TPU122 – 8 Disastrous Beginner Podcaster Mistakes that leads to Podfade

In this episode, we will discuss 8 beginner podcaster mistakes that often lead to podfade.

After speaking to more than 40 podcasters who were facing a pod-fade, I zeroed in on 8 common podcasting mistakes that they were all making unknowingly which was the main reason why they were starting at a pod-fade.

Beginner Podcaster Mistakes to Avoid

Almost 40% of the people I speak to in consultations are either facing a pod fade or, have quit podcasting.

And 95% of these podcasters, all make these 8 common podcasting mistakes which is the reason why they are staring at a pod-fade.

If you don’t want your podcast to die, then you might want to avoid these at all costs!

Misunderstanding Consistency:

Consistency starts with finding a publishing schedule that works for you. Don’t imitate somebody else’s schedule. What they are following is something that is comfortable to them.

You need to find a schedule that works for you according to how your day looks.

Then ensure that you are following that schedule and publishing regularly. That is consistency!

Also keep in mind that Consistency is not about publishing weekly or, daily. While most podcasters follow that schedule, yours could be different.

So accept it and follow your schedules instead of running with the crowd and stressing yourself out.

Podcasting is not equal to Interviewing

It is true that most podcasts are in the interview format. But it is also true that podcasts necessarily need to be only in an interview format.

There are a lot of shows in the monologue and other formats that are doing well.

Follow your style. If you think you are uncomfortable doing interviews and that you will have difficulty finding guests for your show, then don’t do interviews. Follow one of the other formats.

Remember that podcasting is not equal to interviewing. And interviews is not the only way to grow your podcast.

Sponsorships are not the only way to monetize a show

Sponsorships are not the only way to monetize your podcast. And it is true that getting sponsorships for a small show is going to be difficult.

Most top podcasters follow multiple methods to monetize their podcast – affiliate marketing, digital courses, ebooks, consultation etc.

These are all different way of monetizing your podcast. You can use these even if your show is small and doesn’t have thousands and millions of downloads.

Keep in mind that “A podcast is a medium to make money. It is not a source. Pick the right source and you can make money even with lesser downloads”.

Editing is not the most important activity in podcasting

Most beginner podcasters spend hours editing and polishing their episode because they felt that “perfect audio is what will get them listeners.

They thought that editing is the most important activity in podcasting.

While good audio is important, great and exceptional audio doesn’t give you any incremental value.

So edit only as much as is required.

And instead of spending time on editing, use that time to research your content and to promote your episodes.

Content research and Podcast promotions are the 2 most important activities in podcasting.

Produce, release and forget

Content shelf life is decreasing and the quest for new and fresh content burns out most creators.

Worst is that with podcasting, there is so much of content that is created and then forgotten by both the podcaster and the listeners.

There is very low listens and downloads on this content.

Don’t ignore old content. Repurpose it for social media, videos etc. You can even re-release the episodes by updating it with the latest information.

Amy Porterfield uses this very nicely by clubbing similar episodes to make a basket of episodes on a specific topic and directing website visitors to it.

Spending on things that they don’t really need

Most podcasters spent whatever money they had in things that they didn’t really need.

You don’t need a jazzy headphone or, an expensive computer. Spend the money you have on a good microphone and a good podcast hosting company.

If you have anything more on your budget, then you can use it to buy a good editing software like Descript.

But don’t spend mindlessly on things you don’t need.

Not Building an Email List

This is one of the biggest mistakes that most people make.

Not building an email list means that you are leaving a lot of money on the table. You are losing opportunities to make money from referrals/affiliate marketing, getting repeat listeners, engaging with your listeners to learn more about their needs etc.

Start building a list from the pre-launch.

It will be the best thing you do to your podcast.

Not having a website.

A website is a non-negotiable in podcasting.

But a lot of podcasters who are starting off put this as the bottom-most thing on their priority list.

The result is – lost opportunities to connect with their audience, lost monetization opportunities, and lost branding opportunities.

A website is also something that is important for building a list.

Put a website together even if it is a simple one.

Watch this video to learn how you can do that in less than 30 minutes.

So those were 8 common mistakes that most beginner podcasters do that leads to pod-fade.

Avoid these mistakes if you want to build a successful podcast.

Conclusion

Podfade is often caused by overwhelm, stress and lack of results. The above 8 beginner podcaster mistakes, all lead to lot of stress and overwhelm and eventually podfade.

If you want to succeed with podcasting, my recommendation will be to take things easy.

Don’t copy or, imitate.

Build a plan that fits you, is sustainable and doesn’t stress you out.

If you have any questions, drop them in the comment box below and I will respond to them. And if you want to speak to me about anything podcasting, you can book a consultation with me using the booking option in the menu above.

Show Notes:

Here’s what we discussed in the episode –

1. 8 Beginner podcaster mistakes
2. How to avoid these beginner podcaster mistakes

Thank You for Joining

Thank you all for joining me on the show today.

If you enjoyed this episode then I am sure you will love some of the previous episodes as well. Pick your favorite ones and give them a listen.

The podcasting university is available on all podcasting platforms. You can pick your favorite one to listen to the show there. The links to some of the prominent ones are mentioned below.

CASTBOX: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/castbox
STITCHER: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/stitcher
TUNEIN: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/tunein
GOOGLE PODCASTS: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/googlepodcasts
APPLE PODCASTS: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/itunes
PLAYER.FM: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/playerfm
SPOTIFY: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/spotify
HUBHOPPER: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/hubhopper
AMAZON PRIME: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/prime

Recommended Resources for Podcasting

Here are some of the recommended resources for Podcasting. These are the ones that I personally use and am satisfied with and hence am recommending them.

• Acast Podcast hosting – Acast is my favorite podcast hosting company. They have excellent customer support, have a pocket-friendly plan, and even have a free option with no limits.
• Behringer Audio Interface – You will need an audio interface if you are using an XLR microphone. This is my recommended audio interface.
• Zencastr – Zencastr is the easiest option to record interviews, both audio-only and audio+video. This is a must for an interview podcast. Go to zencastr.com/pricing and use my code “thepodu” You’ll get 30 percent off your first three months of Zencastr professional.
• Audacity – This is the best and the most feature-rich free audio editing software. It gives you a lot of options while editing your interviews.
• Blue Yeti USB Microphone – My recommended microphone
• Tidycal – My recommended calendar and booking solutions
• Fusebox – Embeddable Podcast Player
• Descript – Audio Editing, Transcription and Video editing software

AMAZON DISCLOSURE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The Podcasting University is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

MICROPHONES –

1. ATR-2100x
2. MAONO AU-HD300T : https://geni.us/ro48q
3. Maono AU-WDM01 : https://geni.us/PhZ3V2v
4. Samson Q2U – https://geni.us/k9cuk
5. Audio Technica AT 2035 – https://geni.us/g2URDI
6. Rode NT USB – https://geni.us/O6b65K
7. Shure MV7X – https://geni.us/w7rZ4

LAVELIER MICROPHONES

1. Boya ByM1 Auxillary Lavelier Microphone – https://geni.us/boyabym1lav
2. Boya ByM1 Pro Lavelier Microphones – https://geni.us/boyabym1prolav
3. Digitek Wireless Microphone – https://geni.us/R3cGd
4. Boya – BYXM6 Wireless Microphone – https://geni.us/OS6gq
5. Vook Dual Channel Wireless Microphone – https://geni.us/V9YBO1i

PORTABLE RECORDERS –

1. Zoom H5 Portable Recorder – https://geni.us/rVTAIAV
2. Zoom H1N Portable Recorder – https://geni.us/dOaDg

AUDIO INTERFACE –

1. Behringer U-PHORIA UM2 – https://geni.us/gBCjm
2. M-Audio M-Track Solo – https://geni.us/RnhHr
3. HAYDEN HY-229 – https://geni.us/c80KbWB

MIXERS –

1. HAYDEN 4 Channels – https://geni.us/cXQ0
2. Behringer Q502USB

MONITORING HEADPHONES –

1. Oneodio Studio Pro-10 : https://geni.us/IQI88Se
2. Maono AU-MH501 : https://geni.us/AbNrU
3. Audio-Technica ATH-M20X : https://geni.us/eEUf9

POP-FILTER –

1. JEYANG Metal Pop Filter – https://geni.us/JMfuY
2. Wright WP 101 – https://geni.us/OcOAzj

DESK-STAND/BOOM ARM –

1. MY-STANDS MC 18 : https://geni.us/Lwnb
2. Bulfyss Professional Recording Microphone Stand: https://geni.us/mV4S

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