Fear of Missing Out, commonly known as FOMO, is often viewed as a negative psychological phenomenon - one that drives people to make impulsive decisions or feel anxiety over not participating in trending activities. However, for podcasters, FOMO is an incredibly valuable tool that can be leveraged to grow an audience, increase engagement, and create a sense of urgency around their content.

At its core, FOMO is about the fear that something exciting or valuable is happening elsewhere, and not being part of it could mean missing out on important information or experiences. In the world of podcasting, this emotional trigger can be a powerful asset in attracting and retaining listeners. By tapping into this feeling, podcasters can create a deep sense of anticipation and exclusivity around their episodes, encouraging more people to tune in regularly.

When I started my podcast, I thought my microphone was the most important tool I needed. I remember researching it and looking for the best-sounding mic within my budget, thinking that was the podcast magic. Four years and three microphones later, I realize that I can have the best mic out there, but the mic isn’t doing the work - I am. I’m starting to lose that podcast magic and feel the podcast grind, and my mic is the least important tool I can count on right now.

The monotony of podcasting - scheduling, recording, editing, social media, etc. - is a lot. This is especially true when you’re a one-person show and you’re wearing all the hats, and I know I’m not alone in that. The podcast grind is getting more difficult to manage and I find myself fighting the statistics.

According to Podmatch.com, there is only a 10.3% chance of podcasters reaching 50 episodes and approximately 66 podcasters quit every single day!

The podcrash is real, my friends, and it begs the question: why do we always hear folks talk about “leveling up their sound” and “increasing download numbers,” but we don’t hear anyone getting real about the podcast grind that can lead straight to a podcrash?

At first I thought, “Maybe the beginning of the year is an odd time to talk about this,” but, maybe it’s actually perfect. ‘Tis the season for a fresh start, after all. And, if you’re like me, you don’t want to quit - you just need to tap into some new energy, and give your podcast some much-needed “umpf.”