Episode 25
The Podfade-Away Show
February 26, 2016 · Mike Murphy
Ep25: The Podfad Show All about podfading. Episode Summary: What is Podfade? What causes pod fade? How can you prevent podfade from happening?
Episode Summary: “Twenty-five and still alive” — what podfade actually is, why so many podcasters quit before episode 25, 8 common causes, and 5 concrete ways to prevent it from happening to you.
What You’ll Learn
- What podfade is and the stats behind why episode 25 is a real milestone
- 8 common causes of podfade, from lack of time to boredom
- 5 concrete ways to prevent podfade before it happens
- The go-to budget microphone recommendation for new podcasters
Ask Mike Anything: The Best Budget Microphone
Question (from Blab, from someone in the planning stage of launching a podcast): What’s the best microphone to start with on a tight budget?
Answer: This question comes up more than any other, on Blabs and everywhere else podcasting gets discussed — and the answer is almost always the same: the Audio-Technica ATR2100. It’s a dynamic microphone, well-suited to broadcasting since it rejects a lot of room noise, and versatile — it connects via XLR cable or USB directly to a computer. It sounds good and costs about $50. Genuinely surprising quality for the price, and the top recommendation for any new podcaster or content creator on a budget.
Podcast Statistics
50% of all new podcasters quit before episode 7. Of the 50% who make it to episode 7, only half make it to episode 15. Podcasters who reach episode 25 have a really high chance of lasting 2 years or more. Making it to episode 25 doesn’t sound like a huge number, but according to the stats, it’s genuinely a big deal.
I. What Is Podfade?
Podfade (per Urban Dictionary): when a podcast starts putting out episodes more sporadically and at greater intervals — usually starting with one missed episode, but compounding over time, sometimes as severe as one episode every other month. Podfade often leads to podcast death.
In simpler terms: podfade is when podcasters lose interest or get too busy, and stop producing shows on schedule until they eventually stop altogether.
II. Why Does Podfade Happen?
Common causes:
- Lack of time. People underestimate the time investment required, life takes over, and the schedule slips until the show ultimately stops.
- Technical difficulty. Recording and post-production are genuinely hard for many, and non-technical folks often just move on.
- Skills. Some people hate the sound of their own voice or feel uncomfortable on mic, and aren’t willing to put in the time to get past it.
- Topics. Running out of things to talk about happens to a lot of podcasters.
- Costs. Spending money on a hobby isn’t always practical.
- No income. Some enter podcasting expecting sponsors and affiliate income quickly, and podfade when it doesn’t materialize.
- Crickets. Podcasting can feel lonely early on with a small audience — pressing record and getting little or no feedback leads a lot of people to think, “why bother, nobody cares what I have to say.”
- Boredom. Some people just don’t enjoy it and want to do something else — if it’s not fun, motivation eventually runs out.
- Guests. Interview shows can struggle to find quality guests, or find the whole booking process a hassle.
- Co-hosts. Some shows start with a friend, and when the friend quits, the show goes with them.
III. How to Prevent Podfade
- Be realistic — a pre-launch step. Be practical, plan for the time required, and don’t bite off more than can be chewed.
- Simplify. Look at the entire process start to finish and cut anything unnecessary — script writing/research, show notes, editing, marketing. Bottom line: simplifying means making the whole process efficient and repeatable. Never stop fine-tuning each step, and eventually the whole thing runs on autopilot. Think of the podcast workflow as one template, and fix whatever part keeps causing friction.
- Network. Blab, and social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
- Learn. Read, watch tutorials, ask experts, go to events — like Podfest or Podcast Movement.
- Look in the mirror (gut-check). Is the direction things are moving actually the direction you want to go?
In Conclusion
Podfade happens for a variety of reasons. If podcasting is loved but too difficult, simplify and figure out exactly what’s not working, then fix that specific part. Maybe a breather is needed — breaking a show into “seasons” is a trending way to do that. Maybe solo shows feel boring or lonely — switching to interviews or bringing in a co-host can fix that. Nothing worth doing is easy at first, but if podcasting matters for your business or well-being, it’s worth fighting for and fixing before it fades away.
Music: “Life of Riley” & “Wallpaper” (incompetech.com).