Imagine this: you’ve got a podcast that’s hotter than a summer sidewalk, and then—bam!—you decide to take a little 'me time' and vanish. That’s exactly what happened to our friend from a horror movie review channel. He thought he could whip up a slasher flick and come back to a fanfare. But spoiler alert: he forgot the most important thing—keeping his audience in the loop. Now, he’s got a loyal fanbase that’s gone MIA. Turns out, if you ghost your audience, they might just ghost you right back.

If you’re not talking to your listeners, they’re not waiting for your return like a kid waits for Christmas. They’re out there finding new shows, and by the time you come back, they might not even remember your name! It’s like when your best friend suddenly stops texting you—it’s not cool, man. Keeping your audience informed about your journey is crucial. If he had shared the behind-the-scenes action of making that movie, his fans would have been eagerly waiting to see it, not just left in the dark wondering where he went.

We also tackle the reality of podcasting burnout. It’s real, folks. If you’re trying to squeeze your life into your podcast schedule, you’re just asking for trouble. The trick is to let your podcast fit into your life. With a sprinkle of planning and a dash of strategy, you can keep the content flowing and the audience engaged, avoiding the dreaded ‘abandonment’ label. So, if you’re feeling the weight of the world on your podcasting shoulders, take a breath, reevaluate, and remember: your fans are like friends—don’t leave them hanging!

1. Stopping your podcast doesn't mean your audience will forget you; they might just move on.
2. One of the biggest blunders in podcasting is simply abandoning your show for too long.
3. If your podcast becomes part of someone's routine, they won't easily forget it.
4. Planning ahead is key to avoiding burnout and keeping your podcast consistent and fresh.
5. Taking breaks can lead to losing your audience to other shows, so keep them engaged.
6. Your podcast should fit into your life, not the other way around, or you'll regret it.

1. schoolofpodcasting.com

Let’s get real for a minute. Nothing stings quite like getting left hanging by a podcast guest, right? Guest now shows are frustrating.

I heard someone talk about his no-show problem, he tossed out this idea of a $500 cancellation fee.

That's not gonna work, folks.

Life is unpredictable—people get sick, kids break arms, and sometimes, they just don’t feel like it. Instead of turning into the Podcast Police, we suggested a friendly reminder email on the day of the interview. Make it personal. Because who wants to show up for a chat with someone who just sees them as a dollar sign?

This episode also gets into the value of knowing your audience and picking the right guests. I mean, if you’re getting ghosted left and right, it’s time to take a long, hard look in the mirror.

Maybe you’re not asking the right questions, or maybe your guests just don’t see the value in chatting with you. And hey, interviews are great for networking, but they can also lead to a mountain of editing.

So, weigh your options. A solo show might save you time and make you the star of the show! Just remember, if someone doesn’t want to be on your podcast, they shouldn’t feel pressured to say yes—because being polite is not an excuse for wasting your time.

1. Scheduling conflicts are inevitable; life happens, so prepare for guest no-shows.
2. Sending a reminder email on the day of the interview can really help confirm attendance.
3. Charging a cancellation fee might not be effective if the guest doesn't care about your show.
4. Building a network is crucial; follow up with guests even after the interview is over.
5. Solo shows can save time and often allow for more creative control than interviews.
6. Guests rarely promote episodes, so don't rely on them to grow your audience.

1. schoolofpodcasting.com
2. Tidycal (one time fee scheduling tool)

I saw on Reddit where someone was potentially making the classic blunder of podcasting: mixing unrelated shows into one feed.

You know, like if you went to a restaurant for a burger but ended up with sushi on the same plate. I point out that our buddy Joey has a bi-weekly podcast that covers both video games and TV shows. With a measly two downloads per episode, Joey's mixing it up like a bad cocktail.

The main takeaway? Split those shows!

Seriously, if someone clicks on a gaming episode expecting a deep dive into Mario Kart, they don’t want to suddenly hear about the latest Netflix binge. We’re all about giving the audience choices here, folks.

Keep it simple, keep it focused, and let them pick what they want to listen to. It’s like letting them pick their own adventure instead of forcing them to read the whole book. So, if you’re in this boat, don’t wait for a big audience to fix it. Tweak it now, while the stakes are low.

Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later when you’re not scrambling to split your shows down the line. And with the right media host, like Captivate or Transistor, you can have multiple shows without breaking the bank. Why wait until it’s a mess?

Takeaways:

1. Don't make the rookie mistake of merging unrelated podcast topics into one show, just don't.
2. Split your podcast episodes into separate feeds to give listeners their power of choice, ya know?
3. Tuning your podcast like a guitar should happen when you have fewer listeners, not a packed house.
4. Using the right media host can save you from the headache of splitting up your shows later on.

School of Podcasting

Captivate

Transistor

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