Is It Just Harder to Grow a Podcast Now (& If Not, Where Are the Hidden Opportunities)? | Podcast Strategy
Apr 23, 2025
Podcast growth rates are stagnating, leading creators to wonder why it's tougher to expand their audience now. While many struggle, others discover hidden opportunities in today’s landscape. The discussion covers how competition has evolved since 2008, the importance of adapting to changing audience expectations, and innovative strategies for content creation. Creators are encouraged to repurpose material and engage with their listeners more deeply for sustained growth, emphasizing creativity and community support.
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insights INSIGHT
Podcast Growth Divergence
Median podcast growth rates are almost flat, indicating growth is harder for typical shows now.
However, the average growth rate is high, driven by outlier shows growing rapidly.
insights INSIGHT
Fewer Active Podcasts Today
Although more shows exist overall, the number of active shows is lower than in 2018.
This means the active podcasting space may be less crowded than perceived, offering opportunities.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Continuously Improve Your Podcast
If your show isn't growing, critically evaluate your content, format, and delivery quality.
Consider speech coaching, co-hosts, or new formats to maintain competitiveness.
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Atomic Habits by James Clear provides a practical and scientifically-backed guide to forming good habits and breaking bad ones. The book introduces the Four Laws of Behavior Change: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying. It also emphasizes the importance of small, incremental changes (atomic habits) that compound over time to produce significant results. Clear discusses techniques such as habit stacking, optimizing the environment to support desired habits, and focusing on continuous improvement rather than goal fixation. The book is filled with actionable strategies, real-life examples, and stories from various fields, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve their habits and achieve personal growth[2][4][5].
Over the past year, median podcast growth rates were nearly flat. In other words, the typical show experienced almost zero growth over the previous 12 months.
If you’ve been in podcasting for a while, this might correspond with your feeling that it is harder to grow today than it once was. And yet… while growth may have slowed for the typical show, there are others that are unlocking more and faster growth than ever before.
So what’s going on here? And what do we as creators need to do to tap into the potential for growth that exists?
00:00 Is It Harder To Grow Now? 01:56 Growing in 2008 vs 2025 03:49 What the data says about growth rates 08:33 Two reasons it might be harder to grow now 13:14 The two types of competition today 15:56 Keeping up with changing tastes and expectations 21:38 Diagnosing your growth problem 24:55 A tried and true way to differentiate 28:35 Opportunities to grow a podcast today 33:49 A sneaky approach to testing big changes 35:16 The worst thing that can happen to your show 38:43 The opportunities of podcasting for your business
Podcast Marketing Trends Explained: Data-Driven Podcast Growth Strategies 