5 Common Misconceptions About Podcasting
Podcasts are on the rise. In the US alone, 75% of the population is familiar with the term "podcasting." As of October 2020, there are over 1.5 million podcasts (Podcasthosting.org).
Despite the vast number of podcasts and the enormous listener base, there are still common misconceptions that stop a would-be podcaster from hitting record and sending their message out into the world.
Here are the five misconceptions about podcasting and why you should forget them when launching your podcast:
A podcast is a business
I made this mistake when I started my podcast. I thought my blog and podcast would bring in the dough for me, but I quickly learned that both should be part of a broader content marketing plan for my business.
Podcasts aren't just limited to content marketing, and with the breadth of podcasts on the distribution platforms, there's a podcast for everyone and every niche.
A podcast can be for fun. I have two of my own that are I started because I love podcasting and wanted to have fun researching and recording.
Podcasts can also be for several other reasons: networking, establishing your expertise in a particular niche, or sharing other content with the world.
Tips:
If you have a business, understand how a podcast fits into your overall content marketing strategy.
Don't have a business yet, but want to start one? Think about your potential services and niche, and then use your podcast to establish yourself as an expert to grow your audience and customer base.
Are you starting a podcast just for fun or for another reason? You don't need a business behind it and can host a podcast because you enjoy sharing your message.
2. I need a professional studio
I started my podcasts from my bedroom.
Seriously.
Needing a professional studio is a misconception I hear most often. People regularly ask what studio I use (I live in LA, where recording studios abound).
My secret? I bought a USB podcast microphone and pressed record.
That's it. There's no big fancy studio in my two-bedroom apartment, and I don't spend money on studio sessions.
Is it super high quality? It is most of the time, but you'll occasionally hear the toddlers upstairs making a racket or planes coming in to land at the local airport. My cat sometimes joins in, and I'll bump the desk while talking.
But honestly, I think these things are what make podcasting unique. As long as the noise or room ambiance doesn't detract from the content and the message, then you don't need to tuck yourself away in an expensive studio.
Tip: Just start, no matter where you are or what equipment you have on hand. Your audience will want to hear your message and won't be put off by a nonprofessional sounding episode.
3. Podcasting is expensive
Another common misconception is that if you're not going into a studio to record, you have to buy studio-level equipment, including microphones, headphones, and professional editing software.
Spoiler alert: you can have a great sounding podcast for a fraction of the cost
I started with just a USB microphone. I purchased it for around $70 during Amazon Prime Day two years ago. I used my same old headphones and edited the podcast with the software that came with my Mac.
I found a hosting platform I liked and spent $12 a month for the subscription fee, which I retained even after they upgraded the platform.
That was all I spent for well over a year. Since then, I've added to my small home studio with an inexpensive pop filter, a microphone isolation shield, and studio-quality headphones. All purchased on sale or with gift cards.
Hosting comes even cheaper now, and sometimes free. Anchor.fm (a Spotify subdivision) offers free hosting and has other benefits like accessing licensed music from Spotify's catalog (saving you money in licensing fees).
Starting a podcast isn't expensive and can be free, especially if you utilize the right tools.
Tip: Start with what you already have on your computer or phone. When you're ready to start building a small studio, shop around for the best deals.
4. I'll never find an audience
I'm sure you saw that statistic earlier and thought, "But there are 1.5 million podcasts out there! How am I ever going to find an audience?!"
Yes, there are many podcasts out there, but here's the good news: each and every podcast is different. Hosts have diverse delivery methods, focus on different niches, and have diverse audiences.
Your storytelling method or content will appeal to an audience that may not like the delivery method of a similar podcast. While your content or niche might be similar to another podcasters', it's your spin on the topic and how you bring it to light that will attract your audience.
My business podcast focuses on highlighting women in the music industry. A similar podcast launched this year. An industry friend hosts the podcast through an organization I became a member of this year. Yet, despite the similarities, our podcasts have different focuses, different delivery methods, and an overlapping audience that benefits both of us.
My history podcast focuses on teaching historical events in ten minutes. There are probably hundreds of history podcasts, if not more, yet I still drew in an impressive audience despite my inconsistent release schedule.
If the sheer number of podcasts on distributing platforms is what's holding you back from launching your podcast, know this: there's room at the table for you, your message, and your podcast.
Tip: Research your niche and your target audience. Once you understand who you want your message to reach, you'll learn what they're looking for in a podcast, and you'll be able to craft content that will draw them in each week.
5. Everything has to be perfect
My first podcast episodes are cringeworthy. I'm an introvert, and it terrified me to talk to people I didn't know. I cringed at hearing my voice recorded and rerecorded my solo episodes at least ten times to get it just right. I released them anyway because I wanted to get the content out into the world.
When I listen to podcasts by prominent podcasters or news broadcast companies and hear their mistakes, I breathe a sigh of relief — no one's perfect, not even broadcasters with teams of editors.
I'm a perfectionist and will agonize over the little details of an episode. Over the last two years, I slowly started to let the perfectionist in me go and release episodes that could be B+ or even B- work. Spending time rerecording and overediting wasted precious time I could spend on other parts of my business or crafting a new episode.
Your podcast doesn't have to be perfect from the getgo. It doesn't have to be perfect in two, five, or ten years. You'll always notice something wrong with it that, honestly, no one else will notice. So if perfectionism is what's holding you back, just release the thing.
Tip: It helps to listen to other podcasts, from DIY to professional. Once you notice the mistakes of others, you'll see that no one is perfect. And, honestly, if someone doesn't like the few mistakes you make, then they're not your audience. As Jen Sincero says, "What other people think about you has nothing to do with you and everything to do with them."
Final thoughts
Misconceptions often hold us back from achieving great things, from sharing our message and impacting someone else's life.
Suppose I let the fact that I didn't have a professional studio or expensive equipment hold me back from starting my podcast. Then that college student who stayed in her music industry program because of my podcast might have quit her dream.
You never know who your content and message will impact. So don't let any of these or other misconceptions about podcasting hold you back from getting your message out into the world.