If you’re a podcaster or thinking about starting your own show, this episode with Michael Klassen will give you practical ideas for taking your podcast from idea to reality. We dig into how Michael turned six years of blog content into the 5am Podcast, and what it was like starting with no audio or video experience. You’ll hear why patience and consistency helped him grow to hundreds of daily website visitors, and the systems he uses to keep production running smoothly.

Michael shares the simple tech and workflow behind his episodes—from scheduling guests to using AI tools for titles and descriptions—and how he balances creativity with audience needs. If you’re wondering how to get more listeners, or how to make your website work for your podcast, you’ll pick up a ton. Plus, we talk about growing your audience with email (even if you haven’t started one yet) and how old articles and SEO can keep traffic coming back.

Two takeaways to listen for: how repurposing written content can be the perfect on-ramp to podcasting, and the importance of measuring (and setting) goals—even if you’re just starting out.

Connect With Micheal Klassen

Website: https://5ampodcast.com/

Twitter:https://x.com/5AMPodcast1

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/5am-podcast/

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Chapters

00:00 Behind Michael Klassen’s podcast journey
01:17 What the 5am Podcast aims to do
02:04 Turning a website into a podcast
03:54 Early inspiration for 5am Podcast
04:52 Patience and growth focus
06:46 Defining “more” and measuring impact
08:27 Crafting and planning each episode
10:07 Michael’s podcast production workflow
12:58 Tools: Calendly, Riverside, Canva, Claude
14:26 Using AI for SEO and descriptions
16:50 Publishing episodes on the website
18:25 What the 5am Podcast website looks like
20:02 Visitor experience and improving the site
21:18 Expectations when launching the show
22:54 Building an audience and email list ideas
24:08 Where visitors come from and analytics
26:37 Website traffic strategies and SEO basics
30:13 The power of returning visitors
33:57 Audio platform growth and building relationships
35:36 Podcast monetization and early income streams
37:09 Launching products and adding value
39:09 Expanding to radio syndication
41:01 How radio deals and syndication work
44:01 Tracking radio listenership
45:40 Promoting the show and cross-platform strategy
48:01 Consistency, content, and growth focus
52:04 Advice for new podcasters
55:21 Where to find Michael and final thoughts