079 Word on the street is SHUT THE HELL UP!

Are listeners turning off your podcast prematurely? Are you making critical mistakes that cause listeners to run screaming from your show?

I hit the streets recently to find out what exactly makes people turn off a podcast.

Metta side note: In the last episode of Just the Tip, I explained the power of using streeters or man-on-the-street interviews in your podcast. Now, in this episode, I’m demonstrating what that can sound like by sharing what I learned when I asked people what would cause them to shut off a podcast.

People in Kelowna, BC (where I live) were more than happy to chat with me about podcasting pet peeves. Or, as my wife would say, what gets in your craw about podcasting? (What does that even mean?)

They brought up some of the things you would expect – too salesy or too many ads. (Go listen to episode 25 How to Handle Sponsorships Successfully for more on doing this right). They also talked about length – as in they hate when podcasts are too long. One woman cracked me up when she said, “what, am I going to listen over 5 car rides?”  Which, by the way is a reminder to think about what your listener is doing while they listen – this chick is clearly a podcasts while you drive person.

But, aside from these expected ‘hates’, there was one resounding complaint and it has to do with that thing that I’m always harping on. You know, that thing where you’re supposed to remember who your podcast is for?

Listener-centric podcasting? Hello? Anyone?

Alright, I’ll cut you some slack… maybe you’re new here.

Listener-centric podcasting is simple. Remember that you are making your show for your listener. Your show is not about you. It’s FOR them. Everything you do, from length, to content, to sponsorships needs to take them into consideration. Respect their time and attention. They could very easily be going somewhere else for their content needs.

This is especially important for people who are podcasting for business. If this is a marketing tool for you and your business then you need to be treating your listeners like gold otherwise, this tactic is not going to work. Nobody signs up for an hour-long commercial! Engage them, help them love you by serving them, and you’ll get the results you want.

If you decide not to have a listener-centric podcast then you can expect your listeners to turn you off.

The man on the street has spoken.

Speaking of speaking… I want to hear from you. Record your question for me on my Speak Pipe – an easy to use tool you’ll find on my website. Just click the orange bar on the right.

What topic do you want me to cover? What’s making your podcast journey hell?

Hit me up on my website and I may use your question on an upcoming episode of Just the Tip… I guess that would make the episode ‘just the tip for you.’

Resources:

https://www.speakpipe.com

Listen to more 5-minute episodes, explore my resources, and check out my coaching packages at https://podcastperformancecoach.com/