What If I Don't Have a Lot of Listeners?

Building an Audience Takes Time

Lots of podcasters (especially new podcasters) look at the download numbers and feel discouraged. But the key is to keep moving forward.

We cannot stress this enough to independent podcasters: building your podcast audience takes time. Lots of new podcasters give up on their podcasts too early because they're not seeing the download numbers they were expecting. But we’re here to tell you not to give up. It's just a matter of shifting your perspective.

If you create high-quality episodes that provide value and put them out on a consistent basis, your audience will come.

The truth about podcasting is that a large majority of podcasts don't have large audiences. According to Rob Walch of Libsyn, the average podcast episode sees about 141 downloads within the first 30 days.

And depending on what kind of podcast you're creating, your audience size might not matter that much. What really matters is that you're making a connection with your audience. Even if you're only seeing a handful of downloads each episode, those listeners are coming back for your content. It sounds like an excellent opportunity to get to know those folks better, and how you can provide even more value to them. Because you're providing them with value, your episodes will certainly have value for future audience members who find your podcast.

Remember, the key is to create high quality content that provides value. So be patient, keep honing your content, and keep creating.