If you are a podcaster creator, or are about to launch one, chances are you have researched best practices. But just as important as making the right choices is avoiding costly mistakes. If you never bothered with that initial research, this is really for you!
Don’t Fall Behind
So, you get busy one week and all of sudden production is delayed. It’s understandable. But guess what? Podcast audiences respond to a program’s consistency. A good show can become part of a daily, weekly, or monthly habit depending on how often the podcast is aired.
Publishing an episode one day or a week later than it’s supposed to may not seem like the end of the world. Yet it sends the wrong message to your audience and to your team. (A significant exception would be if you have a family emergency). If it seems like something else became more important, you are leaving an opening for your listeners to reevaluate how important the podcast is to them. It also signals to vendors that it’s OK to put another client’s work ahead of your podcast. Regaining the trust of either group would be difficult.
Audiences, be it for podcasts, social media, or traditional media, respond to urgency. When the content creator doesn’t show it, it is reflected in the work and by reduced attendance/readership/listenership. Worse yet, not only have you indicated your work is not that important to you, that missed deadline has created a gap in a listener’s schedule that he or she will want to fill with another show.
There are only so many podcasts one person can devote themselves to. Don’t provide an opening for your program to be pushed aside.
Don’t Change the Subject
Think about why listeners respond to your podcast when there are thousands of others to choose from. The most likely reason is that episodes offer information that the audience finds interesting and engaging and they don’t think they can find it elsewhere. It’s very important not to overthink this.
Say you are one year into producing a podcast focused on reviewing popular video games, don’t be tempted to switch one month to talking about your favorite albums. Such a change would be jarring and, more importantly, would go against the reason your subscribers are tuning in. During an episode, if you find yourself on a segue off the video game du jour, try to reel yourself back into the topic within a couple of minutes. A diversion can be nice, but remember the audience is there to hear what you think about the next “Legend of Zelda.”
Finding your niche is important. Make sure to maintain it. If you become bored talking about a chosen subject, create a whole other podcast to start a new conversation.
Don’t Cheap Out on the Audio
Money may be tight, especially when you first launch a podcast. Unless you are a celebrity or an influencer with actual influence, there won’t be many advertisers or sponsors to subsidize your podcast to start. That’s perfectly normal and requires patience and financial discipline.
When looking where to save costs, you’ll have to be creative. Hopefully you are friends with some experts in the field you are discussing. That way you don’t have to pay someone to come on as a guest. Or maybe a friend or former co-worker can cut you a deal on graphic design to market the podcast. Those are reasonable ways to keep prices in check.
Nothing is more important than sounding professional. Your audience and potential advertisers won’t care if you are on a shoestring budget. A podcast should be pleasing to the ears. A good microphone and internet connection take most of the guesswork out of it. If you are using a production company and don’t like the results, be prepared to make a change.
However tempting it may be, do not go with a substandard vendor or piece of equipment because money is tight. The last thing you need to start with is a second-rate sound. There are too many other choices for listeners to flip the switch away from your content. Just because Christopher Nolan can get away with muffled dialogue in his movies doesn’t mean you can with your podcast.
