5 Podcasting Myths You Need to Stop Believing

Last updated: 16 February 2023

Podcasting has become an increasingly popular medium in recent years, but with the rise of this medium comes a lot of misconceptions and myths. From the idea that podcasting is only for the tech-savvy to the belief that you need a large budget to produce a successful podcast, there are many misconceptions that are holding people back from starting their own podcast. Here are 5 podcasting myths you need to stop believing:

Myth 1: Podcasting is only for the tech-savvy

While it’s true that podcasting requires some technical know-how, it’s not as difficult as some people believe. With the availability of affordable and user-friendly podcasting equipment and software, anyone can start a podcast with minimal technical knowledge.

Many USB microphones can be plugged in to a phone for simple, portable, high-quality recording. There are also very high quality portable recorders that record to an SD card. A lot of undesirable audio artifacts come from the environment and many of these can be solved cheaply with some pillows and a pop/wind shield.

For editing, there are so many resources such as YouTube for learning to use the available tools. You can even outsource the editing if you use a platform like Fiverr or Upwork, or team up with a production company.

Podcast hosting platforms like Anchor, Buzzsprout, and Podbean, have made it easy for anyone to create, publish and distribute a podcast. See our guide to choosing a podcast hosting platform.

Myth 2: You need a large budget to produce a successful podcast

Podcasting can be done on a small budget. While some podcasters may choose to invest in expensive equipment and software, it’s not necessary to produce a high-quality podcast. Many podcasters use basic equipment like a USB microphone, a computer and editing software like Audacity and Garageband. The key to producing a successful podcast is to focus on the content and the storytelling.

When you do want to focus on music and audio branding, check out our other article How to Create a Professional Podcast Intro and Outro.

Myth 3: Podcasts are only for niche audiences

There’s a common belief that podcasts are only for niche audiences, but that’s definitely not the case. Podcasts cover a wide range of topics, from true crime to comedy to business and more. There’s a podcast for every interest, and with the growing popularity of podcasting, the audience is becoming more diverse. You can go as horizontal or vertical from your starting topic as you like. Having a narrow focus can make it easier to become the leader in a field but being broad could open the door to more ideas, guests and a more diverse listener demographic.

Myth 4: Podcasts are only for the young

Podcasts are enjoyed by people of all ages. According to the MIDAS Summer 2022 Survey 34% of weekly podcast listeners are aged 35 and over. The age group with the highest percentage of podcast listeners is the 25-34 demographic (27%), followed by both the 15-24 and 35-54 demographics (23%).

Traditional broadcasters such as NPR and BBC see especially good download statistics from older demographics. This shows that podcasts are enjoyed by people of all ages and not just the young.

Myth 5: Podcasts are dying

The fist big wave of podcasting started around 2004 and it doesn’t show any signs of going anywhere. In fact, the podcasting industry continues to grow, with more and more listeners tuning in every year.

The MIDAS Summer 2022 Survey shows that weekly reach of “Podcasts/Downloads” to adults has grown by 86% in the last 5 years to 10.5M people (UK). According to the IAB and PwC, last year revenues increased 72% YoY to $1.4B and are forecasted to exceed $2B in 2022 and almost triple by 2024 to over $4B.

Podcasts continue to be an engaging and effective medium for storytelling, entertainment, and education.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Podcasting is a versatile medium that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, interests, and technical abilities. With the availability of affordable and user-friendly podcasting equipment and software, anyone can start a podcast. It’s also important to remember that podcast

Photo credits: Nipyata, Ross Sneddon