The ultimate podcast marketing playbook

10 strategies to grow your audience fast

Jun 23, 2025

You’ve been putting out episodes for a while. You’re proud of the content, and you know it can help people, but the audience just isn’t growing the way you wanted. The numbers aren’t where you want them to be. It’s not that you’re expecting overnight results, but right now it feels like all the effort isn’t leading anywhere.

It’s a common problem. You’re doing the work, but the podcast isn’t reaching more people. And it’s hard to know how to fix it or where to start with so much to handle already.

This blog is here to help with that. You’ll find 10 clear strategies to help you grow your podcast in a clear and doable way. So let’s get started.

1. Know who your podcast is for

If you're trying to talk to everyone, chances are, no one’s truly listening. It’s a common mistake, especially in the beginning, to think, “My podcast is for anyone who’s interested.” But that makes it harder for the “right” people to find you.

So, get clear.

Is it for college students figuring out what to do after graduation?
Busy parents listening to an episode while getting things done?
Aspiring founders looking for stories they can relate to?

Once you know who they are, what they care about, and what keeps them up at night, it gets easier. Your tone, topics, and titles start to make sense to your listeners. And when they feel like the podcast is for them, they listen again.

Now that you know who you’re speaking to, let’s talk about how they’ll remember you.

2. Build a strong podcast brand

Think about Jay Shetty’s podcast, On Purpose.
You might remember how calm it feels, the music at the start, or how peaceful the cover looks. That’s all part of his brand. It helps people know what to expect from him.

You don’t need anything big, just something that feels like you. It could be how you say hello in every episode or the mood your voice gives. When people feel a connection, they come back.

woman in black tank top sitting on chair in front of microphone — Photo by Soundtrap on Unsplash

3. Create a website for your podcast

Picture Riya, a listener, listening to one of your episodes while she is on her way to work. She likes it. She wants to learn more about you and may read more about it later. But wait, she can't find your links. Your podcast is lost in a sea of platforms with no website, no blog, and no notes.

She'll probably forget and move on. But what if you had a basic website? Riya could have:

Read a blog post about it.
She signed up for your newsletter so she won't miss any more of your programs.
You even told a buddy about your blog, who likes to read more than listen.

Here are some things that should be on your website and why they are important:

Blogs: Make your episodes into posts that are easy to read. If you like to read instead of listening.
Transcripts: They help people who can’t hear well and also make it easier for Google to understand your episode, so more people can find it.
Embedded player: Visitors may listen straight on your site without having to switch apps.
Show notes: Short summaries with links and time stamps. Very helpful for people who skim.
Contact form: This makes it easy for fans, potential guests, or even sponsors to get in touch with you.
Signing up for the newsletter: This helps you grow your email list, which is your most devoted group of fans.
Sponsor info: A brief part asking if someone wants to sponsor the podcast shows you're open to partnerships and keeps it professional.

And maybe the most important reason? You own it. But how will people remember you?

4. Reuse your content

Let’s say you recorded an episode. Here's how you can turn that one episode into multiple useful pieces without extra effort:

Instagram quote post
Reel or YouTube short
LinkedIn post
Email newsletter
Episode description with SEO in mind

See how that works? You're not creating more work for yourself. You're just giving your content new angles. More ways to walk around the internet and meet your audience wherever they are.

Because honestly? Not everyone is scrolling Spotify all day. But they are on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. When you reuse your content, more people see it and remember you. If your podcast isn’t showing up, it’s probably because Google and podcast apps haven’t noticed it yet.

Written by Adity Yadav

5. Help people find you: simple SEO tips for podcasters

You might be sharing helpful stories or tips in your podcast, but if people can’t find it, it won’t be of any use. That’s where SEO comes in.

You can start by using clear, simple words in your episode title and description that people actually type into Google. When you do this, search engines can understand what your episode is about and show it to the right people.

Adding show notes and a transcript also helps. These small steps make your podcast easier to find online, which means more listeners, more reach, and a better chance to grow your audience over time.

6. Start an email list: own your audience

Imagine if Spotify changes how it shows content, your episodes might not reach people like they used to. That’s why it’s smart to build something you control, like an email list.

At the end of your episode, invite people to join. You can say something simple like, “If you liked this, I share more tips and updates by email each week. You can sign up at [yourwebsite].com.”

This gives you a direct way to stay in touch with your listeners. You can let them know when a new episode is out, share extra content, and keep them coming back, no algorithm needed.

7. Team up with other podcasters to reach more listeners

One of the easiest ways to grow your audience is by working with other podcasters. If someone hosts a show with a similar theme or a related topic, you can invite each other as guests. When you show up on their podcast, their audience gets to hear your voice, your ideas, and what your show is about. The same goes for them when they join your podcast.

This kind of cross-promotion doesn’t cost anything, and it works. People who already enjoy similar content are more likely to give your podcast a try. Plus, it builds trust. If someone hears you on a podcast they already like, they’ll be more open to checking out your own show.

Share Trimmerly

8. Turn listeners into a real community

If people enjoy your podcast, give them a place to connect beyond the episodes. Set up a Facebook group, WhatsApp list, or Discord server where they can share thoughts, ask questions, or respond to your content.

Ask simple things like, “What topic should we cover next?” This helps your audience feel involved and gives you fresh ideas.

When listeners feel part of something, they stay longer and are more likely to share your podcast with others. It helps you build a real connection with them.

Start with one platform your audience already uses. Keep it active. Let it grow naturally.

Please share with other who would love to know about podcast marketing.

9. Make your podcast easy to find

People use all kinds of apps to listen to podcasts. Some prefer Spotify, others use Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or something else. You need to put your podcast where your listeners already spend their time.

If it’s hard to find, many won’t bother looking. Being available on more platforms means more chances for new people to discover your show.

Once your podcast is live in the right places, start tracking what’s working. Which episodes get the most listens? Where are people coming from? Don’t just post and hope. Pay attention, test what works, and keep improving. That’s how your podcast grows over time.

10. Track what works and use it to grow

If you want more listeners, start by looking at what’s already working. Most podcast hosting platforms, like Spotify for Podcasters or Apple Podcasts, give you simple stats that are easy to understand.

Check things like:

How many people played each episode
Where they listened from (platform or country)
If they listened till the end or dropped off early
Which links or posts brought in the most clicks

For better tracking, use UTM links or tools like Bitly to see which platforms actually send traffic.

Use what you learn to adjust your content and promotion.

Bonus: 8 tools that save you hours on podcast promotion

Promoting a podcast can be time-consuming, but these tools can help you get more done without much hassle.

Create & edit

Descript – for editing & transcriptions
Headliner – for turning your audio into videos

Design & schedule

Canva – for promo graphics
Buffer / Later – for scheduling posts

Grow your audience

Kit – for email list building

Track what’s working

Chartable – for tracking listeners
Podkite – for monitoring rankings and reviews
UTM Builder + Google Analytics – for link tracking

What to focus on if your podcast isn’t growing

If your podcast isn’t growing, it’s usually because a few small things are missing from your process, not because you’re doing everything wrong.

This simple checklist will help you figure out exactly what those gaps are. Use it as a quick self-audit. See what you’ve already got covered, and what’s worth fixing next.

Podcast growth checklist

Go ahead and tick off what you’re already doing. If you’re missing a few, that’s your starting point.

I promote each episode in at least 2–3 places, not just one
I have a clear next step or call to action in every episode
My show notes include keywords and are easy to read
I send guests an email or promo kit to help them share
I repurpose parts of each episode into reels, posts, or emails
I track my downloads and notice which topics do best
I link to a freebie, quiz, or service in the show notes
I email my list every time a new episode goes live
I have a goal for the podcast (leads, visibility, sales)
I review my podcast growth once a month

If you checked 7 or more, you’re already doing a lot right. Keep going and stay consistent.

If you’re missing more than a few, don’t feel bad. You just haven’t had a clear system yet.

And that’s what we help with at Trimmerly.

We don’t just “promote” your podcast, we turn it into a tool that brings the right people into your world. More listeners, yes. But more leads and clients, too.

If you want to grow your podcast without doing more work yourself, we can help you with that.

Thanks for reading the blog, book a client breakthrough call with team Trimmerly.