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

Hey, it's Dave Jackson, and I'm thrilled to bring you episode 1014 of the School of Podcasting. You’ve heard me say it before: "Podcasts lead to relationships, and those relationships lead to opportunities." Today, I brought proof! I sat down with Kim Newlove and Jan Almasey, who shared amazing stories about how starting a podcast opened doors they never anticipated.Kim Newlove’s Story:Kim hosts The Pharmacist Voice, where she shares insights on using your voice in the medical field, as well as the Perrysburg Podcast in Ohio. It’s been incredible watching Kim become a mini local celebrity—people in her town now recognize her as "the podcast woman." Whether it’s meeting city council members or audience listeners who discovered the area through her podcast, Kim sees firsthand how her show for Perrysburg builds authentic relationships. She even reached out to her local library to run seminars on "how to listen to podcasts," growing her audience one person at a time. You can check out Kim’s work at the Pharmacist Voice.Jan Almasey’s Journey:Jan started the Apex Podcast after seeing how storytelling could bring hope to his local community in Stark County, Ohio. Over three years, the show picked up momentum, leading to speaking engagements at high schools, partnerships with the local chamber of commerce, and even a sponsorship from the city that helped him set up a podcast studio in downtown Canton. Jan’s strategy? Build real relationships—sending thank-you cards or making personal follow-up calls to guests fueled organic growth. Later, those relationships directly translated to business opportunities like agency work, consulting gigs, and even a grant through Jumpstart Inc. to support the local economy. Jan’s story proves that podcasting is about more than downloads—it’s about building a network that keeps on growing. Learn more at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-almasy/My Takeaway:Reflecting on their experiences—and my own—I can't stress enough how starting a podcast can transform your network. Whether you’re meeting listeners at local events, helping someone discover how to use a podcast app, or forming business partnerships outside your traditional circles, these relationships turn into possibilities you never would’ve imagined. Your podcast can be the starting point for new jobs, collaborations, consulting work, or simply making a bigger impact in your community.If you’re thinking about starting a podcast or you’re on the verge of giving up—let these stories convince you to stick with it. The relationships you build now might lead to the next big opportunity.Ready to plan, launch, or grow your show? Visit schoolofpodcasting.com and use coupon code LISTENER to save on your membership (with a 30-day money-back guarantee)!As always, thanks for listening—and if you’ve got a "Because of My Podcast" story, I’d love to hear it!Mentioned in this episode:Live AppearancesI would love to see you! You can see where I'm going to be using the link below. If you would like me to speak at your offline or online event, contact me at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/contactWhere Will I Be?Happy Holidays!Happy Holidays to you and your family!Profit From Your PodcastReady to make some money with your podcast? Check out the book Profit From Your Podcast: Proven Strategies to Turn Listeners into a Livelihood. I interviewed 70 different podcasters and share all of their insights into the seven different ways you can make money with your podcast. Available as a paperback, kindle, and audiobook. Go to www.profitfromyourpodcast.com/bookProfit From Your PodcastWhat is Your Favorite Podcast and Why? If you could only listen to one show, what would it be, where can we find it, and WHY is it your favorite show? Don't forget to tell us a little bit about your show and where we can find it. I need your answer by December 26th, 2025Question of the Month

Welcome to the show! In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain and sharing the feedback you’ve given me over the past year. From the things you love—like honest opinions and those behind-the-scenes bloopers—to areas where you think I could improve, I’m breaking it all down. I’ll share how I process both praise and criticism, respond to some thought-provoking and even challenging listener comments, and talk openly about staying authentic on the microphone, no matter what. If you’ve ever wondered how to handle feedback for your own podcast—or you’re just curious about what really goes on behind the scenes—this episode is for you. Let’s jump in and talk about what it really means to grow through feedback!Main Points CoveredShared survey results about my audience (how you found the show, preferences on episode length, etc.)The value of opinions and why I’m not afraid to voice mine—people appreciate authenticity!Blooper reel gets love for keeping the show relatable and real.Several listeners said the show’s focus has improved—thanks for noticing!Some prefer solo episodes to interviews, and I talk about why I sometimes do interviews anyway.The “same old” show approach: people tune in for consistency, just like reruns of Hallmark movies.Trust is crucial; I work hard to give value and answers you can’t find elsewhere.You can tell when I’m tired or distracted! I agree—your energy transfers to listeners.Being award-winning isn’t about ego—my goal is always helping people.Repetition helps beginners, but seasoned podcasters would like more advanced content.Technical details: I use a Rode Podmic USB microphone into a Rodecaster Duo, recording in Hindenburg.Notes on ideas and feedback: people want more “behind-the-scenes” and technical information.Reading vs. riffing: I admit sometimes I slip into “reading mode” and work to stay spontaneous.Length controversy: some want shorter shows, some longer, but the majority like the current format.Hobbyists vs. business podcasters: I explain why my content has sometimes shifted toward podcasters wanting to grow.Ads feedback: some want fewer ads, especially repeating the School of Podcasting ad too often.Religion and “blue” humor: I discuss my Christian identity, my sense of humor, and respect differing tastes—even when jokes cross lines.You can’t please everyone—sometimes what “crosses the line” for one person is just casual for another.Suggestions for more advanced content and deeper listener Q&A segments.Advanced podcasting wisdom: find out what your audience wants, deliver with value, and keep improving.On making money: it’s possible, but requires loving the journey and standing out from the crowd.I’m always open to detailed questions—consider sending in your own for future deep dives!Websites MentionedSchool of PodcastingPodcasting Observations (my email list)PodpageAppSumoVoicemail: schoolofpodcasting.com/voicemailBiz Chicks PodcastAI Goes to CollegeLive Well and FlourishRode Podmic USBRodecaster Duo Mixer RecorderFeeding My Faith ShowMentioned in this episode:Join the School of Podcasting TodayRalph Estep Jr has over 100K Subscribers on YouTube and has FOUR shows at askralph.com. Ralph credits his success to the skills and network he has has built at the School of Podcasting. Join worry free with a 30-day Money Back Guarantee. Use the coupon code "listener" on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly subscription. Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/joinSchool of PodcastingWhat is Your Favorite Podcast and Why? If you could only listen to one show, what would it be, where can we find it, and WHY is it your favorite show? Don't forget to tell us a little bit about your show and where we can find it. I need your answer by December 26th, 2025Question of the MonthHappy Holidays!Happy Holidays to you and your family!Live AppearancesI would love to see you! You can see where I'm going to be using the link below. If you would like me to speak at your offline or online event, contact me at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/contactWhere 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

In this episode, I circle back to a classic question:What do you wish you’d known when you started your podcast that you know now?This is a question I’ve asked in the past (shout-out to episode 768 back in 2021!), and while I received close to 20 answers then, participation was a bit lighter this time around. But don’t worry—the quality makes up for the quantity!Featured Guests & Their InsightsI’m joined by two long-time contributors—Kim Newlove and Steve Stewart—who share powerfully honest responses about their podcasting journeys.Kim Newlove:Kim shares 12 things she wishes she’d known when starting her podcasts, The Pharmacist’s Voice and the Perrysburg Podcast. She talks about everything from being able to change your podcast’s “why” as its mission evolves, to discovering the right gear (hello, Shure SM7B!), figuring out realistic production schedules, mastering research and writing demands, making effective use of Canva for episode artwork, choosing media hosts wisely, the importance of newsletters, the value of trailers, and more. She emphasizes learning as you go and assures new podcasters that it’s totally okay to fill in gaps as you build your parachute on the way down!Steve Stewart:Steve reflects on how much he wishes he’d known how to edit for content when he first began his show in 2010. His early episodes would benefit from a bit more polish, and he shares how improving his editing skills made a huge difference not just for his own podcast, but eventually for others through his work at the Podcast Editors Academy. Steve also offers an excellent resource for anyone looking for a podcast editor.My Takeaways & Thoughts:I share my own lessons learned—including the importance of setting aside regular time for learning new skills, asking for direct feedback from listeners, and being willing to adapt and evolve your show as needed. I also discuss the value of constructive criticism and how it helps me grow as a podcaster.Resources & Mentions:Kim’s Podcasts: The Pharmacist’s Voice and Perrysburg Podcast Steve’s Podcast Editing Resource: Find an Editor School of Podcasting: schoolofpodcasting.com (use coupon code “listenr” for a discount!) Media Host Recommendations: Captivate, Buzzsprout, Libsyn (coupon sopfree), Transistor, Blubrry, and now RSS.com Podcast Editors Academy: Steve Stewart and Mark Deal’s community for podcast editors.Newsletter Tools: ConvertKit (for marketing now Kit) and Substack (for sharing thoughts/content)As always, I encourage you to ask your audience for feedback, keep learning, and don’t be afraid to tweak your show or try something new. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been podcasting for years, there’s always something to learn.If you want more podcasting content, check out my other shows at powerofpodcasting.com.Thanks so much for listening! If you enjoyed the episode, I’d truly appreciate it if you shared it with a friendMentioned in this episode:What is Your Favorite Podcast and Why? If you could only listen to one show, what would it be, where can we find it, and WHY is it your favorite show? Don't forget to tell us a little bit about your show and where we can find it. I need your answer by December 26th, 2025Question of the MonthReady to Get Your Podcast Moving?Tiger Woods, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey all had coaches. We can help you avoid mistakes, give you constructive feedback and ensure you sound professional and make content that resonates with your audience. Join the School of Podcasting and in addition to the tutorials and community you get five hours of one-on-one coaching with me each month.School of PodcastingHappy Holidays!Happy Holidays to you and your family!Live AppearancesI would love to see you! You can see where I'm going to be using the link below. If you would like me to speak at your offline or online event, contact me at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/contactWhere Will I Be?

In this episode, I look into the many ways you can measure the success of your podcast beyond just download numbers. Too often, new podcasters get fixated on stats that might not actually reflect their true goals, whether that’s growing their business, building a community, or simply having fun. I share 12 alternative metrics—including email list growth, audience engagement, speaking opportunities, and more—so you can assess your progress and celebrate wins that go way beyond downloads. I also mention some valuable tools, companies, and podcasts to help you along the way. This episode (as all of my recent episodes) uses chapters.Apple and Spotify Completion RateWhen you go into the dashboards of Apple and Spotify, you can see how far people listened to your show. I'm an old teach so for me 70% is a C. 80% is a B, and anything above 90% is an A. The beauty of both these platforms is you can click and listen at any point that shows a drop of so you can see if it was something you said that cause the dropoff.Listeners: The number of unique devices that have played more than 0 seconds of an episode.Engaged Listeners: The number of unique devices that played at least 20 minutes or 40% of an episode within a single session. Pausing or stopping an episode does not count as starting a new session.Spotify shows People You reached (people who have seen your show), People who Showed Interest (they interacted with your show, which may be an indicator of episode titles o artwork), People who consumed (so they listened to your show).Unprovoked Audience FeedbackThis is my favorite. You put out an episode, and 24 ours later you've got emails in your inbox, DMs on social giving you feedback. For me, this is a great indication that your episode resonated with your audience.Email List GrowthIf the goal of your show is to monetize, this metric is KEY. I know for me, I focused on lead magnets and growing my list, and those efforts resulted in me growing my list by 39%Growth in CommunityYou can look at your community growth, this could be Facebook, Discord, Heartbeat (my favorite), Circle, etc. School of Podcasting member Mark Lawley who does the Practical Prepping show with his wife Krista. They have 155 thousands people in their community. I do not recommend using Facebook (or any free service) for your community. Paul G shared in his interview how he lost a five figure community. I've been kicked out of my own Facebook group, and moved to Heartbeat (which now has a great AI tool that makes setting up a community a breeze).Business MetricsIf the goal of your show is to grow your business, then looking at the number of customers, the revenue generated should be something to look at. I hear people all the time mentioned how they will measure the goals in downloads and later say they want to make some income. Then I believe you may want to measure your success in income.Attribution StatsIf you ask people who interact with you and the answer to the question, "How did you find me?" If the answer is, "I heard your podcast" that is something you can measure and let's you know your SEO and word mouth is working.Being Asked to SpeakWe had unprovoked audience feedback, this is unprovoked opportunities to appear on other podcasts, speaking gigs, or other media appearances.Are You Being Seen as The AuthorityHave you heard yourself being quoted? You can see what websites are linking to yours (which may be someone you collaborate with). This article from SemRush explains how to see who is linking to your website?.Consistency in ScheduleConsistency in schedule enables your audience to add you to their routine (which is huge). So are you better at coming up with remarkable content on a consistent basis.Quality of AudienceSo you're attracting people, but are you attracting the right people? Are they doing what you want them to do?Your List of Friends is GrowingEvery time you do an interview, you have an opportunity to make a new friend. As the saying goes, "It's not who you know, but who knows you." Do you have more friends than you did a year ago?The Fun and Fulfillment FactorAre you a better communicator/interviewer than when you started?Do you feel more confident explaining your topic?Do you enjoy the conversations you’re having?For a lot of podcasters, that is the real win.-----Apple Chapters: What You Need to DoApple Podcasts has added automated chapters to your show. In most cases you don't have to do anything to adjust your settings. Mentioned In This EpisodeSchool of PodcastingFamily Tree Food StoriesPractical PreppingContent Creators AccountantPodcast Best Practices HandoutHeartbeat Community PlatfromCircle Community PlatformSkool Community PlatformAround the Layout PodcastRay Arnott Interview on PartnershipsPodmatch find Guests, Be a GuestDave's Email ListKit Email ListBuzzsprout Media HostingCaptivate Media HostingPercent Change Calculatorwho is linking to your website? articleLike the show? Buy Dave a CoffeeApple DashboardSpotify DashboardMentioned in this episode: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 ObservationsLive AppearancesI would love to see you! You can see where I'm going to be using the link below. If you would like me to speak at your offline or online event, contact me at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/contactWhere Will I Be?To Shy To Podcast? You're PerfectIntroverts often notice things that others don't see (giving you a unique point of view). They also are good listeners (great for interviews), and you probably have an attention for detail. All of these skills are great for podcasters. Plus, you can meet lots of people without meeting lots of people. Join now with a 30 day money-back guarantee at schoolofpodcasting.com/joinSchool of PodcastingWhat is Your Favorite Podcast and Why? If you could only listen to one show, what would it be, where can we find it, and WHY is it your favorite show? Don't forget to tell us a little bit about your show and where we can find it. I need your answer by December 26th, 2025Question of the Month

Hey, it's Dave Jackson from the School of Podcasting! In this episode, I dive into what truly delivers value to your podcast audience—drawing inspiration from an episode of the Novel Marketing podcast hosted by my buddy, Thomas Umstattd Jr..As I was driving to PodIndy, I caught myself sharing Thomas Umstattd Jr.'s episode with friends, and it hit me: why was this episode good enough for me to recommend? Today, I'm breaking down the answer to that question and sharing snippets of what I like to call "value bombs," even if that phrase is a bit cringey.Here's what I cover:Why knowing your audience inside and out is key to delivering value.How answering your audience's burning questions (like Thomas does) keeps them tuning in.The importance of overdelivering—smothering your audience in value so they want to share your show.Why direct recommendations from listeners are more powerful than any algorithm.Examples of how Thomas Umstattd Jr. teases upcoming content to keep listeners coming back.How sharing personal stories alongside expertise can connect with your audience.The role of hands-on “boots on the ground” experience versus just listing facts, and how this builds authority.Why saving your audience time or money equals big value.Teasing future episodes and weaving in stories to keep people engaged.The impact of authenticity and showing both sides of a topic.My own experiment comparing human podcasting value to AI research, and why the human touch still wins.A quick review/demonstration of the new Zoom PodTrack P4 Next and my honest thoughts on whether it’s worth upgrading from the original P4.Lessons from a membership site migration disaster—and the importance of always having a backup plan for your content.Websites Mentioned:AuthorMedia.com — Home of the Novel Marketing podcast.SchoolofPodcasting.com — My home base for podcasting education.Perplexity AI — An AI research tool I tested for podcasting advice.Sweetwater — For buying podcast and audio gear.Backblaze — Backup service I use for safeguarding files.Voomly — New video host for my membership site.Loom and Tella — Video tools for creating support and course content.Gumroad - Tool to sell digital goods.My big takeaway? To truly deliver value: know your audience, answer their questions, overdeliver, and don't be afraid to share your own stories and expertise. When you save them time, money, or frustration, you make your podcast not only worth listening to—but worth sharing.Takeaways: Delivering value means understanding what your audience actually wants and needs. When you smother your audience in value, they'll be much more likely to share your content. The absurdity of using Shopify for authors often outweighs its perceived benefits and can lead to losses. Kickstarter is surprisingly the best alternative for authors wanting to sell books without the hassle of Shopify. Mentioned in this episode:Back Friday Deal on Podcast Reviews Host: Hey, podcast creators! Are you ready to take your podcast to the next level? We have an unbeatable deal just for you! Podcast Review Service: NEW BLACK FRIDAY DEAL For a limited time, get your podcast episode and website professionally audited. Using my 30-point checklist and uncover opportunities to improve your podcast's reach and engagement! 🔍 What's Included? Podcast Episode Audit: Pinpoint key areas for improvement. Website Audit: A thorough 30-point checklist to optimize your online presence. But wait, there’s more! When you sign up, you'll receive a free month at the School of Podcasting! That's one month of top-notch podcasting training normally at $99, absolutely free! 📚 Exclusive Offer: Your School of Podcasting membership includes 5 hours of personal consulting, a service valued at $1000 alone! 🎉 All This for Just $99! Normally, you'd pay $1278 for this incredible package. But through December 31st, it's yours for just $99! 🚀 Don’t miss this chance to elevate your podcast without breaking the bank. Secure this offer today and watch your podcast thrive! Act Now! Spots are limited! Host: Visit podcasthotseat.com to claim this unbeatable offer and get started on transforming your podcast today! podcasthotseat.comPodcast HotseatWhat is Your Favorite Podcast and Why? If you could only listen to one show, what would it be, where can we find it, and WHY is it your favorite show? Don't forget to tell us a little bit about your show and where we can find it. I need your answer by December 26th, 2025Question of the MonthLive AppearancesI would love to see you! You can see where I'm going to be using the link below. If you would like me to speak at your offline or online event, contact me at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/contactWhere Will I Be?