Podcasting has exploded in popularity over the past few years, with more and more people turning to this medium to share their thoughts and ideas with the world. But while it’s relatively easy to start a podcast, ensuring that your content is of high quality can be a bit more challenging.
This is where auditing your own podcast comes in.
By taking the time to review your podcast, you can identify areas for improvement and make changes that will help you produce a better show.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of auditing your podcast, as well as some tips and tricks for doing so effectively.
And whether you’re a seasoned podcaster or just starting out, we will help you take your show to the next level.
What is an audit?
An audit is a process of examining and reviewing something to ensure that it meets expected standards.
In podcasting, auditing your show means looking at a range of areas from a listener’s point of view to figure out how to make improvements and up your podcasting game.
A lot of the time, I see audits focusing just on weaknesses and areas for improvement.
But this isn’t all that auditing is. Auditing is also recognising where you’re doing things well and the strengths of your podcast.
During your audit, you may review aspects such as the structure and format of your episodes, the sound quality of your recordings, the consistency of your release schedule, and the engagement and feedback you receive from your listeners. The goal is to gain a clear understanding of what’s working well and what needs improvement, and to develop a plan for implementing changes that will help your podcast grow and thrive.
It can feel quite cringy to review your own work, but the more you do it, the more comfortable you’ll become with auditing your own work.
So grab a cup of tea, and let’s get started.
Why audit your own podcast?
There are many reasons why you should audit your own podcast:
- Identify areas for improvement: By auditing your podcast, you can identify areas that need improvement. This could include the quality of your content, your delivery, your show notes, or the production value of your episodes. This can help you make changes that will enhance the listening experience for your audience.
- Improve listener engagement: Through the feedback you gather during an audit, you can gain insight into what your listeners want to hear and how you can better engage them. By making changes based on this feedback, you can build stronger relationships with your audience and keep them coming back for more. Why? Because your audience are seeing that you’re listening to what you’re telling them and responding to the feedback. Of course, it is your podcast at the end of the day, so no, you don’t have to change your podcast to suit every piece of audience feedback.
- Maintain quality standards: Podcasting is a highly competitive medium, and many other shows are vying for your listeners’ attention. By auditing your podcast, you can ensure that you are meeting the quality standards that your audience expects and that you are producing content that is worth their time. It might even be worth looking at the quality of other shows that your audience might be interested in to draw a comparison and see where improvements can be made.
- Stay organised and on track: Auditing your podcast can also help you stay organised and on track with your production schedule. By reviewing your past episodes and planning for the future, you can ensure that you are delivering content consistently and effectively. When you audit, you don’t have to go through your entire back catalogue. You might choose a few episodes at random, or focus on a particular month or season.
How to audit your own podcast
Set aside some time to audit your podcast, grab your favourite hot drink and get comfy. If you’re comfortable during the audit you’ll have more fun doing it and see the audit as an enjoyable experience rather than ‘work.’
Listen to your past episodes
Start by listening to your past episodes with a critical ear.
You don’t need to listen to every single episode that you’ve ever published; choose a selection at random, or your least listened to episodes. Make sure that you listen to your intro and outro as well as the episode content for a full listener experience!
I only ever include 3-4 episodes per audit as this is enough to give me a flavour of a show, without being overwhelmed with the amount of content to review.
Take notes on what worked well and what could be improved. Pay attention to things like the structure and format of your episodes, the sound quality of your recordings, and the delivery of your content.
Review your analytics
Look at your podcast analytics to get a better understanding of your audience demographics, listening habits, and engagement levels. Use this data to identify trends and patterns that can help you better target your content to your listeners.
Gather feedback
Reach out to your listeners for feedback on your show. This can be done through social media, email, or a survey. Ask for their opinions on what they like and dislike about your podcast, and what changes they would like to see.
Evaluate your branding
Take a critical look at your podcast branding, including your cover art, website, and social media profiles. Make sure they accurately reflect your podcast and are appealing to your target audience.
Plan for the future
Use the insights you gain from your audit to develop a plan for the future of your podcast. This may involve making changes to your content, improving your production quality, or adjusting your marketing strategy.
Can you audit my podcast for me?
Sure I can!
Podcast audits are a service that I LOVE to offer!
Why? Because I love being able to help podcasters drive their podcast forward and achieve their podcasting goals.
(Plus, I have a lot of experience from auditing to a professional level in previous roles).
As a podcast manager, I can provide you with an objective evaluation of your content, production quality, and overall performance, and offer recommendations for improvements that can help you take your show to the next level.
Check out this testimonial from a recent podcast audit:
