In & Around Podcasting

What does a follow get you when the feed is full of recommendations? Elsie Escobar and Rob Walch talk about how listeners find their way back to the shows they follow. Elsie shares why she started a personal podcast for National Podcast Post Month, and the Flattering Ram goes to its founder, Jennifer Navarrete.Captivate earned IAB Tech Lab v2.3 certification for downloads, listeners, and ad delivery. Captivate Studio, the audio and video recording tool Elsie and Rob used for this episode, is now available to Captivate users in an invite-only beta. Rob also shares the latest download benchmarks.Follow the Captivate Growth Labs calendarGet updates on upcoming Office Hours and Growth Labs. Follow the Captivate Growth Labs calendar on Luma.Bring your podcasting questions to Office Hours with Danny Brown and Elsie Escobar. Register for November Office Hours or register for December Office Hours.Interesting things from this episodePeople & ShowsJennifer Navarrete’s National Podcast Post Month (NaPodPoMo)Elsie’s personal podcast - Elsie, As IsThe Daily Source Code archiveThe Big Four OhPodfestApps & TechnologyIAB Tech Lab Podcast Measurement Guidelines v2.3Captivate’s IAB Tech Lab v2.3 certificationHow to use targeting rules on Captivate campaignsEmail Rob about the Captivate Studio betaPodcast411’s list of podcast apps that support video from RSSFinelinerArticles & EpisodesThe Death of the Follower by Steve GoldsteinInstagram’s long-form video testDaddy Issues by Sofia FranklynNetflix hires Steve Wilson to oversee podcastsHow to Turn Podcast Listeners Into a CommunityHow to Get Ads on Your PodcastEurowaves’ 50th edition featuring ElsieIAAP episode 32 with Andreea CoscaiYour 2027 Podcast Plan, Captivate’s free five-part private podcastIn & Around Podcasting is a podcast industry podcast started by Mark Asquith and Danny Brown and now hosted by Elsie Escobar and Rob Walch, continuing its mission as an industry show that belongs to the whole community.If you enjoy the show, we'd love for you to leave us a rating or review on your favourite podcast app! You can also drop us a tip at https://www.inandaroundpodcasting.com/support, too!If you're an independent creator who would like to co-host with us, please let us know by emailing the show! [email protected] tell your friends that the show is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube, plus wherever else they may listen to their podcasts.If you'd like your podcast trailer featuring in our "Wave File" segment, submit it via this quick contact form, please.The podcast is also available at In & Around Podcasting.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

What gets missed when podcasting is measured by ad revenue? Elsie Escobar and Rob Walch respond to Freakonomics' conversation about the podcast business, discussing its view of profitability and making the case for niche audiences, different ways to earn income, and creating a show for its own sake. They also discuss Apple's podcasting history and why keeping independent and professional shows together matters.A podcaster's Reddit post about burnout brings the conversation back to the work behind each episode. Elsie and Rob consider what happens when editing and promotion consume your free time, how membership benefits can add to that workload, and what a listener dinner club could offer a community. Elsie introduces Your 2027 Podcast Plan, Captivate's free five-part private podcast, with the full series beginning November 23.The episode also covers Rob's holiday launch advice for new Apple Podcasts shows, artwork requests sent to selected shows, reporting on Apple's Samplab acquisition and HomeView, and the costs of pursuing Golden Globes recognition. Rob shares Captivate's August 2026 download benchmarks, while the Flattering Ram goes to The Magnus Archives for turning a recommendation from friends into a new podcast listener.Interesting things from this episodePeople & ShowsLove TrappedGiggly SquadEl Maratón de PodcastingPodfestThe Magnus ArchivesArticles & EpisodesFreakonomics Radio: It's Show Business, Baby!Your 2027 Podcast Plan: free five-part private podcast from CaptivateI'm burned out. Feeling guilt needing to end it.Apple Buys AI Audio Editing App SamplabApple Brings Podcasts to the Smart HomeBest Podcasts Eligible for the 84th Golden Globes RevealedIAB Certified Analytics, Plays vs Downloads, & Interpreting Growth SpikesPodcast Gifts for Podcasters & Podcast Lovers: All Levels & BudgetsIn & Around Podcasting is a podcast industry podcast started by Mark Asquith and Danny Brown and now hosted by Elsie Escobar and Rob Walch, continuing its mission as an industry show that belongs to the whole community.If you enjoy the show, we'd love for you to leave us a rating or review on your favourite podcast app! You can also drop us a tip at https://www.inandaroundpodcasting.com/support, too!If you're an independent creator who would like to co-host with us, please let us know by emailing the show! [email protected] tell your friends that the show is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube, plus wherever else they may listen to their podcasts.If you'd like your podcast trailer featuring in our "Wave File" segment, submit it via this quick contact form, please.The podcast is also available at In & Around Podcasting.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

A podcast conference can be about the sessions, the people, or both. Elsie Escobar joins Robb Dunewood, Mayra Ortiz, and Julio Axel Ponce to hear what Podcast Movement NYC was like from the floor and the stage. They talk about the nightclub venue, switching between presentations on headphones, planning connections before arriving, and the travel costs behind an affordable ticket.The conversation moves into the gap between how creators define podcasts and how audiences consume them. The roundtable discusses Sounds Profitable’s 2026 audience research, what reported Netflix use does and does not tell us, and why audio still fits parts of a listener’s day that video cannot. They also ask how conference recordings can reach more people, why modest view counts deserve context, and where audio versions could help.Reports of changes to Apple Podcasts recommendations prompt a discussion about personalized discovery, editorial curation, and visibility for independent and local shows. Elsie notes that Apple’s background statement, as quoted by Podnews, says its editorial approach has not changed. There’s also portable microphone and Leveler app talk, a case for direct listener relationships through email, and Flattering Rams for the Black Podcasting Awards, Life and Tech with TechLifeSteph, Narratives of Care Puerto Rico, and La Brega.Guest ContributorsRobb Dunewood - The Tech JawnMayra Ortiz - Qué Está Pasando en el PodcastingJulio Axel Ponce - Qué Está Pasando en el PodcastingInteresting things from this episodePeople & ShowsRobb Dunewood / The Art of PodcastingThe Tech JawnQué Está Pasando en el PodcastingMayra Ortiz / Podcasteras MediaJulio Axel Ponce / Tropical PodcastingPodcast MovementStephen RoblesDemetrius Bagley / Black Podcasting AwardsLife and Tech with TechLifeStephCharlotte Bayala / Narratives of Care: Puerto RicoLa BregaApps & TechnologySmallRig S70-A wireless microphoneHollyland wireless microphonesDJI Osmo Pocket 3Leveler for MacArticles & EpisodesSounds Profitable’s 2026 audience research: the core numbersSounds Profitable’s 2026 audience research: full reportPodnews reporting on Apple Podcasts recommendations and editorial curationPodcast Movement 2026 session recordings on YouTube2026 Black Podcasting Awards winners and nomineesCaptivate Office Hours and Growth Labs events calendarIAB Certified Analytics, Plays vs Downloads, & Interpreting Growth Spikes, by Matthew McLeanThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

Rob Walch returns from Podcast Movement NYC with a recap of the Terminal 5 venue, meetings with industry peers, Captivate’s new partnership with TWiT, and the presentation moment when his screen went black. His talk challenged advice built for podcasting’s top tier and tested the claim that video is now the baseline. Rob shares his comparison of Apple Podcasts downloads for more than 100 shows before and after they added HLS video, along with Acast’s Podcast Pulse findings on audio choice, discovery through social clips, and rising trust in podcasters.Beyond Podcast Movement, Elsie and Rob discuss Apple Podcasts chapter settings, Spotify’s ad-skipping feature, Apple Podcasts subscription video and new playback features, Threads’ expanded podcast tools, and sponsor reads designed to work for people watching or listening. A reported $140 million SiriusXM deal for Giggly Squad opens a wider conversation about the value Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo built across podcasting, video, social media, touring, publishing, and entertainment. Global also announces the upcoming investigative series A Very British Epstein.The episode also visits Apple Maps’ Hidden Histories guides, the International Women’s Podcast Awards, and a Talks.co giveaway. The Flattering Ram celebrates Tony Doe’s work on the Nigerian Podcast Index, Rob shares Captivate’s July 2026 download benchmarks and Magellan AI’s estimated August podcast ad spending, and the hosts point listeners toward Rob’s Outlier Edge interview and Seth Resler’s community-building Growth Lab.Interesting things from this episodePeople & ShowsPodcast Movement New York City 2026Giggly SquadTWiT.tv’s partnership with DAX and CaptivateA Very British EpsteinTony Doe and Into the PodverseSupport the Nigerian Podcast IndexRob Walch on The Outlier Edge, episode 1037From Audience to Community with Seth ReslerCaptivate Growth Labs events calendarCaptivate Office Hours: OctoberApps & TechnologyApple Podcasts subscription videoNew Apple Podcasts features in iOS 27, tvOS 27, and macOS 27Threads podcast tools for creators and listenersArticles & EpisodesAcast’s Podcast Pulse 2026How to Create Podcast Ads That Work for Both Video and AudioInside the Giggly Squad Podcast Bidding WarApple Maps and Apple Podcasts launch Hidden HistoriesInternational Women’s Podcast Awards 2026Talks.co 2026 Podcast GiveawayNigeria’s podcasting ecosystem and the Nigerian Podcast IndexMagellan AI’s August 2026 podcast ad spending estimatesIn & Around Podcasting is a podcast industry podcast started by Mark Asquith and Danny Brown and now hosted by Elsie Escobar and Rob Walch, continuing its mission as an industry show that belongs to the whole community.If you enjoy the show, we'd love for you to leave us a rating or review on your favourite podcast app! You can also drop us a tip at https://www.inandaroundpodcasting.com/support, too!If you're an independent creator who would like to co-host with us, please let us know by emailing the show! [email protected] tell your friends that the show is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube, plus wherever else they may listen to their podcasts.If you'd like your podcast trailer featuring in our "Wave File" segment, submit it via this quick contact form, please.The podcast is also available at In & Around Podcasting.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

A successful podcast can still reach a point where its creator is ready to move on. Elsie Escobar and Rob Walch discuss Pat Flynn’s sale of Smart Passive Income, the audience relationship involved in a host handover, and what the reporting on Crime Junkie and Audiochuck brings up about growth, workload, and building a business around one person.The Apple conversation covers hardware costs, AirPods recording, and the balance between useful listening tools and privacy for the people nearby. Elsie and Rob also discuss iOS 27 podcast search and CarPlay changes, plus Apple Podcasts’ video embed player and why website plays don’t appear in Apple Podcasts Connect Analytics.Audacity 4 brings a new editing experience and a reminder from Rob to check MP3 export settings after installing. Audio Hijack 4.6 updates transcription and macOS support. The Flattering Ram remembers Todd Cochrane, followed by news of Audacy Creator Lab’s closure, TWiT’s move to Captivate for ad management, Elsie’s immigration story on Heidi de la Cruz’s podcast, and upcoming Captivate community events.Interesting things from this episodePeople & ShowsPat Flynn and Smart Passive Income, sale announcementLiz Wilcox, incoming Smart Passive Income owner, announcement conversationLex Roman and Revenue Rule Breakers, analysis of the SPI saleTodd Cochrane, remembered by Rob GreenleeRob Greenlee and New Media Show, remembrance of Todd CochranePodcast Movement New York CityApps & TechnologyApple Podcasts embed playerApple Marketing ToolsAudacity 4Audacity 4 download on MuseHubAudio HijackiPhone Duo, pricing reportiPhone 18 Pro, feature overviewAirPods 5, feature overviewApple Watch Audio IntelligenceArticles & EpisodesApple Doesn’t Want You to Worry About the New Apple Watch’s Listening FeaturesiPhones Are Getting More Expensive, but AirPods Are Cheaper Than EverApple Podcasts Takes Video Beyond Its App With Upgraded Web PlayerApple Audio Intelligence Privacy OverviewAshley Flowers’ ‘Crime Junkie’ Podcast Empire, Audiochuck, Faces ReckoningThe biggest news in Smart Passive Income’s History! I Sold SPIAudacity 4 has arrived: Easier editing, better effects & moreAudio Hijack 4.6 Is Now AvailableRemembering Todd Cochrane, One Year LaterMike Dell’s remembrance of Todd CochraneTWiT.tv Partners with DAX United States for 2027The American Dream in the Eyes of Immigrants, episode 162 with Elsie EscobarCaptivate Growth Labs events calendarCaptivate Office Hours: OctoberFrom Audience to Community: A New Revenue Model for Podcasters, September Growth LabIn & Around Podcasting is a podcast industry podcast started by Mark Asquith and Danny Brown and now hosted by Elsie Escobar and Rob Walch, continuing its mission as an industry show that belongs to the whole community.If you enjoy the show, we'd love for you to leave us a rating or review on your favourite podcast app! You can also drop us a tip at https://www.inandaroundpodcasting.com/support, too!If you're an independent creator who would like to co-host with us, please let us know by emailing the show! [email protected] tell your friends that the show is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube, plus wherever else they may listen to their podcasts.If you'd like your podcast trailer featuring in our "Wave File" segment, submit it via this quick contact form, please.The podcast is also available at In & Around Podcasting.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy