Hey Besties! For episode two of season two, I’m joined by Taboo Science host Ashley Hamer Pritchard, an indie podcaster who went from basically ignoring YouTube to building a burgeoning monetized channel with over 15K subscribers. And the best part? She started without a fancy studio, a ton of gear, or a complicated video production workload.
In this episode, Ashley breaks down exactly how she made the leap from audio to video—and how her first low-lift experiment helped 10x her audience from 400 to 4,000! We get into her surprisingly simple production workflow, why titles and thumbnails were the real unlock for growth, what she’s learned from YouTube analytics, and how those game-changing insights have actually altered how she edits the audio version of her podcast, too. Ashley also shares how she gradually leveled up her video production, why she prioritizes long-form over Shorts, how much she made when she crossed the YouTube monetization threshold, and the highest-leverage thing podcasters can do on YouTube—even if they’re not ready to embrace video yet. If you’ve been sitting on the YouTube fence for your podcast because it feels expensive, intimidating, or like way too much work, this episode might finally convince you to give it a shot.
Follow Ashley @smashleyhamer on Instagram.
Listen to Ashley’s podcast Taboo Science.
Watch Ashley’s podcast Taboo Science on YouTube.
Stay tuned for the bonus segment next Friday—Ashley’s juiciest podcasting tip and more, exclusively for paid subscribers. Upgrade here.
If you missed the last episode, check out How Carole Zimmer Books A-List Celebrity Guests Like Jane Fonda & Ethan Hawke.
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Thanks to Michael Castañeda for mixing and mastering this episode. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @plasticaudio.
Follow me @courtneykocak on Instagram. My debut memoir, Girl Gone Wild, is available now from Amazon, Bookshop.org, and Barnes & Noble. For more, check out my website courtneykocak.com.
A big thanks to our BFFs for sponsoring this episode:
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So… ROLL CALL! 🗣
What’s your current relationship status with YouTube—committed, casually dating, or ghosting it entirely? If you’ve got any tips, share ‘em in the comments!
