Captivate

Captivate Created for the serious independent podcaster, Captivate is the world’s only growth-oriented podcast

What makes a podcast conference worth the trip? And how do independent shows get discovered once everyone heads home?On ...
13/10/2026

What makes a podcast conference worth the trip? And how do independent shows get discovered once everyone heads home?

On Episode 42 of In & Around Podcasting, joins Robb Dunewood, Julio Axel Ponce, and Mayra Ortiz for a roundtable that connects their Podcast Movement NYC experiences to decisions everyday podcasters face:

🎟️ Looking beyond the ticket price when budgeting for a conference.
🤝 Making connections before you arrive.
🎧 Understanding listeners who switch between audio and video.
🔎 Weighing personalized recommendations against human curation, especially for smaller and local shows.
Plus, a reminder for anyone watching their numbers: a few hundred interested people are a room full of people. Your work doesn’t have to go viral to be useful.

Featuring:
🎙️ Robb Dunewood — The Tech Jawn
🎙️ Julio Axel Ponce — , Tropical Podcasting
🎙️ Mayra Ortiz — , Podcasteras Media
Julio and Mayra also co-host Qué Está Pasando en el Podcasting.

Listen to Episode 42! Link in the first comment!

What makes a conference worth it for you: the sessions, the connections, or both? Let us know!

When you open your podcast analytics, do you usually leave with an answer - or three more questions? 😅There are download...
17/08/2026

When you open your podcast analytics, do you usually leave with an answer - or three more questions? 😅

There are downloads, unique listeners, plays, streams, consumption, app-specific analytics, and the occasional spike that seems to come from nowhere. It's very easy to treat all of it like a score for your show, even when the numbers measure different things and don't tell the full story.

For our next Growth Lab, Elsie Escobar, Rob Walch, and Danny Brown are going to slow it all down and talk through what podcast analytics can actually tell us. We'll cover server-side versus client-side data, why switching hosts doesn't magically change the underlying numbers, which metrics fit different podcast goals, and how to check your stats without letting them run your emotional life!

We'll also make time for real questions, so bring the metric or weird data point that has been bothering you.

Thursday, August 20 at 12 PM Eastern / 5 PM UK, live on YouTube!

Link in our profile! And while you're at it... subscribe to the Captivate YouTube channel!

22/07/2026

One of the biggest reasons why podcasters avoid programmatic advertising?

Fear.

Fear of losing control over the experience you've worked so hard to create.

If you've spent years building trust with your audience, the last thing you want is an ad that feels completely out of place.

Right? And that's a totally valid concern! I mean your podcast is an extension of your values, your voice, and the relationship you've built with your listeners.

That's why brand safety matters.

Before you turn on any monetization, ask yourself:

✔️ What types of brands naturally fit my audience?
✔️ What products or services would I happily recommend myself?
✔️ Which categories would immediately damage trust with my listeners?

Knowing your boundaries makes every future sponsorship decision easier.

The good news is that you don't have to choose between earning revenue and protecting your brand.

With the right tools, you stay in control.

You can block entire categories that don't align with your show - whether that's gambling, alcohol, political advertising, cryptocurrency, dating apps, or anything else that doesn't fit your audience.

In a perfect world, monetization strengthens the relationship you've built with your listeners.

Your audience trusts you for a reason. Protecting that trust will always be more valuable than squeezing every possible dollar out of your show.

Captivate has monetization tools designed to help podcasters build sustainable revenue without adding complexity to their workflow.

🎙️ Ad Marketplace
🎙️ Programmatic Ads
🎙️ AMIE Campaign Management

Access it all today! Learn more here: https://captivate.fm/captivate-marketplace-for-podcasters

If you were accepting podcast ads, what's one category that would be an immediate "no" for your show? I'd love to hear how you think about protecting your brand.

08/07/2026

Sometimes, one of the hardest parts of sponsorships is realizing you have more to offer than a single ad placement.

A lot of podcasters hear an offer that's lower than they hoped for and immediately think, "I guess that's all my show is worth."

Instead, ask yourself:

Can I increase the value without creating a lot more work?

That's where dynamic ad insertion changes the conversation.

Imagine a sponsor offers you $200 to run an ad for your next month of episodes.

Rather than simply accepting it, try offering an upgrade:

"For an additional $50, I'll run your ad across my entire back catalogue for one week."

Now, you're selling reach.

You're giving that sponsor access to every listener discovering your show during that campaign - whether they're listening to your newest episodes or one you published two years ago.

Even better? It doesn't mean editing dozens (or hundreds) of episodes.

With dynamic ad insertion, you upload the ad once, set the campaign dates, and your hosting platform does the heavy lifting.

This is one of my favorite negotiation principles:

Don't lower your price. Increase the value.

When you have flexible tools behind the scenes, you can create ad sponsorship packages that feel custom, professional, and worth paying for.

That's good for your sponsor.

And it's good for you.

Captivate launched three new monetization tools designed to help podcasters build sustainable revenue without adding complexity to their workflow.

🎙️ Ad Marketplace
🎙️ Programmatic Ads
🎙️ AMIE Campaign Management

Learn more: https://captivate.fm/captivate-marketplace-for-podcasters

We've also created awesome content through our Growth Labs Sessions on YouTube diving into all things monetization! https://www.youtube.com/

If a sponsor approached you tomorrow, what would your ideal sponsorship package include? Let's brainstorm in the comments!

01/07/2026

Your podcast archive is probably more valuable than you think!

Most creators pour hours into recording, editing, and publishing episodes… and once they're released, they rarely think about them again.

But:

Your back catalogue is still working.

People discover podcasts every day. They find an episode from two years ago, binge a handful of episodes, and become loyal listeners. That means your archive is still generating downloads, even if it's just a steady trickle.

So why shouldn't those episodes work for you?

If your show gets fewer than 500 downloads per episode, programmatic ads on new releases probably won't generate huge revenue. But when you enable dynamic ad insertion across your entire catalogue, every old episode becomes another opportunity to earn a little passive income.

No, it's probably not going to pay your mortgage.

But it might cover your hosting costs, your editing software, or your monthly coffee habit. And because those episodes keep getting discovered, those small amounts can add up over time.

The best part?

You don't have to edit hundreds of old episodes!

Dynamic ad insertion lets you add fresh, relevant ads to your archive automatically, so the content you've already created can continue working long after you hit publish.

That's one of the most overlooked benefits of building a podcast library: your content doesn't have an expiration date.

Captivate is launching three new monetization tools designed to help podcasters build sustainable revenue without adding complexity to their workflow!

🎙️ Ad Marketplace
🎙️ Programmatic Ads
🎙️ AMIE Campaign Management

Learn more here: captivate.fm/captivate-marketplace-for-podcasters

⬇️

How old is the oldest episode on your podcast that's still getting downloads? We'd love to know how far back your audience is discovering your work!

29/06/2026

One of the biggest mistakes independent podcasters make when looking for sponsors? They assume they need huge download numbers before they can ask for money.

You don't.

What you need is a *clear, engaged* audience and a simple offer.

Instead of saying, "sponsor my show," try saying:

"I can put your business in front of a highly engaged audience that already trusts my recommendations."

Totally different conversation! Right?

Here's a simple framework:

✔️ Find businesses that already serve your audience. Think local businesses, niche software, coaches, events, or products your listeners already use.

✔️ Keep your pricing simple. Skip CPMs and ad jargon. Offer a flat monthly sponsorship instead.

For example:

"For $200/month, you'll be the exclusive mid-roll sponsor for every episode this month."

✔️ Sell trust. Podcast listeners spend real time with you, which creates a relationship that's incredibly valuable - even if your audience isn't massive.

✔️ Make it easy to say yes! The simpler your offer, the easier it is for a sponsor to buy.

👀 The right technology also makes a huge difference.

With dynamic audio insertion, you can upload an ad once, schedule when it starts and ends, swap campaigns without editing your original audio, and even target listeners by location when it makes sense.

That's the kind of workflow people often associate with large podcast networks - but with Captivate independent creators can do it too!

Captivate has launched three new monetization tools designed to help podcasters build sustainable revenue without adding complexity to their workflow.

🎙️ Ad Marketplace
🎙️ Programmatic Ads
🎙️ AMIE Campaign Management

Beta access has begun. Link to more info in bio !

If you could land one sponsor for your podcast this month, who would it be? A local business? A niche brand?

Share in the comments - let's brainstorm!

Join Mark Asquith and DAX US President Brian Conlan for a live Q&A on Monday, June 29!They're breaking down the new Ad M...
26/06/2026

Join Mark Asquith and DAX US President Brian Conlan for a live Q&A on Monday, June 29!

They're breaking down the new Ad Marketplace, AMIE Campaign Management, and Programmatic ads.

Curious?

They'll be answering questions directly from the live chat!

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/live/h80RF8yMU8g?si=b6mjcLoprc501-ze

📅 Monday, 29th June ⏰ 4pm UK • 11am ET • 8am PT

25/06/2026

One of the biggest myths in podcasting is that turning on ads = making money.

It doesn’t.

At least… not right away.

Here’s how programmatic advertising actually works:

Your earnings are typically based on CPM (cost per thousand downloads/impressions). That means if your show has a smaller audience, your revenue will naturally start small too. If you’re getting around 500 downloads per episode, don’t expect life-changing income overnight.

And that’s okay.

Because the biggest value of programmatic ads at first, isn’t the money - it’s the experience you gain.

Think of it like this:

✨ You learn how ad campaigns work.
✨ You understand ad placement & brand safety settings.
✨ You get comfortable with the operational side of podcast monetization.
✨ You begin building systems that can scale with your audience.

Those skills compound over time.

Too many creators wait until they have a “big enough” audience before learning monetization. But by then, they’re trying to learn the tech, workflows, reporting & strategy all at once.

Instead, consider using programmatic ads as a low-pressure learning environment.

If it only buys you a coffee every now and then at first? Great.

You’re still building knowledge that will be valuable when your audience grows & you’ll have realistic expectations instead of chasing hype.

Podcast monetization is rarely about one magic revenue stream. Sustainable businesses are usually built by layering multiple income sources over time: sponsorships, listener support, products, services, affiliate partnerships, memberships… and yes, sometimes programmatic advertising quietly working in the background.

That’s a much stronger foundation than waiting for one thing to change everything!

We’re launching 3 new monetization tools designed to help podcasters build sustainable revenue without adding complexity to their workflow.

🎙️ Ad Marketplace
🎙️ Programmatic Ads
🎙️ AMIE Campaign Management

Beta access starts today: captivate.fm/captivate-marketplace-for-podcasters

What do you think? Would you rather have a small stream of passive income growing in the background, or are you focused on other monetization strategies right now? Drop a comment!

24/06/2026

More ways to earn. Less time spent managing ads.

Captivate’s new Monetization Suite gives you three ways to build sustainable podcast revenue:

1️⃣ Marketplace

2️⃣ Programmatic

3️⃣ Campaign Management

The beta is live today, with a wider rollout coming very soon 🔥

Tap the link in our bio or visit the link to learn more about it!

captivate.fm/captivate-marketplace-for-podcasters

Are AI search engines changing how new people find your podcast? 🤖🎧If you're worried about your show's discoverability, ...
10/06/2026

Are AI search engines changing how new people find your podcast? 🤖🎧

If you're worried about your show's discoverability, our latest episode of In & Around Podcasting has exactly what you need.

Elsie and Rob broke down the reality of Google's new AI Overviews, and the big takeaway for independent creators is this: Word-of-mouth is still your best SEO.

While your classic website SEO is your essential foundation, the algorithms are now heavily weighing third-party content. That community chatter acts as a massive multiplier for your visibility.

A strong SEO baseline + authentic mentions on platforms like Reddit, LinkedIn, or YouTube = major authority. 📈

👉 The actionable move: Center your energy on building direct, genuine relationships with your current listeners.

When they become the ones citing you as the expert online, the search algorithms pay attention.

In Episode 33, Elsie and Rob also tackle the controversial rise of "zero recording" AI tools (are they actual podcasts or just "audio products"? 🤔), the reality behind Jay Shetty’s massive new video deal, and the surprising category that drove a 28% spike in Q1 podcast ad spend.

🎧 https://www.inandaroundpodcasting.com/episode/podcast-growth-branding-dollars-search-engine-overhauls-100-million-deals-youtube-ai-labels/

✨ New here? What is In & Around Podcasting? ✨ Brought to you by the team at Captivate, In & Around Podcasting is your go-to podcasting industry show. We highlight powerful perspectives and break down heavy podcasting news, tech, and trends into factual, fun, and accessible insights for independent creators. No high-falutin jargon—just real talk to help you keep making great content!

Address

30 Leicester Square
Sheffield
WC2H7LA

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Captivate posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Captivate:

Shortcuts

Share

Category