Has launching a podcast always been on your to do list, but there’s always been something that has stopped you? A niggling thought or worry? Let’s say you’ve thought about a great topic, something that excites you and you’re passionate about, but you’re worried about failing, or perhaps knowing what technology or equipment you need is overwhelming?
Perhaps you’ve nailed the topic but are worried that you don’t have enough time to do a podcast.
You are not alone. There are thousands of wannabe podcasters that haven’t launched yet, due to a worry or concern that they have. They really want to start a podcast but there is something that is putting them off.
How do we know this? How do you know we’re not just saying this to make you feel better? We have the data to back this up. A few years ago, co-founder of Captivate and passionate, serial podcaster Mark Asquith decided to conduct some research. He surveyed over 300 people to find out why people don’t launch podcasts and what was stopping podcasters from growing.
The results were very interesting. After doing some digging into the answers from respondents, Mark found that there is only one of four reasons, which we call blockers, that stop people from launching a podcast. Sure, people responded to questions in different ways, but when he analysed and grouped the responses together, it was clear that there are only four things that are stopping people from getting their podcasts out there and into the world. That’s right, only four!
In this article...
What are the four main blockers stopping podcasters from launching?
Time to answer the million-dollar question, what are the four main blockers that are stopping podcasters in their tracks?
- Fear of failing – podcasters who are scared to launch since they don’t want to fail. They don’t want to put something out there that no one will listen to.
- Uncertain about topic or format – podcasters who either aren’t sure about what topic or niche to choose OR which format is right for them.
- Confused about technology and equipment – podcasters who are confused about what technology and equipment are needed for podcasting.
- Not having time – podcasters who don’t think they have enough time to launch and manage a successful podcast.
That’s it! Those are the four main blockers that stop people from launching a podcast. No matter which one resonates with you, it is possible to overcome that one blocker that is stopping you and finally launch your podcast.
We know it’s possible, as we have helped thousands of podcasters to do this. Take Lee Griffiths from ‘How To Take The Lead’ podcast:
Let’s now take a deeper dive into the main four blockers and explore them in more detail.
Blocker #1 – Fear of failure
If you have the fear of failure, you are probably suffering from one of the following:
- Imposter syndrome – thinking you aren’t good enough or experienced enough to talk about your chosen topic
- Publishing your show but no one listening
- Putting yourself out there and being vulnerable to criticism
- Where to start and simply, what the heck to do!
We completely get it and understand, as all these worries are perfectly reasonable. To overcome this blocker, you need to change your mindset. Everyone at some point has suffered from imposter syndrome. If you are suffering from it, this is a good thing, as you are out of your comfort zone. Being out of our comfort zone is the only way we can personally grow and develop. As long as you pick a topic that you find interesting and are passionate about, of course, then you’re going to be the best person to talk about it.
There are strategies you can implement to help potential listeners come across your podcast, and remember it takes time to grow an audience. Nothing happens overnight. Also, remember that you won’t please everyone, but don’t let the fear of some criticism stop you, as there will be people out there who will love your podcast and what you are doing. When it comes to where to start or what the heck to do, don’t worry, we can help you – more on this towards the end of the post.
Blocker #2 – Uncertain about topic or format
If you are uncertain about what topic or niche to talk about or what format to choose, to overcome this blocker you need to remember one thing: there is no ‘right’ or ‘best’ topic or format to choose. This all depends on you. We always recommend looking into topics that you love and find interesting but also that you find easy to talk about and enjoy learning more about. When it comes to format e.g. publishing schedule, again there is no right or wrong answer. Pick something that works for you and that you can manage. For example, you may decide to have a podcast where episodes are short meaning you can publish more regularly – on the other hand, you may decide to have longer episodes but you only publish every 2 weeks.
Blocker #3 – Confused about podcast technology and equipment
When it comes to podcasting technology and equipment, it can be overwhelming. It’s not just knowing what you need for a podcast, but also how do you know which one to choose e.g. what is the best microphone, what headphones are best for podcasting etc.
Everyone has their own opinion. Everyone has their favourite podcasting technology and equipment. Everyone has that one microphone that they love and swear by. Yes, there’s a few must haves, which we’ll go into, but don’t let other podcaster’s opinions stop you from moving forward with your podcast.
Below are the absolute must haves:
- Microphone (we recommend the ATR 2100x or Samson Q2U, both around $100)
- Headphones (the Sony MDR-7506’s are excellent)
- Recording software. For solo shows we recommend Audacity, it’s free. If you have guests or co-hosts you can use software like Boomcaster, Riverside or SquadCast. They all differ in price, and some offer a free package. We recommend checking out their features, doing some free trials and see how you like using each platform
- Editing software. You can use Audacity both for recording and editing. It’s not only free but there’s loads of ‘how to’ guides, resources and tutorials available on the internet. You could also outsource and get someone to edit your audio for you. We recommend using a platform like Fiver to find freelancers, and often don’t cost too much
- Podcast host. You need a host to manage and distribute your podcast and episodes to directories such as Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts etc. We offer a 7 day, no obligation, free trial, check us out!
That’s it. That’s all the technology and equipment you need to launch a successful podcast.
Blocker #4 – Not having time
So many podcasters worry about not having enough time, but you don’t need this to be a full-time gig to be a success. You can have a successful podcast by dedicating as much time as you can. It’s all about prioritization and allocating the right amount of time to different parts of the process.
We’ll let you in on a little secret… most podcasters spend more time planning, recording, editing and publishing episodes than they do on marketing their show and episodes. In fact, this should be the other way round. Less time on creating and publishing and more time on marketing. Spend more time on letting people know about your podcast!
To get the balance right, you just need to streamline parts of your podcasting process, which is easy to do, you just need to know how.
Overcome your blocker today and get launching a successful podcast!
Each blocker, no matter whether it’s fear of failure, uncertainty about topic/niche or format, confused about podcast technology/equipment or not having time, is easy to overcome, you just need to know how!
How you overcome these blockers is where we come in. We’ve helped thousands of podcasters overcome their one major blocker holding them back and stopping them from launching a podcast. We can do the same for you.
If you want to overcome your one blocker, the first step is taking our free ‘Podcast Launch Diagnosis Quiz’ to identify which blocker is getting in your way. There is no cost, and it only takes 45 seconds to complete.
Do the 45-second ‘Podcast Launch Diagnosis Quiz’ now!
After the diagnosis (again for free), Mark will then walk you through the steps of what you need to do to overcome your blocker. If you follow the advice and do the steps, you will launch a podcast and attract your first 100 listeners.
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It really is that simple! We love helping as many podcasters as possible, which is why we devised this ultimate hand holder for launching a podcaster. Plus, it’s all free, no hidden charges or obligations, as we don’t believe you should have to pay for podcasting courses. Everyone should be able to access this information for free. If this sounds good to you, what are you waiting for? Take that 45 second quiz and start your journey towards podcasting today!
