What separates a Successful Podcast from an Unsuccessful Podcast?

It seems like EVERYONE is starting a podcast in 2018. Inevitably there are going to be a lot of great ones, and even more failed attempts.

I have been getting this question consistently, so let’s dive in.

First we need to answer:

“What is a successful podcast?”

Is it about making a lot of money?
Is it about having influence and establishing yourself as an expert and leader in your field?
Is it about creating and cultivating a dedicated and loyal community?
Is it a vehicle for you to connect and build rapport with other leaders in your field?
Is it about building up a library of content to refer people to?
Is it about fulfilling your dream of having your own show that you are proud of?

YES.

The level of “success” cannot be measured by anyone but the podcaster. If you view your own show as a “success,” then it is so. As long as you meet your goals, who is anyone to tell you otherwise?

With that being said, there are many things that can separate the Wheat from the Chaff.

I've boiled this down to a system I’m calling
THE THREE “L’s” of SUCCESSFUL PODCASTING:

1. LISTENABILITY

2. LAUNCH

3. LONGEVITY

1. LISTENABILITY
Let’s start with the basics. No podcast is going to be successful if the subject matter and audio quality are terrible.

Make sure that the actual substance and premise of the show is something that people actually care about or listen to. Chances are, if you are EXTREMELY passionate about your subject matter, others will be too.

The audio quality of your show doesn’t need to meet radio broadcast standards or anything, but the better and more consistent the audio quality is, the more people are going to take your podcast seriously, and the more people are going to be excited to listen to it for hours on end.

If I am listening to a podcast for the first time and the audio quality is mediocre, it’s REALLY hard for me to continue listening past the first few minutes. More people care about this than you might realize, especially because podcasts are typically long-form. It needs to be effortlessly listenable.

2. LAUNCH
You only get one shot at this. You can only make one first impression. If people are underwhelmed from the beginning, the chances of them sticking around are pretty slim.

The launch can make or break a show. Why? People will go back and listen to your first episodes not only out of curiosity, but because sometimes people want to start from the beginning.

You don’t want to be embarrassed and ashamed of your first episodes, so make sure you put your best foot forward. You want to be proud to share this project with your friends and family. Really put some thought into how your first impression will feel and sound to a brand new listener who discovers your show.

3. LONGEVITY
People want to invest their time into a show. People like binge-listening and feeling like they are a part of something. People don’t want to waste their time listening to someone who isn’t invested in the long term success of their show.

This ties into your launch, because a podcast with a very strong launch has a much higher probability that it will stick around.

If your show seems like it’s going to fizzle out within the first 10 episodes, it’s not even worth a listener’s time to get invested. It’s obviously not important enough to you to keep the show going. No one is going to be more excited about your show than you.

In the beginning, a podcast can only have the “Appearance of Longevity.” I think this is something podcasters are grossly underestimating. Some things that can increase your “Appearance of Longevity” are: excitement level, high quality, original promotion on social media, frequent uploads, and a burst or chunk of uploads at the launch.

The more people can sense the time and energy invested into your podcast, the higher your perceived longevity will be.

The power of podcasts are virtually limitless, but in 2018, EVERYONE is starting a podcast… Will yours stand out? or fizzle out and die?

Is there anything I left out? Is there a “Fourth L” that I need to take into consideration? Please let me know in the comments. If you would like to connect, you can reach me here.