Do all independent podcasters want the same things in 2026?
Let’s have a closer look at the contributions for episode 19 of Creators from TrueFans, where indie podcasters who have appeared on the show in 2025 answered the questions:
What do you hope will happen with your podcast in 2026?
What do you hope will happen with independent podcasting as a whole in 2026?
Not surprisingly, guests shared several overlapping hopes.
Financial Sustainability and Recognition
A primary hope shared by a number of the contributors is the ability for independent creators to become financially sustainable.
Anna Stoecklein from The Story of Woman hopes that creators can sustain themselves while remaining independent, while Mel Barfield from Indie Business Club and Elizabeth Blosfield from The Adult Ballet Studio are on the lookout for creative ways to bring in income.
Clayton M Coke of The Cashflow Show explicitly calls for more remuneration so that independent podcasters can be paid for their work, rather than seeing that access taken by established media figures, and Jennica Sadhwani of Multispective specifically hopes to source sponsorships that align with the values of her show.
Deepening Listener Engagement and Feedback
David John Clark of The Late Bloomer Actor and Joana PR Neves of Exhibitionistas would like to receive more direct feedback and comments from listeners, to know they aren’t alone as hosts.
Elizabeth Blosfield takes this further, hoping for ‘two-way engagement’ through in-person or hybrid events, while Rebecca Thandi Norman of Book Imprint echoes this, wishing for creators to find and connect with their audiences in ‘new exciting ways’.
Improved Discovery and Categorisation
Joana PR Neves would like to see the introduction of clearer categories, so that artistic or investigative formats aren’t forced to compete with ‘celebrity cooking shows’, and Matt Watts from Watts on Your Screen hopes that listening platforms will prioritise ‘human-made independent shows’ over ‘clickbaity nonsense’ or ‘AI slop’.
Tom and Jon from The Failing Writers Podcast hope that 2026 will be the year people seek out ‘lovely little gems’ and ‘real voices’ instead of the dominant ‘C-list celebrity podcasts’.
Moving Beyond Download Numbers
David John Clark wants to see an improvement to stats, moving away from download numbers to focus on retention time and whether people are actually listening to the whole episode, and Jennica Sadhwani hopes that creators will be valued for ‘depth and honesty and creativity’ rather than ‘reach or for numbers’.
At the same time as sharing goals, several contributors have specific aspirations that are unique to their personal mission or niche.
Specific Marketing via Surname Puns
Matt Watts has a highly specific marketing goal for 2026. He hopes to contact every other podcaster that shares his surname (Watts) and uses the same pun in their title to engage in cross-promotion. He acknowledges this might not be the most effective strategy, but believes it would be the most fun way to reach new audiences.
Balancing Professional Production with Personal Projects
Jayne Morgan creator of The Friendship File, expresses a hope that is more about time management than industry trends. As a professional podcast producer, she is often too busy with client work to produce her own show. Her primary hope for 2026 is to find the time to ‘make another series’ and ensure her project does not fade away due to her professional workload.
The Science and Health Benefits of Creativity
Tricia Duffy, host of In Ten Years Time, focuses on a unique thematic hope. She wants her podcast to specifically highlight the ‘benefit and science of creativity’, exploring how it impacts health, cognitive wellbeing, and neurodiversity. While others focus on the act of creating, she is uniquely focused on the scientific and medical outcomes of living a creative life.
Direct Mainstream-to-Indie Swaps
Frank Racioppi from Ear Worthy offers a unique recommendation for the landscape. Rather than just hoping for better discovery, he suggests specific direct replacements for mainstream hits. He hopes listeners will actively swap celebrity shows for indie equivalents, and gives a number of great suggestions to get you started.
Whether you are an independent podcaster or a supporter of indie podcasting, or are ready to discover new podcasts in 2026, have a listen to episode 19 of Creators from TrueFans here, or on another podcast platform if you must!
Creators uses chapters, and in this case each chapter features the show art for the contributor and a link to their podcast in TrueFans, so as well as listening to this episode I encourage you to listen to the other shows too – they’re really good, and independently produced 🧡