First of all, I’m sorry.
That really fucking blows.
Us humans are hardwired to hiss at rejection like a feral cat, so feeling upset, angry, offended, or hurt are all 100% valid feelings, especially when you’ve worked so hard on your podcast.
Take a deep breath.
Do whatever you need to do to go through the full emotion cycle and come out the other side a bit more clearheaded.
And while you’re in the thick of it, here are some truths to hold on to:
🍽️ A negative review doesn’t mean my podcast sucks (or that I suck as a podcaster.)
🍽️ Every creator faces this moment, no matter how good they are.
🍽️ I’m not alone in this feeling or experience.
🍽️ A negative review means my podcast is out in the world, and I’m growing my audience.
A negative review is growing pains. It means that other people outside your circle are tuning in, not just your family and friends!
So congratulations!!! You’ve made it!
sincerely bursts into applause and then rushes to hug you when you burst into tears
Once you’re feeling better, here are some steps you can take.
1. Evaluate the review.
Is it a troll? An angry ex? Or someone leaving actual feedback you could use to improve your show?
TROLL:
🧌 “this is the dumbest show ever”
🧌 “i hate her voice”
🧌 “boooooring”
CRITICISM:
🤔 “The audio quality of this podcast makes it impossible to listen to.”
🤔 “The host is always interrupting guests.”
🤔 “The episodes are too long.”
Sure, these comments are kinda mean, but they might be on to something that could actually improve your podcast, especially if multiple listeners are saying the same thing.
PS: If the negative review is complaining about something your ideal listener loves, (i.e. “the host can’t go 3 minutes without dropping an f-bomb), I say, fuck ‘em.
2. Think about whether or not you should respond.
If multiple listeners offered constructive criticism that you believe is valid and warrants a response, do so.
Maybe you could address it in your next episode.
The hosts of
My Favorite Murder (which I recommended in
a previous newsletter) have a “Corrections Corner” segment, where they address when they get a fact wrong or when listeners bring up valid points about the way they handled a certain topic.
As a listener, hearing them be so transparent and real has turned me into an even stronger fan.
Of course, you won’t be able to please everyone, but if you follow basic guidelines of human decency when apologizing (owning it, not getting defensive, stating what you will do differently next time, and actually doing it), most of your listeners will respond with grace.
I’ve also seen people do clap backs with trolls, but this is done at the risk of encouraging them further.
Maybe the best course of action is to ignore them and do the next step…
3. Get more positive reviews.
If you’ve been hard at work
building a community of fans, a negative review might be
just the thing that gets them to write you a positive review.
People defend what they love, and if you let them know you received a shitty review (especially if it’s from a troll), and ask them to leave you a 5 star review if they enjoy the podcast, some of them definitely will!
But of course, tread carefully and use your judgment. If the negative review was fair, maybe don't mention it in your request.
Positive reviews are SUPER IMPORTANT to get anyways. But that’s a topic for another newsletter. So if you're interested, let me know, and I might make it next week's topic!
