Podcast Creation Tips

I built a Top 100 Global video podcast on Spotify. Here’s exactly how I did it. Six months ago, I launched Hot Smart Rich, a video-first podcast for anyone obsessed with the future of culture, creators, startups, and self-growth, on Spotify. We hit Spotify’s Top Business Podcasts in week one. Since then, we’ve charted 7 times, peaked at #5 in the U.S., and landed in Spotify’s Top 50 US podcasts overall. What surprised me most? How quickly video unlocked growth. On Spotify, my audience could seamlessly switch between watching and listening—just like the 300M+ listeners on the platform doing the same thing. That flexibility helped us attract not just more fans, but the right fans. The kind who binge episodes, send me DMs, share clips with their group chats, and now proudly call themselves HSR Angels. And yes, I turned it into a business. Through the Spotify Partner Program with Spotify for Creators, creators can monetize video content without giving up creative control. It’s real revenue, real reach, and a real community. (And let’s be honest: most platforms can’t say that.) If you’re thinking about launching, here’s what I’d tell you: - It is not too saturated. But you do need a plan. Get clear on your tone, flow, format, and point of view. Your audience doesn’t want a copy—they want something new. - Don’t waste money on aesthetic fluff. No one cares about your new photoshoot. Spend that cash on solid audio, decent lighting, and a camera that works. We started with iPhones. - Cut up your clips like your life depends on it. Post. Everywhere (Including Spotify). All the time. - Be consistent. Experiment early. When no one’s watching, try things. Switch formats. Get weird. Then double down on what hits. - Make it your personality. If you’re not hyping your own show, no one else will. You don’t need millions to start. You just need a camera, a mic, a message, and Spotify. Check out how to grow your video on spotify below. https://lnkd.in/gnB5ejaS #podcast #business #spotify #spotifypartner #videopodcast #growth

the odds of success in podcasting are so low right now. tons of supply. discoverability sucks. ad market is softer. so why am I the schmuck who’s relaunching his podcast next week & how do I plan to make it a win? here’s the breakdown: 1. innovate on format longform interviews & cohosted shows are so crowded. i don’t want to play where there’s hyper competition. im going to own the bite-sized (15 min) solo show in my niche (entrepreneurship) 2. make it a win even if you don’t go mainstream first, anchor your show in a valuable niche. B2B advertisers are willing to pay me high CPMs to get in front of founders even if I don’t hit 7-figure downloads per month. second, monetize beyond ads. I use my pod as a top of funnel for all of my businesses that have customer values worth way more than I could ever charge an advertiser. third, find wins beyond money. my pod allows me to memorialize the founder journey so that I can revisit it 50 years from now. plus, I hope to create a culture of founders documenting their business building process as a way of educating the next generation. 3. leverage YouTube & shorts for distribution podcast discovery & sharing sucks. the only way to build a great top of funnel & grow downloads is by making it a vodcast from day 1. this has been huge for shows ranging from mfm to lex fridman to dwarkesh. 4. experiment constantly & lean into short-form the cliche of “a tweet became an email became an essay became a book” has truth. I view every X post or IG video as a cheap experiment to test an idea before putting greater effort into it. i also remind myself constantly that im close-minded to the mission of my podcast (to increase the odds of a founder’s success), but im open-minded to the way in which that mission is fulfilled. hope this helps & sub to my pod (link below) to watch me execute on this plan in real-time. new episode of founder’s journal comes out 3/3!

This is how I've helped big brands launch podcasts that currently have 10 million+ subs without a celebrity host. Creators think they only need star power in the long run, but my framework works without it. In reality, your host needs one core trait, and it's not followers, a big budget, or virality. The best hosts aren't the most agreeable or the most knowledgeable. They're just the most curious. Look at successful business podcasts: Ranveer Allahbadia:  Questions conventional wisdom in every BeerBiceps Media World Private Limited episode. Raj Shamani:  Figuring Out on YouTube challenges guests to share their real entrepreneurship struggles. Here's the framework learned from then and used: 1. Start with the listener journey Map out their current beliefs, fears, and aspirations. Your content should bridge this gap. 2. Design your conversation arc The opening should challenge a common assumption. The middle must explore unexpected angles and then land on actionable insights. 3. Host selection strategy We didn't chase industry experts but instead found someone who: - Asks questions like a 5-year-old - Highlights all the inconsistencies - Steers away from obvious questions 4. Production Approach We recorded 3 episodes before launching only to - Get feedback from target listeners - Iterate on format and flow That's how we created a podcast that isn't about the host or the guest. It's about creating intriguing moments to keep listeners entertained. But most branded podcasts fail because They're platforms instead of solutions. Focus on serving your audience, not showing your expertise. So, what's your favorite podcast and why? #podcast #marketing #influencer #brandbuilding

I've had some excellent conversations with companies looking to create or elevate their B2B podcasts since The Podcast Show last week. I joined a thoughtful panel hosted by the European Central Bank alongside leaders from YouTube, Deutsche Bank and others to explore how we can turn complexity into curiosity. Here are the insights I shared around podcasting for complex brands: Many people underestimate what it takes to launch a successful business podcast. It’s not as simple as recording a conversation and uploading it. If you're dealing with complex subjects like cybersecurity, investment banking or public policy, the content must be carefully shaped to be meaningful, accurate and genuinely resonant with your audience. 1. Podcasting is a strategic investment Think carefully about brand alignment, your goals, your audience, your communications approach, how you’ll use data, and how you’ll maintain quality and consistency over time. 2. Your audience is your customer Whether you're speaking to Gen Z or global CISOs, every piece of content should serve your audience rather than your ego. If your neighbour or friends don't get it, that’s probably fine. Aim to educate, to entertain, or ideally both. 3. Challenge technical guests communication style We brief all guests thoroughly. We ask them to avoid jargon, explain acronyms, and use metaphors to keep things tangible. Even senior decision-makers don’t always understand the technical details of subjects like quantum decryption. Engage your audience by speaking clearly and with confidence. 4. Retention matters more than reach If one client is worth £45,000 to your business, then the value per listener is high. Focus on building a loyal, relevant audience. Don’t waste energy chasing huge numbers if your business doesn't need them. Measured influence with the right people will always matter more than broad reach with the wrong ones. 5. Use real-life events to amplify engagement We launched the latest series of Cyber Made Human with a live event. Forty business leaders and influencers joined us in the room, listened to two episodes, and gave feedback. Many would never have found the podcast otherwise. These experiences create connection, insight and value. If you're working on a podcast or want to make your content clearer, sharper and more human, drop me a message or have a look at Cyber Made Human Podcast #podcaststrategy #b2bmarketing #cybersecurity #contentmarketing #CyberMadeHuman #ThePodcastShow

If I wanted to launch a podcast as part of my 2026 marketing plan, here's the exact 10-step plan I'd follow: 1️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝟭-𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 Before touching a mic, answer the basics: What’s the point? Who’s it for? How will you measure success? How will people find it? How will you repurpose the content? How often will you (realistically) publish? 2️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 People have room for maybe 1-2 podcasts per niche.  Binge the shows that already have your ICP's attention. You're not looking to copy. You're looking to understand what you're up against so you don't create another forgettable 🥱 show. 3️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 Once you know the landscape, decide how you'll stand out. Maybe it's your format. Maybe it's episode length or guest selection. Doesn’t matter what it is. It matters that you can explain it clearly. 4️⃣ 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 The best podcasts have a little "thing" that becomes part of their DNA. For us, curiosity is a core value, so we end every episode by asking guests what they’re still curious about. 5️⃣ 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗙𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗿 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 You don't know yet if this thing will take off, so please don’t lock yourself into a $5k/month podcast agency before you’ve even recorded Episode 1. A reliable Fiverr editor is perfect for Phase 1. 6️⃣ 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 "𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀" 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 If it works, then what? More episodes? Better gear? Outside help? Decide now. Otherwise you'll prove you can do everything yourself with no budget, and that's a tough precedent to reverse. 7️⃣ 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗺𝗶𝗰 You don’t need a studio. You 𝘥𝘰 need to not sound like you’re underwater. We use a Shure MV7. 8️⃣ 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝘁 People judge podcasts by their covers. Spend at least as much on design as you do on the mic. A great show with bad art is like a strong email with a weak subject line. 9️⃣ 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 "𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀" 𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 If you’re doing interviews, your first guests are your proof of concept. Start with friendlies: people who’ll say "yes" even though your podcast is just a Google Doc and a dream. Those early episodes become your pitch to guests who don't know you yet. 🔟 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 Give yourself breathing room. Nothing tanks momentum faster than announcing your podcast and immediately falling behind so record a few episodes upfront. Hot take: You 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 need to publish weekly. Unless you're competing with Joe Rogan, we’ve seen monthly is enough to make an impact on pipeline. If we'd waited until we had capacity to publish weekly, we’d still be talking about starting a podcast instead of actually running one. That’s my list. What would you throw in from your own experience?

Some podcasts take forever to plan… and still flop. Some podcasts launch quickly… and perform. What’s the difference? Most people assume a great podcast is all about: → A studio → A big production team → Professional editors Not true. What you actually need is: → Knowledge of what your ICP care to know. → A clean workflow and AI tools to power it. → A hybrid PMM and editor mindset. When I launched my GTM Engineer School podcast, I gave myself 7 days and a $100 budget. Two weeks later, we had: → 10 episodes recorded → Clips formatted for every social feed → A repeatable system to keep distributing content Here’s our step-by-step playbook: Day 1: Define ICP, messaging, positioning Structure your target audience, value prop, competitors, so you know how to stand out in a crowded market. → Use Octave Day 2: Develop content pillars & core topics Based on your ICP and messaging, select 3–5 main podcast themes. Create sample episode questions under each theme. → Use Claude Day 3: Build guest list Scour your feed for trusted guest types. Share questions with them — same questions for each guest save you time and allow you to go deep on topics and extract common patterns for internal research. → Use LinkedIn Day 4: Record your first episodes You need high-quality audio/video, but not a full studio setup. If you record 30 mins episodes, you can record 4-5 in a day. → Use Riverside (or Zoom) Day 5: Upload episodes & generate clips Upload your episodes on Substack and YouTube. AI automatically creates show notes and metadata. → Use Substack / YouTube Day 6: Create clips and share on social Automatically creates and distributes clips for LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube Shorts, and X — automatic captions and cross-channel bulk scheduling included. → Use OpusClip Day 7: Repurpose into SEO content Now you have a podcast and a library of content to fuel distribution — re-invest your time in turning transcripts into blog and newsletter articles. → Use Claude __ My biggest surprise wasn’t the tooling or the cost, but how quickly momentum built once we hit “record.” AI made the podcast cheaper, of course, but it also made the entire process possible for one person. __ What's your excuse for not starting your own podcast?

Starting a Successful Podcast: Lessons from 5 Years of Experience As I've grown in the podcasting space, the most common questions I receive center around building a professional show without excessive overhead. Here's what I've learned from creating a top-ranked Apple podcast with over 100,000 monthly listeners – all from my kitchen table. Common Misconceptions: Many aspiring podcasters believe they need expensive equipment, a professional studio, a large production team, major sponsors, and massive download numbers from day one. The reality is much simpler. My Essential Tools: - A quality USB microphone (I started with a Blue Yeti and upgraded to a Shure) - Zoom for recording interviews - A small but mighty team - Streamlined systems and workflows - AI-assisted content tools for production efficiency What Drives Success: - Creating consistent, valuable content for your audience - Developing and maintaining your authentic voice - Implementing efficient workflows that save time - Building genuine connections with your listeners, even if you start with just 100 - Creating scalable systems that grow with your show Important Truths About Podcasting You can begin monetizing with a small but dedicated audience. Smart automation can streamline your production process, and you can create a premium experience for guests without significant expenditure. The key is identifying which tools and processes truly matter for your show's success, rather than getting distracted by expensive equipment you don't need. Looking to Start Your Own Podcast? I've guided numerous entrepreneurs in launching successful podcasts using this approach. If you're interested in learning my complete process, I'm currently accepting applications for my next podcasting cohort. Drop a " 🎙️ " in the comments for details about the upcoming session and follow along for more practical podcasting growth strategies.

Some learnings from getting a top 3% podcast in our first few weeks of launch with Angles and Insight. 1) Having a unique format (in our case a debate style), helped bring in outside media attention. When these features went up, it helped boost views. 2) Using all parts of the whale is critical. We made dozens of video clips that teased highlights from the show and helped us drive more listens and overall engagement on the podcast content. Listens is only one slice of the impact, the overall impressions on podcast related content is a much bigger metric to track. For example, 600,000 impressions on podcast related content vs. 4000 direct listens. 3) Asking questions in your podcast like “What is your favorite AI company in 2024?” is gold because the guest will mention a few tools, and then you can snip those video clips, send to the tools mentioned and get extra distribution from them too. If you mention the outside tools in a post you do, you can also do a 50/50 Linkedin ad promotion split (We will boost this post that talks about the pod but also mentions your tool for say $500/week if you agree to boost it as well) 4) An advantage of having guests that are highly active on social channels, like Linkedin, is when they share clips of their highlights that you create for them, it drives great reach. 5) Have an internal doc where you encourage the team to do key activating behaviors when you launch like: Leave an Apple Review, Watch the Show, Share with at least 1 non-company employee. That helps give a little extra buzz week 1. I find that versus just asking folks in a team slack message, having the visibility of a doc where people leave their name, department and check each behavior off as they do it, increased adoption from an usual 5-10 folks doing an activation aid, to 50 people doing it for our launch _______ Here are some data points from talking with 30+ podcast hosts and getting their listen counts and ranking, and our own first-hand data at top 3%. Top 10% -> 100-300 listens per episode. Legacy 500+ views. Top 5% -> 100-1,000 listens per episode. Legacy 2500+ views. Top 3% -> For us we are at ~4,000 listens, which because we have 1 episode, is both our per episode and legacy view count. Top .05% -> 5,000 -> 30,000 listens per episode. Legacy 100,000+ views.

I was procrastinating on launching our podcast audio-only. One DM gave me the push. 60 survey responses gave me the data. 48 hours of work got it done. Here's the process. I'd been telling myself "we'll get to Spotify and Apple Podcasts eventually." Then someone DM'd me saying they prefer audio-only. Made me realize: I was overthinking our own marketing while telling clients to move fast. So I did what we do with clients. Validate, then execute immediately. _____________________ Here's the exact process: 1) Public validation, not internal debate Instead of scheduling a team meeting to discuss "podcast strategy," I posted a survey on LinkedIn. Asked one question: Where do you consume podcasts? 60 responses later, the data was clear: 63% Spotify, 15% Apple Podcasts, 17% YouTube. No debate needed. 2) Decided to execute at critical mass I didn't wait for 100+ responses or "statistical significance." At 60 responses, the percentages were obvious. That was my trigger to start working. 3) Extracted audio from all 17 YouTube episodes Used the first YouTube audio downloader that worked. Didn't worry about perfect audio quality or whether there was a "better" tool. Speed over perfection. 4) Set up Podigee account and configured all episodes New platform, never used it before. Figured it out as I went. Added titles, descriptions, metadata for all 17 episodes. 5) Created new thumbnails for Spotify and Apple Podcasts Different aspect ratios than YouTube. Made new covers for both platforms. Nothing fancy, just functional. 6) Integrated audio players into the website Every episode page needed an embedded player. Did this manually for all 17 pages. 7) Published everything Went live on both platforms simultaneously. No soft launch, no testing phase. Just shipped it. _____________________ What made the 48-hour timeline possible: → Listen closely to users → Validate quickly in public → Ship a 90% version quickly → Optimize for perfection later How long have you been procrastinating on something that would take 48 hours to execute? PS. This demonstrates two principles of how we work at Radyant: Ship fast. Stay hands-on.

Most people think you need a massive following to start a successful podcast. The truth? Your first 100 listeners won’t come from having a big audience—they’ll come from having a solid strategy. When I first started in podcasting, I had no clue how to attract listeners beyond my immediate circle (I didn't have a social media presence at all). But after years of launching and growing shows (for myself and my clients), I’ve seen firsthand what actually works. It’s not that complicated. If you’ve been holding back on launching because you think “no one will listen,” here’s how to get your first 100 engaged listeners without relying on social media fame: 1️⃣ Nail Your Foundation Before You Launch - Pick a niche that’s specific, not broad. If your podcast tries to be for everyone, it resonates with no one. - Make your title & description compelling. You want people to stop scrolling and think, “I NEED to listen to this.” - Have at least 3 episodes at launch. This keeps new listeners engaged and increases your chances of getting subscribers instead of one-off listens. 2️⃣ Launch Like You Mean It (Because First Impressions Matter!) - Create hype before you drop the first episode. Share behind-the-scenes, teasers, and why you’re starting this show. - Use “borrowed audiences” to get visibility. Tap into online communities, cross-promote with other creators, and guest on podcasts. - Encourage early subscribers with an incentive. A giveaway, bonus episode, or even just a personalized thank-you can go a long way. 3️⃣ Growth Comes from Connection, Not Just Content - Repurpose your episodes into bite-sized content. Share short clips, quotes, or blog posts to make your show discoverable. - Engage with your audience! Ask questions, reply to DMs, and involve them in your content—people support creators they feel connected to. - Consistency is key, but strategy makes the difference. Stick with a posting schedule and refine as you go based on what resonates. The first 100 listeners are the hardest, but once you’ve got momentum, it only gets easier. Every podcast started with zero listeners. The difference? They launched anyway. 🎧 What do you think? Do you agree? Have thoughts or comments? Post them in the comments below! #podcastmanagement #podcastmarketing #podcasttips #marketingtips #digitalmarketing #smallbusiness #podcasters #podcasting