Podcasting Morning Chat

431. Make Your Podcast’s Differentiator Work for You

Your podcast already has a differentiator. The question is whether listeners feel it. Today, we’re evaluating the podcast “Better Call Daddy,” and we explore how small production choices either support or bury what makes a show stand out in the crowd.  We talk about intros, pacing, framing, and clarity, and how these details shape the experience for someone pressing play for the first time. We reflect on what helps a differentiator land clearly, where it gets lost, and how subtle edits can make a show feel more focused and inviting. If you enjoy refining your craft, this episode offers a thoughtful way to listen back to your own work and ensure that what sets your podcast apart is clearly coming through. Episode Highlights:  [03:05] Breaking news in podcasting [07:39] First impressions of Better Call Daddy [13:34] Discussion of the Better Call Daddy intro [24:23] Branding and cover art analysis [27:27] Podcast titles and overall branding discussion [30:35] Audience engagement and show structure [32:33] SEO considerations and naming challenges [38:51] Managing long-form interviews with celebrities [54:27] Final takeaways: clarity, editing choices, and protecting emotional impact Links & Resources:  Join The Empowered Podcasting Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting] Empowered Podcasting Conference Course with Recordings:  https://ironickmedia.com/courses/epc2025/ [https://ironickmedia.com/courses/epc2025/] Call Her Daddy:  https://pod.link/1525296416/episode/YmV0dGVyY2FsbGRhZGR5LnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2IxZDgzMDdlLTViZTktMzcyNS04ZjJhLWQyNmEwYjE5N2NhZg [https://pod.link/1525296416/episode/YmV0dGVyY2FsbGRhZGR5LnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2IxZDgzMDdlLTViZTktMzcyNS04ZjJhLWQyNmEwYjE5N2NhZg] Application To Submit Your Show For Evaluation:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8-Xv6O6lrNPcPJwj3N0Z5Osdl-5kHGz_PiAU45U57S-XgoA/viewform?usp=header [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8-Xv6O6lrNPcPJwj3N0Z5Osdl-5kHGz_PiAU45U57S-XgoA/viewform?usp=header] Remember to rate, follow, share, and review our podcast. Your support helps us grow and bring valuable content to the podcasting community. Join us LIVE every weekday morning at 7 am ET (US) on ⁠Clubhouse⁠: ⁠⁠⁠ https://www.clubhouse.com/house/empowered-podcasting-e6nlrk0w⁠⁠ [https://www.clubhouse.com/house/empowered-podcasting-e6nlrk0w%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0] Or Join us on Chatter: https://preview.chattersocial.io/group/98a69881-f328-4eae-bf3c-9b0bb741481d [https://preview.chattersocial.io/group/98a69881-f328-4eae-bf3c-9b0bb741481d] Live on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/@marcronick⁠ [https://youtube.com/@marcronick%E2%81%A0] Brought to you by⁠ ⁠iRonickMedia.com⁠ [http://ironickmedia.com/]⁠  Please note that some links may be affiliate links, which support the hosts of the PMC. Thank you! --- Send in your mailbag question at:⁠ https://www.podpage.com/pmc/contact/⁠ [https://www.podpage.com/pmc/contact/] or ⁠marc@ironickmedia.com⁠ Want to be a guest on The Podcasting Morning Chat? Send me a message on PodMatch, here:  ⁠https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b⁠ [https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b] https://www.canva.com/design/DAG9xSmJ-b0/6pBIVEuNZXyOctikSG0SmA/edit

430. Your Podcast Can Be Reused, Resold, and You’d Never Know

What if your podcast could be reused and resold without you ever knowing? One of today’s leading stories looks at a new tool that strips ads from episodes and resells ad-free versions without creators' permission. The conversation raises uncomfortable questions about podcast ownership, revenue loss, and what happens when third parties repackage your work outside the systems you rely on. We talk through how this kind of reuse could affect host-read ads and even listener trust. That discussion sets the tone for a wider news and commentary conversation about what’s happening across podcasting right now. We walk through several updates across podcasting, ads, listening behavior, and creator tools, including shifting at-home listening habits. Episode Highlights:  [02:10] Tips on updating your copyright notice for 2026 [05:29] Podcasting news and statistics [10:59] Upcoming events and announcements [15:39] Content creators Business Bite  [30:18] Trends in at-home audio consumption [34:03] Meta’s new AI tool for audio editing [42:51] Podcast and streaming advertising opportunities [44:22] Host-read ads versus pre-produced ads Links & Resources:  Join The Empowered Podcasting Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting] Empowered Podcasting Conference Course with Recordings:  https://ironickmedia.com/courses/epc2025/ [https://ironickmedia.com/courses/epc2025/] Our upcoming podcast evaluation:  https://open.spotify.com/episode/1C7Uwux1TEvKiGmrvFt9d3?si=31027af293654f7a [https://open.spotify.com/episode/1C7Uwux1TEvKiGmrvFt9d3?si=31027af293654f7a] Podcasting Made Simple:  https://podnews.net/event/podcasting-made-simple-live-7 [https://podnews.net/event/podcasting-made-simple-live-7] MeetUp & Matchup Event Use Code “PMC” For Free Admission:  https://luma.com/ys7q800e [https://luma.com/ys7q800e] Podcast Expo:  https://podfestexpo.com [https://podfestexpo.com/] The Tool Copying Podcasts, Stripping Ads, and Selling Them:  https://podnews.net/article/podcastadblock-strips-ads-and-sells-shows [https://podnews.net/article/podcastadblock-strips-ads-and-sells-shows] Living Room Podcasting Podcast Viewing Hits 700 Million Hours:  www.podcastnewsdaily.com/news/youtube-living-room-podcast-viewing-hits-700-million-hours/article_b6169e7d-66f7-491f-a758-8cfa76cbac9f.html [http://www.podcastnewsdaily.com/news/youtube-living-room-podcast-viewing-hits-700-million-hours/article_b6169e7d-66f7-491f-a758-8cfa76cbac9f.html] Sam Audio AI: https://sam-audio.ai/ [https://sam-audio.ai/] New Measurement Sharpens Podcast Ad ROI:  https://www.podcastnewsdaily.com/news/new-measurement-sharpens-podcast-ad-roi/article_0eea96d8-867f-4b10-ac4b-6c7b2b501cb3.html [https://www.podcastnewsdaily.com/news/new-measurement-sharpens-podcast-ad-roi/article_0eea96d8-867f-4b10-ac4b-6c7b2b501cb3.html] Gordon Firemark on Ad Stripping Tools:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wioxJ90jI6Q [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wioxJ90jI6Q] Remember to rate, follow, share, and review our podcast. Your support helps us grow and bring valuable content to the podcasting community. Join us LIVE every weekday morning at 7 am ET (US) on ⁠Clubhouse⁠: ⁠⁠⁠ https://www.clubhouse.com/house/empowered-podcasting-e6nlrk0w⁠⁠ [https://www.clubhouse.com/house/empowered-podcasting-e6nlrk0w%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0] Or Join us on Chatter: https://preview.chattersocial.io/group/98a69881-f328-4eae-bf3c-9b0bb741481d [https://preview.chattersocial.io/group/98a69881-f328-4eae-bf3c-9b0bb741481d] Live on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/@marcronick⁠ [https://youtube.com/@marcronick%E2%81%A0] Brought to you by⁠ ⁠iRonickMedia.com⁠ [http://ironickmedia.com/]⁠  Please note that some links may be affiliate links, which support the hosts of the PMC. Thank you! --- Send in your mailbag question at:⁠ https://www.podpage.com/pmc/contact/⁠ [https://www.podpage.com/pmc/contact/] or ⁠marc@ironickmedia.com⁠ Want to be a guest on The Podcasting Morning Chat? Send me a message on PodMatch, here:  ⁠https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b⁠ [https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b]

429. What Nobody Tells You Before You Start a Podcast

As podcasters, we often don’t realize what we don’t know until we’ve already learned it the hard way. The mistakes. The face-palm moments. The times when nothing feels quite right yet. Today, we’re sharing real stories from our adventures in podcasting.  We discuss what we've learned only after hitting record, why confusion and pivots are part of the process, and how clarity tends to emerge after you begin, not before. We also reflect on what attracted us to podcasting, and what keeps us coming back.  You’re not behind, you’re not failing, and you’re not doing it wrong. If you’re just starting, picking things back up, or quietly wondering if you’re cut out for this, your story is worth telling, and you belong here. Podcasting is an art form that doesn’t require perfection. However, it does require honesty, patience, and time. Episode Highlights:  [01:54] True Stories Tuesday  [03:18] Naming your podcast: tips and common pitfalls [11:38] Strategy and planning [19:57] The Wheel of Jargon [21:56] What does evergreen content mean in podcasting [27:16] Defining podcast hosting [29:14] Why we started podcasting [39:20] Early mistakes in podcasting [43:04] Upcoming podcast evaluations Links & Resources:  Join The Empowered Podcasting Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting] Empowered Podcasting Conference Course with Recordings:  https://ironickmedia.com/courses/epc2025/ [https://ironickmedia.com/courses/epc2025/] Our upcoming podcast evaluation:  https://open.spotify.com/episode/1C7Uwux1TEvKiGmrvFt9d3?si=31027af293654f7a [https://open.spotify.com/episode/1C7Uwux1TEvKiGmrvFt9d3?si=31027af293654f7a] Remember to rate, follow, share, and review our podcast. Your support helps us grow and bring valuable content to the podcasting community. Join us LIVE every weekday morning at 7 am ET (US) on ⁠Clubhouse⁠: ⁠⁠⁠ https://www.clubhouse.com/house/empowered-podcasting-e6nlrk0w⁠⁠ [https://www.clubhouse.com/house/empowered-podcasting-e6nlrk0w%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0] Or Join us on Chatter: https://preview.chattersocial.io/group/98a69881-f328-4eae-bf3c-9b0bb741481d [https://preview.chattersocial.io/group/98a69881-f328-4eae-bf3c-9b0bb741481d] Live on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/@marcronick⁠ [https://youtube.com/@marcronick%E2%81%A0] Brought to you by⁠ ⁠iRonickMedia.com⁠ [http://ironickmedia.com/]⁠  Please note that some links may be affiliate links, which support the hosts of the PMC. Thank you! --- Send in your mailbag question at:⁠ https://www.podpage.com/pmc/contact/⁠ [https://www.podpage.com/pmc/contact/] or ⁠marc@ironickmedia.com⁠ Want to be a guest on The Podcasting Morning Chat? Send me a message on PodMatch, here:  ⁠https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b⁠ [https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b]

428. Why Some Podcasts are Impossible to Stop Listening To

Some podcasts become part of your routine not because they teach you something new every time, but because they make you feel connected. Jonathan Howard leads the charge, with commentary and real world examples from me and the rest of the team, as we take a close look at what makes a podcast truly obsession worthy. We break down the storytelling framework behind Normal Gossip and talk about why relatability matters more than celebrity, how listener participation turns an audience into a community, and why tone and emotional safety matter just as much as structure and format. This episode explores how stories build trust, how familiar rituals keep people coming back, and why creating space for shared experience often matters more than chasing metrics. If you have been thinking about how to deepen listener connection and build something people want to return to again and again, there is a lot here to reflect on. Episode highlights: [2:00] – Celebrating nearly four years of Podcasting Morning Chat [3:30] – Marc shares his upcoming Podfest talk on community-first growth [7:45] – What makes a podcast “obsession worthy” [9:01] – Breaking down the Normal Gossip concept and format [10:31] – Why audience-submitted stories create ownership and loyalty [14:46] – Gossip as storytelling, social data, and human connection [18:30] – Relatability as a trust-building strategy [21:31] – Asking better questions to deepen audience connection [23:24] – Sharing mistakes as a way to build credibility [26:04] – Why relatability beats celebrity every time [30:41] – The role of character development in bingeable storytelling [37:37] – Why rituals and structure make podcasts comforting and familiar [38:58] – Creating fandom, shared language, and community identity [41:49] – Ending with reflection, meaning, and emotional safety [44:23] – Storytelling as the antidote to AI-generated sameness Links & Resources: Join The Empowered Podcasting Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting⁠ Normal Gossip: https://pod.link/1597761181 [https://pod.link/1597761181] Empowered Podcasting Conference Video Recordings: https://ironickmedia.com/courses/epc2025/ [https://ironickmedia.com/courses/epc2025/] Podcasting Morning Chat: https://www.podcastingmorningchat.com Remember to rate, follow, share, and review our podcast. Your support helps us grow and bring valuable content to the podcasting community. Join us LIVE every weekday morning at 7 am ET (US) on ⁠Clubhouse⁠: ⁠⁠⁠ https://www.clubhouse.com/house/empowered-podcasting-e6nlrk0w⁠⁠ Or Join us on Chatter: https://preview.chattersocial.io/group/98a69881-f328-4eae-bf3c-9b0bb741481d [https://preview.chattersocial.io/group/98a69881-f328-4eae-bf3c-9b0bb741481d] Live on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/@marcronick⁠ Brought to you by⁠ ⁠iRonickMedia.com⁠⁠ Please note that some links may be affiliate links, which support the hosts of the PMC. Thank you! --- Send in your mailbag question at:⁠ https://www.podpage.com/pmc/contact/⁠ or ⁠marc@ironickmedia.com⁠ Want to be a guest on The Podcasting Morning Chat? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: ⁠https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b⁠

427. Why Overthinking Is Stopping You From Starting a Podcast

Starting a podcast isn't hard, but it often feels that way because we try to solve everything before we ever begin. In this episode, I break our usual format with a solo "mini-sode" and focus on what actually stops most people from getting started. This is a shorter, more intentional conversation about clarity, purpose, and sustainability, the things that matter long before equipment, formats, or platforms enter the picture. I talk about why you do not need a perfectly defined niche or audience to begin, how getting clear on the problem you are showing up to help solve creates momentum, and why the experience you create matters more than sounding polished. If you have been stuck in planning mode, this episode is a reminder that you do not need every answer before you start, just enough clarity to take the next step. Happy New Year! Episode Highlights: [00:41] Identifying the problem you want to help solve [01:17] Why experience matters more than demographics [01:54] Deciding how you want your podcast to feel [02:27] Being intentional with tone, pacing, and presence [03:27] Making sure your podcast fits into your real life [03:54] Sustainability as the key to long term consistency [04:36] The three things to clarify before thinking about gear [05:00] How clarity creates momentum and accountability Links & Resources: Join The Empowered Podcasting Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting⁠ [http://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcasting%E2%81%A0] Podcasting Morning Chat: https://www.podcastingmorningchat.com [https://www.podcastingmorningchat.com/] Remember to rate, follow, share, and review our podcast. Your support helps us grow and bring valuable content to the podcasting community. Join us LIVE every weekday morning at 7 am ET (US) on ⁠Clubhouse⁠: ⁠⁠⁠ https://www.clubhouse.com/house/empowered-podcasting-e6nlrk0w%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0https://www.clubhouse.com/house/empowered-podcasting-e6nlrk0w⁠⁠ [https://www.clubhouse.com/house/empowered-podcasting-e6nlrk0w%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0] Live on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/@marcronick⁠ [https://youtube.com/@marcronick%E2%81%A0] Brought to you by⁠ ⁠iRonickMedia.com [http://ironickmedia.com]⁠⁠  Please note that some links may be affiliate links, which support the hosts of the PMC. Thank you! --- Send in your mailbag question at:⁠ https://www.podpage.com/pmc/contact/⁠ [https://www.podpage.com/pmc/contact/%E2%81%A0] or ⁠marc@ironickmedia.com [marc@ironickmedia.com]⁠  Want to be a guest on The Podcasting Morning Chat? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: ⁠https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b⁠ [https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b%E2%81%A0]