Sam Atkinson

📈 Sharing tips on how to improve and grow your podcast
🎧 Freelance podcast producer 5+ years

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

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

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

One excellent monthly episode beats four average weekly ones

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

@PaulOlu_ https://t.co/mNipHDvVvZ

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

Just hit 4,000 hours on Upwork. All from working in podcasting

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

If you’re a small podcast and you can’t at least get an idea of what your show is about from its name, then it isn’t a good name

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

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

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

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?

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

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

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

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

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

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

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

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

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

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

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

✅ 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

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

❌ 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

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

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…”

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

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

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

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

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

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

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

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

[Sam Atkinson @_samatk]

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