Stop Asking “How Do I Grow My Podcast?” Start Asking This Instead.
When creators tell me they want to grow their podcast, my first question usually isn’t about downloads. It’s, “What’s your strategy?”
Most people expect me to ask about microphones, publishing schedules, or social media. Those things matter, but they’re rarely the reason a podcast isn’t growing.
The truth is, many podcasts don’t have a production problem. They have a direction problem.
Without a clear strategy, it’s easy to spend months recording episodes, creating clips, posting on social media, and chasing guests without seeing meaningful results. You’re working hard, but every decision is made in isolation instead of contributing to a larger goal.
A podcast strategy should answer a few important questions:
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Who is this show really for?
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Why should someone choose this podcast over the dozens of others in the same niche?
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What action do you want listeners to take after each episode?
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How will new listeners consistently discover your show?
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How does the podcast support your broader business or organizational goals?
When these questions are answered, everything else becomes easier. Guest selection is more intentional. Content ideas become clearer. Marketing has direction. Even deciding what not to do becomes simpler.
This is why I believe every serious podcast should begin with a strategy intensive before investing more time, money, or energy into production.
A strategy session isn’t about creating a complicated 50-page document. It’s about building a practical roadmap that helps you make better decisions over the next 90 days.
I offer a two-week Podcast Strategy Workshop with clients where we define the show’s identity, map out its niche, guest universe, and build the structure it needs before going live or before investing further in production. Learn more here.
By the end of the process, you should know exactly who you’re trying to reach, what makes your show different, where your next listeners will come from, and how success will actually be measured.
Because growth rarely comes from working harder.
It comes from working with intention.
If you’ve been asking, “How do I grow my podcast?”, it might be time to ask a different question:
“Do I have a strategy that’s worth growing?”