Free download with this episode - podmastery.co/PLOT

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There's something I see too much in podcasting and it still baffles me: the endless, rambling intros that sound like the warm-up act for a local weather segment rather than a well-crafted episode.

Yet, podcasters fall into the trap every week, convinced their audience wants a 20-minute recap of what their dog ate for breakfast.

So in this episode of Podcasting Insights I share my PLOT framework—the four-step, no-nonsense approach I've been using and refining for years, both with my own content and with clients who actually care about real retention (not just download numbers to brag about on LinkedIn).

If you want honest specifics about how to hook, teach, and genuinely deliver value, without dropping your play-through stats, the PLOT method is the tool you should be using.

Here’s how it breaks down, if you want to jump to what matters most:

[00:00:00] – Why endless preamble kills retention, and what the first 60 seconds must accomplish

[00:01:23] – Building a preview that sells the value of the episode (without overloading details or wasting attention)

[00:02:56] – Understanding and using retention data: where to find the stats in Apple and Spotify dashboards, and what to do when your episodes drop below 60% retention

[00:04:04] – ‘Launch’: Creating a structure with clear signposting, hooks, and removing dead wood; using sound design to keep listeners tuned in

[00:05:57] – The ‘Offer’: Moving beyond pure value dumps, and making a meaningful offer that lets listeners take the next step without feeling like they’re being hard-sold

[00:07:31] – ‘Takeaways’: The method for making sure what you teach actually sticks, using the 3:2:1 wrap-up and the power of a micro challenge

[00:08:30] – When to tease the next episode and how not to overdo it

[00:09:22] – Recap of the PLOT steps, and your reminder to ditch the 60-minute weather intros for good

If you're serious about building a podcast that doesn't just get plays, but actually keeps listeners coming back, and moves them to action, stick this episode on your list.

And if the insight makes you rethink your next intro, or finally gets you on track with what a good episode structure should look like, you’ll know it’s working. Hit subscribe and let me know what works.

Mentioned in this episode:

Free PLOT workbook

A Podknows Production

Podknows 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/

Let’s chat about Klaxon AI and what it brings to the table.... specifically, the promise of whipping up professional audio ads for podcasts and radio quicker than you can brew a cup of coffee.

A polished 30-second ad is ready to roll. For 99 quid. Plus VAT.

But is it any good? We'll learn together shall we?

Go ahead and press play.

Relevant links:

https://www.klaxon.ai/

https://www.asa.org.uk/codes-and-rulings/advertising-codes.html

https://advertise.acast.com/news-and-insights/five-proven-ways-to-positively-impact-your-brands-kpis-when-advertising-in-podcasts

Mentioned in this episode:

A Podknows Production

Podknows 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/

Podmaster Free Tips

I’ve lost count of the number of podcasters who approach me – sometimes in a panic, occasionally in despair – to say that their listener numbers are flatlining.

Every week when they check their analytics (and let’s be honest, we all do that even when we say we don’t care about the stats, right?), the needle hasn’t really budged.

That’s when they ask for a magic bullet.

In almost all cases, it comes down to one thing they haven’t given anywhere near enough attention: their podcast intro.

Now, before you tap out thinking, “Oh, my intro’s fine, mate. I even paid someone on Fiverr to do it for a tenner,” let me assure you – it probably isn’t 'fine'.

In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes on why that all-important first impression matters so much more than most podcasters think.

The mentioned study... https://time.com/3858309/attention-spans-goldfish/

Timestamped Summary

• [00:00:01] – Why you need to give more thought to your intro.
• [00:00:28] – Why long or waffly intros kill shows.
• [00:01:13] – Real-life case study: Catherine Eardley’s weak intro.
• [00:03:13] – Catherine’s new, much sharper intro.
• [00:03:37] – Research: Microsoft’s attention span report.
• [00:06:44] – The practical method for fixing intros: a plain English breakdown of my “PLOT” system, and why “Preview” and “Launch” are most essential.
• [00:07:20] – Before and after demo of a “standard” dull intro versus a reworked, punchy, listener-centred one.

Free Intros Blueprint

https://podmastery.co/intros

Links referenced in this episode:

• podmastery.co/lite

Mentioned in this episode:

Free Intros Blueprint

Download your free blueprint here

Free Intros Blueprint

Show Notes Simplified

Are you sick of having to write out your episode descriptions (show notes) from scratch every time? Want to set up a templated approach that will save you hours every week? This tool is for you! (Note - this is an affiliate offer, but I don't recommend tools I'm not using myself, and I use this one DAILY)

Simplify your show notes

You know that feeling you get when you’ve poured your heart into your podcast for months, only to see the kind of download numbers you could count on one hand? If that’s you, I want you to know you’re definitely not alone.

The sheer number of podcasters who reach out to me, stuck in this exact scenario, is far higher than you’d probably guess.

But here’s the kicker: it rarely comes down to a lack of effort or even a lack of content.

More often, the problem is rooted in five persistent myths that quietly steer podcasters straight into a rut.

Myths I see crop up almost every time I run an audit for someone serious about improving their reach.

If you’re at the point where you’re open to a bit of tough love, this episode will give you a chance to step off the hamster wheel, take a proper look at what's holding your show back, and finally start seeing the kind of traction you actually deserve.

https://podmastery.co/lite

00:00 Guest Dependency Issues in Podcasts

04:00 Downloads Don't Equal Engagement

09:41 Podcast Monetization Myths Debunked

Mentioned in this episode:

Get your free podcast title checklist

Check your podcast's title against my free checklist

Title checklist

Book your Podmaster audit

Wanna get unstuck from the sub 100 downloads per month doldrums. Fancy getting closer to top 2% podcaster glory? Sounds like you need one of my Podmaster audits. Go to podmastery.co/lite and within 5 business days you’ll get a full video and written report on my findings. That's podmastery.co/lite

Podmaster audit

A Podknows Production

Podknows 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/

If you’ve spent time scratching your head over how to actually make money from your podcast – not in a pipe dream, “I’ll just wait until the sponsors come running” sort of way, but in a real, put-cash-in-your-bank-account way – this episode is going to either save you from a world of wasted effort…or register as the podcasting equivalent of hearing Santa isn’t real.

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Have you signed up for my "Top Listener Pet Peeves" report yet?

https://podmastery.co/petpeeves

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I get it: the advice out there is either laughably vague or refers to audience sizes that would make most national radio stations blush.

You’re told to focus on sponsors. You’re sold the idea that passive ad income is lurking just around the corner, when in reality, most podcasters would be financially better off mowing lawns.

On “5 ways to make money with your podcast,” I’m breaking from that nonsense and lifting up the hood on what actually works if you’re not one of the lucky few sitting on tens of thousands of downloads.

And, yes, I’ll lay out the business models that don’t work for the majority – and point you to approaches that actually deliver if you’re willing to think a little more creatively and act with intention.

Chapters:

00:00 Monetising for Indies

04:17 Targeted Digital Products

06:27 Podcast Sponsorship

Mentioned in this episode:

Book your Podmaster audit

Wanna get unstuck from the sub 100 downloads per month doldrums. Fancy getting closer to top 2% podcaster glory? Sounds like you need one of my Podmaster audits. Go to podmastery.co/lite and within 5 business days you’ll get a full video and written report on my findings. That's podmastery.co/lite

Podmaster audit

Podmaster Free Tips

A Podknows Production

Podknows 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/

In a world where anyone with a microphone can claim to be a podcast expert, it’s crucial to arm yourself with the knowledge on how to differentiate the true pros from the shady fakers.

We’re putting our detective hats on and analysing the tell-tale signs of those who are merely cashing in on your naivete.

From the overly polished personal branding clips that scream desperation to the suspiciously high follower counts that suggest a bot brigade, we dissect the modern-day snake oil salesman lurking in the podcasting community.

Podcasters, gather 'round! We've got some juicy nuggets from Apple's latest WWDC that are sure to make your ears perk up and your podcasting dreams a little brighter.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• Apple
• Apple Podcasts
• Overcast
• Pocketcast
• AirPods

Mentioned in this episode:

A Podknows Production

Podknows 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/

Podmaster Free Tips

There’s a lesson quietly looming for every podcaster right now, and it comes from a place no one really expected: Marc Maron's WTF podcast is ending.

Yes, the granddaddy of indie podcasting—the guy who not only defined the space for a generation, but who made even the President stop by his garage—has finally called it quits, citing burnout.

That’s not just 'big news' for the podcasting industry, it’s a full warning bell for anyone invested in building their own show.

You want to know what this means for you, and—crucially—how to avoid letting your own podcast become the next long-form collapse?

In this episode, I get right into what the end of WTF really signals for indie creators, where Maron went wrong, and most importantly, how you can avoid burning out or falling off the map yourself.

Timestamped Summary

00:00 Marc Maron's Podcasting Lessons

03:53 Podcasting Burnout Highlighted by Security Incident

06:21 Outsource Podcast Editing for Efficiency

09:51 Podcast Exit Strategy Challenges

15:15 Batching Themed Episodes: Market Opportunity

18:13 Maximizing Podcast Content Value

20:28 Turn Critics into Allies

Mentioned in this episode:

A Podknows Production

Podknows 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/

Podmaster Free Tips

Book your Podmaster audit

Wanna get unstuck from the sub 100 downloads per month doldrums. Fancy getting closer to top 2% podcaster glory? Sounds like you need one of my Podmaster audits. Go to podmastery.co/lite and within 5 business days you’ll get a full video and written report on my findings. That's podmastery.co/lite

Podmaster audit