547. Podcast Discovery, Metrics, and Monetization in 2026

547. Podcast Discovery, Metrics, and Monetization in 2026

Podcasting is changing fast, and keeping up can feel overwhelming when the numbers and tools keep shifting. In this episode, the morning show cast and crew discuss podcast discovery, metrics, and what they really mean for creators trying to grow their audience and build a sustainable show. From play counts and listener engagement to premium content, fan support, and monetization, the conversation shares practical ideas that help podcasters make better decisions without getting distracted by vanity metrics. Here's the thing, the numbers only matter when they help you better understand the people listening. Episode Highlights: [01:48] Meet Sam Sethi [06:18] Why Plays Matter More Than Downloads [08:03] Listen Time and Completion Metrics [20:09] HLS and First-Party Data Explained [25:05] Making Podcast Discovery Simpler [29:25] Gamified Rewards for Podcast Listeners [30:41] Discovery Without Video [36:37] Superfeeds Explained [44:32] Premium Content Made Simple [48:32] Micropayments and OpenUSD [52:01] Go Ugly Early: Launch Before It's Perfect Links & Resources: Sam Sethi on TrueFans: https://truefans.fm/fans/sam [https://truefans.fm/fans/sam] Listen to Podnews Weekly Review Co-hosted by Sam Sethi: https://open.spotify.com/show/1c5Vr6LiR2THR2j0QQkP3U?si=27b677e518e1454f [https://open.spotify.com/show/1c5Vr6LiR2THR2j0QQkP3U?si=27b677e518e1454f] Feature Your Podcast on the Podcasting Morning Show: https://PodcastingMorningShow.com/spotlight [https://podcastingmorningshow.com/spotlight] The Podcasting Morning Show: ⁠⁠www.podcastingmorningshow.com⁠⁠ [https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com] Ways to Watch or Listen:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/joinus/ [https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/joinus/] Meet the PMS Cast and Crew: ⁠⁠https://podcastingmorningshow.com/people⁠⁠ [https://podcastingmorningshow.com/people] Join The Empowered Podcasting Facebook Group: ⁠⁠www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting] Book A Free Call With Marc: https://calendly.com/ironickmedia/freestrategycall [https://calendly.com/ironickmedia/freestrategycall] Application To Submit Your Show For Evaluation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcastingmorningshow.com/eval⁠⁠ [https://podcastingmorningshow.com/eval] Powered by⁠⁠⁠ ⁠iRonickMedia.com⁠⁠⁠ [http://ironickmedia.com/]⁠ and⁠ ⁠ContentCreatorsAccountant.com⁠⁠ [http://contentcreatorsaccountant.com] Send in your mailbag questions:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/contact/⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠marc@ironickmedia.com⁠ [https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/contact] Want to be a guest on The Podcasting Morning Show? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b [https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b]

546. How to Build Better Podcast Sponsorship Packages

Growing a podcast takes more than publishing new episodes. In this conversation, the morning show cast and crew discuss how to build better podcast sponsorships by looking beyond traditional ad reads and making the most of the audience, platforms, and content you already have. From newsletters and social media to community engagement and sponsorship packages, the discussion shares practical ideas for creating partnerships that bring value to both creators and sponsors. Here's the thing, the strongest opportunities often come from the trust you've already built with your audience. Episode Highlights: [03:34] Trailer: I Shake My Head [09:44] Producer Backstory and Growth [14:03] Defining Podcast Real Estate [18:08] Overlooked Assets That Build Trust [22:18] Monetizing Platforms and Video [27:25] Know Your Audience to Monetize [35:23] Newsletter Engagement Tactics [42:21] How to Create Sponsor Packages [45:44] Small vs. Long-Term Sponsorship Deals [51:39] Proving Sponsor Value Links & Resources: Content Creator’s Accountant Blog Post:Audio vs. Video: Where Is Your Audience?  https://www.contentcreatorsaccountant.com/blog/audio-vs-video-audience/ [https://www.contentcreatorsaccountant.com/blog/audio-vs-video-audience/] I Shake My Head Podcast: https://www.ishakemyheadpod.com/ [https://www.ishakemyheadpod.com/] Feature Your Podcast on the Podcasting Morning Show: https://PodcastingMorningShow.com/spotlight [https://podcastingmorningshow.com/spotlight] The Podcasting Morning Show: ⁠⁠www.podcastingmorningshow.com⁠⁠ [https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com] Ways to Watch or Listen:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/joinus/ [https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/joinus/] Meet the PMS Cast and Crew: ⁠⁠https://podcastingmorningshow.com/people⁠⁠ [https://podcastingmorningshow.com/people] Join The Empowered Podcasting Facebook Group: ⁠⁠www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting] Book A Free Call With Marc: https://calendly.com/ironickmedia/freestrategycall [https://calendly.com/ironickmedia/freestrategycall] Application To Submit Your Show For Evaluation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcastingmorningshow.com/eval⁠⁠ [https://podcastingmorningshow.com/eval] Powered by⁠⁠⁠ ⁠iRonickMedia.com⁠⁠⁠ [http://ironickmedia.com/]⁠ and⁠ ⁠ContentCreatorsAccountant.com⁠⁠ [http://contentcreatorsaccountant.com] Send in your mailbag questions:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/contact/⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠marc@ironickmedia.com⁠ [https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/contact] Want to be a guest on The Podcasting Morning Show? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b [https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b]

545. Riverside 2.0 and The Future of Podcast Creation | Podcast News

Podcasting keeps changing, and creators are constantly deciding which tools, platforms, and formats are worth their time. In this episode, the morning show cast and crew discuss the future of podcast creation, including Riverside and other AI-powered production tools, all-in-one workflows, video, newsletters, audience behavior, and why listeners often follow creators instead of platforms. The conversation looks at what these changes mean for independent podcasters without losing sight of what keeps people coming back. Here's the thing: new technology, including platforms like Riverside, can make creating easier, but strong relationships with your audience still matter most. Episode Highlights: [05:50] Podcast Stats and the Summer Slump [13:59] Midyear Money Checkup [20:09] News Bites: Mel Robbins Goes Audio-First [21:57] The Audio vs. Video Editing Debate [27:18] Why Audio Still Comes First [31:23] Car Brands, Radio, and Listening Habits [34:32] CarPlay, Radio, and Earbuds [39:23] Tech Updates: Substack and Captivate [48:15] The Risks of All-in-One Platforms [53:30] Why Fans Follow Creators Links & Resources: Mid-Year Money Check by Ralph Estep: contentcreatorsaccountant.com/blog/mid-year-money-check [https://www.contentcreatorsaccountant.com/blog/mid-year-money-check/] Riverside's Big Announcement: riverside.com/blog/riverside-2-0 [https://riverside.com/blog/riverside-2-0] Podcast SEO Workshop (Arielle Nissenblatt): luma.com/p9u6idp5 [https://luma.com/p9u6idp5] People Follow Creators, Not Platforms: podnews.net/press-release/podcast-atlas [https://podnews.net/press-release/podcast-atlas] Substack Recording Studio: https://on.substack.com/p/introducing-the-substack-recording [https://on.substack.com/p/introducing-the-substack-recording]  Feature Your Podcast on the Podcasting Morning Show: https://PodcastingMorningShow.com/spotlight [https://podcastingmorningshow.com/spotlight] The Podcasting Morning Show: ⁠⁠www.podcastingmorningshow.com⁠⁠ [https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com] Ways to Watch or Listen:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/joinus/ [https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/joinus/] Meet the PMS Cast and Crew: ⁠⁠https://podcastingmorningshow.com/people⁠⁠ [https://podcastingmorningshow.com/people] Join The Empowered Podcasting Facebook Group: ⁠⁠www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting] Book A Free Call With Marc: https://calendly.com/ironickmedia/freestrategycall [https://calendly.com/ironickmedia/freestrategycall] Application To Submit Your Show For Evaluation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcastingmorningshow.com/eval⁠⁠ [https://podcastingmorningshow.com/eval] Powered by⁠⁠⁠ ⁠iRonickMedia.com⁠⁠⁠ [http://ironickmedia.com/]⁠ and⁠ ⁠ContentCreatorsAccountant.com⁠⁠ [http://contentcreatorsaccountant.com] Send in your mailbag questions:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/contact/⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠marc@ironickmedia.com⁠ [https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/contact] Want to be a guest on The Podcasting Morning Show? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b [https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b]

544. Podcast Tax Write-Offs for Podcasters and Content Creators

Treating your podcast like a business starts with understanding podcast tax write-offs and which expenses you can deduct. In this episode, the morning show cast and crew explain podcast tax write-offs for podcasters and content creators, covering the difference between a hobby and a business and the everyday deductions many creators overlook. From podcast equipment and editing software to conferences, home office expenses, and creative side projects, they share practical examples that make tax season easier to understand. Here's the thing, building good financial habits now can save you money and a lot of stress when tax season rolls around. Episode Highlights: [02:31] Saving Bug and Moss [09:22] DJ Gear as a Tax Deduction [12:09] Audit Proof and Business Intent [18:40] Write-Off vs. Business Expense [21:52] Conference and Sponsorship Costs [28:20] Business Vehicle Red Flags [30:20] Why Receipts Beat Bank Statements [33:17] Start Tracking Expenses Today [44:12] Hobby vs. Business Rules [47:59] Common Creator Tax Deductions [49:45] The Six-Step Tax Roadmap Links & Resources: Bug & Moss Special: mbpod.com/bug-and-moss-special [https://www.mbpod.com/bug-and-moss-special] Content Creator’s Accountant Blog Post:Podcast Hobby to Business  contentcreatorsaccountant.com/blog/when-your-podcast-hobby [https://www.contentcreatorsaccountant.com/blog/when-your-podcast-hobby/] Feature Your Podcast on the Podcasting Morning Show: https://PodcastingMorningShow.com/spotlight [https://podcastingmorningshow.com/spotlight] The Podcasting Morning Show: ⁠⁠www.podcastingmorningshow.com⁠⁠ [https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com] Ways to Watch or Listen:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/joinus/ [https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/joinus/] Meet the PMS Cast and Crew: ⁠⁠https://podcastingmorningshow.com/people⁠⁠ [https://podcastingmorningshow.com/people] Join The Empowered Podcasting Facebook Group: ⁠⁠www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting] Book A Free Call With Marc: https://calendly.com/ironickmedia/freestrategycall [https://calendly.com/ironickmedia/freestrategycall] Application To Submit Your Show For Evaluation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcastingmorningshow.com/eval⁠⁠ [https://podcastingmorningshow.com/eval] Join us every other Monday at 8 AM ET for the Obsession Worthy Podcasts:⁠⁠⁠ http://podcastingmorningshow.com/owp/⁠⁠ [http://podcastingmorningshow.com/owp/] Join us LIVE every weekday morning at 8 am ET (US) on ⁠Clubhouse⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcastingmorningshow.com/clubhouse⁠⁠ [https://www.clubhouse.com/house/empowered-podcasting-e6nlrk0w%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0] Powered by⁠⁠⁠ ⁠iRonickMedia.com⁠⁠⁠ [http://ironickmedia.com/]⁠ and⁠ ⁠ContentCreatorsAccountant.com⁠⁠ [http://contentcreatorsaccountant.com] Send in your mailbag questions:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/contact/⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠marc@ironickmedia.com⁠ [https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/contact] Want to be a guest on The Podcasting Morning Show? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b [https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b]

543. How Effective Is Your Podcast Cover Art?

Your podcast has only a few seconds to make a first impression, and that moment often starts before anyone hears a single word. In this episode, the morning show cast and crew discuss what makes your podcast cover art stand out, how artwork influences listener decisions, and why branding, readability, and simplicity matter more than adding extra design elements. The conversation also covers episode thumbnails, AI-generated artwork, and practical ways to test what actually gets people to press play. Here's the thing, small changes to your visuals can make a bigger difference than you might expect. Episode Highlights: [01:55] Unboxing a 3D-Printed Gift [06:39] How Taglines Boost Search Discovery [11:50] Apple’s “Featured in This Show” Links [16:29] Cover Art Questions Kickoff [18:12] Cover Art Specs, Ratios, and Testing [23:17] Measuring Click-Through Success [30:11] Your Cover Art Is the First Handshake [34:05] Why Faces Build Trust [38:32] The Billboard Rule: Five Words or Less [45:06] Should You Disclose AI Artwork? Links & Resources: Chuck Taylor:  https://www.tiktok.com/@thechucktaylor33/video/7647318172294565151 [https://www.tiktok.com/@thechucktaylor33/video/7647318172294565151] What 500 Episodes Reveal About Podcast Success: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjoH1dcpPNM [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjoH1dcpPNM] Feature Your Podcast on the Podcasting Morning Show: https://PodcastingMorningShow.com/spotlight [https://podcastingmorningshow.com/spotlight] The Podcasting Morning Show: ⁠⁠www.podcastingmorningshow.com⁠⁠ [https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com] Ways to Watch or Listen:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/joinus/ [https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/joinus/] Meet the PMS Cast and Crew: ⁠⁠https://podcastingmorningshow.com/people⁠⁠ [https://podcastingmorningshow.com/people] Join The Empowered Podcasting Facebook Group: ⁠⁠www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting] Book A Free Call With Marc: https://calendly.com/ironickmedia/freestrategycall [https://calendly.com/ironickmedia/freestrategycall] Application To Submit Your Show For Evaluation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcastingmorningshow.com/eval⁠⁠ [https://podcastingmorningshow.com/eval] Join us every other Monday at 8 AM ET for the Obsession Worthy Podcasts:⁠⁠⁠ http://podcastingmorningshow.com/owp/⁠⁠ [http://podcastingmorningshow.com/owp/] Join us LIVE every weekday morning at 8 am ET (US) on ⁠Clubhouse⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcastingmorningshow.com/clubhouse⁠⁠ [https://www.clubhouse.com/house/empowered-podcasting-e6nlrk0w%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0] Powered by⁠⁠⁠ ⁠iRonickMedia.com⁠⁠⁠ [http://ironickmedia.com/]⁠ and⁠ ⁠ContentCreatorsAccountant.com⁠⁠ [http://contentcreatorsaccountant.com] Send in your mailbag questions:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/contact/⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠marc@ironickmedia.com⁠ [https://www.podcastingmorningshow.com/contact] Want to be a guest on The Podcasting Morning Show? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b [https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b]