In this episode, I'm taking you on a deep dive into YouTube's long-awaited new podcasting features that have the potential to increase and enhance the way that we, as creators, connect with our audience. Join me and special guest James Cridland, the founder and editor of Podnews, as we explore these new features and address some critical questions.

We'll begin by discussing the specifics of YouTube's new podcasting features and who has access to them. James and I discuss the process of getting your podcast on YouTube using and delve into the possibilities of RSS integration in the future.

Together, we'll compare YouTube's analytics to other platforms and examine if their podcast offering integrates with current podcast hosting and distribution platforms. We'll also talk about the various formats that may excel or flounder on the platform.

Monetization is inevitably on the minds of indie podcasters, too, so we'll tackle questions regarding how YouTube handles pre-roll and mid-roll ads, the platform's compatibility with your own ads, and the potential for dynamic ads when RSS is finally supported. We'll also chat about Ashley Carman's recent article and the insightful "Up Front with Simon Jordan" data as reported by Podnews last week.

As we venture further into YouTube's podcasting offer, James and I will discuss the potential implications of YouTube being another "walled garden" for the medium and what it means for the open podcasting ecosystem. We'll also consider how this development could impact major players like Apple and Spotify, amongst others.

Finally, we'll explore whether YouTube's entrance into podcasting will have different effects on small, indie creators compared to larger, more financially successful creators, branded podcasts, and media companies like Wondery.

My special guest today:

• James Cridland
• https://james.cridland.net/biography/
• James's Website
• Twitter: @jamescridland on Twitter

Useful links from the episode

• The platform fight: Amazon pays listeners AUD $5 - Includes a piece about "Up Front with Simon Jordan" that juxtaposes Ashley's article, potentially.
• YouTube numbers “not doing so well”
• YouTube release podcast tools to all
• Exclusive: YouTube's plans for podcasting
• Podnews on YouTube
• Podnews podcasting news

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You can become a supporter of the show via a one-off tip that I'll use to buy a beer at this link: Support The Podcast Accelerator: How to Grow Your Podcast.

Your next steps

I teach podcasting a lot and for free. So, here's what I'd recommend you do next:

• Watch my free podcasting tutorials on YouTube: YouTube (Captivate)
• Ask me anything at all about podcasting over on Twitter: Twitter

If you need help with anything at all regarding your podcast, get me on Twitter (Twitter ) and I promise to respond.

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
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