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Hey, Podcasters!

If you’ve ever stayed up late scrubbing through waveforms, you know how podcast editing can easily go from a "quick polish” into an all-night project.

But the reality is, editing will take as much time as you give it. And that doesn't need to be a long time.

Changing a few habits before and during recording can make the whole process faster and less stressful!

Where to Start

Rethinking your workflow can feel overwhelming. It helps to begin with small changes:

• Capture clean audio up front by recording in a soft room, wearing headphones, or using a dynamic mic.
• Always do a test recording even if it's just a 60-second test. This can save you hours of “surgical” editing later.
• Have an outline (not a script) to keep conversations focused and cut down tangents, which means less trimming afterward.

These shifts may seem small, but they add up quickly and free you to focus on the content instead of chasing every edit.

For more of our top tips, check out this ​episode​ of Buzzcast.

Rethinking What “Good Editing” Means

A clean episode doesn’t mean perfect.

The team at ​We Edit Podcasts​ reminds creators that the most sustainable edits focus on clarity, not scrubbing every “um.”

A natural conversation will always sound better than one that feels over-polished. They share more mindset tips on their ​blog​.

What Podcasters Are Doing Differently

Podcasters spend an average of 3-8 hours editing their show. That’s a big commitment. And not always a practical one.

In the​ Buzzsprout Facebook group​, podcasters have been swapping resourceful ways to save time.

Some clap or snap to mark mistakes, others coach guests to restart sentences, and many avoid crosstalk by nodding instead of chiming in.

Little habits like these can take the pressure off and make editing feel less overwhelming!

Keep Podcasting

Editing will always take effort, but it doesn’t have to take over your week.

The most important thing is building a process you can sustain for the long run because that’s what keeps your podcast growing.

Have a question for Megan? Send a text!

That's all for this week! Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!

Send a question for 'Ask Megan'

Hey, Podcasters!

Every podcast is a brand, whether you planned it that way or not.

Your name, artwork, and content should all work together to show listeners exactly what your show is about.

But what happens when they don’t? Maybe your name locks you into one topic. Maybe it no longer fits your podcast. Or maybe… you just don’t like it anymore.

Good news, your podcast is allowed to evolve! That’s where rebranding, or sometimes just relaunching, comes in.

What’s a rebrand?​
Rebranding gives your show a new look and focus. This usually includes updating your podcast name and artwork.

A rebrand gives your show a clearer concept without starting over from scratch. But, not every show needs one!

Considering a rebrand? Ask yourself:

• Does my current name still reflect my content?
• Am I serving the same audience, or shifting to a new one?
• Will this update make my show stronger than it is right now?

If you're pivoting to a totally different topic, a rebrand might be the answer.

But, if you want to serve the same audience and strengthen your podcast, relaunching could be the right move instead!

What is a relaunch?
​A relaunch is when your show has been on a break and you want to give it a refresh with new episodes and a tighter focus.

​We actually just did this with our own show, Podcasting Q&A.

​Podcasting Q&A has been around for years, but hasn't produced new episodes in a while. So we're relaunching it with new episodes to better serve podcasters today! The best part? We kept our audience while making the show easier for new listeners to discover.

If you want to see what a relaunch looks like in action, now’s the perfect time: check out the new Podcasting Q&A podcast and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

How to rebrand in Buzzsprout​
In Buzzsprout, rebranding is easy! You can update your podcast title and artwork in your Podcast Settings.

Then, Buzzsprout automatically pushes those updates to every directory. In just a few clicks, your new brand is live!

If you decide to rebrand, make sure you let your audience know. This Facebook thread discusses rebranding and has some advice on communicating this to your listeners!

And if you want more details, we have a full guide on how to rebrand a podcast.

A rebrand or relaunch doesn’t mean starting from scratch. It means building a better version of the podcast you already love making!

Have a question for Megan? Send a text!

That's all for this week! Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!

Send a question for 'Ask Megan'

Hey Podcasters! We just got back from Podcast Movement in Dallas, and it was awesome to connect with so many Buzzsprout podcasters in person!

This year’s conference introduced a new format with silent-disco style headphones and featured plenty of conversations about where podcasting is headed.

If you couldn’t make it, don’t worry, our producer Jordan sat down with top speakers to hear their best advice from the conference. From choosing the right monetization strategy to using SEO for discovery, the common theme was clear: small shifts in strategy can create big opportunities for growth.

You can hear all the takeaways and full conversations in this week’s ​episode of Buzzcast​. Listen ​wherever you get your podcasts​, and ​text us​ what you think!

And if you're looking for more on Podcast Movement 2025, check out ​@podcastmovement on Instagram​ for recaps of each day.

Have a question for Megan? Send a text!

That's all for this week! Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!

Send a question for 'Ask Megan'

Hey Podcasters!

Coming up with new episode ideas can feel easy in the beginning, but a few months in, it’s common to hit a wall. If you’ve ever sat down to record and thought, “What am I even going to talk about this week?” you’re not alone.

In this week’s episode of Buzzcast, Jordan and Alban sit down with Dave Jackson from School of Podcasting to talk about how to never run out of ideas for your podcast. Dave’s been podcasting for over 20 years and has launched more than 30 shows, so he can relate to what it’s like to run out of ideas. But he also knows how to get inspired again.

The conversation covers everything from how to build an ongoing idea bank to how to stay in tune with your audience so your episodes always feel relevant. Dave also shares personal stories from his own shows, including times he’s rebranded or moved on to something new to keep content fresh.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re out of ideas or just out of motivation, this episode is for you!

You can listen to the full episode ​wherever you get your podcasts​, and ​text us​ what you think!

And if you want even more inspiration, here are a few helpful resources for planning future content:

• ​How other podcasters plan topics to keep things fresh (Reddit)​
• ​How to keep creating when podcasting feels lonely (Reddit)​
• ​How to come up with episode ideas (The Podcast Host)​

My favorite takeaway from the episode is that podcasting gets easier when you stop chasing perfect ideas and start paying closer attention to your curiosity and your energy. Those are often where your best episodes start.

Have a question for Megan? Send a text!

That's all for this week! Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!

Send a question for 'Ask Megan'

Hey, Podcasters! This week, we’re sharing one of the easiest ways to improve your sound without new equipment: microphone technique!

With a few easy mic technique tweaks, you can get cleaner, more consistent audio.

We’ve pulled together resources to help you get started:

• This ​Reddit thread​ with tips from Buzzsprout podcasters
• This ​blog post​ on mic technique
• And a ​quick video​ if you're short on time

And if you don't have a mic yet, here's our ​top recommendation​!

Mic technique might feel unfamiliar at first, but it quickly becomes second nature. Even small adjustments can make a big difference in how your audience hears you.

Have a question for Megan? Send a text!

That's all for this week! Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!

Send a question for 'Ask Megan'

Hey, Podcasters! Let’s be honest: we all judge podcasts by their cover.

In fact, 62% of new listeners are more likely to check out a podcast if they like the cover art. That means your artwork isn’t just a placeholder, it’s your show’s first impression! And that can either be a good thing or a bad thing.

Here's how to make sure your artwork is doing its job and standing out to new listeners:

1. Keep It Simple
The best artwork does one thing really well. That might mean a bold font, a single striking image, or a unique color palette. But once you start adding in a logo, tagline, headshot, app icons, and your podcast’s URL…you’ve lost the plot.

Aim for:

• One strong visual concept
• Clear, readable typography
• Zero clutter

If you want real examples of what works (and what doesn’t), we break it down in ​this blog post​ with templates and visual references to get you started.

2. Match the Tone of Your Show
Think about how your podcast sounds. Is it funny, serious, calming, or unhinged? Make sure your cover feels like that! Listeners make assumptions based on your artwork. If it looks good and communicates tone clearly, they’ll know exactly what your show is about.

3. Choose the Right Visual Approach
There’s no single right way to design cover art, but here are three directions that usually work:

Host Photo If your face is the brand (think celebrity or influencer), a photo makes sense. If not, consider whether it’s adding anything or contributing to clutter.

Iconography A single, meaningful image can tell a story at a glance. Just avoid clichés like microphones or headphones; you wouldn’t put a DVD on a movie poster!

Typography-Led If your show name is clever or strong on its own, lean into that. Bold, clean type can stand out more than an overworked design ever will.

No matter which route you take, it needs to look good on a small scale, because that’s how people are seeing it in app menus and search results.

Real Feedback from Real People
If this is starting to feel intimidating, you don’t have to do it alone.

I love this ​Reddit thread​ where podcasters share their thoughts on what makes good podcast artwork. It’s a great way to gut-check your design or get unstuck.

And if you want to help a Buzzsprout podcaster decide, the host of People in Australia could use your help ​weighing in on different designs​.

TL;DR:

If you're a visual learner, watch this video!

You can listen to the team break down everything about podcast cover art in ​this week's episode of Buzzcast​.

Both resources walk you through design best practices, how to think about thumbnails, and how to avoid common design pitfalls without needing to be a professional graphic designer.

If your cover art communicates tone, stands out in your category, and looks sharp at small sizes, you’re in great shape. And if you're not sure, we're here to help! Post your artwork

Have a question for Megan? Send a text!

That's all for this week! Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!

Send a question for 'Ask Megan'

Hey, Podcasters!

This week, we are switching things up! We're going to talk about a feature that doesn’t get nearly enough love: Dynamic Content. Let's get to it!

If you’ve never used it before, ​Dynamic Content​ is a tool in your Buzzsprout account that lets you easily add or remove pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll segments to any of your episodes.

Think of it as being able to add a quick message, announcement, or promotion, and swap it out whenever you want. But with no editing! That's right, these segments aren't added to your original audio files, so you can switch them out at any point.

It’s a flexible way to keep your episodes fresh without the hassle of re-editing your entire back catalog.

You can use Dynamic Content to...

• Thank a sponsor
• Announce an upcoming event
• Send a holiday greeting
• Respond to Fan Mail
• Thank your supporters
• Promote a giveaway
• Invite listeners to interact on Social Media
• Mention upcoming conferences you'll be attending
• Cross-promote other podcasts

You can even get creative! Some podcasters use Dynamic Content to rotate intro or outro music across their episodes (like this ​great idea on Reddit​).

If you'd rather listen than read, you can learn about Dynamic Content in ​this episode​ of The Proffitt Podcast. Krystal does a great job of walking you through four ways to use Dynamic Content and why it's important for content creators to know how to utilize it.

How do you use it? ​Join the conversation in our Facebook group​ and share your best practices or ideas with other podcasters.

Dynamic Content is available for all Buzzsprout podcasters in your Buzzsprout account! You can check it out by going to the Episodes page and clicking on the Dynamic Content tab.

Alright, that's all for Dynamic Content, and all I have for this week. I'm excited to hear how you use it!

Have a question for Megan? Send a text!

That's all for this week! Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!

Send a question for 'Ask Megan'

Hey, Podcasters!

Our team is prepping for Podcast Movement next month, which has my brain in full conference mode. One of our most asked questions at conferences actually isn't about Buzzsprout, it's about podcasting equipment!

Podcasters want to know if the gear they are using is "right," and while the best equipment for one podcaster might not be the same for another, there are some common themes that can make a big difference. So today, we're going all in on one topic: podcast equipment. Let’s get to it!

The Best Gear for Any Budget

As the podcast industry continues to grow, so do the podcast equipment offerings. And while it is great to see so many companies investing in the podcasting space, it can be tough to know what products are right for you!

This week on Buzzcast, the team is sharing their favorite podcasting equipment after hitting 500k downloads. They share why they still prefer dynamic microphones, what products are luxury vs necessity, and how to get the most out of your recording space.
Listen ​wherever you get your podcasts​, and ​text us​ what you think!

Listen on Apple

Ready to Learn More?

Check out ​the ultimate podcast equipment guide​: There are so many podcast equipment guides out there, and I always find it hard to determine what are actual recommendations and what is just an affiliate link.

That's why I always recommend this ​podcast equipment guide​ from our Head of Marketing, Alban Brooke. He breaks down two setups that he has used to record over 500 podcast episodes and explains why these products work for him!

Share Your Thoughts

​Share what equipment works for your podcast​: The best podcast setups are usually the most simple! We've found that dynamic mics with budget headphones and a treated space give you a better sound than most expensive gear. Do you have tips on podcast equipment? Let us know on ​Reddit​!

Get Connected

​Learn from Jacksonville podcasters:​ Jax Podcast Camp is a free half-day event packed with workshops for new and experienced podcasters, happening July 31 from 1–5 pm at WJCT in Jacksonville, FL. It's a great chance to learn, connect, and grow your podcasting community!

Have a question for Megan? Send a text!

That's all for this week! Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!