Starting a podcast is an exciting new venture ripe with opportunity. But even the juiciest fruit can wither on the vine without the proper care and attention. Here are five of the most common mistakes new podcasters make and how to avoid them.

Stop Making These Common Podcasting Mistakes!

Failure to Launch

It’s hard to overstate just how vital a good launch strategy is for your podcast. Without a comprehensive and cohesive plan, there’s a good chance your podcast will be a non-starter. There are two ways you can approach your launch: the big reveal, or the soft open. 

Imagine your podcast as a debutante making its grand entrance into the world of listeners. That’s the big reveal; it’s your chance to make a splash by promoting and hyping up your product before it finally hits the market. The soft open is inspired by restaurateurs; they preview the goods to a select audience before they officially open to the public. In terms of podcasting, this can mean publishing a few episodes before you start promoting, just to test the waters and take some of the pressure off.

Overcomplicating Things

There’s no reason to make things unnecessarily difficult for yourself. Podcasting can be time-consuming, and there are many moving parts, so give yourself a solid foundation to work from. Simplify and streamline your workflows, so all you have to do to create an episode is fill in the blanks of your template.

Unprofessional Brand

In a sea of podcasts, you need to do everything possible to make your product stand out from the crowd. That’s why your branding is often just as important as your content. An attractive and streamlined custom graphic can actually be a compelling enough reason for listeners to click on your show. Put some time into your branding, have your graphics done professionally, and get some honest feedback from people you trust before you put it out there.

Inconsistency

Having a brand also means consistency. Your listeners will come to have certain expectations about your podcast, from content and structure to layout and length. You can ensure that your listeners keep coming back by having a working template, or as we like to call it, a ‘script recipe.’ That doesn’t mean that your podcast will be boring or predictable, only that it’s consistent and recognizably branded.

No Plan

Flying off the cuff isn’t an option in business, and that applies to the business of podcasts too. You don’t have to eliminate spontaneity, but you should have a good understanding of what your podcast offers and where you would like to take it in the future. Having a plan for your podcast helps you make decisions that ultimately serve your end goals, and that’s important when it comes to growing your business and generating revenue.

Done-For-You Podcasting Tools

At Podcast Recipe, we do more than just coach you on your podcast launch. We work alongside you with done-for-you essential podcasting services, from icon graphic design, RSS host set up and publishing, marketing, and launch planning. Together, we’ll make sure that your podcast launch is a HIT.

Reach out today to learn more.