63. Why most podcasters burn out after 10 episodes

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Laura McRae talks about podcast burnout and how to avoid it

Laura: Hello and um, welcome back to the podcast. Today I want to talk about something that I see all too often and that’s podcast burnout. The kind of burnout that creeps in around the 10 episode mark. You start strong, full of energy and ideas, but then life gets busy, episodes get harder to keep up with, and suddenly this thing that was meant to grow your business feels more like a part time job. If you’ve ever felt that way, this episode’s for you. Welcome to Podcast strategy that brings in clients. I’m Your host, Laura McRrae, podcast producer and content strategist. If you want your podcast to bring in leads, build trust and um, support your business, you’re in the right place. Because smart content starts with your podcast, but it doesn’t stop there. Lets normalise this for a second. Most podcasts don’t even make it past episode 10. And not because people don’t care, but because they didn’t realise just how much time podcasting can chew through. When you’re trying to do it all yourself, you’re not just hitting record and uploading, you’re editing, you’re writing show notes, creating social media graphics, following up with guests, scheduling everything, and um, wondering why it’s not even working. It’s a lot, especially when you’ve already got a full calendar. One really practical thing I always suggest is tracking how long your podcast actually takes you each week. You can use a free tool like toggl. It’s basically just a simple time tracking app. You hit start, do the task and then you hit stop. That’s it. There’s no spreadsheets and you don’t have to think about anything. Then you can add all the time up at the end. I recommend using it for a couple of episodes and tracking everything podcast related. That would include editing, writing show notes, creating graphics, uploading the episode, scheduling your socials, following up with guests, all of it, even the bits that you don’t even really think about. Most people assume podcasting only takes an hour or two and then they see the numbers and they realise it’s more like five, eight and sometimes even 10 hours a week. Once you can see where your time is going, it becomes much easier to make decisions that protect your energy. Things like outsourcing, editing, show notes, uploads, or even the whole back end so you can focus on the parts that matter, like recording, showing up consistently and running your business. Let me tell you about my client, Ann Marie. She had a podcast 10 episodes in. She was doing everything solo. She thought it was going well until she found out her episodes were only publishing to Apple podcasts and nowhere else. Coughs, awkward pauses. They were all left in. There was no editing at all. Her content wasn’t connected to her offers and she wasn’t getting leads together. We relaunched her show with a proper strategy and back end support. Her podcast, called Motivational Medium now aligns with her business goals. It’s showing up everywhere, her ideal clients hang out, and it’s working hard behind the scenes. She’s now got clients across the globe, a waiting list and sell out events all tied directly to her podcast. And that’s the power of doing podcasting right? Here’s another quick way to cheque in with your show. Look at the last few episodes and ask yourself, do these topics lead listeners closer to working with me? If your content isn’t guiding people towards your offers or showcasing your expertise in a way that supports your business, it might be time for a strategy refresh. There’s no shame if it’s not hitting the mark. You don’t know what you don’t know, and that’s what I’m here for. Finally, ask yourself this. Is your podcast giving you energy, bringing in leads and helping your business, or is it starting to feel like a bit of a drain? If it’s starting to feel more like a job you didn’t sign up for, that’s usually a sign you’re doing too much on your own. The good news is you don’t have to keep pushing through and doing it all. You’re allowed to get support, and bringing in help is often one of the smartest moves you can make. I want to break this down even further. Most business owners spend five to 10 hours a week trying to keep their podcast going. That’s editing, admin, show notes, social content, scheduling, repurposing, and, um, whatever else you’re doing with your podcast. If your hourly rate is $150, that’s up to $1,500 a week of your time spent doing back end work that someone else could be doing for you. And they could be doing it more efficiently

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Laura: and with better results. That’s a full time commitment to a podcast that might not even be aligned with your business strategy. So if you’re listening and nodding along, maybe it’s time to let go of the back end of your podcast. Let your podcast work for you, not against you. Imagine just showing up to record and knowing everything else is taken care of. Ah, and that is actually moving the needle for your business. That’s exactly what I help my clients do. If you’re ready to feel excited about your show again and finally see results, you can cheque out my podcast management packages@, uh, podcastsupportservices.com let’s chat about what support could look like for you.

This episode is brought to you by Podcast Support Services

Thanks for being here and I’ll catch you in the next episode. 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 au.

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