In an episode of the now-retired show Podcast Pontifications, Evo Terra drops a truth bomb for all the “record to tape” or “record and release” podcasters:But if you look at the larger universe of podcasting, which is now millions of podcasts strong, you’ll see that podcast listeners are voting for the kinds of shows that take more time and care than can be put into a linear record and release style of podcast.He was talking about people who record a show and then release it as is (known as record and release, or record to tape). But from that ailment comes another symptom: people using Zoom to record.You need to stop using Zoom.Similar to Evo’s point above, listeners today more than ever expect quality. They want you to sound like you’re in the room with your guest.And that’s easier than ever with great tools like  Riverside.fm, which records everyone’s audio locally, and separately. No weird robot video from bad internet connections here.This is important because bad audio can erode trust, which could stifle your podcast’s growth, and your ability to establish expertise.One of the reasons I feel my show grew quickly is because I’ve added a commitment to the best possible audio quality from the very beginning.If you’re not sure where to start, I strongly recommend  Riverside.fm. It’s affordable, well-made, and the most reliable of the tools I’ve used. ★ Support this podcast ★