Are you thinking about starting a podcast? You’re not the only one–podcast listenership has grown steadily over the years, and many of those listeners are deciding to try their hand at making a podcast of their own.
Of course, making a podcast isn’t as simple as sitting down with a friend and talking into a microphone. Many new podcasts are hamstrung by several common mistakes with podcasting.
Podcasts are a time investment for the listener; nobody is going to keep listening to a show that wastes their time. Avoiding simple mistakes will help you retain and grow an audience.
Keep reading to learn about five common podcasting mistakes and how to avoid them.
- Using the Wrong Microphone
One of the biggest mistakes a new podcast can make is neglecting audio quality. If your podcast doesn’t sound good, people won’t listen to it–it’s as simple as that.
The best way to ensure good audio quality is to buy a great microphone. When buying podcast equipment, prioritize microphones above all else; it’s an audio medium, so you need your audio to sound top-notch.
- An Inconsistent Schedule
There’s a reason television shows air at the same time every week: viewers crave consistency. Your podcast needs to determine a release schedule and stick to it.
It doesn’t matter what the schedule is as long as it’s consistent. If you’re a weekly show, then you’d better have your episode ready to go every Tuesday (or whatever day you pick).
If you have to miss a week, communicate that clearly to your followers.
- Issues With Topics and Genre
There are an infinite number of topics for podcasts, but that doesn’t mean you can ramble about any random thing and expect to get a good episode out of it. Pick a topic and genre and stick to them.
Are you a comedy podcast? Great! Keep things light, conversational, and funny. Don’t introduce maudlin topics out of the blue; that’s not what your listeners tune in to hear.
- Poor Editing
Sound quality isn’t the only technical aspect of podcasting that people neglect. Editing is also an important step of the process–one that newcomers may struggle with at first.
If you’re having difficulty knowing what to edit out of your podcast, seek out a podcast production company. These professionals can help you with many aspects of your podcast, and many offer editing services.
- Tone and Dialogue
Learning how to modulate your voice for a podcast can be difficult. If you’re new to recording, you might be nervous; that’s understandable, but be careful not to talk too fast or pepper your speech with awkward pauses.
If you’re co-hosting a podcast, make sure you’re maintaining a pleasant dialogue with the other host. Don’t interrupt them. This is especially true if you have guests on an episode–let them talk and treat them with respect.
Avoid These Mistakes With Podcasting
When you’re first getting into the industry, it’s easy to make mistakes with podcasting. Those mistakes could cost you valuable listeners. By following the guidelines above, you can keep your listeners happy and grow your audience.
Once you’ve got your podcast off the ground, you can bring in even more listeners through effective marketing. Visit our marketing blog for tips and strategies to expand your podcast empire!