Dax Shepard has done just about everything a podcaster is supposed to do. He's built a massive audience, interviewed some of the biggest celebrities in the world, and signed distribution deals worth tens of millions of dollars.
For four years, his podcast, Armchair Expert, regularly ranked among the 50 most popular podcasts in the country, according to Edison Research.
Then it fell out of the top 50.
And some longtime listeners are saying something that should make every content creator nervous: They're getting bored.
In a recent Bloomberg newsletter, Ashley Carman explored why Armchair Expert is losing ground, including a shift in how some longtime fans feel about the show.
One wrote on Reddit:
"I was a regular listener for a very long time, but I think I just got burnt out on the repetitive stories."
The Content Treadmill Doesn't Stop When You Succeed
Let's be clear: Dax Shepard is not a failed podcaster. Even after dropping out of the top 50, Armchair Expert remains one of the most popular podcasts in the country.
And that's what makes this story so interesting. Shepard has built an audience, established a recognizable brand, and figured out how to monetize his success. But none of that guarantees people will want to listen to his next episode.
That's the problem with the Content Treadmill. When your business depends on continually producing content that attracts and retains an audience, you're never really finished. Yesterday's hit episode doesn't guarantee an audience for tomorrow's.
The reward for successfully building an audience is that you now have an audience you have to keep entertaining.
Give People Another Reason to Return
What if your audience had a reason to keep coming back that didn't depend on your next piece of content?
Maybe they pay to participate in a community where they can meet others who share their interests. Maybe they attend events where the biggest attraction isn't the person onstage, but the people in the room. Or maybe sponsors support those experiences.
That's the opportunity behind Community Revenue: building a business where bringing people together creates value that members or organizations are willing to pay for.
Instead of coming back just for your content, people come back for each other. And you no longer have to be the sole source of value.
The Question Every Creator Should Ask
If you stopped publishing new content tomorrow, would your audience have any reason to keep coming back? The goal isn't to stop creating content. It's to build a business that doesn't depend entirely on your ability to keep producing it.
Because the Content Treadmill doesn't have a finish line, but that doesn't mean you have to spend the rest of your career running on it.
Could your business survive without the Content Treadmill?
Take the Community Revenue Scorecard to discover how ready you are to build a business where revenue doesn't depend entirely on producing more content.
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