We spoke to self-described “audio and podcast person” Arielle Nissenblatt about distance running, the importance of trailers as a tool for onboarding new listeners, and her eleven-year journey from casual podcast consumer to one of the leading voices in the industry.

She developed the idea for her first podcast newsletter, Earbuds, in 2017 while stuck in LA traffic. Eight years later, Arielle has led podcasting efforts at SquadCast.fm, Descript, The Podcast Academy, and more. Today, Arielle is Pinwheel's Director of Community and Content at Audily.

🎧 What we cover this episode:

* Engaging soundbites to hook listeners quickly in your cold open.

* Audio quality in long-form audio is paramount over visuals.

* Keep your podcast structure and schedule consistent: elements like intro/outro/segment signposting will help retain engagement.

* Text-based audio editing services like Descript can revolutionize your workflow if you want a lower barrier of entry into podcasting.

Connect with Arielle on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arielle-nissenblatt-90348356/

Learn more about Arielle: https://www.ariellenissenblatt.com/

📝 Episode Outline

Introduction and Personal Background (00:00 - 06:18)

Flo shares personal context about upcoming jaw surgery

Introduction of guest Arielle, met at On Air Fest, with background at Descript, Castbox, Audily, and Squadcast

Career Origins and Educational Background (06:18 - 09:02)

Arielle shares childhood uncertainty about career direction

Arielle's interest in international relations and conflict resolution developed in college

Arielle studied geography in undergrad, drawn to Guinness Book of World Records and superlatives

Human Evolution and Storytelling Discussion (09:02 - 13:03)

Discussion of Born to Run by Christopher McDougall - humans evolved for distance running

Exploration of humans’ unique capacity for storytelling, culture, and shared beliefs compared to other species

Analysis of how stories, religion, and money as human constructs shape civilization

Podcasting Appeal and Learning Styles (13:03 - 16:04)

Discussion of audio learning advantages over visual learning for many people

Arielle’s preference for audiobooks over traditional reading due to focus challenges

Importance of audio quality over visual quality for storytelling content

Career Entry into Podcasting Industry (16:04 - 20:12)

Arielle started listening to podcasts in 2014, got first job in space around 2016

Started from zero connections by creating a newsletter about podcast recommendations in 2017.

Early monetization through newsletter advertising and event ticket exchanges

Descript Experience and Current Role (20:12 - 23:11)

Arielle joined Descript through Squadcast acquisition, worked there for 1.5 years

Current role as Director of Community and Content at Audily/Pinwheel podcast studio

Podcast Format and Structure Best Practices (23:11 - 30:10)

Discussion of intro/outro formats - scripted with music versus varied approaches

Importance of consistent elements to orient listeners (familiar music, format)

Cold open technique using compelling quotes from upcoming interview

Essential elements: host name, show name, guest introduction, episode value proposition

Signposting different segments throughout show for listener navigation

Consideration for audio-only listeners when producing video podcasts

Trailers, Marketing, and Audience Engagement (30:10 - 38:04)

Podcast trailers as crucial onboarding and marketing tools

Promise-delivery framework: tell audience what they’ll learn, teach them, confirm what they learned

Rapid Fire Questions from On Air Fest

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