What does it really take to keep a podcast going for 10 years?
In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Lewin, host of How to Protect the Ocean, to talk about the real story behind building a long-running podcast, starting before he felt ready, changing the name for clarity, growing through consistency, and using podcasting to connect people with ocean conservation.
Andrew is a marine biologist who started podcasting because he wanted more people to understand what was happening with the ocean. He began with interviews, added solo episodes, tested different publishing schedules, moved into video, and kept experimenting with his workflow along the way.
Tune in for a grounded and encouraging conversation about staying curious, showing up consistently, and building a podcast that can grow with you over time.
Connect With Andrew Lewin
Website: https://speakupforblue.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtoprotecttheocean
Support The Seagrass Effect: https://speakupforblue.com/seagrass
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Chapters
00:00 Opening Moment
00:19 Meet Andrew Lewin
00:25 What How to Protect the Ocean Is About
00:58 Why Andrew Started the Podcast
02:08 The Original Podcast Name: Speak Up for Blue
03:01 Using SEO to Make the Podcast Easier to Find
04:04 Why a Simple Podcast Name Worked Better
05:06 Starting the Podcast 10 Years Ago
05:42 The Fear Before Hitting Publish
07:28 What Happened After Andrew Finally Published
08:05 Andrew’s Podcast Microphone Journey
09:37 When Andrew Started Seeing Himself as a Podcaster
10:03 Getting Invited to Cover a Science Conference
11:23 Helping People Connect with Scientists as Real People
12:39 Does the Podcast Cover Lakes and Rivers Too?
14:38 Why Andrew Chose Ocean Conservation
17:18 What 10 Years of Podcasting Has Taught Him
18:10 Serving the Audience with Clear Takeaways
19:33 Bringing Ocean-Friendly Businesses and Stories to the Show
20:49 My Podcast Story Newsletter Break
21:12 Andrew’s Production Workflow
21:54 Why He Kept Editing Simple for Years
23:39 Moving from Audio to Video Podcasting
24:37 Learning What Works on YouTube
25:26 Hiring a Video Editor
26:29 Using Metricool for Podcast Promotion
27:43 Why Consistency Has Been the Key
29:24 Growing Slowly and Steadily on YouTube
31:12 Using Data to Understand What the Audience Likes
32:44 The Cost of Producing Three Episodes a Week
34:41 Podcast SEO, TubeBuddy, Titles, and Thumbnails
36:16 Monthly Tool Costs and Metricool
37:20 Reviewing Podcast Expenses
38:04 Why Andrew Still Uses Libsyn
42:28 Using AI to Save Time on Show Notes
43:39 Riverside and Video Podcast Recording
45:05 AWeber, LinkedIn Newsletters, and PodPage
47:30 Keeping Podcast Tools Simple
48:34 Does the Podcast Make Money?
49:57 Building a Podcast Network Around Ocean Stories
51:36 How Andrew Has Monetized the Podcast
52:13 Sponsorships, Conferences, and Podcast Services
53:56 Where to Find Andrew Lewin
54:40 Final Thoughts
