School of Podcasting: Expert Tips for Launching and Growing Your Podcast

Ethan Reese, host of the Daily Sports History podcast, joins to dive deep into the world of AI tools for podcasters. He shares how AI has transformed his writing process and mentions tools like Descript and ChatGPT that streamline production. The discussion reveals a mix of experiences, from efficiency boosts to new headaches. Fellow podcasters also chime in on their preferred tools, sparking a lively debate on what truly enhances productivity and creativity in podcasting.

Join Ray Arnett, a model railroad enthusiast and host of the Around the Layout podcast, as he dives into the art of monetizing niche podcasts. He reveals that even small, passionate audiences can lead to substantial income. Forget traditional sponsorships—Ray highlights innovative partnerships with local businesses and the value of community engagement. He also shares insights on building dedicated listener relationships and explains how a tight-knit fanbase can be more valuable than a large but disengaged crowd.

Join Stephanie Thompson, a podcaster and educator in brand collaborations, as she shares her insightful journey in podcast partnerships. She reveals why partnerships are more effective than traditional sponsorships for growing your audience. Forget waiting for downloads; she landed partners before even launching her show! Stephanie stresses the importance of aligning with brands that share your values and maintaining integrity in collaborations. Plus, she shares tips on educating your partners to foster robust relationships. Tune in for actionable advice!

Molly Ruland stops by to explain how she started a branded podcast that brought in so many clients from season one that she had to pause it. For Molly, it is all about starting and building relationships with her guests. By conducting targeted outreach, she added 500 marketing people to her LinkedIn network, improving the relevance of her feed.When it comes to SEO, AI is interesting, but she advises against using "podcast lingo" and emojis in podcast show notes and metadata. Instead, she recommends focusing on using relevant keywords. We should be advising AI to use relevant keywords in our descriptions and have it use the AIDA approach.Takeaways: Molly Ruland emphasizes that authentic podcasting is about being yourself and not just a sales pitch. Building relationships through your podcast can lead to business opportunities without being pushy about it. SEO isn't just a buzzword; optimizing your podcast content can help increase its visibility and attract the right audience. Don't just focus on the numbers; create meaningful connections with your guests and audience. Because of My Podcast: Ralph Estep JrRalph has been an accountant for 30 years. Because of his podcast, Intuit approached him to share and teach about the experience of moving from local copies of their software (Quickbooks and others) to the web-based version. Check out Ralph's show at www.askralphpodcast.comLinks referenced in this episode:schoolofpodcasting.comaskralphpodcast.comheartcastmedia.comCamp Content ShowTom Petty and Axl RoseMentioned in this episode:I'd Love T See you!I will be at the following events: November 8, Podindy.com Whiteland Indiana January 15-18 Podfest Multimedia Expo in Orlando, Fl February 17–20, 2026 NRB 2026 International Christian Media Convention, Nashville, TennesseeWhere Will I Be?Quit Thinking About It and START THAT PODCASTIf you have ever turned down the radio to hear your phone in the car, you know how to mix audio. If you have ever attached a photo to an email, you know how to upload an mp3 to a media host. Deleting text in Word is the same as delete audio in audacity. Yes, there is a learning curve but it's not as scary as you think. I'll be there the whole way, and you can join worry free with a 30 day money-back guarantee. Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/joinSchool of PodcastingQuestion of the Month November 2025What do you wish you had known before starting a podcast? Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question and answer, and be sure to tell us a little bit about your show and your website address so we can link to it in the show notes.Question of the Month

After a lot of feedback on the first episode about podcast newsletters, I wanted to answer more questions, and this time I brought Paul Gowder to help. We’ll discuss what tools to use and what content to include. If you really want to skip this whole newsletter thing, we've got some backup plans for you, too. Paul not only has wisdom about newsletters, but we also talk about building his community.Spoiler alert: You might even want to ditch social media for this! Buckle up, because we’re about to make your newsletter dreams a reality.Takeaways: Start building your podcast newsletter today; it's like planting a seed for growth. Don't overthink content; even simple updates can keep your audience engaged and informed. Use email as a direct line to your audience; it's way better than shouting into the social media void. If you're not asking for emails, you're missing out—it's like having a party and not inviting anyone. Be cautious with Facebook. They may delete your group with 85,000 people in it.Mentioned In This Episodeschoolofpodcasting.compaulgouder.comPaul's Free Strategiespaulgowder.com/emailtoolsPaul's Email Jump StartWhat to expect at your first Powow.schoolofpodcasting.com/972 - Part 1 about Newslettersschoolofpodcasting.com/974 - This episodeJef Sieh's Social Media News Live PodcastTools Mentioned:SustackSendfoxMailerliteKitNewsletter DatabaseLiz Wilcox TemplatesGroup Leads for gathering emails from Facebook Groups.Mentioned in this episode:Quit Thinking About It and START THAT PODCASTIf you have ever turned down the radio to hear your phone in the car, you know how to mix audio. If you have ever attached a photo to an email, you know how to upload an mp3 to a media host. Deleting text in Word is the same as delete audio in audacity. Yes, there is a learning curve but it's not as scary as you think. I'll be there the whole way, and you can join worry free with a 30 day money-back guarantee. Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/joinSchool of PodcastingQuestion of the Month November 2025What do you wish you had known before starting a podcast? Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question and answer, and be sure to tell us a little bit about your show and your website address so we can link to it in the show notes.Question of the MonthI'd Love T See you!I will be at the following events: November 8, Podindy.com Whiteland Indiana January 15-18 Podfest Multimedia Expo in Orlando, Fl February 17–20, 2026 NRB 2026 International Christian Media Convention, Nashville, TennesseeWhere Will I Be?

In this lively discussion, Kim Newlove, a pharmacist and host of The Pharmacist's Voice, shares her podcasting insights alongside fellow podcasters. They tackle the biggest pet peeves in the podcast world, like drawn-out intros, jarring audio inconsistencies, and those pesky mid-episode ads that feel like unwanted guests. Listeners are encouraged to streamline their content and improve their production quality. With anecdotes and laughs, they navigate the faux pas that can truly ruin the podcast experience.

Forget social media; if you want to drive traffic, newsletters are where it’s at. Seriously, I’ve been crunching the numbers and guess what? My newsletter is pulling in way more visitors than my half-hearted attempts at tweeting or posting on Facebook. Yeah, shocking, I know. It’s like trying to catch a fish with a toothpick when you could just use a net, right? So, in this episode, we’ll look at why newsletters are the real MVPs of traffic generation, sharing some juicy stats and personal tales that’ll have you reconsidering your social media obsession. Buckle up, because we’re about to turn your traffic woes into wows!I also share some behind the scenes of a future episode.Takeaways: A newsletter is like a Swiss Army knife for driving traffic; social media is just a flimsy butter knife. Crazy thought: newsletters give you more bang for your buck than social media ever will, who knew?! Social media might be fun for scrolling, but newsletters actually get people to click and engage. Turns out, people prefer their marketing via email rather than social media, shocking right? If you're still chasing social media likes, maybe it's time to rethink your strategy and join the newsletter revolution. Newsletters allow for better audience segmentation, making it easier to deliver personalized content that actually resonates. Links referenced in this episode:School of Podcastingschoolofpodcasting.comAudience Surveyschoolofpodcasting.com/survey25SOP Episode on UTMschoolofpodcasting.com/896Dave's Newsletterpodcastingobservations.comschoolofpodcasting.com/newsletterschoolofpodcasting.com/dailyGary Arndt Everything Every Dailyhttps://everything-everywhere.com/Gary Interviewed on the School of Podcastinghttps://schoolofpodcasting.com/how-gary-arndt-adopted-the-audience-growth-strategy-from-the-movie-industry/Podnews Report Cardpodnews.net/report-cardLeave Dave a Reviewschoolofpodcasting.com/appleCaptivate Media Hosting No Payments 'Till Aprilsupportthishow.com/captivatePodcast Marketing Trends Survey (Please Fill Out)https://podcastmarketingacademy.typeform.com/to/DR7WmJbFPaul Gowder Email Tipshttps://www.paulgowder.com/Liz Wilcox Email Templateshttps://lizwilcox.com/Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook Book From Gary V.Mentioned in this episode:I'd Love T See you!I will be at the following events: November 8, Podindy.com Whiteland Indiana January 15-18 Podfest Multimedia Expo in Orlando, Fl February 17–20, 2026 NRB 2026 International Christian Media Convention, Nashville, TennesseeWhere Will I Be?Question of the Month November 2025What do you wish you had known before starting a podcast? Go to schoolofpodcasting.com/question and answer, and be sure to tell us a little bit about your show and your website address so we can link to it in the show notes.Question of the MonthPodcasting In Six Weeks - Register Today!Ever wanted to start your own podcast but didn't know where to begin? Imagine creating and launching your podcast in just six weeks! Join our exclusive online class 'Podcasting in Six Weeks' starting August 7th. With only six spots available, this is your chance for personalized, live group coaching at a discounted rate. Prepare to go back to school and turn your podcasting dreams into reality. Sign up today and make your voice heard! Visit podcastinginsixweeks.comPodcasting in Six Weeks

We're diving into the wild world of podcasting and pulling some juicy lessons from the legendary Saturday Night Live as it hits the big 5-0. Seriously, SNL didn’t just survive; it thrived, and we’re here to steal some of that magic for our own shows. From knowing your audience to embracing the weirdness, there’s a treasure trove of insights that can help us all level up our podcasting game. Forget about being boring—SNL took risks, and guess what? It paid off! So, buckle up and get ready to channel your inner SNL spirit, because we’re about to get creative and maybe a little absurd.Takeaways: SNL stands the test of time, and so should your podcast; don’t be boring! Know your audience, but also create content you want to see; it's a balance! Embrace weirdness in your podcast; it keeps things fresh and fun for everyone! Experimentation is key; SNL’s success came from trying new things, so should you! If you get bored, so will your listeners; keep it exciting or risk losing them! Word of mouth matters; promote your podcast like SNL promotes its guests! Mentioned in this episode:You Have A Message That Needs to Be HeardYou have a message that needs to be shared. Discover the art of podcasting at the School of Podcasting. We teach you to shine a light on your stories, inspiring others one episode at a time. Let your voice be your legacy. Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/joinSchool of PodcastingI'd Love T See you!I will be at the following events: November 8, Podindy.com Whiteland Indiana January 15-18 Podfest Multimedia Expo in Orlando, Fl February 17–20, 2026 NRB 2026 International Christian Media Convention, Nashville, TennesseeWhere Will I Be?Check Out Dave's Newsletter With Behind the Scenes ContentIn each issue of Podcasting Observations, I share my thoughts on what is happening in the podcasting space, my latest content, and things that have caught my eye. I also may ask for your opinion. Join the free communityPodcasting Observations

Danny Peña, a podcaster for 20 years with Gamertag Radio, shares his incredible journey and insights into the world of podcasting. He emphasizes the power of persistence and genuine audience connections, revealing how networking can unlock amazing opportunities. Danny recounts his high-profile interviews and reflects on the significance of meaningful contributions over mere metrics. He discusses balancing parenting with podcasting, and how authenticity leads to success, all while inspiring listeners to stay true to their craft.

Recent insights from a YouTube report reveal that emotional connection is more crucial than just stellar visuals in content. Most viewers prioritize storytelling, with audio clarity and relatable themes taking center stage. Authenticity and originality engage audiences effectively, while meaningful interactions foster community. The podcast also celebrates the evolution of the platform, underlining the importance of support and connection in the podcasting journey. Plus, there's advice for creators to navigate challenges and enhance their content quality!