The Credibility Minute

We know that repetition makes information feel more truthful (The Illusory Truth Effect). But how often do you need to repeat your core message before it sticks? Research shows the biggest jump in perceived truth happens around the second time a statement is heard. After that, you see diminishing returns on the "truthiness," though advertising data suggests brand positivity peaks around 10 exposur...

John Oliver originally included interview segments on Last Week Tonight , but he quickly dropped them. He realized that while he is brilliant at building a monologue argument, he disliked the energy of interviewing. His show succeeded because he stopped forcing a format that didn't fit his strengths. In improv, we distinguish between "Initiators" (those who establish the world) and "Responders" (t...

Content marketing comes down to two categories: gifts and trades. A "gift" is open access content that builds relationships. A "trade" is gated content that requires a listener to give you something in return, such as an email address or money. You must decide where the divide lies for your business. Podcasts generally work best as gifts because they allow you to reach new people and build trust w...

Many people believe improvisation means making everything up on the spot. In reality, good improvisers in music and comedy rely on deep preparation and structure. They don't memorize lines; they learn the rules so they can discover the content in the moment. Solo podcasting often falls into two extremes: reading a script robotically or rambling without a plan. The solution is to find the middle gr...

Creators often fear becoming a "broken record," worrying that repetition will annoy their audience. However, the Illusory Truth Effect suggests the exact opposite. This psychological concept, researched for over 50 years, shows that we believe things more simply because we have heard them before. Repeated statements are rated as more truthful than new ones. For business leaders and experts, this m...

Your listener can hear your body even if they cannot see it. If you slump in your chair, that collapsed posture shows up in your voice. Physicality and voice are mechanically connected. Your breath and vocal resonance change based on whether your chest is open or contracted. When we record alone in a quiet room, we tend to stay still to avoid making noise, but this results in a flat, low-energy pe...

In improv comedy, the first thing you say in a scene is called an "initiation." A good initiation contains a gift—specific information that gives your partner something to work with. Vague openings like "Hi, how are you?" force your partner to do all the heavy lifting. The same principle applies to podcasting. Opening an episode with "So, today I want to talk about..." forces your listener to wait...

Decision fatigue affects your listeners just as it affects you. Every choice depletes their finite brain resources until they default to the easiest option. That option is usually "no" or opting out entirely. Your audience is likely multitasking while listening. They might be driving or exercising or working. When you ask them to subscribe and share and download and visit a website, you overload t...

The phrase "I'm starting a podcast" implies a massive long-term commitment. This heavy expectation often leads to failure before you even begin. Statistics show that 44% of podcasts never make it past three episodes. You can apply the improv concept of "Short Form vs. Long Form" to fix this. Long-form shows require sustained commitment and skill. Short-form scenes allow you to test ideas quickly w...

Humans are wired for collaboration. We focus on social tasks for learning. A study comparing toddlers to non-human primates confirms that our brains engage more deeply when we collaborate. Solo podcasters often make the mistake of talking at their audience. You can fix this by using language that creates a shared mental space. Phrases like "you know that feeling when" invite the listener to retrie...

You might consider hiring an editor or producer because you worry about quality, and this is valid because the human brain links production quality to the value of the advice. Whether we like it or not (science has found this to be true). Listeners actually rate speakers as more intelligent and likeable when the audio's high quality. Low-quality audio creates "cognitive friction" and that forces t...

Recording solo episodes while looking at a wall is an intimidating experience for many or most creating videos or podcasts. We naturally worry about rambling or sounding monotone, especially when we attach our business reputation to the content. This is an entire skillset to develop! You can shorten this learning curve if you choose to work with a remote director. You can get real-time feedback on...

I discussed how boredom (or, going on autopilot) helps you generate ideas in the previous episode. This episode covers how you can trigger that state intentionally. You need to find activities that have a low cognitive load. These are tasks that allow your brain to enter "autopilot" mode so the Default Mode Network can engage and solve problems while you perform routine actions. In this micro-epis...

Many of us feel guilty if we are not constantly working or otherwise doing *something* (this can be an issue, of course, but many of us might feel this way). We equate "doing things" with success, like "productivity", and fill every block of time. The problem this causes for coming up with ideas: constant preoccupation leaves no time for useful, creative thinking. Science has figured out that our...

Many creators worry that scripting a solo show takes too much time, and that running and interview and chatting with a guest is easier, quicker, and ... better. Interview shows actually carry a massive workload, like finding guests and coordinating schedules. You have to research what you should ask that guest for discuss, and help with (and pay for) remote recording tech. And then there's the gho...

This is one of the most common questions in the industry, and certainly the podcasting community. Audio podcasts remain really important to businesses, because they fit into a listener's life when their eyes are occupied. Are your eyes preoccupied right now? Oh I guess they are if you're reading this. Moving on! Video is an excellent asset if your main goal for your content/assets is building trus...

Public speaking training often teaches us to remove every filler word from our speech. Podcasters frequently ask in podcasting communities whether to delete every "um" or leave them in. Psychology offers a different perspective for us on removing all these filler words through the "Pratfall Effect". This concept suggests that highly competent people become more relatable and likable when they make...

You might think you nailed a recording until you listen to the playback. You immediately want to delete the file because you hear every breath and stumble. This reaction is normal but often distorted. Two psychological concepts explain this phenomenon, which are the Beautiful Mess Effect (that suggests we view our own mistakes as weaknesses while others view them as strengths or courage) and the C...

Many podcasters fear that scripting their show will make them sound monotone or kinda robotic as a result. It's the worry that reading kills the natural vibe of a conversation. The opposite is often true thought because scripting your episode (which includes using NOTES, doesn't have to be a full script especially after some practice) respects your audience's time because it prevents rambling and...

Many people assume starting a podcast means starting an interview show. This format has become synonymous with the medium itself, or at least it can feel that way in the podcasting communities. The interview model is less effective today, particularly for businesses, because the market is crowded. One example of this is when guests perform a "circuit" where they repeat the same talking points on a...

Many professionals are stepping back from social media for their businesses today. Using it to compliment instead of the main place they publish new content, resources, or marketing materials. You need to know what options exist to replace that visibility if you choose to step back like this, because people still need to find you! In this micro-episode: The role of email newsletters in professiona...

The term "slow marketing" catches the attention of many burned-out professionals... like it did for me! This concept is, in a nutshell, taking the time to figure out your core platform and find your voice. We find value in prioritizing quality over speed in many different parts of our lives, such as food and relationships. This approach aligns perfectly with professional services... because bigger...

Business owners often see significant decreases in reach the moment a platform like Instagram changes its algorithm, and this puts you in a vulnerable position because your audience lives in someone else's space... they're in control. Anything can happen. Platform owners change the rules whenever they have the financial incentive to do so. So owned media is where it's at. In this micro-episode: Th...

The endless cycle... that treadmill... of posting to social media often leads to exhaustion. We rarely discuss this burnout openly even though many professionals experience it. And people making online content say that the shifting algorithms, the ongoing changes, is the most mentally tough part of the job. We don't have any control, or predictability, and this can really add to the cognitive load...

You spend hours writing posts and designing carousels only to see zero engagement, and this reality for a lot of us is super frustrating. Organic reach has dropped significantly across social media platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn, because the platforms operate as advertising businesses (for them! not necessarily for us!). They prioritize content that keeps users in the app, so linking out to...