How can you tell we are committed to helping you unpack the power of podcasting?
For starters, you can tell because we took a couple of hours out of our summer vacation and recorded a bunch of episodes for the blog and website while we were together!
We are affectionately calling this series ‘The Bunkie BTS’ series and it was recorded in August at our family cabin. BUT, the sound quality is pretty stellar because we’ve got decent travel gear and a good soundproof (though sweaty) set up 🙂
In this first installment, we tackle the concept of Podfade – what it is and how to avoid it.
And we also get into some of the curiosity questions that our clients have about how podcasting works, why it works and what to consider when it comes to your overall marketing.
Key Takeaways
Understanding the Audience: The most critical question in podcasting is identifying the target audience. A clear understanding of who the podcast is for can shape its direction and content, ensuring it is not merely self-serving (navel-gazing) but rather a two-way conversation that engages listeners.
Concept of Pod Fade: Pod fade refers to the phenomenon where podcast creators start strong but eventually stop producing episodes. There are three critical points where pod fade commonly occurs:
- After Episode 3: Often due to running out of content or realizing the effort involved.
- Around Episodes 10 to 12: Creators become aware of the workload required for a quality podcast.
- At Episode 50 or Around One Year: Disappointment from not achieving expected ROI, such as followers, sales conversions, or downloads.
Overcoming Pod Fade: Persistence and strategy are key. If creators push beyond the one-year mark while maintaining quality and engagement, they are more likely to achieve their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Understanding the audience and setting realistic success metrics are crucial to this process.
Role of Hosting Platforms in Analysis: Platforms like Libsyn provide valuable insights into pod fade trends and offer support for podcast creators. Their analysis has been critical in understanding pod fade dynamics.
Importance of Measuring Success: It’s critical to have clear KPIs and success metrics that align with audience understanding and content strategy.
