Podcasting is, in and of itself, very easy to do. That can be a positive for many people just getting into the podcast field. But, as it is easy to enter, it is also very easy to make mistakes. Here are four common mistakes I see many new podcasters make.
1. The duration of the podcast episode
Many people will see the time commitment of listening to a podcast before they even hit the “play” button. This is especially true for someone who is not familiar with your podcast and for whatever reason is interested in listening to a particular episode.
The length of your podcast episode really depends on the type of information you’re going to share. Statistics indicate that the shorter the episode, the more likely it is to be heard to the end. Once your podcast exceeds 45 minutes to an hour in length, your audience will drop dramatically.
Remember, shorter is better. But you must transmit the information required by the listener in the allotted time. If it takes you 45 minutes to convey that information, that’s fine. But don’t try to stretch the episode to 45 minutes when you could have said the whole thing in 20 minutes. You will lose listeners.
2. Know what you are talking about
If you try to fake it (or “fake it till you make it”), your listeners will be able to figure it out pretty quickly. If you are going to have a guest on your show to discuss a topic that you are not proficient in, you should prepare beforehand and have at least a rudimentary understanding of the topic to be discussed.
By asking a few relevant questions before you begin your interview, your listeners will be able to tell that you have prepared for the topic of discussion. But if you go into the interview blind and expect your guest to lead the conversation, you’ll fail (miserably).
That being said, it is not necessary to have a PhD in the topic of discussion. You should have a better understanding than your average listener. This will keep you the expert in their eyes.
3. Don’t assume your audience knows what you’re talking about.
This theme goes hand in hand with the previous theme, but with its own little twist. If you are an expert on a particular topic, you should assume that your listener knows less about that topic than you do. If you talk “over their heads” about it, they’ll tune out and you’ll lose a listener.
Take the time to slow down and explain a topic or concept in simple terms. If you have an expert for an interview and you find them discussing something the average person wouldn’t understand, ask them to explain it in layman’s terms (even if you know what they’re saying).
If you are continuing a conversation from a previous episode, please provide a brief synopsis of the discussion in question. Some people are tuning in for the first time and didn’t listen to the previous episodes. Don’t just refer them back to the previous episode. Just provide a one or two sentence introduction that brings them up to date. You can check out a previous episode below if you want more information.
4. Promote your podcast
The biggest mistake new podcasters make is not promoting the podcast! They think, “I only have six episodes. I don’t want to look like a fool.” But, just by having a podcast, you’re in the top 1% of the world’s population that shares information via podcasting! That is something to be proud of!
I’ve been contacted for interviews before and when I ask “How long have you been doing this?” I get excited when someone tells me they just started! I had a couple of podcasts where I was told, “Actually you’re going to be the first.”
I love it because I’m setting the bar for everyone else to come after me!
Podcasters have come back to me months (and even a year later) and have told me I was the best guest they’ve had in their entire time podcasting. Because? Because I try to help these new podcasters. I want them to succeed!
But, as a new podcaster, you can’t be ashamed of your podcast! Promote it on all your social media platforms. Share on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other platforms. Let everyone know and some of your social media followers will go and listen! But if you don’t tell them I can guarantee they will NOT listen to you!
By focusing on the right answer to those four areas, you will help make your podcast a success.