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

Spotify just rolled out a new feature called “Plays” that shows your episode play counts publicly inside their app. But this move isn’t about helping creators. It’s about algorithmically manipulating what used to be a level playing field—and it benefits Spotify, not you.Worse? It distracts you from the metrics that actually show if your podcast is working. And for independent, niche hosts, this one visible number will breed unhealthy comparison, magnify self-doubt, and drive thousands of talented podcasters to quit before their show ever has a chance to grow.In this episode, we’re breaking down what you need to know about this new metric, why it tells you nothing about the true health of your show, and what to focus on instead if you want a real understanding of how your content is resonating with listeners.Want to know what smart podcasters are tracking instead? Hit play and let’s dive in.0:07 – Why Spotify’s New “Plays” Metric Is Misleading (and Who It Really Serves)0:58 – How Public Play Counts Create Unfair (and False) Comparisons4:51 – Why Vanity Metrics Trap You in the Illusion of Growth8:10 – The 3 Data Points That Reveal Whether Your Podcast Is Actually Growing11:15 – Why These 3 Metrics Are the Clearest Measure of Your Podcast’s True Health Episode Links:Article: Why Spotify’s New “Plays” Feature Actually Hurts Independent Podcasters Other Episodes You’ll Love:4 Key Signs Your Podcast Is Making an Impact5 Metrics No One’s Teaching That Tell You If Your Podcast Is Growing  → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7USupport the showLiked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster! Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney. Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your show. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

Quick—nothing’s batched and an episode’s due tomorrow. What do you do? Panic? Procrastinate? Skip it and hope no one notices? Sure, you could ghost your audience—but what does that really cost you? Authority. Credibility. The listener trust you’ve worked so hard to build. That’s why in this episode, I’m giving you 8 plug-and-play ideas you can use anytime your production schedule falls apart and you’re about to spiral into “I’m failing at podcasting.” These are the exact strategies I’ve used when a hurricane hits, school randomly shuts down, or I’m on vacation. They’ve never failed me in over 5+ years of podcasting—and they'll save you one day too. So if you want to run your podcast like a pro (and make sure one rough week doesn’t undo the consistency, trust, and credibility that set your show apart) hit play and let’s dive in.1:18 – Why Skipping an Episode Does More Damage Than You Think3:02 – The Backup Plan Every Pro Needs for Sick Days, Travel Plans, and Life's Curveballs4:44 – 8 Plug-and-Play Ways to Save Your Schedule When You’ve Got Nothing Batched10:52 - Why These Backup Strategies Are My Secret Weapon for Consistency14:36 – How to Take a Structured Hiatus Without Breaking the Trust You’ve Built Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy:How Do You Fit Time to Prep Your Podcast Into Your Schedule? → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7USupport the showLiked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster! Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney. Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your show. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

It’s the day before your episode goes live—and you still have to outline it, record it, edit it, and get it all done before 6:00 am tomorrow morning when your listeners will be looking for it. You tell yourself you work better under pressure, but this pace is unsustainable. It drains your energy, kills your creativity, and honestly? It makes you hate your podcast.In this episode, I’m answering a listener’s question about finding time to prep your episodes—and exposing what’s really behind the last-minute race to hit publish. You’ll get the exact system I use to stay a month ahead on content, so you can plan without pressure, record without rushing, and stop duct-taping episodes together at midnight the night before they air.So if you’re *over* staying up late and showing up tired in the name of staying consistent, hit play and let’s dive in.1:12 – Why “Finding Time to Record” Keeps You Editing at Midnight and Praying the Wi-Fi Holds 3:18 – What Your Listeners Can Hear When You Show Up With Last-Minute Energy 5:05 – How I Stay a Month Ahead on Content and Still Follow Inspiration When it Hits 7:30 – Why Letting Guests Control Your Calendar Sabotages Your Authority 9:48 – The System That Turns Shower Thoughts Into Fully Formed Episodes Other Episodes You’ll Love:Steal This Episode Planning Framework to Cut Your Prep Time in Half8 Ways to Fill a Content Gap Without Sounding Unprepared  → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7USupport the showLiked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster! Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney. Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your show. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

You’ve probably Googled it. You’ve definitely heard five different answers from five different podcast “experts.” But how long should your episodes be? That depends entirely on your listener—and in this episode, I’m showing you how to figure out your perfect episode length using real data from your show.You’ll learn the two metrics that matter most (and exactly where to find them), how to run a simple 10-episode audit to calculate your ideal episode length, and why nailing this is the fastest way to increase listener retention—and conversions.Because every time a listener drops off before your CTA, you’re losing the chance to grow your audience (and your income)—so if you want to fix it, hit play and let’s dive in.1:05 – Why Copying Other Shows (Even Unintentionally) Lowers Listener Retention2:58 – How to Stop the Silent Listener Drop-Off That’s Killing Your Conversions8:16 – Run This 2-Metric Audit to Calculate Your Perfect Episode Length14:20 – Where to Place Your CTA So More Listeners Actually Hear It17:36 – Why Higher Listener Retention Drives More Plays (and Conversions) Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy:How Do You Make Listeners Stay Longer? (and Why It Matters) → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7USupport the showLiked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster! Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney. Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your show. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

Most podcasters want more revenue from their podcast—but few have a plan for getting there. In this episode, Danielle Hayden (reformed corporate CFO and founder of Kickstart Accounting) is back to break down the numbers side of podcast growth. If you’ve ever wondered how to track conversions from your podcast, how to budget for your show, or how to confidently decide where to invest, this episode gives you the strategy most podcasters struggle to figure out alone. So if you’re ready to learn how high-earning podcasters think about spending—and how to run your podcast like a business even when it’s not making money yet—hit play and let’s dive in. 1:05 – Why Knowing Your Profit Margin Matters More Than Podcast ROI3:26 – The Marketing Budget Benchmarks Most Podcasters Don’t Know About5:51 – What to Track (and How) to Measure Real ROI From Your Show10:14 – How to Build a Spending Plan That Supports Your Podcast Growth14:00 – Where to Invest First to Get the Biggest Return From Your Podcast Episode Links:Grab Danielle’s free budgeting templateCheck out Danielle’s podcast: Business By the BooksRead my go-to book on buying back your time: Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy:This One Belief Is Costing You Podcast Revenue   → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7USupport the showLiked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster! Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney. Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your show. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

Your podcast isn’t making money yet, so you think twice before investing in it. But without investing in the help you need to grow your show, it keeps struggling to bring in revenue. Ready to break out of the cycle?Meet Danielle Hayden—reformed corporate CFO, founder of Kickstart Accounting and host of Business by the Books. She joins me to break down why most podcasters never reach profitability, what your podcast spending habits reveal about you, and what needs to change if you want your podcast to drive actual revenue, not just downloads. Because publishing consistent content is one thing—building a podcast that pays you back is another. So if you're done publishing episodes for free and you think it’d be really great to finally get paid for doing work you love, hit play and let's dive in.1:05 – Why Most Podcasters Hesitate to Invest in Their Shows—and Stay Unprofitable Because of It2:27 – How Ego, Fear, and Old Money Stories Shape Your Podcast Decisions7:56 – How High-Earning Podcasters Decide Where to Spend First10:18 – Why ROI Isn’t the Only Way Your Podcast Pays You Back11:49 – How to Run Your Podcast Like a Business When It’s Not Making Money Yet Episode Links:Check out Danielle Hayden’s podcast: Business By the BooksConnect with Danielle: KickstartAccountingInc.comMy go-to book on buying back your time: Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy:The Spending Strategy Behind Podcasts That Make Money  → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7USupport the showLiked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster! Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney. Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your show. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

Most podcasters think the problem is low downloads. But do you know what actually causes low downloads? When people can’t tell—within seconds—why your show is for them.Fellow podcaster Desiree Petrich shares the messy, emotional (and ultimately empowering) process of rebranding her show—from trying to be everything for everyone to creating a bingeworthy podcast that speaks directly to first-time managers. You’ll hear what happened when she finally narrowed her focus, brought more of her real voice to the mic, and stopped being afraid to ask for help.What you’re about to hear isn’t a story about overnight success. It’s about choosing to keep podcasting when you love it too much to quit. So if you want to create a podcast you’re proud of—and one your listeners can’t wait to learn from—hit play and let’s dive in.1:04 – The Moment Desiree Realized Her Podcast Wasn’t Helping Her Business (or Her Audience)8:38 – How Rebranding Gave Her Permission to Finally Say What She Meant11:15 – The Naming Strategy That Helped Her Stand Out in a Saturated Category16:13 – What Listener Feedback Sounds Like When Your Message Finally Hits20:14 – The Gut-Check Question to Ask Yourself at the End of Every Episode—and Why It Changes Everything Episode Links:Check out Desiree Petrich’s Podcast: You’re The Boss. Now What? Other Episodes You’ll Love:How to Make Your Podcast Worth Every Second You Spend on ItQ + A | Can’t Break 200 Downloads? Let’s Fix That  → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7USupport the showLiked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster! Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney. Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your show. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

You’re second-guessing your content. Overthinking your numbers. Wondering if podcasting is even worth it. And it’s not because you’re doing it wrong—it’s because you’re doing it alone.In this episode, I’m joined by longtime podcaster and founder of the New England Podcasters Group, Andy Lyons, to expose the hidden costs of podcasting in isolation—and why plugging into a room of serious podcasters could be the thing that finally gets your show the numbers it deserves.So if you’ve been white-knuckling your way through this podcasting thing, hoping that if you just stay consistent it’ll all click soon, this episode will show you why that hasn’t worked—and what to do instead. Hit play and let's dive in. Episode Links:Check out Ande Lyon’s podcast: Don’t Be Caged By Your Age Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy:The One Thing Podcasters Should Track Instead of DownloadsStarting a Podcast That Builds Your Business (and Your Self Belief)  → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7USupport the showLiked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster! Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney. Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your show. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

If you’re still airing interviews you wouldn’t listen to yourself—just because you feel obligated toward your guests—you’re not building trust with your listeners. You’re breaking it. And once your audience feels like their time isn’t valued? They won’t complain. They’ll just stop listening.If you want a podcast that builds authority and drives loyalty, you need to lead interviews that earn attention. In this episode, you’ll learn how to ask questions your guest hasn’t answered a dozen times, pull out insights your audience can *actually* use, and create one-of-a-kind conversations that make your show worth returning to, following, and sharing.So if you’re done settling for polite interviews that don’t convert (and ready to lead ones that earn trust and ultimately grow your show) hit play and let’s dive in. 📘 My Go-To Books on Leading Better Interviews:Talk to Me by Dean NelsonStop Asking Questions by Andrew WarnerWant to save time on your podcast production workflows? Reach out to Joe Casabona and mention you heard about him here! Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy:The 3 Biggest Reasons Your Listeners Tune Out During Your Guest EpisodesSteal This Episode Planning Framework to Cut Your Prep Time in Half  → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7USupport the showLiked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster! Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney. Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your show. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

If your guest could’ve given the same answers on five other podcasts, you didn’t lead the interview—you hosted a rerun. And when every guest episode sounds the same? Listeners don’t blame the guest. They stop trusting you. In this episode, you’ll learn the three host mistakes that quietly erode your authority, why “just letting the convo flow” leads to copy-paste content your audience has already heard, and how to stay in control of the conversation without sounding stiff or losing rapport. Because great interviews don’t just happen, and they’re what separates podcasts that get skipped from the ones that get shared. So if you want to lead interviews that hook your listeners and keep them coming back (without sounding scripted or stiff), hit play and let’s dive in.  📘My Go-To Books on Leading Better Interviews:Talk to Me by Dean NelsonStop Asking Questions by Andrew Warner Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy:🎙 How to Lead Guest Interviews That Make Listeners Want to Binge Your Show🎙Exactly What to Say to Get Your Podcast Guests to Share Their Episode  → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7USupport the showLiked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster! Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney. Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your show. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.