Most podcasters think getting new listeners is about promotion: more clips, more posts, more ads. But if people find your show and don't hit follow, your downloads won’t change and “more promotion” won't fix it.

In this episode, Arielle Nissenblatt is here to unpack why not every podcast automatically earns an audience and what actually makes someone decide a show is worth following in the first place. As a Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and founder of the EarBuds Podcast Collective, Arielle shares what your own listener behavior reveals about why people click, follow, and come back week after week, and how you can use these same insights to help more listeners find and follow your show. So if you’re publishing every week but your audience still isn’t growing, hit play and let’s dive in.

1:02 – Why Some Podcasts Earn an Audience (and Others Never Do)
5:34 – Promotion Alone Won’t Grow Your Podcast
7:11 – What Actually Makes a Podcast Worth Recommending
12:30 – The Surprising Role Word-of-Mouth Still Plays in Growing a Podcast
20:07 – Why People Don’t Always Listen the First Time They See Your Podcast

Episode Links:

Meet Arielle Nissenblatt: Website | LinkedIn
Subscribe to the EarBuds Newsletter: EarBuds.audio
Curate a list or pitch your podcast: EarBuds.audio/curate

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

4 Podcast Mistakes That Kill Word-of-Mouth Growth

→ This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7U

Got Podcasting Questions? Send them to me here.

Love this show? Say thanks in true podcasting style by leaving a review or share it with your podcasting friends.

Podcast Health Score™ See exactly where your show is losing listeners.

Podcast SEO Mastery Optimize your show so that it gets found 24/7.

Apply for a spot on the show to get live podcasting help for your show.

Want more podcasting advice? See what I’m testing right now on Substack

...

Special thanks to Resonate Recordings, our exclusive implementation partner for PodLaunch® Accelerator. If you’re podcasting but aren’t seeing listeners, leads, or sales from your show, book a free strategy call to find out what’s not working and how to fix it.

Follow Courtney for more podcasting insights: LinkedIn | PodLaunchHQ.com