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

Many podcasters think, "If I want to make money, I need sponsors." But if you’re a business owner who podcasts, you’ve likely wondered, "Should I have sponsors if I’m already promoting my own stuff?" Here’s the thing: not all podcast sponsorships are created equal. While the right sponsor can help cover production costs and bring in extra revenue, the wrong one can undermine the trust you've worked hard to build with your listeners.In this episode, we’re clearing up the confusion. Whether you’re getting 100 downloads an episode or 10,000+, podcast sponsorship coach Joe Casabona is here to show you how to get podcast sponsors without sacrificing listener trust. You’ll learn how to find sponsors that truly align with your audience, craft pitches that make brands say “yes,” and price your sponsorship packages like a pro.(Grab a pen, you’ll want to take notes.) Ready? Hit play and let’s make your business bingeworthy.0:25 - Why Podcast Sponsorships Might Be Worth It (or Not)5:29 - The Proven Formula for Finding the Right Podcast Sponsors 8:38 - How to Craft a Winning Podcast Sponsorship Proposal 11:24 - Pricing Your Podcast Sponsorships the Right Way16:08 - The First Steps to Landing Your First (or Your Dream) Podcast SponsorsEpisode Links:Save 12 Hours a week with Joe's Podcast Automation PlannersCheck out Joe Casabona’s podcast: The Streamlined Solopreneur→ 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 your business. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

Joe Casabona, a podcast productivity guru, shares his expertise on cutting down episode prep time. He introduces a simple framework designed to capture ideas anytime, even mid-shampoo! Listeners learn how to streamline their planning processes while boosting creativity and maintaining their unique voice, all without sacrificing quality. The conversation also touches on the balance between using AI tools for content generation and preserving personal authority. Prepare to reclaim mental energy and make podcasting fun again!

Getting on the podcast charts is like ranking on the first page of Google. It's an incredibly powerful way to get found by new listeners, and surprisingly? It's easier than you might think.In this episode we're unpacking why charting is key for discoverability beyond word-of-mouth or organic search, and why it's not out of reach for you even if you're just starting out or have a small audience. You’ll also learn how to stop stressing over your download numbers and start using them as data points to build a growth strategy that keeps your listeners hooked and attracts new ones.Ready to uncover the five key metrics Apple and Spotify use to rank podcasts — and how you can leverage them to get found by new listeners? Hit play and let’s make your business bingeworthy.0:00 - The Real Purpose of Podcast Charts 4:20 - Why Charting Is Like Getting on Page One of Google 7:14 - The Five Key Metrics That Determine Apple and Spotify Ratings 12:15 - Proven Strategies to Increase Your Ranking Potential16:24 - Why It's Time to Stop Obsessing Over DownloadsEpisode Links:Check out Zach Kristensen's podcast: Your Path to PublishOther Episodes You’ll Enjoy: Why You Don’t Need Big Numbers to Rank Your Podcast→ 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 your business. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

Want to know how to keep your listeners hooked from start to finish? In this episode, we’re diving into the psychology of how platforms like Netflix and Hulu create bingeworthy content — and how to apply these same principles to your episodes to keep your listeners hooked and coming back for more. Learn how to open loops that leave listeners hanging (in a good way), the best way to tease future episodes, and how to increase that all-important listener consumption rate that signals to players like Apple Podcasts and Spotify that you have high listener engagement. Bonus: you can use these same techniques across your social media platforms and email newsletters, too.Ready to learn exactly how to keep your listeners tuning in episode after episode? Hit play and let's make your business bingeworthy.0:02 - How to Tell if Listeners Are Truly Hooked on Your Podcast1:01 - What ACTUALLY Drives Listener Engagement2:45 - The One Metric That’s Changing How to Measure Your Podcast's Success4:55 - How to Find the Ideal Episode Length to Keep Your Audience Listening Longer6:47 - The Technique Netflix and Hulu Use to Make You Binge Watch (And How to Use it For Your Podcast)12:17 - The Simple Technique That Keeps Listeners Coming Back15:26 - Using These Techniques Throughout Your Entire Content Strategy Other Episodes You'll Enjoy:The Down & Dirty Truth About Episode LengthSpecial thanks to Flora McCormick of Sustainable Parenting for submitting today’s question. If you have a question you’d like me to answer in an upcoming episode, shoot me a text below.  → 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 your business. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

Zach Kristensen, a fellow podcaster known for successfully relaunching his show and ranking on the Apple Podcast charts, shares his insights. He debunks the myth that big download numbers are necessary for success. Zach discusses the challenges he faced while refining his message to better align with audience needs. He explores the power of storytelling to enhance engagement and emphasizes the importance of redefining success metrics to focus on meaningful connections rather than just downloads.

If you want your podcast discovered by new listeners, you need three key things to stand out in today’s increasingly crowded space. In this episode, we’re unpacking what it really takes to attract new listeners daily  — and revealing the one growth metric most podcasters aren’t tracking (but should be).Ready to learn how to get listeners choosing your show over the competition and go from unheard expert to binge-worthy thought leader in your niche? Hit play and let’s make your business bingeworthy.0:02 - Three Must-Haves for Getting Your Podcast Discovered1:37 - The Real Reason Most Hosts Never Hit the Top Charts4:20 - How to Attract Listeners Actively Searching for Shows Like Yours14:29 - The One Differentiator You Need to Stand Out in a Crowded Podcast Category20:00 - The Podcast Growth Metric You’re Probably Not Tracking (But Should Be) → 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 your business. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

Can you have a successful podcast without video? Short answer: Absolutely.But are you missing out on podcast growth by sticking to audio only? It depends.Podcasting hall-of-famer Dave Jackson is back to set the record straight on video podcasts. We’re tackling questions like: Is it worth putting a podcast on YouTube? What advantages are there to having a video podcast? Can you start with audio and add video later? When's the right time to add video? And is this video podcasting trend here to stay?Whether you launched your podcast to avoid the camera or you're eyeing YouTube as the secret strategy for faster podcast growth, this episode has the answers you need. Hit play and let’s make your business bingeworthy.0:03 - Should You Follow the Video Podcasting Trend?1:27 - Are You Ready for Video Podcasting? Here's How to Tell5:43 - Audio vs. Video: Do You Really Need to Be on YouTube?10:07 - Will the YouTube Algorithm Help or Hurt Your Podcast?18:26 - What’s Coming Next for Podcast Advertising Episode Links:Profit From Your Podcast Book by Dave JacksonCheck out Dave's Podcast: School of PodcastingConnect with Dave  → 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 your business. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

People often say that monetizing a podcast is all about growing your audience and landing sponsors and advertisers. But if it were that simple, then why are so many podcast hosts still struggling to make real money?The truth is, there are over 20+ ways to monetize a podcast *without* sponsors or ads — yep, even if you have a small audience, don't have a business, or are just a few months into your podcasting journey.Podcasting Hall-of-Famer Dave Jackson is in the studio with me to break down the do’s and don’ts of podcast monetization, as well as what you need to have in place before you can start monetizing so that your podcast can become a real source of profit (and not a money pit).So if you’ve got a podcast that isn’t making money (or you’re looking to start one and turn it into a steady income stream) hit play and let's make your business bingeworthy.0:22 - Why Your Podcast Isn't Making Money Yet5:31 - What You Need Before You Can Successfully Monetize a Podcast10:21 - The Secret to Turning Listeners into Loyal Customers14:01 - How to Monetize a Small Podcast Without Sponsors18:47 - The Underrated Key to Podcast Growth Episode Links:Profit From Your Podcast Book by Dave JacksonCheck out Dave's Podcast: School of PodcastingConnect with Dave → 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 your business. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

It’s easy to look at today’s top podcast hosts and think, "Wow, they had it easy." But deep down, we know that’s not the case. Even the biggest names in the game started from zero and faced the same doubts, fears, and setbacks as you. That’s why I invited John Lee Dumas to join me for this episode and unpack the REAL story behind Entrepreneurs on Fire, how it almost didn’t happen, and how he battled massive self-doubt to turn his vision into one of the most successful podcasts in history. So if you're feeling that gap between where you are now and where you want to be with your podcast, grab your headphones and lean in — you might be closer to success than you think. Hit play and let's make your business bingeworthy.0:06 - The One Thing Keeping Most Podcasters From Making it Big3:01 - The Surprising Idea that Launched Entrepreneurs on Fire6:05 - Two Top Mistakes New Podcasters Make (and How to Avoid Them)14:39 - Following JLD's Strategy From $0 to $100K+ Months to Profit From Your Podcast Episode Links:Check out John Lee Dumas' podcast: Entrepreneurs on Fire → 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 your business. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

What does it REALLY take to become a top podcaster? (And are today’s top podcasters gatekeeping the real secrets to podcast growth?)In this episode, I’m sitting down with the one and only Jordan Harbinger—a podcasting legend with over 15 million downloads every month and named Apple’s “Best and Most Downloaded Podcast” back in 2018.We’re pulling back the curtain on the exact strategies that helped Jordan build his podcasting empire—from letting go of the obsession with analytics to finding success by doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing, and staying motivated when it feels like every niche is already taken.So if you’re ready to learn what it actually takes to master your craft as a podcast host, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Hit play and let's make your business bingeworthy.0:45 - What’s Missing from Your Podcast Growth Strategy?3:10 - The Mental Shift That Took Jordan to 15m+ Monthly Downloads7:25 - The Unconventional Approach to Podcasting That Defies The 'Rules'10:40 - How to Stand Out When Every Podcast Niche Feels Oversaturated14:05 - Jordan’s Bold Move That Built Massive Trust With His Audience18:30 - The One Thing That Matters More Than Downloads for Long-Term Success Episode Links:Check out Jordan Harbinger's podcast: The Jordan Harbinger Show  → 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 your business. Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ ©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.