Some once-exclusive podcasters are challenging the notion that you can never go home again. They assume their audience will be happy to see them. But reality may not line up with those assumptions.

Podcasters who’ve gone exclusive do the calculus on moving back to free and wide distribution by making three assumptions. Assumptions that could do with some challenging.

Assumption #1: My existing listeners will keep listening when the podcast is no longer exclusive.

Yes, I think that assumption is largely true. But what if the exclusive app you left is only for exclusive podcasts? Or you burned a bridge your podcast is no longer be welcome there? And what if the listener’s experience is truly better on that platform?

Assumption #2: The listeners I lost when I went exclusive will love to have my podcast back.

Are you sure about that? Some grudges run deep and are hard to get over. And every lost listener found other content and hosts to fill the void left by your podcast. Because people move on.

3rd Assumption: Wider distribution + loyal fans + the fans who returned = larger audience.

The math checks out on that, but the big question is: larger audience than when? There’s a very good chance you lost a lot when your podcast went exclusive. And a lot of your old fans won’t return. You may have to learn a new hustle game.

I’m not opposed to shows deciding to take the exclusive route if that is the right opportunity for them. Just be sure you’ve thought through what happens when the exclusivity is over. The game may have changed while you were away.

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A written-to-be-read article and a full transcript of the audio of this episode can be found at https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/from-free-podcast-to-exclusive-podcast-back-again.

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