The How To Podcast Series - Podcast Co-Hosts, Practical Podcasting Tips, and Podcast Community

Dave Campbell - Podcast Coach, Cheerleader and Podcast Community Advocate
  • 4.9 (16)
  • How To
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Welcome to The How To Podcast Series — your guide to podcasting success! Join host Dave Campbell and rotating guest co-hosts for practical tips on podcasting. Learn podcasting SEO, audience growth, guest booking, audio setup, social media marketing, and hosting platform suggestions. Get real-world advice, Podcasting Tips, creative inspiration, and the confidence to build your podcast community. Podcast smarter — your journey starts here! Join our free Podcast Community on Meetup to meet fellow listeners and podcasters at all different levels - HowToPodcast.ca is your home for podcasting!

  1. 23h ago

    E785 - Shelf Space for Podcasts - What Book, Music, and Movie Comps Teach Us About Standing Out

    Episode 785 - Shelf Space for Podcasts - What Book, Music, and Movie Comps Teach Us About Standing Out Find Your Podcast Shelf Every podcast occupies a shelf. Categories group shows with similar content, just as bookstores organize books, music stores organize albums, and video stores organize movies. Your job as a podcaster is to understand where your show belongs and make that position clear to potential listeners. A well-defined podcast category helps you understand your audience, shape your content, and improve discoverability. Start by identifying your ideal listener. Move beyond an imagined audience profile and learn who actually listens, what they care about, and what they expect from your show. Study the Competition Once you know your shelf, look around. Competition exists in podcasting, and understanding other shows in your space can reveal opportunities. Listen to highly ranked podcasts in your genre. Study their topics, guests, descriptions, branding, production choices, and areas where they leave room for another perspective. Competitive research can also help you discover potential guests and identify subjects where your show can offer a different approach. Tools such as Pod SEO and Mopod can help track podcast rankings and visibility, while AI summaries can help you monitor new episodes without listening to every competing show. Make Your Show Stand Out Your podcast needs a clear unique value proposition. Know why someone should choose your show when several podcasts occupy the same shelf. Naming, cover art, episode titles, descriptions, and metadata all contribute to that decision. Make your branding recognizable on a crowded phone screen. Use language your audience actually uses. If AI helps with your titles or descriptions, add your own voice so the finished work still sounds like you. Launch and promotion also benefit from strategic timing. Connect your podcast with relevant events, trends, communities, guest appearances, and cross-promotion opportunities. Think of your podcast as a book competing for attention on a crowded shelf. Know where your show belongs, understand who shares that space, identify what makes your show different, and make those differences easy for listeners to see. The episode also explores podcast naming. Dave argues that a strong name deserves careful consideration because changing it repeatedly can make it harder to build recognition and authority over time. A name gives your podcast identity, so take the time to choose one that can grow with the show. Tools Dave mentioned to keep tabs on your competition Compare your show and 2 other podcasts across multiple data points for free https://podseo.com/ See the Top 200 Global Apple rankings for your show or other podcasts for free - sign up with your email for notifications too! https://charts.mowpod.com/ Subscribe to your favorite podcasts and get AI summaries in your inbox within minutes of release. Faster than listening at 2× speed. https://pod.wave.co/Dave's website for free podcast tools and resources https://podcastforfree.com/ ____ Helping Podcasters Everyday!  ⁠⁠https://howtopodcast.ca/⁠⁠ We would love to hear from you - here is our listener survey! ⁠⁠https://forms.gle/GbrFv9DGszV8N4PW6

  2. 1d ago

    E784 - Stop Sounding Smart, Start Being Clear - The Words You Use Matter in Podcasting, and They Don't Have To Be Big

    Episode 784 - Stop Sounding Smart, Start Being Clear - The Words You Use Matter in Podcasting, and They Don't Have To Be Big Podcasting works best when listeners can understand what you mean and connect with how you say it. Using complicated language or industry jargon can create distance, especially when your audience lacks the same background or expertise.Know Your Audience Technical language has a place. A highly specialized podcast can speak directly to an expert audience. Problems arise when podcasters assume everyone understands the terminology they use. Dave explores the balance between technical accuracy and accessible communication, using his experience with Living The Next Chapter as an example. The show serves authors who understand the publishing process while also reaching readers who simply want to discover books. Dave deliberately keeps the technical discussion limited so both audiences can follow the conversation. Connect the Unknown to the Known Clear communication does not require removing useful information. It requires finding a way to make complex ideas familiar. Dave explains his "red door" approach, which grew from his experience conducting large numbers of job interviews. He needed a memorable detail that would help him recall each candidate later. A red door became that mental reference point. The same idea applies to podcasting. Stories, metaphors, and familiar examples can help listeners understand technical concepts without requiring a vocabulary lesson. Read the Room Every audience requires a different approach. A one-on-one interview demands different preparation than a presentation, meetup, panel discussion, or conversation with industry specialists. Before explaining a complex subject, Dave recommends asking a calibration question to understand the audience's knowledge level. Then identify technical terms that may create confusion and replace them with relatable analogies where appropriate. He also suggests testing an explanation against someone with little or no background in the subject. If the core idea remains clear, you have probably found a stronger way to communicate. Your knowledge can make your content valuable, but clear language helps people receive it. Understand who you are talking to, meet them where they are, and let the strength of your ideas demonstrate your expertise. ______ Helping Podcasters Everyday!  ⁠https://howtopodcast.ca/⁠ We would love to hear from you - here is our listener survey! ⁠https://forms.gle/GbrFv9DGszV8N4PW6

  3. 2d ago

    E783 - Read the Room - The Skill Every Podcast Meetup Facilitator Needs

    Episode 783 - Read the Room - The Skill Every Podcast Meetup Facilitator Needs Leading a podcast meetup, panel discussion, interview, or other multi-voice event requires more than keeping a conversation moving. A skilled facilitator learns how to read the room, recognize who needs encouragement, manage dominant voices, and create space where participants feel welcome and heard.Community Requires Participation Four years of hosting podcast meetups have taught Dave that a large membership number means little when most members never participate. His approach focuses on keeping the community active and removing inactive members after several months. Showing up matters because community grows through participation, connection, and shared experience. Give Everyone a Way Into the Conversation Dave begins meetups with introductions, especially when someone attends for the first time. Regular participants still get an opportunity to talk about their week and reconnect before the main discussion begins. The Zoom chat adds another layer of participation, allowing members to share links, ideas, and conversations while others speak. Facilitate Without Dominating The facilitator sets the direction without becoming the dominant voice. Dave encourages leaders to recognize the knowledge within the group and invite others to answer questions when they have relevant experience. A facilitator who constantly answers first can prevent the group from discovering its own collective expertise. Managing the room also means recognizing extremes. Some people can consume the conversation while others rarely speak. The facilitator needs to create space for both. Learn to Read the Room People bring their lives into every meeting. Someone may arrive distracted, discouraged, quiet, or unusually withdrawn. The atmosphere can change without warning. A prepared facilitator watches the participants and adjusts accordingly. Dave compares this skill to a comedian reading an audience. A prepared routine provides structure, but the audience provides real-time feedback. The same principle applies to podcast interviews, panel discussions, virtual meetups, and live events. After four years, Dave has also seen how familiarity creates something valuable. People remember each other's stories, recognize absences, make callbacks, and feel known. That connection gives community its real meaning. The measure of a successful group discussion comes from how heard, welcomed, and connected participants feel when the conversation ends. Read the room, make space for others, and let the people around you help shape the discussion. ____ Helping Podcasters Everyday!  https://howtopodcast.ca/ We would love to hear from you - here is our listener survey! https://forms.gle/GbrFv9DGszV8N4PW6

  4. 3d ago

    E782 - What Your Podcast and A Red Door Have in Common - People Remember A Great Podcast

    Episode 782 - What Your Podcast and A Red Door Have in Common - People Remember A Great Podcast What Your Podcast and a Red Door Have in Common A memorable podcast gives listeners something they can hold onto after the episode ends. Dave uses the image of a red door to explain how podcasters can create that kind of lasting connection. When people toured houses, a red door could become the detail that helped them remember the entire property. Podcast episodes can work the same way. Find Your Red Door Listeners will not remember every minute of an episode. They remember the moments that give the conversation a mental anchor. Your podcast needs something distinctive that helps people recall your show among millions of others. That memorable element could become your podcast signature. A recurring feature, familiar opening style, listener interaction, story, or other repeatable element can create a pattern listeners recognize. Consistency helps turn that pattern into an association with your show. Give Listeners Something They Can See Vivid language and concrete images make ideas easier to remember. A strong analogy can turn an abstract lesson into a mental picture. Personal experiences and stories give podcasters material that feels specific and human. When listeners can picture what you are saying, they have a mental bookmark they can return to later. Make the Takeaway Repeatable A memorable episode needs a clear takeaway. Give listeners a sentence that captures the central idea and gives them something useful to apply. If they can repeat the idea to someone else without needing to hear the episode again, you have created a powerful connection. That connection can also drive word of mouth. Give people the words and the mental picture, then let them carry the idea forward. Define Your Own Success Dave also challenges podcasters to decide what success means for their own show. Money, advertising, awards, and recognition can measure success, but they do not define it for every creator. For Dave, success comes from connecting with people and creating a useful resource for podcasters. Your definition may look different. Knowing what you value gives you a clearer direction for your decisions. Find the red door of your podcast. Create something memorable, make your ideas easy to picture, give listeners a takeaway they can repeat, and define success on your own terms. ____ Helping Podcasters Everyday!  ⁠⁠https://howtopodcast.ca/⁠⁠ We would love to hear from you - here is our listener survey! ⁠⁠https://forms.gle/GbrFv9DGszV8N4PW6

  5. 4d ago

    E781 - The Best Podcasters Show Up - For Their Audience, With Purpose, Intent and for Themselves

    Episode 781 - The Best Podcasters Show Up - For Their Audience, With Purpose, Intent and for Themselves Showing Up Matters Podcasting demands more than pressing record. Dave explores what showing up means when life gets complicated, using his own experience with two floods and major home renovations as the backdrop. Even with unexpected disruption, he continues creating because podcasting gives him a mental reset and keeps him connected with his audience. Consistency and frequency serve different purposes. Frequency describes how often you publish. Consistency describes how you remain present and committed to your podcast and its community. A podcaster can publish weekly, daily, monthly, or in seasons and still create consistency through intentional participation.Keep the Creative Connection Alive Long, unplanned breaks can make returning to the microphone harder. Dave encourages podcasters to use their available time to generate ideas, reconnect with listeners, support other creators, and stay involved in the podcasting community. Showing up can happen through an episode, a conversation, a social post, a review, or simply listening and encouraging another podcaster. As September approaches, Dave challenges podcasters who plan a fall return to use August wisely. Create ideas now. Schedule time now. Reconnect with your audience before the microphone goes back on. That preparation can make the return feel energized rather than overwhelming. Check Your Podcast Distribution Dave also shares a practical way to check where your podcast appears across listening platforms. Pod.link lets creators search for their show and see the apps carrying their episodes. Multiple listings of the same podcast can signal a distribution problem that needs attention. The platform also creates shareable links for individual episodes, making it easier to send a specific guest appearance or episode directly to someone without asking them to search through your catalog. Your audience needs a reason to keep you in their world. Showing up creates that connection. Find a rhythm that fits your life, stay engaged with your community, and keep your creative connection alive even when circumstances disrupt your publishing schedule. ____ Helping Podcasters Everyday!  ⁠https://howtopodcast.ca/⁠ We would love to hear from you - here is our listener survey! ⁠https://forms.gle/GbrFv9DGszV8N4PW6

  6. 5d ago

    E780 - Shared Mic Sessions - Dave Guesting on the Podcast - They Call Me Mista Yu

    Episode 780 - Shared Mic Sessions - Dave Guesting on the Podcast - They Call Me Mista Yu Every Thursday, the flagship, "They Call Me Mista Yu" is where we have the deepest conversations on just about everything from society and culture to family dynamic to sports to world affairs. This is straight out of the mind of Mista Yu! Buckle up!  At the end of the day, this is where our edges get sharpened! PERSPECTIVE is the purpose here! Finding Your Voice Through Podcasting Podcasting gave Dave Campbell a way to find his voice. A naturally introverted and shy person, Dave discovered that getting behind a microphone helped him step outside his comfort zone, develop new skills, and build relationships with people around the world. What began with music editing and a curiosity about podcasts eventually grew into nine shows and a business helping other creators. Connection Over Numbers Dave sees podcasting as a way to build genuine relationships. His focus extends beyond publishing content. He responds when people reach out, engages with comments, and creates opportunities for podcasters to connect through virtual community meetups. His goal involves collecting people rather than possessions. Every conversation creates another connection, and those relationships can become part of a creator's legacy. Create for the One Person The Appleseed principle offers one of the strongest ideas from the conversation. You can count the seeds inside an apple, but you cannot count the apples that might grow from one seed. Dave applies that idea to podcasting. One listener can experience a meaningful change because of something they hear. That impact may never appear in analytics. Creators should focus on serving the person who shows up instead of allowing download numbers to determine their value. Podcasting as Legacy Dave also sees podcasting as a way to preserve memories. Recording his father's voice helped him understand the emotional value of audio. He wants his children and grandchildren to hear his voice long into the future. Podcasting also supports personal growth. Every conversation creates an opportunity to learn, meet someone new, and share what you discover. Podcasting Is for Everyone You do not need to host a podcast to benefit from podcasting. Listening can provide privacy, companionship, knowledge, and community. For creators, technology should not become a reason to keep a story hidden. Every person brings a perspective that nobody else can replicate. Dave also encourages creators to share their journey while they build. People can learn from the experiments, mistakes, discoveries, and growth that happen along the way. Create for the person who needs what you have to say. Build genuine connections, keep learning, and let people experience the journey with you. The impact of one conversation may reach far beyond anything your analytics can measure. https://theycallmemistayu.buzzsprout.com/ ____ Helping Podcasters Everyday!  ⁠https://howtopodcast.ca/⁠ We would love to hear from you - here is our listener survey! ⁠https://forms.gle/GbrFv9DGszV8N4PW6

    E780 - Shared Mic Sessions - Dave Guesting on the Podcast - They Call Me Mista Yu

  7. 6d ago

    E779 - Shared Mic Sessions - Dave Guesting on the Podcaster's Guide To A Visible Voice with Mary Chan

    Episode 779 - Shared Mic Sessions - Dave Guesting on the Podcaster's Guide To A Visible Voice with Mary Chan Podcasting in the Margins of Life Podcasting can feel lonely, especially when creators rarely hear directly from the people listening. Dave Campbell shares how he has built a podcasting life around a full-time job, family responsibilities, and limited pockets of free time. With nine podcasts and more than 2,000 published episodes, he creates in the margins of life and treats curiosity as a driving force. His approach includes ambitious experiments, including publishing daily episodes throughout 2026 and producing 24 episodes in 24 hours. Some experiments succeed. Others produce silence. Dave sees both outcomes as useful information. Collecting People Through Podcasting Dave describes his purpose as "collecting people." Podcasting gives him opportunities to meet people he admires, discover stories, develop relationships, and build community. He believes podcasters benefit from having people around them who encourage them when motivation fades. Listener feedback also appears in unexpected places. A message, conversation, social post, email, or chance meeting can reveal that an episode reached someone more deeply than download numbers ever could. Find the Red Door Dave brings an interviewing lesson from his HR background into podcasting. He calls it the "red door," the memorable detail that helps someone stand out from a crowd. Strong interviews create those moments through curiosity, storytelling, attentive listening, and meaningful questions. He also shares a powerful example of podcast impact. A listener in New Zealand told Dave that an episode about men's mental health motivated him to make an appointment for help. That response reminded Dave that a single podcast can create consequences far beyond anything analytics can measure. Experiment, Listen, Adjust Dave encourages podcasters to test ideas without fearing public failure. Pay attention to where listeners actually respond. Ask people how they discovered the show. Use that information to decide where your energy belongs. The conversation also explores the discipline of listening. Dave admits that early feedback taught him to stop interrupting guests and give them room to finish their thoughts. Podcasting becomes more meaningful when creators focus on people, curiosity, connection, and the potential impact of one listener. Keep experimenting. Listen closely. The most valuable result from an episode may never appear in your analytics. https://www.organizedsound.ca/podcast/ ____ Helping Podcasters Everyday!  ⁠https://howtopodcast.ca/⁠ We would love to hear from you - here is our listener survey! ⁠https://forms.gle/GbrFv9DGszV8N4PW6

    E779 - Shared Mic Sessions - Dave Guesting on the Podcaster's Guide To A Visible Voice with Mary Chan

  8. Aug 14

    E778 - When Your Podcast Co-Host Leaves, Do We Replace Them, End the Show and Move On - The Backyard Series

    Episode 778 - When Your Podcast Co-Host Leaves, Do We Replace Them, End the Show and Move On - The Backyard Series Losing a Co-Host: A Crisis and Opportunity for Podcasters Losing a co-host ranks among the most disruptive events a podcaster can face. It shakes the show’s rhythm, tests audience loyalty, and forces hard decisions about the future. This episode tackles how to navigate that crisis with clarity, patience, and purpose. The Reality of Co-Host Dynamics Co-hosted podcasts thrive on chemistry. That chemistry often grows from shared experiences, off-mic conversations, and mutual trust. When a co-host leaves, the dynamic that listeners connected with disappears. Replacing that person is not about finding a clone. It is about finding someone who complements you while bringing their own voice. Dave draws from his 46 years in music to illustrate this point. Bands often audition technically brilliant players who fail the “van test.” Can you spend twelve hours in a van with this person when everyone is tired and annoyed? The same question applies to podcasting. Skill matters, but fit matters more. Why Agreement Kills Conversation A co-host who agrees with everything you say adds little value. Uniform opinions create flat content. Listeners tune in for tension, contrast, and respectful disagreement. Political shows often fall into the trap of preaching to the choir. They reinforce existing beliefs instead of inviting new perspectives. Dave argues for civil discourse. He hosts guests from different backgrounds, including LGBTQ voices and people with vastly different lived experiences. These conversations challenge his views and make him a better human. That openness keeps his show fresh and meaningful. Grieving Before Rebuilding When a co-host exits, treat it like the end of a relationship. Grieve. Talk to your audience. Do not rush to fill the seat. Some shows cannot survive the loss, and that is okay. Ending a show is not failure. It is evolution. Many listeners stay because of the host, not the topic. One loyal listener told Dave he would listen even if the show covered gardening. He just likes hearing Dave’s voice. That loyalty can carry over to a new project if you handle the transition with honesty. Testing Potential Replacements If you decide to continue, bring in guest co-hosts for a few episodes. Try different voices. See what resonates. Avoid committing too quickly. A rushed decision often leads to regret. Give yourself months if needed. Do not try to replicate the person who left. Audiences notice when a replacement feels forced. Look at bands like Van Halen or Rush. Some transitions work. Others fracture the fanbase. Accept that some listeners will leave. Others may return if the new direction feels authentic. Building Community Takes Time Dave also warns against launching a community too soon. Managing a community is like being a mayor. You build infrastructure, enforce norms, plan events, and mediate conflicts. It demands bandwidth many new podcasters lack. He waited four to five years before starting his meetup group. Focus on the podcast first. Add community features when the need arises and you have capacity to sustain them. Losing a co-host is a crisis, but also a chance to rethink your show’s direction. Move slowly. Prioritize fit over fame. Embrace difference. And remember that ending a show can be a promotion, not a demotion. _____ Helping Podcasters Everyday!  https://howtopodcast.ca/We would love to hear from you - here is our listener survey! https://forms.gle/GbrFv9DGszV8N4PW6

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Welcome to The How To Podcast Series — your guide to podcasting success! Join host Dave Campbell and rotating guest co-hosts for practical tips on podcasting. Learn podcasting SEO, audience growth, guest booking, audio setup, social media marketing, and hosting platform suggestions. Get real-world advice, Podcasting Tips, creative inspiration, and the confidence to build your podcast community. Podcast smarter — your journey starts here! Join our free Podcast Community on Meetup to meet fellow listeners and podcasters at all different levels - HowToPodcast.ca is your home for podcasting!

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