Buzzcast helps podcasters stay informed, inspired, and excited to keep podcasting. Each week, Jordan, Kevin, and Alban break down the podcasting news, trends, tools, and creator debates that actually matter. We share what we’re seeing at Buzzsprout, what we’re testing ourselves, and what podcasters should pay attention to without chasing every new thing. The goal is to help you keep podcasting without burning out. Expect honest opinions, practical takeaways, occasional rabbit trails, and a reminder that podcasting should be fun!
The Secret To Reaching 800 Episodes: Fix Whatever Causes Burnout
Send us Fan Mail What does it take to publish 800 podcast episodes without burning out? Turns out, it's treating your podcast like a media supply chain. We’re talking about the biggest lessons from Buzzsprout podcaster Tom Raftery ’s fine-tuned podcast workflow built through years of consistent publishing. In his blog , he explains why consistency comes from removing friction, how a foolproof pre-recording process can protect your time and energy, and why the right tools and responsive customer support matter most when something goes wrong. Read Tom's blog Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
Are These 5 Podcast Choices Costing You Listeners? with Courtney Elmer
Send us Fan Mail A great podcast can still get ignored if the packaging doesn’t convince anyone to press play! Courtney Elmer , founder and CEO of PodLaunch and host of Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast , joins us to put Buzzcast through a live audit of the five Podcast Content Gatekeepers: cover art, podcast name, podcast description, episode titles, and show notes. Score your own podcast along with us, while she helps Buzzcast figure out where it may be losing potential listeners, and why small changes can make a bigger difference than chasing the latest podcast growth tactic. Links mentioned: PodLaunch Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast Bingeworthy Episode Title Cheat Sheet Podcast Health Score™ waitlist (Post show) Check out Courtney's AirBnB ! Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
Why We Took Our Show Off Spotify And What Brought Us Back
Send us Fan Mail We're explaining why we originally pulled the podcast from Spotify, what changed, and why Spotify’s role in video podcasting finally brought us back. We also discuss our lingering concerns about open podcasting, targeted advertising, and what we’ve learned from working directly with Spotify’s podcast team. Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
Managing Listener Feedback And Criticism
Send us Fan Mail We're talking through creating a healthy feedback filter so you can tell the difference between criticism that helps, confusion that needs clarification, and negativity that deserves to be ignored! We discuss where podcasters are likely to get feedback, why public comments can feel so much heavier than private messages, and how to stop one bad review from drowning out all the people who are cheering you on. Links mentioned in this episode: Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet This American Life: Everyone's a Critic Happy to Help: Using Psychology to Thrive in Customer Support with Melody Wilding Buzzcast: 8 Tips To Make Podcasting more Fun And Less Like A Chore Buzzcast: How To Get Listeners To Actually Do What You Ask Buzzcast: Creative Ways To Use Voicemail In Your Podcast Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
Is Video Podcasting Hard? What We Learned After One Month
Send us Fan Mail After a month of publishing Buzzcast as a video podcast, we have some real stats, workflow notes, and one very painful mistake to talk about. In this episode, we check in on our video podcasting experiment: how many people are actually watching, what Apple Podcasts video stats seem to tell us, and what surprised us most. We talk through what happened when a full video recording failed, why editing video is so much harder than audio, how difficult video files are to transfer, and why an audio setup is much easier than a video setup. Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
How to Find the Right Podcast Co-Host
Send us Fan Mail Finding a podcast co-host can make your show more fun, sustainable, and dynamic! But picking the wrong person can also make podcasting way harder than it needs to be. In this episode, we talk through where to actually find a good co-host, why a “anyone want to start a podcast?” post is probably not the strongest strategy, and what to look for before you commit to recording together. We also discuss how to test a potential co-host before making things official, why recurring guests or people in your life can become great co-hosts, and why writing down a few simple expectations early can save you from a lot of awkward conversations later. Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
Apple Is Giving Listeners More Ways To Discover Your Show
Send us Fan Mail WWDC26 dropped a set of Apple Podcasts changes that could seriously improve how people discover and consume podcasts! We're talking about the few updates podcasters should know about. And if you have a story about how you found a cohost, or advice from your experience with a cohost, let us know by sending Fan Mail! Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
Is It Time For You To Start Another Podcast?
Send us Fan Mail We're talking about the signs you might be ready to start another podcast, whether that means launching a second show, creating a limited series, or letting your current podcast evolve into something new. Check out examples like Potterless , The History of Rome , StartUp , and Presidential to see why some shows naturally reach a finish line while others become the starting point for the next big idea. So if you feel burned out: are you tired, trapped, or finished? If you’re tired, your show may still be worth continuing, but at a slower pace or after a real break. If you’re trapped, the topic, name, or format may be too limiting, and a few small experiments could help you find the spark again. And if you’re finished, it might be time to let the show stand as a completed body of work and put your energy into what comes next! We also talk about how the skills you build as a podcaster carry over into every future project, even if your next podcast serves a completely different audience. Plus, Jordan shares a tiny QR code podcast promotion idea involving Sasquatch, mini resin figures, and a very unexpected dentist’s office ad. Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
Just Because It's Audio Doesn't Make It A Podcast
Send us Fan Mail In this quickcast, we’re talking about the rise of AI-generated “podcasts” from companies like Amazon and Spotify, and why the word is getting stretched pretty thin. Amazon is turning product reviews into conversational audio. Spotify is experimenting with personalized AI audio experiences. And suddenly, a lot of things that feel more like chatbots, summaries, or audio briefings are being labeled as podcasts. So should podcasters be worried? We don't think so. Links mentioned: Amazon shopping podcasts Spotify Studio's AI Agent Alexa's generated podcasts Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
How To Get Booked On Podcasts with Alex Sanfilippo
Send us Fan Mail We’re joined again by Alex Sanfilippo from PodMatch to talk about one of our favorite podcast growth strategies: getting booked as a guest on other podcasts! We talk about why podcast guesting is valuable beyond promotion, including how it helps you sharpen your message, become a better communicator, and build real relationships with other podcasters. We'll also give tips on how to build a podcast guest profile that actually helps hosts say yes. We talk about why your guest profile should not read like a résumé, what hosts are really looking for, how to suggest episode ideas, what links and assets to include, and how to make your pitch feel authentic. We also answer listener questions about shared episodes across multiple feeds, and whether Apple Podcasts Video is worth trying if you are already making video for YouTube. Links mentioned: PodMatch Podcasting Made Simple Buzzcast episode: How to Find Great Podcast Guests: Expert Tips from PodMatch's Alex Sanfilippo Jordan's PodMatch profile Podcasting Made Simple episode with Tom Rossi: Creating a Brand That's Different Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
The Hidden Value Of A Small Podcast
Send us Fan Mail Small podcasts are often treated like smaller versions of big podcasts, but a niche audience is not just a tiny audience. It can be a more focused, more trusting, and more valuable audience. Inspired by an article in Podnews, we talk about why download numbers do not tell the full story of a podcast’s value. Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
Podcast Repurposing Ideas That Aren’t Blogs Or Social Posts
Send us Fan Mail Most podcast repurposing advice sounds the same: turn your episode into clips, blog posts, newsletters, and social captions. That can be useful, but it is not the only way to get more value from your podcast. In this episode, we look at creative ways podcasters are turning their existing content into something new: conversation cards, games, kid-friendly feeds, real-world meetups, field guides, downloadable resources, and more! We also talk about how to use AI to find themes hiding in your archive, why great repurposing starts with what your audience already loves doing, and how to create something additive instead of just changing the format. Plus, we share early stats from the Buzzsprout video launch! Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
Put Your Video Podcast On Apple!
Send us Fan Mail We did something new…you can watch this episode as a video on Apple Podcasts! Make sure you're on the latest version (26.4 or higher). But the bigger story is that any independent podcaster can now publish video directly to Apple Podcasts through Buzzsprout! In this episode, we break down why this isn’t just “another place to upload video,” and how it’s fundamentally different from platforms like YouTube. We talk through the opt-in nature of podcasting, why that matters for creators who are tired of chasing algorithms, and where video actually fits into a sustainable podcast workflow. We also walk through how to publish video through Buzzsprout, what happens with your stats, and why this might be one of the easiest windows to get featured on Apple Podcasts. And if you try it, let us know! Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
How To Stand Out In A Crowded Podcast Niche
Send us Fan Mail We break down why “crowded” is usually a clarity problem, not a competition problem, then map the difference between a podcast category and a real niche. We also study five popular business story shows to prove how audience, format, tone, and payoff make similar topics feel completely different! Read Jordan's mention in the WSJ: Why People Who Listen To Podcasts Are Suddenly Feeling Left Out Topics discussed: • Defining category versus niche through audience, format, tone, and promise • Using promise and payoff to stop sounding generic • Reframing "oversaturation" as "demand" and "popularity" • What makes shows fade into the background, from unclear positioning to recycled guest circuits • Case study breakdowns of business story podcasts and how each one niches down • Practical steps to write down and refine your niche over time Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
Publish Podcast Episodes More Often With Less Stress
Send us Fan Mail Publishing more often can help your podcast stay top of mind, get more downloads, and keep your audience engaged. But if you increase your cadence the wrong way, it can also make podcasting feel heavier, more rushed, and a lot less fun. In this episode, we answer a listener question from Rich ( Two Guys on a Plane ) about moving from biweekly to weekly episodes and break down what has actually worked for us. We talk about the benefits of adding shorter episodes, why quick wins can sometimes perform just as well as longer releases, and how publishing more often has helped us stay in practice without doubling the workload. We also get into the real risks of pushing your schedule too hard, including burnout, lower-quality episodes, missed deadlines, and losing the energy that makes a podcast worth doing in the first place. Listen for different ways to make a higher publishing frequency sustainable, including lighter episode formats, Q&A episodes, bonus conversations, two-part episodes, and experimenting without feeling locked into a forever commitment. Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
Where People Find New Podcasts
Send us Fan Mail Where do listeners actually find new podcasts? We're breaking down the biggest ways people discover new shows today, from podcast apps and search to word of mouth, social sharing, and AI-driven discovery. We also talk about why being easy to recommend matters more than ever, how podcast titles and transcripts can improve discoverability, and why trying to be everywhere online is usually the fastest path to burnout. In this episode: What Alban learned from editing a full episode himself in CapCut Why podcast apps are still one of the biggest discovery channels How search inside podcast apps helps listeners find specific episodes Why word of mouth now includes social shares, guesting, and promo swaps What makes a podcast easy for listeners to recommend How transcripts can help with search and AI-powered podcast discovery Why social media works better when you focus on one or two platforms Listener reactions to new voicemail, Fan Mail, and chapter marker tools A surprisingly practical answer to “what happens to my podcast when I die?” Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
Creative Ways To Use Voicemail In Your Podcast
Send us Fan Mail Jordan is out sick, so we talk through Voicemail and why hearing a listener’s voice can change the energy of a show. We share practical ways to collect, edit, and feature voicemails without turning the episode into a messy mailbag. If you'd like your voice featured on the podcast, leave us a voicemail and tell us how you found your latest, most favoritist, podcast episode. Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
Getting More Out Of Podcast Transcripts, Chapters, And Listener Interaction
Send us Fan Mail We're digging into improved podcasting tools that can make your show easier to manage, easier to discover, and easier for listeners to engage with. (And the best part is its all built into your Buzzsprout account!) Learn how better transcripts can help surface your episodes in search and AI tools, why chapter markers are getting more and more practical to use, and how listener interaction through Fan Mail is getting a big bump with replies and voicemail! Discussed in this episode: Automatic transcripts for more podcasters: why transcripts matter more than ever for accessibility, productivity, and discoverability Back catalog transcript generation: how to add transcripts to older episodes so your full archive becomes more useful Chapter markers inside the transcript editor: an easier way to add and adjust chapters while reviewing your transcript Bulk chapter editing: a faster workflow with the Express Chapter Editor for podcasters who already keep timestamps or chapter notes in their editing tools Fan mail replies: how to respond to listener messages without turning your podcast into another full-time inbox Listener voicemail submissions : a simple way for your audience to send voice messages you can feature in your episodes Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
How To Get Listeners To Actually Do What You Ask
Send us Fan Mail We break down how to make a call-to-action that listeners actually complete without turning your podcast into a list of chores. In this episode, we cover: • defining a podcast call to action and why it matters across platforms • avoiding stacked asks by choosing one priority • planning CTAs during the outline so they feel intentional • preventing listener selective hearing by varying the wording and prompt • using the Benjamin Franklin effect to ask for help in a compelling way • following the why, what, where formula for clearer direction • testing CTA placement with listener retention and drop-off data • simplifying everything by sending listeners to one website landing page Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
Turn AI Into Your Personal Podcast Analyst!
Send us Fan Mail Can AI actually help you make a better podcast??? This week, we break down how to use AI to analyze your podcast episodes, transcripts, titles, and back catalog so you can spot patterns, improve your content, and plan stronger future episodes. Kevin shares how he used ChatGPT to review Buzzcast’s episode titles, downloads, durations, and transcripts to uncover what topics perform best, what kind of conversations create the most engagement, how each host contributes to the show, and where there are opportunities to improve. Along the way, we talk about why back catalog optimization matters, why transcript access is such a big unlock for podcasters, and how AI can be a genuinely useful tool for creators. Steps to run your own podcast analysis: 1. Start with the data: Copy your episode list, including publish dates, titles, durations, and downloads Export or collect your podcast transcripts Upload both into an AI tool like ChatGPT inside a single project so it can reference everything together 2. Then give it some context: Tell the AI that older episodes naturally have more downloads because they’ve had more time to accumulate plays. Ask it to account for that before comparing old episodes to new ones. 3. Analysis prompts we used: Broad analysis “Look at all the episode titles, durations, and downloads. What patterns do you see?” “Based on this data, what questions should I ask if I want to improve my podcast?” Title analysis “Look at my podcast episode titles and downloads and tell me what title patterns perform best.” Transcript and format analysis “Analyze my podcast transcripts and identify patterns in the conversations.” “What types of segments appear most often?” “Which segments create the best conversations?” Host dynamics / speaking analysis “Analyze the speaking distribution across my podcast transcripts.” Future episode planning “Based on my best performing episodes, suggest new episode ideas.” Links mentioned in this episode: 6 Episode Title Tips for Podcast Growth How to Rank Higher and Get Discovered on Apple Podcasts 25+ Creative Podcast Marketing Ideas How to Choose the Right Monetization Strategy for Your Podcast How I Make Money Podcasting blog post Contact Buzzcast Send us Fan Mail Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast , @albanbrooke , @kfinn , and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!
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