Avoiding poor podcaster habits can go a long way toward appealing to more listeners.
The number one goal of producing a podcast from a listener’s perspective is to appeal to listeners.
Over the last few years, podcasts have become a more mainstream type of entertainment. Celebrities, YouTubers, and everyday people have gotten involved in podcasting media.
Popular podcasts are entertaining, well developed and produced, and appeal to listeners.
But it’s easy to have trouble engaging listeners with a podcast.
The following seven common podcaster habits can leave podcast fans dissatisfied with certain creators’ content.
Reusing Old Content
When creators become busy, they sometimes will re-upload old content. This approach may be abused, leading to podcast hosts forgetting to put effort into their show.
Failing to create new content for months leads to the unfortunate failure of many podcasts. Taking a break from creating is okay but sometimes podcast creators will take an influx of breaks, and rarely post.
Old content will cause listeners to seek entertainment from consistent podcasts.
Too Many Advertisements
Advertisements are one of the main ways content creators can monetize their podcast. While this is understandable, some podcasts spend up to a third of their airtime on advertisements.
This ad frequency is too high, and causes listeners to feel disinterested in a show. I believe the best way to implement advertisements as a listener is in the middle of the podcast.
You can talk about each sponsorship one after the other, and leave the remaining time to consist of the show itself.
Similar Hosts or Lack of Individuality
The majority of podcasts consist of more than one host. Usually, podcast hosts will share similar interests and views. This commonality can result in a lack of individuality amongst podcast hosts.
Listeners may feel they are listening to two versions of the same person. It’s not enjoyable to listen to a show where everyone always agrees and sees eye to eye.
“When hosts have unique personalities, and aren’t too similar to their co-hosts, their podcasts will come off as genuine. Quality hosts help create a successful podcast,” claims Pearl Hardin, project manager at UK Top Writers and State of Writing.
Constant Housekeeping
Podcast housekeeping refers to hosts checking in on their listeners, and updating them on events, other content, and stuff they have for sale.
Housekeeping is okay in moderation, but some hosts spend up to the first ten minutes of a podcast making this mistake. This routine shouldn’t last more than three minutes.
Constant housekeeping will make listeners frustrated.
Getting to the topic of the episode quickly is crucial in order to keep fans satisfied.
Not Being Relatable to New Listeners
Growing your podcast fan base should be just as prioritized as keeping the interest of current listeners. Inside jokes are an element of practically any established podcast.
While incorporating the recollection of past podcast moments is suitable for old fans, failing to cater to new listeners is a terrible habit.
Inside jokes are harmless, but ensure that you are directly letting new listeners know they are appreciated.
Unorganized and Rambling Thoughts
Sometimes going off topic can be fun for a portion of a podcast episode but too much rambling and disorganization is messy.
Listeners want to support podcasts they can follow and understand.
Always try to stay on topic and avoid getting carried away for the majority of the airtime of an episode.
“Having a list of topics and subcategories helps podcast hosts stay organized. Planning prior to recording is a wonderful way to produce a polished podcast,” concludes Ronda Roberts, Marketing Manager at Boom Essays and Paper Fellows.
Acting Rude Towards Guests
Guests are a popular part of podcasts, and celebrities, influencers, and professionals often appear on all types of shows.
Being a responsible host requires being respectful and accommodating to guests. There have been several instances where hosts have been disrespectful to their guests.
Hosts can act rude towards guests by asking invasive questions, pressuring people to answer, and not treating them as actual people.
Listeners don’t like poor treatment of guests and will shy away from listening to hosts who have this habit.
Conclusion
Avoid these 7 common podcaster habits as much as you can. The integrity of a podcast relies on one’s ability to host it well, and the amount of dedication put towards the recognition of fans.
See if you have developed any of these habits that you can avoid to instantly boost listener appeal.
Technical writer Sara Sparrow works as a project coordinator at both Dissertation Services and Write My Thesis. Sara is involved in business consultation, conferences, and writes digital blogs at sites such as OX Essays.