Many podcasts don't make it past episode five, according to new data from the Podcast Index. In this episode, Mark, Danny, Dave Jackson, and Ashley Hamer discuss the challenges and misconceptions surrounding podcasting.

Takeaways

• Many podcasts don't make it past episode five, possibly due to the rise of free podcast hosting platforms like Anchor, now Spotify for Podcasters.
• The lack of immediate feedback and community engagement in podcasting can be disheartening for new podcasters.
• The influx of celebrity podcasts and the perception of difficulty in getting noticed may discourage indie podcasters.
• To overcome these challenges, podcasters should focus on their internal motivation, have a long list of episode topics, and plan for breaks or hiatuses.
• Setting realistic expectations is crucial in podcasting, as it takes time and effort to grow an audience and make money.
• Podcasting is not a quick way to make six figures, and it's important to focus on creating valuable content and building a loyal audience.

Ashley Hamer

Ashley Hamer is Managing Editor at Descript, an AI-powered audio and video editor. She's also the author of the Weekly Tweak, a newsletter that helps podcasters improve their show week by week, and the creator/host of Taboo Science, a podcast that examines taboos through a scientific lens. Formerly, she was the co-creator and co-host of Curiosity Daily, a daily science podcast from Discovery. She lives in Asheville, North Carolina with her husband and toddler daughter where she plays jazz saxophone at venues around the city.

@smashleyhamer on X - Ashley on YouTube - Ashley's Website

Dave Jackson

Dave Jackson began podcasting in 2005 and launched the School of Podcasting (schoolofpodcasting.com). His School of Podcasting show has over 3.1 million downloads. He has helped hundreds of people plan, launch, and grow their podcasts. He is the author of the book Profit from your podcast and is a featured speaker at events. In 2016 Dave joined Libsyn (the largest podcast hosting company) as part of their tech support team. In 2018 he was inducted into the Academy of Podcasters Hall of Fame. His flagship show is at www.schoolofpodcast..com

@DaveJackson on X - @schoolofpodcasting on Instagram - Dave on YouTube - Dave's Website Dave's Facebook page

Links to interesting things from this episode

• The Podcast Launch Accelerator - Free Online Podcast Course | Captivate
• Neil Scott | National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers
• Tink Media
• Podfade: surprising reasons why podcasters give up | Ana Xavier
• Total podcasts in the index - Podcast Index
• How many episodes do podcasts have? - Podcast Index
• How many podcasts make it to 5 or more episodes? - Podnews

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Mentioned in this episode:

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