To marketers who host or have been on podcasts:

I've been having some incredible discovery calls, getting into a state of flow, learning about each other and collaboratively coming up with new insights in real time. You know the kind of convos that end with "THIS could've been the podcast episode"

But then, when we hit "record", something shifts. Same questions, same answers, but the conversation flattens out. It sounds standard, more polished.

I've felt this as host and guest. It's mostly the same convo, but that same state of flow isn't reached. The episode ends up fine but it doesn't "feel" the same, and I want to share that "feeling" with the audience

Maybe it's the presence of the mic making everyone more self-conscious. Podcasts, even if informal, can carry an unspoken pressure to be more definitive or “on-brand".

Twitter Spaces fare a little better, cause no one has to worry about what their video feed looks like

You've captured a vital aspect of podcasting. The pressure of recording can stifle genuine conversation. Finding ways to maintain that natural flow, perhaps through more informal setups, could truly enhance the listener's experience.