Listen to today’s episode on Why 90% of Podcasts Fail in the First Year (And How to Make Sure Yours Doesn’t):
With the podcast industry constantly growing, it’s shocking to know that 90% of podcasts fail in the first year. Why is that? How do some podcasts make it to 100 plus episodes while others stop after episode 3? In today’s episode, I’m breaking down five reasons why podcasts fail in the first year and how to make sure your podcast isn’t part of that statistic. This episode is for you if you want to start a podcast for your business or if you already have one.
Main Topics Covered in this Episode:
- The difference between podcasts that continue for years and those that stop after 3 episodes
- 5 reasons why podcasts fail in the first year
- Things you can do to ensure your podcast doesn’t fail
Resources Mentioned in the Episode:
Why Podcasts Fail FAQs
What is the Failure Rate of Podcasts?
Approximately 90% of podcasts stop after publishing three episodes. This means that the majority of podcasts become a podfade right after launching.
Why Do Podcasts Fail?
Podcasts fail because podcast hosts don’t set clear goals or intentions before launching. They just view it as a fun, creative outlet, which often leads to burnout. Another reason podcasts fail is that hosts don’t start simple. They immediately jump into adding video and having an elaborate setup that isn’t realistic for them to maintain in the beginning. Other reasons for podcasts failing include not seeing a return on investment through monetization and sponsorships, hosts discovering they don’t actually enjoy podcasting after they start, and not hiring strategic support to help them achieve their podcast goals.
Are Podcasts Losing Popularity?
Podcasts are not losing popularity. The US Podcast Report for 2025 found that more than half of the US population (53% to be exact) listens to podcasts. Another study done in 2025 found that 53% of podcast listeners preferred listening to audio only podcasts to watching video podcasts. This data demonstrates that people still enjoy listening to podcasts and that audio only podcasts are still thriving and growing.
Which Niche is Best for Podcasts?
The top five podcast niches are comedy, society and culture, TV and film, politics, and true crime. While those are the most popular podcast genres, it’s more important to have a clear niche with a targeted audience. Creating podcast content that speaks to a specific audience will yield the best results compared to podcasts that are much broader and discuss an array of topics that are relevant to many audiences.
How to Prevent a Podcast from Failing?
If you want to prevent your podcast from failing and make it past the first three episodes, there are a few things you need to do before you launch your podcast. First, get clear on your why. Why are you creating this podcast? What are your podcast goals? Who are you trying to reach with your podcast? Once you are clear on your podcast’s purpose, create podcast content that supports your podcast goals.
Related Episodes and Blog Posts:
- Episode 281: Future of Podcasting in 2026 – Do You Really Need Video to Build a Successful Podcast?
- Blog: 7 Things to Know Before Starting a Podcast for Your Business from a Podcast Host and Strategist
Connect with Andria:
- Join the Evergreen Marketing Era Newsletter – THE group chat for women entrepreneurs who want to build an evergreen marketing system through podcasting
- Connect with me on Threads
- Connect with me on Instagram
More About the Evergreen Marketing Era for Women Entrepreneurs:
Andria Singletary is a podcast strategist for women entrepreneurs ready to start a podcast for their business or optimize their current podcast to get more clients.
She answers questions like:
- How to start a podcast?
- How to sign clients from your podcast?
- What is podcast SEO?
- How to generate leads from your podcast?
- How to grow your podcast audience without social media?
- What podcast metrics do you need to track for growth?
And more!
Here you’ll learn how to turn your podcast into the foundation of your marketing and sales strategy, and how to create podcast content that attracts ready to invest clients, builds trust, establishes your authority, shortens the buyer’s cycle, and converts.
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