the softer cast: podcast advice for small-business owners & creatives

Ten years ago today, the very first podcast episode I ever created was published. (You can still listen to it right here .) To celebrate, today through Small Business Saturday (Nov 29), I've lowered the price of our podcast launch course, Your Podcast is a Portal , to only $99 USD. ⠀⠀ It will teach you all the technical aspects of podcasting. But even more than that – it includes my tender approac...

Today’s question comes from Rachel of the Money Healing Club podcast . She’s back asking about private podcasts and how to make them — because she noticed I just launched one for my membership the Interweb . Tune in to hear my thoughts on: What a private podcast is & 2 types of them How to set up your own private podcast with Helloaudio , Captivate , or Transistor Ways that people can sign up...

Today’s question comes from Stephanie of NoseyAF . She’s wondering how I handle the publication and promotion workflow for my podcast Off the Grid . And can she copy my process? (Yes!) Tune in to hear my advice on: Why I write a blog post and email for every episode of my show How far ahead I work on episodes and scheduling Ways to prioritize your podcast tasks with the nice, necessary, ideal fram...

Today we're taking on podcast seasons!  Are they good? Bad? Better for some shows than others? 🧐 Should your podcast probably be publishing every week forever if you really want to grow?? 😅 Let's talk about it! Tune in to hear Amelia's take on: The purpose of seasons & how to take breaks Whether or not you lose listeners between seasons Reasons you might want to publish in a consistent rhyth...

In this episode, we're answering two questions for all our friends out there launching new shows or new seasons of your show: What's the point of a podcast trailer? & Are podcast launch parties cool anymore? Tune in to hear Amelia's take on: Two purposes for podcast trailers 🎬 Taking inspiration from Trailer Park Podcast 🏁 Why you probably want to host a launch party 🎈 A simple recipe for p...

We love podcasts of all sizes! But what happens when you invite someone on your show and they ask you how many listeners you have? 🫣 Tune in to hear Amelia's take on: How to right-size your audience 🧮 What to emphasize instead of download numbers 🤗 Two ways to reframe your pitches if potentials guests are asking about your audience size 🖼️ Why you might want to refocus your podcast growth effor...

What are we all doing with our show notes? ...and why are some of them so long? Today’s question comes from Rachel of the Money Healing Club podcast . She’s curious about best practices for podcast show notes — including what we should put in them and what we shouldn't.  Tune in to hear Amelia’s advice on: Why your show notes should always start with a hook 🪝 What everyone's doing wrong with bull...

Sometimes I joke that half my job is giving people permission to skip a week of their podcast. So in this episode, I'm diving into the questions I hear most often as a producer: How often should my podcast episodes release? Does it need to be every week? And what if I'm not consistent...?   Tune in for clear advice on the pros and cons of weekly, biweekly, and monthly release schedules. And stick...

Today’s question comes from Charelle. She’s starting her second podcast and wondering how to invite people onto the show when she doesn’t have any episodes live yet. 🤔 Tune in to hear Amelia’s advice on: The best guest invitation process How to write a guest invite email Ways to share your show before it’s live How to pitch when you do have episodes published The worst things a pitch can be   FRE...

Today I'm answering the question — should I host my podcast on Substack?   Or if you already have a show — should I move my podcast to Substack?   If you've been considering podcasting on Substack, you'll definitely want to tune in to learn: What Substack is (in case you don't know!) Why cost is a major factor in choosing Substack to host your podcast How to think about email in relationship to yo...

If you’re feeling podfade, we can help! Tune in to this episode to learn six ways to avoid, heal, or come back from podcast burnout, including: Advice on changing your release schedule Tips for taking a break from your show How to know if you need to hire support Ways to get more listener support & feedback Why you might want to move to a seasonal schedule How to have more fun with your podcas...

Do you wish your show could be featured in Apple’s “New & Noteworthy” or Spotify’s “Episodes You Won’t Want To Miss”? In this episode, we’re talking about what it means to be featured in Apple & Spotify, why you might want that for your show, and how to make it happen. Listen and learn: The top Apple & Spotify features Why you might want to be featured there How to submit via Apple’s f...

Do you wish your podcast could make you money, instead of costing you money? 💵 And is that really possible if your show doesn’t have thousands of listeners?? 🤷‍♀️ In this episode, we’re talking about the three most popular methods for podcast monetization — including what audience size you’ll need for each one, and how to decide which method is right for you. Listen and learn: The 3 most popular...

Do you wish your podcast had a few (or a lot) more listeners? 🧐 Well you're in luck. Today we're tackling everybody’s favorite topic — podcast growth. In our opinion, there are two key components of podcast growth — having a great show and having a consistent marketing practice. So in this episode, Amelia guides us through: How to create a podcast that always attracts new listeners The 3 focus ar...

Happy New Year, Softer Cast fans! Today on the pod, we're tackling a question that’s been landing in our inbox a lot lately — It seems like everybody has a podcast now. Is it too late to start mine?   We hear this question too often, and we want to help you decide if it’s the right time to start your show. So in this quick episode, Amelia will walk you through: If it’s too late to start a podcast...

Welcome back to The Softer Cast! Today we’re popping in between seasons to answer a question that's been landing in our inbox a lot lately — can I record my podcast on Zoom? So in this episode, Amelia's exploring the pros & cons of recording on Zoom, as well as some great alternate recording platforms. Tune in as she shares: The best & worst things about recording on Zoom Two Zoom hacks yo...

Welcome to final episode of season one of The Softer Cast! This month’s episode explores how to pitch sponsors for your show — even if you don’t have a large audience. Tune in as Amelia shares: Why relationships matter more than metrics The power of the personal endorsement Why right-fit is more valuable than a large audience How to pitch multi-channel sponsorships     FREE SUPPORT 🚀 Want to laun...

There are a lot of ways to make a podcast. And most of them are…kind of challenging and convoluted. But podcasting doesn’t have to be hard! So this month’s episode answers the question — what’s the most easeful podcast workflow? Tune in as Amelia shares: Why everything begins with your concept & content How much you should prep for your recording sessions The easiest-to-use recording equipment...

You know what’s the worst? Coming up with an AMAZING name for your podcast and then realizing it’s already in use. This month’s episode is all about what to do when the pod name of your dreams is taken. Tune in as Amelia shares: Legal considerations around naming your show (AKA the almighty TM) How to be a polite & friendly part of the podcast industry (AKA pod naming etiquette) Some questions...

Calling all our podcaster friends! This month we’re answering your biggest question — what’s the best way to grow my podcast? Tune in as Amelia shares: The best CTAs for audience growth How guests can be good (& bad) for your show Why your pod should have a really great lead magnet How to set clear goals & realistic expectations for growth     FREE SUPPORT 🚀 Want to launch a podcast? Get...

We’re back with a super practical episode, pod friends! Everything you need to know about submitting your show to Apple Podcasts & Spotify (& any other directories you’d like to be listed in). Tune in as Amelia shares: Whether or not you upload your episodes to Apple & Spotify (spoiler: you don’t) Why you need a podcast hosting platform for your show (spoiler: that’s how your eps get o...

It’s slow down season, y’all! So today’s episode is all about how to take a podcast break without sacrificing your stats in the process. Tune in as Amelia shares: Why breaks are so important for podcasters Her two-step process for taking a break A hot tip for making the most of your time away     FREE SUPPORT 🚀 Want to launch a podcast? Get our FREE launch toolkit today 💘 Wish your podcast was e...

This one goes out to all our babes who love a good bargain. Great news, you can make a podcast for FREE! Tune in as Amelia walks you through: Why it bugs her when people emphasize expensive equipment The two tech tools you need to launch a podcast How to record with those tools Why podcasting should be more easy & accessible        FREE SUPPORT 🚀 Want to launch a podcast? Get our FREE launch...

Are you thinking of hiring a podcast editor? Pretty sure you need one? Wishing you could afford one? In today’s episode, Amelia unpacks how to know it’s time to take the leap and hire support for your podcast.   Tune in for Amelia’s take on: Two things every good podcast editor will do for you How to determine what kind of podcast support you need The one thing that motivates most people to hire a...

Monday, Tuesday, Podcast Day?! In today’s episode, we’re talking about what day of the week you should release your podcast. And why it might not be the same day as everyone else! Tune in for Amelia’s take on: The most popular day of the week to release new episodes How to know when your ideal listener is most likely to listen Two other important factors to have in mind when you plan your release...