Podcast Myth Busters

Hey, Podcasters! 

Podcasting is full of well-intentioned advice. Some of it helps, but sometimesit's a myth.

In our latest Buzzcast episode, Kevin, Jordan, and Alban unpack three common myths that often slow podcasters down and explain what actually moves a show forward.

Myth 1: You must launch with three episodes

This advice has been passed around for years. The theory is that more episodes mean more downloads and a better shot at being featured by Apple Podcasts.

But here's the thing: there is no official rule.

Apple does not require three episodes to launch or be featured. If it fits your format, launch with more than one. But many shows get featured with a single episode or a trailer.

If you do want to be featured, what helps most is submitting for promotion within the first six months of launch, choosing Monday as your feature date in Apple’s form, and having strong cover art and titles.

We break down the full myth on Buzzcast! 

Myth 2: You need expensive equipment to sound professional

High-end microphones are appealing but not required. A $70 Samson Q2U can sound nearly identical to a $600 studio mic with the right setup.

Focus first on the basics: a quiet room, proper technique, and simple editing will take you further than new gear.

Myth 3: There are too many podcasts

Podcasting might feel crowded, but most shows stop after a few episodes. 

You'd be surprised that only a fraction of podcasts release new episodes each month!

And podcast listenership keeps growing. There is still room for new, high-quality shows that serve a clear audience.

As Alban said on Buzzcast: “I always have room in my life for another podcast I love.”

You can also check out the Reddit discussion where podcasters shared this myth and others that almost stopped them from starting.

Takeaway

You do not need three episodes, a thousand-dollar mic, or perfect timing to launch. You need content that your audience values and the consistency to keep going.

If you want to hear more podcasting myths debunked, listen to the full Buzzcast episode! 

Chapters

• 0:00 Setting The Myth-Busting Stage
• 0:26 Myth 1: Launching With Three Episodes
• 1:14 Myth 2: Expensive Gear Equals Pro Sound
• 1:44 Myth 3: The Space Is Too Crowded
• 2:16 Key Takeaways And Sign-Off

Transcript

Megan: 0:00

Hey podcasters, I'm Megan, and this is Buzzsprout Weekly. Podcasting is full of well-intentioned advice. Some of it helps, but sometimes it's just a myth. In our latest BuzzCast episode, Kevin, Jordan, and Alban unpack three common myths that often slow podcasters down and explain what actually moves a show forward. Let's get into some of the myths. Myth number one, you must launch with three episodes. This advice has been passed around for years. The theory is that more episodes mean more downloads and a better shot at being featured by Apple Podcasts. But here's the thing: there is no official rule. Apple Podcasts does not require three episodes to launch or be featured. If it fits your format, that's great, you can launch with more than one. But many shows get featured with a single episode or even just a trailer. If you do want to be featured, what helps the most is submitting for promotion within the first six months of your launch. Choose a Monday as your feature date in Apple's forum and have strong cover art and titles. We break down this full myth on this week's episode of Buzzcast. Check the link in our show notes to listen. Myth number two, you need expensive equipment to sound professional. High-end microphones are appealing, but they are not required. A $70 Samsung Q2U can sound nearly identical to a $600 studio microphone with the right setup. I'm even using one right now. Focus first on the basics. You want a quiet room, proper technique, and simple editing, it's gonna take you so much further than any new gear. And myth number three: there are too many podcasts. Podcasting might feel crowded, but most shows stop after a few episodes. You'd be surprised that only a fraction of podcasts release new episodes each month. And podcast listenership keeps growing. There is still room for new, high-quality shows that serve a clear audience. As Alban says on Buzzcast, I always have room in my life for another podcast I love. You can also check out a discussion on Reddit where podcasters shared this myth and others that stopped them from starting. You can check the link in our show notes to read through that. So our key takeaways here: you do not need three episodes in a thousand dollar mic or perfect timing to launch your podcast. You need content that your audience values and the consistency to keep going. If you want to hear more podcasting myths debunked, listen to the full Buzzcast episode using the link in our show notes. Alright, that's all for this week. Until next week, keep podcasting.