Stop Pushing Listeners Away: The Biggest Podcasting Pet Peeves (and How to Fix Them)

If listeners are quitting your podcast in the first five minutes, this episode is for you. In this annual ‘podcast pet peeves’ roundup, I asked my audience what makes them bail on a show— and they did not hold back.

Participants

You’ll hear from Kim Newlove (The Pharmacist’s Voice, Perrysburg Podcast), Steve Stewart (podcast editor extraordinaire), Todd ‘the Gator’ (Guardian Down Roundtable, Lessons in the Rear View), and York (Welcome to Earth Stories) as they unpack the habits that drive them nuts: from bad audio and buried leads to ad overload, lazy interview questions, sloppy terminology, and more.

You’ll walk away knowing exactly what turns listeners off - and how to fix it. I’ll also share my own take on ads, monetization, and why a little creativity can still set your show apart in 2026

The Most Popular Pet Peeves

Too many/poorly placed ads (especially mid-roll and early heavy ad blocks)Not getting to the point / burying the lead / unclear episode directionLack of preparation (hosts winging it, talking in circles, not prepping guests)Sloppy language and terminology (“podcast” vs “episode,” “podcasting” vs “podcasts,” RSS vs not)Wasting listener time with meta-chatter, overlong intros, and “Tell me about yourself” questions

I do this question every year, and as you might imagine, this list doesn't change much. This year seems like advertisements were the top peeve.

Is Everyone Going to use the "YouTube Annoying Your Audience to Death" strategy, and use tools like Supercast and Patreon, and offer an ad-free version?

Mentioned In This Episode

School of Podcasting

Podpage - Podcast Websites

The Pharmacist's Voice

The Perrysburg Podcast

Steve Stewart

Podcast Editors Academy

Welcome to Earth Stories

Guardian Down Roundtable

Lessons in the Rear View

Ask the Podcast Coach

Podcasting Observations (Dave's Newsletter)

School of Podcasting Follow Page

Patreon

Supercast

OP3 Open Source Stats

Truefans.FM

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Some Feedback On Your Show

“Want honest, helpful feedback on your podcast? At the School of Podcasting, we host ‘Listening Parties’ where members share short clips and get constructive, encouraging critiques from fellow podcasters and myself. It’s a safe, supportive way to hear what’s working, fix what’s not, and make your show stronger fast.”

School of Podcasting

Question of the Month: The Future of Podcasting

Someone asked me, and I had to think about it. So now I'm asking you, How do you feel about the future of podcasting? Where do you think it's going? (etc,). Feel free to share your opinion and why. Don't forget to tell us about your show and where we can find it.

Question of the Month

Give Your Podcast A Home

When you look at our podcasting pieces, your media host is the engine. But your website is the home. It’s where your audience learns who you are, explores your episodes, and decides to subscribe. At Podpage, we build podcast websites that are fast, reliable, and designed to convert visitors into listeners. Every episode is automatically published, SEO-optimized, and structured for growth—so you can focus on creating, not managing your site. If your media host powers your podcast, Podpage gives it a place to live—and a place to grow. Start building your podcast’s home with Podpage by going to www.podpage.com/preview and start your 14 day free trial today.

Podpage