Buzzcast

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

Have a podcast idea you keep putting off because you haven’t found the perfect name or figured out the artwork? We talk about getting past those first hurdles with Buzzsprout’s new Podcast Starter Kit, which turns a few answers about your idea into name suggestions, a description, cover art, and categories.

Try the Starter Kit and send us Fan Mail with what you come up with. We want to hear about your next podcast!

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

This week, we’re sorting through the mess of podcast metrics across YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts to figure out what those numbers actually tell you about your audience.

We discuss why combining stats from different platforms can be misleading, how Buzzsprout counts video downloads, and why a video play doesn’t necessarily mean someone is watching. Plus, we share where to look for more useful feedback, from listener retention graphs to messages from actual humans.

Also in this episode:
• Buzzsprout’s new mobile soundbites with editable captions and customizable achievement sharing
• How to find the hidden Buzzsprout logo Easter egg
• Listener tips for finding podcast guests and a father-daughter Columbo podcast that made our day

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

We finally roll out Buzzsprout dark mode and explain why it took years, why it turned into a full week of work, and what surprised us most about designing a “calm” interface. Then we tease a hidden Easter egg, share a few careful hints, and dare you to find it before everyone else does!

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

This week, we’re digging into a bunch of new Buzzsprout updates, including a redesigned Episodes page, podcast app previews, transcript autocorrect with easier editing, and a completely rebuilt embed player.

Then in Fan Mail, we talk about podcast guesting as a growth strategy, the possibility of a Buzzsprout conference, and why podcasts might actually be pretty good at changing our minds.

PodMatch
PodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For Interviews

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

What happens when teens can’t use social media? They turn podcast comments into group chats. Jordan shares how Spotify became an unexpected gathering place for kids.

Plus, a recording glitch leads to a new sync fix in Session, and we debate whether timestamped comments could make podcast conversations more useful.

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

We're back from Podcast Movement in New York with thoughts on its new format, the talks we loved, and why some of our favorite moments happened outside the conference. We talk about what independent podcasters need from these events and what we'd do differently if Buzzsprout were to host one.

We also go behind the scenes of an industry effort to tackle bot traffic. With AI bots impersonating podcast apps and video files driving up hosting costs, we discuss how verifying apps could help protect real listeners, improve podcast stats, and keep hosting affordable.

Plus, Ira Glass's keynote gets us talking about what audio does especially well: helping us listen longer, judge less quickly, and connect with people we might otherwise dismiss.

Watch Podcast Movement sessions and keynoteson YouTube (still updating as of publish date)

Things That Podcasts Do Better, Ira Glass

What 42,000 Consumers Told Us About Podcasting, Tom Webster

Send us Fan Mail: Has a podcast ever changed your mind about a person or an idea?

PodMatch
PodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For Interviews

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

We stop trusting browser-based remote recorders and explain why reliability matters more than features when you only get one shot at a great conversation.

Kevin shares the Mac-only (for now) native app we’ve been building at Buzzsprout and how we pair it with Zoom or Google Meet while it records clean, local files.

Send us a Fan Mail message if you want to test it out!

PodMatch
PodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For Interviews

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

Your next conference talk is probably hiding in your podcast transcripts.

As we get ready for Podcast Movement in New York, we walk through how Jordan used our Buzzcast archives and ChatGPT to develop a session pitch that got accepted (even when she barely had time to apply).

We share the prompts used to uncover the strongest topics, find stories long forgotten, and shape those ideas into a focused, 20-minute talk. We also try the process with three listeners’ podcasts to show how it can work beyond podcasting conferences.

Want help finding a talk idea in your own episodes? Send us Fan Mail with a link to your podcast, and we’ll help you brainstorm!

PodMatch
PodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For Interviews

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

Your podcast can’t grow if listeners can’t find it! It's surprising how many of us never submit our shows to a directory and how many established podcasts are still missing from at least one listening app.

We're talking about Buzzsprout’s latest improvements, including one-click submission to 16 podcast directories, smarter reminders for unfinished distribution steps, video players on Buzzsprout websites, faster and more searchable transcript pages, and new customization options for embedded players.

These improvements help us reach more listeners by making it easier for people to find and listen to our shows wherever they already spend time.

So whether you're launching a new podcast or have been publishing for years, it might be time for to check our directories page and make sure your shows are truly available everywhere!

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

Buzzsprout team member, Cara Pacetti, joins us to talk about how podcasting builds confidence, sparks creativity, preserves meaningful voices, and creates communities where people feel understood. We discuss elementary students running their own show, teenagers connecting across the globe, and a hospice patient whose wisdom continues to reach listeners after her passing.

Then we get into Fan Mail about how to recognize meaningful traction when your audience is still small, and why embracing the quirks that make your podcast different may be the key to making it matter.

Because when we start a podcast, we don’t just create something for other people. Podcasting changes us, too!

Mentioned in this episode:

• Podcasting Q&A
• Tiger Talk
• This Teenage Life
• Advice 4 The Living
• Yasha
• Turning Casual Listeners Into Superfans

PodMatch
PodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For Interviews

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

We want podcasts to stay weird! We're talking about how algorithms, growth advice, and an obsession with polish are making brands, social media, and podcasts feel increasingly alike. Plus, we share how podcasters can preserve the quirks, tangents, imperfections, and human touches that make a show memorable!

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

Spotify is giving listeners a new way to skip past ads, intros, and calls to action. Some podcasters are calling it the beginning of the end of podcasting, and some listeners are singing praises.

We put the outrage in perspective, debate whether easier skipping could actually strengthen podcasting, and explore how creators can make sponsorships and calls to action too entertaining to miss.

We’re also celebrating several big Buzzsprout launches, including streamlined video distribution to Spotify and YouTube, a major WordPress plugin upgrade, and one-click submission to iHeart.

We also get into the EU’s new AI disclosure requirements, consider when podcasters may need to label AI-generated content, and explain what AI tools don't actually fall under the AI Act.

PodMatch
PodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For Interviews

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

Publishing a video podcast shouldn’t mean juggling multiple platforms, logins, formats, and workflows.

With Buzzsprout’s new video distribution to Spotify and YouTube, you can upload your video once and we’ll publish it to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and audio podcast apps all from one place!

We also discuss early video stats from Buzzcast, and talk about why YouTube is such a powerful way to reach new audiences, while traditional podcast apps continue to build deeply loyal listenership. And we’ve got another distribution update to share: one-click submission to iHeartRadio.

Video distribution to Spotify and YouTube is available on all Buzzsprout video plans, with 1080p HD included.

Links mentioned:

• Ed Mylett's 21 days a week routine

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

We’re diving into how to script a podcast without ever sounding scripted so you can get the clarity and structure of a written plan while still keeping your natural voice!

We break down the difference between scripts and outlines, which parts of an episode are actually worth writing word-for-word, how to prep guests without over-rehearsing them, and why reading your script out loud is one of the best ways to spot stiff language and tighten your message so you get to the point faster.

PodMatch
PodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For Interviews

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

What does it take to publish 800 podcast episodes without burning out? Turns out, it's treating your podcast like a media supply chain.

We’re talking about the biggest lessons from Buzzsprout podcaster Tom Raftery’s fine-tuned podcast workflow built through years of consistent publishing. In his blog, he explains why consistency comes from removing friction, how a foolproof pre-recording process can protect your time and energy, and why the right tools and responsive customer support matter most when something goes wrong.

Read Tom's blog

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

A great podcast can still get ignored if the packaging doesn’t convince anyone to press play!

Courtney Elmer, founder and CEO of PodLaunch and host of Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast, joins us to put Buzzcast through a live audit of the five Podcast Content Gatekeepers: cover art, podcast name, podcast description, episode titles, and show notes.

Score your own podcast along with us, while she helps Buzzcast figure out where it may be losing potential listeners, and why small changes can make a bigger difference than chasing the latest podcast growth tactic.

Links mentioned:

• PodLaunch
• Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast
• Bingeworthy Episode Title Cheat Sheet
• Podcast Health Score™ waitlist
• (Post show) Check out Courtney's AirBnB!

PodMatch
PodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For Interviews

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

We're explaining why we originally pulled the podcast from Spotify, what changed, and why Spotify’s role in video podcasting finally brought us back.

We also discuss our lingering concerns about open podcasting, targeted advertising, and what we’ve learned from working directly with Spotify’s podcast team.

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

We're talking through creating a healthy feedback filter so you can tell the difference between criticism that helps, confusion that needs clarification, and negativity that deserves to be ignored!

We discuss where podcasters are likely to get feedback, why public comments can feel so much heavier than private messages, and how to stop one bad review from drowning out all the people who are cheering you on.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet
• This American Life: Everyone's a Critic
• Happy to Help: Using Psychology to Thrive in Customer Support with Melody Wilding
• Buzzcast: 8 Tips To Make Podcasting more Fun And Less Like A Chore
• Buzzcast: How To Get Listeners To Actually Do What You Ask
• Buzzcast: Creative Ways To Use Voicemail In Your Podcast

PodMatch
PodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For Interviews

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

After a month of publishing Buzzcast as a video podcast, we have some real stats, workflow notes, and one very painful mistake to talk about.

In this episode, we check in on our video podcasting experiment: how many people are actually watching, what Apple Podcasts video stats seem to tell us, and what surprised us most.

We talk through what happened when a full video recording failed, why editing video is so much harder than audio, how difficult video files are to transfer, and why an audio setup is much easier than a video setup.

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/231452/fan_mail/new

Finding a podcast co-host can make your show more fun, sustainable, and dynamic! But picking the wrong person can also make podcasting way harder than it needs to be.

In this episode, we talk through where to actually find a good co-host, why a “anyone want to start a podcast?” post is probably not the strongest strategy, and what to look for before you commit to recording together.

We also discuss how to test a potential co-host before making things official, why recurring guests or people in your life can become great co-hosts, and why writing down a few simple expectations early can save you from a lot of awkward conversations later.

PodMatch
PodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For Interviews

Contact Buzzcast

• Send us Fan Mail
• Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods

Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!