Growing Your Podcast Audience: How to Extend the Organic Reach of Your Show

Growing a podcast audience takes effort beyond just publishing episodes. The good news is that podcast listeners are generally very engaged – in fact, they tune into an average of 8 episodes per week across various shows, and they tend to be loyal, since the average listener subscribes to about 6 shows in their regular rotation.

If your goal is to earn a spot in that rotation and turn casual listeners into devoted fans, here are some strategies to boost listener engagement and organically grow your audience.

How to Achieve Organic Growth

Encourage subscriptions and reviews

On your podcast, explicitly invite listeners to follow / subscribe on their podcast app of choice. Many will enjoy an episode and intend to come back, but a prompt can increase the likelihood they hit the subscribe button. Also encourage them to rate and review your podcast, especially on Apple Podcasts, as this can improve your visibility in rankings for new listeners browsing for shows.

Make these call-to-actions short and sincere. Early on, you might even read out a new 5-star review on the show to thank the reviewer, which not only rewards that listener, it signals to others that you notice and appreciate feedback.

Engage on social media

Don’t treat episodes as one-way broadcasts. Open up channels for listener interaction by creating social media profiles for your podcast and actively engage there. For instance, after releasing an episode, you could post a key takeaway or a short audiogram and ask a question to spark discussion. Respond to comments and messages, and listeners will be thrilled to have direct interaction with the host.

Rely on Reddit

You can also join conversations in relevant social media groups or subreddits, not to spam your link, but to offer insight, which naturally can draw people to check out your profile and podcast. Keep in mind that 17% of new podcast listeners discover shows via social media recommendations, so having a presence there helps. Additionally, podcast listeners tend to be tech-savvy and socially connected, and statistics show they’re more likely to follow brands and creators on social platforms.

Build a community

Successful podcasts often cultivate a sense of community among listeners. This can be as simple as regularly acknowledging listener feedback on air or as involved as creating a Facebook Group or Discord server for your podcast’s listeners. Having a space where fans can discuss episodes, suggest questions for future guests, or just nerd out about the topic can deepen their loyalty. It also generates valuable word-of-mouth, since nearly 20% of podcast listeners say they discover new shows through friends and family recommendations.

Monitor feedback and listening data

Pay attention to what your audience responds to, and encourage listeners to send you feedback via email, tweets, etc. about what they liked or what they want more of. Qualitative feedback is gold for improving your content.

Also use analytics from your podcast host: look at episode download numbers and listener drop-off rates if available. If you notice, for example, that most listeners skip a 5-minute tangent in the middle of episodes, you might tighten up that part in future recordings. Or if episodes featuring a certain topic or type of guest get a spike in downloads, that signals something about audience interest.

Consistency and patience

Growing a podcast audience is usually a marathon, not a sprint. Consistency in release schedule, quality, and topic focus helps retain the listeners you gain. There may be times it feels like your download numbers are plateauing; don’t be discouraged. Many podcasts grow slowly at first and then suddenly break out once a tipping point of word-of-mouth is reached or when a particular episode goes viral.

One engaged listener who tells three friends is more valuable than 100 passive listeners who never come back. Each episode is an opportunity to build trust and deliver value to your audience, which is the foundation of any podcast’s growth.

Marketing Strategies to Expand Your Reach

Beyond organic growth through engagement, deliberate marketing efforts can amplify your podcast’s reach. With tens of millions of episodes out there, you want to ensure that when people search for content like yours, they find you, and when they do, your presentation compels them to listen. Here are key marketing strategies for beginner podcasters.

Optimize for search (SEO)

A significant chunk of podcast discovery happens via plain old Google (or other search engines). In fact, 30% of new podcast listeners say they find shows by searching the internet for topics of interest. Take advantage of this by creating a blog or landing page for each episode. Write show notes or blog posts that recap the episode, highlight key topics and names, and include relevant keywords that people might search for.

For example, if you interviewed a chef about sustainable cooking, your episode post should mention terms like “sustainable cooking tips,” the chef’s name, recipes discussed, etc. This way, if someone searches “sustainable cooking podcast” or even that chef’s name, your site could appear in results. Also, Google now indexes podcast audio to some extent and can list episodes for certain queries, but having a written component significantly improves SEO.

Cross-promote to your guests’ audience

One built-in advantage of interview podcasts is that guests often bring their own following. When you release an episode, politely ask or provide assets for your guest to share it. Many guests will happily tweet the episode link or share it on LinkedIn or Facebook because it also highlights their work.

Similarly, you might team up with other podcasters in your niche for shout-outs or promo swaps. Host recommendations can be a powerful tool.

Use social media & repurpose content

Throughout 2024, social media remained a popular avenue for podcast discovery and engagement, so a consistent social presence can gradually draw in new listeners. Create short video clips of compelling moments and share them on platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok, Twitter, or LinkedIn, depending on where your target listeners hang out. A 30-second highlight can intrigue people to listen to the full episode.

Quote cards are popular on LinkedIn and Instagram and can be made easily with tools like Canva. The idea is to meet potential listeners where they are, in the format they consume, and funnel their interest toward your podcast. Social media also helps humanize you as a host with behind-the-scenes glimpses.

Tap into the power of word-of-mouth

While word-of-mouth isn’t entirely under your control, you can encourage it. 19% of new listeners rely on friends and family for podcast recommendations, making it the second-biggest discovery method after search, so ask your listeners to mention your podcast to their friends.

Consider other channels

Email newsletters are a fantastic way to retain and engage listeners. You might collect emails on your website and send a newsletter with episode updates, show notes, and additional content or tips related to your podcast’s theme. Unlike social media, an email reaches your subscriber directly without algorithmic interference.

Another channel is YouTube – surprisingly, YouTube is a huge platform for podcast consumption. As many as 40% of U.S. podcast listeners now opt for podcasts they can watch. If you’re able, consider uploading your interviews to YouTube. Even if you don’t film video, you can post the audio with a simple background or audiogram. This can tap into YouTube’s massive user base and searchability.

Paid ads can go a long way

Running a small ad campaign on Spotify Ads or TikTok targeted to people interested in your topic could give you a boost. Keep tabs on which strategies lead to spikes in downloads or social followers and double down on those.

Conclusion

Remember that even the biggest podcasts started small. Success may not come overnight, but with each episode you put out, you’re building your catalog, improving your craft, and attracting new fans. Stay committed, keep learning from feedback and from industry trends, and enjoy the process.

Also, never forget that podcasting is a medium built on genuine connection between host, guest, and listeners. If you prioritize that connection by following the best practices outlined above, you’ll be well on your way to creating not just a successful podcast, but a meaningful one. Happy podcasting!