Podcast Answer Man – Episode 484

"The Long Game of Podcasting: Lessons From 5,000+ Episodes" with Guest Scott Smith
Host: Cliff Ravenscraft
Guest: Scott Smith (The Daily Boost)
Date: February 6, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode brings together two veterans of the podcasting industry — Cliff Ravenscraft and Scott Smith — both boasting two decades of experience and thousands of published episodes. Their conversation dives into the evolution of podcasting, business models past and present, the changing nature of audience engagement, and the mindsets and strategies needed for lasting success. Whether you’re a podcasting newbie or a seasoned host, the episode is packed with hard-earned wisdom and candid stories.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Days & Discovering Podcasting

(04:01 – 05:15)

• Scott’s Origin Story: Scott discovered podcasting during Christmas 2004, inspired by national press acknowledging podcasts and his own background in radio and personal growth.
• Technical Barriers: Early podcasting required hand-coding RSS feeds and manually uploading XML files via FTP.
  • “We were using text-based editors and hand coding RSS code...and FTPing it up to our web servers.” – Cliff [05:15]
• First Podcast Efforts: Scott wrote and recorded 260 daily 60-second vignettes, initially intended for radio, but launched as his first podcast — “Motivation to Move Minute.”
  • Going live led to instant global feedback via listener emails and sparked his content journey.

2. Podcast Influences & Listening Habits

(06:52 – 12:27)

• Influential Early Podcasts: Both Scott and Cliff listened to pioneers like Adam Curry ("Daily Source Code") and Leo Laporte (TechTV, now "MacBreak Weekly").
  • “To this day, I've never missed an episode of Father Roderick Von Hogan's podcast all the way since 2005.” – Cliff [07:41]
• Changing Listening Patterns:
  • Cliff began as an avid podcast consumer (7+ shows a week), but the pandemic and the rise of new platforms (e.g., Clubhouse, TikTok) shifted his habits.
  • “I invested approximately four to eight hours a day, seven days a week on Clubhouse throughout the pandemic. And that will eat into your podcast consumption time.” – Cliff [09:31]
• Realness in Podcasting:
  • Both agree success comes from being "an elevated version" of yourself — real, transparent, but also entertaining and engaged.
  • “You’ve got to be real, got to be transparent...but it’s an elevated version of you.” – Scott [12:27]
  • “Never be yourself.” (jokingly, about needing to perform slightly on mic) – Scott [13:45]

3. Evolution of the Show & Community Building

(16:00 – 17:41)

• From Fitness to Community: Scott moved from short, daily vignettes to a weekend 30-minute show, "Motivation to Move", designed for deeper listener connection.
  • “When I went on the weekend and brought the community into what I was doing, that was huge...that’s still the thing that works.” – Scott [16:41]
• Community Engagement:
  • Listener engagement (emails, comments, social media) continues to be a core value and growth driver for Scott.

4. Podcast Business Models: Then and Now

(18:02 – 32:32)

• Ad Controversies:

  • Early debates around whether running ads "spoiled" the medium or was necessary for survival.
  • “Oh, nobody...Are you kidding? A podcast is...No, they're pure. You can't run an ad on a podcast back in 2008.” – Scott [18:20]

• Membership Models & Monetization Shifts:

  • Scott pivoted to a membership model—freemium for the podcast, paid for extras (early example: Daily Boost, Monday free, Tues–Fri paid).
  • Built his own membership backend, hit $150k/year early on leveraging simple software and protecting premium feeds.
  • “That's how I made my first...I got to 150k a year on that software.” – Scott [25:43]
  • Used psychological pricing for membership vs. course sales: “The psychology behind it was, well, it's a 30 day program. I'll just pay them 1995 and cancel... We had a thousand people come in about three days at 20 bucks a month, instantaneously, just like that, we were rolling.” – Scott [29:30]

• Personal Stories Impacting Business:

  • Scott shared his experience navigating a terminal diagnosis and death of his first wife, pausing his paid offerings but maintaining free content, leading to deeper connections and renewed success post-relaunch.
  • “I was connecting in ways that you couldn't pretend to do that... The most emotional and vulnerable I could ever been in my whole life was out on the podcast.” – Scott [28:06]

5. Current Business Models & Coaching

(31:21 – 32:32)

• Current split: some ad revenue (Spotify dynamic ads), high-ticket private coaching ($2500/mo), mid-level group cohort ($297/mo), and inner circle ($12,000/year).
• Focus on lifestyle:
  • “I'm scheduled to work on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Everything else is a day off. I never work more than about five hours a day. That's the game right now.” – Scott [32:13]

6. Technology, Hosting, & The Modern Tech Stack

(32:32 – 36:59)

• Podcast Hosting Choices:
  • Scott: Megaphone (for enterprise features, dynamic ad insertion, agency/Spotify integration)
  • Cliff: Kajabi (but frustrated by slow development and feature limitations)
  • Shout-outs: RSS.com, Buzzsprout, Captivate, Red Circle (lots of improved choices for indie podcasters today).
  • “If you had anything back in 2007, 2008, I think we had Libsyn was the only option and Blueberry.” – Cliff [36:19]
• Ad Tech:
  • Megaphone and others allow network ads, direct sales, and programmatic ads, though Scott notes downsides with control and payout.

7. Reflecting on Ads: Too Much of a Good Thing?

(37:43 – 40:48)

• Concern over rising ad load:

  • “The average true crime podcast is 34% ads. Now, that's way too much. It's going to kill podcasting if they're not careful.” – Scott [37:43]

• Ad-Blocking & New Apps:

  • Cliff mentions Earsay app (auto-skips ads), and Podbrain (offers podcast "Cliff Notes" for a fee), sparking discussion about the evolving podcast-value chain and royalties.
  • “You're just going to help bring down the whole industry.” (joking) – Scott [38:26]

• When Ads Aren’t Worth It:

  • Both hosts agree that running ads can be more hassle than it's worth when other monetization streams (coaching, products) are more lucrative and less intrusive.
  • “Ever since I learned that I could earn an income far greater than ads could ever do, I haven't touched an ad inside of my podcasts.” – Cliff [39:04]
  • “I like to focus on producing a great show, not ads, you know?” – Scott [40:03]

8. Content Creation: Workflow, Batch Processing & Staying Relevant

(40:48 – 45:53)

• Batch vs. Real-Time Creation:
  • Scott has done both, but now prefers recording 12 hours ahead for topical, relevant content.
  • “When you can tap in 12 to 15 hours before the show is recorded and be right there with them...you're really relevant and topical to them.” – Scott [44:14]
• Finding the Ideal Show Length:
  • Experimented from 3–27 minutes but found his “sweet spot” is 14–15 minutes, enough for open, story, and deep teaching.
  • “About 14 and a half, I just kind of run out of words. And I used to have a big closing to the show...Now I just say, actually, I think the other day I said, I think I'm done. See you tomorrow.” – Scott [44:14]
• Audience Feedback & Format Evolution:
  • Changing music and format prompted engagement; trusting his creative intuition rather than relying solely on listener surveys.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On being “yourself” in podcasting:
  • “You’ve got to be real, got to be transparent...but it’s an elevated version of you.” – Scott [12:27]
  • “Never be yourself.” – Scott, tongue-in-cheek [13:45]
• On business pivots during hardship:
  • “The most emotional and vulnerable I could ever been in my whole life was out on the podcast...I was connecting in ways that you couldn't pretend to do.” – Scott [28:06]
• On membership breakthrough:
  • “We had a thousand people come in about three days at 20 bucks a month, instantaneously, just like that, we were rolling.” – Scott [29:30]
• On ad overload:
  • “The average true crime podcast is 34% ads. Now, that's way too much. It's going to kill podcasting if they're not careful.” – Scott [37:43]
• On automated ad-skipping apps:
  • “You're just going to help bring down the whole industry.” – Scott, to Cliff [38:26]
• On the role of format and creative trust:
  • “At some point, the creator has to trust the creator and trust to create for the listener. And I just knew it was right.” – Scott [41:55]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 04:01 – Scott discovers podcasting, early technical hurdles
• 06:52 – Earliest podcast subscriptions and influences
• 09:31 – Pandemic’s effect on listening habits; Clubhouse surge
• 13:28 – The “elevated” authentic self in podcast creation
• 16:00 – First shows, building community, weekend editions
• 18:02 – Business model evolution, ad backlash
• 25:43 – Membership site breakthrough with Amember
• 29:30 – Leveraging pricing psychology for explosive growth
• 31:21 – Modern business model: coaching, ads, lifestyle design
• 32:32 – Hosting tech stacks, industry recommendations
• 37:43 – Concern over rising ad loads in major podcasts
• 38:26 – Earsay app, ad skipping, and the business implications
• 40:48 – Content workflow, batch production, and staying current
• 45:38 – Wrap-up: ways to connect, final insights

Where to Find Scott Smith

• Podcast: dailyboostpodcast.com
• Instagram: @heyscottsmith
• Email: scott@dailyboostpodcast.com

Episode Takeaways

• Longevity in podcasting comes down to adaptability, authenticity (with a touch of performance), and building strong community ties.
• Monetization is not one-size-fits-all; experiment and find what aligns with your talents and lifestyle preferences.
• In a noisy, ever-changing industry, practical experience, personal connection, and staying nimble with tech and format are crucial for success.

For further reading and a detailed list of episode insights, check the show notes at podcastanswerman.com.

[End of Summary]