Avoid Flushing Your Audience Goodbye

There are those that are going to be surprised by today’s content. Why? Because I’m going to admit to making one of the biggest mistakes (if not THE biggest mistake) you can make in podcasting. This deals with your podcast feed. When you learn to shave, you have to learn how to hold the razor properly. 

The Radio Analogy

Let’s start with some analogies. Radio is broadcasted on a frequency. That frequency is then deciphered by a radio receiver, which turns it into music. 

Podcasting is syndicated via your feed and is deciphered via an app. So you had DJ to Frequency to Radio. Now you have podcasters to feed to app. In radio, you had to make sure your radio tower was always operational. If the tower had an issue, you were no longer broadcasting, and your station went dead. With podcasting everything, I mean EVERYTHING is tied to your feed. Guard it with your life. 

Change of Address Forms

The other analogy I want to bring here is the change of address form. I’m going to be moving later this year, and when I am finished set up,at my apartment, I’m going to fill out a change of address form with the US Post office that says,”Any mail going to Dave Jackson at his apartment should now be delivered to his house.” 

Here is the problem you want to avoid. 

What if your favorite pizza place was at 123 Main Street, and they moved. They had no website, and when you dialed their phone number it said it was disconnected. You LOVED their food, but you had no idea where to get it. 

If a radio station moved from 98.7 to 100.2 and didn’t let their audience know, you would have to scan the dial searching for your favorite station. 

When you move from one feed to another without doing a 301 redirect you strand your audience who is still looking at your old (dead) feed. 

How Did This Happen?

So how did the guy who warns everyone to be careful when dealing with feeds shoot himself in the foot? 

I did this late at night (post-midnight right before I was heading to bed). Looking back we always have 20/20 vision, but I’m pretty sure this not when I’m at my sharpest. 

You might say I got, "Too comfortable with the knife." What I mean by this is if you do something dangerous over and over, after a while, you get comfortable, confident, and potentially end up cutting yourself. If this had been a client’s account I was working on, I would’ve shut off all distractions, double and tripled checked my steps, and things would’ve been fine. In my case, I knew the procedure, logged in, copied, and pasted and was getting ready to head to bed. I was too comfortable with the knife. 

In looking at my stats, it appears I came away with a bruise instead of needing stitches. 

I Appeared on the Krisk and Kristine Show

You can check out my appearance on episode 48 of the Kris and Kristine show. Link to episode 48.

Update on Conferences

Podfest is doing and online conference while trying to set a Guinness World Record. I will speak at that event. 

Podcast Movement will be in person in 2021 in Nashville, and in 2020 they have moved to an online event. 

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2025 Audience Survey

2025 Audience Survey