These days, there are an estimated 850,000 podcasts available to listen to right now. From those podcasts, an estimated 3 million total episodes have been recorded and distributed as of 2021.
That’s a whole lot of audio content to search through. Since podcasting has become so popular, it’s no wonder we’re starting to see some common podcasting mistakes crop up.
To make sure your business is creating podcasts as high quality as they can be, we’ve noted 7 of the biggest mistakes below. That way, you can avoid them the next time you head to the recording studio.
- Using the Wrong Kind of Podcast Broadcasting Equipment
Audio quality isn’t the be-all and end-all of a quality podcast, but it’s important. If your listeners can’t hear what you’re saying, they’ve likely already switched to a new podcast.
You must always ensure you’re using the right kind of broadcasting equipment. This means investing in quality microphones wherever possible.
You should also use a recording studio, to ensure that no external sound is interfering with your recording.
A musician would never just record a song on their phone in their bedroom and then distribute it. You need to take the same level of care when it comes to recording your podcast.
Ensuring your audio quality is strong can be a good way to initially stand out from the crowd.
- Not Utilizing the Support Available to You or Your Company
As noted above, podcasts are much bigger than they ever have been before. That means there are even more support services out there if you’re looking to break into the podcast market.
These are companies that can help you create and distribute the best podcasts possible. They’ll be manned by experts who know the business, and know precisely how to market podcasts properly.
One such company you should consider looking into is Motion. They offer a number of different dedicated packages for anyone interested in creating podcasts.
This includes marketing, distributing, recording, development, and more. If you’re not using the support structures available to you today, chances are your podcast won’t be as great as it can be.
- Think About the Length of Podcasts
This is one of the most common mistakes that podcast creators make when they first start out. They’ll have a great idea, then go to the recording booth.
What happens is they talk about their topic for hours and hours, resulting in a long podcast episode. The reality of podcasts today is that there are literally millions of them to choose from.
If your podcast is really long, this can dissuade any new listeners from giving you a try. It’s the same logic behind TV shows; if you have to catch up on 10 seasons, you’re less likely to jump in.
Similarly, some people make podcast episodes that are too short. These fail to delve deep into the topics being discussed and end up being a missed opportunity.
Make sure to consider the length of your podcast before you come to record. There’s another key way to ensure that you can manage this, and it relates to our next point.
- Always Plan Your Talking Points or Create a Script
The best way to tackle the length problem comes in the planning stages. Often, new podcasters get hooked on an idea and simply roll with it.
This can create authentic conversations, which is good, but it can never replace properly planning things out. You should consider how long a particular topic will take to talk about, and try to segment your podcast accordingly.
For some podcast types, though not all, it can help to write a script beforehand. Or, you could adapt an existing screenplay. This means you’re fully prepared for what you’re going to say during the podcast itself.
It makes it far easier to rehearse your podcast, and time it properly before you launch. But this approach doesn’t work for everyone, as sometimes spontaneity is key.
- Starting a Podcast Means Marketing a Podcast
Sometimes the hardest part about creating a podcast isn’t actually creating it. Instead, it lies in marketing it properly.
If you don’t engage with marketing, you’re not going to build your audience. Unless you’re lucky, people won’t know your podcast is being made unless you advertise it to them.
This is a major issue that new podcasters can have, and it can leave a lot of great podcast ideas dead on arrival. You should always plan out your marketing before you launch.
- Think About Interesting Topics For Podcasts
Another mistake many early podcasters fall into is simply not being interesting enough. You need to think about how your new idea differs from podcasts already on the market.
Lean into what makes you, as an individual or a company, knowledgeable in a particular field or idea. You need to leverage this expertise but do so in a creative, unique way.
The best podcasts and informative, but also entertaining, funny, or gripping to listen to. It’s a creative medium, and therefore requires a creative approach to guarantee results.
- Be Consistent
Finally, the key to building a podcast audience is consistency. You should never just think of one episode idea, create it and launch it.
You should be planning at least two or three podcast episodes in advance. This can ensure you have a plan for recording, marketing, and launching.
This consistent output is the key to ensuring your audience sticks with you. If it takes you months to come up with a new episode, you may lose hundreds of listeners in that time.
Where Can I Find Out More About Common Podcasting Mistakes?
You should now know some of the many common podcasting mistakes. Podcasting isn’t as easy as it sounds, but it can be a worthwhile venture for individuals or companies.
If you’d like to find out more about podcasting, technology, or other interesting topics, please take a look through some of the previous posts here on our website.
Ashley Rosa is a freelance writer and blogger. As writing is her passion that why she loves to write articles related to the latest trends in technology and sometimes on health-tech as well. She is crazy about chocolates. You can find her at twitter: @ashrosa2.
