How do you grow your podcast audience?

How to get more people listening to your podcast

Bringing more listeners to your podcast is the mountain every podcaster has to climb.

And unfortunately, there’s no secret shortcut to the summit (so please be wary of anyone who tells you there is).

There are plenty of things you can do to set your podcast up for success BUT even if you’re doing all of them well, it’s still no guarantee listeners will flood into your show.

So what can you do to increase your chances of getting more ears on your podcast?

Want help starting your podcast? Download my FREE ‘How To Start A Podcast’ guide.

Pay attention to the quality of your show

Podcasting has levelled up.

It’s no longer the domain of bootstrapping novices giving the middle finger to mainstream media.

Podcasting is mainstream media.

That doesn’t mean you have to record your show in a professional studio but it does mean you need to put time and effort into thinking about how your show sounds.

If your audio is echoey or hard to listen to, that could be the reason someone turns off.

And when you have to work SO HARD to get people to discover your podcast you don’t want to give them ANY reason to leave once you’ve got them there.

You don’t need to sound like the BBC, but you do need to sound clean, clear and professional.

And the same goes for your content.

If your episodes ramble, lack structure, or feel like you haven’t thought about the listener experience at all, you’re not going to hold people’s attention.

You don’t have to sound perfect, but you can’t ignore audio quality if you want a successful show.

Release episodes regularly (ideally every week)

Consistency is one of the most important, and often overlooked, factors in podcast growth.

Releasing episodes consistently (ideally on the same day and time each week) builds trust with your audience and gives them a reason to make room for your show in their lives.

When they know what to expect and when to expect it, they’ll be more likely to become regular listeners.

And regular listeners are the ones who’ll tell their friends about your show.

Consistency is also how podcasting platforms know you’re taking your show seriously.

I know it’s not exciting advice but it’s the kind of advice that makes a difference.

Aim for sustainable growth

Podcast audiences grow incrementally.

Most people launch, hit a base level of listeners, then see slow growth over time (if they’re doing things right).

You might get lucky and score a big audience bump after a prominent app feature, promotion on another podcast or some killer PR.

But more often, you’ll be chipping away at audience growth week by week.

And that’s okay.

Instead of chasing giant download numbers, pay attention to the audience trajectory of your show.

Is it growing?  Are people sticking around? Are they consuming the majority of your episodes? Are they recommending your podcast to others?

Those are the metrics that matter and the ones you should focus on.

Set realistic expectations for your podcast

When it comes to measuring how well your show is doing, you want to work out the right success metrics for you.

Comparing yourself to other podcasters is a recipe for disappointment, especially if they’ve been consistently releasing episodes for years.

You also shouldn’t underestimate how much of a big deal it is to have ANYONE listening regularly to your podcast.

If five people tune in each week? That’s five people you’re connecting with through content you’ve created from scratch.

That’s not failure, that’s a win.

Be creative with how you promote your podcast

No one will know about your show unless you tell them about it.

And telling them once definitely isn’t enough.

It might take you posting content 20 times before someone sees it, or before they finally decide to give it a try.

So sending a single tweet when your episode drops isn’t going to cut it.

You have to make it really easy and really enticing for people to listen.

Being creative with how you promote your show and coming up with different angles for each episode means you’ll increase the chances of a potential listener being interested enough to press play.

To do that you need to come up with as many different ways to share your content as possible and then share it A LOT.

Focus your energy on social platforms that actually work

You don’t need to be everywhere but you do need to know where your audience is and what’s driving actual listens.

Use trackable links where possible so you can see which posts and platforms are converting to listeners and which ones aren’t.

And remember, just because people aren’t listening straight away doesn’t mean your promotional content isn’t doing it’s job.

A lot of the grunt work of content sharing is about building awareness of you and your show and the impact of that isn’t something that can be measured by clicks.

Experiment with different platforms and give it some time before you make a decision.

But if you feel like one isn’t working, let it go so you can put your energy into something else.

Optimise your show for search

The way people discover podcasts is changing and if your show isn’t easy to find, it may as well not exist.

That’s where SEO comes in so you need to be doing everything you can to increase your podcast’s chances of turning up in search.

Things like using clear, searchable titles and descriptions in your podcast host, so people know exactly what your show or episode is about.

Or creating blog posts for each episode on your website featuring an embedded audio player.

Transcription tools and AI are SUPER helpful when building this stuff because once you’ve got a podcast episode recorded you can build your show notes, descriptions and other keyword rich copy from words that have already come out of your mouth.

Get your SEO right you’ll have people stumbling across your show who might not have opened a podcast app in their life.

Submit your show for feature inside podcast apps

A lot of people find new podcasts through the features section of podcast apps so getting featured on Apple Podcasts or Spotify is a great credibility boost and it can also bring in new listeners.

But don’t fall for people selling “hacks” to get there.

These placements are curated by real people, not algorithms.

So if you want to be featured, make sure your show looks and sounds polished and that you’re submitting it through the right channels.

Promote your show in newsletters (but don’t spam)

If you’ve got an existing email list, that can be a powerful place to promote your podcast… but only if you’re providing value.

“New episode out now” emails, on repeat, don’t cut it.

Instead, include the episode as part of a tip, story, or insight your readers would want to hear even if they didn’t click through to listen to your full episode.

Treat your emails like another opportunity to provide valuable content, not just a notification.

Build genuine relationships with your audience

Podcasting is intimate. That’s what makes it powerful.

If someone takes the time to email you, DM you, or comment on your content, respond.

These relationships turn passive listeners into loyal fans. And loyal fans are the ones who’ll share your show with others.

Engagement isn’t just about boosting algorithms, it’s about building trust.

Cross-promote on other podcasts

Appearing on other shows or doing promo swaps can be great, if your audience is aligned and both parties benefit.

But don’t expect a huge spike in downloads, especially if you’re just starting out.

The right collaboration can bring in new listeners but the wrong one can completely waste your time.

Choose carefully and focus on long-term relationships, not quick trades.

Bring on high-profile guests (but don’t rely on them)

Having someone with a big following on your show can give you access to a new audience… but it doesn’t guarantee anything.

Some guests will share the episode. Some won’t.

Some audiences will follow them over. Some won’t.

Focus on creating a great experience for your guest and giving them assets that make it easy to share but don’t rely on them for audience growth.

You’ve got no idea how much of an impact a guest will have until you’ve pressed publish on your episode and there’s a LOT of work that goes in before you get to that point.

If you’re waiting for the magic to happen and all you get is a couple of extra downloads you’ll be very disappointed.

Try paid ads

Paid ads can increase awareness, but they don’t always drive clicks or listens straight away.

If you’ve got the budget, test different platforms and messaging but track your results and don’t expect this path to send your podcast to the stratosphere.

Some listeners might discover your show through an ad and come back weeks later when the timing is right.

Others might see your ad multiple times and think “I’ve got to check that out” but then never get round to it.

As I said earlier, there’s real value in building awareness that can’t always be tracked in a spreadsheet but if you’re bootstrapping and trying to save on costs, leave this one for later.

Join forums and communities in your niche

Facebook groups, Reddit threads and niche forums, are all great places to find content ideas and connect with potential listeners.

But tread carefully because these spaces are built on trust.

And nothing erodes trust like screaming about your podcast the minute you walk in the virtual door.

To get value out of these environments you have to show up consistently, offer help, and only share your podcast when it’s welcomed.

Over time, being a helpful expert, support or friend in the right communities can build awareness that lasts longer than any one post.

Be patient

This is the part no one wants to hear but it’s the most important.

Podcast growth is a long game.

You might be six months in and feel like you’re getting nowhere but some of the most successful podcasters out there didn’t see traction for years.

If you care about what you’re making, if your audience is growing (even if it feels slow), and you’re doing everything you can to reach the right people, keep going.

Podcasting is NOT a sprint.

It’s a slow, satisfying, sometimes-frustrating climb.

And the only way to reach the top?  Keep showing up.