From the Speakers at the Podcasting for Business Conference...

Here are the mistakes you really want to avoid in your podcast.

Every year before the Podcasting for Business Conference, we ask our expert speakers (and it's an incredible lineup this year!) to weigh in on different issues facing podcasters. This year we asked "What is the Biggest Mistake People Make when Starting Their Podcasts?"

Here's what they said:

Here's my answer:

The biggest mistake a new podcaster can make is failing to get really clear about what the goal of the podcast is AND having a method to determine whether or not the show is achieving it's purpose. This means knowing what metrics you need to track to evaluate the success of your show - or to learn that you need to make changes.

Another mistake you could make for your podcast this year? Missing the Podcasting for Business Conference. It's happening next week, so get your ticket and get more insight, training, advice and inspiration from our expert speakers, attend networking events, and get some sweet bonuses.

Rather read than watch? No problem! Each speaker's presentation title is listed next to their name!

Tahjma VanBuren (Panel: Podcast SEO and Discoverability)

A mistake that people make when they get into podcasting is thinking that they're gonna do it perfect 100% of the time. You're going to put out some crappy episodes and be comfortable with that.

Hector Santiesteban (3 Surprisingly Simple Ways to Get Your Guests to Promote Your Podcast More)

A lot of business owners who have podcasts don't spend enough time creating a guest experience, and they don't cultivate that relationship with their guests after the episode is actually aired and published.

Daniel 🎥 Bennett (What Your Video Edited Wishes You Would Do - Being a better Video Podcaster)

I see people put out podcasts, especially when they're new. I feel like one of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to emulate what's already out there, seeing something that's successful and saying, let's do that. And I don't just mean like topic or format. If you look at a specific podcaster with millions of downloads, they might have been famous before they ever launched that show. And so trying to emulate something where you don't have fame in your background already might be a recipe for disaster.

Using a format that works for you and definitely doesn't keep you from finishing a production is super important. But as cliche as it is, being yourself, giving your angle on things we don't need one more fill in the blank podcast host. We need you and we need you to show up authentically you.

And again, I know that sounds cheesy, but man, that's what makes for the best podcast.

Hazel-Ann Butcher (Your Podcast Archive as a Chatbot)

The mistake I see podcasters make is to forget about their old episodes once they're out and published. So it's easy to get caught up in the cycle of create, release, and repeat, but there's gold in your back catalog, so that's why I'm excited.

Excited about turning podcast archives into chatbots. It's like giving your whole episodes a whole new lease on life. So imagine a listener stumbling on your show and being able to chat with you about your entire body of work so they can find exactly what they're looking for, they can discover related topics and dive really deep.

It's a great way to keep people engaged with your content even months or years afterwards.

Brienne Hennessy (Panel: Your Voice - Using it, Shaping it, Protecting it)

A very common mistake that podcasters make is not warming up their voice before every recording. I don't mean reading your copy for memorizing what you're gonna say. Literally warming this instrument up so you feel as clear and powerful and resonant every single time.

David (Ledge) Ledgerwood (Turning Podcast Vanity Metrics into Audience Intelligence)

The biggest mistake to avoid in business podcasting is lack of consistency. You have to build this into your schedule so you're at least producing every other week. There are really easy ways to do this, we recommend all types of tactics to our clients.

Jeremy Enns (Engineering Word of Mouth Growth: The Hidden Recommendation Levers that will Get Your Audience Growing Your Show For You)

The biggest mistake is misaligned expectations on all types of fronts, but I think the big one is the time to whatever the result you're looking for.

I think a lot of times really with any content marketing, I think we're operating on multi-year time spans here, whether it's blogging or YouTube or podcasting or anything else. You are not going to get a result and you should not expect to get a result in three months or six months or a year probably.

I think you can start to see some signs that this is working: maybe you get a client or two here or there and you're hopefully seeing some growth and traction along, the way. But when I think about myself, I've been doing some kind of content marketing, learning it on and off for the past 10 years, taking it seriously for the past three to five, certainly the last three. And it's oh, now I'm in a position that everything's paying off and now I've got, everything from here on out. I'm like really excited about the potential. There's so much learning that goes into it.

There's so much craft that you need to be able to master and develop. If not master, then at least get functionally capable with. But I think it, it's sticking with it long enough. Most people want the quick win like we all do. But I think that really exceptional creators and business owners go in with the mindset that like, "yeah, I wanna see traction in the first year!" but I really, I'm doing this to set myself up for future success over the next, three years, five years, 10 years and beyond.

Iris Goldfeder (Panel: Topics, Titles and CTAs)

A mistake, I see when people, and I hate to say the word mistake, but we all make them, right? A mistake that I see people make is they're talking to the wrong audience, or they think that they know who their audience is and then they soon realize that they don't. Another mistake is that they think they have enough content to fill whatever time that they have, and sometimes they don't. To make sure that doesn't happen, make sure you meet your guest before. Meet with the person that you're going to be interviewing once, twice, three times, and even have a relationship with them before you interview them. And if you're doing an episode alone, make sure you have enough content there to keep people engaged.

Mary Ann Faremouth (Panel: Topics, Titles and CTAs)

I think if people are gonna start podcasting and they only think about making money, I think that's a mistake. I think podcasting is a way to, certainly expand your platform and grow your business, but I think if you go into it with only that goal in mind, I think you're making a mistake.

Kyla Denanyoh (How to Create a Remarkable Podcast - if Your Business is Unremarkable)

I'd say the biggest mistake that people make when they get into podcasting is underestimating all the tasks. There are so many things. First of all, you record. That is honestly the easiest part because unless you're recording live, everything else can be cleaned up.

Every stammer every cough, every kid running into the room, all of that can be cleaned up. But recording is honestly the easiest part. Okay? You have to edit, you have to post it. You have to post consistently. You have to not get bored. You have to find guests if you have an interview show, then you have to publish. You have to put it online. You have to tell people about it. You have to figure out what Apple Podcast wants or what the Spotify wants. And don't get me started with video podcasts.

There's always something, right? And so I think the biggest mistake is that people underestimated. "Oh, I just have to buy a microphone!" You don't even need a microphone. You could honestly use your cheap headphones that came with your phone. But then where are you gonna publish it? Are you gonna have a website? Are you gonna write episode notes? Are you gonna write show notes? The recording is honestly the easiest part, and that's the part that people forgot about and that is honestly the simplest part.

Thomas Fox (Using You Business Podcast for Engagement)

There are no mistakes and podcasting. There are only opportunities to learn. And I, over the last two days, people have interviewed me and asked me that exact question, and my answer is: I don't classify anything I've done as a mistake because it's been an opportunity to learn. It doesn't mean that I don't go back and look at podcasts from 15 years ago and cringe. I do.

But I've had professional growth in podcasting and that's what any podcaster's gonna have. So I don't think there are any mistakes you can make with one exception, which is forget to hit the record button, which I have done and we have all done. Other than that I think it's all opportunities for learning and professional growth.

Joni Deutsch (A Bot Wrote this Pitch: The Podcast Marketer's Guide to Using AI)

One of the biggest pitfalls I see with podcasters that are starting out is that they are usually burning out quickly because they want to do everything and be everywhere. And in the process as a one person team, usually they find that they are going to not have all the resources, not have all the time in the world, and they pretty much start making a podcast within a few episodes because they can't see it as a sustainable practice for themselves.

So burnout's an issue, but that can be remedied when, again, really outlining: What are you going to do? How are you going to do it, how are you going to track it, and how can you make it so that if you do have a one person operation, or maybe you're bringing on contractors or freelancers or friends or colleagues to assist, with the responsibilities if everyone are at the outset, and that way everyone's clear on goals and expectations moving forward.

Ed Troxell (Round Table Discussion on Video Podcasting)

A mistake that I have seen in podcasting is just creating content for the sake of creating content and not really having a purpose behind it. We get stuck in the day to day, "let me just go ahead and do this and not having and real energy vs her, we're going to be here and talking about XYZ, come on in" and just having that energy.

La'Vista Jones (Panel: Topics, Titles and CTAs)

I think the biggest mistake I see people doing when they're first starting out is not being clear around the purpose of their podcast, and really what are they doing this for, right? What's the why behind why they're getting on the mic, every interview or every solo episode, what's your why? and I think that if that's not clear, you shouldn't be hitting the record button.

Marz Marcello (Coffee and Q and A - Let's Talk Merch with Marz)

Something that I see as a mistake that a lot of businesses are making when they get into podcasting is, especially from the lens of merchandising, they're looking at merch as an afterthought, getting ahead of merch and really empowering those early listeners who are generally some of your most engaged and loyal listeners, being able to consider merch upfront and not have it be an afterthought. That's going to set you up for long-term success and long-term revenue.

Racheal Cook (Podcasting That Converts: How to Sell Your Products, Programs and Services with a Podcast Series)

Huge mistake a lot of, especially small business owners make when it comes to podcasting is they are looking at more of influencers who are podcasting, who are building massive audiences, who are selling sponsorships and advertising on their podcast, but not selling.

Their own products, programs, and services. The reality is to be a successful podcaster for your business, you don't need to have the most downloads. You don't need to have massive reach. You need to be able to connect specifically with your ideal client. So I think the more that you can take that lens and focus on the quality of the listeners and not the quantity, the better experience you're gonna have with your own podcast.

Ana Xavier (Using Human Psychology and Analytics to Grow Listener Engagement on Social Media)

The biggest mistake that most podcasters make when they start a show is thinking that immediately they're gonna get famous. And that truly something that gets done with a team of 50 can be done with a team of one. So make sure that you get realistic about what you want and also how your business will benefit from the show.

So many clients who go: "Steven's podcast, I want one just like that. How do I get there?" I'm like, "hire a team of 40. How about we start with that?" Because I feel like when you tell people, like they get a, they have a team of 40 people realize how unrealistic they're being: "oh, that's how many people it takes to create a show that has that reach."

Mary Chan (Panel: Your Voice: Using It, Shaping it, Protecting It)

The mistake that podcasters usually make is they think it's easy. They're doing it and they're like, "yeah, I think I've got a good flow." But anything, it's a lot of work. You need to be reviewing your show, not just the systems and processes on creating your podcast, but also to be aware of what your voice is doing. So listening back to each episode. How you listen back to your own voice in a way that's not about judging yourself and highlighting all the things that you've already been dealing with your whole life, but listening back with a very discerning ear to grow your show and to make your podcast more accessible and successful, because because your voice isn't the same voice that you had, that you were born with.

Andrea Klunder (Panel: Your Voice, Using It, Shaping It, Protecting It)

The biggest mistake that people make when they're getting into podcasting is underestimating the time, money, and energy investment that you will need to produce a remarkable experience with consistency over time.

Cheryl Lau (How to Confidently Craft solo Podcast Episodes & Build Thought Leadership for Your Business)

One mistake that I personally think a lot of people make when they're getting into podcasting is they sometimes will lose their own voice, especially if they've been consuming so many other podcasters content, so much so that they don't even know what their own voice is. I think when we're first starting out our podcast, we want to see what are the best practices? What are other people saying? How are they saying things?

And sometimes we let our notes, our observations, obscure what we naturally sound like and what is quintessentially our own voice. So that's something to really be aware of as a new podcaster.

Simona Costantini (13 Ways to Use Video Content and How it Impacts Your Podcast)

The biggest mistake I see business owners make when they get into podcasting is not realizing how much time it may actually take them to create their show.

Create a system, create a plan. Know exactly when your episodes are going out and when and you will save yourself so much time, energy, and headache.

G. Mick Smith (Panel Podcast SEO and Deliverability)

A number of things I think you want to be able to be aware of at the very beginning. It's the content calendar. So a lot of people will start a podcast are very enthusiastic and I appreciate it because I'm enthusiastic about what I do, but make sure you have the content what I often recommend business owners to do is to bank about 10 episodes because one or two might not go so well. One or two, you learn a little bit and then you start getting going over time. So I think that content calendar is really important.

Also, underestimating the time commitment. There's a famous line by John Lennon. Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. This is what's going to happen when you have a podcast.

Rayna Rokicki 🎙️ (Panel: Podcast SEO and Discoverability)

The idea of podcasting is so exciting. It's such a fantastic medium. And often when people start, they wanna come up with a really clever, snazzy podcast name, right? Something that in their mind thinks it's gonna make them stand out.

Unfortunately, podcasting is funny in that you almost need a very obvious name for people to be able to find you. So unless you're super famous and very well known. Having a snazzy name isn't gonna, the people who are only gonna be able to find you are the ones that know you already. So you're missing out on that whole new listener.

Organic findability, discoverability. So I would forego this snazzy name. Really think about, what are words that people are searching that are gonna help them find you. A

In my completely unbiased opinion, getting to spend 45 minutes with any one of these speakers is well worth the price of admission, and you'll get to see all of them presenting live, with time for Q and A at the Podcasting for Business Conference.

It's happening next week, all online and all recorded, so grab your ticket, and we'll see you there!

In the meantime - what do you consider a podcast mistake -either as a creator or as a listener?