Episode 531 - Better Listener Data Beyond Your Podcast Hosting Site - YouTube Podcasts

In this episode, Dave digs into the creator side of YouTube and explains why the platform offers some of the richest listener analytics available to podcasters today. After previously exploring Spotify for Creators and Apple Podcasts Connect, he turns his attention to YouTube, a platform many podcasters either fully embrace or fiercely avoid. Dave argues that YouTube now belongs among the essential trio for podcasters alongside Apple and Spotify. Whether you prefer audio, video or a hybrid approach, YouTube’s discovery engine and analytics suite make it too valuable to ignore.

Dave challenges the belief that podcasters must choose between YouTube and a traditional RSS feed. Instead, he encourages using both: YouTube for discoverability, search and granular audience insights, and the RSS feed for distribution across Apple, Spotify, Audible and other listening apps. He emphasizes that YouTube can easily ingest your existing RSS feed so episodes automatically appear without extra work. His own author-focused show provides proof that audio-only podcasts can thrive on YouTube, generating thousands of watch hours without a single frame of video.

The episode highlights YouTube Studio as the central hub for creators, where podcasters can manage episodes, access YouTube Music distribution and examine powerful first party data. Dave explains how YouTube’s analytics differ significantly from what podcast hosts like Buzzsprout, Captivate, Libsyn or Blubrry provide. Traditional hosting dashboards report downloads and basic trends, but YouTube offers retention curves, traffic sources, minute-by-minute drop-off data, subscriber actions, engagement behavior and real-time results. These insights allow creators to pinpoint what their audience is responding to and refine their intros, pacing and content choices more effectively.

Dave also underscores the importance of comment engagement. Unlike most podcast players, YouTube creates a real conversational space under each episode. Hosts and guests should reply to comments, pin meaningful questions and foster community. This interaction strengthens listener loyalty and signals to YouTube’s recommendation system that the episode is active and valuable.

Throughout the episode, Dave encourages podcasters to view YouTube as one piece of a four-part data ecosystem: their hosting site, Spotify for Creators, Apple Podcasts Connect and YouTube Studio. Together these platforms provide a holistic view of listener behavior that no single dashboard can offer. Making content decisions based only on hosting-site downloads leaves creators blind to how people actually consume their episodes.

He closes by reminding listeners that he’s available for one-on-one walkthroughs of the major dashboards and invites anyone curious about improving their analytics literacy to book time with him.

Key Takeaway:
YouTube offers unmatched insight into listener behavior, making it an essential tool for podcasters who want to understand, grow and better serve their audience. Combining YouTube analytics with data from Apple, Spotify and your hosting site provides the clearest picture of what’s truly working in your show.

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Episode 530 - Better Listener Data Beyond Your Podcast Hosting Site - Apple Podcasts

In this episode of the How to Podcast series, Dave opens up an often overlooked part of podcasting success. While most creators rely heavily on the stats inside their hosting platform, Dave explains why those numbers only tell part of the story. Hosting dashboards can show downloads and basic reach, but they cannot give the deeper, first party insights that come directly from the listening apps themselves.

After exploring Spotify for Creators in the previous episode, Dave now guides listeners into the world of Apple Podcasts Connect. Even as an Android user who does not personally live in the Apple ecosystem, he emphasizes that avoiding the platform means missing a significant portion of your audience. Apple remains one of the original foundations of podcast distribution, and its backend tools offer data that no hosting site can replicate.

Inside Apple Podcasts Connect, podcasters can claim their show, update their RSS feed, manage availability, organize channels, and set up subscriptions. But the real value lies in the analytics. Apple measures actual listening behavior rather than downloads. You can see followers, listeners, engaged listeners who consume at least twenty minutes or forty percent of an episode, average consumption, geographic breakdowns, time listened, and detailed performance by episode.

Dave explains how these metrics help identify what keeps listeners engaged, where they drop off, and which content formats work best. He also highlights the importance of comparing episodes over time, watching for consistent patterns in retention, and understanding that not every drop off is a reflection of your content. Sometimes people simply step off a treadmill or arrive at work.

Unlike Spotify, Apple does not offer comments within the app, so audience feedback still relies on social media or email. Even so, the listening trends within Apple can reveal what listeners would say if they had typed it out.

Toward the end of the episode, Dave invites listeners to connect with him directly for a conversation about their podcasting journey. He also shares a gentle reminder that podcasters often underestimate their own progress. Feedback and curiosity help creators improve, but stepping forward and publishing episodes already puts you ahead of most people who only dream of starting.

Key Takeaway: Your hosting platform shows reach, but Apple Podcasts Connect reveals true listener behavior. Understanding how people actually consume your episodes gives you the clarity you need to make smarter decisions and improve your show with confidence.

https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/

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Thanks for your support in 2025 - More great How To Podcast Episodes coming in 2026

In this warm, post-holiday stroll episode, the host reflects on a year of podcasting growth, connection, and the promise of 2026. The conversation uses a casual, intimate walk-and-talk vibe to invite listeners into the show’s community, celebrate milestones, and share upcoming plans.

The episode opens with a sense of gratitude for the year past and excitement for what lies ahead. The host notes tangible growth metrics, including growing audience and international connections fostered through meetups and collaborations. This personal touch reinforces the show’s commitment to community and practical support for fellow podcasters.

A central theme is the drive to evolve in 2026. The host discusses a challenge to create daily content across the year, prioritizing personal growth and learning over sheer output. This aspirational goal balances ambition with realism, acknowledging the mental and logistical hurdles while emphasizing the value of consistency and experimentation.

Two major upcoming initiatives anchor the year: a 24-hour podcasting challenge planned for February, and a broader invitation to listeners to engage more deeply with the community through newsletters, coffee donations, and meetups. These segments spotlight the show’s intent to push boundaries while staying grounded in accessibility and service to other creators.

Throughout the episode, the host invites listeners to participate in the journey, whether by following the show, joining meetups, or supporting the show via Buy Me a Coffee. The message centers on collective growth, practical guidance for starting or expanding a podcast, and the belief that small steps taken together yield meaningful momentum.

Key takeaway: Consistent, ambitious experimentation—paired with community support and transparent revenue reinvestment—drives growth for both the show and its listeners, turning a year of routine into a roadmap for meaningful progress in 2026.

If this show has helped you in 2025, please consider supporting our show so that we can support other podcasters, just like you!

https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

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Episode 529 - Better Listener Data Beyond Your Podcast Hosting Site - Spotify For Creators

Spotify for Creators gives podcasters access to powerful first-party listener data and audience engagement tools that hosting platforms like Buzzsprout, Captivate, Libsyn, and Blubrry cannot provide. This guide highlights what you can see inside Spotify for Creators, what your hosting platform shows instead, and how to use both effectively.1. Audience DemographicsWhat Spotify for Creators Shows You (First-Party Data)

Spotify offers listener-level behavior insights based on how users actually consume your episodes inside the app.

• Age groups

• Gender breakdown

• Countries & cities

• Device types

(Hosting platforms cannot access demographic data.)

2. Listener Behavior & Engagement

Spotify tracks what listeners do, not just whether an episode was downloaded:

• Starts: When a listener presses play

• Streams: Listened for 60+ seconds

• Unique listeners

• Followers (Spotify-only)

• Completion rate per episode

• Retention graph showing second-by-second drop-offs

• Episode comparison tools

These metrics reveal how deeply listeners engage with your content.

3. Interactive Audience Tools

Spotify is the only platform where podcasters can engage directly inside the listening app:

• Episode comments

• Q&A features

• Polls

You can approve, hide, reply, or pin comments directly in the dashboard.

4. Spotify-Specific Performance Insights

• Top episodes on Spotify

• Listener trends across days, weeks, months

• Episode growth over time

• Traffic sources: Search, Browse, Your Audience, External

• Follower growth

What Your Hosting Platform Shows Instead

Your hosting platform measures downloads and distribution, not listener behavior.

Hosting dashboards typically show:

• Total downloads across all platforms

• Unique downloads

• Geolocation data (IP-based)

• Listening apps used (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, etc.)

• Episode performance across all platforms

• Download trends over time

Hosts cannot show retention graphs, listener demographics, Spotify follower counts, or Spotify engagement tools.

Use Both Together for a Complete PictureSpotify for Creators = HOW listeners engage

Behavior, drop-off points, demographics, and in-app interactions.

Total downloads, all-platform performance, distribution metrics.

Together, they provide full insight into your show’s health.

Your Hosting Platform = HOW MANY listeners you reachKey Metrics Podcasters Should MonitorFrom Spotify for Creators:

• Retention graph

• Completion rate

• New followers

• Streams vs. listeners

• Comments, polls, and Q&A activity

From Your Host:

• Total downloads

• Where people listen (apps)

• Geographic location

• All-platform episode performance

Where to Manage Listener Interactions

In Spotify for Creators:
Episodes → Select Episode → Interactions
From here you can:

• Reply to comments

• Approve or hide messages

• Pin comments

• Add or edit Q&A and polls

https://creators.spotify.com_____https://howtopodcast.ca/

Look Out 2026 - 365 Day Journal, Creative Content Daily, 24 in 24 and 365 Plus Episodes of The How To Podcast Series

Dave introduces a bold, year-long experiment for 2026 centered on intensified content creation and community engagement through The How To Podcast Series.

In this episode, Dave announces a personal project: a blank-page journal titled 365, with one page for every day of 2026. He plans to fill these pages with daily content, most likely centered on podcasting, as a transparent, year-long record of his journey as a content creator. Alongside the journal, he commits to releasing a new episode of The How To Podcast Series every day in 2026, while maintaining his usual three-episode-per-week rhythm (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). He will also publish quick “Daily Dave” episodes on non-standalone days, each numbered to track progress across the year.

A standout event is the planned 24-hour binge: starting at 10:00 a.m. on February 13 and ending at 11:00 a.m. on February 14, he’ll release 24 episodes—one per hour—leading into a meetup with his community on Meetup, the timing of which aligns with Valentine’s Day. This marathon is designed to push boundaries, test stamina, and demonstrate that with time-management and commitment, prolific creative output is possible.

Dave explains his motivations: he thrives on a challenge, believes his multiple podcasts operate like a well-oiled machine, and wants to allocate more time to connecting with listeners. Rather than chasing awards or fame, his focus is on authentic behind-the-scenes access and building community. He emphasizes that listeners don’t need to consume every episode; they should selectively engage with content that resonates, leveraging clearer, more descriptive episode titles to aid discovery.

Looking ahead, Dave invites listeners to participate by joining him in 2026, whether as guests or casual followers. He plans to live-stream across platforms (Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube) and to be as available as possible, asking people to visit How To Podcast to find his calendar and join the journey. If you’re curious about the process or want to witness a year in the life of a podcaster, this episode sets the stage for what promises to be a transformative, highly visible experiment in disciplined creativity.

Key takeaway: 2026 is Dave’s year to push the envelope of content creation, transparency, and community building—demonstrating that with deliberate planning and consistent output, you can turn a busy life into a perpetual, engaging broadcast for your audience.

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The How To Podcast Series 2026 Podcast Playbook - Human, Visible, Sustainable

Podcasters in 2026 should focus on depth over noise: shows that feel human, are easy to find and binge across platforms, and are built on durable revenue and community, not just downloads.Human-first content and format

Audiences are drowning in choice, and what cuts through is a strong point of view, real personality, and a clear promise for every episode. Listeners increasingly cite authenticity and host connection as key reasons they stick with a show, so sharpening narrative structure, improving interview craft, and doubling down on distinctive host chemistry matters more than chasing trends

Multi-platform presence, video and discovery

Video is now a primary listening surface for many people, especially on YouTube and Spotify, and selective use of visuals can significantly boost reach when it supports the story rather than distracts from it. Treating an episode as a package that spawns short clips, social posts, newsletters, and SEO-friendly pages helps organic discovery at a time when audience growth is everyone’s priority

Community, monetization and smart use of AI

The strongest shows are treating listeners as a community, not just an audience, using memberships, live events, and direct interaction to deepen loyalty and diversify income beyond ads. AI is becoming standard for editing, transcripts, and content repurposing, but creators who use it to free time for higher-quality storytelling, not replace their voice, will be best positioned as the market grows and competition intensifies

Key takeaway: In 2026, the edge goes to podcasters who sound unmistakably human, show up everywhere their listeners are, and build sustainable ecosystems around their shows instead of chasing single-metric vanity wins___

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Episode 528 - A New Challenge and Opportunity for Podcasters Starting Out to Get You Through Your First 10 Episodes

This episode dives into a stark podcasting reality: most new shows stall before episode 10, but host Dave unveils a fresh 2026 program to change that. Drawing from Pod Match stats showing 93.99% of podcasters quit before 100 episodes and 11,740 fade daily after just 46 days on average, Dave spotlights the "single digits trap" where many abandon ship. Only 45% reach episode 8, dropping to 12% at 50 and 2.52% at 300, proving persistence separates survivors from the crowd.

Dave launches a free, limited-spot coaching initiative for 2026 starters, aiming to guide participants to double digits without the grind of 500+ solo episodes. The 12-week framework kicks off with 1-2 intensive sessions on Podcasting 101: artwork, naming, descriptions, and a 10-episode content calendar. Participants then commit to weekly releases (or bi-weekly for overachievers), figuring out voice, format (solo, co-host, interview), and cadence in real time. Dave provides hands-on support—no recording for you, but full guidance on tech, editing shortcuts, and mindset hurdles like imposter syndrome. Post-10, focus shifts to audience building, monetization, and engagement.

Central to the plan is a "soft launch" strategy, flipping guru hype on its head. Record a trailer and episodes 1-10, distribute quietly to all platforms (Apple, Spotify, etc.), then tweak privately: refine audio, artwork, and flow based on family/friend feedback. No big-bang promotion yet—just build confidence and a buffer. Official launch hits when ready (post-episode 2 or 10), timed for your audience with targeted tactics, ensuring sustainability over flashy one-offs. Dave compares it to his pre-COVID store opening: soft-open for testing, then ribbon-cutting with buzz.

He addresses listener pain points—no time for endless episodes?—by offering direct collaboration over pre-recorded courses. Everyone gets community access via free Meetups, but beta participants shape the future paid version (mid-2026) through feedback, even pricing it. A bonus Q&A covers content calendars: anchor with holidays/seasons (e.g., tax time for finance pods), layer mini-series (5-episode deep dives), batch-record reflections after interviews for double episodes in one sit, and fill gaps strategically.

Key takeaway: Beating the 10-episode hurdle demands structure, not solo struggle—pair commitment with guided soft launches and calendars to build momentum quietly, turning stats-defying persistence into a thriving show.

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Episode 527 - Merry Christmas Eve, A Christmas Story for Podcasters and Seasons Greetings

A Christmas Eve Podcast Story

In the snug little town of Jinglejam Junction,

Livd Podcaster McPhee with a voice full of function.

Her booth was a bauble of blankets and foam,

Her microphone shimmering like fresh-chromed chrome.

On Christmas Eve night, with a peppermint grin,

She prepared for her episode: “Let the Yuletide Begin!”

She tapped on her soundboard - boop-bip! - just for flair,

While a garland of cables looped everywhere.

But just as she warmed up her holly-jolly flow,

Her laptop chirped warnings: “Update! Restart!” oh no.

“But not NOW!” she lamented with podcaster pain,

“For I just got my levels to sound less like a train!”

Still, she hit record anyway (as podcasters do),

For episodes must happen, tech tantrums or two.

She launched into stories with cinnamon zest,

About editing all night while refusing to rest.

She rhymed about listeners who email with glee,

Suggesting, politely, “More guests, less of thee.”

She joked that her intro still runs far too long,

And her outro has somehow become a whole song.

Then, CLATTER! CLONK! from the roof came a thunk.

“Is my neighbor again trying rooftop slam-dunk?”

But down through the vent with a grumbly sneeze,

Tumbled Santa himself, smelling faintly of cheese.

“I was checking my list on my Christmas Eve flight,

But your podcast popped up, ‘New Episode Tonight!’

I thought I could help! I’m a longtime fan too!

Though your mic needs a pop filter… maybe one, maybe two.”

He dusted off snowflakes and gave a quick wink,

Then adjusted her tripod, “It’s crooked, I think.”

He tightened her cables, he brightened her screen,

He even fixed hum that had haunted her since Spring.

Before she could speak, he whipped out a sack

And revealed a new gadget - a self-editing track!

“It auto-removes all your stutters and squeaks,

And those weird little gulps you record when you eat.”

She gasped at the gift - “It’s a podcaster’s dream!”

He nodded: “You bet - made by our North Pole Audio Team.”

Then they co-hosted together - what a magical sight,

A Christmas Eve special recorded in one flawless bite.

With a jolly “Ho-ho!” and a mic-drop for flair,

Santa zipped up the vent, disappearing in air.

And McPhee, full of wonder, hit Publish with joy,

A gift to her listeners, each girl and each boy.

Now every year since, on that festive Eve show,

There’s a faint jingle-jangle behind her audio.

Some say it’s a glitch. Some say it’s reverb.

But podcasters whisper, “It’s Santa… superb.”

And so if you’re editing late Christmas Eve,

And your software stops crashing - just suddenly leaves -

You might thank old Saint Nick for his podcaster cheer,

For he helps keep us all sounding crisp every year.

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