58. The big risk with releasing more podcast content

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Have you ever thought about releasing two podcast episodes a week

Laura: Have you ever thought about releasing two podcast episodes a week, but then instantly felt overwhelmed just thinking about it? Today we’re breaking down whether it’s worth it, what to consider, and how to do it without burning out. Welcome to Podcast Strategy that brings in clients. I’m Your host, Laura McRae, podcast producer and content strategist. If you want your podcast to bring in leads, build trust, and support your business, you’re in the right place. Because smart content starts with your podcast, but it doesn’t stop there. Hello and welcome to the Show.

Increasing podcast publishing frequency can help your podcast grow faster, experts say

I’m Laura McRae, podcast consultant and founder of Podcast Support Services, where we help business owners create consistent, strategic podcasts that support their business growth. Today, I’m answering a question that I get asked, uh, so often. Should I release more than one episode a week? Releasing more episodes sounds like a great idea until you remember what’s actually involved. There’s the recording, editing, writing notes, planning content, managing guests, and then promoting. It’s a lot. And if you’re already stretched with one podcast episode a week, adding more might feel impossible. You might also worry your audience won’t keep up or that you’ll need to cut corners and sacrifice quality just to stick to the schedule. These are real concerns, and I’ve seen so many podcasters go from excited to exhausted because they didn’t plan properly. So if this has been on your mind too, I want to walk you through the pros and cons and a few things to consider before making any changes. When done, intentionally increasing your publishing frequency can really help your podcast grow faster. Here’s what I often see happen. When podcasters publish more than one episode a week, downloads grow faster as there’s more content, which in turn means more listens. Your show gets found more easily as every episode becomes a new entry point. You build trust quicker because you’re showing up more and therefore building more connection. Your SEO improves when you turn your transcripts into blog posts on your website, and you get more chances to talk about your offers without feeling salsy. If your content supports your business goals, publishing more often can seriously grow your visibility and momentum. But with the good comes the bad, too. There’s a flip side to this. Here are a few challenges to keep in mind. First, if you’re already juggling too much, more episodes might push you over the edge, causing burnout. Secondly, if your listeners can’t keep up, your completion rates could drop and your audience could get overwhelmed. And lastly, your quality could dip. Rushing to release more can lead to sloppy episodes, and your audience will notice. I’M not going to name names, but I used to have a favourite podcast that I listened to every week. It was a business coach and I just loved her podcast. And then she went to two episodes a week. And just like I’ve mentioned here, I couldn’t keep up with the episodes and I found the quality was really poor. I’m all up for repurposing, I think it’s a great idea. But she would repurpose some of her Facebook lives and coaching sessions and the audio was terrible. There was this continual buzzing in the background which I found really distracting. And each episode wasn’t as, um, on topic anymore. It just turned all a bit bland. So I haven’t listened to that podcast in ages since it’s gone to two a week. So I don’t know what her intention was. Maybe it was to get more downloads, but through doing that, she’s lost me as a listener. She might have lost some more. But yes, there’s good things and bad things about doing extra episodes. So before you decide, you’ve got to be honest with yourself about your capacity and your audience’s behaviour. If you’re considering releasing more often, then I recommend you ask yourself these questions. How’s your current workflow? Is it already hard to keep up? What’s your audience telling you? Are they asking for more? If not, maybe you don’t need to go to 2. Are your current episodes being listened to all the way through or are, ah, people dropping off halfway through? Do you have capacity or could you outsource some of the parts like editing or admin? 1 option I love suggesting. If you are planning on going up to two episodes a week, then make the second one a short episode. This, this could be five to 10 minutes long. It could be a tip, a storey, a um, mindset shift or something like that you’ve learned yourself. If you’re still unsure, do a six to eight week experiment batch, record in advance, plan your content and track your downloads, retention, feedback and your own stress levels. Then reassess after six to eight weeks and see if it’s worth it. Here’s what I want you to remember. More episodes

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means more listens, but it doesn’t necessarily mean more listeners. It might be the same people just coming back. You might not be getting new listeners. And if you do increase frequency and later scale back, that’s okay. Podcasting isn’t about being perfect, it’s about finding a rhythm that works for you and your audience. So if you’re thinking about changing your podcast schedule, start small, review your analytics and ask your audience or run a six to eight week experiment to see what’s possible. And if you’re still not sure, that’s where I come in. Whether you need help planning your content or managing your backend, I offer podcast packages to suit different budgets. Let’s make your podcast easier and more enjoyable. Book a call. I’ll put a link in the show notes so there’s no magic number for how often to publish episodes. It’s about sustainability, strategy and serving your audience well. More content can help your podcast to grow, but only if it works for you. Thanks for being here and I’ll catch you next time.

This episode is brought to you by Podcast Support Services

This episode is brought to you by Podcast Support Services. Podcast strategy that attracts leads, clients, and credibility. Are you looking for a podcast producer? We may have availability. Head to podcastsupportservices.com.

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