Before you can work to improve your podcast you need a baseline from which to work.
Without one, you can put in the time and effort to implement changes that you might view as improvements, but which might actually be taking you further away from the show your audience really wants.
One of the best ways to establish this baseline is by doing an episode debrief following each episode.
The debrief is a time to look both critically and analytically at your recent episode and decide what worked and what didn’t.
Analyze the Metrics
Note the metrics on both your downloads and your social media accounts. Where did you get the most traction? How does this episode stack up against previous episodes?
If you have fewer downloads than typical, why might that be? If you have more downloads than typical, why might that be and can you replicate it going forward?
Assessing the raw data is an important part of the debrief and it can help you understand which episodes and topics are resonating with your audience. But it’s the easy part, however.
Analyze the Content
More important is to analyze the episode content itself and think about what worked and what didn’t.
Was there a clear takeaway from the episode? Did it hook people within the first 30 seconds and hold their attention throughout? If you were interviewing a guest were your questions relevant to what your audience comes to you to learn? What feedback–or lack thereof–did you get from your listeners?
These questions require you to assess your work critically and break it down into its elemental components. Once you’ve identified which components are additive to the quality of the show and which are subtractive, you can ditch the pieces that are holding you back and add more of the ones that work.
Doing a debrief takes time, but you’d be amazed by what you can learn from an hour spent taking a close look at your latest episode and writing up a report.
There’s an aspect of accountability in play as well. When you know you’re going to grade yourself on each episode, you put in a little extra effort during the creation process.
Set aside 30–60 minutes a week for a quick debrief and you’ll uncover everything you need to know about what to keep, what to fix, and what to double down on.
Then it’s just a matter of working your way down your to-do list, improving your podcast 1% at a time.
Every Sunday I send out an exclusive article on how to use podcasting to build an audience and grow your business.
No opt-in, no freebie no bribe. But hopefully a new perspective, encouragement, and maybe even some occasional wisdom. It’s something I’m proud to create and I’d be honoured to share it with you.
Jeremy travels full-time, loves long-distance cycle touring, and will always look back on the day he finally saved up enough money to buy the Millennium Falcon Lego set as one of his proudest achievements. He believes that the way to grow sustainable businesses is by leading with heart, vulnerability, and helping your people be and become their best selves.
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