Starting a podcast is easy. Building a loyal audience is hard.
If you’ve launched your show but are seeing high drop-off rates (listeners tuning out halfway through), the problem is likely not your topic—it’s your storytelling.
New podcasters often come from a background of casual conversation, not narrative craft. They assume that if they simply talk about what they know, people will listen. Unfortunately, the listener’s ear is highly sensitive to structure, rhythm, and purpose. When these elements are missing, the brain signals boredom, and the skip button is pressed.
The good news is that these errors are predictable and fixable. By identifying the five most common storytelling mistakes below, you can implement instant corrections that will transform your podcast from a recording into a captivating narrative experience.
Mistake #1: The “And Then, And Then” Narrative (Lack of Tension)
This is the most common mistake in audio narratives: the host simply lists a series of events without any cause-and-effect structure.
- Example: “I started my business, and then I hired someone, and then we launched the product, and then it made money.”
This narrative offers no tension, no stakes, and no reason to keep listening past the first sentence. A simple listing of facts is a report, not a story.
The Fix: Introduce the “But” and the “Therefore”
Every story needs a But (an obstacle) and a Therefore (a consequence).
- Identify the Conflict: Find the moment where the easy path ended.
- Highlight the Struggle: Show the listener how you or your guest overcame the setback.
The Fixed Example: “I started my business, but six months later, my co-founder quit, leaving me with mountains of debt. Therefore, I had to work three jobs for a year just to keep the lights on, which is how I learned the secret to bootstrapping.”
The Result: The listener is instantly hooked because they understand the stakes and want to know how you navigated the conflict.
Mistake #2: Focusing on the “What” Instead of the “Why” (Surface Level)
Many hosts spend too much time describing what happened (the plot points) and no time explaining why it matters (the emotional or intellectual lesson).
- Example: Host spends 20 minutes describing the features of a new app.
Listeners don’t primarily consume podcasts for dry facts; they consume them for meaning and connection. They want to know the impact of the event, not just the event itself.
The Fix: Pivot from Facts to Feelings and Wisdom
Whenever you or your guest shares a key event, immediately follow up with a probing, “Why?” question.
| The Host Says… | The Host Asks… (The Pivot) |
| “I lost my job in 2020.” | “What did that loss feel like? What was the first physical sensation you noticed?” |
| “We pivoted the entire company.” | “What was the single hardest conversation you had to have with your team during that pivot?” |
| “I finally bought my dream house.” | “What does the house represent to you? Freedom? A promise kept? Why does it matter?” |
The Result: You transition from a news report to a personal journey, unlocking the deeper emotional immersion that listeners crave.
Mistake #3: The “Telling, Not Showing” Trap (Lack of Sensory Detail)
Because you can’t see your podcast story, you must rely entirely on sound to create the scene. New podcasters often rely on vague, non-descriptive language.
- Example: “I was driving really fast, and I felt scared.”
The listener has nothing to visualize or feel because the sensory details are missing.
The Fix: Engage the Listener’s Senses
Whenever you script a pivotal scene, ask yourself: “If I were there, what would I hear, smell, or feel?”
- Instead of: “It was an intense moment in the boardroom.”
- Say: “I could hear the frantic ticking of the clock on the wall, and the cheap folding chair beneath me was starting to dig into my back. My mouth was so dry I could barely whisper the numbers.”
The Result: You don’t just tell the listener you were stressed; you make them feel the physical discomfort, grounding them instantly in the scene (See: Immersive Storytelling).
Mistake #4: The Endless Introduction (Failing the 90-Second Test)
This is a structural error that guarantees high drop-off. The host spends too long on housekeeping, personal apologies, or a rambling list of announcements before the content starts.
- Example: “Hey everyone, thanks for sticking with us. We had some technical issues last week, and I want to thank Jimmy for editing, and oh, by the way, remember to join our Discord, and also… now, let’s talk about the topic.”
The listener doesn’t care about your admin tasks; they care about the value promised in the title. Every second spent on unnecessary chatter in the first 90 seconds is a risk.
The Fix: Prioritize the Hook and Front-Load the Value
Implement a rigid, structured approach to your opening:
- The Cold Open (15-30 seconds): The most exciting moment of the episode. Non-Negotiable.
- The Promise (30 seconds): Immediately tell the listener what specific problem this episode solves for them.
- Housekeeping/CTAs: Move all personal notes, lengthy thank yous, and most admin tasks to the Outro (Post-roll). If you must run an ad, place it after the promise, but before the main content.
The Result: You respect the listener’s time and prove that your show is professionally produced, dramatically reducing the risk of them skipping.
Mistake #5: The Flat, Monotone Voice (Lack of Sonic Emotion)
A new podcaster often reads a script or speaks without modulating their voice, leading to a flat, academic delivery. In audio, the human voice is your primary instrument for conveying emotion.
- Example: Narrating a personal trauma or an exciting victory in the exact same volume and pace.
A monotone voice forces the listener to use unnecessary cognitive effort just to decode the speaker’s emotional state, leading to mental fatigue and eventual tune-out.
The Fix: Use Your Voice as an Instrument (Volume and Pace)
Actively control the volume, pitch, and speed of your delivery to match the emotional context of the story.
- Slowing Down (Weight and Reflection): When sharing a profound lesson, a vulnerable detail, or a moment of sadness, significantly slow your pace and drop your volume. This creates intimacy and forces reflection.
- Speeding Up (Action and Excitement): When describing a moment of panic, action, or high energy, increase your pace and volume slightly.
- The Pause (Authority): After delivering a key takeaway, pause for two full seconds. The silence allows the point to land and signals confidence.
The Result: You transform from a passive narrator into an active performer, ensuring the listener feels the story, not just hears it.
Stop Talking, Start Creating
The difference between an amateur podcaster and a successful one is not charisma; it’s conscious construction. Storytelling is a skill built by identifying errors and implementing fixes.
Take this list and apply it to your next episode. Choose just one mistake—perhaps committing to the “But and Therefore” rule—and focus on fixing it completely. You will be amazed at how quickly these small, targeted adjustments elevate your entire podcast’s narrative quality.
Your listeners are ready to be captivated. Now, you have the tools to make it happen.
Arthur Zani is a podcast storytelling enthusiast who helps beginner podcasters turn simple ideas into engaging audio stories. With a strong focus on clarity, emotion, and listener connection, they share practical tips and insights to help new creators build confidence, improve retention, and tell stories that truly resonate.