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

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Podcast: [School of Podcasting: Expert Tips for Launching and Growing Your Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/school-of-podcasting-expert-tips-for-launching-and-growing-your-podcast-505901)
Published: 2026-03-30T04:00:00+00:00
Episode link: http://www.schoolofpodcasting.com
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/30c128eb-5e26-46c1-82ff-e9a0060a2cc6.mp3
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Duration seconds: 2638

## Resource

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 direction Lack 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 Podc…

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