Ask the Podcast Coach

Ask the Podcast Coach

Dave Jackson has been helping people launch podcasts since 2005 and every Saturday he is joined by Jim Collison to is runs the Average Guy Network. Together they have 20 years of podcasting experience and coaching.

Episodes

January 10, 2026 87 mins

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To we talk about the power of RSS (and is it diminishing)? Is Organic search (word of mouth) dead? and the importance of backing things up.

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Basedonastruestorypodcast.com - Comparing Hollywood with History?

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School of Podcasting
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To we talk about Dave needing another montitor (and no Jim doesn't have a problem using 11 monitors) along with plugins to make things sound better, using switchy for link shortening, and some plugins to clean up audio. 

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Today Jim is back and we are looking at 2026 and what podcasters may be considering to improve their show. 

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Today Jim is back and we are looking at 2026 and what podcasters may be considering to improve their show. 

Sponsors:
PodcastBranding.co - They see you before they hear you
Basedonastruestorypodcast.com - Comparing Hollywood with History?

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School of Podcasting
https://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/join

Podpage
http://www.trypodpage.com

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Welcome to another episode of Ask the Podcast Coach! I’m Dave Jackson from School of Podcasting, joined by podcasting legend Rob Greenlee from the New Media Show. In today’s episode, we dive into a ton of topics ranging from the definition of a podcast to AI-generated content, and industry trends. 

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On this episode, I was joined as always by Jim Collison, and we had the pleasure of welcoming Ralph Estep from AskRalph.com—the Content Creators' Accountant—to dive into recent changes in how the IRS handles tips for content creators. Ralph walked us through the new law allowing up to $25,000 in tip income (like Super Chats, Buy Me a Coffee, etc.) to be excluded from income taxes in 2025, pro...

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Welcome to this holiday edition of Ask the Podcast Coach! I’m Dave Jackson, flying solo with special guest Chris Stone from Castahead.net. In this lively episode, we kick things off debating the most overplayed Christmas songs (sorry, Mariah Carey!), slide into podcast mic setups—covering everything from phantom power to Cloudlifters and USB/XLR combos—and share our biggest podcast merch mistakes....

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Welcome to this week’s episode of Ask the Podcast Coach! I’m Dave Jackson, and I’m excited to be joined by my good friend Jim Collison as we kick back after Thanksgiving and dig into everything from surviving power outages as a podcaster to getting serious about connecting with your audience. We’ll swap stories from behind the mic, share practical tips for managing your listeners, debate the best ...

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In this episode of Ask the Podcast Coach, Dave Jackson and Jim Collison dive into the evolving world of podcasting where authenticity wrestles against the growing pressures of monetization and consolidation. Are podcasts losing their unique spirit and turning into just another version of radio? Dave and Jim reflect on the rise of dynamic ads, syndication, and free hosting, dissect the pitfalls of ...

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First up, I share some behind-the-scenes updates, including my recent move from a lifetime video hosting deal that went south to Voomly, and how AI tools like ChatGPT are helping me generate show notes and summaries more efficiently. We also discuss the mysterious rise of EM dashes in AI-generated writing—did anyone use them before AI took over our grammar?

We talk about what’s happening at Libsyn,...

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Ever wonder if daily podcasting helps or hurts? We break down how to use November-style challenges to build reps without burning yourself out, and why the best consistency is consistently delivering value. From there, we get real about “reality” podcasts: celebrity banter can skate by on fame, but most shows need a promise listeners can feel—make them laugh, teach them something, or save them time...

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October 25, 2025 90 mins

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What happens when your listener’s device can generate a personalized podcast on command—your voice, their preferences, zero friction? We dig into a bold forecast from Joe Pulizzi and use it as a springboard to map what creators must do now to stay essential. The headline: you have time, but not to waste. The next three years will reward human connection, not just output.

We break down why...

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The feed isn’t “social” anymore—it’s an endless parade of AI-recommended video. So why are we still hoping a 30-second short will magically convert strangers into hour-long listeners? We pull back the curtain on what the platforms actually reward, why shorts are best used for brand awareness, and the specific moves that help listeners cross the bridge to your long-form show.

We talk about...

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October 11, 2025 93 mins

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What happens when AI gets good enough to sit in the co-host chair—but not good enough to replace a heartbeat? We dig into the real trade-offs behind AI in podcasting, from research assistants and auto-summaries to voice cloning, live translation, and whether anyone actually wants a synthetic sidekick. The conversation is honest and a little contrarian: yes, the tools are powerful and getting bette...

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Ever feel like your show is stuck at 30 downloads and your guests won’t share your episode? We’ve been there, and we’re putting it all on the table—how language choices affect your brand and reach, why “big name” guests almost never translate to listener growth, and how to structure improv so it lands without a live audience. We get honest about impostor syndrome, burnout, and the moment you reali...

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September 20, 2025 87 mins

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Dave Jackson flies solo this week (with special guest appearances from Randy Black and Ralph Estep Jr.) to tackle this challenging question and more. Randy shares a heart-wrenching story about losing his podcast co-host and friend, reminding us of the human connections that make this medium so powerful. His emotional recounting serves as a poignant reminder that beyond analytics and strategies, po...

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How do you find guests when your podcast covers extremely niche topics? It's a challenge many creators face, especially when starting out. Dave Jackson and Jim Cullison tackle this question head-on, providing practical strategies that go beyond the standard advice. Rather than endless online searching, they suggest going directly to where your potential guests gather, leveraging existing conn...

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The boundaries between legal protection and audience engagement blur when we confront one of podcasting's persistent questions: do you need release forms from your guests? This episode dives deep into this conundrum, revealing why adding friction to your listener experience might actually sabotage your growth efforts.

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Ever wondered what's lurking in your podcast stats? This week, we tackle a mysterious surge in ThinkBot downloads that has creators scratching their heads. When this web crawler suddenly outpaces even Apple Podcasts in your analytics, it's time to investigate—and we'll walk you through exactly what to do when bots inflate your numbers.

For Android users struggling to find t...

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In today's show Dave is back from Podcast Movement 2025 in Dallas and shares some of the things he saw. We are joined by Marty and get an inside scoop of podcasting blind.

Sponsors:
PodcastBranding.co - They see you before they hear you
Basedonastruestorypodcast.com - Comparing Hollywood with History?

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School of Podcasting
https://www.schoolofpod...

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August 16, 2025 76 mins

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What truly builds podcast audiences - authentic connections or inflated metrics? This episode explores the fascinating contrast between Taylor Swift's approach to audience building and questionable industry practices like buying fake downloads.

When Taylor Swift recently proclaimed "I'm in the business of human emotion" on a podcast, she revealed the secret behind her ...

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