Stop making podcast episodes that are “interesting”, and make episodes that answer your listeners questions, problems, and the specific outcomes they’re actively trying to achieve
When you do this, your content stops being passively consumed and starts becoming genuinely useful
If you’re using any AI speech enhancers (Adobe’s Enhance Speech, Descript’s Studio Sound or Riverside’s Magic Audio)
Never leave them at 100%, as this over-processes and ruins the audio
Instead, reduce the intensity to between 60%–80% to find a natural-sounding sweet spot
A question → answer → question → answer interview is boring
Transformation stories work better
Here’s a basic “From Then to Now” framework you can build around your guest:
1. Who were you?
2. What happened?
3. Why was it hard?
4. What changed?
5. Who are you now?
Here’s a different way to research what content your audience likes:
1. Go to Amazon and search for your podcast topic
2. Click on the top-selling books in your niche
3. Read the 2–4 star reviews for constructive criticism
4. Use this feedback to refine your own podcast
Avoid podcast equipment imagery on your artwork
Adding microphones, headphones and soundwaves to your podcast cover art doesn’t communicate anything about your show
It’s like putting a picture of a book on a book cover or adding a YouTube logo to every thumbnail
Ask your listeners to leave a review or comment explaining how they discovered your podcast
It’s a helpful way of finding out which of your marketing channels are working
A good podcast edit should go unnoticed
The goal is flow
An editor’s job is to support the conversation, not become part of it
When editing draws attention to itself (abrupt cuts, volume jumps, overused zooms and transitions), it pulls the listener out of the experience
If something visual happens in your podcast episode, describe it for the listener
Yes, even if you’re on video. Include those who choose to listen audio-only
✅ Good episode title: Why Leadership Gets Harder The More Senior You Become (And How To Adapt)
• Relatable to leaders
• Clear and specific
• Solves a problem
• Promises a result
❌ Bad episode title: EP08 – Interview With Senior Leadership Expert Joe Bloggs
• Too broad
• No clear benefit
• Numbering episodes wastes title space and adds no value
• If Joe Bloggs isn’t well known in the leadership space then his name means nothing to the listener
Bridging phrases for podcast interviews
Use these when your next question doesn’t naturally follow on from the last:
• “There’s something else I’ve been curious about…”
• “I want to ask this next because…”
• “On a different note…”
• “That leads me to…”
There’s no need to write the word “podcast” at the end of your show’s name
It’s a bit like writing “TV” at the end of a TV show or “album” at the end of an album title
Some AI tools can shorten every pause to half a second or less, which is wild to me
Let things breathe
Think about the listener
Give them time to digest what’s been said and space to have their own thoughts
All emotional weight is destroyed if you cut too aggressively
If you’re set on having pre-recorded intros, outros and ad reads
Record three different versions so you can rotate them
This way, returning listeners won’t hear the same thing every time and are less likely to zone out or skip ahead
Explain acronyms
You may know what CRM and KPI mean, but your listener might not
When acronyms or industry language crop up, explain them to keep everyone included
Fulfil your title’s promise
Validate the listener’s decision to press play by making it clear in the opening seconds that this episode is going to address what your title promises
Meet expectations. Don’t start with generic chat or you risk losing trust and ears