The most common mistakes when starting a podcast aren’t technical: they’re about planning. Starting without a clear topic, publishing inconsistently, spending on gear before you know if you even like it, and expecting fast results cause many projects to fizzle out within a few episodes. The good news is that all of them can be prevented with simple decisions before you record.
Here are twelve, grouped by stage, with what you can do about each one.
Before recording
1. A topic that’s too broad
“A podcast about a bit of everything” is hard to recommend. Nobody knows who to send it to. A focused topic, like “personal finance for people who live on tips,” has a smaller potential audience but is far easier to find and win over.
What to do: finish this sentence: “This podcast is for [person] who wants [outcome].” If you can’t, keep refining.
2. Buying expensive gear too early
It’s tempting to start with a professional microphone, an interface, and lights. But if you find out after five episodes that you don’t enjoy the format, all that money ends up sitting in a drawer.
What to do: start with the basics. A simple USB microphone and headphones are enough. The guide to podcast equipment for beginners tells you what to prioritize.
3. Not recording a pilot
The first episode you record is almost never your best. If you publish it, it becomes your calling card.
What to do: record one or two test episodes you won’t publish. They help you find your rhythm, catch audio problems, and get over the fear.
4. Choosing a name that’s impossible to search
Names with odd symbols, made-up words that are hard to spell, or names identical to other well-known podcasts.
What to do: say it out loud to someone and ask them to search for it on their phone. If they can’t find it, change it.
While recording
5. Echoey or noisy audio
People forgive mediocre visuals, but they’ll leave if the audio is annoying. Echo from an empty room and street noise are the most common enemies.
What to do: record in the room with the most soft stuff (curtains, a bed, clothes), close the windows, and get closer to the mic. More ideas in how to reduce echo in a room.
6. Endless intros
Five minutes of “hey, how’s everyone, it’s so hot today, before we start let me tell you…” Many new listeners leave before you ever get to the topic.
What to do: get to the topic within the first minute. You can say hi, but quickly say what the episode is about and why it matters.
7. Improvising everything
Talking with no structure usually ends in repetition, silences, and half-finished topics.
What to do: you don’t need a word-for-word script, but you do need an outline: three or four segments with what you want to say. Learn how to build one in how to write a podcast script.
8. Everyone talking at once
In podcasts with several people, talking over each other is normal at first. Listeners struggle to follow who’s saying what.
What to do: agree on turns, wear headphones, and leave half a second of pause before speaking. If there’s a moderator, let them share out the floor.
When publishing
9. Being inconsistent
Three episodes in one week and then nothing for two months. Your audience doesn’t know when to come back.
What to do: choose a frequency you can keep up even during a rough week. Every two weeks, reliably, beats every week on and off. If you can, record two or three episodes in reserve.
10. Titles that say nothing
“Episode 7” or “Chat with Andrew” doesn’t tell anyone why they should listen.
What to do: put the specific topic in the title, the way someone would search for it. “How to negotiate your first raise, with Andrew Perez.”
11. Not promoting
Publishing and waiting for people to show up on their own almost never works at the start.
What to do: share every episode on your socials, ask your guest to share it, and pull short clips. One small promotion task per episode already makes a difference.
In your head
12. Measuring yourself against the big shows
Comparing your tenth episode to the three-hundredth episode of a well-known podcast with a production team would discourage anyone.
What to do: only compare yourself to yourself. Does this episode sound better than the first one? Do you feel more comfortable? That’s progress.
Summary table
| Mistake | Quick fix |
|---|---|
| Broad topic | Define the person and the outcome |
| Expensive gear | Start with the basics |
| No pilot | Record a test episode |
| Hard-to-find name | Check that someone can find it |
| Echo or noise | A room with soft objects and the mic up close |
| Long intros | Get to the topic in the first minute |
| Improvising everything | An outline with three or four segments |
| Everyone talking at once | Take turns and wear headphones |
| Inconsistency | A realistic frequency and episodes in reserve |
| Empty titles | The specific topic in the title |
| No promotion | One promotion action per episode |
| Comparing yourself | Measure your own progress |
A bonus mistake: thinking you need a physical studio
Lots of people put off their podcast because they don’t have a nice space or cameras. If you want to do a video podcast, there are alternatives that don’t require building a real set. In remocast, for example, you build the studio in the browser, choose your avatar, and bring in your guests with a link. Your audio still depends on your microphone; that doesn’t change.
Want to start without making the mistake of waiting? Create your studio for free.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the biggest mistake when starting a podcast?
Quitting because of inconsistency. A podcast needs time to find its audience, and most technical mistakes get fixed with practice. Stopping publishing doesn’t.
Should I delete my first episodes if they sound bad?
It’s not necessary. Many podcasters keep them as part of their story. If one has a serious audio problem, you can hide it or re-record that topic later.
How many episodes should I have before launching?
Launching with two or three episodes published helps newcomers have more than one to listen to. It also gives you room to keep up your frequency during the first few weeks.