Podcast Listener Pet Peeves: What Bugs Us Most?
"Be authentic - just publish" is terrible advice
What’s worse than a bad hair day? A bad podcast!
If you want to read the report this episode is based on, go to podmastery.co/peeves
If you’ve ever hit play on your favourite podcast only to have your ears assaulted by terrible audio or a host that rambles like they’re auditioning for a talk show, you’re not alone.
We put our feelers out there with a survey of 300 podcast lovers to find out exactly what makes them rage-quit a show.
Spoiler alert: bad audio is the number one culprit.
In this episode, we’re not just airing grievances; we’re giving you the tools to fix them!
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Transcript
What are your podcast listeners?
Speaker A:Pet peeves.
Speaker A:Do you know?
Speaker A:In this episode, we're gonna try and find out.
Speaker A:We've all been there.
Speaker A:You hit play on a podcast, hoping for some interesting content, maybe some inspiration, and then, bam, something ruins it.
Speaker A:Whether it's terrible sound, a podcast host who thinks they're God's gift to podcasting, or a 12 minute monologue before they get to the bloody point, Y podcast pet peeves are real.
Speaker A:Now, the thing is, I've heard a lot of podcasters moaning about what they don't like, but what about the people who actually matter?
Speaker A:You know, the listeners, they're the ones that you need to keep coming back if you ever want to grow this thing beyond your nan and your dog.
Speaker A:So, while a lot of other podcasts talk about what podcasters find annoying about other podcasts, I decided to go to the horse's mouth directly.
Speaker A:Not that I'm calling your podcast listener a horse.
Speaker A:I put out a survey a few months ago asking actual strangers on the Internet what they found annoying about people's podcasts.
Speaker A:And the data I got back from the 300 respondents was fascinating.
Speaker A:So let's find out exactly what it is that makes people rage.
Speaker A:Quit a podcast.
Speaker A:And believe me, once you've understood the data, some of you may need to have a quiet word with yourself.
Speaker A:So here are the biggest podcast offenders.
Speaker A:According to actual podcast listeners.
Speaker A:Your audio is crap, mate.
Speaker A:It won't shock you to hear that.
Speaker A:Bad audio has been the number one complaint that I saw from respondents.
Speaker A:Listeners can forgive a lot, but sounding like you're podcasting from inside a tin can isn't one of the things they'll forgive.
Speaker A:Here are some of their biggest annoyances.
Speaker A:Background noise that makes it sound like you recorded in a Wetherspoons.
Speaker A:Volume levels all over the place.
Speaker A:One minute whispering, next minute shouting.
Speaker A:Echoes that make it seem like you're recording from the bottom of a well.
Speaker A:So if you're serious about podcasting, please do sort your sound out.
Speaker A:A half decent mic and a bit of basic audio editing isn't asking too much, is it?
Speaker A:Next, let's talk about rambling, waffling, and yes.
Speaker A:So listeners ain't here for your stream of consciousness therapy session.
Speaker A:The phrase get to the point came up quite a lot.
Speaker A:People want value.
Speaker A:Yeah, okay, it's a bit of a Gary Vee word, but it is true stories.
Speaker A:Or at least something that doesn't make them feel like they're stuck in a conversation they can't get out of.
Speaker A:A bonus moan for you filler Words like, you know, hate to tell you.
Speaker A:Those of you that like to preach authenticity.
Speaker A:And don't worry about editing, it's natural.
Speaker A:Sorry, they disagree.
Speaker A:You need to cut them out.
Speaker A:No one expects perfection, but if every sentence is 60% verbal clutter, they're going to switch you off.
Speaker A:Too many ads.
Speaker A:They get it.
Speaker A:You need money.
Speaker A:And look, we all love a bit of monetization here and there, but if your episode is mostly ads, people tend to bounce.
Speaker A:A couple of well placed, well integrated sponsorships, no problem at all.
Speaker A:But shoving in 10 minutes of buy this toothbrush please before you've even introduced your topic, that's really going to piss people off.
Speaker A:Oh, my God, another one.
Speaker A:Your intro is longer than the Lord of the Rings final scene.
Speaker A:Look, there's a special place in podcast hell for hosts who take forever to start the actual episode.
Speaker A:If your intro is longer than 60 seconds, it had better be worth it.
Speaker A:A catchy hook, a bit of personality, and boom.
Speaker A:Get straight into the good stuff.
Speaker A:No one wants to hear your full backstory of how you started the podcast every single week.
Speaker A:If you must go on about your backstory, do it as a separate episode so people have the opportunity to avoid it.
Speaker A:And believe me, they probably will.
Speaker A:Technical glitches that make it unlistenable.
Speaker A:You know, sudden volume drops, weird edits that cut off mid sentence, or interviews where you can only hear one person.
Speaker A:All of these things are going to have listeners hitting unfollow faster than you can say, wow, this was a test episode.
Speaker A:Don't judge.
Speaker A:So what is the fix to all this then?
Speaker A:How can you avoid these problems?
Speaker A:I'm glad you asked.
Speaker A:If you're a podcaster and don't want to be the reason someone rage deletes a show, here's what you need to do.
Speaker A:First and foremost, invest in decent audio.
Speaker A:Look, you don't need to get another mortgage on your house, but you do need a proper mic and a quiet space.
Speaker A:Plan your content.
Speaker A:Have a structure.
Speaker A:Even if it's loose.
Speaker A:Make sure you're actually delivering what they want.
Speaker A:Cut the waffle.
Speaker A:If you wouldn't say it in a normal conversation, maybe don't say it into a microphone at all.
Speaker A:Balance your ad load.
Speaker A:Yes, making money is nice and sometimes necessary, but your listener still comes first.
Speaker A:Otherwise you're not gonna have any.
Speaker A:Keep your intro tight.
Speaker A:You can be engaging and concise.
Speaker A:Seriously, it's possible.
Speaker A:And edit like you actually care.
Speaker A:Get rid of the glitches, the weird cuts and the awful transitions.
Speaker A:They're not charming.
Speaker A:And, um.
Speaker A:And so are not great content.
Speaker A:Whatever.
Speaker A:Someone on Podcast Movement's Facebook page keeps trying to tell people there's a reason this person is spending so much time on Facebook groups.
Speaker A:They don't have any real work.
Speaker A:Why?
Speaker A:Because they're crap at editing.
Speaker A:At the end of the day, a good podcast is one that respects the listener's outcomes and experience.
Speaker A:If you can nail that, you're already ahead of 90% of the rest.
Speaker A:So what are your biggest podcast pet peeves as a podcaster?
Speaker A:Do you agree with the listeners, or do you think listeners don't know what they're talking about?
Speaker A:Of course you do.
Speaker A:You're a podcaster.
Speaker A:You have ego.
Speaker A:Either way, let us know.
Speaker A:Leave a review in Apple Podcasts or drop a comment in Spotify.
Speaker A:Tell us what you think.
Speaker A:And if you want more insights like this directly into your inbox, make sure you sign up at Podmastery Co Newsletter.
Speaker A:That's Podmastery code forward slash newsletter.
Speaker A:And I look forward to talking to you on the next episode of the Podmaster.
Speaker A:The Podmaster is a Podnos production.
Speaker A:Find out more about us at Podnos Co uk.
Speaker A:Podnos.
