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The last thing you want to have happen is to get kicked off a platform because you didn’t mark your show explicit when you should have. It’s a headache you don’t need to deal with. Traci is back to answer three of your burning questions, including when to mark your show explicit. Do I have to mark my podcast explicit? Traci: The short answer is… Yes, if your podcast has language that is universally considered profanity it should be marked explicit in your content settings.
You’re at risk of being kicked off the platform If it’s not marked explicit. There aren’t any negative ramifications of the explicit content setting. It can marginally affect your show being discovered in search for those listeners that have parental controls set up on their account.
If your personal or professional brand is not affected by “inappropriate” language and you don’t want any restrictions on you or your guests freedom to communicate, market your podcast explicit and move on. You’ll never have to worry about someone saying something accidentally and your audience will be prepared and not caught off guard.
It’s also respectful to your audience to give them advanced warning of what to expect. You will gain more trust from your audience if they’re given a heads up instead of being caught off guard by a bomb dropping while listening with the kids in the car.
What if being real and authentic with your words is always the best way to go but you don’t want your show to be considered explicit?
When you or your guest lets it fly, ask your editor to bleep it out. You’re still getting the effectiveness, if you will, of the “punch” of the word, but the bleep will smooth it out so you won’t have to mark it explicit or have to compromise on your language choices.
How do you overcome the fear of people saying no when you pitch for sponsorship? Traci: Reframing your mindset is the best way to overcome this barrier of fear around pitching sponsorship for your show. Try choosing to look at it as a learning experience as opposed to a rejection. Because even if someone does say no, they will offer you feedback and ask questions you hadn’t thought of which can help you refine your offerings. Think of every conversation as part of the journey to the yes. This takes the pressure off and lowers your anxiety about reaching out. Any response you get is going to make you more confident, more educated, and give you more feedback on what you need to reframe before going into the next pitch.
My schedule has changed and I can no longer commit to releasing a new episode every week? What should I do? Traci: Life happens! There’s no rule book of podcasting saying you need to be releasing every week. It’s your podcast! Your release schedule is determined by the amount of time and resources you can devote to your show. Set the expectation of your releases for your listeners, and let them know if you have to change it, so they will not be disappointed or think you are podfading.
If you’re strapped for time and budget, you can make it a goal to release one solid podcast a month along with some mini episodes. Record one episode and then extract two or three different segments out of that episode and release them throughout the month as mini episodes or bonus episodes. This plan will give you consistency and a higher frequency of releases while you are only recording one fully produced rockstar episode a month instead of four rushed episodes.
This method enables you to continue your podcast while making sure you’re not overwhelming yourself or taxing yourself to the point you’re feeling exhausted by it. Podcasting is supposed to be fun! If you’re not having fun, it’s time to find a way to bring the fun back into your podcast!