The How To Podcast Series - Revolving Guest Co-Hosts, Podcast Tips and A Community for Podcasters

Episode 522 - Boundaries and Bonds - Navigating Parasocial Relationships in Podcasting

Dave dives into the intriguing concept of parasocial relationships in podcasting, sparked by the sudden passing of Todd Cochrane, the influential host of The New Media Show and Geek News Central, and champion of independent podcasters through his Blueberry hosting platform.

Though Dave never met Todd personally - no emails exchanged, no direct interactions - years of listening created a deep one-sided bond. Listeners like Dave feel intimately connected to hosts, knowing their voices, opinions, and lives intimately, while hosts remain unaware of individual fans beyond download stats.

This dynamic makes podcasting profoundly intimate, like inviting listeners into your living room for ongoing conversations they weave into their routines.

Hosts hold significant influence: listeners trust endorsements, remember details from early episodes long after hosts forget, and may share vulnerable stories, treating podcasters as confidants.

Dave stresses the ethical weight this carries—avoid manipulation through sponsorships, set clear boundaries on personal sharing like family details or contact info, and always prioritize listener welfare, consent, and autonomy.

Practical advice flows throughout: be transparent about paid promotions to maintain trust, moderate communities to protect vulnerable members, get opt-in for using listener content, and regularly self-reflect on boundaries.

Hosts must recognize signals of strong bonds, like persistent outreach, and respond with care without exploiting the power imbalance. Dave shares his commitment to monthly listener chats via a calendar on howtopodcast.com, inviting five fans to connect genuinely.

The episode closes with a bonus Q&A on launching: technically, one episode suffices, but bank a short trailer (1-2 minutes) plus 1-3 episodes for momentum without overcommitting like pre-making a year's worth.

Key takeaway: Parasocial bonds are a beautiful privilege—treat your audience as a cherished community, not a commodity. Honor their trust with integrity, boundaries, and genuine care; your microphone wields real power, so wield it responsibly to build lasting relationships.

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Episode 521 - Are You a Confident Podcaster or an Arrogant Podcaster - How To Tell What Path You Are On as a Content Creator

Confidence vs. Arrogance for Podcasters

A simple way to put it for podcasters: confidence is “I have valuable insights and the skills to share them,” while arrogance is “My voice and knowledge are more valuable and better than everyone else’s.” Listeners and collaborators feel encouraged and engaged around confidence, but shut down or distant around arrogance.Clear Definitions for Podcasters

• Confidence: A grounded belief in your abilities as a host and creator, with a realistic sense of your strengths and areas to grow, and a willingness to learn from feedback and collaboration.

• A confident podcaster listens actively to guests and audience feedback, makes thoughtful editorial choices, owns mistakes, and maintains respect and warmth that creates a welcoming and collaborative community.

• An arrogant podcaster dismisses contradictory opinions, talks over guests or ignores listener input, blames others for problems, or mocks opposing views, which creates tension and causes people to tune out or disengage.

Quick Self-Check Questions for Podcasters

Before recording or sharing content, ask yourself:

• “Am I trying to serve my audience or prove how smart I am?” Confidence serves listeners; arrogance tries to prove superiority.

• “Can I still respect someone who disagrees with me or points out my flaws?” Confidence welcomes constructive disagreement; arrogance cannot handle critique.

Everyday Podcasting Examples

• When interacting with guests or collaborators, a confident podcaster says, “I trust my skills but want to genuinely hear your perspective.” An arrogant podcaster implies or states, “I’m the host, so my way is the only way.”

• In responding to listener feedback, a confident podcaster listens and adapts when needed. An arrogant podcaster doubles down on their opinions, ignores feedback, or refuses to acknowledge mistakes.

• When promoting the podcast, a confident podcaster celebrates team efforts and takes responsibility for setbacks; an arrogant podcaster takes all credit and blames others for failures.

How to Grow Confident, Not Arrogant, as a Podcaster

• Ground your identity: Recognize that your worth as a content creator isn’t tied only to downloads, likes, or reviews; it’s deeper than performance metrics.

• Practice humility: Regularly admit when you don’t know something or made a mistake—this builds trust with listeners and collaborators, and actually enhances your credibility.

• Use your strengths to lift others: Whenever you feel powerful—whether in knowledge, skills, or platform—ask, “How can I use this to support and amplify others, rather than dominate the conversation?”

This approach helps podcasters cultivate authentic confidence for building a loyal audience and strong collaborations while avoiding the alienating effects of arrogance in content creation.

Episode 520 - Comparing Your Show To A Top Podcast is Not Fair to You or to Your Audience - Please Stop

This episode takes aim at a trap many new podcasters fall into: building their shows by comparing themselves to celebrity podcasts. Dave Campbell shares candidly from his experience in Ontario, Canada, hosting nine podcasts and talking daily with new creators who arrive with “stars in their eyes,” wanting a show that looks and sounds like Mel Robbins, Joe Rogan, Diary of a CEO or other top names. The core issue, he explains, is that famous hosts start at a completely different line: they already have audiences, money, teams, relationships with big guests, and promotional power. Expecting the same results when you are starting from zero is not only unrealistic, it is deeply unfair to you and to your listeners.

Throughout the episode, Dave breaks down how this unfair comparison shows up. New podcasters often believe landing big-name guests will make them famous, forgetting that well-known guests usually want big platforms, not shows with ten or twenty downloads. Celebrity hosts are often talking to people they already know, while most beginners have neither those relationships nor the reach to attract similar guests. Chasing that model leads to frustration, rejection, and the false belief that their podcast is failing, when the real problem is a mismatched expectation.

He also highlights the danger of trying to match celebrity-level production on a zero budget. Big shows rely on large teams, professional studios, multiple cameras, editors, marketers, and ad revenue that fuels everything. In contrast, many new podcasters are sitting at home in pajama pants with free software and no money coming in. Trying to jump straight into animated video, elaborate visuals, and complicated production without resources just piles on pressure and disappointment. Instead of copying the outcome of those shows, Dave urges creators to focus on what they can actually control: a clear value proposition, a consistent format, audience-led content, and smart, simple production that fits their reality.

Platform visibility is another unfair comparison he tackles. Apps and algorithms promote big-name podcasts because that’s where the money is, leaving new shows with five downloads nowhere near the “Top 100” charts. Measuring yourself against that level of exposure makes small podcasters feel invisible and discouraged. Dave argues that indie creators actually have an advantage the big shows don’t: the ability to personally connect with listeners, invite them for virtual coffees, respond to messages, and build genuine relationships that are impossible at scale. The real power of a small show lies in depth, authenticity, and trust, not in inflated numbers.

Dave closes by calling out one more subtle danger: obsessing over stats and comparing numbers with other shows. Staring at early download counts is like watching seeds you just planted, waiting for them to sprout. It doesn’t help them grow and only fuels anxiety. He recommends ignoring stats at the very beginning, focusing instead on getting good at podcasting, refining the message, and serving listeners well. The only comparison that matters, he says, is between your last episode and your next one. As a final invitation, he opens his calendar to listeners, modeling the kind of one-to-one connection that truly sets smaller podcasters apart.

Key takeaway for listeners: Comparing your new podcast to top celebrity shows is not a fair or useful benchmark. You don’t share their fame, budget, team, or platform support, and trying to copy their model will only erode your confidence and shortchange your audience. Instead, measure your progress against your own past work, build slowly and authentically, and lean into the unique advantage you have as a smaller creator: the ability to truly know, serve, and connect with your listeners one person at a time.

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Episode 519 - Uncommon Leadership Interview Series With CO-HOST Michael HunterIn this episode, Dave chats with Michael Hunter, host of The Uncommon Leadership Podcast, about leading with authenticity, structure, and play. Recording from the heart of the Midwest,

Michael reflects on nearing his 100th episode and how a microverse format where a past guest interviews him keeps conversations lively and egalitarian. He plans to rotate this format every so often to keep things fresh and fun.

Michael explains that simplicity and whimsy can coexist with depth. He shares how he built a brand with local help, naming color families and crafting visuals that feel true to his approach. The core idea is that leadership is not about suppressing emotion or erasing personality, but about bringing the whole self to work in a safe, constructive way.

In Michael’s view, everyone on a team is a potential leader, whether or not their title says so, because good leadership happens in how ideas are heard, refined, and enacted.The conversation then dives into practical podcasting structure.

Michael started with loose questions but found that a predictable framework helps guide spontaneous dialogue. He now uses a starter question plus three follow ups that weave naturally into the conversation. He stresses that the goal is a deep, collaborative exchange rather than a rigid Q and A. Feedback from guests reinforces the value of preparation, including pre meetings to align expectations and pacing.On the topic of growth, Michael emphasizes that fear and uncertainty are universal.

Even seasoned hosts and guests stumble, but that stumble is part of the process. He encourages listeners to view every journey as valid, with progress often seen through storytelling and shared experiences. Stories help translate technical or abstract concepts into relatable lessons, enabling listeners to apply insights in their own lives.

Closing reflections hinge on relationship and intention. The world needs the listener’s presence, and showing up authentically creates opportunities for joy and learning.

Michael invites audiences to explore his work at uncommonteams.com and on YouTube, where the most recent episode often represents his strongest work yet. The central message is clear leadership starts with a willingness to bring one’s unique self forward and to invite others to do the same.

Key Takeaway: True leadership emerges when the full self is brought into every space, balanced with thoughtful structure and playful curiosity.

Spotify Wrapped Data for 2025 for The How To Podcast Series - The Daily Dave - Podcasting Tips

Dave, celebrates the impressive growth of the show in 2025 revealed through Spotify Wrapped data. Dave shares excitement about the podcast’s 712% audience growth and its rising global reach—including top listener countries like the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, and Iceland. Despite this success, a key concern is the relatively low follower rate of just 14%, prompting a heartfelt call for listeners to follow the show to help it grow even more.

Dave highlights specific episodes that resonated deeply with the audience, such as episode 392, which saw a 293% increase in listens due to its focus on the rhythm and speed of speech.

Episode 444 also stood out as it sparked the most comments, showcasing active listener engagement.

The podcast consistently outperforms many others in listener retention, comments, and shares, reflecting strong community connection and valuable content.

The episode encourages new and aspiring podcasters to start their own shows in 2026 without hesitation, emphasizing that the only thing they lack is experience, which comes from taking action rather than endless planning.

Dave offers ongoing support through his community and direct access to his calendar for guidance, rejecting high-cost courses and unnecessary hurdles.

This episode is a motivational push to launch podcasts with real momentum, build community, and harness the power of voice to connect globally.

Key takeaway for listeners: Following the podcast is crucial—beyond just listening, subscribing ensures you never miss an episode and helps grow the show's reach. More importantly, taking the step to start podcasting in 2026, leveraging the supportive community and resources available, can turn dreams into reality with action being the ultimate driver of success.

Overall, this episode combines celebration, insightful data from Spotify Wrapped, and an inspiring call to action for both current followers and those on the fence about podcasting, making it a meaningful and encouraging listen for anyone interested in podcasting’s power and community.

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