How do you deal with negative reviews on Apple Podcasts?

I got stopped in the street the other day by someone I don’t know who asked me if I was me. When I said yes, he told me he listened to my podcast and that mostly it was good but that sometimes my biases came across too much. I asked him for specifics and he couldn’t provide any so I just thanked him for listening and for the feedback. I was more thrilled that someone I didn’t know was listening than upset that he had a bit of negative feedback!

Take positive and negative opinions in the same vain. It’s ok to acknowledge it, but don’t get hung up on it. You’re just basing yourself on other people’s personal opinions otherwise. Also, I would suggest to just make a show that you would like to listen to. You won’t get as big a fan base than if you tried to cater to everyone, but you’ll get a better and more invested fan base

You Need the negative comments to make your show better. Don't discard them, use them. You will never be able to please everyone. In fact respond with a positive message back to them to thank them for their honest feedback. If they message back with another negative response then they only want to try to make you react in a negative way. Don't let this distract you. You have made the start which many people are envy of. Stay strong and proceed

I try to remember I’m doing my podcasts for the people who like them. I don’t want to give more of my time and energy to people who don’t even vibe with what I’m doing than to those who do. Yes, if you can learn something useful from criticism, that’s great, but give your actual fans the respect of caring about them more than people who don’t get it. If I found out that the host of a podcast that I was really into cared more about the opinions of people who insulted them than my opinion, I’d be sad about that (and I’d feel insulted myself, frankly).

I’ve been podcasting about 7 years and have a good rating (I think 4.7?) but learned long ago not to read the reviews. Some people can get really toxic, and that’s okay, the show is not for them. On the other hand, not subjecting myself to reactive criticism helps with my confidence. I have people in my circle who will give me honest, constructive criticism.

I have a hard time with negative comments that don't actually provide any suggestions. "Mindy sucks!" Wow, thanks. Super helpful. But then I ruminate over that comment for days. I have a trusted friend read the comments periodically for helpful suggestions. "Mindy needs to stop talking over guests!" Thank you. Helpful, and now I will be more cognizant. (And also, you're 100% correct)

Negative feedback is a way of life no matter what form of media you’re working in. Remember that they took the time to post something, which means you had an impact on them…be grateful for that. Spend a few minutes reflecting on what they said and consider whether they make a legitimate point or are just trolling. If they make a legitimate point, acknowledge it and then move on. If they’re just trolling, laugh for a second and then move on. Trust me on this (and I’ve been in broadcast/online media for 41 years)…if you take criticism personally, it will eat you up inside.

Well, good news! I got another review from someone I don't know, and this time it's positive! Yay! Maybe it was one of you guys, and if so, thanks, but if not, yay, someone else new! Haha. Thanks for all your advice. I'll keep it in mind when the next bad review inevitably comes.

The last 1 star review one of my shows got was someone upset because my co-host mistakenly (I guess) said that Method Man and Redman were in the Wu-Tang Clan. I had to rack my brain trying to figure out what the reviewer was talking about. We don't talk about music. It was a one-off line my co-host said in relation to setting the timeframe for a story he was telling. It happened around the time of some Wu-Tang concert or something. Point is, that was the listener's only stated reason for giving the show 1 star. One mention about Wu-Tang on a podcast that has nothing to do with music. Don't take 1 star reviews to heart. Most of the time they are worth a laugh but not much else. Also, reading them out for a laugh is not a bad idea IF that kind of thing fits the context of your show. My show is a very relaxed discussion podcast where we prioritizing having a laugh over any kind of serious subject matter. Some of our favorite reoccurring in-jokes have come from negative reviews or comments. However, that may not be the best idea for a business professional or coaching type of podcast.