There are many challenges that new and experienced podcasters face when scaling their podcast, from proper sound engineering to gaining new listeners. The frustrations can build up and turn what is a supplement to marketing efforts or a fun hobby into a time-consuming burden. Here are 7 common and often overlooked challenges and tips on how to overcome them.
1. Good sound quality
You have put together a great script, have your guest, and hit the record button. Everything goes well and the conversation is one of the best you have ever had. However, the sound quality is completely beat up and even you don’t want to listen to it again. It should go without saying, but podcasts must have a high level of sound quality in order to gain followers. You wouldn’t want to watch a YouTube video that is out of focus or shaky, so why would you want to listen to a low-quality podcast? Emphasizing good sound engineering either in studio or outsourced is a key to having a good podcast.
2. Booking guests
Sure, you have a lot to say about your passions. You could literally talk for days about it even. While some of your followers may agree, at some point they may want guests to come on and verify your claims, debate you, or bring a new element to your show. While nice to have, it can be a lot to manage and align your schedule with their schedule. Free tools such as Calendly and Google Calendars can help when finding guests. Ensure that you allow for several months of booking to allow for flexibility.
3. Content ideas
You are on episode 25 and you have burned through most of your material that got you fired up to begin with. What do you do now? Your audience wants to hear more about you and your topic. Generating a content calendar well in advance not only helps things run smoothly when it comes time to record, but it gives you ample space to adjust your overall long-term messaging.
4. Branding
While it seems subtle, your branding is important to the growth of your podcast. Small things like continuity with your graphics, keeping a similar tone throughout your podcasts and treating your show as a product are important things to consider when scaling. People are creatures of habit and enjoy familiarity. It is critical to establish who you are and what tone you will set for your audience.
5. Getting new listeners
Lots of content and no one listening? This can often be a frustrating aspect for new podcasters who do everything right but don’t have followers. While time consuming, marketing is needed to get the word out about your show. A great place to start is on social media. If you are targeting the professional world, look towards LinkedIn. If you are news and current event based, Twitter is your friend. Stay at home moms are your crowd? Look towards Pinterest. If all else fails, head to Facebook and Instagram. Use the proper hashtags for your industry, start conversations with other groups and influencers, and stay active with posting.
6. Gaining sponsorship
So, you finally have followers and have spent hundreds of hours recording, promoting and editing, and you investing your money into growing everything out. It’s time to monetize! While you may be using your podcast to promote your own business from the beginning, it is possible that this is a passion project that you are putting money into. There is no shame in wanting to capitalize on your efforts. In order to gain sponsorships that not only pay, but also align with who you are and what you are trying to accomplish, it is best to find marketing agencies that align with their brands and you (it is possible that they reach out to you before you find them).
7. Managing multiple accounts
After all of this, you have a successful podcast and find that you have little time to edit, book guests, and market. Managing multiple social media accounts, distributing content for further reach, and creating inbound efforts to reach a larger audience is by far too much work for a single individual. At this point, the best thing to do is consider outsourcing your efforts in order to operate more efficiently and have a life outside of your podcast. There are a variety of services available, including The Podcast Farm, which helps podcasts grow successfully and sustainably.
There you have it. There are many challenges that podcasts face, but with the right motivation and planning, they can become successful within your respective niche.
We hope this guide has helped, as we are always here to help you on your podcast journey. Please reach out to us for a free consultation for how you can nurture your podcast’s growth.
Written by Joshua Blount for Podcast Farm
