Here’s Why Many People Don’t Stay with Podcasting

The day after tomorrow will mark the release of Episode 639 of my “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast.  I have never missed a week once since launching the show on February 17, 2014.  Wednesday’s will also be the 1,070th episode hosted in my podcasting career.  (I have a second show that has been delivered on time, every Monday since February 1, 2019.)

Yes, consistency is key.  I’ve written about it before as have countless others.

In fact, last week I wrote a blog here about why it’s not okay (for podcasters, music creators, YouTubers, speakers) to miss “just this one time,” citing – among other things – only making it easier to miss a second time.  But there are elements to all this behind the scenes that point to why so many people podfade.

For the uninitiated, it’s said that many (many) people try their hand at podcasting but only get to around seven episodes and then they stop.  So, before you argue that “everybody has a podcast,” no, they actually don’t.   Lots of people have started a show, yes.  But those of us who have stayed with it do not combine for a big number.

It’s time to reveal a lot of what goes into having your own podcast so you can make an informed decision as to whether it’s something you’re cut out to do or if you’re just following what you think is a trend and are just going to end up on the side of the road with the rest of those who tried but gave up.

While consistency is a very important word, so is – and you’re not going to want to hear this – sacrifices.

I remember when I first started “Now Hear This Entertainment” and would go to a recording studio to get episodes recorded and edited.  A guest would ghost me and I’d hear, “I’m surprised you don’t have a policy.”  Well guess what?  You can have a policy, but if a guest no-shows on you, whatever your policy is doesn’t really matter.  Now you have no one to put the repercussion back on.

Consider that you already sacrificed time to book the guest, compile assets, write the framework of the interview, and – if you’re going somewhere to record – used time and gas to go to the studio.

For those that record at home, you think you have the freedom to record whenever you want.  While that’s true, wait until the guest in California says, “I can do 6:00pm Pacific Time on Wednesday night,” and you’re on the east coast, which means it’s 9:00pm for you.  Add to that something you might have had your heart set on that night – anything from an event out of the house to sitting in your living room and watching NBA or NHL playoffs.

For those that say, “Well, I’m just going to do this during normal business hours,” either (a) wait for the guest you’ll have to miss out on, then, because he/she is only available outside of normal business hours, or (b) watch when your work starts to back up because you’re replacing it with doing work for your podcast.

There’s also the monetary sacrifice – and not, “I know, equipment.”  There will be opportunities at events where you’ll want to record your podcast.  But don’t expect the organizers to pay for your transportation to get there.  Keep in mind, again, the time sacrifice involved there.

Remember the time that you need to be willing to sacrifice to devote to initiatives such as posting on social media about your podcast and doing an e-newsletter.  And while I realize that some people will scoff at a lot of this and merely try to dismiss it with, “I’ll just set up all kinds of automations,” even that initial period of getting those in place and then making adjustments as you react to what’s working, what’s not working, what you forgot about, and other tweaks become time suckers.

You’ll also sacrifice resources.  Perhaps you feel like you’re in good shape because you already use, say, Opus Clips or Canva for your business.  Or maybe you have employees or interns that you think can also be stretched to include podcasting efforts.  These things take time.  Don’t set yourself up for failure by thinking you’re going to be an overnight success.  That’s why I always say, do not get into podcasting thinking, “I’m going to try this out for (insert time period here).”  You’re already giving yourself an excuse to get out.

I’m here to say that more than twelve years into this I still enjoy it.  I recognize the sacrifices I’ve had to make.  But I also can see the benefits that have come from it.

A Member of the Recording Academy, I have been helping indie music artists, authors, actors, entrepreneurs, podcasters, filmmakers, small business owners, and more for over twenty years.  What challenges are you having in your creator career that I can lend some insight to?  Connect with me so you can take advantage of all my experience, and I can help and keep you moving forward.