✊ One wrong word might just kill your podcast

404 WORDS | READ TIME: 1.5 MIN

Happy Friday friends,

Sometimes, one word is all it takes to make or break your podcast.

The right word, in the right place—the title, perhaps—can capture and bottle your show's essence, perfectly framing who and what it's for, and what makes it interesting.

The wrong word, on the other hand...

The wrong word can instantly plant doubt, confusion, and disinterest in your potential listener's mind, causing them to pass over your show in search of something that more clearly speaks to them and their desires, frustrations, and interests.

Finding the right words, metaphors, and framing devices for your show isn't easy.

James Clear workshopped 400 title ideas before he landed on Atomic Habits, the title that would ultimately carry his book to selling more than 20 million copies and becoming a global phenomenon.

But make no mistake, settling for a show title, tagline, and messaging that doesn't immediately light up the eyes of potential listeners is the fastest path to obscurity.

Take the show Monster In My Closet.

After reading the title, what do you suspect this show is about?

Ok, I'll give you another hint.

How about after looking at the cover art?

Monster in My Closet: Workplace Fears and Follies

Still no clue?

I won't spoil the surprise, but it turns out, the show is actually built on a unique and (perhaps) refreshing theme.

It has promise, in other words.

The problem is that the theme likely isn't being framed—primarily through the title—in a way that listeners intuitively understand, connect with, or relate to.

Which means it's costing them listeners.

All because of a few measly words.

This is one of the most common problems in podcasting.

In fact, if your show is struggling to grow, there's a good chance your messaging is a core part of the issue.

So in this episode of Roast My Podcast, Justin and I break down the specific issues with the title and broader framing of the show, to help them—and you—understand how to develop and make the most of a promising premise.

👉 Check out the roast on YouTube here.

If you're feeling brave enough to submit your own show for a roast, here's how to do it:

Subscribe to our show, Podcast Marketing Trends Explained
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Have a great weekend. And as always...

Stay Scrappy,

If you're a business owner or marketer with a podcast that isn't attracting and converting listeners like you suspect it could be and you're are looking for an honest, no-punches-pulled, no-stone-left-unturned assessment of why—and how to fix it, I'm looking to onboard a couple more folks before the end of the month to my 1:1 Podcast Growth Engine program.

Here's how it works:

I spend 10-15 hours auditing your show, poring over the most minute details.
I then put together a 1.5–3 hour video report breaking down precisely why your show isn't growing and/or converting buyers, the specific problems that must be addressed, and my recommendations on how to fix them.
We meet for 90-min to debrief, answer all your questions, and start workshopping solutions.
I put together a personalized 6-week growth plan to help you solve the biggest bottleneck as quickly as possible.
We meet up 1:1 every 6 weeks to strategize together, followed by a new custom growth plan from me.

If you're interested in learning more and grabbing one of the remaining spots, reply with "Growth Engine" and I'll send you over all the details.

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