Before launching a podcast, most podcasters ask about things like gear, media hosts, and show art.
Before I started, I asked a friend who had published over 1500 episodes for advice. His first reaction was, “Are you SURE that you want to launch a podcast?” When I assured him that I did, this is what he said.
If you’re absolutely sure that you want to start a podcast, commit to doing it for a year. Once you start, keep publishing at whatever frequency you decide. Don’t look at downloads. Don’t consider whether you like doing it or not. Do it for an entire year before evaluating anything because podcasting takes time.
Every year, I treat my podcast like a television show. Where TV network executives look at viewer ratings, I look back at the prior twelve months to see what I’ve gained from running the podcast. What did I learn? What mistakes were made? Did I earn more business? If I decide that it was worth my time, my podcast gets renewed for another season.
Even though I know I shouldn’t look at downloads, I still do. Committing myself to publishing another full year of podcast episodes ensures that distractions (like looking at download stats or binge watching TV) won’t stop me from keeping my weekly publishing schedule.
I highly suggest you do the same. Give yourself time.
