The Podcast Why

How do you cut through the clutter uh of over a million podcasts, compete with the big players, and drive leads to your business?

In just 9 minutes you'll find out.

Podcasting is a MARATHON, not a sprint. Be patient, take action, and apply yourself.

Let’s talk about what podcasting can do for your business in the next 12-months. Whether you’re B2C or B2B, we can create a content marketing strategy that will work for you.

Connect with me if you would like to talk more about this. My calendar is available on my Circle 270 Media® Podcast Consultants business website.

Brett Johnson is the owner and lead consultant at Circle 270 Media® Podcast Consultants. With over 35+ years of experience in Marketing, Content Creation, Audio Production/Recording, and Broadcasting, the podcast consultants at Circle 270 Media® strategically bring these strengths together for their business Podcast clients.

Email us at [email protected] to set up a time to talk more about your new or established business podcast.

Copyright 2026 Brett Johnson | My Podcast Guy

Take a break - it's ok. I talk more about my break, and why you should not feel guilty about your occasional breaks.

Podcasting is a MARATHON, not a sprint. Be patient, take action, and apply yourself.

Let’s talk about what podcasting can do for your business in the next 12-months. Whether you’re B2C or B2B, we can create a content marketing strategy that will work for you.

Connect with me if you would like to talk more about this. My calendar is available on my Circle 270 Media® Podcast Consultants business website.

Brett Johnson is the owner and lead consultant at Circle 270 Media® Podcast Consultants. With over 35+ years of experience in Marketing, Content Creation, Audio Production/Recording, and Broadcasting, the podcast consultants at Circle 270 Media® strategically bring these strengths together for their business Podcast clients.

Email us at [email protected] to set up a time to talk more about your new or established business podcast.

Copyright 2026 Brett Johnson | My Podcast Guy

Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/qube/fuel License code: A7OWC26WEHPAVQKP

This is not one of those episodes on how to grow your podcast audience and make lots of money from your podcast. You’ll find that “advice” (and I put that in air quotes) on that elsewhere. Here are some ideas on how to develop a healthy and rewarding relationship with your podcast.  A few episodes ago I put together some ideas on how to avoid podfading. 

This episode is for you if…

• don’t want to get frustrated after a few months
• you record and publish a podcast and it often feels like a burden
• you’ve given up recording and publishing your podcast and need some motivation to start it up again.

Podcasting is a MARATHON, not a sprint. Be patient, take action and apply yourself.

Let’s talk about what podcasting can do for your business in the next 12-months. Whether you’re B2C or B2B, we can create a content marketing strategy that will work for you.

Connect with me if you would like to talk more about this. My calendar is available on my Circle270Media Podcast Consultants business website at circle270media.com

Subscribe to my free daily Open The Mic and Speak Newsletter. It’s chock full of podcast news you may have missed, as well as social media, sales, and audio production tips, and insights on how to grow your business podcast.

Recorded in conjunction with Channel 511, in the Brewery District, downtown Columbus, OH.

Brett Johnson is the owner and lead consultant at Circle270Media Podcast Consultants. With over 35+ years of experience in Marketing, Content Creation, Audio Production/Recording, and Broadcasting, the podcast consultants at Circle270Media strategically bring these strengths together for their business Podcast clients.

Email us at [email protected] to set up a time to talk more about your new or established business podcast.

As a podcaster, producer, and podcast consultant, my clients ask me questions and I offer direction to help them be better creators. Over the past years working with my clients, this direction usually falls into five essentials that make a good podcast.

Is “it” your voice?

Is it entertaining?

Is it informative?

Is it edited?

Is it good?

Podcasting is a MARATHON, not a sprint. Be patient, take action and apply yourself.

Let’s talk about what podcasting can do for your business in the next 12-months. Whether you’re B2C or B2B, we can create a content marketing strategy that will work for you.

Connect with me if you would like to talk more about this. My calendar is available on my Circle270Media Podcast Consultants business website at circle270media.com

Subscribe to my free daily Open The Mic and Speak Newsletter. It’s chock full of podcast news you may have missed, as well as social media, sales, and audio production tips, and insights on how to grow your business podcast.

Recorded in conjunction with Channel 511, in the Brewery District, downtown Columbus, OH.

Brett Johnson is the owner and lead consultant at Circle270Media Podcast Consultants. With over 35+ years of experience in Marketing, Content Creation, Audio Production/Recording, and Broadcasting, the podcast consultants at Circle270Media strategically bring these strengths together for their business Podcast clients.

Email us at [email protected] to set up a time to talk more about your new or established business podcast.

Podfading, or where podcasts have stopped releasing new episodes, is more common than you realize.

January is one of the most popular months to start a podcast. But what happens to those podcasts in February or March?

This is when podfading starts.

Here are more thoughts on how to avoid podfading, whether you’re just about to begin podcasting or already have been for a while.

Know the reason why you're podcasting to avoid podfading

If you just want to build a following or have profit as an end goal, you are going to be quickly disappointed if that doesn’t happen as soon as you would like. If at all.

Your podcast topic needs to energize you

One of the easiest ways to avoid podfading is to be genuinely interested in what your podcast topic is about. Who wants to discuss something they don’t really care for? Who wants to listen to a podcaster who really doesn’t care about the topic they’re podcasting about?

Get the help you need

You are going to find there are many tasks to be done before that episode is ready for release. It needs editing (I talk about this in the previous episode about podfading), it needs show notes, it needs to be uploaded…the tasks start to add up! And that doesn’t even start the conversation about promoting your back catalog of episodes.

If you just want to record your episode and hand off the rest to someone else, that’s perfectly normal. And it makes sense to protect your time. Your focus needs to be on creating content for your listeners.

You’re allowed to take a break

It’s okay to take some time away from creating your podcast! Before taking a break, make sure you let your listeners know. You don’t want them wondering where you are or worse, unfollowing the podcast because they think you’re done.

Rediscover your purpose

Ask yourself, do you know what you talked about on your podcast 3 episodes ago, without looking? If you’re finding yourself in a relentless rhythm of recording and releasing, you’ve probably forgotten about the reason that you’re podcasting.

Determine what your “why” is and evaluate if it has changed. Revisit your podcast’s mission statement. It’s okay to transition from one “why” to another. 

Find inspiration

Getting inspired again may not be as difficult as you think! Maybe there’s someone who you look up to in your content niche. Get them on as a guest! Hearing their thoughts may foster some new inspiration in your podcast.

Podcasting is a MARATHON, not a sprint. Be patient, take action and apply yourself.

Let’s talk about what podcasting can do for your business in the next 12-months. Whether you’re B2C or B2B, we can create a content marketing strategy that will work for you.

Connect with me if you would like to talk more about this. My calendar is available on my Circle270Media Podcast Consultants business website at circle270media.com

Subscribe to my free daily Open The Mic and Speak Newsletter. It’s chock full of podcast news you may have missed, as well as social media, sales, and audio production tips, and insights on how to grow your business podcast.

Recorded in conjunction with Channel 511, in the Brewery District, downtown Columbus, OH.

Brett Johnson is the owner and lead consultant at Circle270Media Podcast Consultants. With over 35+ years of experience in Marketing, Content Creation, Audio Production/Recording, and Broadcasting, the podcast consultants at Circle270Media strategically bring these strengths together for their business Podcast clients.

Email us at [email protected] to set up a time to talk more about your new or established business podcast.

Podfading, or where podcasts have stopped releasing new episodes, is more common than you realize. With the reasons wide-ranging, they usually fall into one of the following categories.

• Lack of any planning
• Topics that are focusing on the wrong areas
• Expectations that are unrealistic
• Over-complicating the process

How To Avoid Podfading

It's all about building on a solid plan and creating a sustainable content creation method

You need to know 

• why you want to podcast,
• who you want to reach with your podcast, and 
• why you want to reach them with a podcast.

In this episode, I want to cover some key points that I think are enough to save almost any podcaster from podfading.

Create a List of Potential Future Episodes

When you've identified your overall topic, and the people you want to reach, breaking this down into episodes is important for a number of reasons.

Seeing a list of potential episodes lets you focus on the direction of the show. 

Block Out Time & Stay Sustainable

Knowing how much time you can dedicate to working on your podcast is crucial. This includes from initial thought on the episode topic to publishing the episode.

Rather than worry what is the best publishing frequency to grow your podcast, choose a release frequency that's sustainable for you. That might be weekly, bi-weekly, or you might even want to consider podcasting in seasons.

Make a choice, and work out how much time you'll need each week to manage it. Block out that time. It’s a non-negotiable.

Make Your Setup Easy & Accessible

Working with Circle270Media gives my clients the luxury of a permanent setup or studio environment for recording. There's a decent chance you don't.

This is where simplicity can trump having lots of your own sophisticated and complex equipment.

When recording an episode means spending lots of time setting gear up, then taking it down afterward, you're at risk of losing your motivation.

The more gear in your recording chain, the more risk there is of not switching it on properly too. Doing a great interview and not actually recording it will most certainly put doubts in your mind.

 Don't Get Bogged Down By Editing

Editing will make your podcast flow better, and make it sound more polished and professional. Editing should be used sparingly, not as a crutch. This means being more mindful of the structure and focus of your episodes before and during the recording session. Treat your recording sessions as if you’re live. This will tighten up your presentation skills.

Recording longer episodes on the basis that you can clean them up in editing will add hours of unnecessary work to your schedule.  Or the additional cost to you if you pay an editor.

Experiment With Formats

You're the boss of your podcast. This gives you a lot of freedom.

Even though I just mentioned that planning is vital, there are certain things that should remain flexible. One of those is definitely your podcast format.

Many new podcasters will declare things like “I'm going to do a 20-minute interview show.” Why 20 minutes? What if your conversation lasts 15 minutes, or 40 minutes? And then, why just interviews? What if you've got something you'd like to discuss directly with the listener.

You can make a case for having your listener expect certain things from your show. But in the early stages, the small audience you have won't “expect” anything from your format.

Forget Apple Podcasts Even Exists

The most important thing you need to think about regarding Apple Podcasts is submitting your show there.

Once you've been approved and listed in there, then forget about it. Set it and forget it.  Forget the hype around a ‘New & Noteworthy launch plan' or anything else like that. You're creating content for your audience, not Apple, or Spotify, or Google Podcasts, or fill in the blank.

When your podcast strategy is based on creating the best possible episodes for your listeners, your audience will grow.

Embrace the early days as an opportunity to try and test different things. Find out what feels right for you by doing it. Don’t become rigid in how your present your content. You have to remain excited about hitting record each and every recording session.

Don't Expect Feedback

Treat listener feedback as a bonus rather than an expectation.

Oh, this is especially true in the early days. It takes a long time to build an audience. And when you do, hearing from listeners can be rare. 

Don't get discouraged though. Most podcast listeners are in the ‘silent majority' camp. They are loving what you do. But they'll potentially never reach out to you about it.

This doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong.

Make sure you are providing a ‘contact' section on your website and a strong call-to-action at the end of your episodes.

Just keep putting out great content. On rare occasions, when you do hear from a listener, be sure to make the most of it. Take the time to reply and get to know them.

Podcasting is a MARATHON, not a sprint. Be patient, take action and apply yourself.

Let’s talk about what podcasting can do for your business in the next 12-months. Whether you’re B2C or B2B, we can create a content marketing strategy that will work for you.

Connect with me if you would like to talk more about this. My calendar is available on my Circle270Media Podcast Consultants business website at circle270media.com

Subscribe to my free daily Open The Mic and Speak Newsletter. It’s chock full of podcast news you may have missed, as well as social media, sales, and audio production tips, and insights on how to grow your business podcast.

Recorded in conjunction with Channel 511, in the Brewery District, downtown Columbus, OH.

Brett Johnson is the owner and lead consultant at Circle270Media Podcast Consultants. With over 35+ years of experience in Marketing, Content Creation, Audio Production/Recording, and Broadcasting, the podcast consultants at Circle270Media strategically bring these strengths together for their business Podcast clients.

Email us at [email protected] to set up a time to talk more about your new or established business podcast.

There are hundreds of little details to think about when pitching yourself as a podcast guest. But for now, focus on these basic elements:

1. Listen to a few episodes of a podcast before pitching. If a podcast isn't a good match for what you do, don't pitch it. If a podcast doesn't have guests, don't pitch it.
2. Check for a "guest submission" process before pitching. If there is one, follow it.
3. Focus your guest pitch on a specific solution for the audience. What can you do for this audience?
4. Be detailed in your pitch. Mention specific episodes and elements of the podcast. Talk about what like about the podcast.
5. Be patient. Give the host enough time to follow up with you.

Podcasting is a MARATHON, not a sprint. Be patient, take action and apply yourself.

Let’s talk about what podcasting can do for your business in the next 12-months. Whether you’re B2C or B2B, we can create a content marketing strategy that will work for you.

Connect with me if you would like to talk more about this. My calendar is available on my Circle270Media Podcast Consultants business website at circle270media.com

Subscribe to my free daily Open The Mic and Speak Newsletter. It’s chock full of podcast news you may have missed, as well as social media, sales, and audio production tips, and insights on how to grow your business podcast.

Recorded in conjunction with Channel 511, in the Brewery District, downtown Columbus, OH.

Brett Johnson is the owner and lead consultant at Circle270Media Podcast Consultants. With over 35+ years of experience in Marketing, Content Creation, Audio Production/Recording, and Broadcasting, the podcast consultants at Circle270Media strategically bring these strengths together for their business Podcast clients.

Email us at [email protected] to set up a time to talk more about your new or established business podcast.

A new study (Q4 2021) from Borrel Associates shows small to medium-sized local businesses are aware of podcast advertising but need to be educated on how to purchase podcasts ads. Podcasters are in a prime position to do this, more so than radio account executives. I hope my insights from 35+ years in radio show you the opportunities you have right now.

Nearly four in ten local advertisers (38%) say they advertised on local radio in the past 12 months, more than double the portion that bought streaming audio ads (15%) and thirteen times the number that purchased podcast advertising (3%). These new findings from Borrell Associates’ latest survey of local advertisers illuminate a serious awareness issue digital audio advertising has among small and medium-sized businesses.

The survey of 178 local businesses conducted from October-November 2021 is the basis for “How Local Marketers View Streaming Audio,” a new report from Borrell. It found respondents were much more familiar with how to buy ads that run on local radio stations compared with streaming audio and podcasts. More than half of the panelists surveyed had low levels of understanding of how to advertise in podcasts.

The fact that only 15% have dabbled in streaming audio advertising isn’t because they don’t believe in its effectiveness. Four in ten (38%) of digital audio users say it has been very or extremely effective. That’s in the ballpark with the 43% of those using local radio station spots who said the same about broadcast radio.

One glaring reason why advertisers have lower awareness levels for how to buy digital audio is that a majority of panelists (62%) say they haven’t been pitched on digital audio/podcast advertising. Of the 28% that got the pitch but passed, Borrell says 40% said it was too expensive. Not knowing enough about it was another prevalent reason why many panelists have not yet ventured into digital audio advertising.

“They aren't buying it because they don't know about it. No one's talking to them so that probably feeds into why they think it's too expensive,” said Borrell Associates VP of Research Corey Elliott in a video summary of the findings. “It’s hard to get behind something when you don't know about it and hard to buy something when it hasn't been pitched.”

Suggesting there is a significant untapped opportunity, more than half of small and medium-sized businesses surveyed by Borrell who have not tried digital audio or podcast advertising have at least slight interest in this type of advertising.

And among those with any interest in streaming audio or podcast advertising, the main info businesses are seeking before buying include reach, targeting, geographic scope, and reporting metrics.

The survey shows local businesses see streaming audio/podcast ads as offering much better-targeting capabilities, more accurate reporting metrics, and better control over where ad content runs. They even view them as more affordable compared with traditional radio spots. But traditional radio spots have the advantage when it comes to ease of buying. As far as response rates to ads go, the panelists perceived them as not being much different on radio versus online.

While there were wide discrepancies between digital and traditional audio when it comes to purchasing, the vast majority of respondents say they listen to audio media regularly. Just over six in ten (61%) listen nearly every day to traditional radio and 77% tune in every week. Half (50%) listen to internet/satellite audio daily and 69% weekly. For online/satellite listening, music is the overwhelming draw, with 87% listening for that reason; 39% consuming podcasts.

In other findings, panelists are most aware of advertising when listening to local radio stations and less aware of ads on radio station websites or other digitally streamed audio content. The data shows more than half of survey-takers (56%) are very aware of advertising when listening to local radio stations, compared to 27% for internet/satellite audio listeners and 39% for podcasts.

Let’s talk about what podcasting can do for your business in the next 12-months. Whether you’re B2C or B2B, we can create a content marketing strategy that will work for you.

Connect with me if you would like to talk more about this. My calendar is available on my Circle270Media Podcast Consultants business website at circle270media.com

Subscribe to my free daily Open The Mic Newsletter. It’s chock full of podcast news you may have missed, as well as social media, sales, and audio production tips, and insights on how to grow your business podcast.

Recorded in conjunction with Channel 511, in the Brewery District, downtown Columbus, OH.

Brett Johnson is the owner and lead consultant at Circle270Media Podcast Consultants. With over 35+ years of experience in Marketing, Content Creation, Audio Production/Recording, and Broadcasting, the podcast consultants at Circle270Media strategically bring these strengths together for their business Podcast clients.

Email us at [email protected] to set up a time to talk more about your new or established business podcast.

So you’re struggling to build momentum and continued interest around your podcast. The most difficult thing for many people is that it takes time to grow an audience. Podcasters want "instant gratification," and get frustrated and lose interest when their show isn't an immediate success.

Let’s review 7 basic ways to build momentum and continued interest around your podcast after your initial launch.

7 Simple Basics To Build Momentum Around Your Podcast

1) Understand your niche. You did your research, and you know this is the lane you want to be in. Use these 5 Steps to continue to define and understand your podcast niche.

1. Identify your interests and passions. 
2. Identify problems you can solve.
3. Research your competition.
4. Determine if this niche can continue to build an audience.
5. Evolve and test your niche idea.

2) What is the message behind your podcast?

What makes your show different from the other shows? What is your unique take on the subject? And why should people listen to you in particular? If you can't think of a reason why people should or will want to listen to your show, there's not much point in you publishing it.

The message and purpose behind your show is so important. You want people to buy into your show, not your episodes. As in sales, it’s easier to retain listeners than to gain new ones. Your message and purpose are what captures them. This is going to lead to long-term success.

3) Knowing your target audience and how and when they will listen to your podcast will help you decide on the length. Make sure the podcast length fits into their listening day. Start with a small commitment, then when you have the following increase the time if and only if it adds value for the listeners. Make sure your content is on point. Being clear about the message of your show should help with this. If your message is clear people will be attracted to what you have to say.

4. Find out which social media platform your audience is most engaged on. If you have a travel show, maybe it's Instagram. If you have an education podcast about language, maybe it's a Facebook group. This is going to be unique to you and your show. So find out by doing simple research and pinpointing where the largest community is for your niche.

5) Be consistent on ONE social media platform. Understand that you aren't a marketing guru or a social media agency. You don't have all the time in the world or all the content in the world to engage on all major social media platforms to ensure growth through engagement.

Your attention will be divided. You'll feel overwhelmed, overworked and the worst part, you WILL most likely not get the results you are expecting. 

Figure out the algorithm of that one social media platform. Do your research on what works, and what doesn't. And then start using the platform using best practices. This takes concentration and time. 

Now create your own community on this platform. This community is going to be another way to share value with your listeners. It’s a place where you can build connections and relationships with your audience. It's a place where you can produce engaging content using your podcast content and additional content. It's a place for you to brand awareness of your podcast and content. 

6) Create a positive and safe social media ecosystem. Have a dialogue with your followers. Ask your audience what they think of each episode. What would they like to hear more of? Doing this will build interest amongst those who haven't heard a recent episode, but are part of your community. 

And then you want to do the same in your show. Before you get into the main segment or at the end of the show, talk about something going on with your online community. It will increase your listener's curiosity. They will feel like they are missing out and will want to be part of what you're building. Have a very simple yet specific call to action for your audience to join.

7) Like everything in life. THIS. WILL. TAKE. TIME.

But the good news is the more time you put in the better. Stay consistent and focused. Amazing results will follow.

Podcasting is a MARATHON, not a sprint. Be patient, take action and apply yourself.

Let’s talk about what podcasting can do for your business in the next 12-months. Whether you’re B2C or B2B, we can create a content marketing strategy that will work for you.

Connect with me if you would like to talk more about this. My calendar is available on my Circle270Media Podcast Consultants business website at circle270media.com

Subscribe to my free daily Open The Mic Newsletter. It’s chock full of podcast news you may have missed, as well as social media, sales, and audio production tips, and insights on how to grow your business podcast.

Recorded in conjunction with Channel 511, in the Brewery District, downtown Columbus, OH.

Brett Johnson is the owner and lead consultant at Circle270Media Podcast Consultants. With over 35+ years of experience in Marketing, Content Creation, Audio Production/Recording and Broadcasting, the podcast consultants at Circle270Media strategically bring these strengths together for their business Podcast clients.

Email us at [email protected] to set up time to talk more about your new or established business podcast.

What does it mean to go beyond being a "podcaster?"

My guest on this episode is Matty Staudt. He's been making podcasts for entertainment and business for over 14 years. Since cracking the mic at 16, audio has been his life at such companies as CBS, Stitcher, iHeartRadio and currently Amaze Media Labs.

According to Eric Nuzum, podcasters are audio makers, but they’re not in the audio business. Following his podcasting masterclass at Radiodays Europe in September, the veteran creator, strategist, and Magnificent Noise co-founder was asked to deliver five ideas around podcasting. 

"Idea Number 1: Don’t be a podcaster." Nuzum encourages podcasters and radio producers alike to think of themselves as "audio makers." Worrying about platforms will only limit your perceived versatility. To let go of that label now is to save yourself existential anxiety in 10 years when something new comes along.

"Idea Number 4: You are not in the audio business." Those that make podcasts are in the community building business, Nuzum says: "You are establishing a hub for a community of people who love a subject or a topic and want to…interact about it." Fostering that hub isn’t optional if you plan to grow.

"You are not in the audio business; you are in the community building business."

Matty and I talk about how brands look at podcasting, and their mindset on how podcasting builds community. And how podcasting is central to community building and engagement for businesses and brands.

It's about looking at podcasting as a means to an end - your business or brand goal.

Let’s talk about what podcasting can do for your business in the next 12-months. Whether you’re B2C or B2B, we can create a content marketing strategy that will work for you.

Connect with me if you would like to talk more about this. My calendar is available on my Circle270Media Podcast Consultants business website at circle270media.com

Subscribe to my free daily Open The Mic Newsletter. It’s chock full of podcast news you may have missed, as well as social media, sales, and audio production tips, and insights on how to grow your business podcast.

Recorded in conjunction with Channel 511, in the Brewery District, downtown Columbus, OH.

Brett Johnson is the owner and lead consultant at Circle270Media Podcast Consultants. With over 35+ years of experience in Marketing, Content Creation, Audio Production/Recording and Broadcasting, the podcast consultants at Circle270Media strategically bring these strengths together for their business Podcast clients.

Email us at [email protected] to set up time to talk more about your new or established business podcast.