Podcast mistakes and how to avoid them

Covered in this article

Mistake: Having poor audio quality

Advice: Your podcast is only as good as your audio quality. While you don’t need to purchase expensive equipment to start your podcast, quality audio is still extremely important.

A listener is more likely to stick with your podcast if the sound quality is great. Poor audio makes listening to a podcast much less enjoyable. It distracts a listener for the content provided, and it is harder for someone to follow along with the speaker.

In episode three of Audio Leads, TrendUp Media founder Jordan Paris emphasizes the need for having crisp podcast audio. He discusses how podcasts with great sounding audio makes the host and the show seem more credible.

Consistency

Mistake: Not staying consistent

Advice: The main way to keep your audience engagement levels high is to produce content on a consistent basis. One of the most repeated podcasting tips from the guests on Audio Leads is to stay consistent. Your audience will become more loyal to your show if they can rely on your content showing up consistently on their podcast feed. 

This also applies to your podcast promotion, such as social media posts and email chains. If you keep promoting your podcast at the same rate as you publish your podcast, your show is much more likely to gain a substantial following. 

In the second episode of Audio Leads, Airborne founder Marvin Jacobs states that your first priority should be to consistently connect with your audience. This includes the timely posting of both your podcast episodes and social media content. Your audience will be more likely to stay engaged with your posts if you stick to a schedule.

Podcast promotion

Mistake: Not promoting your podcast across multiple channels

Advice: Promoting your podcast is just as important as creating the podcast itself. If you do not put an adequate amount of effort into promoting your podcast across social media, email chains and other channels, you are unlikely to gain a following.

In episode five of Audio Leads, Podcast.co founder James Mulvany argues that podcasters should spend more time promoting their podcast than they do recording. He suggests that consistent, quality podcast promotion leads to more success for your podcast.

Content flow

Mistake: Creating content that does not flow from episode to episode

Advice: Your podcast content is more attractive to listeners when each episode in a season flows together. Listener engagement will be higher if people know what to expect when they decide to start listening to one of your episodes. 

In episode four of Audio Leads, Dreamr Productions founder Jeanna Isham discusses how a company’s content should flow. In her experience with sonic branding, she found that a company benefits from creating a sonic logo that can have continued use. Shen noted that some businesses would fail by putting all of their focus into how a logo works for one project instead of the future of the company. If you create a plan for each season of your podcast, your episodes will work together to achieve the season’s main purpose. 

Guest interviews

Mistake: Not inviting guests onto your show

Advice: You should invite guests on your podcast to increase the legitimacy of your show. Guests in your industry can provide expert content for your listeners that will build the credibility of your podcast. Inviting guests to your show increases the chances for future collaborations to grow your brand awareness. Guests will also share their episode appearances with their own audience. Not only are you providing valuable content to your current audience, but you are reaching a new group of potential listeners.

This creates a snowball effect, where featuring guests on your show will build your audience base and keep allowing you to reach out to potential guests with larger audiences. 

A podcast guest application form is also a great way to connect with valuable people in your industry. Read our blog post to find out more.

Expectations for your podcast

Mistake: Setting unrealistic expectations

Advice: When you set realistic goals for your podcast, you are more likely to follow through with your show.

James Mulvany also discusses how many novice podcasters expect to become Joe Rogan overnight, and their high expectations lead to major disappointment. An article on James’  company site, Podcast.co, states that only 124 downloads in 30 days already puts you in the top 50% of podcasts. The top 3% of podcasts get 6,700 downloads in 30 days.

Podcast creation takes time and energy, and commitment over the long term. James believes that setting realistic expectations for your podcast journey will make you more likely to follow through with your plan and avoid becoming discouraged.

Summary

Creating a podcast for your business can seem overwhelming at first, but you can avoid a lot of stress if you start by considering the most common podcasting mistakes. A branded podcast can be very beneficial for your business and is definitely worth the rewards. Podcasting allows you to connect to industry leaders and grow your brand awareness, leading to more sales. 

Considering audio marketing for your business? Book a demo call with us to find out how a branded podcast can help your brand. https://rumble.studio/demo