5 Tips for Sticking to Your Podcast and Letting it Grow

In the world of podcasting, it's easy to get caught up in chasing quick growth hacks and overnight success stories. But for Pete Turner, host of the Break It Down Show and veteran of over 1,500 episodes, the path to podcast growth is paved with hard work, time, and persistence.

In this episode of Podcasting Secrets, Pete shares his insights on what it really takes to build a successful podcast over the long haul. With 10 years of experience under his belt, Pete cuts through the hype to offer a refreshingly honest take on podcast growth strategies that actually work.

1. Focus on Building an Audience Before Monetization

When you first start a podcast a lot of people start by looking for ways to begin monetizing. While this makes sense to most people, chances of your show blowing up overnight are not very likely. You need to start by building an audience. You have no business worrying about monetization until you have a method to do so in a way that your audience is ok with. 

Instead of chasing sponsorships or trying to sell courses right out of the gate, Pete advises podcasters to pour their energy into consistently creating great content and slowly building a loyal audience. Only once you've assembled a sizable, engaged following should you start exploring monetization options.

The key is to be patient and play the long game. Focus on delivering value to your listeners week after week. As your audience grows, monetization opportunities will naturally follow.

2. Invest Time and Money in PR and Marketing

While many podcasters hope their show will grow organically through word of mouth, Pete emphasizes the importance of actively promoting your podcast through PR and marketing efforts. You need to get to work on your show outside of your actual network. Putting the time and money into PR and marketing will only aid your show and its outreach. To get there, you have to become known.

Start small by hiring recent PR graduates to help get your podcast featured on other shows and media outlets. Even if you can only afford to spend a few hundred dollars a month on PR, it's an investment that can pay big dividends in terms of growing your audience.

Don't hesitate to spend money on the advertising and resources your show needs. At the end of the day, it is a business investment. The bottom line is that growing a podcast takes both time and financial investment. Be prepared to put money into promoting your show, even if it means making sacrifices in other areas of your budget.

3. Focus on Building Real Relationships

While metrics like download numbers and social media engagement are important, the most valuable growth metric is the strength of the relationships you're building with listeners and others in your industry.

Podcasters should make an effort to connect with listeners on a personal level. When you take the time and choose to be human with other people, you build an audience through those connections. Especially when you choose to do these things authentically. 

By fostering genuine connections, you can turn casual listeners into true advocates for your show. These relationships can also lead to unexpected opportunities and even financial support from fans who want to see you succeed.

By prioritizing relationships over pure numbers, you can build a loyal community that will sustain your podcast for the long haul.

4. Don't Get Hung Up on Perfecting Your Branding

Many new podcasters get paralyzed trying to come up with the perfect name or develop an ideal listener avatar before launching. This is a waste of energy. It is often recommended to make an avatar for whoever your target audience is. This is a very good practice. 

But you need to take into consideration that people and your audience will change. So you don't need to be glued to that avatar as you develop your branding. The lesson is clear - don't waste time agonizing over your podcast name or brand identity. Pick something and get started. You can always evolve and refine as you go.

5. Be Willing to Invest Long-Term

A successful podcast takes serious time and effort. There are no shortcuts or overnight success stories. You have to be willing to put in consistent work over months and years. Podcasting is not a get rich quick scheme. It's more like a "get poor, and busy quick” strategy. In the beginning, there you will have little to no return.

For every hour of podcast content produced, it takes 10 hours of work behind the scenes. That includes things like booking guests, research, editing, promotion, and more. To make it work, you have to treat your podcast like a small business. That means being willing to invest time, money, and effort consistently over the long haul. It may not pay off immediately, but if you stick with it, the compound effects of your hard work can lead to amazing opportunities down the road.

Commit to the Long Game

By accepting that podcast growth takes time and consistent effort, you can let go of unrealistic expectations and settle in for the long haul. Stop chasing quick fixes or obsessing over metrics in the early days. Instead, focus on consistently creating great content, building real relationships, and slowly but steadily expanding your reach through smart PR and marketing efforts. If you're willing to put in the work week after week, month after month, year after year, you may be surprised at the doors that open. 

Are you willing to commit to the long game of podcasting? Are you ready to put in the time, money, and effort required to slowly build something amazing? If so, get started today. Pick a name, record your first episode, and start the journey. With persistence and dedication, you never know where your podcast might take you.

Key Takeaways:

1. Most podcast growth strategies are overhyped; real growth comes from hard work, time, and money investment.

 

2. The value of a podcast often lies in the network and opportunities it creates, rather than direct monetization.

 

3. Podcasters should focus on building an audience and providing value before worrying about monetization.

 

4. PR and getting outside your network are crucial for podcast growth, and potentially more effective than SEO strategies.

 

5. Partnering with established podcasters or hiring experts can accelerate growth more than trying to bootstrap everything alone.

 

6. A good rule of thumb is to spend 10 hours of work for every 1 hour of produced content.

 

7. Be willing to quit or pivot projects that aren't working, despite the sunk cost fallacy.

 

8. Unconventional marketing strategies, like using remnant advertising, can be effective in gaining visibility.

 

9. Building genuine, human connections with your audience is more valuable than focusing solely on metrics like clicks and engagement.

 

10. Instead of using platforms like Patreon, consider setting up direct payment methods (like PayPal) to retain more of your earnings.

 

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Thanks for joining us for this episode. I wish you success as you stick to your podcasting!