E520 - Comparing Your Show To A Top Podcast is Not Fair to You or to Your Audience - Please Stop

Episode 520 - Comparing Your Show To A Top Podcast is Not Fair to You or to Your Audience - Please Stop

This episode takes aim at a trap many new podcasters fall into: building their shows by comparing themselves to celebrity podcasts. Dave Campbell shares candidly from his experience in Ontario, Canada, hosting nine podcasts and talking daily with new creators who arrive with “stars in their eyes,” wanting a show that looks and sounds like Mel Robbins, Joe Rogan, Diary of a CEO or other top names. The core issue, he explains, is that famous hosts start at a completely different line: they already have audiences, money, teams, relationships with big guests, and promotional power. Expecting the same results when you are starting from zero is not only unrealistic, it is deeply unfair to you and to your listeners.

Throughout the episode, Dave breaks down how this unfair comparison shows up. New podcasters often believe landing big-name guests will make them famous, forgetting that well-known guests usually want big platforms, not shows with ten or twenty downloads. Celebrity hosts are often talking to people they already know, while most beginners have neither those relationships nor the reach to attract similar guests. Chasing that model leads to frustration, rejection, and the false belief that their podcast is failing, when the real problem is a mismatched expectation.

He also highlights the danger of trying to match celebrity-level production on a zero budget. Big shows rely on large teams, professional studios, multiple cameras, editors, marketers, and ad revenue that fuels everything. In contrast, many new podcasters are sitting at home in pajama pants with free software and no money coming in. Trying to jump straight into animated video, elaborate visuals, and complicated production without resources just piles on pressure and disappointment. Instead of copying the outcome of those shows, Dave urges creators to focus on what they can actually control: a clear value proposition, a consistent format, audience-led content, and smart, simple production that fits their reality.

Platform visibility is another unfair comparison he tackles. Apps and algorithms promote big-name podcasts because that’s where the money is, leaving new shows with five downloads nowhere near the “Top 100” charts. Measuring yourself against that level of exposure makes small podcasters feel invisible and discouraged. Dave argues that indie creators actually have an advantage the big shows don’t: the ability to personally connect with listeners, invite them for virtual coffees, respond to messages, and build genuine relationships that are impossible at scale. The real power of a small show lies in depth, authenticity, and trust, not in inflated numbers.

Dave closes by calling out one more subtle danger: obsessing over stats and comparing numbers with other shows. Staring at early download counts is like watching seeds you just planted, waiting for them to sprout. It doesn’t help them grow and only fuels anxiety. He recommends ignoring stats at the very beginning, focusing instead on getting good at podcasting, refining the message, and serving listeners well. The only comparison that matters, he says, is between your last episode and your next one. As a final invitation, he opens his calendar to listeners, modeling the kind of one-to-one connection that truly sets smaller podcasters apart.

Key takeaway for listeners: Comparing your new podcast to top celebrity shows is not a fair or useful benchmark. You don’t share their fame, budget, team, or platform support, and trying to copy their model will only erode your confidence and shortchange your audience. Instead, measure your progress against your own past work, build slowly and authentically, and lean into the unique advantage you have as a smaller creator: the ability to truly know, serve, and connect with your listeners one person at a time.

____

https://howtopodcast.ca/