Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast with Courtney Elmer | Podcasting Strategies for Growing a Podcast That Converts

Before you can monetize your podcast, you need to run it like a business (most hosts skip this, and then wonder why revenue never comes). Danielle Hayden is a reformed corporate CFO and founder of Kickstart Accounting, and she's breaking down what to track, where to spend, and how to start measuring ROI from your show (even if it’s not making money yet).  If you want a clear look at how high-...

Publishing consistently is one thing. Growing a podcast that pays you back is another. If you're done publishing episodes for free and you think it’d be great to finally get paid for your hard work, this one's for you. Danielle Hayden is a reformed corporate CFO, founder of Kickstart Accounting and host of Business by the Books . She's here to break down why most podcasters never re...

What you’re about to hear isn’t a story about overnight success. It’s about what becomes possible when you choose keep podcasting because you love it too much to quit.  For Desiree Petrich, launching a podcast was a business growth move. But a year in and zero ROI later, she wanted to toss her mic in the donations bin and call it quits. But once she learned how to spot the signs that it was time f...

If you're second-guessing your content, worrying about your download numbers, and wondering if podcasting is even worth it, it’s not because you’re doing anything wrong. It’s because you’re podcasting alone. Longtime podcaster and founder of the New England Podcasters Group, Andy Lyons, is exposing the hidden costs of podcasting in isolation, and why connecting with other serious podcasters c...

If you want a podcast that builds authority and drives loyalty, you need to lead interviews that earn attention. But if you’re airing interviews that don't meet your standard because you feel obligated toward your guest, your audience won't complain. They WILL stop listening.  So if you're done settling for polite interviews that don’t convert and want to learn how to ask questions...

If your guest already gave the same answers on five other podcasts, you didn’t lead the interview, you hosted a rerun. And when every guest episode sounds the same, listeners don’t blame the guest. They stop trusting you.  Find out the three common podcasting mistakes that erode your authority in an interview, why “just letting the convo flow” leads to copy-paste content your audience has already...

Most podcasters know they need a website... but the wrong kind of site can bury your show in search and cost you the listeners and leads you're working hard to earn. I’m breaking down everything you need to know about podcasting websites from what to include to what to avoid, plus the one podcasting mistake that could be sending all your search traffic (and Google authority) to someone else’s...

Krissy Bold launched a parenting podcast with a confusing name, hour-long episodes no one finished, and episode titles no one was clicking on. Then she made a few key changes to her podcast messaging and hit #3 in Parenting in less than a week (outranking Big Bird, Blippi, and Frozen ), and she’s been ranking on the top podcasting charts ever since. If you want to learn key differences between lau...

Still waiting to feel “ready” before you start pitching that big guest or sponsor? HuffPost contributor and media expert Alice Draper is about to show you the exact process she uses to turn ignored and rejected pitches into bigger opportunities for your podcast. You’ll learn how to build your rejection muscle, set rejection goals that lead to more yeses, and use data from ignored or declined pitch...

You know that big-guest pitch you *almost* sent (or that sponsor you’re telling yourself you’ll reach out to once you have enough downloads?) This episode is about what to do when you're torn between wanting more for your podcast and actually going after it. HuffPost contributor and media expert Alice Draper has helped clients land guest spots on 500+ podcasts, including WorkLife with Adam Gr...

You’ve heard “niche down” is the key to growing a podcast. But what if your niche is too narrow to scale? By listening in on this live coaching session with Dennis, you'll learn the biggest reason why your podcast isn't attracting more listeners and the specific podcast messaging tools you can apply right now to fix it. You'll also learn how the five Podcast Content Gatekeepers® wil...

You’ve got the mic. You’ve got the mission. So why isn’t anyone listening? That’s the question Dennis was asking, too. He knew who he wanted to serve, but after publishing his show every week for months on end, he was still struggling to get people to hit play. In this Fix My Pod coaching session, we’re breaking down the gap between knowing your audience and actually getting them to click play, be...

You’ve been told video podcasting the only way to grow your show—but the ones shouting the loudest about it? They’re the ones profiting from your overwhelm. In this episode, Buzzsprout’s Head of Marketing Alban Brooke is back to expose what no one is talking about: the hidden costs, the inflated promises, and the hard data that shows how video might actually be hurting your show more than helping...

You could record another episode. You could double down on promotion. You could even guest on a hundred other podcasts. But if your show isn’t built to attract the right listeners? None of it will work. In this episode, Alban Brooke, Head of Marketing at Buzzsprout, rips apart the most common (and costly) podcast growth myths—like why simply “putting out great content” isn’t enough and why most ma...

Spending hours on your podcast but still waiting for it to pay off? PodLaunch® graduate Jen Edmonds was too—booking guests last minute, scrambling to release episodes, and promoting nonstop with nothing to show for it. The fix? A streamlined podcast strategy that turned her show into an audience growth engine.  In this episode, we’re breaking down the exact shifts Jen made, what happens when you t...

If you’ve been told that sharing your podcast on social media will grow your audience—spoiler alert—it won’t. And if you’ve been stuck at the same download count despite posting, guesting, and promoting your show, this episode will show you why. We’re busting the biggest misconceptions about podcast growth, including why consistency alone won’t build your audience (and what will), why guesting on...

If you don’t have a guest release form in place, this episode is your wake-up call. If you do have one, are you sure it actually protects you?  Podcasting attorney Gordon Firemark is back to break down why every podcaster (yes, even small shows) needs a rock-solid guest release before hitting record. He shares exactly what it should include, when your guests should sign it, and the real-life story...

You put in the work. You craft your episodes. You build your brand. But what if someone swoops in and steals it—your content, your show name, even your audience—because you didn’t have the right legal protections in place? That’s exactly what we’re tackling today with podcast and entertainment lawyer Gordon Firemark. From copyrights and trademarks to AI-generated content and guest releases, we’re...

Ever stare at your podcast stats, searching for proof your show is actually working—only to wonder if anyone even cares? Pressing play isn’t the same as listening. If people drop off early, skip episodes, or never engage, your podcast isn’t holding their attention. And if your show keeps getting swiped past, it’s time to figure out why. In this episode, I’m breaking down the four unmistakable sign...

Ever spent hours crafting a podcast episode packed with expert knowledge, only to watch it get fewer downloads than the one you threw together last minute? Or worse—seen another podcast with generic advice rack up five-star reviews while your in-depth, value-packed episodes keep getting ignored? In this episode, I’m breaking down why what you think is valuable and what your listeners perceive as v...

So, you want your audience to see you as a pro? Good news: it’s not about having the latest gear. It’s about knowing when to upgrade and how to maximize what you’ve got. Home studio expert Junaid Ahmed is back to share his simple, no-BS advice on building a home studio setup that grows with you. We’re breaking down when to invest in new gear, when to hold off, and the small tweaks that make a big...

Better gear won’t make you a better podcaster. But you can create a home studio that looks and sounds pro—using what you already have. Fellow podcaster and tech guru Junaid Ahmed joins me to distill 20+ years of audio and video design into 20 minutes of no-nonsense advice to help you create a home studio that commands authority on any budget, and to prove that how you use your gear matters more th...

What if one bad review was all it took to silence your podcast for a year? That’s exactly what happened to bestselling author, investor, and financial literacy expert, Janine Mix. But instead of quitting, she came back stronger—revamping her show in a way that made it impossible for the right listeners to ignore. In this episode, Janine shares how to tell if your podcast is too broad, the biggest...

AI voice cloning sounds like the ultimate shortcut—efficiency, scale, and less time spent recording. But what happens when your listeners can tell the difference and it destroys their trust in you, costing you the credibility, growth, and authority you’ve worked so hard to build? I’m pulling back the curtain on the hidden dangers of AI voice cloning and why using it could be the biggest mistake yo...

Video podcasting is everywhere. But does that mean your podcast needs it? Because let’s be real: we both know that repurposing full-length episodes or posting random clips won’t cut it if you actually want to grow your audience. In this episode, I’m back with Bryan Fittin of GoRogue Studios to break down the stupidly effective way to leverage video podcasting—aka the type of content that makes lis...