So naturally, having your podcast scooped up by a network is something the industry teaches podcasters to aspire to. But it’s not for everyone. Sometimes, it’s worth asking the question – is joining a network really all it’s cracked up to be?

I’ve been thinking about this recently because Podnews reported the Simplify podcast has gone indie again. After 9 years, 94 episodes and more than 4 million downloads, hosts Caitlin Schiller and Ben Schuman-Stoler have just bought their show back off their network, Blinkist.

So why would a network show choose to go indie? While there are loads of perks to joining a network, let’s take a minute to appreciate the benefits of being an independent podcast.

Benefits of Indie vs. Networks

Keep all the revenue you make

If a network wants to work with you, it’s because they can see the monetary potential in your show.

So of course, part of the deal is that they take a big cut of any revenue you generate from your podcast. If your show starts doing really well (as has been the case for Simplify), that revenue can outstrip what you make back from the network.

Going independent means you keep all the revenue as you grow. It also means you have full transparency on how much you’re actually making (which can be less clear if a network is producing your show for you).

Full creative control over your content

Giving up creative control is often the hardest part of joining a network. Networks will often have strong ideas about the kind of content you need to create in order to keep advertisers happy. Essentially, you’re restricted to making ‘brand-safe’ choices about your show.

This can dictate everything from the topics you cover and the guests you interview to even the format of your show. Independence means you get to make the show you actually want to make.

Ben Schuman-Stoler told Podnews that this was really the drive behind taking the Simplify podcast indie again. “Now we get to choose the themes and guests and books without worrying about audience/customer overlaps”, he said.

Manage your own release schedule

Networks will push for a consistent and frequent release schedule because this helps them sell ads. Brands aren’t likely to invest in shows that only publish once a month, or take pauses when they like between episodes.

Of course, sticking to a regular schedule is good practice in podcasting. But not being beholden to a network means there’s no pressure if something unavoidable comes up that means you can’t record your show one week.

It also means you can choose to batch-create episodes or change your publishing schedule without asking for approval. This removes any pressure that could lead some creators to burn out.

Own your intellectual property

IP ownership is a big driver. Some network deals can include shared ownership of intellectual property (IP). This can mean that if you land any book deals or adaptations, they own the rights to that too – even if you leave the network. They can also dictate what you’re allowed to do outside of the podcast itself, like merch, events, etc.

Being independent allows you to keep the brand, your back catalogue, and future licensing rights under your own control.

Nurture better listener relationships

We all know that building parasocial relationships is one of the biggest growth drivers of the medium. Listeners love connecting with hosts. This is what creates the high levels of loyalty and engagement that are so unique to podcasting.

But if you have a network handling all your marketing – your email newsletters and social media accounts, for example – this has an impact on that connection. It’s also not great to depend on third parties for growing your online brand.

When you’re independent, you handle all your channels yourself and have the breathing space to engage directly with your audience. This can have a big impact on listener loyalty.

Control over which advertisers and platforms you work with

When you sign to a network, part of the deal is that they get to choose which advertisers, brands and sometimes even which platforms you work with.

Networks also get to choose how many ads and ad breaks are integrated into your show. On the other hand, independents get to choose who they work with and how ads are integrated, and exactly what’s promoted through their show.

This might mean you make less money by avoiding advertisers you dislike, or that don’t fit their audience. But you do get to keep 100% of what you make – and your integrity too.

Freedom to experiment (and fail!)

Part of growing as a podcaster is having the freedom to experiment with new tactics, and even learn from things that don’t work.

Want to spin up a new series? Try out video clips? Test the water with a Substack? Working with networks can slow down those decisions or even prevent these experiments from happening at all.

To Network Or Not To Network?

That is the question! And there’s no right or wrong answer.

Networks can provide your show with funding, structure, and support, but independent podcasting offers the kind of freedom and ownership that really isn’t celebrated enough.

If you’re looking to earn money from your show and build a business around it whilst keeping full control of the wheel, then check out our podcast monetisation methods guide. It focuses on three pillars: Audience, Authority, and Assets, and there are tactics there you can deploy even if you’re early-stage!

Most independent podcasts exist on a shoestring budget. When we surveyed 500+ creators, we learned that the majority of indies run their show on less than $50 a month. Loads of great podcasts even survive on no budget at all.

But regardless of what you’re spending to run your show right now, did you know there are grants and funding options available to podcasters that could give your show a little cash injection?

We ran a quick poll with our newsletter subscribers, and 41% said they didn’t know applying for funding as a podcaster was even an option open to them.

And interestingly, of the 24% who said they have applied for funding, 2 in 3 got the support they asked for.

There are a whole load of different creative grants, mentoring programs and funding opportunities available to podcasters in the UK, USA, and beyond that can support you in taking your podcasting career to the next level.

Here’s an overview of just a few of these initiatives and where to go to apply for them.

Grants and Funding for UK Podcasters

1. Arts Council England (ACE)

Good For: Arts-based podcasts

Arts Council England offers various grants for audio storytelling and community-driven projects within the arts.

Funding for individuals rather than organisations is offered through the National Lottery Project Grant. The grants are ongoing, so you can apply throughout the year.

Funding available: £1,000–£100,000

>>> More ACE funding info here

Tip: Creative Scotland/Wales Arts International, and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland are all regional equivalents of ACE that fund creative projects, including audio.

2. Whicker’s Podcast Pitch

Good for: Documentary podcast makers

In collaboration with Sheffield DocFest, The Whickers offers a bunch of funds to successful documentary podcast makers, including a top prize of £15,000 and £5,000 for the runner-up.

They also dish out a package to 6 finalists that includes free passes to Sheffield DocFest (including travel and accommodation) and a bunch of great audio networking opportunities.

The 2026 deadline is 27th February.

Funding available: £15k (first place), £5k (second place), £400 to 6 other finalists.

>>>Check out The Whickers Podcast Pitch fund

3. BBC Sounds Audio Lab

Good for: Young and underrepresented voices in podcasting.

Every year, the BBC runs an accelerator program for podcasters who need a bit of support to turn their big audio ideas into productions.

The program is focused on underrepresented voices and runs for a whole 8 months. Over that time, successful candidates gain access to funding, training, mentoring, production expertise, and promotion on the podcast release.

Funding available: Amount unknown for individual creators (any inside info on this, please get in touch!), but if you’re a production company based in the UK, the BBC also offer up to £30k to organisations keen to support successful applicants in producing their show.

Audio Lab has said it’s refreshing its program for 2026, but nothing’s been announced as yet. You can keep an eye on this page for updates.

Grants and funding for US podcasters

1. Podfund

Good for: More established podcasters

Podfund is an awesome opportunity for experienced creators with proven traction and revenue with their podcast.

You’ll have to have a bit of an existing success story to be considered, but the reward can certainly pay off. Podfund offers startup and growth capital of between $25,000 and $150,000 (sometimes even more!) as well as mentorship, peer community, tool access, and strategic support.

It’s a fair whack of a grant that they’re open to offering individual podcasters as well as studios, so it’s certainly worth the punt.

Funding available: $25,000 to $150,000 plus extra support perks.

>>> Check out Podfund

2. Our Greatness

Good for: Independent Women of Color podcasters

Our Greatness is a funding initiative run by Matriarch Digital Media.

The company offers microgrants to independent US-based Women of Color podcasters. The aim of the grant is to remove any resource barriers that get in the way of WOC creators sharing their stories and perspectives through podcasting.

You can apply throughout the year, and applications are reviewed at the end of each month. I struggled to find any details on how much the grants are, so if you have any information on this, please reach out

Funding available: Unknown

>>> Check out the Our Greatness podcast fund

3. AIR New Voices

Good for: Early-to-mid stage audio professionals

Since 2009, AIR has been offering a mentoring program to underrepresented voices in audio who are at the early stages of their careers in audio.

The initiative runs annually and includes mentorship, professional development support, networking with industry leaders, and a $1,000 stipend.

They also run an additional program, AMPLIFY, which focuses specifically on supporting new creators with marketing an existing podcast.

The deadline for AIR AMPLIFY is Feb 2nd – more details here.

>>> Check out AIR Media funding page

4. The Black and Brown Podcast Collective

Good for: POC podcast creators

The BBPC offers a number of funds to US-based podcast creators of colour.

To apply for any of the BBPC’s grants, you just need to become a member of the Collective first. Membership is free, and there are no application fees for the grants either.

Here’s what funds are available through BBPC right now:

• Podcast Education Grant
• Black Women, the Experience Grant
• Podcasters of Color Seed Grant
• Allies – Bridging the Gap Grant
• Content Creator Music Grant (Free background music for a year)

>>> Learn more about BBPC grant opportunities

5. Plutus Foundation Content Creator Grant

Good for: Finance podcasts

The Plutus Foundation’s sole mission is to support content creators to educate and empower people with financial competence and confidence.

So if you’re a podcaster based in the US and your show falls into the money and finance genre, this grant is open to you.

Every year, the Plutus Foundation dishes out grants of up to $2,000 to projects that meet their criteria. The money can be spent on all kinds of production-related expenses, but it can’t be spent on salaries or outsourcing support. You submit a quarterly report to them to clarify where the money is going.

The grant is available not just to podcasters, but authors, speakers, bloggers, journalists and other media figures, too.

>>> Check out the Plutus Foundation Fund

Grants for podcasters worldwide

1. Content is Queen

Content is Queen is a UK-based podcasting agency that offers its microgrants internationally.

This global initiative is supported by Audible, allowing them to offer small-scale grants (up to £1,000) to help independent podcasters develop trailers, pilot episodes, or special instalments of an existing show.

Grants are distributed monthly to one podcaster, and you can apply a maximum of twice during the 12-month program. Deadlines will vary month-to-month, so bookmark this page to keep up to date.

Each month also has a theme – February’s theme is ‘Drama In Your Ears’ and March’s is ‘Community Icon’. You’ll see a full list of the monthly themes on the website if you want to plan ahead.

Successful applicants don’t just get cash, but production support too, including:

• Access to producers, editors, and the Epidemic Sound music library.
• Use of the Content is Queen studio (based in Somerset House, London).
• Expert guidance through regular check-in calls.

>>> Learn more about Content is Queen Grants for podcasters

2. Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund

This fund was born out of a well-known problem in the podcasting industry: podcasting awards rarely go to independent creators. And one of the reasons this happens is that indies can’t afford to pay the (often high) application fees that a lot of these awards programs require.

Enter, the Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund!

This program reimburses independent BIPOC, Queer, and Trans audio producers for up to $200/year in awards entry fees and $500/year for audio production education courses, too.

To qualify, you need to be based in the U.S., U.K., Canada or Australia and identify as BIPOC, Queer, or Trans. Your show also needs to have been published within the last year.

Applications are rolling all year round. You submit your receipts after paying entries for awards, and they’re reviewed anonymously within 2–3 weeks of submission.

The program has supported multiple entries into major awards such as The Ambies, Webby, Tribeca, and ARIAS. LWC Studios – who run the program – aim to give out 200+ grants every year, and they’ve got a $200,000 annual budget to support their goal.

>>> Check out the Podcasting, Seriously Award Fund

3. STORYHIVE Fund

STORYHIVE is a creator fund launched by Canadian streaming channel, Telus Optik TV.

The company is providing a meaty $10,000 grant specifically to nonfiction podcasts that are reflective of underrepresented communities in British Columbia and Alberta.

Unlike the other podcast grants in this list, the STORYHIVE fund is only available to shows that have a video component. They’re seeking to fund projects that ‘capture the voice, personality and experiences of communities across Western Canada’ that they can also air on TV.

A successful application won’t just land you that $10,000, but also training, community support, and you’ll see your show broadcast on TELUS Optik TV, Stream+ and STORYHIVE’s YouTube channel.

>>> Check out the STORYHIVE Fund

4. Awesome Foundation Grant

The Awesome Foundation is a grant set up in 2009 by a bunch of trustees who donate $100 every month towards the program. They meet up monthly to discuss submissions and decide collectively who to give their $1,000 ‘no strings attached’ cash fund to each month.

The eligibility criteria is pretty non-existent. All you need is to have a really original, ‘awesome’ idea that the trustees think is worth funding. Worth a bash!

>>> Check out the Awesome Foundation Grant

6 Tips for a Successful Podcast Grant Application

1. Look for niche grants that are relevant to your show.

The narrower the niche, the less competition, so finding grants in your particular niche can be much more fruitful. For example, the John Templeton Foundation offers grants specifically to podcasts on topics around science, philosophy and spirituality.

And it’s not just podcast-specific grants you should keep an eye out for. Focusing more on niche rather than format can open a few additional funding doors.

2. Know your “why” (and say it clearly)

Purpose-Driven Podcasting: What Is Your “Why”?

Read article called: Purpose-Driven Podcasting: What Is Your “Why”?

Funders want to know why your podcast matters – not just to you, but to a community, or a gap in the industry.

To have a shot at success with a funding application, you need to be able to say: “This show exists to…” in one clear, convincing sentence.

3. Align with the grant’s mission

Most grants focus on themes like diversity, journalism, innovation, underrepresentation, or accessibility. Read the criteria carefully, and reflect the funder’s own language in your pitch. Show that you’ve done your homework and that your podcast aligns with their mission.

But don’t change your project to fit the grant. Stay true to your ideas!

4. Keep your application details specific

Vagueness kills all applications! Try to be as precise as possible about what the grant will fund (e.g., “3 episodes + marketing graphics”), who your audience is, and how/when you plan to produce the content.

This shows funders you’ve thought seriously about the logistics of what you’ll actually do with the money if your application is successful.

5. Include data in your pitch

Any data you hold on your podcast is helpful to include. Don’t worry if the numbers are small – you can frame it in a way that sounds impressive.

Highlight trends, like “total listen time grew to one year last quarter” or focus on your niche success (e.g. “Top 20 History podcast on Apple Podcasts Singapore”). You can also talk about contextual growth, like “new listeners have grown 30% year-on-year”.

6. Stay in the know

Even if a fund isn’t currently accepting applications, it’s a good idea to sign up for updates so you’re among the first to know when an application round opens.

Sign up to the Podcraft Pointers newsletter for updates on new podcast funding opportunities – we’ll let you know as soon as we do!

For some hosts, it’s a deliberate choice not to listen, but for others, it happens unintentionally. They’re either too busy to listen or simply don’t see the value in it. 

In a recent newsletter poll, 27% of respondents told us they don’t listen to adjacent podcasts at all. The most common reasons they cited were fear of accidental plagiarism and not wanting to ‘sound like everyone else’. The remaining 73% said they listen regularly.

If there’s one thing that’s clear from the responses, it’s that creators have strong feelings about this topic either way. 

In this piece, we’ll dive into why some podcaster respondents avoid listening to others in their space, and how intentional, selective listening can actually strengthen your show rather than dilute it.

Why Some Creators Choose Not to Listen

First, let’s give some space to why some podcasters choose not to listen to other shows in their niche.

Understandably, some creators worry about accidental plagiarism and have legitimate concerns about losing their originality if other podcasters’ ideas bleed into their show.

One podcaster implied there’s a direct correlation between listening to other podcasts and losing originality. He told us straight up: “I don’t want to be like other shows in my niche.”

Jayna Marie, the host of Big Lash Energy podcast, also told us that listening to adjacent shows in her niche doesn’t feel right to her:

“For some reason, listening to other shows like mine doesn’t sit right in my spirit. As someone who prides herself as being unique, I never want to feel like I’m being influenced by or copying someone else. I’d rather know my content/ format / editing style is all me. The best part is, that’s the feedback I get the most: “I’ve never heard a show like yours before!”

– Jayna Marie, Big Lash Energy

But while these are totally valid concerns, you can avoid these risks with the right approach – and doing so could massively benefit your show.

Why Listening to Similar Shows Will Help You Make a Better Podcast

So now, let’s consider why listening to similar shows in your niche can help you make an even better podcast, while retaining what makes your show unique.

Retains your spark

Hopefully you started your podcast because you have a genuine interest and passion for that topic. So why would you stop consuming content about it just because you’re making your own?

Listening to other shows in your niche helps you retain that buzz, and your enthusiasm will shine through in your show.

Keeps your content original

OK, so some creators worry that they might subconsciously copy another podcaster’s work if they tune in, which is a totally fair concern.

But the flip side of this argument is that listening to others’ shows can help ensure you don’t do this. When you keep tabs on what other hosts in your niche are saying and how they’re saying it, you get the information you need to keep your content original.

Wider listening also helps you identify gaps and come up with new angles that other hosts in your niche aren’t talking about.

Gives you the full picture

Sure, you might know more about your niche than anyone (if you may say so yourself!), but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re entirely ‘in the know’ about the topic.

Staying abreast of your niche means also paying attention to people you disagree with, podcasters who occupy a different position in the discussion or have beliefs that are contra to your own.

One podcaster explained what keeping on top of the whole discussion looks like for her:

“The other podcasts in my niche are from the doctor perspective, so I like to hear what they have to say. I remind myself that my patient perspective will be different and it’s best if I don’t compare myself”

– Denise Allen, Healing Our Sight podcast.

Keeping on top of what other podcasters are doing, what they’re talking about and what their listeners seem interested in is just as important as you delivering your episode plan to your own audience.

Another host told us:

“I like to hear other perspectives on history and learn from experts in the field. We learn from each other to give the most complete picture possible about history and how we got to this point”

– Pete Stamm, That History Podcast

Brings you deep into the community

Podcasting is deeply community-driven, so choosing not to get involved in the wider community of your niche would be a wasted opportunity.

Running a podcast isn’t about you being the sole oracle in your niche. It’s about being part of a community that cares about the topic, and sometimes that means eating some humble pie. Listening to other shows, leaving reviews and engaging with other hosts and listeners on social media brings you deep into that community.

Andrew Martin, host of The Family Histories Podcast, told us, “I often Like, Share, or Comment on their posts because my niche’s podcasts feel like a community“.

With this strategy, over time, people get to know your personal brand and the value you bring not just through your own show, but how you contribute to the wider community too.

Getting involved in this way often comes with other great collaboration opportunities, like guest swaps or cross-promotion. Isolating yourself from others in your niche means missing out on these things completely while others are reaping the benefits.

Helps you learn from others (and their mistakes!)

You might think there’s nothing about your niche that other podcasts could teach you, but that’s almost certainly not the case. Even if they can’t teach you anything new, you could be learning a lot from what they’re not doing well.

As one anonymous podcaster who took our survey said:

“[other podcasts] have been a great source of information and perspective. They were also a great way of working out how to and how not to structure and present my podcast and talk to my audience.”

Listening back to your own content to assess what’s working is always good practice, but it’s easier to spot flaws in other people’s podcasts than your own. As a listener, what do you like about these other shows? What do you dislike? The insights you can gain from this sort of research can be gold.

Strike The Right Balance

There are a few things to bear in mind to help you strike the kind of balance that lets you gain from wider listening without it having too much impact on your content.

• Don’t compare yourself to other shows – Try not to feel jealous or disillusioned by others in your niche if they seem to be growing faster. Every show has different goals and tactics, and comparison really doesn’t help anyone.
• Limit the amount of time you spend with other shows – While keeping tabs on other shows clearly brings a lot of benefits, too much listening could have the opposite effect. Only you will know what the right balance is.
• Avoid following what’s popular on other shows – Don’t cover a topic on your show or change your perspective on something just because you can see it’s popular on adjacent shows. You can still stay true to your own perspective while being part of the wider discussion.
• Never bring other hosts down – Criticising or correcting other shows online or on your show is bad form and can reflect badly on you.

Listening to other podcasts in your niche isn’t about imitation. It’s about understanding the conversations your audience is already hearing and deciding where your voice fits alongside them.

It also opens the door to collaboration, which remains one of the most effective ways to grow a podcast. When you listen widely, you spot natural overlaps, complementary perspectives, and opportunities to work together in ways that benefit both shows.

If you want to be more intentional about that process, you can go a step further and actively seek out collaboration opportunities using the approach we outline in the video below:

Most industry research focuses either on listeners (so the survey won’t be asking questions about making shows), or on active creators (which means anyone who has already quit is unlikely to be taking the survey).

That’s why some new data from Sounds Profitable stands out. Their latest Creator Survey, based on responses from more than 5,000 people, found that around one in six podcast listeners (17%) has experience in producing a show.

And what was really interesting about this data was that a third of those folks have already quit.

So what does this data tell us about the creator landscape: Do we have a retention issue in the industry? And if so, what’s causing it?

The Creator Landscape: Low Entry, High Churn

The main thing to take from this data, first of all, is that the barrier to entry remains low in podcasting, which is great news. If this were a survey on book or film consumers instead of podcast listeners, you certainly wouldn’t see 17% of respondents saying they shoot their own films or have published a book too.

Podcasting remains accessible to creators in a way that other mediums just aren’t.

In our own Independent Podcaster Survey 2025, the majority of podcaster respondents (47%) told us they produce their podcast for less than $50/month. 17% said they even manage to run their show for free. 

This low barrier keeps podcasting interesting and diverse, and means people can make content they want without worrying about whether it’s marketable in the mainstream.

But while entry is easy, staying in the game can be hard. If Sounds Profitable’s data is anything to go by, and 1 in 3 shows are dying off, why is it that so many podcasters quit?

Why Do Podcasters Quit? 

Of course, there are a whole load of different reasons why creators might give up podcasting. In our survey, we learned that the biggest challenges for podcasters were struggling to grow an audience, lack of time, financial difficulties and the inability to monetise their show.

A lot of this really comes down to creators’ expectations not always matching up with the reality of podcasting. Here’s how it happens.

1. Growth struggles

People see podcasters grow huge audiences and think, “I can do that”. But once they get going, they realise there’s no quick win with building a community around a podcast. In practice, success comes with having patience to play the long game. 

And the reality is, most independent shows don’t see huge numbers. In fact, you only need 27 downloads per episode to be in the top 50% of indie shows. If you get into podcasting with the expectation that you’ll get instant gratification and achieve fame overnight, you’re in the wrong game.

This is why passion and a genuine interest in your topic is so important to ensuring longevity. If creating great content isn’t your main drive, you’ll easily slip into that group of lapsed podcasters.

2. Lack of time/burnout

It’s not unusual for creators to underestimate how much time it takes to complete a whole end-to-end podcasting workflow. It isn’t just a matter of switching on the mic and waxing lyrical – good content takes time to plan, record, edit and distribute.

Many podcasters overcommit early on, thinking they can easily run a weekly podcast alongside a full-time job, family life, and other commitments. But making good content takes time, and your processes will be slower at first as you find your groove.

But make no mistake: If a podcast sounds easy and effortless to you, it’s because a lot of time and effort has gone into the production and planning.

Another insight we gained from the indie podcaster survey was that respondents get out what they put in when it comes to hours spent. As the graph below shows, those who achieve higher-than-average downloads put more than 10 hours’ work into producing a single episode:

Of course, spending more time on a podcast doesn’t automatically make it better. Tools like Alitu make it possible to produce high-quality weekly episodes without pouring endless hours into the process.

That said, you still need to be realistic about the time commitment. Overloading your production schedule early on is one of the fastest ways to burn out and abandon the show altogether.

3. Financial or monetisation difficulties

When you see headlines about 7-figure podcast deals and hosts selling out arena tours, there’s a clear message that podcasting is a lucrative business. But while it’s easy to set up a few early podcast monetisation streams, creators often quit when they realise it’s not an instant cash cow.

You can definitely make money with your show, but it’s important to be realistic about the kind of money you’ll make and how long it will take to reach your financial goals. Otherwise, you set yourself up for disappointment, and this can impact your motivation to create.

Sustainable Podcasting Is Achievable

Growing an audience, making money, and running a podcast that fits into your schedule in a sustainable way are all totally realistic podcasting goals. But they take planning and time, and if you’re realistic about this, your show will survive.

For many creators, the moment they stop treating their show like a get-rich/famous-quick project and start treating it like a craft, the entire experience changes. The pressure drops, the content improves, and the motivation becomes about creating instead of what you’ll get in return.

As obvious as this might sound, the key to sustaining your podcast is making it work you actually want to keep doing, and it’s up to you to make that happen.

And, of course, time-saving tools that automate production busywork make a real difference. Alitu handles EQ, volume levelling, and audio cleanup automatically, and can remove filler words and long pauses at a click.

That kind of automation can cut hours from a weekly production schedule. Hours that are much better spent improving your message and actually promoting the show.

Used well, clips can put even small podcasts in front of new audiences. Used badly, they risk becoming a substitute for the full episode rather than a doorway to it.

To see how creators feel about this trade-off, we ran a survey in our newsletter. 74% of indie podcasters said video clips encourage people to listen to full episodes. 26% believe clips can reduce long-form listening instead.

So clearly, podcasters aren’t massively concerned. But to ensure your video clips deliver, let’s dive into where the potential risks lie, and how to keep your strategy on the right track.

Reasons Video Clips Could Prevent People Listening to Episodes

You’re giving too much away

Short clips are designed to surface the most emotional, controversial, or insightful moments from an episode. For many people who spend their time on short-form platforms, that can be enough. The context is optional.

One survey respondent summed it up neatly. They told us they see short clips as a form of self-editing that surfaces the “good stuff”.

That raises an obvious problem. If the clips contain the most compelling moments, what incentive is left to hear the full episode? Why would someone switch to a listening app when they can consume the highlights alongside memes, pets, and dance clips before they even get out of bed?

These platforms encourage click consumers

TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram reels condition their users to expect rapid stimulation and dopamine hits. Listening to a full podcast episode requires attention, patience and your full engagement. It’s a really different type of content consumption.

Even when someone enjoys a clip, the habit of scrolling makes switching to a long-form listening app feel like friction. People resist leaving the feed, and platforms have no incentive to help them do so.

One podcaster who took our survey said clips “aren’t that effective because very few people (1-2%) are going off platform to consume a totally different medium.”

Short-form platform algorithms reward content that triggers quick emotional reactions, comments, likes, and shares, because those signals keep people scrolling. Content that sends users elsewhere doesn’t.

Some users think highlights ARE the podcast

Some people who consume your video clips on platforms like TikTok and Instagram won’t even think about the fact that they could spend an hour listening to a full episode. Anecdotally, I’ve noticed this can particularly be the case with younger listeners.

If you go heavy on the video clips, this can give the illusion that the podcast is a video clip show. For some consumers, the show simply doesn’t exist beyond the video platform they’re using. These people probably consider themselves loyal followers of your podcast even though they view your content exclusively as clips and have never listened to a full episode.

How to Do Video Clips Right For Your Podcast

Despite the obstacles, video clips remain an excellent way to build your podcast brand and reach totally new audiences. It’s just a matter of having the right strategy and managing your expectations.

Here are some points to think about:

Recognise that there are 2 different audiences

There’s a misconception that more exposure = more listeners, but this is rarely the case. Yes, your video clips build awareness of your podcast name and brand, but video views rarely convert to downloads.

In this sense, working with video clips means managing expectations. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram attract high-volume clip consumers. Long-form podcast platforms attract listeners who are looking for depth.

There is an overlap between those audiences, of course, but in many cases, clips will reach people who are happy to consume highlights and nothing more. For some creators, reaching any of their audience wherever they are is enough, even if they never stay for the full meal.

There are a lot of positives to that “meet them on their own terms” approach. Just be wary that any audience you attract on a social media platform is borrowed, not owned.

Treat it like a funnel tool (even if it doesn’t convert)

Lack of control or ownership means you should still do what you can to funnel clip viewers to your main podcast or newsletter.

Make sure your clips spark curiosity amongst clip consumers, and use an engaging call to action (CTA) to encourage viewers to listen or watch the whole episode (e.g. ‘check episode link in bio to find out what happened’).

But again, even if one of your video clips goes viral, don’t expect to see a spike in downloads. While you’re encouraging conversions, the bigger goal is to continually remind people that you’re not just a highlights show. You’re a podcast with a whole other life outside of these short-form platforms.

Use YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts is one video tool that can see high conversions if you also host full episodes on the platform. As Shorts are a YouTube feature, the algorithm doesn’t penalise content that sends viewers to full episodes – provided they stay on YouTube and don’t go anywhere else.

Shorts also support direct links to full episodes, making it possible for viewers to move from a clip to the full show without leaving the app. You can see the button in the image above or watch the clip to see it in action. This gives YouTube a structural advantage over TikTok and Instagram, where promotion relies on asking people to switch platforms.

Run an experiment to see what works

As with any podcast marketing strategy, it’s important to test things out to see what works specifically for your show.

For example, you could try four weeks of publishing self-contained highlights of some of the best parts of your podcast. Then, for the next four weeks, try posting teasers to see if that pushes more people to platforms that convert to downloads. 

These are two quite different ways of using clips with different goals. One is to increase reach and brand awareness, while the other is to tot up more listens and downloads.

Make clips part of a wider strategy

And finally, if you’re doing video clips, it can’t be your only form of marketing. Yes, you might be having success with video clips on a particular platform right now, but algorithms are unreliable. They can change virtually overnight, and your video views plummet.

You still need to make time for all the other components of a broader podcast growth strategy, like collabs, cross-promotion and all the other tactics explored in our guide to podcast growth.

So, DO Video Clips Stop People From Listening to Full Podcast Episodes?

Usually, no. But they’re not a reliable way to increase downloads either. Clips work best as a discovery and branding tool, not as a direct conversion engine.

The real risk is not that clips replace your podcast, it’s treating clips as the product instead of a preview of something deeper.

When clips spark curiosity, clearly point to the full show, and sit within a broader growth strategy, they’re far more likely to help than harm. Use them to open the door, but accept that not everyone who looks inside will stay for the whole conversation.

But the latest data on YouTube podcast consumption reveals something a lot of video creators won’t like to hear:

Most people aren’t watching your video podcast.

They’re listening to it.

Sounds Profitable ran a study on 5,000 American podcast consumers, revealing some really interesting trends about video podcast consumption. The survey showed that while YouTube is now the most popular platform in the US for consuming podcasts, almost half (47%) of those who use YouTube as their primary platform consume most content as audio-only.

Here’s Tom Webster from Sounds Profitable explaining the findings:

This isn’t the only study that’s highlighted this trend recently, either. Another survey by Culmunus Media and Signal Hill found that only 8% of podcast consumers ‘just watch video’.

Which means that if you want to make sure you’re still engaging the other 92% when making a video-first show, there’s one non-negotiable rule:

Your video podcast must still work for people who never actually watch it.

If someone presses play and immediately looks away – to drive, clean, commute, work, or even just scroll another app – your episode should still be completely coherent, engaging, and easy to follow.

If the experience falls apart without visuals, then it’s not really a podcast at all.

Understanding the Trend: Why Do People Listen to Video Podcasts?

You might be thinking, if most people are consuming audio-only, then why are they consuming video podcasts?

As we’ve explored before, the rise of video consumption in podcasting is more complex than it often seems. The growth of video creation in podcasting has been undeniably huge, but we often conflate consumption with the growth of YouTube, which has been exponential in recent years.

When we’ve asked indie creators in the past about how they’re using YouTube, we learned that the most popular way is to publish the podcast audio with just a static image or audiogram.

We also know that the most popular times people listen to podcasts are when they’re doing chores, on a work commute and when they’re working out. You can’t consume content with your eyes while doing these things.

We’re a multi-tasking bunch that barely sticks to a single screen when watching TV nowadays, and the idea of sitting down to watch a podcast is a bit at odds with this.

So how do you continue creating a video podcast that satisfies everyone’s listening habits, not just that 8% who only watch? Here are some ways to ensure you maximise the best of both worlds.

3 Things to Consider When Creating Video Podcasts

1. Create for listeners first; viewers second

This might sound counterintuitive to recommend you create visual content for listeners, but if only 8% are ‘just watching’, you simply have to create with that other 92% in mind.

When listeners are commuting, cleaning, working, or scrolling another app while consuming your show, then things like clarity, pacing, and audio cues matter a lot more than camera angles. Think about these things when creating your show and this will help your audio stand on its own.

2. If the episode breaks without visuals, it isn’t really a podcast

Any moment that requires watching in order to follow what’s happening – for example, pointing, demonstrating, reacting silently – will instantly lose you the majority of your audience. I’d go as far as saying that if this happens, it’s not really a podcast anymore.

You can solve this by describing what you’re doing, seeing, or showing – either live as you’re recording or you can add an aside in later during the editing process. But be careful of relying too heavily on this strategy, as it can become quite disengaging for listeners, pulling them out of ‘the moment’ of the podcast.

“I’ll describe this for those of you just listening” is a well-meaning statement. But it risks leaving the listener feeling like they’re sitting in the cheap seats rather than part of the “proper” audience.

3. Visuals should enhance, not carry the story

Good video podcasts use visuals to support the story, not to carry it. The opening is your moment to set the scene and give viewers something engaging before many of them switch to audio only. Make this section look good and feel intentional.

After that, the camera becomes secondary. Good angles, solid lighting, and a clean picture help, but they will never matter more than clear audio and strong content. Visuals cannot rescue a flat conversation, and they shouldn’t have to. Focus on what the audience comes for, then let the video enhance it rather than replace it.

Do We Need to Champion Spoken-Word Audio in a World of Video Hype?

Read article called: Do We Need to Champion Spoken-Word Audio in a World of Video Hype?

Make The “Look-Away Test” Your New Quality Standard

To make sure your video works for viewers and pure listeners alike, use the ‘look away test’ as a core part of your process.

If you can look away from the screen for five minutes and still follow everything that’s going on, your podcast passes the only test that actually matters.

YouTube may be part of your distribution plan, whether you publish full video, clips, or audio with a static image. But the principle stays the same. Most people will still be listening, not watching, so your video should always support the audio rather than depend on it.

The data showed interview and solo podcasts neck-and-neck at 31%, while 24% said they create with a co-host.

But the above data doesn’t include responses from podcasters who were still at the planning stage when they took the survey. When I looked at that pre-launcher data separately, a different trend emerged.

You can see from the graph that solo shows were a lot more popular among the pre-launchers. A substaintial 53% of respondents from this group told us they’re planning to host a solo show. This is also up from 43% of new podcasters from a similar survey we ran back in 2022.

Among new podcasters, interviews were the second most popular choice, selected by 28% of respondents, almost the same as in 2022. Only 14% planned to co-host, down from 23% in 2022.

Are Solo Shows The Best Podcasting Format For Beginners?

With so many new podcasters choosing solo shows, it got me thinking about whether this is the most accessible format for new creators. But what’s really interesting about this data is that, in practice, running a solo is probably the most intimidating format a new podcaster could choose.

Getting over the feeling that you’re “talking to yourself” can be a major challenge for new creators. And then of course there’s the knowledge that you’re the “single point of failure”. It’s easy to take a lack of traction personally when you’re the only one involved.

On the other hand, the interview format is often seen as a faster route to growth. The idea is that you “borrow” someone else’s expertise, so they bring the knowledge and value. Then, they promote the episode to their audience, which can help you grow yours.

Granted, there’s a lot more to it than that, and any good interviewer will have spent years honing their craft. But you can see why these assumptions might make the interview format more appealing to new creators.

Added to this, remote recording tools have never been better. Nowadays, it’s so easy to record shows with guests and co-hosts all over the world. It’s not just easy – it will also sound as good as if you were in the same room.

So why are so many podcasters choosing to fly solo rather than create shows with other people? 

Why Are Creators Choosing Solo Podcasting?

There are a number of reasons someone might choose to run their show alone rather than with others.

For a start, maybe as creators, they just prefer to do things alone.  Working alone means you build your reputation as an authority in your niche, you own your content 100% (including any income you make through it), and you have all the creative autonomy you could want.

It also means you don’t need to rely on anyone but yourself when recording and can be as flexible as you need to be. If life gets in the way of your schedule, you can always record your show at 2 am the next day, and no one will know the difference. 

Interestingly, 71% of new podcasters who took our survey also said they plan to do everything alone, suggesting this flexibility might be a major draw for them.

Solo podcasters own their schedule, income, and direction. You can see why that’s a huge draw for many.

3 Insights About the Next Wave of Indie Podcasters

Here are a few more top-level insights about the next wave of independent podcasters, according to our data:

They’re starting a podcast as a branding tool

When we asked new podcasters what their ultimate goal was with creating their podcast, ‘To help and support others’ took the top spot (as it did with existing podcasters).

But interestingly, ‘Promoting a brand or business’ was the 2nd most popular goal for new podcasters. For existing podcasters, this option was much less popular – it came 6th in the list. This suggests that podcasting is becoming a popular branding tool amongst business owners and leaders.

The majority are considering video as well as audio

As much as 64% of new podcasters told us they’re considering making a video component to their podcast. Our data also revealed that in practice, making video podcasts requires a totally different approach and mindset.

57% identify as female, and only 33% as male

You only need to look at the charts to see that podcasting is disproportionately white and male. So to see this data imply that the next wave of creators is potentially more female-heavy than male is encouraging.

Our data also raised some concerns about how female creators are disproportionately experiencing burnout during the creation process – but thankfully, this doesn’t seem to be putting women off the idea of launching a show.

If you’re in the very early days of planning your podcast, our free podcast planner will help you get started. Invest 5 minutes answering simple questions and get yourself a personalised step-by-step plan to launch your podcast that will save you days. No guesswork, and no browser tab overload. All you need is an idea and the will to bring it to life!

But I don’t just mean the obvious difference in that one’s a visual medium and the other one is purely audio. I’m seeing evidence that indicates video and audio nurture very different ways of producing content as well as consuming it.

When I separated out the 500+ responses to this year’s Independent Podcaster Survey into two camps – those podcasters who make video components to their show and those who don’t – there were some real notable differences in workflows and outputs.

Ultimately, the data would suggest there’s a difference in mindset behind the edit, too.

Let’s run through some of the clear differences that emerged from our survey data, and what this means for podcasting.

Differences Between Video and Audio-Only Podcasting Workflows

1. Difference in production time

When we asked respondents to our survey how many hours it takes them to produce a single episode, most said either 1-3 hours or 4-5 hours, whether they’re video creators or not.

But when you look at the comparison graph below, you’ll see there’s a trend where audio-only creators tend to invest longer in the process, from planning through to publishing, overall. On that higher end of the scale, 45% of audio-only creators said they spend more than six hours per episode, while 36% of video podcasters said they’d spend this long.

Video can bring a whole load of extra components for creators to think about – like lighting and adding animations, for example – so, at first glance, the idea that video podcasts can take less time to produce than audio-only shows was quite surprising.

But we also know that many audio creators follow a more traditional editing culture, spending extra time refining sound quality and shaping the story, while many newer video chat-style podcasts favour a quick, minimal-production approach. Not every video show works this way, but plenty do.

2. Difference in production costs

The survey data shows a clear difference in spending patterns between full video and audio-only podcasters, too. Again, you can see the trend quite clearly from this comparison graph:

Video podcasters who took our survey tend to spend more: a combined total of 50% of this group invests more than $50 each month, compared to just 28% of audio-only podcasters.

47% of audio-only podcaster respondents report spending $10–$49, compared to 28% of video podcasters in this mid-range expense bracket.

So at this stage, we might take from the data that adding video might not necessarily add more hours to your workflow, but it’s likely to cost you more. Which, of course, makes sense because podcasting software tends to charge more for packages that include video. It’s a format that requires more bells and whistles, as well as the ability to handle huge file sizes.

3. Difference in show formats

It probably won’t surprise you to hear that, amongst the creators who took our survey, solo shows were more popular amongst audio-only podcasters, while interview format shows were more popular among those who like to get in front of the camera.

36% of audio-only respondents told us they’d describe their podcast as a solo show, compared to only 24% of respondents who publish video.

Sustaining a video podcast as a solo show isn’t entirely uncommon, and lots of podcasters do it really well. But it does require a fair bit of editing for a visual audience, adding in extra clips and animations to prevent that intense staring-into-your-audience’s soul for an hour vibe.

DLake took us through his process and spoke about how his solo video show was 3x harder to create than audio, but was worth the extra effort for the return he gets.

On the other hand, recording guest interviews in video format is low-effort but is still engaging. 40% of video podcaster respondents said they run an interview-style show.

You don’t have to think hard to see how this translates to popular shows in the video podcast world right now. Most of the video podcasts that are dominating the charts right now are largely unedited interview-format shows.

4. Difference in publishing schedules

One commonality was pretty clear from the data: a weekly release schedule is most popular for respondents, regardless of whether they’re creating video or not.

But it’s also evident that those who publish video tend to lean towards higher episode output than audio.

Impressively, only 3% of video podcasters said they have no fixed release schedule, compared to 13% of audio podcasters.

This makes sense because in order to feed the algorithm on video-first platforms like YouTube and TikTok, you need to be constantly producing new content.

Compare this to something like audio drama, and a single episode can take months to put together, meaning a fiction podcaster’s release schedule is often “just whenever it’s ready”.

Is There a Problem With Having 2 Types of Podcasting?

If the Independent Podcaster Survey data is anything to go by, there’s a clear difference in mindset behind audio and video: The fast, raw, unedited, high-volume output strategy of video is a very different way of working compared to audio, which favours slower, meticulous, super-edited, highly-produced content.

But is there a problem with this? It’s not a matter of one type of podcasting being ‘better’ than the other, so surely they can happily co-exist?

Well, it’s complicated.

For example, back in July, Tom Webster wrote on the Sounds Profitable blog about how video is changing the landscape, and potentially creating new barriers for audio podcasters. He said:

“[V]ideo podcasting isn’t just changing distribution – it’s creating economic pressure toward specific [less expensive chat-show] formats, and that’s where the real threat lies… This creates genuine risk for audio’s creative diversity. Narrative podcasts, investigative journalism, fiction, experimental sound design – these formats depend on audio’s lower production barriers. If audiences and advertising dollars migrate toward video chat shows, these production-intensive audio formats could become economically unviable.“

It shouldn’t be an either or, he says, and it doesn’t have to be. He continues:

“The industry is big enough for both chat shows and audio documentaries, for YouTube growth and audio intimacy, for mainstream reach and niche artistry. The goal shouldn’t be choosing sides; it’s ensuring that economic forces don’t inadvertently narrow our creative possibilities.”

– Tom Webster at Sounds Profitable

So while the rise of video has and is doing great things for the industry, the risk lies in what we might lose if all the attention and investment go to one particular type of show.

Podcasting’s future will be strongest when its formats remain diverse. As video gains momentum, we should be intentional about preserving the space where audio-first storytelling excels, so the medium doesn’t lose the richness that made it compelling in the first place.

So technically, you can run your podcast month-to-month without spending any money producing it.

But the big question is: can you grow a successful show?

When we asked respondents to our Independent Podcaster Survey (sign up to get the full report soon) how much it costs them per month to run their show, a substantial 17% said they produce on no budget whatsoever.

These podcasters said they ‘spend’ time rather than money. This reminded me of another survey we ran back in 2022, which showed the vast majority of new creators (79%) would prefer to invest time rather than cash when launching and growing their content.

So it’s interesting to see that 17% of our survey respondents are actually managing to do this.

I wanted to know a bit more about these podcasts: Are they reaching their goals, getting the downloads in and managing to sustain a regular show while keeping costs non-existent?

Let’s find out – can you run a successful podcast on no budget?

Yes, If You Make a Particular Kind of Podcast

Every time we run a new survey, we’re always prepared for the data to show something that contradicts our expectations. But with this particular topic, the data backed up our general thesis that you can run a podcast on no budget, but only a particular kind of podcast.

For a zero-budget podcast to be successful, it would most likely need to be a solo show with an altruistic, hobbyist goal.

Let’s break that down…

1. A solo show

In theory, solo shows are easiest to run for free. They don’t rely on co-hosts, interview guests, or remote recording software, so they’re much easier to squeeze into your free time and sustain as a hobby.

This was reflected in the survey, which showed that the majority of free podcasts (53%) are solo shows. This number dropped to 28% among those who spend under $50 and to 24% among those who spend more than $50/month (where the interview format was much more popular).

65% of the ‘free’ group also said they get no help with running their show, compared to just 35% of the $50+ group.

2. A show with an altruistic goal

One surprising thing: not spending any money running a podcast doesn’t seem to have any impact on whether respondents achieve their goals.

71% of the ‘free’ group said they’re still achieving at least some of their podcast goals. 72% of the sub-$50 group said they were, and 80% of those who spend $50+.

If I’m honest, I was expecting to see far fewer podcasters in the ‘free’ group achieving their goals, so this was initially quite surprising.

But of course, this also has a lot to do with the goals themselves and what ‘success’ looks like to those creators.

Regardless of whether podcasters spend money on producing their show, the top 3 goals remained the same: supporting others, personal enjoyment, and raising awareness about a topic.

However, revenue-related goals (particularly ‘to develop or promote a brand or business’) were more common among those who spend monthly on their podcast.

3. A hobby project

If you’re not spending any money on your podcast, you need to go in with the mindset that you probably won’t make any money from it either.

Comparing the three spending groups suggested that the more you spend, the more likely you are to make a financial return. Only 5% of respondents who make a podcast on no budget reported making any money from their podcast. This climbed to 16% in the sub-$50 and 26% in those who spend over $100 a month.

Overall, just 15% of all of those who took our survey said their podcast makes money. 85% don’t.

BUT Free Podcasts Come With Limitations

So clearly, it is possible to run a successful podcast on no budget. However, not only do you have to be prepared to be limited to a particular type of show, but free shows come with some other limitations, too.

Free podcasts are harder to grow

If there’s one really clear takeaway regarding the ‘success’ of those shows that run on no money, it’s that, unsurprisingly, they’re harder to achieve substantial growth with.

68% of respondents who told us they spend no money producing their podcasts get under 50 downloads per episode in the first week. To be clear: there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a podcast that gets under 50 downloads per episode – in fact, it’s a marker of success for most shows.

But there’s an undeniable trend. Download numbers climb the more creators financially invest in their shows. Only 24% of those who spend $100+ get less than 50 downloads per ep.

Free podcasts can be hard to sustain

Another thing I noticed when looking into the data was that 44% of those who create their podcast at no cost have only been running their podcast for less than a year.

This number drops to 33% of sub-$50 and 22% of $50+. Perhaps creators begin their podcasting journey on no budget, but over time, they spend more as their show grows and their needs become more complex.

Similarly, you might take from this that the more you invest in your podcast, the more likely you are to stick it out. Or at least, when you start putting money into it each month, you’re more inclined to show up.

Which takes me to my final point…

Spending keeps you accountable

This example might not ring true to everyone, but hear me out. If I’m paying for a gym membership, I’m likely to make more of an effort to go regularly than if I had free access. There’s just less motivation there to make the effort when I’m not concerned about getting my money’s worth.

The same idea can be applied to podcasting. Our data suggests that those who have an allocated budget for their show tend to put a bit more into the production, too.

For example, there’s a correlation between money spent and time spent. You’d be forgiven for thinking that spending money = less need to spend time. But according to our data, the opposite seems to be true.

12% of podcasters who spend nothing on their shows say they spend less than an hour on each episode. It is hard to imagine creating strong content in under 60 minutes, yet many report doing so.

At the other end of the scale, 19% of those who invest more than $100 per month spend over ten hours producing each episode.

Financial investment also seems to influence how consistently podcasters release new content. 16% of those in the free group have no fixed schedule, compared with 10% of the sub-$50 group and just 4% of those spending $50 or more.

Listeners value consistency, and irregular publishing inevitably affects engagement. Still, it is easy to see why those who podcast for free struggle to maintain a routine. Just like skipping the gym when you’re not paying for a membership – something else always feels more urgent than lacing up your running shoes.

The Under-$50 Sweet Spot

So yes, it’s possible to make a podcast with no budget, but it can be tough and rarely gives you the best shot at growing your show.

You can see from the original graphic that the most popular spending bracket was $10-49 per month (I’ll post it again here to save you scrolling back!).

That’s not an insignificant amount of money, especially with the cost of living these days. But it signifies to your brain that you take your show seriously, and those monthly payments are great for holding you accountable.

What’s more, spending on your show gives you access to better tools, which in turn, helps you create better-sounding content. This opens up the door for monetising your podcast, and with a couple of hundred loyal listeners, you can quickly recoup that monthly spend with something as simple as a Patreon account.

This data was gathered from our Indie Podcasters Report, which will be published in the coming week. Be sure to subscribe to Podcraft Perspectives, and you’ll get it in your inbox the minute it goes live.

Delighted? Disappointed? Indifferent?

While some podcasters might think 100 downloads isn’t a number big enough to aspire to, it might surprise you to hear it’s actually a real marker of success. In fact, landing just 27 downloads in the first week puts you in the top 50% of podcasts on Buzzsprout.

So what didn’t come as a surprise to us is that the vast majority (68%) of podcasters who took this year’s Independent Podcaster Survey (sign up to get the full report to your inbox soon!) fall into the under-100 download mark, too.

In fact, half of all respondents get less than 50.

(Note: we excluded pre-launchers from all the data in this article, for obvious reasons.)

I was interested to know more about the 32% who have crossed that 100-download mark. What are they doing differently, and is there anything we can learn from their workflows?

Here’s what I learned when I dug into the data.

4 Insights from High-Download Indiepodders

1. Have patience to play the long game

Let’s start with something that probably won’t surprise you. One thing that stood out about the 100+ DL club was that they’ve been podcasting for a while. In fact, 36% of that group have been running their podcast for more than 5 years.

Anyone who’s launched a podcast knows that success doesn’t happen overnight. Growth can be slow, but audiences tend to be much more engaged and loyal than consumers of other media.

So having patience to see it through is a lesson to take from these high-download shows. One podcaster from the 100+ club said:

“Stick with it… Don’t try to make an audience. Make great content and let your audience find you.”

Having patience to play the long game was also cited as the most essential ingredient to having success with your podcast in our last Indiepod survey back in 2022.

2. Video isn’t the be-all, end-all

When it comes to engaging your audience, you’d be forgiven for thinking having a video component is a non-negotiable these days. With so much of the discourse around podcasting dominated by video, there’s a lot of pressure to get in front of the camera.

So much pressure, in fact, that ‘adapting to video expectations’ was flagged by our survey respondents as the #3 biggest threat to podcasters in the next 3 years. The only bigger threats respondents flagged were ‘increased competition’ and ‘AI’.

But what I found super interesting when I dug into the 100+DL club data was that only 37% of them actually do video.

Not only this, but 21% said they have no intention of doing video in the future either.

And when I compared this with the segment that gets fewer than 100 downloads, there wasn’t much of a difference.

28% of that group said they publish video episodes, and this number goes up to 34% when I isolated the under-50 download group. So essentially, what the data may suggest here is that adding a video component doesn’t have the guaranteed growth impact we’re led to believe.

Interestingly, many podcasters are still tapping into the video trend without producing video podcasts – and more 100+ podcasters are doing this than sub-100s.

16% of shows with more than 100 downloads use platforms like YouTube to share their audio with static imagery, compared with just 8% of those under the 100-download mark.

3. Longer form is IN

If you ever worry that your podcast episodes are too long, the answer is almost always ‘no’. We’ve explored this topic in-depth before, and it’s great to see the results from our survey back up the theory that long-form is stronger than ever before.

When I compared the sub-100 download group with the 100+ group, there was a notable difference in average episode length.

You can see the general trend from the graphic: the podcasts in our survey that get more downloads per episode are the ones that favour longer-form content. 21% of the 100+DL club have an average episode length of over an hour.

So this idea that no one has the time, patience or concentration span to enjoy long-form audio anymore is once again proven baseless.

4. You get back what you put in

It seems like there’s a new AI tool built to speed up the podcasting process emerging almost daily. But despite this, our survey suggests you still need to put the hours into creating your content if you’re going to cross that 100-download mark.

We asked podcasters who took our survey how much time they spend on average making a single episode of their show, from planning through to publishing.

The most popular option amongst the 100+ group was more than 10 hours, with 24% choosing that option. The most popular option amongst the sub-100 group was 4-5 hours per episode, at 31%.

As you can see from the comparative graph above, while only 8% of sub-100 podcasters spend more than 10 hours on producing an episode, while a meaty 24% of the 100+ club do.

It’s worth noting that we didn’t ask respondents about the promotion stage of their podcast workflow in this question – this is purely the time spent leading up to publishing an episode.

If this data is anything to go by, putting in those extra hours to get your podcast to the next level could really pay off – AI or no AI!

We’ll be releasing a full report of the survey results soon. Sign up to Podcraft Perspectives to be the first to get it straight to your inbox.