Podcast Editing in 2026: "What to Cut, What to Keep, and How AI Does It For You"

Should you edit your podcast audio?Short answer: Yes — but probably not how you think.Editing is the #1 reason podcasters quit before episode 7. It’s also the #1 reason listeners quit before minute 7. Today on Podcast About Podcasting, I’m cutting through the noise on editing.In this episode, you’ll learn:• Why editing is essential – The 5 barriers between your idea and your listener’s brain• The 80/20 of what to actually fix – Skip perfectionism. Do this in 15 min instead• To edit or raw? – When “no edit” builds trust vs. when it kills growth• Pros & Cons of editing – Real tradeoffs so you can pick your philosophy• AI Editing in 2026 – How Descript, Riverside, and Adobe Podcast do 90% of the work for youAI Tools Mentioned:1. Descript – Text-based editing. “Remove filler words” in 1 click. Best for solo hosts.2. Riverside – Record + “Magic Audio” cleanup. Best for remote interviews + video.3. Adobe Podcast – “Enhance Speech” makes bad rooms sound like studios. Free tier is wild.Your Action Steps This Week:1. 5-Minute Edit Test – Set a timer. Only fix what annoys listeners. Stop at 5 min.2. Make your Editing Red Line – List 3 things you’ll always fix + 3 things you’ll ignore.3. AI Test Drive – Run your last raw file through Adobe Podcast Enhance. Hear the difference.Have a Question? Leave us a text or voicemail. We would love to hear from you. Support the showTHE PODCAST ABOUT PODCASTINGA weekly interview show answering the only question that matters before you start — why should you do a podcast?New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.SUBSCRIBEApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/podcast-about-podcasting-with-gabe-leal/id1890063067 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2mFSFuT6n3R26Xm28h9Qbd?si=92a9db77895f4521YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodcastAboutPodcastingwithGabeFOLLOW THE SHOWInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/heygabewhatsup/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heygabewhatsup/Substack: https://substack.com/@heygabewhatsupSEND GABE A [email protected] this episode hit — share it with one person who keeps almost starting. That's who this show is for.