How important is it, really, to wear headphones when you record your show? These days, people immediately associate a person with a mic and headphones with podcasting. And yet, some hosts still push back against the idea—after all, their laptop speakers work just fine for video chats, right?

If Mary can convince you of anything this season, it will be to start wearing headphones when podcasting. In this episode, she acknowledges all the reasons you might be hesitant to pop on a pair before you hit record. But when you learn about echoes, feedback, voice monitoring, and the problem with Bluetooth, you'll probably come around. As it turns out, this particular piece of audio gear is so much more than just visual branding for your medium.

Turn up the volume on your headset (but not too loud) to find out:

• The ins and outs of noise suppression settings on recording software;
• Why you need to be mindful of your headphone volume;
• Why you need to listen to yourself in your headphones (even if it feels cringey);
• The question of comfort: how to work around irritating headsets.

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Setting up professional audio for Zoom Meetings - https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0059985

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voice note with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email visiblevoicepodcast@gmail.com
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and editing by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.

What happens when your podcast topic gets super specific? The temptation to broaden your podcast subject matter, to capture a wide range of both guests and listeners, is understandable. But often, something magical happens when you narrow down your focus to the super-specific sub-sub-topic you're most passionate about: your fellow mega nerds find you and become your most loyal following.

Susan Thompson proves this point perfectly. For the last several years, she and her cohost, Holly, have produced "The Voices of the Ancestors", a podcast dedicated to an extremely niche topic: polyphonic folk songs of Georgia (the country, not the state) and the women who sing them. Susan went from not even knowing what a podcast was to speaking with conviction on microphone preferences and the rise of video in the industry. Her show has connected her with a global community of fellow devotees, uncovered numerous opportunities to speak at events all around the world, and elevated underacknowledged voices—precisely because she chose to project her niche passion full-throated across the airwaves.

Get inspired to double down on your specialized expertise in your podcast:

• What's possible when you accept that "every day is a learning day";
• Navigating the technological trials of recording;
• Sharing the workload as a two-person podcasting team;
• The reality and considerations of continuing a podcast amidst life's busyness.

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Voices of the Ancestors, "Nino Kalandadze Makharadze Remembered": https://voicesoftheancestors.co.uk/voices-of-the-ancestors-all-episodes#NinoKalandadze
• Voices of the Ancestors, "Blessing the Village: Alive Easter with Amer-Imeri: https://soundcloud.com/voicesoftheancestors/blessing-the-village-alive

Engage with Susan Thompson:

• Connect with Susan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanthompsonuk/
• Listen to Voices of the Ancestors: https://voicesoftheancestors.co.uk/
• Follow the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/voicesoftheancestors
• Follow the podcast on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgianpolyphony
• Buy Susan and Holly a coffee (or a mint tea): https://ko-fi.com/voicesoftheancestors

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voice note with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email visiblevoicepodcast@gmail.com
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and editing by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.

As a woman, should you consider adding video to your show? Video podcasting is on the rise. The trend is being driven by huge celebrity players and, most recently, Apple Podcasts, who released HLS video support in late March 2026. And while there are benefits to this evolution, there's also a lot to unpack if you're considering adding video to your show.

In this episode, Mary shares a deeply personal take on this shift, interspersed with her podcasting expertise. There are two sides to every coin: video raises the barrier to entry beyond simple audio recording, and it provides an improved experience to people who are hard of hearing. Video gives you the opportunity to show and tell, and it requires a lot more work to edit. Most significantly, podcasting's visual evolution heaps the same unfair standards on women that the film and television industry has for generations.

Unpack the heavy demand of video, as a woman in podcasting:

• Exploring the gender bias that has always plagued women in media;
• How adding video to your podcast will affect you, mentally and physically;
• The high-tech requirements of adding a video component;
• The reality of how video could help your show.

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Kings College London, "Almost a third of Gen Z men agree a wife should obey her husband" - https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/almost-a-third-of-gen-z-men-agree-a-wife-should-obey-her-husband
• "Global News anchors conduct wardrobe experiment. Did you notice?" - https://globalnews.ca/news/10263239/global-news-anchors-wardrobe-experiment/
• "Apple introduces a new video podcast experience on Apple Podcasts" - https://www.apple.com/ca/newsroom/2026/02/apple-introduces-a-new-video-podcast-experience-on-apple-podcasts/
• "Apple Takes Podcasting Mainstream" - https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2005/06/28Apple-Takes-Podcasting-Mainstream/

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voice note with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email visiblevoicepodcast@gmail.com
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and editing by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.