Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Is it too early to launch an Apple Podcasts subscription? And is it too early to put an independent podcast forward for an Apple Podcasts editorial feature?

In this episode of The Creator’s Log, I'm talking about taking The Physical Cut to the next level. After seeing some growth and receiving feedback from listeners, I decided to experiment with an Apple Podcasts subscription, creating an opportunity for exclusive episodes, early access, and additional content focused on physical media releases.

But there's a bigger question: how do you grow and monetize an independent podcast without losing sight of what made people listen in the first place?

I also discuss the possibility of submitting The Physical Cut for an Apple Podcasts editorial feature, the episodes I'd choose to represent the show, the fear of attracting the wrong audience, and why getting discovered shouldn't mean changing your creative identity.

In this episode:

• Launching an Apple Podcasts subscription for The Physical Cut.
• Finding a balance between exclusive content and regular episodes.
• Listener feedback and the decision to explore release-focused episodes.
• Podcast monetization and covering the costs of independent production.
• Preparing an editorial feature pitch for Apple Podcasts.
• Choosing episodes that represent the different sides of The Physical Cut.
• Why podcast growth isn't just about download numbers.
• Taking your independent podcast seriously, even before the big audience arrives.

Find The Physical Cut and more at KR PodLab.

Mentioned episodes and Why This Film? podcast:

• The Sequence: Inside the Making of an Horror Short Film with Joe Bandelli | & Hell House LLC 10th Anniversary
• Criterion Collection, Film Deep Dives & Physical Media with Ron (Why This Film?)
• Physical Media Hunting in Rome and Madrid... Only One Won
• Why This Film? - podcast

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Audio problems can turn a simple podcast recording into hours of troubleshooting. In this episode of The Creator’s Log, I talk about my ongoing struggles with recording quality, why my voice sometimes sounds muffled or distorted when recording with guests, and how audio enhancement can sometimes make things worse instead of better.

From testing microphone settings and comparing gain levels to working across Descript, Riverside, and Adobe Podcast Studio, I’m sharing what I’ve been trying to fix my audio and the lessons I’m learning along the way.

In this episode:

• Why my audio sounds different when recording with guests
• Testing microphone gain and settings on the Shure MV7+
• When audio enhancement makes recordings sound worse
• Why I’m learning to edit before applying enhancement
• The frustration of troubleshooting as an independent podcaster
• Finding the balance between clean audio and perfectionism

The Physical Cut episode: Horror Monsters, VHS Nostalgia & the Movies That Stuck With Us | with Face the Movies

Sometimes the solution isn't more processing. It's knowing when to stop tweaking and work with what you have.

If you're an indie podcaster dealing with audio issues, I'd love to hear what's worked for you.

Follow The Creator’s Log for more honest conversations about podcasting, the tools we use, the problems we encounter, and the lessons learned along the way.

Follow me on YouTube!

Visit KRPodLab.com to support the show by buying us a coffee!

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

Do I Really Need to Be Everywhere With My Podcast?

Does putting your podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and your own website actually help people discover it?

In this episode of The Creator’s Log, I’m experimenting with podcast SEO, video, distribution, and different ways to get the show in front of new listeners — without creating more work just for the sake of being everywhere.

I take another look at Zencastr’s new free podcasting plan and ask the obvious question: what’s the catch? I also talk about continuing to experiment with video podcasting on YouTube and Spotify, whether adding Apple video is worth the extra cost, and how much effort I’m willing to put into video when the podcast is still the priority.

I also give an update on my podcast website and SEO strategy, including adding blog posts, embedding YouTube videos, using searchable content to bring people to the site, and creating another way for listeners to discover the podcast outside of traditional podcast apps.

The bigger question throughout the episode is simple: Does podcast SEO mean being everywhere, or does it mean figuring out where people are actually searching for your show?

Check out Beamly for 15 days free!

Also, podcast for free with RSS.com and record with Descript at 50% off for two months.

Watch on YouTube

Follow on Instagram

Visit KRPodLab.com

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Why am I still podcasting?

On International Podcasting Day, Krloz takes a step back to talk about why he continues to make podcasts, what podcasting has given him, and why the independent podcasting community matters.

Krloz also talks about the realities of being an independent podcaster: doing everything yourself, dealing with criticism, experimenting with video, discovering new platforms, and figuring things out as you go.

For International Podcasting Day, Krloz also recommends several podcasts worth checking out:

• How To Podcast

• Tropical Podcasting

• BuzzCast

• Uy Que Horror!

• Why This Film?

• Twisted Soulmate

• Underrated

• Frightology

• Super Wall Jump

• The Audacity to Podcast

Follow The Creator's Log on Instagram and YouTube. Visit KRPodLab.com and learn how to support us by buying us a coffee.

Happy International Podcasting Day!

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

What does it actually cost to make an independent podcast?

In this episode of The Creator’s Log, Krloz breaks down the real cost of podcasting as an indie creator: from hosting and editing software to equipment, promotion, and, most importantly, the time that goes into creating a show.

But this isn't just an episode about expenses. It's also about podcast monetization and whether an independent podcast should even be trying to make money early on. Krloz talks about advertising, sponsorships, Buy Me a Coffee, memberships, merch, affiliate opportunities, and working with small businesses to help cover the cost of producing a podcast.

The bigger question is simple: How do you justify spending time and money on something that isn't paying you back yet?

Krloz also talks about the temptation to become obsessed with downloads, why audience size isn't the only measure of whether a podcast is succeeding, and why building genuine relationships with listeners and guests can be more valuable than chasing numbers.

Because for an indie creator, the goal doesn't necessarily have to be getting rich. Sometimes the goal is simply to break even, keep creating, and make the podcast sustainable.

In this episode:

• The real costs of starting and maintaining a podcast
• Podcast hosting and editing software
• Equipment and production expenses
• The hidden cost of your time
• Advertising and podcast promotion
• Sponsorships and small-business partnerships
• Buy Me a Coffee and listener support
• Patreon, memberships, merch, and affiliate opportunities
• Whether you should monetize a podcast early
• Why downloads aren't everything
• Building a community around a small podcast
• When spending money on your podcast makes sense
• Making an indie podcast sustainable

Check our channel out on YouTube for a video version of this episode.

Follow the show, share the episode, and if you're getting something out of The Creator's Log, consider supporting the podcast through the link in the show notes.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Making a podcast is only part of the job. The harder question is: how do people actually find it?

In this episode of The Creator’s Log, Krloz looks at the strange gap between publishing a podcast and actually being discovered. From an old podcast episode still getting downloads months after it was abandoned, to listeners finding the show through YouTube and guests, there are plenty of ways an audience can stumble across a podcast that have nothing to do with simply hitting “publish.”

We also get into podcast SEO, collaborations, social media, YouTube, promoting your own work, and the uncomfortable feeling of sending your podcast directly to people you know. But the conversation eventually takes an unexpected turn: what if discoverability isn't just about promoting the podcast? What if it's about creating something people can physically discover?

That leads to an idea for The Physical Cut: a small, DIY physical media zine built from podcast conversations, community contributions, original art, QR codes, and potentially independent businesses and sponsors.

It's an idea that may or may not work. But that's the point of The Creator’s Log—trying things, figuring them out, and documenting what happens along the way.

In this episode:

• Why publishing an episode doesn't mean people will find it
• The unexpected ways podcasts can be discovered
• What podcast SEO and strong titles can actually do
• Why having a guest doesn't automatically mean their audience becomes yours
• YouTube as another discovery path
• The uncomfortable reality of promoting your own work
• Why podcast discovery can become community building
• The idea behind creating a physical media zine for The Physical Cut
• Turning podcast conversations into articles and physical media
• Using QR codes to connect physical media back to the podcast
• Independent stores, artists, collectors, and small businesses becoming part of the community

Follow us on Instagram and also visit our website, and learn how you can support indie podcasting.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Collaborating with other creators has become a bigger part of how I make my podcasts, especially The Physical Cut. In this episode of The Creator’s Log, I talk about what I’ve learned from bringing other people into the podcasting process — from recording and communicating with guests to scheduling, unexpected connections, and figuring out what actually makes a collaboration worthwhile.

One of the biggest lessons has been that collaborations don't necessarily translate into a flood of new listeners. Someone can have thousands of followers and still not send a huge audience your way. But that doesn't mean the collaboration wasn't valuable. Sometimes the real benefit is the relationship you build and the people that relationship connects you with later.

I also talk about what it's like recording with guests, including dealing with different recording setups, technical problems, nervous guests, long conversations, and learning when to let someone tell their story instead of constantly jumping in. I share some of the mistakes I've made, including overbooking interviews, dealing with last-minute cancellations and learning why having a backup plan matters.

Most importantly, I've learned that a podcast shouldn't depend entirely on having guests. It's still your show. Collaborations can add new perspectives, introduce you to new creators and help build a community around what you're doing, but the show needs to be able to survive when nobody else is available.

In this episode:

• What I've learned from podcast collaborations
• Recording podcasts with guests vs. recording solo
• Working with different creators and recording setups
• Scheduling guests and avoiding overbooking
• Last-minute cancellations and having backup guests
• Why podcast collaborations don't always lead to more listeners
• Building relationships instead of chasing follower counts
• How guests can introduce you to other creators and opportunities
• Learning when to listen and when to jump into a conversation
• Why your podcast shouldn't depend entirely on guests
• Finding the right collaborators for your show
• Building a podcast community beyond download numbers

Follow KR PodLab and check out the other shows in the network.

Buy us a coffee and support indie podcasts.

Click here to hear the episode in where I was guest on another podcast.

If you enjoyed the episode, follow, subscribe, share it with another creator, or send me a message. I’d love to hear about your own experiences with podcast collaborations and guests.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

After a two-month hiatus, The Creator’s Log is back.

In this Season 2 kickoff, I catch you up on what’s been happening while I was away, what I’ve learned from continuing to run multiple podcasts, and some of the same problems I’m still dealing with months into the process.

I talk about my ongoing battle with recording and editing software, including Riverside, Descript, and Adobe Podcast Studio, why I still haven’t found the perfect workflow, and why sometimes relying too heavily on AI editing can create more problems than it solves.

I also talk about collaborations, scheduling guests, taking a podcast on the road, staying connected with listeners even when you aren't publishing regularly, and why building a community has become more important to me than simply chasing download numbers.

One of the biggest things I discovered during the break was Substack as another potential discovery and listening platform for podcasts. I explain how I connected my existing RSS feeds to Substack without changing podcast hosts, what I like about the experience, and why I think it could be another useful place for independent podcasters to be discovered.

And yes, I’m still thinking about video podcasting, changing hosting platforms, monetization, and whether all of the extra work that comes with video is actually worth it for an independent creator.

Season 2 will continue exploring the realities of building podcasts without a big network behind you: the tools, mistakes, collaborations, community building, monetization, workflows, and decisions that come with running multiple shows.

In this episode:

• Coming back after a two-month hiatus
• The ongoing Riverside vs. Descript vs. Adobe debate
• Why AI editing doesn't always make podcast editing easier
• Finding a recording and editing workflow that actually works
• Lessons from collaborating with other creators
• Managing guests, schedules, and missed recordings
• Staying connected with listeners during a break
• Discovering Substack as a podcast discovery platform
• Connecting an existing podcast RSS feed to Substack
• Podcast community vs. download numbers
• The ongoing question of video podcasting
• Thoughts about changing podcast hosting platforms
• Why I’m still figuring out monetization
• What’s coming in Season 2

Follow The Creator’s Log on Instagram, visit KRPodLab.com for all episode of The Physical Cut and to support our shows.

Check out the links below for the tools and platforms mentioned in this episode:

Descript

RSS.com

Adobe Studio

Recording Software Ep