So, you want to start a podcast. We’re glad to hear it! We love podcasts at Podcastle, obviously. But podcasting has one big problem: its creator abandonment rate.
We talk a lot about success stories — the Alex Coopers and Steven Bartletts of the world — but there are two sides to the conversation.
For every podcast that hits the big time, countless abandoned titles are littering the podcast graveyard. So, why do many people quit their podcasts? And how can you make sure you’re not one of them? Let’s investigate.
Podcasting’s number one problem
If the numbers floating around online are to be believed, only 10% of podcasts make it past episode three. And only 1% make it to episode 21.
Crazy, right? Well, yes and no.
You may think the rate of creators abandoning their podcasts is so high because podcasting is difficult or expensive. But that’s not the case.
One reason podcasting is so popular is that it’s a hugely accessible medium. All you need to get started is an idea, a laptop, and a free editing tool, almost anyone can become a podcasting legend.
Including you — as long as you overcome the real challenges that cause nine in 10 creators to give up on their podcasts after three episodes (or fewer).
The main reasons people quit their podcasts
Knowledge is power, so if you want to be successful as a podcaster, you need to understand the six most common reasons people jump ship.
1) Struggle to Find Things to Talk About
You can talk about literally anything on your podcast, but sometimes casting too wide a net can make finding interesting topics difficult, causing creators to lose interest or burn out.
2) Research takes too long
From researching episode topics to reviewing engagement data, research is critical to podcast production. Some people fail to anticipate the importance of research or pick a topic that demands too much.
3) Editing takes too long
Doing too little pre-planning and not using the right tools can make the editing process long and difficult. It doesn't have to be, but too many people try to fix everything in the edit!
4) Poor engagement
Podcasting isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. Building an audience takes time, but many would-be creators become disheartened when they don’t immediately see the returns they want.
5) Lack of consistency
Consistency is key to building sustainable habits and managing audience expectations. However, people often fail to create a consistent schedule, bite off more than they can chew, and fail to live up to their own expectations.
6) Co-ordinating schedules
Recording with others, whether it's co-hosts or guests means balancing schedules. Although it makes the podcast more engaging to have multiple voices, you need to make sure collaboration is as easy as possible.
How to become the exception to the rule
If you want to launch a successful podcast that lives to see episode 23, you need to take steps to overcome these common challenges. Luckily, with the right strategy and tools, maintaining consistency as a podcast creator is a cakewalk.
– Choose a niche: We recommend selecting a few themes you’re interested in talking about. The idea isn’t to box yourself in but to set some parameters. This helps prevent overwhelm when choosing topics.
– Set a schedule: Creating a consistent posting schedule makes it easier to structure your time. For example, if you release an episode every Thursday, you can work backward to determine when to complete your editing, recording, and research stages to hit your deadlines. Plus, having a consistent release schedule is essential to growing a dedicated listener base.
– Manage your expectations: We hate to break it to you, but you probably won’t amass a million listeners overnight. And you may struggle to post three hour-long episodes a week as a newbie. Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor will your podcast empire.
– Experiment: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes or mix things up. There’s no shame in changing your podcast format if you’re struggling with motivation or it no longer serves its purpose.
– Use AI tools: From using ChatGPT for research and scriptwriting to Podcastle’s audio editing tools, AI tools exist to save you time. If you want to simplify the podcast creation process, you need to take advantage of free and clever tools!
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