Podcasting in 2025 and 2026 looks a lot different than it did a few years ago. In our latest video, RSS.com evangelist Joe Casabona breaks down what podcasters need to know heading into the new year. Joe has been podcasting for 13 years, and he’s seen it all.
His best piece of advice? Don’t let the noise distract you from what actually works.
The Real Problem: AI Slop Is Flooding Podcasting
Joe starts with a concern that’s on every podcaster’s mind right now: AI-generated content. He calls it “AI slop,” and it’s everywhere.
Earlier this year, The Hollywood Reporter covered a company called Inception Point AI that’s releasing 3,000 podcast episodes every week. All of them are completely AI-generated.
They’re flooding podcast directories with content that has no soul, no authenticity, and no real value for listeners.
Here’s what Joe wants you to understand: podcasting isn’t about pumping out as much content as possible. It never has been.
“Podcasting is not just putting out as much audio content as possible,” Joe explains in the video. “We start podcasts to help people, to entertain people.”
Until now, audiences have trusted podcasters more than any other media. That trust is what makes podcasting special. Don’t throw it away by chasing volume over quality.
Faster Isn’t Better
Joe makes a great point about speed. Nobody eats a microwaved meal and thinks it’s the best thing they’ve ever tasted. They eat it because it’s fast.
Do you want your podcast to be the microwavable meal of the medium?
The answer should be no.
Listeners come to podcasts for genuine connection. They want to hear from real people with real expertise and real stories. When you prioritize speed and automation over authenticity, you lose what makes podcasting powerful in the first place.
How to Use AI Without Becoming AI Slop
Joe isn’t anti-AI. He uses AI himself. He’s just against using it in ways that strip away the human element of your show.
Think of AI as a power tool. Power tools don’t build houses for you. They help you build better and more efficiently. You still need to know what you’re doing. You still need to put in the work.
What AI Should Do for Your Podcast
Joe recommends using AI for tasks that support your creative process but don’t replace it:
Filter guest pitches. If you have a podcast, you’re probably getting terrible guest pitch emails that all sound identical. Let AI sort through those.
Schedule and email guests. Automate the administrative work so you can focus on the actual interview. (But write your emails yourself! Don’t outsource this to ChatGPT or some other writing agent.)
Do initial research. Let AI surface sources and find basic information. Then verify everything yourself. Research is time-intensive, but it makes your episodes better. AI can speed up the process without sacrificing quality.
Create starting points for clips. Tools like Riverside and Opus Clip can suggest clips from your episodes. Joe says these tools are getting really good, but you should still edit and refine what they give you. The AI does most of the heavy lifting, and you add the finishing touches.
Highlight takeaways. Joe stopped manually taking notes during interviews. He lets AI pull out key moments, then he reviews and selects what’s actually useful.
What AI Should NOT Do
Don’t use AI to create your actual content. Don’t let it write your scripts. Don’t let it fully edit your episodes. And definitely don’t use it to generate audio with a synthetic voice pretending to be you.
The moment you do that, you’ve missed the point entirely.
Stop Worrying About Download Numbers
Here’s something most podcasters don’t want to hear: downloads aren’t everything.
Joe emphasizes that engagement matters more than raw numbers. If you have 100 downloads but 50 people actually message you about an episode, that’s way more valuable than 10,000 downloads with zero engagement.
Engagement shows that your audience is really there. They care. They’re listening. They’re thinking about what you said.
“Engagement is a signal that your audience is there and they care,” Joe says.
Focus on building relationships with your listeners instead of obsessing over charts and metrics.
In his video Grow Your Business with Podcasting: Strategies Beyond Downloads, Joe explains downloads don’t always equal success:
Also see: How to Visualize Your Podcast’s Audience
Do You Really Need Video for Your Podcast?
This is the question everyone’s still asking right now.
Spotify is partnering with Netflix.
YouTube has become the number one place where American adults discover podcasts.
So does that mean you need to start filming video?
Joe’s answer: it depends.
The Case Against Video (For Most Podcasters)
Joe points to Headgum, a comedy podcast network, which according to Variety, laid off 30% of its staff earlier this year. That included their head of video.
If video was so critical to their business, why would they eliminate that position?
Companies don’t lay off people they need. They let go of people they feel they don’t need.
Joe has tried dedicated YouTube video for both podcast interviews and solo episodes. For him, the juice wasn’t worth the squeeze. Your situation might be different, but don’t assume you need video just because everyone’s talking about it.
When Video Makes Sense
If your audience is asking for video, give it to them. If you already record with video on and your editor can handle both audio and video at the same time, it might be worth experimenting.
But if video is blocking you from starting your podcast or if it’s adding stress to your workflow, skip it. Don’t answer questions people aren’t asking.
Be Everywhere, But Be Smart About It
Joe does recommend having some presence on YouTube. YouTube is the second biggest search engine, and having your content there helps with discoverability.
At RSS.com, we built PodViz so you can get your audio-only episodes on YouTube without needing to shoot video. It’s a static visualization that meets YouTube’s requirements without requiring you to become a videographer.
The key is to add value wherever you show up. Don’t just create content for the sake of being on another platform.
Related: Get your podcast listed in all the podcasting directories!
Don’t Forget the Basics That Actually Work
While everyone’s distracted by AI and video, the fundamentals of podcasting still matter. In fact, they matter more than ever.
Optimize for SEO and Discoverability
Joe reminds podcasters that search engine optimization still works. Good show notes, descriptive episode titles, and keyword-rich descriptions help people find your show.
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is also becoming important as AI search tools become more common. Make your content easy for both traditional search engines and AI systems to understand.
Check out Joe’s video Podcast SEO: Get More Listeners by Optimizing Your Show to learn everything you need to know about leveraging your content for more visibility:
Use Transcripts, Chapters, and Episode Artwork
Transcripts add context for both listeners and search engines. At RSS.com, we provide AI transcripts for free with all paid plans because we know how valuable they are.
Chapters help people navigate your episodes and improve the listening experience. On YouTube, descriptive chapter titles can show up in search results.
Episode artwork makes individual episodes stand out in podcast apps and on social media. It’s a small detail that can make a big difference.
Leverage Multiple Monetization Options
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Explore dynamic ads, value for value payments, affiliate links, and memberships. Different revenue streams protect you if one channel dries up.
RSS.com offers PAID (Programmatic Ads Inserted Dynamically) in all our paid plans, so you can start earning from day one without needing thousands of downloads. All you need is 10 downloads with the “All in One Podcasting” or “Podcast Networks” plan and you qualify!
The Most Important Strategy: Niche Down
Joe says this is a mistake he sees all the time. Podcasters try to appeal to everyone, and they end up appealing to no one.
“A podcast for everyone is for no one,” Joe explains.
When everything online is starting to sound generic and AI-generated, you can stand out by being specific. Talk directly to a particular group of people. Show them that you understand their problems, their interests, and their world.
Generic content gets ignored. Specific content builds loyal audiences.
Your 2026 Podcast Plan
As you head into 2026, here’s what Joe wants you to focus on:
Niche down. Stop trying to reach everyone. Find your specific audience and serve them incredibly well.
Use video strategically. Only add video if it makes sense for your show and your audience. Don’t do it just because everyone else is.
Prioritize engagement over downloads. Build real relationships with your listeners instead of chasing vanity metrics.
Use AI to help, not replace. Let AI handle tedious tasks so you can focus on creating great content. Never let it create the content for you.
Create content that adds value. Every episode should give your audience something useful, entertaining, or meaningful.
Think about monetization beyond ads. Explore memberships, value for value, and other ways to earn that don’t depend entirely on download numbers.
Focus on What Actually Matters
Podcasting in 2026 will be even more full of distractions. There will be new tools, new platforms, and new trends every month. Some will matter. Most won’t.
The core of podcasting hasn’t changed. You’re creating audio content that helps people, entertains people, and builds trust with people. Everything else is secondary.
Don’t worry about Spotify putting podcasts on Netflix. Don’t stress about whether AI will replace human podcasters. (It won’t, if you’re making something worth listening to.)
Instead, focus on your niche. Create something specific and valuable. Use the right tools the right way. Build genuine relationships with your listeners.
That’s how you stand out in 2026.
Ready to start your podcast or take your existing show to the next level? Get started with RSS.com for free, or switch your podcast to RSS.com and get 6 months free.
