PodCraft by Alitu: Honing the Craft of Podcasting
Podcraft is your weekly, no-nonsense guide to honing the art of podcasting, hosted by veteran creators Colin and Matthew. With over 30 years of combined experience, they cover everything from choosing the right mic to growing your audience and making money from your show. Some episodes dive deep into one topic, like titling episodes or using live events to build your brand, while others feature real-life case studies from podcasters who've been there and done it. Whether you're just starting out or levelling up an existing show, Podcraft gives you the practical advice and honest insights you need to make it work.
Episodes
We test your podcasting knowledge in a series of quizzes and challenges. Along the way, we tackle industry stats, listener behaviour, gear trends, and a mix of real and not-so-real podcasts, while reflecting on the numbers and themes that shaped podcasting over the past year.
Podcraft is brought to you by Alitu and The Podcast Host
Are you using AI to sharpen your thinking, or quietly letting it replace it?
Can podcasters and creators still work with AI without losing the slow, human thinking that makes ideas worth sharing? We talk about using AI as a sounding board rather than a generator, why “thinking walks” still matter, and how convenience can flatten creativity if you are not careful.
There are practical lessons, too. We cover how to handle co-hosted inte...
Imagine a podcaster who has been publishing for a couple of years. Every time they check their stats, the number is the same.
They assume they have hit a plateau.
So they spend more on marketing. They push harder on promotion. Nothing changes. The number stays flat.
What that number does not show is what is happening underneath. New listeners are finding the show. At the same time, existing listeners are drifting away. Growth and chur...
Fiction podcasts often hold listeners for longer than non-fiction shows. But what can non-fiction creators learn from this?
We break down the simple storytelling tools that keep audiences hooked, including open loops, stronger intros, clearer arcs, and themed seasons. We also highlight some easy wins that improve retention, such as smoother transitions, cleaner audio, and titles that set clearer expectations.
We then dive into a det...
What if monetising a podcast was simpler than the usual laundry list of tactics suggests? A new model called the Three As breaks earning potential into three clear paths:
- Audience, which includes supporter perks and light ads
- Authority, which covers coaching, courses, and specialist services
- Assets, which includes books, products, and affiliate income
The aim is to choose the route that fits your show’s size and purpose rathe...
In this conversation, Colin sits down with Craig Hewitt, founder of Castos, to discuss the shifting landscape of content creation. Fresh off completing a 100 Days of YouTube challenge, Craig shares why he chose video over podcasting during that time, what he learned about platform growth, and the powerful truths about podcast numbers versus engagement (where podcasting still shines!)
They explore the convergence of audio, video, and...
Our Indie Podcasters Report shows that once production goes past six hours, audio-only creators are the ones spending the most time in the edit.
But why?
The answer goes beyond workflow. Audio culture has always valued clean mixes, careful pacing, and detailed sound design, so creators tend to polish every moment. Video makers often move faster by embracing jump cuts and a simple top, tail, publish routine.
That doesn't mean video is...
Ever feel like your podcast has started to sound scripted rather than conversational? When the spark fades, it’s time to shake things up. This episode explores how relaxing your format can reignite creativity and flow, why over-scripting kills energy, and how a looser, more natural approach helps you sound sharper and enjoy recording again.
We also dig into some practical podcasting essentials, from Apple’s new AI-generated chapter ...
On a recent episode of Podcraft, Neale James of The Photowalk talked about an email he once received from a listener who was housebound due to illness. They wrote that they could no longer go out for walks but hoped their life might change one day. For now, the sounds of Neale’s walks, even his grumbling at passing planes, reminded them that there was still a world out there.
“That message taught me something important,” Neale said....
Ever wondered what it’s really like to grow a podcast while living off-grid and travelling full-time? Cara and James from Kerouac’s Cruising share how they’ve turned life on the road into a show about freedom, mindset and self-discovery. From dodgy internet connections to finding their voice as creators, they talk openly about what’s worked, what hasn’t, and how they’ve built a loyal audience one mile at a time.
It’s a story about p...
Have you ever thought about publishing a report in your niche? A “state of the industry” piece that delivers fresh data, insights, and analysis to your audience.
Original research can position you as an authority while sparking conversation, attracting media coverage, and opening new opportunities.
But gathering and reporting data is both art and science, and common mistakes can quickly undermine your work.
Fortunately, we’re joined b...
How do you keep a podcast going long enough to reach 500 episodes?
Most shows fade away after a handful of recordings, but The Photowalk has just passed a huge milestone. This week, I’m joined by its host, Neale James, to explore what it really takes to stay consistent, build a community, and even turn a passion project into something sustainable.
Read the full blog post on this too, here.
Neale shares:
- Why showing up every day mat...
Do you think launching a podcast means buying lights, cameras, and spending hours editing? In this episode, Becky Pierson Davidson (Build With Becky) shows why none of that is necessary. Her short, audio-only episodes feel like voice notes from a smart friend, each one sharing a single tip to help community-driven businesses thrive.
Becky explains how she keeps her process simple and sustainable, from idea to published episode in un...
Have you ever wondered how to turn loyal listeners into paying customers without feeling like you’re forcing the sale? In this episode, we explore practical ways to make that leap, from using dynamic ads wisely to weaving your own products and services naturally into your content. It’s all about adding value first and showing how what you offer can genuinely help.
We also chat about some of the bigger questions shaping podcasting ri...
Can a podcast rooted in one city or neighbourhood really matter to listeners halfway across the world? Or should hyperlocal shows focus purely on the people right on their doorstep?
In this episode, we are joined by Cody from the Community Build Up podcast. Together, we dig into the tension between going deep on local stories and widening the lens to reach a bigger audience. You’ll hear how podcasters are using place-based content t...
What does it take to keep a podcast sustainable while still growing your audience? In this live coaching episode of Podcraft, Colin and Matthew sit down with Ellie and Will, hosts of Lively Minds: The UK Mental Health Podcast.
Together, they explore the origins of the show, the challenge of carving out a unique voice in a crowded mental health space, and why clarity around their mission matters so much. Ellie and Will share how the...
How do you turn your podcast audience into paying members? In this episode, Colin talks with Mike Morrison from Membership Geeks about the strategies podcasters can use to build successful memberships.
You’ll learn how to choose the right model for your show, whether that’s creating outcomes, fostering mastery, building connection, or offering resources. Mike shares real examples of podcasters who have grown six-figure memberships, ...
What can three years of data really tell us about how podcasts grow? In this episode, Jeremy Enns from the Podcast Marketing Academy unpacks the latest Podcast Marketing Trends report, exploring why growth is slowing for big shows but accelerating for independents, the growing role of video in podcasting, and whether social media really moves the needle. The discussion also covers the pull of algorithms, the power of strong show co...
Indy is creating a podcast for his online gardening club, Tender Shoots, aimed at listeners aged 65 to 100. His mission is to make the experience simple, welcoming, and accessible. No technical headaches, just great gardening advice.
The challenge is balancing ease of use with modern podcasting features like chapter images and detailed show notes. Indy is tackling this by streamlining the subscription process and guiding members on ...
There is no shortage of potential income streams for your podcast. But rather than telling you all the things you could try, how about some real-world case studies from ten successful independent podcasters?
Our recent survey suggested that only 1 in 4 indies monetize their content, despite the majority of them wanting to build some income streams.
So, on this epi...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.
"SmartLess" with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, & Will Arnett is a podcast that connects and unites people from all walks of life to learn about shared experiences through thoughtful dialogue and organic hilarity. A nice surprise: in each episode of SmartLess, one of the hosts reveals his mystery guest to the other two. What ensues is a genuinely improvised and authentic conversation filled with laughter and newfound knowledge to feed the SmartLess mind. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!