What warning signs should podcast editors watch out for when working with clients? Matthew Bliss shares some of his recent “red flags” — those subtle (and not-so-subtle) signals that things might go wrong in a client relationship.

How many of these red flags have you experienced?

• Unclear contracts
• Unreasonable turnaround times
• Late payments

Listen in on our candid stories, and arm yourself with some practical strategies for handling tricky situations.

Whether you’re a seasoned editor or just starting out, this show will deliver useful wisdom for building stronger, smoother client collaborations...and profit!

Key moments:

• How to identify common red flags with new and existing podcast clients
• Effective mitigation strategies for handling problem situations before they escalate
• The role of contracts, onboarding, and clear communication in protecting your work and wellbeing

Resources:

Matthew's episode about "Avoiding Toxic Podcast Teams"

About Matthew Bliss:

Matthew is an Australian podcast engineer, producer, and educator who relocated from Australia to Ireland.

He has worked as IT Classroom Support & Digital Technologies Curriculum Support in schools, and as a trainer, digital workplace expert and learning development professional from his time in State Government in Australia.

And Matthew is the founder of MBPod.com, where he offers comprehensive production, consultation, and training services to indie and business podcasters.

Plus, he hosts and co-hosts a few shows himself!

Find Matthew Bliss at:

His website: mbpod.com

Connect with Matthew on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matthew-bliss

Listen to Matthew's podcast: coffeepodcaster.com

Book a Consultation with Matthew (click here)

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*Castmagic.io for show notes

Castmagic assisted in the crafting of this episode description. It probably saved me 30 minutes by providing a summary and a list of chapters. Click on the *link above to see how it works for yourself!

*Captivate.fm for podcast media hosting

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*Use of the above affiliate links may earn us a commission, which is used to support the efforts of this...

Has YouTube won the podcasting game? It sure seems like it.

A recent study by Coleman Insights and Amplifi Media shares the perception of what the public thinks a podcast is, where they are discovering new shows, and some surprising information about Spotify's place in the video podcast landscape.

BONUS:

Steve shares "The Cost and ROI of YouTube videos" at the end. He gives real data behind a successful YouTube video that made $59,000 in ad revenue, and ideas for how you can speak to your potential client who wants to use YouTube to be successful.

• "What is a podcast" seems to be settled by consumers
• Video isn't just a Gen-Z thing
• YouTube still has room to grow
• Podcast listening hits the road
• Spotify is still an audio-first platform
• Social media takes the lead
• YouTube Premium adds complexity to monetization

• Full report video replay: State of Video Podcasting replay
• Article: Why The Rise Of Video Podcasting Is Not Killing Audio
• Pod Predictor: https://colemaninsights.com/podcasting/pod-predictor
• Article by Sounds Profitable: The Impact Spotify’s Video Has on Publishers
• Emma Sweet replay: YouTube's Algorythm

Jay joined Coleman Insights in 2017 after more than two decades of experience in the radio industry as a program director and on-air talent at stations covering a wide variety of formats in the United States.

He has launched multiple successful brands, coached some of entertainment’s brightest talents, and authored a memoir of life in radio. Today, Jay leads podcast research initiatives at Coleman, developing custom solutions for clients to grow strong brands and develop great content by deeply understanding the perceptions and desires of their target audiences.

Jay also co-authored “The New Rules Of Podcasting On YouTube,” a landmark 2023 study focused exclusively on video podcasting, and now "The State of Video Podcasting 2025” - as conducted by Coleman Insights and Amplifi Media

We use Captivate to host the audio episodes. Captivate offers amazing

features for a low monthly price, including full control of dynamic insertion, embedded chapters, and Blocks/Shortcodes to quickly add content to show notes (either static or dynamically!)

*Use of the above affiliate links may earn us a commission, which is used to support the efforts of this show. Thank you in advance for your support!

Jay and Steve went live using Riverside. Each person's track was recorded separately, and some video shorts were created with the click of a single button.

*Try StreamYard to see if it works as well for your live streams as it did for us.

For this episode we used...

Do you know how crucial YouTube thumbnails are to the success of a video? Andrew Armstrong reveals strategies to craft video thumbnails that grab attention and make people click Play!

Discover how the first impression provided by thumbnails can make or break your client's video's success, functioning as a gateway to garner viewers’ interest. Andrew shares how to leverage YouTube's built-in A/B testing tool to identify the most effective designs that keep audiences engaged.

The conversation also touches on how YouTube’s algorithm emphasizes search results based on watch time and audience behavior, shifting the focus from views to meaningful engagement.

• The fundamental role of thumbnails in stopping viewers’ scroll and encouraging video clicks
• How A/B testing tools on YouTube can optimize a video’s performance through effective thumbnail design
• The importance of analyzing watch time and audience behavior to refine thumbnail strategies for increased engagement

(00:00) "YouTube Thumbnails: What you need to know"

(03:18) Algorithm Reflects Audience Behavior

(07:28) Optimal Logo Placement Strategy

(10:07) Video Strategy: Success Elements

(14:14) Thumbnail Testing Strategy

(19:11) Assessing YouTube Channel Legitimacy

(22:57) Maximizing YouTube's Evergreen Potential

Andrew is a content creator, consultant, and storyteller passionate about helping individuals and businesses craft social media and digital content strategies.

He leverages his many years as a full-time YouTuber, and as an industry Social Media Strategist, to help content creators and companies better understand the platforms they work on, the best practices that lead to success, and the behaviors of their audiences.

His wife best describes him as "dangerously competent." For consultations, reach out to dawnforgedmedia@gmail.com

*Captivate.fm for media hosting

We use Captivate to host the audio episodes. Captivate offers amazing features for a low monthly price, including full control of dynamic insertion, embedded chapters, and Blocks/Shortcodes to quickly add content to show notes (either static or dynamically!)

*Use of the above affiliate links may earn us a commission, which is used to support the efforts of this show. Thank you in advance for your support!

*Riverside.fm to record audio and video

We used Riverside to record this episode. Use code Yetis at *https://creators.riverside.fm/Yetis for 15% off a membership plan.

*Castmagic.io for show notes

Castmagic assisted in the crafting of this episode description. It probably saved me 30 minutes by giving me a summary to start with and a list of chapters (which helps with the body of the description). Click on the *link above to see how it works for yourself!

This episode has been brought to you by Podcast Editor Academy. We help individuals like you start and grow a business editing and producing podcasts. Find out more at