Why it’s a Bad Idea to Launch your Podcast in January
Seems like all of your friends and family have started a Podcast, but you decided to take it slow, and prepare for a January launch. While I support podcasters to take their time when preparing a launch, I do discourage rolling out a Podcast in the beginning of the year. In this article I explain why.
1. You’re competing with everyone else
If you thought launching your Podcast after the Holidays was a good idea, so did the rest of the world. Competition will be fierce, and you’ll be sharing the timeline with so many other Podcasters who are just debuting their show. Downloads may be limited during this time as your online promotion will be lost among the competition.
2. Most people are busy setting their new goals in motion
‘New Year, New Me’ means every single person who has made New Year’s Resolutions is busy acting on them, so they may exclusively be listening to Podcasts who focus on how to plan for a successful year. Their playlists may be filled with Inspirational and Business Podcasts and their downtime will probably be filled with actionable tasks, not relaxed activities or discovering new Podcasts.
3. You’ve missed the slower Holiday times
Yes, you read that right. A big misconception is that the Holiday Season is still spent in family, enjoying each other’s company, chatting around the fireplace, the kitchen or the backyard, but the reality is that most families are now glued to technology, or are using technology when interacting with their family. Take a minute to remember how Grandma, Aunts or Cousins were spending the day scrolling through Facebook, showing you viral memes, or listening in to their favorite celebrity Podcast. Overlooking this time of the year could hurt you: people tend to change it up during the holidays and offer Podcast recommendations to others: what a better time to go back home and share with friends and family your Podcast and help them subscribe to it right there and then?
4. Gift season’s gone…
… and so is your chance to earn some $$ on your merch store! Secret Santa at work, friends’ gatherings or Christmas gifts for that uncle who has everything are perfect opportunities to promote your Podcast or to share with your community how to support your Podcast.
5. Booking guests could be harder
If you plan on recording every week and don’t have a log of pre-recorded episodes you could struggle to book guests, as people could be busy launching a new product, project or catching up on work.
So in short: consider launching your show in early December.
Book a strategy call with us today to get your Podcast off the ground. We’ll help you craft a plan that will help you grow your Business, improve lead-generation and position you as a thought leader in your industry.