Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast with Courtney Elmer | Podcasting Strategy for Business Growth

Fix My Pod | Not Getting Listens? It Could Be Your Episode Titles

Jul 30, 2025

Ask episode

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

You’ve done everything the podcasting experts say to do: publish weekly, stay consistent, share on social. Maybe you’ve even changed your cover art, rewritten your description, or tested a new format. But the listens STILL aren’t coming (and you’re low-key resenting how much time you’ve spent talking to an empty room.)

Most podcasters think it’s a marketing problem. But more often, it’s messaging — starting with your episode titles. And the longer you misdiagnose it, the longer your podcast stays invisible while someone with half your expertise gets the clicks. In this Fix My Pod session, I help Jennifer Avila, host of Wholesome TV Picks, spot why her dream listeners weren’t hitting play — and how a few small title tweaks can help your podcast get discovered, opened, and actually listened to.

So if you don’t want to spend another hour crafting episodes no one hears or talks about, hit play and let’s dive in.

6:25 – The Episode Title Mistake That Separates Boring Titles From Bingeworthy Ones

7:10 – Short or Long? How to Choose a Title That Stops the Scroll

8:40 – The One Element That Makes Titles Instantly Clickable

14:08 – What Search-Friendly Podcast Titles Actually Look Like

15:22 – The No-BS Test That Tells You If Your Episode Title Will Get Clicks

16:20 – Why Colons and Numbers in Your Titles Might Be Costing You Listens

Episode Links:

Grab the exact Bingeworthy Episode Title Cheat Sheet we use to write titles that rank and convert.

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

The Psychology Behind Bingeworthy Episode Titles

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

Support the show

Liked this episode? Share it with your podcasting friends!

Love this show? Say thanks in true podcasting style by leaving a review.

Take the Podcast Health Score™ to see exactly where your show is losing listeners and get a custom plan that shows you what to fix first.

Join the On-Air Coaching waitlist for a chance to get coached on air by Courtney and get your podcast questions answered in real time.

Get the Podcast SEO Mastery Course and learn how to optimize your show so the right listeners can actually find it.

Apply for the PodLaunch® Accelerator and get deeper podcasting support and expert guidance tailored to your specific podcasting goals. Email us at hello@podlaunchhq.com to learn more.