Launch, growth and success tips for Podcasters and wider content creators. Read a set of quick points, from tool reviews to growth tactics, and much more, all aimed at helping you create the show of your dreams. If you're building a personal or a content brand, then get started with us!
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🎧 How to get feedback on your podcast 🗣️ (Podcraft Pointers)
Published 4 days ago • 7 min read
Mic Drop Fact
Sound can lift objects. Acoustic levitation is when sound waves suspend small objects in midair by counteracting gravity.
Hullo there!
I had feedback on my podcast once.
I used to record on an old Zoom H2n and, despite being told many times to monitor my recordings, I neglected to take the two seconds needed to plug a pair of earbuds in before hitting the big red button.
I'd travelled to a cafe to meet my guest, and we had a great conversation. The problem was that someone nearby must've been popular on the old cellular mobile telephone front, resulting in that awful dit-dit-dit-dit-dit... dit... dit-dit-dit-dit-dit noise polluting the entire file. I had no idea until I got home and loaded it into my DAW.
So, that's how to get feedback on your podcast. 😂🤦
But... if it's the other type of feedback you're interested in (you know, comments, suggestions, critique), then check out this week's Spotlight piece by Lindsay!
A quick tip on prepping to be interviewed on another show. Here's something you can send over to the host in advance that's going to make your episode unforgettable.
If you're fed up with the endless time-sink of promoting your podcast across multiple social platforms, Colin's found a brilliant tool that might just be your saviour. Later.com has quickly become his go-to for scheduling all our podcast promo, from video clips to images, across basically every platform out there. The magic? It takes just 20 minutes to sort an entire week's worth of content!
There are so many different clips, tracks, and elements that make up your average audio drama production. Here's a look at our Adobe Audition session for the Hostile Worlds show.
It isn't hard to make a podcast. Making a good podcast, however, is not easy. Here are nine common podcasting mistakes: think of this as a map to the traps that many podcasters tend to fall into, so you can avoid them.
If you're keen to add a video element to your podcast, then the good news is that software options are becoming more common, affordable, and beginner-friendly.
YouTube shouldn't be your primary podcast platform, but adding your show there can help you reach some extra people. Here's how to easily put your show on YouTube even if you don't record video and have no intention of starting.
Lucy the house bunny sadly passed away on Thursday. A callback to this Zoom H5 digital recorder review, as she modelled for one of the photos. Rest in peace, Lu x.
🔦 SPOTLIGHT 🔎
🎧 Getting Real Feedback on Your Podcast
If you want to improve your show, you need more than just reviews; you need honest, specific feedback. Ask after a few episodes, once you're past the beginner jitters and ready for real insight.
✅ Ask listeners who’ve actually heard your show. Make it personal: email them or use surveys with fun, guided questions (voice messages work great!). ✅ Podcasting communities can offer craft-focused input, even if you're not their target audience. Just don’t “post and ghost.” ✅ Social media is fair game, but ask targeted questions like “Was the intro too long?” or “How’s the audio mix?” Small tweaks often matter most 🔧
❌ Avoid vague asks like “Did you like it?” and never jump into someone’s DMs or mentions demanding feedback. 👏 Always thank people, even if you disagree. Good feedback is gold, even when it stings a little.
"We all want to get the word out about our shows, but maintaining authenticity is key. Share your strategies and experiences with the community!
What are some subtle ways you've found to share your podcast with new audiences?
Have you discovered any creative methods that feel genuine and not overly promotional?
How do you balance promoting your podcast while staying true to your personal style?
Don’t be shy, let us know in the comments below. We’d love to learn from each other's experiences. Your insights could be just what another podcaster needs to hear!"
Podcasters put creative freedom before stability 💪
For last week's quick poll, we asked: If you were given the option between either full creative autonomy with your podcast or a steady income, which would you choose?
The responses to this one were almost neck-and-neck. 56% of podcasters said retaining creative freedom with their show was most important to them, while 44% said they'd give up that autonomy if it meant they could have a regular income through their show.
Comments suggested that the current economy is pushing some podcasters to prioritise income over creativity for the first time.
Thanks to everyone who answered the poll, and feel free to reply to this email if you have any anecdotes to share that we might include in future articles!
💡 MINDSET MOMENT
Finding your authentic voice - Techniques to sound more natural and less "radio announcer"
Take a look at yourself. How’s your posture right now, as you read this? 🪑 The sound of a human voice is tied inextricably to the body. The mouth, throat, lungs, and diaphragm all work together to make each person’s voice unique. If you’ve ever participated in choir, you know how posture affects the sound of your voice.
Now, think about how you carry yourself when chatting with friends, playing with kids, or conversing with your boss or a client. Your shoulders and spine may be rounded, and your larynx may be loose. Try speaking while sitting or standing that way, and notice how your voice feels.
When you sit up straight and enunciate, you sound clear and your voice can carry a good distance. But, your dialogue can sound forced, which can seem disingenuous. When your body is relaxed, the sound of your voice doesn't travel, and your dialogue may be muddled. Don't mistake a lack of clarity for authenticity. 🎭 It’s not easy to balance a posture that helps your voice carry with a posture that helps you relax. But, it can be done.
First, make sure you stand or sit in a chair that keeps you comfortable while maintaining an upright, unobstructed airway. Next, practice breathing from your belly, exhaling more slowly than you inhale. This helps your body practice breathing from your diaphragm. Your muscle memory can hold this while you focus on your script. Finally, make sure that you’re using an appropriate mic distance. When your mouth is about as far from the mic as the distance between the tips of your outstretched thumb and pinky, you should be close enough to sound clear without your consonants popping the mic (a pop filter doesn't hurt, either). 🎤
Record yourself for practice, reading a passage from a favorite book. Try different gain settings or mic distances. Then listen objectively to what you’ve recorded.
Once you’ve found your Goldilocks Zone, with a combination of mic distance, gain settings, and sit or stand posture that’s “just right,” practice recording like this until your body feels used to it. Repeat tongue twisters to warm up your mouth, so enunciation flows naturally. Relax and think about your ideal audience. Imagine you’re casually talking on the phone with them. ☎️
The “radio announcer” voice, which may sound insincere and pompous, comes from a time when electronically amplified sound was so new, performers were used to projecting their voices onstage to fill a whole room. Now, particularly in home recording environments, you don’t have to put as much air pressure behind your voice. Nowadays, vocal clarity is more important than volume. 🔊
Remember, the more you practice, the more trustworthy and inviting your voice will sound. And, just like the Hokey Pokey, that’s what it’s all about, right? 💃
Lindsay
🎁 RESOURCE OF THE WEEK
Podcast Intro & Outro Checklist
Opening and setting up your topic is vitally important if you want the listener to keep on listening.
Signing off in a focused and organised manner will leave a lasting impression too, and make people want to come back for more.
In Recording Effective Podcast Intros & Outros, we'll walk you through the tried and tested steps of opening and closing a podcast episode.
There's also a checklist, meaning you can easily refer to the guide during your recording session whenever you need a prompt.
Meet Alitu, the podcast maker that does all the techie work so you can focus on what you do best.
Record, edit, schedule and publish with one tool
AI audio editing so you sound better with less work
Publish more consistently, love the process
Real human support that’ll always get you unstuck
"The platform really is that easy to use-- I am so grateful for the time and headache saved while being able to get my episodes out in a timely and regular way." - Amy
As a Podcraft Pointers subscriber, you're entitled to 50% off your first month when you sign up for Alitu. Use coupon code POINTERS50 at checkout!
Want to Sponsor This Newsletter?
We work with products and services that are a great fit for our readers, so if you offer something that's ideal for podcasters and creators, get in touch. Drop us a line at sponsor@thepodcasthost.com.
👋 LET US HELP YOU
Whatever you need, whatever your budget, we’ve got you covered
From launch coaching and growth mentorship to editing and production, courses, and podcast feedback, we can tailor something exactly to your own needs. We're waiting to hear from you, so give us a shout!
Matthew & Colin
Have questions? Hit reply to this email and we'll help out!
Launch, growth and success tips for Podcasters and wider content creators. Read a set of quick points, from tool reviews to growth tactics, and much more, all aimed at helping you create the show of your dreams. If you're building a personal or a content brand, then get started with us!
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