If your life were a country and you had a topographical map of that country tacked up on a wall, what milestones would be pinned on that map?
Yesterday, I put a special pin on the map of my podcasting journey — pin #300. That’s right, yesterday’s episode of my podcast Play Your Podcast is number 300, and I am proud to say I did it! I achieved a goal that once seemed very, very far away.
I have my guests to thank, I have you to thank, I am thanking myself for setting this goal and achieving it on the day I said I would, July 9th, 2020. That doesn’t always happen. There are plenty of times in my life when I didn’t hit a goal on the date I put on the calendar.
Today is not one of those days.
To be clear, July 9th, 2020 was not a date I had on my calendar for a long time. I only recently set that date when I realized I was getting close to 300. When 2020 started I told myself I’d hit 300 by the end of December. Then COVID 19 showed up and I realized I could get to that goal a lot faster. So I reverse-engineered from 300 and wrote one episode per day 5 x a week — July 9th was the date and here I am.
What does having 300 episodes mean?
One thing it means is I have entered an elite class of podcasters. For that, I am very proud. I was curious to find out how many podcasters have achieved the milestone of having 300 episodes and you know what’s interesting?
I’m having trouble finding that data.
There’s tons of data about episode download numbers. That seems to be a favorite metric of success. But what about the people who have stayed with podcasting long after the early excitement phase of starting a show has worn off?
Apparently it’s so rare, the data sets aren’t easily findable online.
To give you some perspective and context, here’s some data about podcasting in general. These data points come from an article written in 2018 by Steven Goldstein who is the CEO of Amplifi Media, an audio innovation firm. Here’s what he shares about podcasting longevity:
- Industry veterans report that many podcasts “podfade” by their 7th episode, meaning they cease production.
- In 2018, there were 540,000 podcast titles and the number rises by about 2,000 every week.
- Between 2016 and 2018, 200,000 new podcast titles appeared, and more than half are out of production. More than half. “Podfade” comes in at a remarkable 50%.
- 132,000 of the total 540,000 created a new show in all of 2017. That clocks in at just under 25% of all podcasts with new production. So the inverse; 75% of podcasts are no longer in production.
- As with any bright shiny new thing on the block… there’s an accelerated rush followed by a gravitational pull downward as reality sets in and the hard work mounts.
An article published on Medium on October 12, 2018 by Liam Niemeyer adds to this conversation and shares these stats:
As of September 2018, Blubrry’s directory has more than 620,000 podcasts—a number that is updated every four hours. 510,000 of those shows have produced zero new episodes in the last 90 days.
I’d not heard the term podfade before reading this article and it may be a term that’s new to you as well. Here’s what it means:
“Podfade,” first coined in 2005, refers to a podcast that has stopped publishing episodes.
And the reasons why podcasts fall off a metaphorical cliff? They vary. Here are seven reasons most podcasts succumb to podfade:
- New podcasters don’t know what they’re getting into
- There’s a lot more planning involved than most people realize
- There’s a lot more to keeping a podcast going than most people realize
- People lose interest in their topic
- It was a hobby from the start
- It’s not a fast way to make money
- Life gets in the way
In other words, like anything else in life, to get the glory you have to do the work.
I’ve stayed with podcasting for as long as I have because I love it. I love showing up to the mic, practicing my interviewing skills. I’ve learned how to craft solo episodes like this one with audio clips built in for emphasis or entertainment or just plain fun…I’ve found my voice, I’ve grown my network, I’ve become a better business woman.
Does this podcast earn boatloads of cash?
No, but it has led me to paid client engagements. And it showcases my personal brand in a way nothing else does.
It also means I’ve heard nearly 200 people say thanks to me.
That in itself is pretty darn cool.
Next Milestones
In case you haven’t figured it out yet, let me say it again — I love podcasting. I love this medium more and more each day. I don’t plan on stopping — I am now thinking about my next goal, my next milestone.
Can I get to 400? Why not?
Yesterday was a day to celebrate milestones — days like that don’t come along often which is why we call them milestones.
The big takeaway here is this — achieving something big isn’t as out of reach as you might think.
What milestone is next on your radar?
Challenge yourself to something that’s been on your list or has seemed far, far away. Pick a date that scares you a little and then reverse engineer from that date the decisions and tasks you need to make and do to get between now and then.
Imagine your life as a country — where haven’t you explored yet? Where do you want to put your next pin?
