6 HUGE Podcasting Mistakes to Avoid

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

It’s never been easier to make a podcast. You can whip one up from the comfort of your own bedroom if you want to, and work remotely with people halfway across the globe.

But there’s a big difference between making a podcast, and making a good podcast. And if you want to be in that latter group, you’re going to want to avoid these 6 mistakes.

1. Choosing the wrong host

When you make a podcast, your ultimate goal is to get people to listen. So, if you have a boring host who doesn’t hold your listener’s attention that’s a major issue.

When selecting a host, it’s important to not just go with who you want, but rather: who does your audience want? Who will your audience be able to engage with? Respond to? Relate to?

If you have multiple hosts, it’s also really important that they complement each other well. Do they naturally bounce off each other, or is the conversation a bit awkward? These are all things you need to think about sooner rather than later.

2. Stealing music

You are allowed to include other people’s music in your podcast if you’re only using a small snippet: true or false?

False!

Unfortunately, lots of podcasters don’t seem to be aware of this. You cannot use other people’s work in your podcast without permission, and the consequences of copyright infringement can be very serious, so this is worth being aware of.

Want to know how to safely get around using music in your podcast? Our Acquisition and Partner Manager, Sophie Paluch, gives some great advice in this video.

3. Scripted monologues

We all like to be prepared. So, having a script written for your podcast may not seem like a bad idea. But make sure you leave some room for creative freedom. After all, the juiciest bits of interviews are often the parts we didn’t see coming, right?

If you over-script your podcast, what is likely to happen is an authentic, intriguing conversation will become very restrictive, staged and ultimately dull. Remember, podcasts are conversations, so make it sound like one. If people can tell you’re simply repeating words off of a script, you’re not going to sound very genuine.

People often over-script when they’re unconfident. But practice makes perfect, and the more you do something the easier it will become. Do your research beforehand, know your subject well, and you’ll have nothing to worry about.

4. No structure

While we wouldn’t recommend over-scripting, you shouldn’t go in without a plan either. After all, if you want your listeners to remain engaged in your podcast, you can’t be waffling for a 30-minute, 60-minute, or even longer episode. Have some key points to discuss, a decent idea of where the episode is heading, and take things from there.

5. Poor editing and post production quality

A good editor can turn a good podcast into an outstanding podcast.

Don’t believe us? Check out this video where Auddy’s Content Development Executive, Meera Kumar, breaks down the importance of a good editor.

6. Not having a content plan

There are some key things you need to decide before you actually start producing your podcast, such as:

Who is it for?
What’s your purpose – why are you making this podcast?
What research do you need to do?
What are your costs?
Who are your guests going to be (and how can you book them)?
What else do you need to prepare before you get stuck into actually making the podcast?

You would be surprised how many people jump straight into making their show, without setting out any objectives. This is a big mistake, as you’re more likely to lose focus and have a lack of direction as your series goes on.

If you would like to know more about creating an audio strategy, be sure to check out our blog post: 5 Reasons Your Podcast Needs An Audio Strategy.

Now that you know exactly what you should and shouldn’t be doing when it comes to podcasting, you’re all ready to start setting up your own, successful show.

Well, maybe not quite…

You see, we actually have even more podcast mistakes to share with you!