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

Tired of asking for reviews in every episode and hearing nothing but crickets? I mean, it’s obvious from your analytics dashboard that people are listening to your show. People even tell you “omg I love your podcast” or “that episode was exactly what I needed to hear!” But STILL they won’t take 30 seconds and leave a review. #rude That’s because there’s two types of reviews (and two types of behav...

You know when you listen to a podcast episode and you’re like, “This is creepy. It’s like they made this just for me. How did they know I needed this?! Are they in my brain?! Woah. HOW DID THEY KNOW?!" (Well. It’s me, hi. I’m doing it again).  Look, no one (and I mean absolutely no one ) starts a podcast and says, "I want to put all this effort in and get zero return." You *want* to...

If you want a podcast that thousands of people listen to, you first have to know how to get people to care about what you have to say. The problem? Most podcast hosts think “valuable content” is the key to growing an engaged podcast audience. So they teach as much as they can in every episode because they believe more information means more value. But it doesn’t work like that. (If it did, then yo...

"Do I really need to hire a podcast editor? Or can I get by with one of those AI podcast editing tools and call it a day?" This is a question I get asked all the time by people who value their time, and there's no shortage of opinions on this topic. But if you’re a coach, consultant, or online business owner and your numero uno goal with your podcast is to drive more leads to your b...

If you’re an online business owner, coach, or consultant, you probably launched your podcast to draw more attention to your business and drive more leads to your offers. That’s why it’s so frustrating when you spend hours creating each episode only to have listeners tell you they love your show, but never ask how to work with you. In this episode, I break down the three reasons why this happens an...

If you’re an online business owner, consultant, or expert who’s ever wondered whether you should offer a podcast subscription for your listeners, this is the episode for you. We’re breaking down the pros and cons of paid podcast subscriptions, and I'll give you the answers to questions you can't find on Google, like: → "How do paid podcast subscriptions actually work?" → "...

Are you toying with the idea of starting a podcast, but worried people won't want to hear what you have to say? Or maybe you already started your show, but your throat still feels tight every time you hit the record button. If this is you, you're not alone. (Case in point: I *still* struggle with this sometimes.) The reality? That voice of self-doubt will be there at every new level you...

Tell me if this sounds familiar... → You publish at least one new podcast episode every week without fail... but you’re still getting less than 1000 downloads per episode (despite doing literally everything the experts say you need to do to grow your show) → People tell you they love your podcast but no one has left a review on your show in the last 30 days → You check your analytics dashboard eve...

You've heard of content repurposing: taking your podcast episodes and converting them into bite-sized clips to share on short-form platforms. In theory it's supposed to help you expand your reach and drive traffic back to your podcast. But in reality? Now you're spending hours scouring through endless AI-generated clips and adding flashy effects and captions at the expense of all th...

Most people think today’s top podcasters are successful because they have a massive audience, professional audio, and this seemingly effortless ability to pump out high-quality content. But when you think of successful podcasts like "Serial" or "The Joe Rogan Experience”, it’s not ~just~ the audio quality or even the content itself that draws people in and keeps them coming back. (B...

If watching other successful hosts and imitating what they do was the secret to a successful podcast, then everyone who's mirrored another successful host would have a Top 100 podcast… and we both know that's not the case. But how exactly *do* you steer clear of the Podcast Comparison Trap when it feels like other podcasts are the only benchmark for measuring your show's success? In...

It’s no secret that more people are tuning into podcasts than ever before. But with millions of podcasts to choose from, the shows that will excel the most over the next five years are ones who foster two-way communication with their audience, source the right kind of feedback from their listeners, and share hyper-relevant content that connects on a deep and meaningful level.   Top podcaster and a...

There I was, crying over my analytics dashboard at 10:42 AM. I'd just released my 16th episode and I still hadn’t enrolled a single new client from my podcast. I came *this close* to throwing my mic in the garbage and giving up on this whole podcasting thing (and honestly? I have no clue what stopped me). But now looking back, I’m so glad I stuck with it.  I made three surprising mistakes tha...

Hitting 'publish' on your podcast is one thing, but launching a podcast? It's the difference between your show being virtually invisible to listeners or popping off on the charts and grabbing the attention of your perfect listeners worldwide. But while plenty talk about podcasting's benefits for business growth, few provide a proven strategy for launching a podcast that dominat...

Sending an email blast every time you release a new podcast episode might seem like the right move, but it could actually be stunting your podcast's growth. (And inside this episode, I'll reveal why your podcast isn't growing no matter how many "New Episode!" announcement emails you send.) When you finish listening, you'll know exactly how to share the type of podcast...

With the rise of AI, listeners are becoming more skilled than ever at telling the difference between what’s real and what’s fake.  Which means that if AI is the sum total of all human wisdom and you’re copy/pasting content from the same tools that every other podcast host is using — you run the risk of sounding like everyone else.  And if you want to be seen as a real thought leader, the LAST thin...

A human wrote this. (hey, it needed to be said). Look, in today's AI-driven world I KNOW it's tempting to use technology to streamline your processes. But to what extent should you be using AI for your podcast? And is AI actually harming your show’s ability to attract new listeners? Put it this way: there'll only ever be one true Picasso. And just like an art expert can spot what&ap...

Picking a podcast category feels strangely similar to choosing your next Netflix show to watch — overwhelming and potentially regrettable. And let's be real, Google and YouTube aren't exactly serving up fresh insights when you search “how to choose a podcast category” either (and the info that does exist? it’s already out of date). But not to worry, because in this episode I’ll show you...

Okay... what's up with these hosts who love to talk like they're determined to rival Tolstoy with their marathon episodes? (looking at you, Joe Rogan 👀) There's this trend going on right now where 39% of episodes are clocking in over 40 minutes. But that doesn't mean listeners are listening that long. So basing your episode length off some random google search for "how lo...

Honestly… getting your show on the charts is not as hard as you think it is. ~she says, after spending the last 4 years figuring out how to do it well~ (so, okay, it's a little hard. But this episode will make it SO MUCH easier.) If you've ever wondered how top podcasters land their shows on the charts week over week, you're going to want to listen to this episode. again. (and again...

When people ask me, "How can I get more listeners to engage with my show?!" My answer is always simple: know what makes your listeners ~ want~ to engage in the first place. Because in the world of podcasting, creating valuable content is only half the battle. To grow your podcast, you need to know how to engage your listeners both on and off the podcast platforms with an effective podcas...

You already know that podcasting is KEY when it comes to growing your authority and thought leadership. But if every time you check your podcast analytics and want to chuck your mic garbage because only four people listened to your episode, you’re not alone. The thing is, when it comes to publishing high-quality podcast content, you’ve got it DOWN.  You’re already giving your best stuff away for f...

You get a new review every month or two. People tell you they love listening to your show. But… you’re still getting nowhere NEAR the number of leads you thought you’d be getting by now from your podcast. (And for the ridiculous amount of time and energy podcasting takes, you want to be reaching thousands of people — not talking to yourself in an empty room!) ^^ If you don’t have a podcast yet? Th...

You know when you listen to a podcast episode and you’re like, “This is creepy. It’s like they made this just for me. How did they know I needed this?! Are they in my brain?! Woah. HOW DID THEY KNOW?!" Well. It’s me, hi. I’m doing it again. If you're wanting to know how to get more listeners to your podcast, this is going to help you BIG TIME.  That’s because ~THE~ secret to a Top 100 po...

If you’ve toyed with the idea of starting a podcast but haven’t started yours yet, maybe you’ve also wondered if there's a best or better time to start it. Then again, if you ask any top podcaster they’ll all tell you the same thing: I’m SO glad I started my podcast when I did. So ~is~ there a best time to start a podcast? Sure, there IS some strategy that goes into launching your show effect...