One of my favorite things about the end of the year is the predictions that come out about what is to come in the new year. Some are just for fun and others are more business-related and give actionable and practical tips we can apply as we head into the new year. 

Podcasting Trends & What Happened in 2023

In 2023, we saw a shift in podcasting, not just in the way that people consume them, but also in the way podcasters are having to shift and adjust to meet the demands of the rise of AI. 

A lot of this can feel overwhelming. Take what you need from this information and leave the rest. You can look through our 2024 predictions at the bottom for the key things to remember as we head into another year of podcasting. I have also included action items for each of the predictions to help you be successful with each one.

The Rise in AI Podcast Tools

We saw a rise in AI tools that can help support podcasters in getting their podcasts out into the world. 

Here are some of the AI podcast tools we are using and loving: 

• Riverside.FM – now has an AI tool to help create video clips of your podcast conversation so you can easily share videos on social media. Think reels, TikTok videos, YouTube Shorts and more. We’ll talk more about that below.

• Otter.AI – We love using Otter AI for our transcripts. I also use it during meetings with clients and the team to help me stay on task. It offers action items from the conversation (*chefs kiss*), timestamps with a detailed summary, and an AI assistant you can ask to write an overview of the conversation and pull fun quotes. Those last two features are great for podcasters.  

• Izotope RX – This is a high-quality audio editing software that we use to fix many of the common mistakes our clients make with their audio. This tool allows us to take our clients’ podcasts to the next level without having to have to learn audio engineering at our local community college. The tool is expensive but has been a fantastic investment for our team, which is processing over 3000 minutes of audio every month.

• Auphonic – This tool has a new AI feature that’s currently in beta to remove “uh” and “um” from audio. We’ve found that this tool actually sounds better than the removal we’ve tried with the popular tool, Descript. We also use Auphonic to help equalize the audio at the end of our podcast production process.

See our episodes on Podcasting and AI

Podcasting and AI: What You Need to Know for the Future 

Using Chat-Based AI to Support Your Content Creation with Andréa Jones 

While a lot of these AI tools for podcasters are really incredible, there is this idea that AI could take the job of podcasters. We all remember Joe Rogan’s AI Experience podcast episode from April when he created an ENTIRE episode using ChatGPT. 

As cool (or downright weird) as that might be, it was certainly a cause for concern for many podcasters who wish to keep the medium human-centered. 

Add in that Apple launched AI-generated books early this year to combat Amazon’s place in the market, and then Amazon announced in October that they would test out virtual voice-narrated books, which would impact the spoken word market in a big way. As an avid member of the reading community, I’ve heard endlessly about how frustrating this is for both readers and narrators alike. 

The Fall (and Shift) of Podcast Listening Apps

In 2023 we also saw the fall of Stitcher, a podcast-listening app that had been around since I started listening to podcasts back in 2015. 

This was a big surprise, especially because they’d just been acquired in 2020 by SiriusXM for $325 million. But the numbers weren’t adding up for SiriusXM to continue. 

Google made some big changes this year that will continue into next year. The first came in February when they no longer showed playable podcasts (in carousel form) directly in search results. This impacted the Google Podcast manager, meaning we could no longer see what terms people were searching for when our podcast episodes showed up. It was a great tool for myself and our clients and helped us get clarity around SEO best practices. 

Two other announcements came out in September from Google when they said that YouTube Music is creating a centralized podcast destination, and they will sunset Google Podcasts in 2024. It will be interesting to see how this pans out over the next 12-18 months. This isn’t part of our predictions, but I do predict that YouTube Music will not be able to keep up and will shift away in the next 18 months from what they think they can do with YouTube Music. 

Regular Podcast Listening is Back on the Rise

In 2020 and 2021, we predictably saw the number of monthly podcast listeners rise collectively (Edison), only for it to fall in 2022. It’s estimated that those numbers have gone back up. This is great news as people are starting to find a balance and more people are becoming aware of what a podcast is. 

I can’t even count the number of times I’ve seen the “There’s a Podcast About That” Allstate commercial. It’s brought even more awareness to the medium which is exciting for people who are creating and producing them. 

Our 2023 Predictions

Our predictions for 2023 were fun. It was my first year creating something about where I saw the industry going. While I think many of these will continue to be important, there’s something to build on here.

1. SEO will be more important than ever

2. Video will not be the future of podcasting

3. Content standards are going to be set high

4. The importance of following the data

5. Listeners (people) over downloads (numbers)

2024 Podcast Predictions: 

Evergreen Content will Reign Supreme

Listeners want to be able to binge through your episodes easily. When you mention timely things, it can feel frustrating for listeners, especially if those trends and topics no longer apply. If the content is timely, it’s important that you specify that and showcase where they can look for up-to-date information (more recent podcast episodes, your newsletter, etc.).

Creating evergreen content makes it easier for business owners to sell their stuff on the podcast because the message is consistent and the action is clear. You can also use dynamic content to monetize your show with your most current offerings. 

Take Action – Plan your next 8 podcast episodes with evergreen content in mind.

Video is the Future of Podcast Marketing

You might have to read that one again. Last year, we said that video was not the future of podcasting, and I still believe that to be true for most podcast creators.

While I don’t think that video podcasts are the future since the majority of podcast listeners still listen in their vehicles or while doing household tasks, I do think that we are seeing a shift in how podcasters can market their podcasts. We will have to be a little savvier in how we market our shows if we want to stand out from the crowd of other people vying for attention on social media.

Take Action – Find a way to automate your marketing more so that you can easily create video social content. Some tools I love right now are Riverside FM, Headliner, and Munch AI.

Bold and Thought Provoking Content Wins

We talked about the rise of AI at the top of this blog post and how it will continue to impact the audio medium. How can we stand out if AI content and voice are also in our space? 

Be bold in your content. Stop playing it safe. 

Push away people that don’t want or need your message. Create connections with the people who do. Share unique stories and push the boundaries in your conversations. No more fluffy content.

The only way you can make lasting change with your content is to create something that will actually change someone’s life. Playing it safe isn’t going to do that.

Take action – In your next solo episode, I want you to get vulnerable and real with your audience in a way you never have before.

Information is Abundant. Be Selective.

There will continue to be a lot of changes in podcasting in 2024. It’s clear as day to anyone in the space. Companies are picking up and dropping stuff left and right. 

With that in mind, who do you look to for information? Are you feeling overwhelmed and unsure? Did someone tell you, based on a single interaction, that you won’t be a successful podcaster? 

How do you know which changes to the industry you should join and which you shouldn’t? It can be a lot! This is where a podcast strategist can support you. When I’m creating a strategy for someone, I take into account their goals, industry, and capacity. Then I talk through what will actually work for them instead of a one-size-fits-all approach.

Take action – Decide on 2-3 sources of podcast information that you will follow in 2024 for your updates and how they might impact you.

Listeners (People) Over Downloads (Numbers)

This one stays the same because I think it will continue to be important as we head into another year of podcasting. It’s easy to look at the number of downloads as just that– numbers. 

What if we imagined them as actual people, though? Think about the number of people who listened to your podcast. Now imagine that number of people in a room, listening to you speak. 

How does that feel? Does it make you want to show up differently? Remember, there are human beings behind those downloads and they are choosing to take time out of their day to intentionally listen to you. 

Take Action: Connect (or reconnect) with one listener in your DMs this week. 

Conclusion

Podcasting has changed a lot this year and will continue as we see the rise and fall of more tools. It’s important that we keep a few things in mind as we head into 2024:

• Think about your audience when you are creating content.
• Focus on your goals when deciding on what actions to take.
• Be consistent and persistent. 
• Don’t forget to download the free workbook

Want to read more predictions we are following?

Startup Marketing Predictions for 2024 (Firebrand)

Visionary Execs at Whole Foods, Slack, Google, Amazon and More Share Their 2024 Predictions (Entrepreneur)

Will Social Media Marketing Look Different in 2024? My Big Predictions (OnlineDrea)

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If you are a thought leader, you may be struggling with coming up with new content that supports your thought leadership. A podcast is a great way to create podcast thought leadership content without having a show up on video every week.

A 2022 New York Times article shared an interesting statistic about what thought leadership content means to decision-makers. Decision-makers spend time every week consuming thought leadership content in order to inform their decisions. The only problem is that 71% of these decision-makers said that less than half of their thought leadership content gives them valuable insight. 

These decision-makers are the people who are running events or deciding whether to hire people to solve problems. If they don’t feel inspired, then they won’t take action to share the content or work with you. So, let’s talk about how to create valuable thought leadership podcast content that creates opportunities for you. 

What Is Thought Leadership 

First, let’s look at what thought leadership content is. At the most basic level, thought leadership is about creating value and sharing knowledge in your areas of expertise. However, to stand out as a thought leader, you need to take a stand that allows you to separate yourself from the rest of the experts in your field. 

So, in addition to being knowledgeable, a successful thought leader also needs to be innovative, share new ideas, and be unafraid to go against the flow. 

The Benefits of a Thought Leadership Strategy in Podcasting 

There are many mediums you could use to share your thought leadership, like blogs, guest features, or even social media. Podcasting is my favorite way to create thought leadership content because:

• It is an undersaturated space in comparison to the others.
• It’s SEO-friendly both on podcast platforms and search engines.
• You don’t have to navigate algorithms in order to get your content in front of your ideal clients.
• You can repurpose your podcast content into other forms of content to drive more traffic to your thought leadership podcast content. 
• You can host guests so you can both share your expertise and knowledge in a conversational way. 

The main reason why I love using podcast content for thought leadership is because it can generate all kinds of leads.

It may not always generate clients for your business, but it will help you to generate brand awareness so you can land future opportunities for speaking engagements, book deals, or collaborations. 

How to Create Thought Leadership Podcast Content 

The statistics in the New York Times article provided interesting insights into what decision-makers are looking for when consuming thought leadership content.

Here are 3 strategies you can incorporate into your thought leadership podcast content to provide more value to your listeners.  

Grab Their Attention Immediately 

According to the article, 55% of decision-makers said that if a piece of thought leadership podcast content does not pique their interest within the first minute, they move on. So, you need to grab their attention right away and get them excited about what you’re talking about. 

In episode 39 of the Listeners to Leads podcast, we spoke with Lori Highby of Keystone Click about the importance of understanding your audience to make a marketable podcast and actionable steps you can take right now to encourage your guests to share your show.

Solve a Problem

The article also shared that 63% of decision-makers said that thought leadership content provides important proof that an organization genuinely understand and can solve specific business challenges. If you want your thought leadership podcast content to translate into leads of any kind, solving problems is a great way to demonstrate that you are an expert in your field. That, alongside a personal connection means that listeners will want to go to you to solve their problems. 

Embrace the Conversational Form of Podcast Content 

Podcast content is completely different from blog posts or social media content. It is less instructional and more about sharing thoughts and ideas. Embrace the medium of podcasts because it allows you to express excitement and engage with your audiences more than any other medium. 

Additional Resources & Support

In episode 108 of the Listeners to Leads podcast, we chatted with Jason Cercone on how you can be a podcast guest and build your thought leadership that way.

As you can see, there are many ways to grow your though leadership via a podcast. Need more support around launching a podcast that helps support your thought leadership? I recommend you check out our services around a limited series podcast launch.

Most thought leaders are juggling a ton of different things. A limited series (about 12-15 episodes) can help you show up as a thought leader without committing to an ongoing podcast.

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Your 2024 guide to starting a podcast 

Starting a podcast can feel overwhelming, but with the right plan in place and tools by your side, it’s a whole lot easier. 

After reading this blog, we highly recommend you check out our blog Is it Easy to Start a Podcast: 10 things to consider before you take the leap! That blog will give you questions to consider before starting so you can be sure you’re taking a strategic approach to starting a podcast. 

We also encourage you to subscribe to Listeners to Leads, a podcast for podcasters looking to grow their business through podcasting. On the show, we provide you with tons of resources and episodes specifically focused on launching and starting your podcast, so you have the tools you need to make it a success. 

Step-by-Step: How to Start a Podcast

This blog will break down step by step of how to start a podcast and guide you towards helpful resources every leg of the journey! Consider this blog your official checklist to getting started and on your way. 

1. Pick a Name for Your Podcast

The name of your podcast will be the first thing potential listeners see and hear and it’s important to make it easy for them to find. When choosing a podcast name, pick one that’s catchy, memorable, and relevant to your topic and area of expertise. 

We recommend keeping it simple, clear, and descriptive and avoiding words that are hard to spell or difficult to pronounce. 

Look to see if your podcast’s name is already taken or trademarked by someone, and look into podcast directories to see what else comes up when you type in the name. Getting feedback on the name can be helpful (from people you trust) but ultimately, it’s your show and you have to feel good about what the name is and why you’ve chosen it. 

Be creative and be YOU to make your name stand out! 

Choose a Hosting Platform 

How on earth is one to choose from the many many many podcast hosting platforms that are out there? Before you just choose the cheapest podcast host or the one your friend told you they use, read our blog on the Eight Top Podcast Hosting Platforms and why we chose them! 

Your podcast hosting platform is what will be pushing your show out to podcast players (think Spotify, Apple, Stitcher, etc.) as well as where you’ll upload audio, show notes, and get data and analytics to help you in the creation of your show. 

We often refer people to Buzzsprout, thanks to it’s ease of use, great user interface, reasonable pricing, and dynamic ad insertion options. 

What we think makes Buzzsprout the Best Podcast Hosting Platform: 

• You can customize your podcast site with a unique domain name and your branding 
• Buzzsprout automatically uploads your podcast to podcast directories 
• They offer a transcription service (for an additional fee) and can help ensure better audio quality as well! 
• They provide advanced analytics
• They have affordable pricing tiers 

One of our favorite features of Buzzsprout is the ability to promote your business and offerings with dynamic ad insertions, which are ads anywhere in the show (pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll). 

Buzzsprout is very easy to use and allows you to pay monthly without commitment, so it’s a great way to get started and still have access to in-depth analytics. 

Click HERE to sign up for Buzzsprout!*

3. Design the Artwork for Your Show 

If you’re not a graphic designer, or a super Canva genius, we recommend hiring someone to design the artwork for your show. Your artwork is really important and not to be overlooked! Like the name of the show, it’s the first thing people will see when they discover your show (usually before even pressing PLAY to listen!).  

Unless it’s a hobby podcast, your branding and artwork for your podcast should align with your current business branding. Your podcast is an extension of your brand, so it’s important for the two to be cohesive and work together. 

In addition to your cover art, your podcast may also need individual episode graphics, graphics for your podcast website, and other social media graphics for things like quotes and audiograms. 

Want more visual and artwork tips? Listen to Episode 96 of Listeners to Leads: How to Design Eye-Catching Podcast Graphics with Lauren Felter

4. Write Your Show Description 

A podcast description (also called a show description) summarizes the who, what, and why of your podcast to potential audience members. It explains the topic of your show, and a simple but concise description that lets them know if they’re in the right spot as a listener. 

We have a blog (complete with examples and a template!) for you on How to Write a Podcast Show Description here! 

Example of the Listeners to Leads podcast description.

5. Choose Your Music 

It’s the little things that make a huge difference in setting your show apart from all the noise from other podcasts. It’s also the little things – like your music – that help you to welcome your listeners in with the vibe they can expect from the show and show off your personality too! 

Choose music that’s a reflection of you, your brand, will appeal to your listeners and that you plan to consistently use each and every episode. 

Our top two recommendations for affordable, royalty-free, and unique music you can purchase for your intro, outro, or transition podcast music: 

1. NEO Sounds
2. Audio Jungle on the Envato Market

You can also have someone record your music for you, such as a friend or family member who’s a musician which will also help to prevent copyright issues (as long as they’ve given you proper licenses and permission to use it)! 

It’s also optional to look for free music, but remember that it won’t be nearly as unique as buying your music from the sites noted above. You’ll also need to make sure that you are following the requirements for the free licenses. 

Choose music that’s catchy and helps your listeners remember your podcast and recommend it to others. 

6) Record Your Intro / Outro 

Things should start to be feeling much more real to you by this point! You have the podcast art, the music, you’ve chosen a name, and a content theme, and now you’re ready to hit RECORD for the first time and create the introduction and “See ya’ next time!” for each show. 

The intro does exactly that – it introduces your show, you, and any co-hosts, acknowledges your audience however you like (Welcome, friends!, etc.) and sets the tone for the show by briefly (we do mean briefly) sharing who the show is for and what it’s about. 

The outro is where you thank listeners for enjoying your content, and often invite them to take next steps, whether that be:

• Working with you or visiting your website
• Finding you on social media 
• Sharing the episode with someone else 
• Writing a review 
• Subscribing to the show to make sure they don’t miss an episode
• Signing up for your freebie

Just remember not to give them too many things to do at the end. One or two options to connect with you further is plenty! 

7) Plan Your Content Strategy 

Current stats show that 50% of podcasters don’t make it past the first seven episodes. After they hit that point, they do what we call in our industry “podfade”. 

We don’t want you to podfade! It’s important to remember that podcasting is a long game and your topic should, ideally, be something you can keep on talking about for as long as you intend to play it! One way to avoid the podfade is to map out your content strategy. 

What does your audience need to know first? 

How can each episode build off of the other to give them everything they need? 

We recommend mapping out at least your first 10 episodes before getting started. 

Here are our four top Listeners to Leads Episodes on planning your podcast content and how to make it easier: 

Streamline Your Podcast Content Creation Process  (Ep 3)

5 Ideas to Never Run Out of Podcast Content  (Ep 7)

How to Organize and Plan Your Podcast Content  (Ep 21)

Plan out the First (or Next) 10 Episodes of your Podcast (Ep 24)

8) Develop Your Podcast Launch Strategy 

We don’t recommend you go this alone! We repeat: we don’t recommend you go this alone! A strategic podcast launch is key to helping you attract maximum listeners right away with your show and share it with the world when it airs. With a whole lot of launches under our belt, we know what goes into a successful podcast launch and can guide you every step of the way.  

We offer full-service podcast launch management, which takes the pressure off you to know exactly what is involved in launching a successful podcast. We’re the experts in podcast launching so you don’t have to be. All you need to do is play an active role in making crucial decisions along the way, and show up with your unique brilliance and expertise! 

If you do decide to do it by yourself or you’re on a budget and DIY-ing while starting your podcast, we recommend listening to Episode 23 of Listeners to Leads: How to Create a Podcast Launch Plan

The more intentional you are at the beginning, the better. When you launch in a thoughtful, strategic way, it can help your show be more successful from the start, and save you a lot of frustration! 

9) Record and Upload Your Episodes 

And you thought the intro/outro was exciting! Now, it’s time to sit down and record your first episodes and upload them to your podcast hosting platform.

You need to do this with your trailer/welcome episode (some call it Episode 0) PRIOR to launch day because it takes time for podcast hosting platforms to get your show in podcast directories so people can listen on their app of choice. 

We recommend giving yourself two weeks (minimum) from date of launch to date of uploading your first episode to ensure that everything goes smoothly in getting them into all the podcast directories and everyone can find your podcast on launch day. 

Your first official episode (Episode #1) will be scheduled for launch day (we’ll get to that in a minute) and ideally, you’ll have two more behind it for people to listen to and discover! 

10) Launch Your Podcast! 

You want to start telling people about your podcast weeks prior to launch day! 

Don’t keep it a secret! We recommend you assemble a launch team, people who will support you by listening to your show, as well as help you market and share when the episodes go live! This launch team will be by your side, helping you get your initial first downloads and writing ratings and review that will help podcast directories recommend your show to like-minded listeners. 

On launch day, your first official episode drops and you’ll want to market it far and wide, letting your community know that your episodes are LIVE and guiding them to listen and share. You can do a Facebook LIVE or Instagram LIVE to promote it on social media and in your newsletter. 

Recommended Listeners to Leads episodes on launching strategy: 

Episode 17 of Listeners to Leads: Podcast Launch Q & A 

Episode 23 of Listeners to Leads: How to Create a Podcast Launch Plan

Important reminder: Don’t stop talking about your podcast after launch day. (Louder for the ones in the back!)

You need to continue marketing and promoting your show with regular social media posts for about a solid week after launch.

Launching can feel overwhelming and daunting, and it’s crucial to take a strategic approach in this step to ensure the most successful podcast possible right out of the gate. 

Using this step-by-step guide in starting your podcast, you’ll be well on your way to enjoying all the many benefits of podcasting and sharing your content and thought leadership with your listeners! 

Launch Your Podcast With Support

If you’re looking for support, book a chat with us. We handle these steps (and more) soup-to-nuts and take it entirely off you’re plate! We’re able to get some incredible launch results for our clients and we’d love to do the same for you! 

*Buzzsprout affiliate link: www.alesiagalati.com/buzzsprout

This blog post contains affiliate links. That means we may make a small commission on items purchased through links in this post at no extra cost to you!

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How to Write a Description for a Podcast

Whether your listeners stumble across your podcast on Google, hear about it from a friend, or discover it on their favorite podcast app, chances are they’ll see your podcast description and use it as a quick way to identify whether or not your show is for them! 

You can use your podcast description as a place to more about you as the host, what type of content your show delivers, and who specifically it’s for!

In this blog, we’ll show you how to write a description for a podcast with examples and an easy template you can adapt for your show and unique audience. You’ll get our best podcast description tips so yours can stand out amongst the noise. 

What’s the difference between a podcast description and show notes? 

So glad you asked! We get asked this question a lot, so we’re not surprised you did. 

A podcast description (also called a show description) summarizes the who, what, why of your podcast to potential audience members. It explains the topic of your show, and a simple but concise description that lets them know if they’re in the right spot as a listener. 

It can also be helpful if your show and another has a similar or same name to distinguish between the two. Done right, a great podcast description can attract new listeners.

Podcast show notes give an overview of the individual episodes. They contain information specific to what’s in a show such as guests, topics covered, and takeaways. Show notes are written unique to every episode you produce, while a podcast description is written once and doesn’t need to be change unless something about the content or audience changes. 

When you’re done reading this one, be sure to check out our blog How to Write Show Notes for a Podcast here (don’t worry, we’ll remind you of the link again at the end). 

How to Write a Description for a Podcast

Give a headline

Start with a headline that conveys the main topic or theme of your podcast clearly and concisely while grabbing attention of your ideal audience. 

Examples: 

Listeners to Leads, hosted by Alesia Galati, teaches new and aspiring podcasters how to use their podcasts to grow their business. 

In The Binge Factor podcast for aspiring podcasters and seasoned podcasters, podcast strategist Tracy Hazzard explores whether your podcast has what it takes to create and grow a bingeable podcast – where listeners binge on your every word and get to know, like, and trust you in an accelerated way.

The Positively Living podcast is a self-improvement podcast with specially curated content to support multi-passionate creatives and entrepreneurs. 

Summarize the Episode

Write a summary that gives listeners a brief overview of what your podcast is about. Make sure to include topics or themes that are covered in your podcast, and your unique spin or perspective that sets your podcast apart and makes it stand out! This is also the portion of the podcast description in which many hosts will share who they are and what they do to bring the content to you in their own way. 

Examples: 

Astrologer and cosmic consultant, Madi Murphy, combines her spiritual teachings with practical, actionable steps– and usually with a dash of pop culture and high-vibe humor thrown in to keep it real. Weekly episodes will give our listeners their astro weather aka “energy report” for the week ahead and digestible doses of no-BS advice to fuel their personal evolution… and revolution!

We aspire to share what is possible and encourage more women to leap, striving for these board and c-suite positions themselves to change the path towards a more inclusive future. This podcast will share stories on how women lead and how their leadership opens the doors for the greater value of opportunities for others.

Go Over the Format

Speak to the format of the show to give your listeners and potential audience members an idea of what they’re in for with the show. Will you be doing guest interviews? Bringing in expert insights? Releasing only solo episodes? Do you share in short bite-size episodes or is it longer form? Or perhaps a combination?

Examples: 

Hi, I’m Barb! I share my experience, strength and hope from 12 step recovery in each episode. They’re all 20 minutes or less. Unlike most recovery podcasts where you hear a person’s whole story, in this one, each episode is about a specific topic.

Sam and Karyn focus on the mindset, challenges, triumphs, and intentional strategies of running an aligned web design & development business. Each week, you’ll hear about everything from refining your business vision, crafting relevant packages & services, intentional networking & marketing, and creating a magical client experience.

Call to Action

Wrap up with a call to action to listen now, visit your website to learn more (or both!). Some also use the conclusion to offer up a reminder to review, subscribe, and share as well as speak to when new episodes air. We recommend focusing on one call to action that’s in line with the goals of your specific show. Remember, this is the last impression a potential listener will have before they hit play and start listening. 

Examples: 

Casey provides tools, advice, resources, support, and encouragement for extra passionate women entrepreneurs who want to leave their legacy in this world. Learn more about Casey and Female Founders Breaking Boundaries at https://c-suiteboutique.com/podcast

Check out thebingefactor.com for even more FREE infographics, tips, downloads, and masterclasses for podcasters.

Learn more about Alesia and Listeners to Leads at www.listenerstoleads.com

Tune in every other week to hear episodes that will help you be mindful in the present & open to the future. Learn more about Sarah and Poised Powerful Parenting at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/interviews. 

Want to learn how to write a podcast show description using our template? 

You can use this easy podcast description template to tailor a podcast description that’s right for your show and listeners. 

[PODCAST TITLE], hosted by [FULL NAME OF HOST], (shows, teaches, helps, etc.) [IDEAL LISTENER] to [WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO GET FROM THE SHOW]. [ABOUT THE HOST AND WHY THIS PERSON SHOULD SPEAK ON THESE THINGS]. [WHEN EPISODES GO LIVE IE. EVERY WEEK OR EVERY OTHER WEEK], you’ll (learn, hear, get) episodes that talk about [GENERAL TOPICS BEING DISCUSSED ON THE SHOW]. Learn more about [HOST AND PODCAST TITLE] at [PODCAST WEBSITE].

Here’s a full example so you can see the template in action:

Listeners to Leads, hosted by Alesia Galati, teaches new and aspiring podcasters how to use their podcasts to grow their business. Alesia uses her experience as the owner of Galati Media, a full-service podcast management company, to help business owners get leads, land speaking gigs, and create deeper connections with their audiences through their podcasts. Alesia and her guests will discuss everything from launching a podcast to marketing a podcast. Learn more about Alesia and Listeners to Leads at www.listenerstoleads.com

A Few More Podcast Description Tips and Best Practices: 

• Remember to be concise and to the point. Avoid long paragraphs and run on text and stick to short, easy-to-read sentences. Anything else can be distracting. 
• Include relevant search terms and keywords to help new listeners discover your podcast when they’re searching the internet or their podcast player for a specific topic or resource. 
• Update your description when content, hosts, or target audience changes. Be sure to keep this description up to date and accurate. 
• Don’t be afraid to use your personality and language in your podcast description to give your listeners and potential audience members the flavor and style of your show.

Writing a description for your podcast can feel overwhelming at first. You want to make a great first impression and make sure you’re describing your listeners with accuracy while capturing their attention. 

When it comes to how to write a podcast description, it’s about showing your audience who you are and what you stand for in a way that allows them to clearly understand whether or not your show is a good fit for them. With this small step done well, it also gives you the podcast host an anchor point to keep your podcast focused on delivering what you promised. That’s what’s going to keep them coming back for more each and every week, and attract new listeners to your unique thought leadership.

At Galati Media, writing your podcast description is one of the many pieces we handle and take off your plate entirely with our full service podcast management service. 

You don’t have to be an expert in podcasting (or writing podcast descriptions for that matter) to captivate the attention of your listeners, gain leads and speaking gigs, and change the lives of your audience. 

Learn more about how we support podcasters like you!

Next recommended Galati Media Blog: 

How to Write Show Podcast Show Notes

Recommended Listeners to Leads Episode:
Listeners to Leads Episode 97) Repurpose Past Podcast Content using SEO Strategy with Erin Ollila’s

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​​When you first set out to measure your podcast success, the mere idea of it might keep you up at night. You compare yourself to other people on social media and get caught in a cycle of shame. My one podcast friend recently hit a million downloads. Why aren’t I there yet? Am I missing some magic secret success ingredient? What does podcast success even look like? Is it a multi-million dollar deal with Spotify?

Chances are, there’s no one “thing” your friend is doing that you aren’t. It’s more likely they have a different audience than you, and they likely have different podcast goals.

I recently chatted with a business friend on her podcast, She Built This, about this exact topic, and I knew I had to make sure you could access it. So in this post, I’m going to help you shake off that pesky comparisonitis and start feeling excited about the podcast success you’ve had so far.

Listen to me talk through all these and more on the She Built This Podcast.

I’m breaking down 3 strategies to measure podcast success without feeling stressed out or overwhelmed because you don’t know where to start.

Make sure you read to the end because I’ve got a bonus strategy that is essential for measuring your podcast success!

3 Surprisingly Powerful Ways to Measure Podcast Success

One question that comes up for our clients regularly is this: how can I measure podcast success?

If you do a quick google on the topic, you’ll find everything from looking at your downloads to seeing your social media engagement. Those numbers can help sometimes, but there is so much more you have to take into account when you are trying to measure your own podcast success.

#1. Forget about the Podcast Downloads

If you want to have a better understanding of measuring your podcast success, you have to get past the arbitrary download numbers.

This is #1 on the list because it’s the thing almost all podcasters get caught up on. They see the downloads and decide that those are the numbers that only matter.

via GIPHY

While it’s essential to have a pulse on the download numbers, that only tells us part of the story. As podcasters (and business owners), there’s more that we should be tracking.

When you are trying to measure your podcast success by looking only at the downloads, it can lead to giving up on your podcast before you’ve really had a chance to get it off the ground.

Did you know 90% of podcasters don’t make it to 25 episodes? My goal with all the content I create and the services we offer at Galati Media is to support you so that you don’t just become another statistic.

Instead, let’s look at the numbers for what they can actually tell us. Your downloads tells you how many people have streamed or downloaded your show. 

Note: Depending on the podcast listening app, it might actually consider someone following your show as downloading ALL your episodes. That’s why the more episodes you create, the easier it is to get more significant download numbers.

So when you look at your download numbers, all you see is that someone decided to take a 2-second chance on your show.

Instead of looking at just the downloads, we should be looking at all the possible information available to us.

For example, we were looking over a client’s statistics during our monthly strategy session (every client gets them) and saw that her guest episodes were getting about half the downloads as her solo episodes. She asked if it was worth it to stop doing guest episodes entirely. 

My response was this: well, is your goal in having that guest about connecting with the guest or about giving your audience content they want? 

This gave the client another perspective and she realized that her goal was actually about the connection, not about the download numbers.

RELATED POST: Creating and Keeping Podcast Goals

#2. Always Go Back To Your Goals

Regardless of what your goals are, reviewing your podcast statistics is always smart. If you take the time to get clear on your goal first, though, it helps you decide which information is actually important.

So let’s break down a few popular podcast goals and how we can actually measure the podcast success based on the specific goal.

Potential Goal #1 – Get more leads from your podcast

This is one of my favorite goals and is something I specialize in. You can hear all my thoughts about the topic on my podcast, Listeners to Leads. 

If your goal is to get more leads from your podcast, you’ll want to have a few key things to track this. Add a How did you find me section to your contact form so you can see how many leads are coming from your show. 

Another thing you’ll want to track is your links. You can use a bit.ly to easily show how many podcast listeners are clicking on certain links. That tells you which services listed in your show notes are getting traction.

You’ll also want to ensure that the content on your show is directing people to actually work with you. Seems like a no-brainer, but a lot of podcasters forget to let their audience know how they can buy from them.

Potential Goal #2 – Interview potential leads or collaborators

This goal is something that doesn’t take a ton of effort to track. You’ll simply note how many podcast guests turned into leads or collaborators. 

If you do go this route, you’ll want to ensure you are following ethical strategies and not hounding guests to become clients. That never feels good. If they can use your support, you can offer it; but I don’t think your podcast should turn into an end-to-end funnel.

RELATED PODCAST EPISODE: Finding Where Your Podcast Fits in Your Funnel with Nicole Hesse

Potential Goal #3 – Show up as an expert or thought leader

With the goal of showing up as a thought leader, you’ll want to dive deep into your download numbers. And I’m not just talking about how many people listened to each episode. 

Here you want to know how much of an episode do people listen to. On Spotify, this is called the listener retention and on Apple Podcast, it’s call your average consumption. It doesn’t matter what it’s called. Put simply, it’s how much of an episode is consumed by listeners, on average.

This is important for the thought leadership goal because it can easily show you where most of your audience drops off. 

Spotify Episode Performance

Apple Podcast Average Consumption

Both of these graphics above show the listener behavior on both Apple Podcast and Spotify for the same episode.

Looking this over, I can tell this solo episode was very popular. You might think that most listeners only listening to about 69% – 75% is terrible. But what you probably don’t know is that from the information I’ve gathered with our clients, most podcast episodes get about 50%-60% completion. 

That means that, on average, your listener will only listen to about half of your episode. But don’t let that discourage you! If you are using your podcast to be a thought leader, you’ll want your solo episode to do better than 60%, and you’ll want to get some interactions from your audience that they are taking action on the things talked about.

Potential Goal #4 – Make an impact with your content

If your goal is to make an impact, then the download numbers may or may not be important to you. It depends on what you believe is impact.

Your impact could be toward your guests. Then the downloads don’t matter. 

Your impact could be that you want to have a certain number of people listening to your message. Then your downloads are definitely going to matter to you.

Or your impact could potentially be that you want to turn those listeners into leads and make an impact on clients that way. Then you will need to look at more than just your download numbers.

These are only a few of the goals you can have around your podcast. So go ahead and take a few moments to decide what your podcast goals actually are so you can see if your show is successful or if you need to make tweaks.

Pro tip: You don’t have to pick just one goal. You can decide that you have two or three goals tied to your podcast.

#3. Get Support When You Need It

It’s easy to get stuck. 

Maybe you’re putting the time in but still unable to reach your podcast goals. Maybe you’re struggling to make your podcast work the way you want it to.

It’s one thing to get stuck temporarily and feel confused about what you should be doing. But when it goes on too long, you can fall into a rut and lose your motivation to even keep the show going.

That’s what happened with my friend, Emily. She was struggling with how her show of over 200 episodes. While hitting that podcast milestone is a big deal, she wanted to focus her efforts on using her podcast to bring in more leads to her business.

After working through her statistics, listener feedback, and more, my recommendation was to start a new podcast that would have content that her potential clients would be attracted to. Her first podcast was focused too much on all the business owners, not the ones who would want her copywriting services.

So she put in the work…and in less than ten episodes, she got her first client from her new podcast! 

If you’re struggling to understand your statistics or measure your podcast success, it may be time to reach out to a podcast strategist like me for guidance and clarity.

There are many ways that a podcast strategist can help:

• Creating clarity around your podcast goals
• Giving you tips, tricks, and strategies to achieve those goals
• Measuring (and celebrating) your podcast success

If you’d like to work with me, click here to book a strategy session.

Bonus! Listen to the Podcast!

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the work you’ve done for you podcast and understanding your numbers, so I have some resources to make it easier.

Over on the Listeners to Leads podcast, I have plenty of episodes where my guests and I talk about understanding your numbers and which numbers you should actually be tracking. Here are a few of my favorites: 

Podcast Stats: What do they mean and how to measure success

Tracking and Understanding your Podcast Metrics with Danielle Hayden

Using Podcast Listening Statistics to Make Better Decisions

Wrapping it up

I hope this post showed you that every step you take is a HUGE win and no one can take that away from you.

So raise your hand, reach around and pat yourself on the back! Figuring out how to measure podcast success doesn’t come easy, but you’re doing it!

Every step is getting you closer to your finish line. And at the end of the day, that’s all that really matters.

So now I want to turn it over to you. Which of these strategies will you be trying first?  

Are you going to book a strategy session? Or listen to the podcast?

Let me know by leaving a comment below!

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Step right up and get ready to discover everything you need to know about podcast networks. There are varying opinions on the topic in the podcasting industry, so we will approach this from the lens of podcasters who want to money from their show.

With this guide, you will understand more about podcast networks, discover the pros and cons of joining a podcast network, and find some alternatives if a podcast network isn’t the direction you should go with your show.

When it comes to podcast networks, many people think you have to have hundreds of thousands of downloads even to be considered to join a podcast network. While that isn’t true, it’s still important to assess if a podcast network is right for you.

If you’re a pro podcaster and beyond the how, what, and why of podcast networks, this is a great refresher for you. I also have this blog post How To Monetize a Podcast Right Away to support you in monetizing your podcast.

Or maybe you haven’t even started your podcast yet and you’re in the research phase. Check out this blog post, 10 things to do before you start a podcast to get you headed in the right direction.

Are you more of an audio person? Check out our podcast episode, where I take you through the ins and outs of podcast networks and everything you need to know as a podcast host.

Podcast Networks Explained

What is a podcast network anyway? Understanding what it is is the first step to deciding if it’s right for you

A podcast network is a group of shows that are specifically under one name, one collection, or one company.

If you are an avid podcast listener, you probably know about some of the major podcast networks.

Top Podcast Networks

Podcast networks range from small independent collectives to huge organizations. Here are a few of the popular networks you’ve probably heard of.

• Wondery
• Earwolf
• Gimlet Media
• Kast Media
• iHeartRadio
• NPR
• The New York Times
• Hubspot

If you are a business owner and you’re looking for join a network, it’s likely that most of these are not going to be networks that will work for you. Keep your business and podcast goals in mind 

Related Post: Creating a Quality Podcast

Requirements for Joining a Podcast Network

The requirements to join a podcast network vary depending on the size of the network. There are some podcast networks that require you to have at least 50,000 downloads per month while others are as low as 1,000 downloads per episode (so 4,000-5,000 downloads per month).

Are you a total stats nerd? Check out Podcast Stats: What do they mean and how to measure success.

If you are a smaller podcast, you can certainly look at smaller networks and determine if the pros outweigh the cons. Larger shows will be able to negotiate for more, but if you have a very niche show, you might have some wiggle room.

Note: You don’t need thousands of downloads to monetize your podcast right away. 

Don’t forget, we’ll go through some alternative options to podcast networks at the end of this blog post, so if you are feeling discouraged, I have some solutions for you too.

How Do Podcast Networks Work?

Now, once you’ve joined the podcast network, you’ll get access to everything they have to offer. This can include things like marketing, advertising, and even production support. There will also be opportunities for cross-promotions with other shows on that network. 

Podcast networks use a CPM (click-per-mille) model, which is a pricing model where the advertisers pay a set price for 1,000 impressions on the network’s shows. The network negotiates these and typically takes about a 30% cut from the advertising revenue.

Here’s an example:

At 8000 downloads per episode, the network negotiates $25 CPM. That comes out to $200 per episode with the network taking their $60 (which is 30%), leaving you with $140 per episode.

You have to consider if getting that many downloads worth what you get back financially. What are the pros and cons to get access to everything the podcast network has to offer? 

Also, remember that the top 5% of podcasts get about 1100 downloads in the first 7 days. (Buzzsprout Global Stats)

Pros and Cons of Joining a Podcast Network

When deciding if joining a podcast network is right for you, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons. Don’t forget, we’ll also be sharing some alternative options next if you feel that the cons outweigh the pros in this case.

Pros of Joining a Podcast Network

There are many benefits to joining a podcast network. The major one is access to support and partnerships. Podcasting tends to be a  very solitary experience. Sometimes it can feel like you’re talking into a vacuum. Having support and partnerships with people who understand podcasting and what all goes into it can make you feel less alone. 

Networks can also provide a sense of credibility for podcasters who are looking to be taken seriously in their industry. That credibility can lead to some collaborations that you might not get elsewhere.

Another thing you get access to by joining a podcast network is additional revenue and resources. The network is doing a lot of the heavy lifting and will have a budget for show improvements and more. 

Cons of Joining a Podcast Network

While these benefits might sound appealing, there are also some downsides to joining a podcast network.

Most networks will require you to give up some form of creative license or control over the content that you have on your podcast. It’s important that if they have you sign a contract, you read what and what isn’t within your rights as the show host. 

They may require you to move to a new platform as well. While this might not be a major concern for some, others might find this frustrating and unnecessary especially if you are currently using systems and workflows that really work with how you work best. 

Networks will take a cut of your revenue. As noted earlier in this post, the podcast network is entitled to about 30% of the ad revenue you make on your show. They may even have access to more, but you would need to review your contract to understand how this all works. 

Alternative Options to Podcast Networks

As a podcaster, you might feel like your options are limited, and a podcast network, though it has its own limitations, might be the only solution for you.

Well, there are certainly more options, so I will run through some possible ideas for how you can get similar results without joining a network.

1. Support and Partnership

If you are looking for support or partnerships, there are tons of podcast communities you can join today to make the most of your show. 

Here are a few incredible communities that are currently available:

• Buzzsprout Podcast Community
• She Podcasts
• Podcasters’ Support Group
• Podcast Movement
• PodPros Community

Join some of these to create genuine connections with potential collaborators and supporters to help you along your podcast journey.

2. Credibility

Consistently showing up for your podcast and audience will help create credibility. You can also create more credibility to your name as a business owner and podcaster by being a 

See our podcast episodes on being a podcast guest: 

How to be a Great Podcast Guest and Host with Dr. AJ Austin

Finding Quality Guests for your Podcast

Guest Intake Forms [Tech Tips Series]

Double your Downloads by Podcast Guesting with Barb Nangle

Building Thought Leadership through Impactful Guest Appearances with Jason Cercone

3. Revenue and Resources

We have many resources here at Galati Media and highly recommend you check them out to see if there are things you need support on. 

Beyond that, I recommend that if you are looking to increase your revenue, you can always look into selling sponsorship slots to your show by focusing on your audience and the value that you provide as a podcast host. Or you can sell your own products and services. While we tend to focus on the latter, we have resources for monetizing your podcast any way you’d like.

See our podcast episodes on monetizing your podcast: 

How to Monetize Any Podcast

Are your Podcast Ads Actually Working For You?

Monetizing a Podcast with Digital Courses with Jono Petrohilos

How to Monetize your Podcast by Selling your Own Services and Products

How Much Money Can You Make With Your Podcast

As you can see, your options aren’t limited to just joining a network. With some guidance and work, you can get similar results.

Want to Know More?

Our goal at Galati Media is to bring messages that matter into the world via the podcasts we help support and produce. We also hope to help those feeling overwhelmed by everything that goes into a podcast feel a little less overwhelmed. 

We’ve been podcasting since 2018 and have learned much about launching podcasts, growing audiences, and monetizing shows.  Nothing we love more than sharing our discoveries with you to help you make the most of your podcast today.

Have questions? Reach out here or over on LinkedIn. 

I can’t wait to see you turn your podcast into more than a content machine for your business. Think of me when you’re finally making money from your show!

One last thing, you may find this post on 10 Ways to Strategically Grow Your Podcast Audience helpful.

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Fun fact: Less than 2% of all podcasters with more than 5,000 listeners per episode are making money from their podcast! 

We know, we know, that fact wasn’t fun at all… because as you can see, only a very small percentage of podcasters make money from podcasting. 

Here’s a sunnier statistic: Of the podcasters we work with at Galati Media, over 90% are monetizing their podcasts and bringing money back into their own businesses. 

It’s really important to us as a podcast production company to ensure that the podcasters we work with are getting the results they need and a return on their investment with us.

How Can I Make Money from My Podcast? 

How to Monetize a Podcast Right Away!

In this blog, we share eight ways to monetize a podcast by choosing the best method for you and your listenership. 

It’s important to remember that making money (we like to say cash money dollars) with your podcast is often a long game and takes a long-term strategy and approach. Buyers are often at different stages in the journey and could be symptom-aware, problem-aware, or solution aware and it’s important to speak to them in each of these phases. You also have to understand that there are different types of buyers: early adopters, late adopters, laggards, and every stage in between! Some people take time to make a decision to spend money with you and others sign on the line right away. 

Podcasting is a great way to show up for the different types of buyers and speak to them where they are in the buying journey.

Podcast episodes we recommend that go hand in hand with this blog: 

Listeners to Leads Episode 26) How to Monetize Any Podcast

Listeners to Leads Episode 29) How to Monetize Your Podcast By Selling Your Own Services and Products 

Your Answer to, “How Can I Make Money from My Podcast?” 

8 Ways to Consider Monetizing Your Show

How to Monetize a Podcast with Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is something we often use in our show Listeners to Leads and it makes a lot of sense for business owners who use apps, services, programs, and other resources to grow their businesses that they can stand behind. 

For example, we regularly guide people to Buzzsprout as a podcast hosting platform. We love Buzzsprout because of its user experience, customer service, and intuitive back end. Because we recommend Buzzsprout so often, we’ve become affiliate marketers and promote it in our podcast episodes with an affiliate link in the show notes.  

Two reminders with affiliate marketing: 

• You have to inform your audience up front that you’re an affiliate for whatever you’re promoting and disclose that you get a kickback from sharing this resource or tool. 
• It’s best not to rely on affiliate marketing as the sole way of monetizing your podcast, as it’s best as a supplemental monetization tool 

How to Monetize a Podcast with Sponsors and Advertisers 

You’ve probably seen (and heard) this a lot in the podcasting space. We discuss this method with a few of our clients looking to monetize their show beyond just promoting their own servies and products. One thing to keep in mind is that with sponsors and affiliates, is that many require a substantial amount of downloads (usually about 10,000 per month) to be considered. 

You also need to evaluate whether or not it’s a good fit for your audience. If you’re doing a podcast on baking, does it make sense to run ads on mattresses? 

Look at what’s in alignment with your listeners and a best fit for your brand when choosing sponsors and advertisers. 

Interested in joining a Podcast Network? Learn more about them in this blog post.

How to Monetize a Podcast with Donations 

One way to monetize your podcast is through donations. This could be anything from having your listeners contribute through Venmo or PayPal. Some people will invite their listeners to “buy them a coffee”. This method is a good choice for community-building podcasts who have a solid listenership of people who love them and want to support them by sending them something nice. 

How to Monetize a Podcast with Premium Content 

This method of monetization has been increasing in popularity over the past several years, and there are a few ways to go about it. You could offer exclusive bonus episodes or early releases that live behind a paywall or create supplementary resources for episodes such as downloads, PDF’s, checklists, and worksheets. There’s even an opportunity here to create a membership around the podcast where they get access to exclusive, more in-depth content with a monthly membership. 

What can you add onto your podcast as a bonus that comes at a cost to access? 

How to Monetize a Podcast with Products and Merch 

Who doesn’t love a good piece of merch!? T-shirts, mugs, tote bags, and notebooks can all be customized to have your show logo or a catchphrase on them for purchase to create community around your show and to help promote your show. 

Think of what might make sense for your listeners and related to your topic and consider how you can create a tangible product around it. 

How to Monetize a Podcast with Your Book 

If you’re an author, you can use your podcast to have people buy your book. Maybe you even offer listeners a free code through your show and they only have to pay shipping and handling. Or they get the first chapter FREE and then a promo code to buy the whole book through your show. 

Authors have a lot of opportunities to make money through podcasting by offering content they’ve already created! 

How to Monetize a Podcast by Landing Speaking Gigs 

Another way to make money with your podcast is by using your show to land speaking gigs. If you want to be a speaker and get on more virtual and live stages, a podcast is a great way to express your thought leadership to show up as the expert in your industry. 

You can use your show to express your unique ideas and stories that you can then turn into speaking opportunities.

How to Monetize a Podcast by Selling Your Own Services and Products 

This is obviously our favorite way to monetize your show. Whether you’re offering 1:1 services, products, courses, or consulting, you can make money with your podcast by selling what you provide! 

If you have something to sell and you want to monetize your podcast in this way, you have to make sure you’re talking about it! Make sure you’re clearly reminding people and letting them know how they can work on you 1:1 or in a group setting. Give them consistent and clear next steps. 

You have to continuously remind them of what you offer and how they can take action to working with you. 

If this sounds right up your alley and you want to know how to monetize your podcast, you’re definitely going to want to give Episode 29 of Listeners to Leads a listen) How to Monetize Your Podcast by Selling Your Own Services and Products. 

One-size doesn’t fit all when it comes to how to monetize your podcast! 

There are so many ways to make money from your podcast, the key is to find one that works for you and get confident in your strategy so you can turn your podcast into a sales funnel that brings you in leads, and cash money dollars. 

At Galati Media, we know the internet is riddled with podcast strategies. We also know how to focus on the one that’s right and most effective for YOU. We provide you with realistic, straightforward recommendations that will help you to increase listener engagement and maximize the results with your podcast based on your goals for your business and audience.

• We offer podcast strategy without the fluff, so your content can make a difference in the lives of your listeners! 
• Our 60-minute podcast audits include a deep dive into your podcasting goals and how effectively you’re achieving them. We provide recommendations around discoverability, artwork, descriptions, episode titles, marketing, your podcast website, and more! You receive a fully prepared report of our findings, including recommendations to increase the success of your podcast. 
• We help to answer any podcast-related questions you may have and give you clear steps forward!

Book a Strategy Call 

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If you’re following any form of podcasting news, you probably saw that SiriusXM is shutting down Stitcher, their podcast listening app. This might seem like a big change if you’ve been listening to podcasts since 2014, like me. Back then, there weren’t nearly as many podcast apps available for Android users. Stitcher has been around for almost 15 years, and their shutting down might feel scary.   

The Stitcher app and website will discontinue operations on August 29, 2023. For information on how to export your show list and other questions, please visit: https://t.co/4plo5KCf46

— Stitcher (@Stitcher) June 27, 2023

How Stitcher Shutting Down Will Impact Your Podcast

On August 29, 2023, SiriusXM will be sunsetting their podcast app, Stitcher which they acquired back in 2020. (Variety)  Click here to read the full story.

It’s impacting some important conversations in the podcasting space. So it’s a big deal.

Basically, there are those who are saying with Spotify shifting some of their things around and this happening, that this could be the beginning of the end for podcasting. That the industry isn’t headed in the right direction. 

Now, you may be thinking, well how does this impact me as a podcaster?

And if you’re like a lot of podcasters,  you may even be a little nervous about all these changes in the industry. Is this really the beginning of the end of podcasting?It’s not, but here’s the low-down on what it all means.

Let’s Look at some Stitcher Data

You’ll see below the ongoing trend of listens from Buzzsprout’s Platform Stats. You’ll see that Stitcher has consistently been the podcast listening platform of choice for about 0.5% of those who listen to Buzzsprout podcasts. 

Buzzsprout Stats from December 2022	Buzzsprout Stats from January 2023
Buzzsprout Stats from February 2023	Buzzsprout Stats from March 2023
Buzzsprout Stats from April 2023	Buzzsprout Stats from May 2023

You can see from this information that there hasn’t been an increase in Stitcher listeners over the last 6 months and it probably didn’t make sense for SiriusXM to keep the app going. That doesn’t mean that there is something wrong with podcasting as an industry though.

Watch What You Read

There’s a lot of media coverage around Stitcher shutting down so it’s important that the places we are getting our information from aren’t using fear tactics about the podcast industry. 

In your research, you might have seen this CBS News article: 

Let’s be clear–podcasting as an industry is not losing its luster. As we saw, Stitcher data is clear. They aren’t performing like the major podcast apps and SiriusXM had to make a decision about that. 

Elsie Escobar, a podcast mentor and Advocate for Independent Podcasters, said it best. “Stitcher shutting down is not some foreboding event for the podcasting industry. Them shutting down is about Stitcher.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elsie Escobar (@theelsieescobar)

Podcasts Aren’t Going Anywhere

Even with Stitcher shutting down, that doesn’t mean that podcasts are headed in a negative direction. If anything, podcast listenership continues to grow.

The number of podcast listeners rose from 274.8 million in 2019 to a whopping 464.7 million listeners in 2023 (as of April 2023 according to Market.us).

When we look at the data, it takes the fear, and emotions out of the changes in our industries. I would encourage you to also consider where you can help alleviate some of the overwhelm that happen in your industry.

Key Takeaway

Things are always changing fast in podcasting, and as fast as they change we need to change, too. The best way to come out ahead is to give your listeners options. If you are a podcaster who has been only putting your podcast on a few podcast listening apps, now might be the time to diversify where your show is going.

I’m hearing from podcast listeners that are frustrated because they truly loved the Stitcher app. Now, they’ll have to find a new place. Let’s take a moment to be sympathetic and offer viable solutions for our listeners. 

What’s the first action step you’re going to jump on? Let us know in the comments!

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You may have received emails from Apple Podcasts lately – they are really pushing their subscription model. A lot of people have reached out to me asking if it is worth it to use Apple Podcast Subscriptions to make some extra money from their podcasts. I don’t like to talk in absolutes because every podcast is different, but I don’t think Apple Podcast Subscriptions is the right option for most podcasters. There are better ways to provide a membership option for your podcast. 

Tune in to Adding a Subscription Model to Your Podcast

Is Apple Podcast Subscriptions Worth It?

You may not have heard of Apple Podcast Subscriptions if you are not an Apple user. However, I think it is beneficial to know what other platforms are doing. 

Apple Podcast Subscriptions allow you to release exclusive podcast episodes that listeners can access if they pay to subscribe to your membership. The reason that I don’t think it is a great option for most podcasters is that these exclusive episodes appear in your podcast episode list. Your listeners won’t be told that it’s a subscription exclusive until they click on it to listen. A pop-up will tell them that they need to pay to listen. I believe this creates disappointment for your listener, which we don’t want to do. I mean, even Amazon Prime clearly marks which videos cost extra. 

The second thing that makes me feel like Apple Podcast Subscriptions isn’t worth it for most podcasters is that it only allows you to provide extra podcast episodes for your members. We all know how much work goes into creating podcast episodes, so the extra work vs the profit may not be worth it for most podcasters – especially if very few of your listeners use Apple to listen to your podcast. 

Alternative Membership Models to Apple Podcast Subscriptions 

I encourage you to create exclusive content for your podcast and create a membership that your listeners can subscribe to. It’s a great way to create a community of people who want to engage with you and your podcast topic on a deeper level. 

Here are some of the most popular membership site platforms that will allow you to set up a membership community easily: 

• Patreon 
• Kajabi 
• WPQuickStart (WordPress)
• MemberSpace
• Podia 

What to Share in Your Membership Community 

Platforms created specifically for membership models allow you a lot more freedom in what you can offer in terms of exclusive bonuses for your members. For example, a membership community platform like Patreon will allow you to share exclusive podcast episodes, video versions of your podcasts, the full interview, and even written content. 

You can also engage directly with your members to get to know them and allow them to get to know you. Your podcast listeners want to get to know you a little more. They will love seeing photos of your dog or kids, hearing about your day, and learning about your hobbies. You don’t have to stick to your podcast topic in the membership; you can give them exclusive glimpses behind the scenes. 

I’ve seen clients achieve a lot of success by offering professional exclusives for their members too. This could be office hours where your members can reach you to ask questions, early or exclusive access to workshops or trainings, and additional resources. 

The goal is to make sure that your members feel like they are getting their money’s worth. I’ve joined membership communities, and whenever I’ve cancelled my membership, it has been because I no longer felt like I was getting my money’s worth. So it’s important to pay attention to the balance between you getting paid for the effort you’re putting in and your audience feeling like they are getting their money’s worth from the membership. 

Need support figuring out which is the best membership model to add to your podcast, book a strategy session to learn more.

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Podcast Show Notes Template and Examples

Whether you’re producing an audio or video podcast (or both), it’s important to ensure that in addition to providing great content and quality, you also take time to focus on the show notes for your podcast for several reasons. This blog will show you the value of well-thought podcast show notes and how to write show notes for a podcast by providing you with clear examples and templates of show notes for your podcast. 

Why Do Your Podcast Show Notes Matter? 

Podcast show notes serve multiple purposes! They help your audience find and connect with you, your guest, and the books, products, materials, and resources shared in the episode. They also help new listeners discover your content, and improve your ranking on search engines and podcast listening platforms. 

Show notes help show a listener understand what’s in store for them in a particular episode and what topics you’re covering in the conversation. They can help pique listener’s interest and keep them excited for what’s coming next!

Show notes are also a great way to recap or highlight any points in the conversation you want to be sure your listeners remember including data or stats, audio highlights, quotes, and more! 

Listen to the podcast episode about The #1 Way to Grow Your Podcast.

What Exactly ARE Podcast Show Notes? 

When we’re talking about podcast show notes, we’re not talking about transcriptions of your episodes or a blog post of your episode (Yet! But we’ll get to that). We’re going to start by giving you podcast show note examples for the podcast platform itself and then we’ll touch back on blogs and transcriptions because those have a seat at the table in this conversation too! 

Podcast show notes are what you see in your podcast player when you expand into an episode and look like this: 

Example A

Example B

They are a summary of your episode, detailing the main takeaways, sharing your guest bio and any relevant links, and anything else you need to pull from the episode for listeners to access with a single click. 

Step-by-Step How to Write Show Notes for a Podcast with Our Simple Template (and examples): 

{Intro Sentence} This week, episode XX of {PODCAST NAME} Podcast is about {Main Topic}! 

Example: This week, Episode 97 of the Listeners to Leads podcast is about SEO and Your Podcast

{INSERT FREEBIE OR LOW PRODUCT OFFER}

Example: Download our Simple Template for Podcast Show Notes! 

In this episode of {PODCAST NAME}Podcast, {GUEST NAME} shares the importance of {TOPIC 1} and actionable steps you can take right now to {TOPIC 2}. 

Example: In this episode of Listener’s to Leads, Erin Ollila shares the importance of having your podcast show notes on a blog and capturing visibility through keywords. 

Some of the talking points {MY GUEST AND} I go over in this episode include:

• TALKING POINT 1
• TALKING POINT 2
• TALKING POINT 3
• TALKING POINT 4

Example: Some of the talking points Erin and I go over in this episode include: 

* Actual Talking Point One

* Actual Talking Point One

* Actual Talking Point One

* Actual Talking Point One

{Closing Statement} 

Thank you for listening! Be sure to tune in to all the episodes to receive tons of practical tips on {MAIN TOPIC ONE} and to hear even more about the points outlined above. If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH {GUEST}:

Include links to each of these for your guest: 

Facebook

Instagram

Freebie

Work with Guest! 

CONNECT WITH {HOST}:

Include links to each of these for your guest: 

Facebook

Instagram

Freebie

Work with Host! 

How to Write Show Notes for a Podcast Beyond the Listening Platform: 

Ideas to Expand Your Podcast Show Notes 

When writing show notes for your podcast, you can follow our example and template above, and you can also think outside the box, especially if you share your podcast on as a blog or Linkedin article as well! Here are some more of our favorite ideas for expanding or adding to your podcast show notes. 

Turn your podcast episode show notes into a blog! 

Many podcast episodes can be turned into a blog for people who may not listen to enjoy, or for listeners who may want another way to digest and access the information. Here’s an example of a Listeners to Leads podcast episode, we turned into a blog -using our show notes as an outline!  

Are Your Podcast Ads Actually Working For You?

The benefits of turning your podcast into a blog include SEO for your website (new listeners and leads anyone!?), increased visibility for those who may not be listeners, and a way for listeners to easily find and refer back to what was discussed in the episode. 

Provide a full, downloadable transcript of the episode. 

In addition to show notes, some podcasters like to make a transcript of episodes available for accessibility or those who might like to read along while they listen. Podcast show notes are usually limited to <4,000 characters, so it can be beneficial to include a link to download transcripts of the episode. You may also want to consider cleaning up the transcripts if you go this route, as many AI transcription services miss some of the human nuances in our language, which can confuse your reader. 

Remember to keep your show notes clear, concise, and consistent, and follow a similar structure and layout with each episode. This is why it’s so helpful to have a podcast show notes template like the one above, which walks you through step-by-step how to write show notes for your podcast. 

Do you have more questions about how to write show notes for your podcast? 

Make sure to check out episode 97 of the Listeners to Leads podcast with Erin Ollila HERE on the importance of having your podcast show notes on a blog for increased visibility through keywords. 

At Galati Media, show notes are one of the many pieces we handle and take off your plate entirely with our full-service podcast management service. 

You don’t have to be an expert in podcasting (or writing show notes, for that matter) to captivate your listeners’ attention, gain leads and speaking gigs, and change the lives of your audience. 

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