Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast with Courtney Elmer | Podcasting Strategies for Growing a Podcast That Converts

Courtney Elmer | PodLaunchHQ.com
  • 4.9 (213)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Weekly

Named the best podcast on podcasting, this isn’t another “share great content and stay consistent” show doling out generic podcasting advice. We’re breaking down 30,000+ hours of study into what today's top hosts do differently to create bingeworthy podcasts that convert. Hosted by Forbes and Rolling Stone–featured podcasting psychology expert, Webby Awards judge, and PodLaunch® founder Courtney Elmer, you’ll get the podcasting tools and strategies other shows won’t dare to share (backed by 70+ Top 100 podcast launches). Expect unfiltered podcasting insights, behind-the-scenes breakdowns, and “why didn’t anyone tell me this sooner?!” advice so you can master growing a podcast that listeners can’t stop bingeing (and buying from). When you’re ready to break out of less-than-200-download-per-episode jail and stop settling for downloads that don’t reflect your effort... Or if you want a podcast launch strategy that positions you as the authority in your category and drives revenue... Welcome to the podcast that’s about to change the game for you. Hit follow and let’s dive in.  ... Popular Guests Include: Adam Adams, Alex Sanfilippo, Dave Jackson, James Cridland, James Wedmore, Jeremy Enns, John Lee Dumas, Jordan Harbinger, Kevin Chemidlin, Seth Silvers, Tom Rossi, and more.  Popular Episode Topics Include: Podcast Messaging, Podcasting Psychology, Podcast Marketing, Creating Bingeworthy Podcast Content, Listener Engagement Strategies, Podcasting Mistakes to Avoid, Podcasting Tools, Podcasting Trends, Growing a Podcast, How to Monetize Your Podcast, Podcast Listener Conversion, Video Podcasting, Ranking Your Podcast in the Top 100, How to Start a Podcast, Podcast Launch Strategy

  1. 5d ago ·  Video

    5 Reasons New Listeners Aren’t Clicking on Your Podcast

    Before a new listener gives you 20, 30, or 60 minutes of their time, your podcast has to convince them it’s worth it. And if your cover art, podcast name, description, episode titles, or show notes fail to do that job, you can drive more traffic to your show all day long without seeing much growth. I recently joined Jordan Blair on Buzzsprout’s Buzzcast to put their show to the test using the five Podcast Content Gatekeepers® that determine whether a potential listener clicks, scrolls past, or hits play. And in this episode, you can score your podcast right alongside us to pinpoint what could be costing you listeners before they ever hear your content. Hit play and let’s dive in. … 2:00 – Why Your Podcast Metrics Can’t Tell You What to Fix 11:04 – What New Listeners Decide Before They Ever Hear Your Voice 13:42 – Is Your Podcast Cover Art Costing You Listeners? 17:01 – Is Your Podcast Name Making You Harder to Find? 25:46 – Why Your Podcast Description Isn’t Getting People to Listen 35:45 – How to Write Podcast Episode Titles That Make People Click Play 45:41 – The Biggest Mistake Hosts Make When Writing Show Notes 54:06 – What Your Score Reveals About Your Podcast’s Growth Potential … Episode Links: Get Your Podcast Health Score® Listen to the aftershow on Buzzcast Download the Bingeworthy Episode Title Cheat Sheet Check out Courtney’s Airbnb … Other Episodes You’ll Love:  The 0.5 Second Decision That Makes Listeners Hit Play (or Not) … Got Podcasting Questions? Send them to me here. Support the show Love this show? Leave a review to say thanks in true podcasting style, or share it with your podcasting friends. Podcast Health Score™ See exactly where your show is losing listeners. Podcast SEO Mastery Optimize your show so it can get found 24/7. Apply for a spot on the show to get live podcasting help from me. Want more podcasting advice? See what I’m testing on Substack ... Special thanks to Resonate Recordings, our implementation partner for PodLaunch® Accelerator. If your podcasting efforts aren't bringing you the listeners or sales you expected, book a strategy call for help to fix it. Follow for more podcasting insights:  LinkedIn | PodLaunchHQ.com ©Ⓟ 2018–2026 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

  2. Aug 31

    The Story Behind the PodLaunch OS

    Ever wonder why optimizing one part of your podcast doesn’t always improve its performance as a whole? That question is at the heart of what we’re building with the PodLaunch OS®, and in this special episode, my eight-year-old son takes over the microphone to ask why I spend so much time studying podcasts, how host decisions shape listener behavior, and why, according to him, it involves a lot of “scribble scratch circles” and possibly some undercover spy work. For a behind-the-scenes look at what we’re building next, plus what “working from home” looks like through the eyes of an eight-year-old, hit play and let’s dive in. … 2:35 – Why Strategy Alone Can’t Grow Your Podcast 9:24 – What Your Listener Behavior Reveals About Your Podcast Performance 12:09 – How 30,000 Hours of Research Led to the PodLaunch OS® 14:08 – The Industry Blind Spot the PodLaunch OS® Is Built to Solve 27:40 – The PodLaunch Health Score vs. PodLaunch OS® … Episode Links:  Elmer's CheeWees ... Other Episodes You’ll Love:  5 Reasons New Listeners Aren’t Clicking on Your Podcast How to Pinpoint Where Your Podcast Performance Is Breaking Down … Got Podcasting Questions? Send them to me here. Support the show Love this show? Leave a review to say thanks in true podcasting style, or share it with your podcasting friends. Podcast Health Score™ See exactly where your show is losing listeners. Podcast SEO Mastery Optimize your show so it can get found 24/7. Apply for a spot on the show to get live podcasting help from me. Want more podcasting advice? See what I’m testing on Substack ... Special thanks to Resonate Recordings, our implementation partner for PodLaunch® Accelerator. If your podcasting efforts aren't bringing you the listeners or sales you expected, book a strategy call for help to fix it. Follow for more podcasting insights:  LinkedIn | PodLaunchHQ.com ©Ⓟ 2018–2026 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

  3. Aug 24

    How to Pinpoint Where Your Podcast Performance Is Breaking Down

    The hardest part about growing a podcast isn't knowing what to do next. It's knowing what to fix first. That's why so many hosts spend months chasing better titles, stronger SEO, bigger guests, or more content. Every one of those could be the right answer. Every one of them could also waste the next six months of your life.  In this episode, I'll show you how to pinpoint exactly where your podcast performance is breaking down right now, so you can go from hoping your podcast grows to engineering growth you can predict. Hit play and let’s dive in. … 0:02 – How to Pinpoint Where Your Podcast Performance Is Breaking Down 5:59 – Why Most Podcast Audits Diagnose the Wrong Problem 9:52 – Symptom-Based vs. Systems-Based Thinking 18:53 – The 5 Systems Behind Every High-Performing Podcast 23:46 – What to Fix First on Your Show to Create Predictable Growth … Episode Links: Get Your Podcast Health Score® → See the PodLaunch Performance Model™ … Other Episodes You’ll Love:  This Changes Everything We Know About Growing a Podcast What Your Podcast Metrics Aren't Telling You … Got Podcasting Questions? Send them to me here. Support the show Love this show? Leave a review to say thanks in true podcasting style, or share it with your podcasting friends. Podcast Health Score™ See exactly where your show is losing listeners. Podcast SEO Mastery Optimize your show so it can get found 24/7. Apply for a spot on the show to get live podcasting help from me. Want more podcasting advice? See what I’m testing on Substack ... Special thanks to Resonate Recordings, our implementation partner for PodLaunch® Accelerator. If your podcasting efforts aren't bringing you the listeners or sales you expected, book a strategy call for help to fix it. Follow for more podcasting insights:  LinkedIn | PodLaunchHQ.com ©Ⓟ 2018–2026 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

  4. Aug 17

    What Your Podcast Metrics Aren't Telling You

    If your podcast isn't growing, your metrics are the last place you should look. Every download, play, and retention graph only tells part of the story. Which means you can spend months improving your podcast without ever knowing whether you're fixing the right problem. Every podcast's performance is shaped by two key decisions. Once you understand how they work, you'll never think about growing a podcast the same way again.  Ready to find out what your podcast metrics aren't telling you and why most podcast growth strategies never deliver the results they promise? Hit play and let's dive in. … 0:51 – The 2 Decisions That Determine Your Podcast's Performance 2:25 – What Your Podcast Metrics Aren't Telling You 10:40 – Why Most Podcast Growth Strategies Fail 17:13 – The PodLaunch Performance Model Explained 21:53 – The Difference Between Measuring Performance and Driving It … Episode Links: See the PodLaunch Performance Model® … Other Episodes You’ll Love:  This Changes Everything We Know About Growing a Podcast How to Pinpoint Where Your Podcast Performance Is Breaking Down … Got Podcasting Questions? Send them to me here. Support the show Love this show? Leave a review to say thanks in true podcasting style, or share it with your podcasting friends. Podcast Health Score™ See exactly where your show is losing listeners. Podcast SEO Mastery Optimize your show so it can get found 24/7. Apply for a spot on the show to get live podcasting help from me. Want more podcasting advice? See what I’m testing on Substack ... Special thanks to Resonate Recordings, our implementation partner for PodLaunch® Accelerator. If your podcasting efforts aren't bringing you the listeners or sales you expected, book a strategy call for help to fix it. Follow for more podcasting insights:  LinkedIn | PodLaunchHQ.com ©Ⓟ 2018–2026 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

  5. Aug 12

    This Changes Everything We Know About Growing a Podcast

    Everyone’s trying to teach you how to grow your podcast. Do SEO. Add video. Write better titles. Improve your production. But what if almost everything you thought you knew about growing a podcast is backwards? That's the question I've spent the last six years working to answer. Because until you understand what drives predictable podcast performance, every decision you make for your show is still a best guess. Let's fix that. Hit play and let's dive in. … 1:01 – The Truth About Why I Started This Podcast 10:08 – The 3 Questions That Change What We Know About Podcast Growth 11:45  – The Blind Spot That Makes Growing a Podcast Unpredictable  14:02 – Why the Podcast Industry Keeps Solving the Wrong Problem First 17:16 – The One Thing Every High-Performing Podcast Has in Common … Episode Links:  Follow the Podcast Performance Journal on Substack Other Episodes You’ll Love:  What Your Podcast Metrics Aren't Telling You How to Pinpoint Where Your Podcast Performance Is Breaking Down … Got Podcasting Questions? Send them to me here. Support the show Love this show? Leave a review to say thanks in true podcasting style, or share it with your podcasting friends. Podcast Health Score™ See exactly where your show is losing listeners. Podcast SEO Mastery Optimize your show so it can get found 24/7. Apply for a spot on the show to get live podcasting help from me. Want more podcasting advice? See what I’m testing on Substack ... Special thanks to Resonate Recordings, our implementation partner for PodLaunch® Accelerator. If your podcasting efforts aren't bringing you the listeners or sales you expected, book a strategy call for help to fix it. Follow for more podcasting insights:  LinkedIn | PodLaunchHQ.com ©Ⓟ 2018–2026 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

  6. Aug 6 ·  Video

    The New Rules for Growing a Podcast in 2026 | Roger Nairn

    Knowing where listeners discover podcasts is only half the battle. The bigger challenge is turning that knowledge into a repeatable strategy that helps more people find your show month after month instead of hoping people stumble across your podcast. Roger Nairn from JAR Podcast Solutions is back to break down how to turn one podcast episode into multiple ways to get discovered, why more podcasters are building for YouTube first, and how to create viral podcast moments people can't wait to send to a friend. Hit play and let's dive in.  … 1:03 – The 4 Biggest Podcast Discovery Trends Happening Right Now 3:08 – The 2-Week Podcast Launch Mistake That Limits Long-Term Growth 8:08 – Why One Podcast Episode Should Create Multiple Ways to Get Discovered 11:16 – Why More Podcasters Are Building for YouTube First 18:04 – How to Create Podcast Episodes People Want to Share … Episode Links: Meet Roger Nairn: JAR Podcast Solutions | LinkedIn Listen to Roger’s Podcast: Dead Dads … Other Episodes You’ll Love:  Podcast Discovery Has Changed. Here's What the New Data Says. … Got Podcasting Questions? Send them to me here. Support the show Love this show? Leave a review to say thanks in true podcasting style, or share it with your podcasting friends. Podcast Health Score™ See exactly where your show is losing listeners. Podcast SEO Mastery Optimize your show so it can get found 24/7. Apply for a spot on the show to get live podcasting help from me. Want more podcasting advice? See what I’m testing on Substack ... Special thanks to Resonate Recordings, our implementation partner for PodLaunch® Accelerator. If your podcasting efforts aren't bringing you the listeners or sales you expected, book a strategy call for help to fix it. Follow for more podcasting insights:  LinkedIn | PodLaunchHQ.com ©Ⓟ 2018–2026 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

  7. Aug 5 ·  Video

    Podcast Discovery Has Changed. Here's What the Data Says | Roger Nairn

    New data reveals that podcast discovery has changed, but most podcasters haven't changed with it. If you're still expecting new listeners to find your show inside Apple Podcasts or Spotify, you're overlooking the top places podcast listeners are discovering new shows today. Roger Nairn from JAR Podcast Solutions is here to unpack why podcast apps are not best place to grow your audience, how to choose the right platforms to market your show, and three podcast marketing strategies circa 2015 you can stop obsessing over (and what to focus on instead). Hit play and let's dive in. … 1:14 – Why Podcast Apps Are No Longer the Best Place to Grow Your Audience 2:18 – The Top Places Podcast Listeners Are Discovering New Shows 5:38 – Why Your Podcast Doesn't Need to Be Everywhere 14:35 – How to Choose the Right Platforms to Market Your Show 18:31 – 3 Podcast Marketing Strategies You Can Stop Obsessing Over … Episode Links: Meet Roger Nairn: JAR Podcast Solutions | LinkedIn Listen to Roger’s Podcast: Dead Dads … Other Episodes You’ll Love:  The New Rules for Growing a Podcast in 2026 … Got Podcasting Questions? Send them to me here. Support the show Love this show? Leave a review to say thanks in true podcasting style, or share it with your podcasting friends. Podcast Health Score™ See exactly where your show is losing listeners. Podcast SEO Mastery Optimize your show so it can get found 24/7. Apply for a spot on the show to get live podcasting help from me. Want more podcasting advice? See what I’m testing on Substack ... Special thanks to Resonate Recordings, our implementation partner for PodLaunch® Accelerator. If your podcasting efforts aren't bringing you the listeners or sales you expected, book a strategy call for help to fix it. Follow for more podcasting insights:  LinkedIn | PodLaunchHQ.com ©Ⓟ 2018–2026 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

  8. Jul 29

    Use These 3 Communication Patterns to Help Listeners Trust You Faster

    If your podcast needs to deliver measurable reach and revenue for your business or brand, then the fastest way to do that isn't publishing more episodes. It's learning how to communicate in a way that helps listeners trust you enough to act. I'm handing you three Podcast Psychology frameworks you can use inside your next episode so your listeners don't just agree with you. They act because of you. If you want to stop publishing episodes that lead nowhere and start creating content people act on, hit play and let's dive in. … 0:04 – Why Human Behavior Drives Podcast Performance 4:44 – Why Listeners Agree With You But Never Take the Next Step 9:19 – The Fastest Way to Get Listeners to Trust What You Say 13:40 – How to Change Someone's Mind Without Arguing With Them 15:49 – Make People Want What You Offer Without Pitching … Other Episodes You’ll Love:  How to Speak the Language of Your Ideal Listener 3 Ways to Hook Your Listener Before They Ever Hit Play … Got Podcasting Questions? Send them to me here. Support the show Love this show? Leave a review to say thanks in true podcasting style, or share it with your podcasting friends. Podcast Health Score™ See exactly where your show is losing listeners. Podcast SEO Mastery Optimize your show so it can get found 24/7. Apply for a spot on the show to get live podcasting help from me. Want more podcasting advice? See what I’m testing on Substack ... Special thanks to Resonate Recordings, our implementation partner for PodLaunch® Accelerator. If your podcasting efforts aren't bringing you the listeners or sales you expected, book a strategy call for help to fix it. Follow for more podcasting insights:  LinkedIn | PodLaunchHQ.com ©Ⓟ 2018–2026 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

See All (426)

4.9
out of 5
213 Ratings

About

Named the best podcast on podcasting, this isn’t another “share great content and stay consistent” show doling out generic podcasting advice. We’re breaking down 30,000+ hours of study into what today's top hosts do differently to create bingeworthy podcasts that convert. Hosted by Forbes and Rolling Stone–featured podcasting psychology expert, Webby Awards judge, and PodLaunch® founder Courtney Elmer, you’ll get the podcasting tools and strategies other shows won’t dare to share (backed by 70+ Top 100 podcast launches). Expect unfiltered podcasting insights, behind-the-scenes breakdowns, and “why didn’t anyone tell me this sooner?!” advice so you can master growing a podcast that listeners can’t stop bingeing (and buying from). When you’re ready to break out of less-than-200-download-per-episode jail and stop settling for downloads that don’t reflect your effort... Or if you want a podcast launch strategy that positions you as the authority in your category and drives revenue... Welcome to the podcast that’s about to change the game for you. Hit follow and let’s dive in.  ... Popular Guests Include: Adam Adams, Alex Sanfilippo, Dave Jackson, James Cridland, James Wedmore, Jeremy Enns, John Lee Dumas, Jordan Harbinger, Kevin Chemidlin, Seth Silvers, Tom Rossi, and more.  Popular Episode Topics Include: Podcast Messaging, Podcasting Psychology, Podcast Marketing, Creating Bingeworthy Podcast Content, Listener Engagement Strategies, Podcasting Mistakes to Avoid, Podcasting Tools, Podcasting Trends, Growing a Podcast, How to Monetize Your Podcast, Podcast Listener Conversion, Video Podcasting, Ranking Your Podcast in the Top 100, How to Start a Podcast, Podcast Launch Strategy

Information

You Might Also Like