a lot of work. And as creators, we felt that friction too, even if we couldn’t always put our finger on it! But this year, podcast apps started acting less...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters!  The end of the year can be a tough stretch for podcasters! Schedules shift, and even the most consistent shows feel the strain of missed recording windows or rushed edits.  If your routine has been harder to protect lately, there are ways to simplify your workflow so you can keep publishing without burning out! This week’s Buzzcast episode...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters!  One of the most common questions we hear is also one of the most important: Which microphone should I use for my podcast? The right mic can improve your sound and remove a lot of unnecessary friction as you get started! To help simplify the decision, we put together ​a new video​ that walks through our top five USB microphones for podcastin...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters!  The holiday season is officially here, which usually means two things: more joy and way less time to podcast. Between travel plans, family gatherings, school breaks, and end-of-year deadlines, this is one of the hardest seasons to stay consistent. Nearly every podcaster I know hits a point where they think, “Should I just skip a few weeks?”...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters! I talk to a lot of people who want to start a podcast. Whether it's friends, creators, or podcasters-to-be, I hear the same thing all the time: “I’ve been thinking about starting a podcast… but I don’t know if now is the right time!” And every time, I give the same answer: “If you’re thinking about it, now is exactly the right time.” So...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters!  For years, adding chapters to podcast episodes felt like extra credit. It was great if you had the time, but most of us didn’t. Now, with iOS 26.2, Apple Podcasts is taking care of it for you! The next update will automatically generate chapters for every episode, even if you don’t create them yourself. That means listeners can skip to key...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey Podcasters!  At Buzzsprout, most of our collaboration happens through screens. Messages, calls, and pull requests keep everything moving, but once a year, we step away from our desks and meet face-to-face. This year, we gathered in Tampa, Florida so our fully remote team could reconnect, build trust, and spend time together. Here’s a look behind the scen...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey Podcasters! When Buzzsprout's podcast producer, Jordan Blair, started Dreamful Bedtime Stories, it was just a creative way to help her kids fall asleep.  She never expected it to become a podcast with more than 13 million downloads , or that she’d test nearly every monetization strategy along the way. After six years of experimenting with sponsorshi...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters!  Let’s be honest: everyone wants to know the secret to ranking higher in Apple Podcasts , but for years, no one really knew how it worked. I’ve sat through countless conference sessions promising to “crack the code” on podcast SEO, and most turned out to be pure snake oil. But now we have credible data straight from Apple. If you’ve ever won...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters!  Coming off a long weekend can throw off your rhythm! Your schedule changes, your workflow shifts, and podcasting can feel harder to fit in. With the holidays and more travel approaching, keeping your podcast on track can feel tough. But, staying consistent through the end of the year is easier than you think!  So, here are some of my favori...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters!  Podcasting is full of well-intentioned advice. Some of it helps, but sometimes it's a myth. In our latest Buzzcast episode , Kevin, Jordan, and Alban unpack three common myths that often slow podcasters down and explain what actually moves a show forward. Myth 1: You must launch with three episodes This advice has been passed around fo...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey Podcasters! Have you ever had an amazing idea for a show… only to get completely stuck on the name?  You brainstorm a dozen options, check Apple Podcasts, and they’re all taken. Or worse, you find one you like, but it doesn’t really capture what your podcast is about. Naming is one of the biggest roadblocks for new podcasters. Too clever, and no one can...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters!  When I launched my first podcast, I thought 1,000 downloads would unlock everything. I assumed advertisers would show up and the show would start paying for itself. Instead, I found myself in the same spot as so many podcasters in the Buzzsprout Community : excited about growth, but unsure how to turn that momentum into real support. The Ad...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters!  Have you ever felt like your show just can’t pass a certain threshold, no matter how many downloads you’re getting? You're not alone! Every podcaster has been there at some point in their journey.  Here’s the twist: downloads don’t always equal growth .  You can have thousands of casual listeners and still feel stuck because the real d...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters!  If you’ve ever stayed up late scrubbing through waveforms, you know how podcast editing can easily go from a "quick polish” into an all-night project. But the reality is, editing will take as much time as you give it. A nd that doesn't need to be a long time.  Changing a few habits before and during recording can make the whole pr...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters!  Every podcast is a brand, whether you planned it that way or not. Your name, artwork, and content should all work together to show listeners exactly what your show is about. But what happens when they don’t? Maybe your name locks you into one topic. Maybe it no longer fits your podcast. Or maybe… you just don’t like it anymore. Good news, y...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey Podcasters! We just got back from Podcast Movement in Dallas, and it was awesome to connect with so many Buzzsprout podcasters in person! This year’s conference introduced a new format with silent-disco style headphones and featured plenty of conversations about where podcasting is headed. If you couldn’t make it, don’t worry, our producer Jordan sat dow...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey Podcasters!  Coming up with new episode ideas can feel easy in the beginning, but a few months in, it’s common to hit a wall. If you’ve ever sat down to record and thought, “What am I even going to talk about this week?” you’re not alone.  In this week’s episode of Buzzcast , Jordan and Alban sit down with Dave Jackson from School of Podcasting to talk a...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters! This week, we’re sharing one of the easiest ways to improve your sound without new equipment: microphone technique! With a few easy mic technique tweaks, you can get cleaner, more consistent audio.  We’ve pulled together resources to help you get started: This ​Reddit thread​ with tips from Buzzsprout podcasters  This ​blog post​ on mic tech...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters! Let’s be honest: we all judge podcasts by their cover. In fact, 62% of new listeners are more likely to check out a podcast if they like the cover art . That means your artwork isn’t just a placeholder, it’s your show’s first impression! And that can either be a good thing or a bad thing. Here's how to make sure your artwork is doing it...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters!  This week, we are switching things up! We're going to talk about a feature that doesn’t get nearly enough love: Dynamic Content . Let's get to it! If you’ve never used it before, ​Dynamic Content​ is a tool in your Buzzsprout account that lets you easily add or remove pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll segments to any of your episod...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters!  Our team is prepping for Podcast Movement next month, which has my brain in full conference mode. One of our most asked questions at conferences actually isn't about Buzzsprout, it's about podcasting equipment!  Podcasters want to know if the gear they are using is " right ," and while the best equipment for one podcaste...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters!  Editing takes time, but what if your episode could sound polished without all the cleanup? We've added powerful new tools to Magic Mastering, saving you time while making your audio sound better: Filler Killer cautiously detects and removes filler words like "ah" and "uhm" to achieve a high-quality listening experie...

Send a question for 'Ask Megan' Hey, Podcasters!  It can be hard to find a good podcast guest, and even harder to navigate all of the prep that comes with it. So today, we're taking a look at everything you need to know about podcast guests. Let’s get to it! How to Find Great Podcast Guests In this episode of Buzzcast, ​Alex Sanfilippo​ , host of ​Podcasting Made Simple​ and founder o...