Ask the Podcast Coach

Dave Jackson, Jim Collison
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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.

  1. 5d ago

    How to Keep Your Podcast Creative, Authentic, and Free from Common Pitfalls

    Send us feedback/questions via Text Today I'm joined by Neal Veglio of Podmastery.co as Jim is in Brazil. Are you struggling to find the sweet spot between harnessing the power of AI and keeping your creative voice front and center in your podcast? This week, we’re diving deep into how creators can use AI as a tool—without letting it take over—to save time, spark new ideas, and still deliver the authentic, engaging content your listeners crave. Join us for a conversation that will inspire you to work smarter, create boldly, and stand out in a world where technology and originality can work hand in hand. Hit play and discover how to make AI your creative sidekick, not your replacement! Video Version Sponsors: PodcastBranding.co - They see you before they hear you Basedonastruestorypodcast.com - Comparing Hollywood with History Video Version (unedited) Mentioned In This Episode School of Podcasting https://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/join Podpage http://www.trypodpage.com Home Gadget Geeks https://www.theaverageguy.tv Fix My Podcast https://www.fixmypodcast.com Neal Veglio https://Podmastery.co https://podknows.co.uk/ Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:05 Let guests tell their stories 03:21 Sponsor PodcastBranding.co https://www.podcastbranding.co 04:26 Sponsor: Based on a True Story podcast https://www.basedonatruestorypodcast.com 05:20 We Both Love Spotify  07:47 Podcast Audits 08:55 Why radio habits hurt podcasts 10:47 Win attention with immediate retention 14:15 PHP Worries 17:54 Balance AI efficiency with authentic show notes 19:56 Build a workflow that keeps your voice 22:04 Protect integrity when using AI 26:13 Avoid copying other creators with AI 29:40 Find the middle ground with AI 33:42 Use AI creatively, not lazily 35:32 Pair AI with critical thinking 39:55 Define a distinct audience and purpose 44:13 Measure the value your show delivers 46:40 Fix common podcast production mistakes 47:50 Please Support the Show ($5) https://podcastcoach.supercast.com 48:16 Ad: School of Podcasting courses, coaching, and community https://community.schoolofpodcasting.com 48:45 Ad: Add clickable chapters with PodPage https://www.podpage.com 48:54 Home Gadget Geeks https://www.homegadgetgeeks.com 48:54 Podcastmastery: Podcasting Insights https://podmastery.co/ 49:15 Podindy.com Conference http://www.eventbrite.com/e/1987753467129/?discount=sop 50:26 Did I Hear That Right? https://www.didihearthatrightpodcast.com/ 50:44 Featured Supporter: A Long Look Podcast https://www.alonglookpodcast.com/ 50:58 Become an Awesome Supporter https://www.askthepodcastcoach.com/support/ 51:27 Mix background music without overpowering voices 56:28 Keep effective production simple 58:26 Where to Find Neal https://podmastery.co/ 01:00:24 Recognize your real audience through feedback Featured Supporter Join lifelong art lover Karen Jackson for the slow looking experience. A long Look podcast is a better way to experience art. Check it out at alonglookpodcast.com Leave Your Question Go to askthepodcastcoach.com/voicemail and leave your message to be answered on the next show. Support the show BE AWESOME! Thanks for listening to the show. Help the show continue to exist and get a shout-out on the show by becoming an awesome supporter by going to askthepodcastcoach.com/awesome want a one time donation? Buy Dave a Coffee.

    How to Keep Your Podcast Creative, Authentic, and Free from Common Pitfalls

  2. Oct 17

    My Guest Is Ruining The Podcast Recording!

    Send us feedback/questions via Text What do you do when your mic won’t work, a guest keeps tapping the desk, or life throws a furnace breakdown into your podcast plans? This week, Dave, Jim, and Randy share practical ways to handle live-show hiccups, explore audio tools and podcast workflows, and get real about juggling multiple shows—and knowing when it might be time to move on. Press play for useful ideas, honest stories, and a reminder that every podcaster needs a backup plan. Video Version (unedited) Sponsors: PodcastBranding.co - They see you before they hear you Basedonastruestorypodcast.com - Comparing Hollywood with History Video Version (unedited) Mentioned In This Episode School of Podcasting https://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/join Podpage http://www.trypodpage.com Home Gadget Geeks https://www.theaverageguy.tv Fix My Podcast https://www.fixmypodcast.com Randy Black https://randallblack.com/ Auphonic Audio Processing https://supportthisshow.com/auphonic After Further Review on This Episode https://theaverageguy.tv/2026/10/17/ask-the-podcast-coach-after-further-review-597-adapt-walk-away-shorts/ Featured Supporter Join lifelong art lover Karen Jackson for the slow looking experience. A long Look podcast is a better way to experience art. Check it out at alonglookpodcast.com Leave Your Question Go to askthepodcastcoach.com/voicemail and leave your message to be answered on the next show. Support the show BE AWESOME! Thanks for listening to the show. Help the show continue to exist and get a shout-out on the show by becoming an awesome supporter by going to askthepodcastcoach.com/awesome want a one time donation? Buy Dave a Coffee.

    My Guest Is Ruining The Podcast Recording!

  3. Oct 10

    Upon Further Review: Taking a Second Look at Your Past Episodes

    Send us feedback/questions via Text This week Dave and Jim dig into the messy, human side of podcasting — Jim debuts a brand-new recurring segment where he calls out his own mistakes from past episodes (yes, really), a listener spirals over editing software and begs for a faster workflow, and the guys argue over whether $9 a month is worth switching streaming platforms. Throw in a deep dive on why YouTube Shorts and clips might be the secret weapon you’re ignoring, a surprisingly practical lesson on matching your website colors to your show art, and some hard truths about trimming the fat out of your interviews, and you’ve got another fast-moving, genuinely useful hour of live podcast coaching. Video Version (unedited) Sponsors: PodcastBranding.co - They see you before they hear you Basedonastruestorypodcast.com - Comparing Hollywood with History Video Version (unedited) Mentioned In This Episode School of Podcasting https://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/join Podpage http://www.trypodpage.com Home Gadget Geeks https://www.theaverageguy.tv Fix My Podcast https://www.fixmypodcast.coms Upon Further Review Posts Episode 595 Review Episode 594 Review Give him some feedback at jim@theaverageguy.tv Also Mentioned whosondrums.com — new awesome supporter (Stevie Taylor & Jonnie Adams) pitchapodcast.com — Hear the horror stories of bad podcast pitches podindy.com — November 7th live event in Indianapolis (code SOP) color.adobe.com - pull the hex codes from your artwork Featured Supporter Join lifelong art lover Karen Jackson for the slow looking experience. A long Look podcast is a better way to experience art. Check it out at alonglookpodcast.com Leave Your Question Go to askthepodcastcoach.com/voicemail and leave your message to be answered on the next show. Support the show BE AWESOME! Thanks for listening to the show. Help the show continue to exist and get a shout-out on the show by becoming an awesome supporter by going to askthepodcastcoach.com/awesome want a one time donation? Buy Dave a Coffee.

    Upon Further Review: Taking a Second Look at Your Past Episodes

  4. Oct 3

    Is Podcast Advertising Doomed?

    Send us feedback/questions via Text Adam Curry asked an AI agent to download the latest episode of a popular podcast and remove the ads. Eight minutes later it was done, and it turned out half the file was ads. Dave and Jim react to the clip and ask whether this is the end of podcast advertising or just the next round of an ad-blocking arms race that YouTube has already survived. Then they get practical. Why "cap it at 10%" might be the smartest ad strategy around. Why a $12 book sale beats 2,400 downloads. And how a 42-second social media post turned out to be worth far more clicks than Dave expected. If you've ever wondered whether ads, subscriptions, or social media are worth your time, press play. Video Sponsors: PodcastBranding.co - They see you before they hear you Basedonastruestorypodcast.com - Comparing Hollywood with History Video Version (unedited) Mentioned In This Episode School of Podcasting https://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/join Podpage http://www.trypodpage.com Home Gadget Geeks https://www.theaverageguy.tv Fix My Podcast https://www.fixmypodcast.com Mentioned in this episode New supporter: Karen Jackson of A Long Look Podcastshort.io and Switchy (trackable links)Wispr Flow (voice dictation)Profit From Your Podcast by Dave Jackson: profitfromyourpodcast.comPodIndy, November 7, 9am to 4pm, with Cliff Ravenscraft. Use code SOP at podindy.comComing up: Phil Hawthorne of the Home Assistant Podcast joins Jim on Home Gadget Geeks at theaverageguy.tv. Next week, a shout-out to Stevie from Who's on Drums. Featured Supporter Join lifelong art lover Karen Jackson for the slow looking experience. A long Look podcast is a better way to experience art. Check it out at alonglookpodcast.com Leave Your Question Go to askthepodcastcoach.com/voicemail and leave your message to be answered on the next show. Support the show BE AWESOME! Thanks for listening to the show. Help the show continue to exist and get a shout-out on the show by becoming an awesome supporter by going to askthepodcastcoach.com/awesome want a one time donation? Buy Dave a Coffee.

    Is Podcast Advertising Doomed?

  5. Sep 26

    Auphonic's New Studio Voice Beta

    Send us feedback/questions via Text Dave is back from Podcast Movement in New York City with a full report on the new venue, the split business and indie days, and the $1.50 pizza. He and Jim cover a lot this week.  Video Version (unedited) Randy Black plays a before-and-after demo of Auphonic's new Studio Voice beta that turns an echoey 8-year-old Skype call into something that sounds like it came from a treated studio. A new industry stat puts Netflix at number three for podcast consumption, ahead of Apple, which leads to a debate about what counts as a "podcast" and why a closed platform matters to independent creators.  Dan Schultz makes the case that audio-first shows can skip the YouTube algorithm games, handle SEO in ten minutes, and spend the rest of their time making the show good. Jim shares early results from his YouTube Shorts experiment and a surprisingly powerful stats tool hiding in YouTube Studio.  Sponsors: PodcastBranding.co - They see you before they hear you Basedonastruestorypodcast.com - Comparing Hollywood with History Video Version (unedited) Mentioned In This Episode School of Podcasting https://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/join Podpage http://www.trypodpage.com Home Gadget Geeks https://www.theaverageguy.tv Fix My Podcast https://www.fixmypodcast.com Also Mentioned Auphonic https://supportthisshow.com/auphonic Sounds Profitable https://www.soundsprofitable.com Podcast Movement https://www.podcastmovement.com Randall Black https://www.randallblack.com Dan Schultz Banned Camp https://www.bannedcamppodcast.com/ Featured Supporter Join lifelong art lover Karen Jackson for the slow looking experience. A long Look podcast is a better way to experience art. Check it out at alonglookpodcast.com Leave Your Question Go to askthepodcastcoach.com/voicemail and leave your message to be answered on the next show. Support the show BE AWESOME! Thanks for listening to the show. Help the show continue to exist and get a shout-out on the show by becoming an awesome supporter by going to askthepodcastcoach.com/awesome want a one time donation? Buy Dave a Coffee.

    Auphonic's New Studio Voice Beta

  6. Sep 12

    Embedding Live Streams to Reinforce Your Brand

    Send us feedback/questions via Text What do you do when YouTube dies mid-livestream, a fire alarm goes off in your office, and a guest sits frozen on screen for seven awkward minutes? Dave and Jim tackle real live-show disasters this week, plus how to embed your own live stream on your website without touching an RTMP link, why AI keeps butchering your guests' last names, and whether those "automatic clip maker" tools are actually saving you any time (spoiler: maybe not). They also dig into resurrecting old blog content with ChatGPT, the real conversion rate on 60-second clips, and why "7-figure podcaster" claims deserve a serious side-eye. Sponsors: PodcastBranding.co - They see you before they hear you Basedonastruestorypodcast.com - Comparing Hollywood with History Video Version (unedited) Mentioned In This Episode School of Podcasting https://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/join Podpage http://www.trypodpage.com Home Gadget Geeks https://www.theaverageguy.tv Fix My Podcast https://www.fixmypodcast.com Featured Supporter Join lifelong art lover Karen Jackson for the slow looking experience. A long Look podcast is a better way to experience art. Check it out at alonglookpodcast.com Leave Your Question Go to askthepodcastcoach.com/voicemail and leave your message to be answered on the next show. Support the show BE AWESOME! Thanks for listening to the show. Help the show continue to exist and get a shout-out on the show by becoming an awesome supporter by going to askthepodcastcoach.com/awesome want a one time donation? Buy Dave a Coffee.

    Embedding Live Streams to Reinforce Your Brand

  7. Sep 5

    Hobbies Cost Money - Quit Wasting Your Time

    Send us feedback/questions via Text It's Labor Day weekend, but Dave and Jim aren't taking one off from the AI rabbit hole — this episode covers everything from free (and not-so-free) transcription services to the moment ChatGPT started recommending third-party apps mid-workflow, plus a candid gut-check for the podcaster who's 89 episodes in and wondering if it's time to quit. Throw in Audacity 4's big redesign, a debate over how often you really need to disclose affiliate links, and a war story about paying influencers gone wrong, and you've got a jam-packed hour of practical advice, real talk, and the usual Dave-and-Jim banter to kick off your holiday weekend. Video Sponsors: PodcastBranding.co - They see you before they hear you Basedonastruestorypodcast.com - Comparing Hollywood with History Video Version (unedited) Mentioned In This Episode School of Podcasting https://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/join Podpage http://www.trypodpage.com Home Gadget Geeks https://www.theaverageguy.tv Fix My Podcast https://www.fixmypodcast.com Mentioned: Otter.ai Castmagic.com Monarch Money Acrons banking SoFi Banking Featured Supporter: AI Goes to College Featured Supporter Join lifelong art lover Karen Jackson for the slow looking experience. A long Look podcast is a better way to experience art. Check it out at alonglookpodcast.com Leave Your Question Go to askthepodcastcoach.com/voicemail and leave your message to be answered on the next show. Support the show BE AWESOME! Thanks for listening to the show. Help the show continue to exist and get a shout-out on the show by becoming an awesome supporter by going to askthepodcastcoach.com/awesome want a one time donation? Buy Dave a Coffee.

    Hobbies Cost Money - Quit Wasting Your Time

  8. Aug 29

    Conferences and Communities: Why Go? How to Build?

    Send us feedback/questions via Text Dave and Jim spent most of the show riffing on conferences and community, sparked by Dave's recent trip to the Empowered Podcasting Conference. He recapped the small-but-mighty vibe of the event, a "woo-woo" keynote that split the room (a good reminder that not every talk is for every audience), and reconnecting in person. We also talk about: The new Supporter Ralph and Julia on Becoming Financially Confident How to get feedback? Jim's 20 minute fail. Sponsors: PodcastBranding.co - They see you before they hear you Basedonastruestorypodcast.com - Comparing Hollywood with History Video Version (unedited) Mentioned In This Episode School of Podcasting https://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/join Podpage http://www.trypodpage.com Home Gadget Geeks https://www.theaverageguy.tv Fix My Podcast https://www.fixmypodcast.com Featured Supporter Join lifelong art lover Karen Jackson for the slow looking experience. A long Look podcast is a better way to experience art. Check it out at alonglookpodcast.com Leave Your Question Go to askthepodcastcoach.com/voicemail and leave your message to be answered on the next show. Support the show BE AWESOME! Thanks for listening to the show. Help the show continue to exist and get a shout-out on the show by becoming an awesome supporter by going to askthepodcastcoach.com/awesome want a one time donation? Buy Dave a Coffee.

    Conferences and Communities: Why Go? How to Build?
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4.3
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57 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Dave Jackson, Jim Collison
  • Years Active
    2013 - 2026
  • Episodes
    582
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 2026 School of Podcasting
  • Show Website
    Ask the Podcast Coach

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