Why Sticking to a Schedule is the Most Important Aspect of Podcast Growth
Everyone starts somewhere, and more often than not, it’s at the bottom, especially when we are talking about podcasts. “What’s the fastest way to grow my podcast?” is a question that everyone asks when they start out, and there are tons of correct answers. Some of the best answers are:
- Post on a specified and reliable timeline
- Do guest spots and outreach
- Become well versed in sound editing
- Find reliable places online to do promotion
- Focus on making every episode better than the last
- Treat podcasting like a job
If you want your podcast to take off, it’s a good idea to treat it seriously. And what’s the best way to treat it seriously? Stick to a schedule.
Having a schedule is like having a list of checkboxes that you do in regular intervals. When the schedule is respected, listeners are rewarded regularly, outreach and guest spots are achieved consistently, and the podcast is always improving.
Set a Release Schedule
Remember Pavlov’s dogs? Pavlov rang a bell every day before feeding his dogs, and before long, they would drool at the sound of that bell ringing, whether or not there was food. That’s what happens to listeners when they can rely on a new release on a certain day or on a set schedule.
If listeners can rely on a podcast every Monday, eventually that podcast becomes part of their routine. Retaining new listeners is just as important as being heard by new listeners.
Some podcasts release every Wednesday; others choose to release on the 13th of every month. Make sure to pick a release schedule that is achievable and stick to it. Make sure to have a few pre-recorded episodes saved up for emergencies such as sick days.
One Day a Month, Do Outreach
Easiest to ignore and the hardest to achieve, it makes sense why guest spots and outreach frequently are ignored. Yet it’s one of the most important factors for podcast growth and it’s a skill set that only gets better with practice. For those reasons, it’s a good idea to have one day a month where you do some outreach.
Sit down and reach out to a few other podcasts via email or social media. Monitor your methods of communication and realize many others don’t reliably check their email or social media channels. If you get one opportunity a month to guest on another show, that’s huge!
Doing this exposes your podcast to a whole new audience; even if it’s a smaller audience than yours, it’s still a win. One small win a month can equal a big payoff overall in numbers.
Regularly Edit the Podcast
I see many beginning podcasters out there asking if they can pay someone to edit their podcast, and I get why. It’s hard to learn a new skill such as audio editing, and it seems like a huge time sink. In the beginning, it is a huge time sink – but soon, you will become adept at audio editing.
Podcasting is about more than just talking into a mic, and the more that the podcaster becomes proficient, the more value is added to the show.
Plus, no audio engineer will care as much about your show as you, and that’s the truth.
Regularly Improve the Show
This is a big one. It’s why people love the old episodes, because “Back then, they barely knew what they were doing!” Every year, people ought to be able to look at the previous year and say, “You’ve come a long way.”
Whether it be something simple like trimming the fat in the show intro or something big like coming up with a new format that is more compelling, the goal should be for every episode to be better than the last.
Always be looking for ways to improve, which means going back and listening to episodes, no matter how much it makes you cringe.
More Podcast Scheduling Means More Gets Done
If podcast growth is the goal, doing as much as you can for the podcast is the way to attain the goal. The best way to ensure more gets done is to make it a regular part of the daily, weekly or monthly schedule.
Let us know what your podcast schedule is and any tips on how you remain consistent!
____________
David Day is the co-founder and co-host of Horror Movie Talk Podcast. When he isn’t watching horror movies he is focused on growing the podcast. Listen to his show Horror Movie Talk here.