Hey Podcast Fam, 

AI is moving fast in podcast workflows — brainstorming, editing, research, admin. But when it comes to who's actually on the mic, listeners are drawing a clear line, according to research from Edison Research.

Listeners Have Tried AI Hosts — But Don't Want Them

About 1 in 4 first-year podcast listeners have tried an AI-narrated show, compared to roughly 1 in 5 long-time listeners. Trying isn't the same as embracing.

In follow-up interviews, the feedback was consistent: listeners want AI in the background, not on the mic. AI-generated hosts, they said, lack the emotional nuance, authenticity, and chemistry a human brings to a conversation.

Podcast Audiences Are Diversifying Fast

First-year listeners look different from the audience that built the medium. They're more likely to be women, younger, and more racially diverse — 39% are non-white, compared to 25% among long-time listeners.

Video Is a Bridge to Audio, Not a Replacement

Video is playing a growing role ...

Hey Podcast Fam, 

Did you know Operation Podcast can bring your show anywhere in the Greater Los Angeles area? We capture great podcast moments in any setting, with the same expert team, pro equipment, and seamless service you know from our studio — just on the road. 

Mobile Recording Made Easy

If you caught Daniel Wall's interviews with Benny Blanco, DJ Marshmello, and the Jonas Brothers, you already have a feel for what this looks like in practice. All three were recorded on location, outside of our studio. That's the setup we bring with us — same gear, same crew, same care, wherever you need it to be.

• Daniel Wall x Benny Blanco (YouTube)
• Daniel Wall x DJ Marshmello (YouTube)
• Daniel Wall x Jonas Brothers (YouTube)

Your Podcast, Your Location

Ready to explore the possibilities of taking your podcast beyond the studio walls and into the vibrant landscape of Los Angeles?

Get in touch and let's plan your shoot →

Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes insights and exciting p...

Hey Podcast Fam,

You're already doing the hard part — recording powerful conversations, capturing real stories, and showing up for your audience.

But what if every episode could double its impact?

That's the power of smart content repurposing.

Turn Your Episodes Into

• Scroll-stopping reels — 30-second clips built for TikTok and Instagram
• Blog posts that rank on Google and drive ongoing traffic
• Quote graphics designed to spread across X and LinkedIn

Curious how to multiply your content?

Riverside breaks it down in this quick video: Repurposing Podcast Content: How To Create 10+ Pieces From 1 Episode

Why Maximize Your Content?

✅ Expand your reach
Hit new platforms and connect with audiences who prefer video or quick reads over long-form audio.

✅ Increase discoverability
More content across the web means more ways for new listeners to stumble onto your show.

✅ Get more from every episode — without burning out
Squeeze real mileage from content you've already recorded, inst...

Hey Podcast Fam,

For years, the "safe" bet in podcast advertising has been chasing legacy corporate networks. The logic seemed obvious: bigger network, bigger reach, bigger results.

But new data suggests that logic has it backwards.

Reach Is a Vanity Metric. Resonance Is an ROI Metric.

Oxford Road, a leading podcast ad agency, just released new rankings using their ORBIT tool — a system built to track actual advertiser ROI instead of estimated downloads. The findings: 80% of Oxford Road's top 15 performing podcasts, ranked by real ad performance, are independent shows produced outside major networks.

That's 8 out of the top 10 slots going to creators who own their audience directly, with no network attached.

The 4 "Performance Lanes" Behind Independent Success

Oxford Road's analysis identified four consistent categories where independent shows are winning:

🛠 The Build — Education & Business
Listeners in this lane aren't just consuming content passively — they're looking for a s...

Hey Podcast Fam, 

Here's something most video podcasters don't realize: your setup usually isn't the problem. Your framing is.

You can have a $2,000 camera and still look amateur — or a $200 webcam and look like a network show. The difference almost always comes down to three fixable things. Here's your pre-record checklist:

Find Your "Power" Eye Line

Camera too low, and you're looming over your audience. Too high, and you shrink yourself on screen. Neither builds trust with a viewer.

The fix: Lens at eye level, with your eyes landing in the top third of the frame — the same ratio broadcast news has used for decades because it reads as authoritative without feeling aggressive.

Pro tip: Look directly at the lens, not at your own face on the preview screen. It feels unnatural for the first few sessions, but it's the single fastest way to fix "shifty eye contact" on video

Stop "Frame Drift" Mid-Recording

Frame drift is when your position slowly shifts during a session — a lean her...

Hey Podcast Fam,

You know your show delivers value. Your listeners are loyal, your download numbers are solid, and sponsors keep sliding into your DMs.

So why does pricing a sponsorship read still feel like throwing a dart at a board?

Most creators either lowball themselves because they don't know the benchmarks, or they quote a random number and hope the sponsor doesn't push back. Neither approach gets you paid what you're worth.

Here's the actual math, the current CPM rates, and the levers you can pull to charge more.

How Podcast Sponsorship Pricing Works: The CPM Formula

Podcast sponsorships are priced on CPM — cost per mille, or cost per 1,000 downloads. A $30 CPM means the advertiser pays $30 for every 1,000 times the episode is downloaded.

The math is one line:

Rate = (Downloads ÷ 1,000) × CPM

A podcast with 60,000 monthly downloads at a $35 CPM would charge $2,100 per episode. Scale that formula up or down and you've got your baseline rate card.

One detail sponsors alr...

Hey podcast fam,

Today we’re exploring a question we don’t hear asked enough:

Can podcasting actually make you a better leader?

In a piece for Entrepreneur, James Dooley shared that hosting multiple shows became the most effective leadership training he never expected. It wasn’t about the downloads, it was about the structure the microphone forced onto his thinking.

Most entrepreneurs see a podcast as a content play or a growth lever. But for the host, the real ROI often happens before the episode ever hits the feed.

Here’s how podcasting quietly trains you to think, decide, and lead more clearly, long before it grows your audience.

The Mic Test 

If you sat down at a microphone right now and tried to explain one of your core ideas for 20 minutes, what would happen?

• Would you stumble over the "why" behind your decisions?
• Would your logic feel fuzzy or hard to follow to a listener hearing it for the first time?

Regularly articulating ideas out loud does a few powerful thing...

Hey Podcast Fam,

This year, Spotify has done more than just move the needle on discovery. 

Premium users can now skip the generic charts and build custom playlists using conversational prompts like: 

"an hour of investigative tech journalism for a rainy drive."

What this means

We are moving from keyword matching to intent matching.

Keyword Matching: A user searches "Marketing" and sees every show with that word in the title.

Intent Matching: The AI analyzes the context and depth of your show to see if it actually satisfies the user’s specific request.

Why this helps you

• Context is King: It’s no longer about gaming a single word. It’s about the "vibe" and topic depth.
• Archive Revivals: Spotify confirms this targets back-catalogs. Your 2022 evergreen episodes now have a fresh chance to surface.
• Algorithm Insights: Spotify tells listeners why an episode was picked. By testing prompts in your own niche, you can see exactly how the AI is "labeling" your content.

The takeaway...

Hey Podcast Fam, 

Ever notice how some podcast episodes feel like a stiff press conference, while others feel like you’re eavesdropping on a late-night conversation between old friends?

Most of the time, the difference isn’t the guest — it’s the invisible habits of the host.

We spend so much energy dialing in mic settings and booking the “perfect” guest that we forget about the most important part of the recording: the human side of the conversation.

Here are five small, warm shifts you can make today to help guests relax, open up, and share their best stories.

1. Break the Ice Early

Don’t let the start of your taping be the first time your guest speaks. Spend 5-10 minutes catching up by asking about their day or a project they’re excited about. 

 When guests feel cozy, they stop delivering rehearsed answers and start telling real stories.

2. Master the "Silent Nod"

We all want to show we’re listening, but verbal cues like “yeah” and “totally” can clutter your audio and disrup...

Hey Podcast Fam,

Let’s be honest... in 2026, the biggest threat to any podcast isn’t a bad review.
It’s being ignored.

This year's industry reports from Deloitte and The Wall Street Journal were released, and the data is a wake-up call for anyone still playing the game in audio-only mode.

The Attention Gap 👁️

Here’s how audiences are actually consuming content:

Video Watchers: 44% give their undivided attention—no multitasking.

 Audio Listeners: Only 29% are fully engaged. The other 71% are driving, doing dishes, or distracted by daily life.

Why This Matters for Your Show

Video audiences are 1.5× more engaged than audio-only listeners.

They don’t just hear you, they spend 50% more time with your content and build a stronger connection with you as a host.

So here’s the real question: 

In a crowded feed, are you trying to be louder – or more present? 

Because presence is what allows your message to be felt, not just heard. 

Record a Show People Choose to Watch

Most podcasts ...