When Things Go Wrong: How To Navigate Negative Feedback in Podcasting

Hosting your own podcast is a great way to connect deeply with an audience. It’s also a fast way to open yourself up to public scrutiny. Feedback is confirmation that your podcast is reaching people and eliciting reactions, which will inevitably be negative on occasion and can come from many sources:

• Listener Reviews: Comments left on platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. These are often the first things potential listeners see.
• Social Media: Public criticism on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, or Reddit can gain traction quickly.
• Direct Messages: Personal critiques delivered via email or private messaging can feel incredibly personal.
• Episode-Specific Criticism: Feedback may also target an unpopular guest, a sensitive topic, or other content. Take note of episode comments in Spotify that are automatically published and public (since October 2024).

Putting yourself out there doesn’t end when you stop recording. Responding to all feedback, both positive and negative, is a big part of successfully growing the community around your podcast. We’ve put together some tips for effectively navigating negative feedback based on our experience helping podcast hosts, business leaders, and others promote and protect their brands. 

The first thing to do is to work to understand the feedback as soon as you’re able: 

1. Take a Beat
It’s natural to be defensive when we face criticism, particularly when it is aimed at a project we’ve poured our heart and soul into. Before responding, pause to gather your thoughts, ensuring your reply is calm and helps resolve the issue rather than escalating it.

2. Weigh the Feedback
Not all feedback deserves equal attention. When feedback finds its way to you, ask yourself some questions that help you positively focus your energies:  

• Does it point to a genuine issue, such as poor sound quality or unclear content?
• Is there anything constructive I can gain from this feedback, or is this coming from an unhelpful place?
• Is it an isolated comment or part of a recurring theme in your reviews?
• Does this raise any red flag concerns for myself, my show, or my audience?

3. Respond Respectfully
When a response is warranted, remain focused on the feedback, not the sender. If appropriate, thank the listener for their input. At a minimum, acknowledge your receipt and briefly explain how you’ll address their concerns, which may be as simple as letting them know you’ll consider their viewpoint.

4. Take Action Where Necessary
If the feedback highlights a legitimate issue, such as poor editing or unclear messaging, do everything you can to make the necessary changes. Demonstrating that you listen to your audience builds trust and loyalty.

5. Always Keep a Human in the Loop
While AI tools can be incredibly useful and are being released at a feverish pace, be sure that you don’t unintentionally use them in ways that limit your connection to your loyal community. Therefore, be wary of tools that take you out of the loop, such as AI-generated comment responses. So long as you are a human podcaster developing a show for a human audience, you should assume that what keeps them coming back for more is you—the human host at the center of it all.  

Social media can amplify criticism faster than any other medium. While it’s an excellent tool for promoting your podcast, it’s also where negative comments can spread quickly, so manage the blowback:

• Listen and Monitor Conversations: Stay aware of what’s being said about your podcast and brand so that you can address issues early.
• Engage Calmly: Respond to valid concerns respectfully and avoid getting drawn into the rabbit hole of arguments.
• Clarify Misunderstandings: Rather than engaging with negative feedback at the comment level, use your platform to explain your intentions or correct inaccuracies.
• Disengage When Necessary: If a conversation becomes toxic or unproductive, step away. Your energy is better spent elsewhere.

Constructive criticism is an opportunity to refine your podcast. By actively seeking out and addressing feedback, you can enhance your content and deepen your connection with listeners.

Steps to Leverage Feedback:

• Look for patterns in reviews and comments. Recurring themes can reveal areas that need attention.
• Ask for specifics when feedback is vague. Engaging with your audience shows that you care about their experience.
• Use the insights you gather to guide improvements in your production, content, or delivery style.

Sometimes, negative feedback escalates into a full-blown crisis—such as a poorly received episode, backlash over a controversial guest or comment, a data breach, or a significant production error. That’s when it’s time to follow the ABCs of Crisis Communications: 

Acknowledge: Ignoring a problem doesn’t make it go away, so the first step is to gather as much information as possible to get in front of the story and publicly recognize the issue. Own the problem and demonstrate accountability to show your audience you take their concerns seriously.

Be Transparent: Clearly communicate your awareness of the issue and any details relevant to the audience. Remember that there is a big difference between truthfulness and full disclosure, so resist the temptation to overshare. Instead, it’s enough to summarize the situation and let your community know that you’re taking action to address the issue.

Commit to Improvement: Your focus needs to be on moving forward, so your next steps, in words and action, should center on reassuring your listeners of your dedication to them and the show. Follow up with concrete actions to prevent similar problems in the future that demonstrate that you’re learning and growing from the experience. In a crisis, your goal isn’t just damage control. It’s about preserving the trust you’ve built with your audience.

While you can’t avoid all criticism, you can actively engage with your audience by taking proactive measures to reduce its frequency and severity. Engaging with listeners is so important because they’re less likely to turn to public criticism when they feel heard.
  
Remember, your audience doesn’t expect perfection—they expect effort, honesty, and a willingness to improve. How you handle feedback will ultimately define your podcast’s resilience and authenticity and remind your audience why they subscribed to your show in the first place. Listeners appreciate authenticity. If you show that you’re listening and willing to grow, they’re more likely to stick with you through the ups and downs. When done right, you can even turn what started as a crisis into a comeback.