Over the years of running my podcast, I used so many different types of hardware. While some of these I no longer use (like the Zoom H4N), I still recommend them because they're high-quality tools that will take your podcast to the next level.
I sort of “progressed” through each of these platforms when I started my podcast. I'm currently with RSS (and will stay with them), but I wanted to include the others because I don't think there's any one BEST platform. Its more about what platform is best for the podcaster, based on where they are on their podcasting journey.
I learned early on in podcasting that its important to work SMARTER, no harder. With so many different social media platforms, and so many different ways content can be consumed,
Ah, editing - that meticulous task that makes good podcasts great. I'm not a believer in using editing tools that are popular. I think the right editing tools are those that are intuitive for me, and suitable for how I record my raw footage (e.g. right format, etc…).
You know, I wrestled with what to do with merch, meaning whether or not I should sell it. I decided what's more important is to spread the word, and offer merch as “freebies” to broaden the visibility of my podcast. So I offer them as freebies, BUT - only to those who reach out to me unsolicited and provide feedback (positive or negative) about my show. For those that give me feedback, I send them one of these merch items and ask them to tell their family and friends about the show.