20 Podcasting Insights and Tips After 200 Episodes of The Brainy Business

When The Brainy Business podcast first launched with its first three episodes on July 6, 2018...I had no idea what it would become. I fully committed to doing a weekly show for a year before deciding if it was worth the investment, but didn't know what to expect. The 100th episode of the show was called "100 Episodes - 1 Big Insight" so I decided to go in a different direction for episode 200, with 20 podcasting tips for anyone who is considering starting a podcast (or already has one).

While I tried to put these in a sort of "flow" order they aren't prioritized so to speak. They all matter and you should know these things backward and forward before starting your show. Alright, let's jump right in!

1) Know why you want to do it.

I know I said these weren't in priority order, but, that might have been a bit of a lie because this is really the most important thing. If you do nothing else before launching a podcast...know why you're doing it.

Podcasting is easy in many ways -- you can record into your iPhone and upload it yourself for free if you want. However, if you want a show that is going to resonate with people and help you achieve whatever your goals are for the show...it needs to be intentional. As you will see in some of the future points on this list, good podcasts take a lot of time and effort. They don't necessarily have to cost a lot of money to produce, but they mean late nights and weekends getting that episode out before your deadline. They mean you are saying no to something else you could be doing in your business or with your family. If you don't know why you are doing it, why it matters to you, what it is doing for your business, why it is worth all that effort...it's going to be hard to get through those tough mental moments that will inevitably come.

I will also always advocate for being intentional and having a plan. If people will only do one thing after listening to the podcast, what is it? Do you just want them to listen once and you'll be happy? If so, cool. But I am guessing you have bigger goals: for them to eventually buy from you, engage with you or the business, to subscribe to your newsletter, whatever. You need to know how this ties into the overall vision and make sure the message, format, and everything else matches that goal, which leads us to...

2) Choose the right format for your goals.

There are many different types of podcasts:

• interview
• co-host banter
• shock/fun engagement
• solo teaching
• stories and pure entertainment

You can have a podcast about basically anything, even the smallest topics can be broken down into amazing episodes. When I started my podcast, the shows I had been exposed to were hour-long episodes so I assumed that was what people wanted from a business show like mine. I thought of it like a radio slot, with 55-60 minutes to fill and felt like I had to get that full amount of time or people would feel cheated. I quickly realized all of what I didn't know (Dunning-Kruger effect) and that was just...wrong. I saw people sharing that they preferred shorter shows and mine was one they were willing to make an exception for and invest in the longer episodes because there was so much value in the content (see below). But, over time I have realized shorter episodes are good too, and I let the topic dictate the length. I am not committed to any specific time (currently in a general range of 15-60 minutes) and that works for me.

For your show, it could be little five minute episodes. Or be a consistent 12:34 exactly each time. You get to create it and you want to be sure the format and plan (again) matches your goals.

• If you want the show to connect you to big name people in an industry so you can get clients, you probably want to do interviews that feature them because it will get you a foot in the door.
• If you want to use the podcast to establish yourself as a thought leader, you'll probably want some solo episodes.

Whatever the goal, do your research to be sure you are creating a show in the best format for achieving it.

3) Do not do your own editing.

I know some other podcasters will argue with me here, but investing in an editing team from the beginning is the best thing I ever did. Audio quality is one of the most important things for a podcast (you are right in people's ears and they don't have video or anything to back it up, you don't want pops and breathiness or other weird blips). I use Pro Podcast Solutions and have recommended them to many people over the years. Here are my top arguments for not doing this yourself:

1. Editing is incredibly time consuming if you don't know what you are doing. I know lots of people who spend an average of 4-6 hours editing each episode (one person told me that a particularly finnicky episode took them 24 hours just in the editing! That's a hard pass from me (and it should be from you too). Your time is more valuable than that. I'm guessing you would be better served by investing in something else that will bring money in the door (or help promote the show) and just pay for the editing (it likely costs a lot less than you think).

1. Editing yourself for content and trying to decide if what you said was interesting enough or not is the worst. You are going to become a victim of the focusing illusion where everything gets distorted when you look at it too closely. Kind of like when you say a word too many times and it just sounds...wrong...no matter what you do. You will be forced to overanalyze over little unimportant vocal inflections or how weird the third microsecond of your laugh sounds and end up cutting a lot of great insights the audience would enjoy, but you have heard too many times to be impartial.
2. Overanalyzing your own voice at that depth over and over again every week can't be healthy. ?? I have listened to and personally approved every single episode of The Brainy Business podcast for quality control purposes and don't plan to stop doing so. Listening to myself talk even one time at normal speed is tiresome, I can't imagine spending hours a week doing it. That sounds like the worst.

Just trust me when I say, you will do a worse job than a professional and the value you could get if you invest your own time in something else is going to pay off (even if it is just having some time to let your brain relax and not worry about editing).

4) Invest in the show.

In addition to investing in an editor, you need to be prepared to invest in your podcast! And for the most part, I don't mean with money. I mean with time and effort. This is why the first tip is so important. For the first year of the show at least, I would say that I spent an average of 8-10 hours creating each episode -- just to get it to the point of being recorded and off to the editor.

Yes, my show has more research than most, but you should plan on investing time in creating great content. Whatever you are investing in, whether it is a blog, YouTube channel, Twitter threads, TikTok, LinkedIn newsletter, or podcast...this holds true. Really great content takes time to create. You need time to ruminate, plan and edit. If you aren't willing to invest in creating great content that people will get value out of...why should they spend their precious time listening to it?

Another thing to invest in are some good hardware -- and it doesn't need to be expensive. I use an Audio-Technica (ATR) 2100 USB Microphone ($99) and have since day 1. I get compliments on my audio all the time. I also have a pop filter ($5 or less) and in the last year or so I bought an arm ($16) that attaches to my desk (before that I just had an inexpensive tripod because the desk I had was too thick for the arm). And that's it.

NOTE: I tried to make it extra clear that those are affiliate links with the giant image...but here is another note that if you click on those I might get some compensation from Amazon. This seems like a reasonable enough spot to also say that I am an affiliate for Libsyn, if you use the code BRAINY when you sign up you can get up to 2 months free -- woohoo!

5) Be sure you really love the topic.

You can create a podcast about absolutely anything. Whatever you pick should be something you are ready to talk about a lot. Could you talk about this thing every week for a year and still have something interesting to say? Could you talk about this for 150-200 hours (as I have) and still be excited to share a new angle and talk for 500 more?

If you're going to get bored and run out of steam, save yourself the trouble and don't start the show. Or, look for a new angle (make the topic bigger or smaller, whatever).

Pro Tip: Before you commit to the show, make a list of as many ideas you could talk about. Spend at least 30 minutes writing the list, then come back the next day and do another 30 minutes, and repeat that every day for a week. At the end of the week, you should have hundreds of ideas for possible episodes (even amidst the inevitable duplicates). Prioritize your first 20 episodes from that list and know you can branch out after that. In a year or three when you're staring at a deadline and have zero inspiration, pull the list back up and you've got built in content.

6) Make a commitment -- and keep it.

As I said way at the beginning of this post, I committed to doing a weekly* show for an entire year before I was going to allow myself to evaluate if it was worth the investment for my business. I made the conscious choice that this was the top way I was investing in people finding me and knowing about the work I do. No matter what, there was no reason (barring something really crazy) that I would ever miss the podcast release date. There has been lots of travel, a pandemic, and I had a baby with an unplanned c-section through the first 200 episodes and I still have never missed a release date or repeated an episode. Don't get me wrong, there have been weeks where I'm recording at the veeeeeeeeery last minute (and thankfully my team at Pro Podcast Solutions is awesome and I have the most supportive husband in the world) but I always get it done.

If it matters enough to create a podcast (see point 1 again), commit to doing it at least weekly and never miss.

*Yes, I recommend at least a weekly show for anyone who is going to create content. Because the brain is built on habits and you want to be a part of someone's routine, you need to have a specific day your show comes out and never miss it. I have people tell me all the time that they listen to The Brainy Business on Friday morning while they get ready for work, or every Saturday while they walk the dog. If you released shows whenever was convenient for you or every other week or once a month, you aren't the one they rely on so you will always get less downloads and engagement.

7) Have realistic expectations.

As with any channel or opportunity out in the world...it is easy to be woo'd by the glitz and glamor of the biggest names and imagine it will bring you instant fame and fortune. The average podcast gets 141 downloads per episode after 30 days of the episode's release date, and makes zero money (it probably costs money -- definitely if you consider the time invested).

The chart here is from Buzzsprout (which hosts over 85,000 shows on their platform) showing the average rankings of a podcast based on downloads within 7 days of an episode's release. That means that the average show gets 30 downloads in its first week. The best of the best is getting just shy of 4000.

Yes, there are exceptions, but 99.99999999999999% of the podcasts aren't Joe Rogan or any other celebrity.

Are the late nights, significant time investment and energy worth it if it only gets 30 downloads? If it isn't worth it at those numbers, don't do it. And know that if you invest in the other things on this list, I can pretty much guarantee you will be above that number.

Note: Of the more than 2 million podcasts that *technically* exist, less than 850,000 are active. Most shows become victim to "podfade" and don't make it beyond episode 7 because people realize it isn't a quick, passive income generator with masses of fans for no effort (shocking, I know).

8) Have a plan, but be flexible.

When I started The Brainy Business, I never intended to do interviews. If you asked me even after more than a year of the show I would have said "No" to the idea. But there was a point where it was worth trying, and now that is a huge part of the show. I was also sure that people would hate the Behavioral Economics Foundations episodes (and think they were like a lecture), but they are also staples of what the show is built on. As I mentioned above, I planned for every episode to be an hour long, but that adjusted over time as well.

It is good to plan and know what you intend to do, but don't keep doing something that isn't working. And, don't be scared to try something new. As with the podcast in general, be willing to commit to a few of something before you say it "doesn't work" but don't keep doing something bad because that is what you planned before you got into the thick of it. At any point you are debating if the new thing is worth trying, remind yourself of the goal and why you are doing this thing at all. Will the new thing help you achieve whatever that goal is? If yes, try it! If not, don't.

Bonus Tip: If you aren't sure if this new thing is going to help you reach your goals and are only doing it because everyone else says you should, don't succumb to your herding instincts. and don't like the idea of doing the thing -- don't do it! If you really like the idea of trying something and other people say they wouldn't do that or it didn't work for them, but you still want to try it -- go for it! You do you and just be willing to invest in anything you are trying out.

9) Get ready to create a LOT of content.

And I mean, like, a LOT of content. It is more than the podcast itself (as this unbelievably long post is testament to), but you also have a regular newsletter promoting it and all the social channels (pick at least one you are going to invest in) and commenting on other people's stuff. While you don't have to, I also strongly recommend creating custom art for each episode for social sharing.

The good news is, you can break one episode into a lot of other social content (and you should reshare them many times even years into the future). In almost four years of the podcast I have never had a month where every episode didn't get at least one download. The back catalog is your friend, if you treat it nicely. :)

I promote past episodes within each episode of the show and my show notes have lots of easy links for people to listen to more content! When you are thoughtful about creating content people want to consume, they will appreciate this instead of feeling like you are spamming them.

10) Build a brand, platform, and persona.

All that sharing should sound like it is coming from the same person or brand (which is why you should know the point of the show and have a solid plan).

What is your voice and tone? Are you snarky or kind? Do you joke around or are you more serious? Be consistent wherever you are.

Pro Tip: I'm all for swearing in my personal life, but I never swear on the podcast. Sure, this is a brand thing and about being "professional" but it is also because there are a lot of countries (somewhere between 50-75 I believe) that will block any show that has swearing in it. Not just the single episode, the whole show. So, if you want to have an international reach and the swearing isn't essential...don't do it.

11) Understand your audience and be where they are.

As you think about the type of content and the social channels where you want to promote it, you should know who you are talking to and where they are. Yes, this post is getting into a lot of marketing principles, but...at the end of the day, you have to market your show if you want people to listen to it.

If your podcast is set up to help high school students decide where they want to college, you probably shouldn't invest in promoting the show on LinkedIn.

If your podcast is about professional business services, SnapChat or TikTok might not be for you.

Know who you are talking to and where they hang out...and then be there sharing the information they are looking for on that platform. It might not be your favorite platform to hang out on, but you are not necessarily your listener. You don't need to find you because you already know the information. Make it about them, not you.

12) Don't expect great stats.

Even though we all know there is a glut of amazing data out there somewhere with all the insights of who is listening to which episode and which ones resonate and their demographics and psychographics and all their other interests...podcast data (in a word) sucks.

There are some very generic numbers about downloads, I get information about countries and states which is cool, and you can know specifics about each episode, but you don't get to know when people listen, where they are, their gender, other interests...anything. This is not your golden goose of stats.

13) Be generous.

You are making the content for the audience at the end of the day, and it is good to make people feel good! We love social proof and the brain gets a little hit of feel-good chemicals when we see that someone else shared our content or shared about us.

If you want other people to listen to you and share your content -- share theirs first. And not in a spammy way, be thoughtful about it. Who are your ideal clients? What are they talking about? How does it tie in with what you do? How can you promote them (without talking about yourself or promoting your product/service)? Do it.

Give shout outs on your show and on social media without asking for anything in return. Because of reciprocity, it will always come back to you in some positive way. And, at the end of the day, it feels nice to support and say nice things about other people.

14) Don't "big time" people.

This is some of my favorite advice I ever got from my husband (and he gives lots of amazing advice). No matter how big you get, don't "big time" anyone (i.e. make them feel like they are not important to you). If listeners reach out to you with a question -- answer them! How amazing is it that they cared enough to find you and ask the question? Even if it is "constructive feedback" -- be thankful and kind.

If you are scheduling guests, make it easy for them (don't make them feel like it is an inconvenience for you to make time for them -- they are doing you a favor being on your show as much as you are doing one for them sharing your platform). Similar to the point above, if you make people feel important and special (because they are) they will appreciate it and it will come back in more ways than you know.

15) If you're doing interviews, focus on highlighting your guests.

While this is important to do on social media and on all your platforms (see above) I mean in the interview itself. I have been a guest on a lot of shows and had a lot of guests, and remember that the guest is there to show how smart and amazing they are. Let them talk more than you and ask great questions. Don't spend all the time doing the talking (and worst of all, trying to make it sound like their idea is your idea).

Pro Tip: Read their materials and know something about them before you pitch them and (especially) have them on the show. You will be amazed at how few people actually read their guest's materials before they interview them. You will stand out if you know something about what the person is there to talk about and can ask thoughtful questions.

16) Be a great guest.

Part of promoting your show is being a guest on other shows. Note, this does not mean that you need to do a quid pro quo and always do episode swaps. I have a very specific type of guest on my show and I am a guest on many more shows than it would make sense to have featured on The Brainy Business. If someone will only have you as a guest if you have them as a guest (and you don't think they would be a good one), don't do it. Also, if you don't like their show or think it is a fit for your audience (i.e. doesn't fit your brand) you don't have to be on their show. It is ok to politely decline an invitation.

I have been a guest on a lot of shows. I have a guest packet document I send with all my important links and social handles, hashtags, bio, some prompt questions, my headshot and logo all at the ready. I make it really easy for them to have me as a guest, and I promote their episodes when they come out (sometimes even when I wasn't the guest -- gasp!).

Again, put good out there, and good stuff comes back.

17) Ask for what you want.

Do you have a dream guest you would love to have on your show? Or where you want to be a guest? Or an advertiser you might want to pitch? Or anything else? Ask for it.

In all honesty, I have been lucky to not have to pitch a lot of the guests I have had on the show. All the social sharing and such as noted above has made it so a lot of amazing guests have sort of fallen in my lap. There are some guests I was really nervous to ask and pitch, but I did it anyway because...why not? As an example, the guest for episode 200 (which prompted this whole post!) is Warren Berger, who is the author of my very favorite book, A More Beautiful Question. I was a total nerd-ball fangirl asking him to be on the show, and I'm ok with that...plus...he said yes!

Having a platform gives you access to some awesome people you might not otherwise, so even when it feels scary, suck it up and ask.

18) Dream big.

As mentioned at the very beginning of this post (is anyone still here by the way? This got way longer than I intended ?? ) I didn't have expectations for the podcast, so it was really easy to exceed them! I didn't even think about the potential of people in other countries listening (silly, I know) so having over 550,000 downloads from more than 170 countries is still mind-boggling to me.

As noted in item 17, I have had some amazing guests on the show as well. I can tie every single thing that has happened in my business these past four years -- teaching at Texas A&M, my books, speaking engagements, awesome consulting projects, amazing friendships with some of the coolest people around...it all comes back to the podcast (because I invested in it and made it central to my business). Whatever you are thinking it could do, 10x it because you aren't dreaming big enough.

19) Have some fun!

Be you. Have personality. Laugh. Use a bunch of gifs in your post. This is a thing you are going to be married to for a long time, might as well have some fun.

20) Be sure the juice is worth the squeeze.

Essentially, a reprise of the first point because it is that important. If after reading all these tips and thinking about all the time and effort and focus and thoughtfulness if you are on the fence or looking for ways to shortcut it (and get that "smart passive income" people talk about). Don't do it. The juice isn't worth it for you, and that's ok! This podcast game isn't for everyone. There is something else out there you would love to invest your time into, and so that is worth the squeeze.

If you could only do one thing to promote your business, would it be a podcast? Or something else? Find that central thing that you can put all your efforts into, and it will absolutely be worth it in the end.

After 200 episodes and thousands of hours over four years you might be wondering, "Was it worth it? Would you do it again?" I'm guessing you know the answer, but for me it is an unequivocal, 100% "YES!" In a heartbeat. Every time. And I can't wait to hear all about yours if you feel inspired after reading this (admittedly, insanely long) article. Thanks for making it to the end. If you did make it this far...share a fun gif in the comments to prove you're part of the cool kids club. ??

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