Podmastery: podcasting insights and advice for indie creators

Hosted by The Podmaster (Neal Veglio)

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100

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May 2026

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About the show

Are you a podcaster who's looking to improve and grow your podcast? You're in the right place. Together, we'll help you attain 'podmastery'. I'm Neal Veglio, a veteran podcaster who first started dabbling with RSS in the early 2000s. Podcasting is such a complex medium, with so many factors that can impact your success. It's my goal to cover all these topics with you, and help you maximise the results you're getting from your efforts. And while my shows now enjoy thousands of listeners every single week, it wasn't always easy. When I took a career break from radio for a few years in 2007, I had to learn how to build audience without the lift of an FM frequency. I learned a lot from that experience. I now help other podcasters to achieve their goals. Each episode, I'll be offering you some insights into what I've done and what I've helped my podcasting agency clients to do with all our podcasts in the hope we can help YOU increase your podcast's chances of becoming more successful! And ensuring you can avoid the dreaded 'podfade'! Take one step closer to Podmastery. Click follow in your favourite podcast app, and let's grow together.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 16, 20269 min

They Just Changed What a 'Play' Means In Podcasting. Did You Notice?

Somebody just moved the goalposts on podcast metrics. And most podcasters didn’t even notice.The Alliance for Measurement in Podcasting — AMP — has defined a new cross-platform standard for what counts as a ‘play.’ Spotify has already adopted it.In this episode, Neal breaks down what this actually means for indie podcasters — why your dashboard numbers are about to look fairly different, why that doesn’t mean your show is doing better, and why optimising for any play-count threshold is optimising for the wrong thing.You’ll hear:— What AMP is and why they’re trying to standardise this— What is ‘intentional consumption’ in Spotify’s words, and what that actually means— Why Apple’s definition is still extraordinary (and not in a good way)— The one metric that actually tells you if your show is working🔗 Listen to other episodes here: https://podmastery.co/📊 Free 7-day podcast makeover email course — one tip per day, no filler. Sign up at podmastery.co💡 Want to work through your specific show? podmastery.co/need-podcasting-help

May 18, 202610 min

Why podcast guest cross-promotion as a growth strategy is a fairytale

Every podcaster who's ever had a guest on has felt it. You do the edit, write the show notes, create the clips, tag them everywhere — and hear absolutely nothing back. No share. No repost. Not even a like.So is it you? Is it them? Is this just how guests are?In this episode, I'm getting into why podcast guest cross-promotion is one of the most persistent myths in indie podcasting.If you're booking guests to borrow their audience, this episode is going to save you a lot of disappointment.Free 7-day podcast makeover: head to podmastery.co and sign up — one practical tip per day, straight to your inbox.

May 12, 20268 min

Apple Podcasts Video: The Benefits

In the previous episode I explained why we need to be cautious around Apple Podcasts new video HLS streaming feature. Well, this podcast about podcasting is about balance. So now, it's important we look at all the good things about the feature.

May 5, 20265 min

Apple Podcasts Video: The Painful Truth

With Apple Podcasts video now becoming a mainstream feature as the main hosting platforms roll it out, there are more and more creators leaning into creating this content.But should you be joining them?Well, before we can answer this question, we need to establish the answer to another one; do you understand the algorithmic differences surrounding video and audio?Click play.I'll explain.Companies mentioned in this episode:LinkedInYouTubeApple PodcastsMentioned in this episode:A Podknows ProductionPodknows helps brands and creators to build their podcasts into virtual sales and marketing teams which get them results even when they're sleeping. Find out more at https://podknows.co.uk/

April 21, 20269 min

Your podcast audience may not be what you thought it was

This episode will challenge a lot of assumptions you may have about your audience. If you’ve been losing sleep over whether you need to shift all your energy into video, or feel the pressure to keep up with multi-camera setups just to stay relevant, you’re going to want to pay attention to this one.We’re sharing new research from Tom Webster and the Sounds Profitable team that uncovers who your most valuable listeners really are — and it’s not who you think.Link to report: https://soundsprofitable.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Audio-Primes-2026-Webinar-Version.pdfMentioned in this episode:A Podknows ProductionPodknows helps brands and creators to build their podcasts into virtual sales and marketing teams which get them results even when they're sleeping. Find out more at https://podknows.co.uk/

April 2, 20264 min

Is Beehiiv The Ideal New Platform For Indie Podcasters?

Beehiiv are targeting podcasters with offers to join their new creator platform. But is this the solution podcasters have been waiting for?Link to check out their teased offer: https://www.beehiiv.com/beehiiv-for/podcasters

March 30, 202620 min

Don’t Compare Your Podcast to “Diary of a CEO”. Here’s why

Diary of a CEO is doing something genuinely damaging to indie podcasters. Not maliciously. The damage is the business model.Hi, I'm Neal Veglio, The Podmaster.In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly why comparing your show to mega-podcasts like Diary of a CEO, High Performance Podcast, and Young and Profiting isn't just unhelpful — it's statistically irrational.Using Phil Rosenzweig's Halo Effect, Nassim Taleb's Silent Graveyard, the Columbia Music Lab experiment, and Daniel Kahneman's narrative fallacy, I'll explain the intellectual architecture behind why these shows exist, who they're actually designed to serve, and why their 'success strategies' are largely retrospective fiction.You'll hear why the gap between what these shows promise and what they can actually deliver is not a flaw — it's the product.Also in this episode:Listener email: Do you actually need a trailer episode before you launch?Experiment: Listen back to your three most downloaded episodes and steal from yourself.If you've been measuring your show against something that was never real — head to podmastery.co and click 'Get your podcasting challenge solved'.Useful links:Phil Rosenzweig's The Halo Effect summarised: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klngdRa8nOINassim Taleb's Fooled by Randomness: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fooled-Randomness-Hidden-Chance-Markets/dp/0141031484The music lab study: https://www.princeton.edu/~mjs3/salganik_dodds_watts06_full.pdf

February 3, 20269 min

When Tools Make Bad Audio Sound ‘Good’, Who Loses?

A lot of people are excited about AI tools that promise instant, studio-quality podcast audio.Record on your phone. Click a button. Sound professional.But that story deserves a closer look.Hi, I'm Neal Veglio, founder of Podknows Podcasting and the Podmastery community.In this episode of Podcasting Insights, I unpack what happens when technology starts erasing the difference between effort and outcome — and ask what podcasting quietly loses when “good sound” becomes a default instead of a craft.This isn’t an anti-AI rant.And it’s not about gatekeeping beginners.It’s about incentives.Standards.And what we’re rewarding at scale.You’ll learn:• Why AI audio tools raise standards and lower effort at the same time• How one-click fixes create a podcasting “house sound”• The difference between accessibility and erasing craft• Why effort still matters, even when listeners can’t hear it• The question creators should be asking before relying on AI cleanupLinks:Waves Voice Regen:https://www.waves.com/voice-regenI’d love YOUR feedback:https://www.podmastery.co/surveyI’ve been doing this for 20+ years and run a successful podcast marketing agency.Want me to audit your podcast?https://podmastery.co/liteMentioned in this episode:A Podknows ProductionPodknows helps brands and creators to build their podcasts into virtual sales and marketing teams which get them results even when they're sleeping. Find out more at https://podknows.co.uk/

January 31, 20266 min

Is Edison Research Correct? Is Video Podcasting Creating New Podcast LISTENERS?

A lot of people are saying video is the future of podcasting.That video is the gateway drug — the thing that creates new podcast listeners.But that story deserves a closer look.In this episode of Podcasting Insights, I question the growing narrative around video podcasting, discovery, and conversion — and ask whether we’re confusing reach with commitment, and visibility with attention.This isn’t about dismissing the data.It’s about questioning the story we’re telling around it.You’ll learn:• Why “discovery” is an incomplete metric• The difference between conversion and gravity• Why video often benefits from defaults, not desire• What podcasting’s real strength has always been• The question creators should be asking instead of “Should I do video?”Links:Podnews story on charting clips based podcast:https://podnews.net/update/complete-rankersEdison Research – The Evolving Ear:https://www.edisonresearch.com/how-new-consumers-are-shaping-podcastings-next-chapter-the-evolving-ear-webinar/I’d love YOUR feedback:https://www.podmastery.co/surveyI've been doing this 20+ years and run a successful podcast marketing agency. Want me to audit your podcast?https://podmastery.co/liteMentioned in this episode:A Podknows ProductionPodknows helps brands and creators to build their podcasts into virtual sales and marketing teams which get them results even when they're sleeping. Find out more at https://podknows.co.uk/

January 30, 20265 min

Podcast Feedback vs Strategy: Rebrand? Or Just Ask?

A lot of podcasters don’t actually need any kind of new strategy.They just need honest podcast feedback that tells them what it actually feels like to listen.In this episode of Podcasting Insights, I explain why so many shows stall at “fine,” why polite feedback keeps podcasts forgettable, and how growth usually comes from being braver with what already exists.You’ll learn:• Why “competent” podcasts struggle to grow• The real question listeners ask in the first 30 seconds• Why delivery matters more than structure• How feedback beats endless strategy tweaksLinks:I'd love YOUR feedback: https://www.podmastery.co/surveyhttps://podmastery.cohttps://podmastery.co/liteMentioned in this episode:A Podknows ProductionPodknows helps brands and creators to build their podcasts into virtual sales and marketing teams which get them results even when they're sleeping. Find out more at https://podknows.co.uk/