“You’re going to be terrible at a lot of things for years until you’re successful. People probably aren’t going to listen to your podcast initially. But if you like it and you keep putting it out, people will find it.”
— Keith Kingbay, Co-Host of ‘New Player Has Joined’
If clicked on this, you probably want to set foot in the world of podcasting—and we couldn’t be more hyped for you!
But wait up. Before you go and buy the best audio/video equipment available and start recording, there are a few things you need to know!
Finding success as a podcaster isn’t as easy as recording yourself rambling in front of a camera and cutting out the awkward bits.
It’s actually a lot more nuanced and layered than that. So today, we’re going to give you three things that you should know before giving podcasting a go. And yes, this is the highly anticipated follow-up to our previous blog about podcast marketing.
So with all of that being said, let’s get underway, shall we?
Shift The Focus Away From Yourself
As an up-and-coming podcaster, you might be enthralled with the idea of becoming famous and garnering a ton of followers.
And while that may come in due time, you shouldn’t let yourself get caught up in all that. Because if you do, you will lose sight of what truly matters—bringing value to your audience.
Think about it—why do you listen to podcasts? It’s because you gain something of value. This can be in the form of facts, entertainment, or actionable advice that you can apply in your own life.
So make sure to put value at the forefront of your priorities as a podcaster. That way, you’ll shift the focus away from yourself and more on what’s in it for your listeners.
You Absolutely Cannot “Wing” Your Podcast
Back when you were a student, how many times did you say “I’ll just wing it” before a test and then luck out and get a good score?
If it happened a few times, good for you. But if you’re thinking of doing the same thing for your podcast, well…
That’s probably not going to work.
Podcasting takes a ton of research, planning, and trial and error before you discover what works for you. And the more work you put in behind the scenes, the better your chances are at putting on a good show for your listeners.
Before recording anything, you should have a written plan. Because without it, your show will seem random and directionless—the perfect way to bore and confuse your listeners.
Also, to supplement your podcast, it’s also advisable to provide show notes so that your listeners can skip over to their preferred parts of the episode.
This may seem like a lot of work, but trust us—this will all make the experience much more meaningful for your listeners!
Have a Plan for Handling Negative Feedback
As with all content that’s put on the internet, you’ll have a fair amount of both supporters and bashers.
Unfortunately, no matter how hard you try, you simply cannot please everyone. There will always be those who disagree with your points and just find your show flat-out annoying. You can’t get rid of haters—nor should you aim to. A good podcast is one that gets people thinking, talking, and engaging in healthy debate.
That said, you need to be prepared for negative feedback. If you think you’ll get overwhelmed by the negative Facebook posts and tweets you’re about to see, then you may want to reconsider starting a podcast. It’s not for the faint of heart, and you should focus on other marketing strategies if podcasting isn’t a good fit for you personally.
But if you’re confident that you can block out all the noise and stay focused on bringing value to your audience, then we think that you have immense potential as a podcaster!
Final Word
So there you go! We hope we’ve enlightened you on what podcasting is all about. And if you’re still looking to start your own, we may be able to help!
TopVA has tons of experience in helping business owners conceptualize and plan their ideal podcasts. And that’s not all! We can also edit audio and write high-quality show notes and email promos once your show is up and running.
If you’re interested in learning more, please visit https://www.topva.co/ and book a FREE success strategy session with us!
That’s it for today’s blog. Catch you later!
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