Every time I attend a podcast conference, there's another shiny object we're all supposed to be chasing. Video, YouTube Shorts, AI, Netflix, whatever the algorithm is rewarding this week. There's always something new that promises to grow your podcast audience. And I'm as guilty as anyone of trying these things. I've spent plenty of time experimenting with platforms and technology, only to discover six months later that I've been sailing in the wrong direction and that I don't need every toy in the box. With that said, I love to have every toy in the box. Lauren is the founder of Tink Media and their approach to podcast growth strategies hasn't changed much over the years. Find the right audience, build relationships, promote your show on other podcasts, and keep doing it. Sounds simple. Apparently, it's not simple enough for an industry obsessed with finding shortcuts. Podcast Growth Is a Long Game I've been telling prospective podcast clients for years that building an audience is a three-year commitment. That's not a particularly attractive sales pitch, but I'd rather have that conversation before someone spends thousands of dollars producing a show they abandon after six months. Lauren has reached a similar conclusion. At Tink Media, they've gradually increased the length of their marketing engagements because clients weren't giving their podcast promotion enough time to work. Two months became three, then four. And even four months might not be enough. We've found something similar across the Sound Off Podcast Network. When we run promotional campaigns between shows, six months is a much more reasonable window to evaluate whether they're working. Podcast audiences don't suddenly appear because you published a trailer, posted a few clips, or bought some advertising.People need to encounter your show repeatedly. And eventually, some of them will listen. Stop Worrying About the Size of Someone Else's Podcast One of my favourite podcast growth strategies is also one of the oldest: promo swaps. Lauren calls it borrowing an audience. We use Tink Media's free service for swaps and guesting... you should too. Find another podcast that reaches people who might enjoy your show and work together. That could mean exchanging promos, appearing as guests, or having another host recommend a specific episode. Here's where people get hung up. They want to exchange promotions with podcasts that have roughly the same number of downloads. I said as much in the episode but I couldn't care less. I've seen podcasts with hundreds of thousands of downloads deliver virtually no response to a promotion. I've also seen shows with 150 downloads move the needle. The difference is the audience. A recommendation from a trusted host to 150 engaged listeners can be worth considerably more than an advertisement dropped into a show with an enormous but indifferent audience. And here's another thing. A promo swap isn't necessarily a 30-second commercial. Sometimes the best promotion is a host explaining why they enjoyed a particular episode and encouraging their audience to listen. That's a recommendation. And recommendations still work. We Keep Confusing Views With Listeners Podcast discovery has become a complicated conversation because we keep changing what we're measuring. Someone watches a 45-second clip on Instagram. Great. Did they listen to the podcast? Someone encounters your show on YouTube Shorts. Wonderful. Did they subscribe? Did they watch the full episode? There's nothing wrong with short-form video. But we need to stop assuming that every view represents progress toward building a podcast audience. Lauren makes an interesting point about newsletters. She's found that newsletters generate actual podcast listening in ways that social media often doesn't. Someone who subscribes to a newsletter about podcasts is already interested in finding something to listen to. They're considerably closer to becoming a listener than someone scrolling through videos while waiting for the bus. And unlike a social media follower, a newsletter subscriber is someone you can reach directly without hoping an algorithm decides to show them your content. Downloads Are Not the Finish Line I used to wake up every morning and check my podcast downloads. Now I'm far more interested in consumption. If someone downloads an hour-long podcast and listens for 15 minutes, what have I accomplished? I've been making changes to my own show based on listening behaviour. Shorter introductions, fewer unnecessary credits, and editing out those moments when a host announces that the interview is about to end. Why tell listeners they can leave before the conversation is finished? I look at podcast consumption the same way a chef looks at a plate coming back to the kitchen. Shouldn't you too? If you'd like to watch the episode - you can do so here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsBv5RbvGLM

I've been producing both audio and video versions of the Sound Off Podcast for years now. Here's what surprises people: 88.1% of our consumption is audio. I say this as someone who invests in video production. I value it. I want people who prefer watching to have a good experience. But when I look at how people actually consume this show, the numbers tell a clear story. This matters because I keep hearing the same narrative at conferences and in industry discussions: everyone wants to watch podcasts now. Everyone? Then who are all these people spending 40 minutes listening to mine? I recently asked the podcast community to send me their consumption stats—time spent listening from Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, same date range. I want to compare notes. I suspect many producers would discover something similar if they took a proper look at their numbers: audio is doing more work than they think. Here's the thing about strategy: it requires knowing what you're measuring. A YouTube view and a podcast download do not represent the same experience. Someone who spends 40 minutes with an episode has given you 40 minutes of their life. Someone who leaves after 30 seconds has given you 30 seconds. Those are different levels of attention. A video strategy CAN mean you don't even have to buy a camera. You cna use Headliner's tool to create videos like this one blow. Before you redesign your show around video, before you invest in cameras and editing and three-angle setups, ask what your metrics actually mean. Look at completion rates. Look at how people find you and how long they stay. Then make decisions based on your show, your audience, and your resources—not on what you heard someone else is doing. That's a strategy. Another fun stat. One thing I would point out is that our biggest download of the year is just over 30 days old.... which skews the number up from the norm which is about 57%.

Richard Stroobant left a winning radio station for a classroom. Twenty years later, he says he has a job he would do for free. That’s saying something. His years at CJAY 92 included a 19 share, an incredible roster of talent, and a margarita machine that came out at seven on Friday mornings. Richard and I worked together in Edmonton in 1994. Our conversation on The Sound Off Podcast covers some of that history, but I also wanted to know where radio broadcasting education is going—and what graduates need now. Radio Broadcasting Education Beyond the Station When I was programming radio, SAIT was one of the schools I regularly turned to for talent. Richard remembers Ron Tarrant arriving at 17 with a skateboard and his dad asking, “What can you do with him?” Nine years later, Ron was the head sound designer and imaging director for Howard Stern. Today, those skills can lead to podcasting, sound design, live production, video, and corporate communications. Richard outlined SAIT’s new Digital Media Production program, which starts with writing, audio, video, and business before offering more specialized study. Teaching people how to invoice belongs in that mix. You can love creating content, but you still need to get paid. Good Mentorship Requires Honest Feedback Richard’s advice for choosing a mentor: ask who they’ve worked with and where those people are now. Then find someone who will tell you what needs work. If nobody identifies your mistakes, more practice can mean more time repeating them. That applies whether you’re preparing for your first radio shift or producing your hundredth podcast. Audio Quality Still Matters Richard’s position is clear: “If it sounds like shit, they won’t listen to it.” We talked about microphone placement, recording levels, and the habit of moving away from the mic to look better on camera. Put your podcast on video. Make it easy to find. Just remember that people may be listening while driving, walking, or making dinner. The audio still has to work. That’s part of what Richard brings to teaching: years of knowing what good production sounds like, and the willingness to tell someone how to improve it. My Recommended Microphones for Podcasters If you're starting a podcast, I recommend using a dynamic microphone, especially if you're recording at home in a room that hasn't been acoustically treated. You don't need to spend a fortune to get good sound, but you do need the right microphone and proper technique. Shure MV7 – A great option for beginners and experienced podcasters. It connects directly to your computer via USB or to an audio interface via XLR. RØDE PodMic – An affordable, durable dynamic microphone that delivers excellent sound for the price. It uses XLR, so you'll need an audio interface or mixer. Shure SM7B – My professional choice and a broadcast industry favourite. It's an XLR microphone that requires an interface with plenty of clean gain. Remember, buying a good microphone is only half the battle. As Richard explains in this episode, proper microphone placement makes an enormous difference. Keep the mic slightly off-axis, about 45 degrees from your mouth, to avoid popping your Ps and Bs. And don't forget a windscreen. For more advice on improving your podcast, this 2022 episode, The Top 10 Reasons Why Your Podcast Isn't Working is more relevant than ever.

A familiar voice can become part of your day. You listen on the drive to work, during a walk, or while making dinner. Over time, you get to know the host’s habits, opinions, and sense of humour. You might never meet them, but spending time with them feels like spending time with a friend. That relationship was at the heart of my conversation with Jay Nachlis from Coleman Insights. Following our appearance at Podcast Movement in New York, I wanted to explore what research tells us about podcasting, community, and connection. We also got into what radio still does well, where video fits, and why finding something to watch has become such a chore. Why Podcast Hosts Feel Like Friends Coleman Insights partnered with the Locked On Podcast Network, Sarah Burke's Women In Media Network, and the Sound Off Podcast Network to investigate the relationship between podcast listening and feelings of connection. Jay Nachlis, Peter Bukoski, Sarah Burke, and Matt Cundill at Podcast Movement. The findings gave us plenty to discuss. More frequent podcast listeners were more likely to agree that podcasts provide connection, that hosts feel like friends, and that listening keeps them company when they are alone. That doesn’t establish that podcasts cure loneliness. It does give us a better understanding of the relationship listeners build with the voices they choose to spend time with. One story from our Podcast Movement discussion belonged to Peter Bukowski who is the host of Locked On Packers: Two brothers who had drifted apart discovered they both listened to Locked On Packers. The show gave them something to talk about, and they began reconnecting. For creators, that’s a reminder that the value of a show can extend well beyond the listening session. A shared interest can become the start of a conversation, a friendship, or a renewed relationship. WATCH our panel session about Podcasting and Loneliness from Podcast Movement earlier this year. Radio Listeners Still Want to Have Fun Jay and I both have roots in radio, so I was interested in what his research says listeners want from FM music stations: An escape. The news cycle is constant, and everyday life can be overwhelming. Sometimes people turn on the radio because they want music, a laugh, a silly game, or a conversation about something familiar. Even an argument about which way the toilet paper should hang can give someone a welcome break. Morning shows have done this for decades. It’s easy for those of us inside the industry to wonder whether listeners have grown tired of it. Jay’s answer was that they still want it. There’s a lesson here for podcasters, too. Knowing what your audience needs from you matters. That might be information or analysis. It might also be company and a little fun. Audio Still Powers Podcasting The headlines about video podcasting can make audio creators feel like they’re falling behind. Jay encouraged them to look more closely at the research. He explained that the State of Video Podcasting study showed audio growing in the situations where you would expect people to listen. He also pointed to smart TVs and YouTube on those TVs as a major factor in video’s growth. That distinction matters. Watching a podcast on the living room television serves a different part of someone’s day from listening during a commute or workout. Some shows make sense with video as their primary format. Others build their strongest relationships through audio. Creators need to understand how their audience uses the show before deciding where to put their time and money. Podcasters NEED to keep paying attention to audio. The ability to accompany someone through their day is a powerful part of this medium. As we explore more ways to reach people, that experience deserves care and investment. How Much Work Should Discovery Take? Our conversation about smart TVs led us into the frustrations of streaming. You know the show you want to watch, but you can’t remember which service carries it. You find the service, then discover you need another subscription or a different package. Following a sports team can mean navigating several platforms just to watch the season. Jay described the difference between thinking from inside a company and thinking from the consumer’s perspective. Inside the company, the new offering makes sense. Everyone knows where it lives and how to access it. Outside the company, people have busy lives and limited patience. Publishing something doesn’t mean people know how to find it. That applies to podcasts as much as television. We can become so familiar with our own distribution that we forget what a new listener needs. Clear directions, a recognizable identity, and a compelling reason to press play all help. Give Your Podcast a Clearer Start I’ve worked with Jay and Coleman Insights and used their Pod Predictor, so I wanted to discuss how it helps creators make decisions before launching a show. The Sound Off Media Company launched The Declutter Queen after testing different titles, cover art, and descriptions with real podcast consumers. It follows the choices someone might make while browsing: does the title and artwork catch their attention, and does the description make them want to listen? Those elements can perform very differently. A strong description might be hidden behind artwork that fails to attract interest. Testing helps identify where the problem is and gives creators a clearer direction. We also talked about trailers, which I think deserve more attention. Writing a trailer forces you to explain what your show offers. If you’re struggling to put that into words, you may need to sharpen the idea before launching. Jay also made a useful point about measuring a trailer’s value. Someone can hear it, remember the show, and come back much later. An immediate play isn’t the only worthwhile outcome. You’re building familiarity every time someone encounters it. I still hear trailers for older podcasts and think, “I need to listen to that.” A good trailer—and a good back catalogue—can keep introducing people to your work for years. Anyhow - here is the trailer we landed on for the Declutter Queen AFTER the Pod Predictor Research.

There are a million people online trying to crack the algorithm. Sam Bird might be better off because he never really tried. Sam is a comedian, content creator, podcaster and host of CBC’s Street Cents. He grew up around broadcasting, experimented with stand-up and acting, made a hockey comedy podcast, created branded content and worked behind a bar and at Starbucks while figuring out exactly where he fit in the media business. Then this summer, something clicked. A series of simple videos built around a Québécois character Sam had been doing for years suddenly found a massive audience. But the interesting part of Sam’s story isn’t that something went viral. It’s what he did with the attention once it arrived — and everything he had already learned before it did. Sam and I talk about building an audience in a media world where your competition isn’t necessarily another creator or podcast. It’s everything else fighting for someone’s attention. We get into why Sam deliberately keeps much of his content lo-fi, why an iPhone and ten minutes of editing can sometimes outperform expensive production, and why creators need to recognize when something is connecting and move quickly without overthinking it. Sam is also a second generation broadcaster - his father is Ted Bird who worked in Toronto and Montreal on legendary stations like CFTR, CHOM, CJFM and CJAD, K103, and others, is the host alongside Terry Dimonte of Standing By: The Terry and Ted Podcast. We also talk about growing up in a broadcasting family, learning comedy, his work hosting CBC’s Street Cents, building Birdcore, negotiating brand partnerships, and the surprisingly useful lessons bartending taught him about managing a career with a dozen things happening at once. Most importantly, Sam understands that building an audience doesn’t mean allowing the audience — or an algorithm — to decide who you become. If you create podcasts, videos or anything else that requires people to give you their increasingly scarce attention, there’s a lot in this conversation worth stealing. Here is Sam's Podcast called Birdcore which comes in Audio form but also on YouTube.

We remember David Marsden, who passed away on September 25 at the age of 85, by revisiting a conversation recorded in December 2016, during the early days of the Sound Off Podcast. David helped shape the Spirit of Radio at CFNY, and his passion for discovery continued through NYthespirit.com. When we spoke, he was looking ahead—exploring how the internet could give broadcasters the freedom to be creative and listeners the chance to discover music they wouldn’t hear elsewhere. We talk about the parallels between FM’s early days and internet radio, what broadcasters misunderstood about younger audiences, and the lessons he learned from pioneering online radio at Iceberg. David also shares the thinking behind NYthespirit.com, from giving DJs creative freedom to making audio quality a priority. Nearly ten years later, his conviction still resonates: “It’s not about the platform; it’s about what you put on the platform.” You might prefer to listen to this podcast done by Connie Thiessan at Broadcast Dialogue who spoke Ivar Hamilton, Liz Janik and Scot Turner about David's Legacy.

Susan Reade got her start in Edmonton radio wearing an orange Tina Turner wig and leopard-print pants as CHED’s “Janet from Another Planet.” As she prepares to retire from Stingray, I catch up with her to talk about a career that took her from the morning show to sales and leadership—and why she still believes in radio. Susan shares how a difficult experience as a talk show producer in Vancouver led to selling postage meters at Pitney Bowes. The sales training was valuable; the passion for postage wasn’t there. A chance encounter with former colleague Mike Bowman helped her connect the dots between what she loved and what she was good at. That discovery took her to Toronto to help launch a country station, before eventually bringing her home to Edmonton. We compare notes on our Edmonton years, including her time at Easy Rock, launching Magic 99, and leading sales for The Bear and TSN. I ask what makes someone good at selling radio, how the move from diary ratings to people meters affected advertising rates, and where the industry missed opportunities to build stronger relationships with listeners online. Susan also shares how Marty Forbes and Karl Stark recognized her leadership potential before she saw it herself. We get into the return of local sports talk with Sports 1440 and Jason Gregor, the importance of streaming, and how Dash Sync connects an advertiser’s audio message with a visual on the dashboard. I also explain why I see TuneIn as the Yellow Pages of audio—and why keeping a station easy to find on smart speakers matters to its future. Along the way, we talk about the strength of local radio in Edmonton and Kamloops, what Susan has planned for retirement, and how she responds when someone tells her radio is dead. Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show. Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Maria Palmer got her start in radio because iHeartMedia's James Howard walked into a dive bar in Washington D.C., possibly ordered a whiskey, and witnessed talent in action. She was bartending, working her way through acting school, when James, then Program Director DC 101 noticed something: she was both entertaining and taming simultaneously. He asked if she'd ever considered radio. Two weeks later, she was in. She's now part of the Morning Mosh Pit on Chicago's Rock 95.5, and she's built a significant following online. But the words I loved to hear: She's adamant that radio is her number one. Social media is apart of the gig, not the destination. In an industry asking talent to do more with less—skeletal staffs, endless platforms, daily content demands—Maria's approach is instructive. She spent a year just building the habit of posting. No expectation of perfection. Just repetition. Just showing up. If you somehow decide to skip this episode, you are going to miss some really amazing takeaways. These are the things where I said "Oh wow": Take an acting class or 10: Play the role of a villain. You'll learn empathy. Post consistently: Your audience with thank you for being there and the algorithm will reward you. Strategize for the nasty parts of being public: Your audience projects, they don't know you. The vulnerability of being seen is real, especially for radio talent used to the cloak of the studio. But the harshest comments aren't about you—they're about what people bring to the screen. Resilience comes from recognizing that distance. "I always tell people just for at least your first probably year, the only thing that you should be focused on is posting. Just for at least your first probably year, the only thing that you should be focused on is posting. If you can post every single day and just build that muscle, then just inherently by doing that, you're going to get to know yourself more because you'll be watching yourself on camera. You're going to get to know your followers more. You're going to see what videos get liked more, what gets comments more, which ones get sent to people, which ones get reposted. That's data you're going to be inherently taking in, and that's just going to make you better without having to even think about it." — Maria Palmer, Morning Mosh Pit, Rock 95.5 Chicago

Did you know that one of the top countries that listen to the Sound Off Podcast is Nigeria? In the last ten years, this is only the 4th episode we have done with a Nigerian. Dami Dawson began his career believing he had the right voice for radio, but quickly learned that a voice wasn’t enough. He studied the craft, worked as a researcher and intern, and eventually moved behind the microphone. Today, he leads digital entertainment initiatives at TVC Communications and manages Rewind 107.9 FM, a station built around music that listeners may not find in their usual playlists. Maybe it's not surprising but Nigerian radio’s struggles mirror our own in North America. Lagos has nearly 80 stations, yet many are chasing ratings, social-media followers and cheaper talent instead of investing in knowledgeable personalities who connect with their communities. Dami doesn’t believe radio is dead. He believes it has lost some of its soul. We also talked about unreliable audience measurement, weak signals, expensive internet access and the pressure to turn radio personalities into social-media influencers. Dami’s advice is refreshingly clear: radio should bring its authority, research and substance to social media—not allow social media to dictate what happens on the air. From Lagos to North America, the lesson is the same: technology changes, platforms change, and measurement changes. But radio only matters when the people making it understand the audience, respect the craft and have something meaningful to say.

How PodSummit Builds Canada’s Creator-Focused Podcast Community Podcasting may sound like a social medium, but creating a show can be surprisingly isolating. Independent podcasters often spend countless hours recording, editing, publishing and promoting episodes alone. Outside Canada’s largest media centres, simply finding other creators who understand that experience can be difficult. That challenge inspired Tim Truax to help build PodSummit: a distinctly Canadian podcast event centred on creators, community and genuine connection. In a conversation with podcast strategist, Tim explained how PodSummit grew from a desire to give Canadian podcasters a place to meet, exchange ideas and realize they are part of something much larger. Today, PodSummit brings podcasters, storytellers, brands and industry professionals together for practical education, live podcast experiences and meaningful networking. A Podcast Event Designed Around Creators What makes PodSummit different from many podcast conferences is its focus on the creator experience. Its programming combines big-picture conversations with practical sessions covering areas such as: Audience development and podcast growth Audio and video production Storytelling techniques Video podcasting Industry trends Podcast branding Live podcast production This balance is valuable for creators at every stage. New podcasters can develop foundational skills and meet potential mentors, while established hosts and producers can explore new formats, strengthen their networks and discover opportunities for collaboration. PodSummit is not limited to people who already have a podcast. Writers, marketers, filmmakers, business owners and other storytellers can also benefit from its sessions and creative community. An Event Venue That Encourages Creativity The setting also plays an important role in the PodSummit experience. Rather than using a standard hotel ballroom, PodSummit takes place at The GRAND, a historic cultural venue in downtown Calgary. The building’s theatrical character helps establish the creative, welcoming atmosphere behind the event. It feels more like entering a space for storytelling and performance than attending a traditional corporate convention. That atmosphere supports PodSummit’s broader philosophy: podcasting is an evolving craft, and creators do not need to arrive with every detail perfected. They can share unfinished ideas, ask candid questions and learn alongside people facing similar challenges. PodSummit 2026 in Calgary PodSummit 2026 takes place October 16–17, 2026, at The GRAND in Calgary. The two-day event will feature speaker sessions, workshops, panels, networking opportunities and live podcast experiences. Passes include access to the complete PodSummit program, live recordings and the Friday evening reception. Current pass options include: Summit Pass: general all-access admission Trailblazer Pass: a special rate for eligible returning attendees Horizon Pass: reduced admission for eligible students and recent graduates The 2026 program also includes live podcast experiences such as Unlonely with Dr. Jody Carrington. Event details, inclusions and pricing are available on the official PodSummit passes page. Tickets can be purchased through the official PodSummit 2026 ticket page. Join Canada’s Podcast Community PodSummit offers an opportunity to learn and build lasting relationships. Visit the official PodSummit website to explore the event, review the latest program information and secure your pass for October 16–17, 2026, in Calgary.