Grow The Show, Episode 247

The Window Is Closing: Why You Must Move Your Podcast to YouTube NOW
Host: Kev Michael
Date: December 2, 2025

Overview:

Kev Michael, seasoned podcast growth coach and host of Grow the Show, delivers a passionate, insight-packed solocast arguing that every podcaster needs to move their show to YouTube—fast. Drawing on six years of hands-on experience and waves of podcasting trends, Kev explains why growth strategies have definitive lifespans and makes the case that YouTube is in a temporary golden window for audience growth. He shares detailed backstory, actionable context, and a warning: wait too long and you’ll miss the big opportunity. The episode is both a lesson in marketing cycles and a direct call to action.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Waves of Podcast Growth Tactics

[00:10 - 10:09]

• Kev reflects on his own podcast journey, starting in 2018, and recounts the series of growth tactics that have come and gone.
  • 2018: Instagram growth hacks like bots and "follow-for-follow" rapidly boosted podcast audiences.
    • “Back then, the convention on Instagram was if somebody followed you, it was polite to follow them back. Can you imagine that?” (Kev, 02:19)
  • 2019: Introduction of video on Instagram became a surprisingly major edge. “Just the fact that you posted a picture that moved, it got attention.” (Kev, 03:22)
  • 2019 - Early 2020: Aggressive social engagement (targeted daily engagement in online communities) was a huge driver.
• Transition: Trends never last long: each tactic peaks and then collapses—typically within an 18-month window.

2. 2020–2021: Facebook Groups and Early Short-Form Video

[10:10 - 16:49]

• 2020: Covid-19 lockdowns led to explosive Facebook group engagement. Facebook leaned into it (even running Super Bowl ads for groups).
• Early short-form video ("TikToks"), later mirrored by Reels and Shorts, also became effective.
• Kev launches the Grow The Show Accelerator, teaching these strategies with strong effect.

3. 2022–2023: Saturation and the Fall of Old Tactics

[16:50 - 24:33]

• Late 2022: Facebook restricts reach for groups, killing growth potential.
  • “For whatever reason, it no longer became a part of the strategy.” (Kev, 17:56)
• Repurposed content (simple audio podcast clips for socials) stops working as higher-quality, dedicated video becomes the norm.
• Podcast guesting becomes the new #1 growth tactic, with high response rates using Kev’s “Targeted Podcast Pitching” scripts (20-40% response, 5-15% acceptance).

4. 2024: Guesting Dies, AI Takes Over, Saturation Everywhere

[24:34 - 37:50]

• AI-generated pitches lead to mass spamming. Response and acceptance rates for guesting tank below 1%.
  • “The same pitches that were getting a 5 to 15% acceptance rate... were now getting under 1% response.” (Kev, 26:37)
• Everyone is inundated: Podcasters mistakenly interpret floods of guest requests as a sign of success.
  • “These podcasters don’t understand that all these guest pitches are not a sign that their show is good. It is a sign that their show exists.” (Kev, 28:13)
• Result: Both guest and host end up disappointed; neither sees real growth or new business.

5. Understanding the Cycle: All Growth Channels Burn Out

[37:51 - 48:00]

• Kev lays out a universal lesson from his career: Every marketing/podcast growth channel has a finite lifecycle.
  • “Marketing only works when not everybody is doing the same thing... When everyone’s doing it, it gets completely muted.” (Kev, 39:05)
• Listeners pay with attention, so as everyone piles onto a channel, the audience grows numb.
• Between each trend’s collapse and the next new thing, there’s always a 6-month “lost” period.

6. The New Growth Window: YouTube

[48:01 - 60:00]

• 2025: The new, open window is YouTube. It’s where new podcast listeners are going.
  • “According to Edison Research, as of today, YouTube accounts for 38% of all podcast listenership. 38%. Which is actually more than Apple and Spotify combined.” (Kev, 53:10)
  • Apple stagnates, Spotify slowly improves, but YouTube is winning—especially with video and the interview format.
  • “I have been saying for five years, I will tell you when it is time to take YouTube seriously... Well, here I am, keeping my promise.”
• Kev’s advice, historically, was always pragmatic: Not time for YouTube yet—until now. Now YouTube is shockingly effective for reaching real listeners.
• But: Like every trend, this window will also close due to oversaturation—“give it some time, YouTube will be saturated.”

7. Why Move to YouTube NOW? Not Later

[60:01 - 71:00]

• The earliest movers always win the most: “Podcast growth always rewards the brave, not the late.” (Kev, 66:19)
• If you wait until YouTube growth is “conventional wisdom,” it’ll be too late—results will plummet as everyone piles in.
• Eternal marketing cycle: Tactics explode, then plateau, then collapse—those who acted early see the gains.
• Kev urges action: Don’t become the podcaster who learns about the trend too late (“wouldn’t it suck if you finally got on YouTube and you were one of these people... It’s over. You missed it.”)

8. Conventional Wisdom Lags Reality

[71:01 - 75:40]

• Tactics turn into “conventional wisdom” and stick around years after they actually work.
  • “People were expecting audiograms to grow their podcast. So even though audiograms stopped working in 2020, for the next three years, I would get on calls with people who were struggling, and they’re like, I don’t understand why my podcast isn’t growing.” (Kev, 72:44)
• Old advice lingers in blogs, videos, and courses: TDE, Facebook Groups, podcast clips, guesting; podcasters still cling to these even when they’re no longer effective.
• Anyone still relying on clips or traditional guesting for primary growth in 2025 is “behind the curve.”

9. Final Message: You Have to Do Something—So Do YouTube

[75:41 – end (~79:00)]

• You can choose to remain audio-only, but you cannot expect growth from just posting audio.
  • “There are other people like me who are creator pundits who are saying you don’t have to do it. And in a way, they’re right. But you have to do something else. You cannot grow your podcast just by posting audio podcast episodes. You must do something else.” (Kev, 77:43)
• All other growth options—short-form video, endless cold outreach, complex marketing funnels—also require big investments of time and skill.
• In 2025/2026, YouTube is the best bet for audience growth. The clock is ticking.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the short life cycle of every podcast strategy:
  • “Every single marketing tactic has a finite life cycle... Marketing only works when not everybody is doing the same thing.” (39:05)
• On the AI pitching collapse:
  • “There’s this little thing called AI... Now, if you look at your email... you’ll see that you get probably five to ten cold pitches every single day that look like they were written by AI.” (25:19)
• On the urgency of the YouTube window:
  • “The podcast listener for a long time listened to in a couple of places... That is no longer the case.” (51:12)
  • “Here I am keeping my promise, telling you that now is the time to focus on YouTube.” (54:31)
• On the danger of waiting:
  • “Wouldn’t it suck if you finally got on YouTube and you were one of these people and you’re like, all right, I think now’s the time... It’s over. You missed it.” (70:25)
• On the need for something new:
  • “You cannot grow your podcast just by posting audio podcast episodes. You must do something else.” (77:43)
• The “writer-downer” on marketing:
  • “Marketing channels have a finite life cycle until they are fully exploited. Once they are fully exploited, people do not want to be marketed to as much as business owners want to market to those people.” (41:31)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• The rise and fall of Instagram and early podcast growth – 00:00–10:09
• How Facebook groups and short form video took over – 10:10–16:49
• Guesting, failed tactics, AI spam, and shifting strategies – 16:50–37:50
• Understanding the finite nature of growth channels – 37:51–48:00
• Why YouTube is now dominant for podcast discovery – 48:01–60:00
• Why waiting for "conventional wisdom" loses the game – 60:01–71:00
• Bad advice lingers, but trends die quickly – 71:01–75:40
• Final call to action: move to YouTube or get left behind – 75:41–end

Tone and Style

Kev delivers the episode with the urgency and candor of a seasoned coach who’s seen too many podcasters miss their shot by waiting too long. His language is energetic, direct, and refreshingly informal, full of real talk (“This is my big dark secret. This is marketing.”) and frank warnings. He peppers his narrative with personal stories and clear analogies, making daunting trends and cycles both accessible and motivating.

Takeaway

If you want your podcast to grow in 2025/2026, the most reliable way is to establish a presence on YouTube—now, before the channel gets saturated. Every growth tactic in podcasting history has a short window, and latecomers always miss the biggest gains. Don’t let “conventional wisdom” or inertia delay your move and rob you of the YouTube opportunity.

“Just do it. You got to do it.”
(Kev Michael, 78:53)