Sound Strategy with Lucas Dickey: The Most Meta Podcast About Podcasting Ever - Anchoring Knowledge: Metacast's Journey to Transform Podcast Retention with Arnab Deka & Ilya Bezdelev

Anchoring Knowledge: Metacast's Journey to Transform Podcast Retention with Arnab Deka & Ilya Bezdelev

05/02/25 • 54 min

Sound Strategy with Lucas Dickey: The Most Meta Podcast About Podcasting Ever

IN THIS EPISODE: Metacast founders explore the potential of transcript-based podcast technology to enhance content discovery, retention, and user experience while preserving the authentic connection between podcasters and their audience.
TOPICS: AI, Podcasting, Discovery, Transcripts, technology
KEY FIGURES: Google, Apple, Artificial Intelligence, Spotify, YouTube, Jason Fried, 37signals, ChatGPT, Joe Rogan, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Tim Ferriss, Descript, Josh Waitzkin, Whisper, Transistor, Overcast,
SUMMARY:
In this episode, hosts Lucas and Allison interview Metacast co-founders about their app that enhances podcast listening through transcript technology. Frustrated with platforms that don't help users navigate content effectively, they identified podcasting's key problem: linear audio is difficult to reference, while transcripts offer interactive, searchable engagement. The conversation explored transcription challenges, AI's potential, and preserving authentic host-listener connections while improving discovery and retention.

The founders also discussed podcasting's landscape, noting its decentralized nature as both strength and weakness. This openness enables barrier-free content creation while complicating discovery. Their vision for Metacast is making podcast content more accessible and valuable by addressing retention needs current platforms don't fulfill, while maintaining the authentic human connection listeners value.

BLOG POST: Want to circle back around later to re-familiarize yourself with this episode? Have at it here!

KEY QUOTES:
• "The beauty is the decentralized nature of podcasting. I don't need a sponsor to go create a show, unlike I would need to for TV." - Arnab Deka
• "If you want to humiliate someone, publish what they said verbatim." - Ilya Bezdelev
• "I want to listen to Neil DeGrasse Tyson talking eloquently in a hilarious way about the historical mishaps that has led to us doing this. I'm there for that connection to his voice and the way he describes this rather than just the facts out of it." - Arnab Deka
• "The cool thing about podcasting is that it's not censored. During COVID, while YouTube would shut down anything not approved by CDC, in podcasting you could always get the RSS feed and load it into another player." - Ilya Bezdelev
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• The decentralized nature of podcasting is simultaneously its greatest strength and weakness, allowing anyone to create content while making discovery and quality assessment challenging
• Current podcast apps fail to adequately leverage transcripts, often treating them as a passive feature rather than an interactive tool for navigation and information retrieval
• Podcast discovery remains a significant challenge, especially for niche or new shows, with most listeners currently discovering podcasts through recommendations from other podcasts
• Knowledge

--
Be sure to visit www.soundstrategy.fm for full transcripts, other insights, and interactive content. You can also contact us with feedback (we'd love to hear it!), guest bookings (Want to be on our show? Want Lucas to be on your show?), advertising/sponsorship opportunities and more.
Thanks to our sponsor: DeepCast Creator — You create the show, and let us help with what comes after. Visit us at www.deepcast.pro, claim your podcast, and take advantage of our metadata and marketing workflow toolkit. Also, DeepCast offers a podcast website feature called Podsites -- 1-click, automagically generated, clean podcast websites. Learn more at www.podsite.fm.

BLOG POST: Want to circle back around later to re-familiarize yourself with this episode? Have at it here!

Previous Episode

Deep Connections: How Authentic Podcasting Creates Waves of Influence with OG Dave Jackson

IN THIS EPISODE: Veteran podcaster Dave Jackson provides a comprehensive overview of podcasting's current landscape, offering strategic advice on content creation, audience development, and maintaining authenticity in a rapidly evolving media environment.

KEY FIGURES: Apple, Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, ChatGPT, Joe Rogan, Muhammad Ali, Bill Maher, Claude, Libsyn, Podcast Movement, Zoom PodTrak P4, School of Podcasting
SUMMARY:
Jackson, podcasting veteran and School of Podcasting founder, chronicles the medium's journey from obscurity in 2005 to today's mainstream status where 55% of people consume podcasts. Jackson stresses authentic passion, audience service, and community building over mere listener counts, noting that monetization stems from earning audience trust. He advises creators to solve specific problems for listeners through entertainment, education, or experiences.

The discussion explores emerging technologies in podcasting, with Jackson recommending tools that enhance rather than replace human creativity. He cautions against over-reliance on automation, instead advocating for unique perspectives and personal storytelling. Jackson remains optimistic about podcasting's ability to forge global connections and provide a platform for distinct voices and experiences. He quotes, "When your need to serve is greater than your fear of looking stupid, you will press record," highlighting that authentic connection remains the cornerstone of successful podcasting.

BLOG POST: Want to re-familiarize yourself at-length with this episode later? Take a look at the companion blog post for this episode.

KEY QUOTES:
• "Every overnight success is not overnight." - Allison Melody
• "If you want to do a podcast like Joe Rogan, step one is be Joe Rogan." - Dave Jackson
• "You monetize an audience, not a podcast." - Dave Jackson
• "When your need to serve is greater than your fear of looking stupid, you will press record." - Dave Jackson
• "You don't have to do video. The podcast police are not going to knock on your door." - Dave Jackson
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• Every overnight podcast success typically takes 2-3 years to build a meaningful audience, requiring consistent passion and commitment
• Audio podcasts continue to outperform video formats, with audio downloads often 15 times higher than video views and deeper listener connection
• Successful long-term podcasters focus on serving their specific audience, understanding their 'why', and solving a particular problem for listeners
• Podcasting's true power comes from building a community, not just accumulating downloads, with word-of-mouth still being the primary discovery mechanism
• Monetization happens by first building trust and delivering consistent value, not by rushing to generate revenue from a new podcast

Next Episode

Navigating The Podcast Profit Map: SEO, Audience Growth, and Monetization Strategies with Adam Schaeuble

IN THIS EPISODE: Podcasting entrepreneur Adam Schaeuble reveals how creators can transform their podcasts from hobby projects to sustainable businesses by implementing strategic naming, focused content creation, and smart monetization approaches.
TOPICS: Monetization, Content creation, Podcasting, SEO, Marketing
KEY FIGURES: Charlie Munger, Tim Ferriss, The Great Mental Models, Joe Polish, Justin Welsh, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, Dave Jackson, Voxer, Threads, Amy Porterfield, Rob Walsh, Allison Melody, Adam Schaeuble, Podcasting Business School
SUMMARY:
Adam Schaeuble shares his journey from gym owner to podcast business coach, urging creators to treat podcasting as a business with the passion of a hobby. He advises starting with one strong weekly episode and building a focused, searchable brand. Schaeuble shares his monetization tactic—the “14-day coaching offer”—and emphasizes audience clarity and platform strategy. By simplifying his output and focusing on key channels like Threads, he’s grown income while reducing effort.

BLOG:

Circle back later and dig into the blog form of this episode? Have at it here!
KEY QUOTES:
• "As content creators, as podcasters, we get to do something that 99 point whatever percent of the humans on earth never get to do, and that is impact complete strangers." - Adam S
• "Love your podcast like a hobby, build it like a business." - Adam S
• "If you can't produce a weekly episode, I'm like, oh, that's a little spicy hot take. If you can't produce a weekly episode, say you're not an expert at what, at the topic that you're trying to podcast on." - Adam S
• "We get excited and we try a more complex solution where a simple solution would work better." - Adam S
• "If you keep showing up for your audience, they will keep showing up for you." - Adam S
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• Successful podcasters should focus on a singular, clear call-to-action and avoid overwhelming listeners with multiple requests
• The podcast naming strategy should include two key search keywords, clearly indicate the show's topic and target audience, and optimize the first word for SEO
• Podcasters can monetize effectively by starting with a simple, focused offer like a 14-day coaching package before scaling to more complex offerings
• Less content can be more powerful: podcasters should prioritize quality over quantity and focus on platforms and strategies that genuinely work for their audience
• Audio podcasting remains viable and powerful, despite pressure to create video content across multiple platforms
• Consistent content delivery (weekly episodes) is crucial for maintaining audience engagement and routine
• Podcasting offers a unique opportunity to impact strangers' lives in meaningful ways, with less than 1% of people having this ability
• Organic discovery through strategic SEO and keyword optimization is more e

Sound Strategy with Lucas Dickey: The Most Meta Podcast About Podcasting Ever - Anchoring Knowledge: Metacast's Journey to Transform Podcast Retention with Arnab Deka & Ilya Bezdelev

Transcript

Arnab Deka: The beauty is the decentralized nature of podcasting. I don't need a sponsor to go create a show, unlike I would need to for TV versus a podcast. Anybody you have a passion, you want to talk about it, post the files on the Internet. That's also the problem with podcasting is the decentralized nature. As a listener. Like, if you want to know, should I trust this show? Where would you go to to find that information?
Arnab Deka: Like most things, the biggest superpowers are also of