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

Tired of asking your listeners to follow your show or leave reviews, only to feel like you’re talking to a wall? In this episode, I sit down with Pat Cheung, creator of FanList, to break down how to turn one-sided podcasting into a two-way conversation. We're unpacking the real reason most listeners stay silent, why listener engagement is key (especially for small shows), and what to start saying inside your episodes to get your listeners talking back and taking action. So if you're ready to increase listener engagement and turn your audience into a community of raving fans who actually take the time to write positive reviews, share your show on social media, and tell you how grateful they are for the work that you do, hit play and let's dive in. 0:05 - Why Your Audience Isn’t Engaging (and How to Fix It Fast) 2:10 - Two Ways to Increase Listener Engagement (Especially if You Have a Small Show) 6:30 - What to Start Saying Inside Episodes to Get Listeners Talking Back 9:00 - Why Most Call-to-Actions Don’t Work (and How to Fix Yours) 13:15 - The Secret to Building Listener Loyalty That Lasts Episode Links: * Create a free Fan Page for your podcast fans with Fanlist [https://www.fanlist.com/] → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7U [https://amzn.to/49HNJbj] Have a question about launching or growing a podcast you want me to answer on air? Shoot me a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/406843/open_sms] Liked this episode? Share it and tag @thecourtneyelmer [https://instagram.com/thecourtneyelmer]! Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a review. Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop [https://www.podlaunchhq.com/workshop]: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025 NEW! Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Strategy Call [https://www.podlaunchhq.com/one-on-one-consult-with-Courtney] w/ Courtney (60-min paid session). Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Free Discovery Call [https://form.typeform.com/to/eNFsBbuE] to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for your business. Connect with Courtney: Linked In [https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneyelmer/] | Instagram [https://instagram.com/thecourtneyelmer] | PodLaunch HQ [https://www.podlaunchhq.com]

300 episodes. 5 years. And more lessons than I can count. In this milestone episode, I’m reflecting on the unexpected highs, the tough lessons, and the surprising ways podcasting has shaped my life, business, and personal growth. From learning that consistency is about more than just showing up, to the one non-negotiable thing you need to make your podcast unignorable, I’m pulling back the curtain on what’s worked—and what hasn’t. Plus, I’m challenging you to set two bold goals with me to make this your best podcasting year yet. You ready? Hit play, and let’s dive in. 0:02 - 300 Episodes Later: What I’ve Learned—and How It Can Help You 2:12 - Why Podcasting Is Hard Work (and Why It’s Worth It) 5:48 - The Biggest Misconception About Consistency 1035 -  How to Niche Your Podcast Without Limiting Your Creativity 19:15 - How Podcasting Changes You—and Why That’s Key to Success This version sharpens the focus on listener takeaways while staying true to your tone. Ready to roll? → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7U [https://amzn.to/49HNJbj] Have a question about launching or growing a podcast you want me to answer on air? Shoot me a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/406843/open_sms] Liked this episode? Share it and tag @thecourtneyelmer [https://instagram.com/thecourtneyelmer]! Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a review. Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop [https://www.podlaunchhq.com/workshop]: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025 NEW! Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Strategy Call [https://www.podlaunchhq.com/one-on-one-consult-with-Courtney] w/ Courtney (60-min paid session). Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Free Discovery Call [https://form.typeform.com/to/eNFsBbuE] to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for your business. Connect with Courtney: Linked In [https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneyelmer/] | Instagram [https://instagram.com/thecourtneyelmer] | PodLaunch HQ [https://www.podlaunchhq.com]

When it comes to growing a podcast, the common advice tells you to do more: guest on dozens of shows, post daily on social, run ads. But what if doing less could actually get you faster growth? In this episode, we’re debunking outdated podcasting advice that’s slowing your progress (without you realizing it) and I’ll reveal what I’m *not* doing to grow my podcast — and how cutting back has led to up to 32% month-over-month growth. By the time you finish this episode, you’ll know exactly how to apply the same approach to reach more listeners with your message and turn your podcast into a lead-generating machine — all while freeing up your time to actually enjoy the process of podcasting. (Spoiler: That’s Stephen Bartlett’s secret to 1 billion downloads.) Ready to grow your podcast without adding more to your plate (and maybe even taking a few things off)? Hit play and let’s dive in. 0:04 - The Problem with Most Podcast Growth “Strategies” 2:10 - What's Really Sabotaging Your Podcast Growth 8:30 - What I’m Not Doing to Grow My Podcast 12:00 - The Real Reason Stephen Bartlett Hit 1 Billion Downloads 14:00 - 3 Steps to Find What’s Moving the Needle for Your Show Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy: * How to Grow Your Podcast Without Adding More to Your Plate [https://www.podlaunchhq.com/blog/minimalist-podcast-growth-alex-sanfilippo] → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7U [https://amzn.to/49HNJbj] Have a question about launching or growing a podcast you want me to answer on air? Shoot me a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/406843/open_sms] Liked this episode? Share it and tag @thecourtneyelmer [https://instagram.com/thecourtneyelmer]! Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a review. Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop [https://www.podlaunchhq.com/workshop]: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025 NEW! Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Strategy Call [https://www.podlaunchhq.com/one-on-one-consult-with-Courtney] w/ Courtney (60-min paid session). Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Free Discovery Call [https://form.typeform.com/to/eNFsBbuE] to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for your business. Connect with Courtney: Linked In [https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneyelmer/] | Instagram [https://instagram.com/thecourtneyelmer] | PodLaunch HQ [https://www.podlaunchhq.com]

If you’ve been putting off starting a podcast because you're not sure it’ll actually move the needle for your business, this one’s for you. Fellow podcast host and clinical psychologist Dr. Christine Li joins me to help you overcome the self-doubt, perfectionism, and procrastination that’s keeping you from getting started (hey, we’ve all been there). From building authority right from the start to turning your show into a powerful audience-building tool, you’ll walk away knowing exactly how to crush those “Is podcasting really worth it?” fears — because every day you wait is another opportunity for someone else to launch the podcast your audience is searching for. So if you're ready to stop overthinking and finally hit publish on your podcast (or if you just need a kick in the pants to get out of your own way), hit play and let's dive in. 3:30 - The Real Cause of Perfectionism and Procrastination in Podcasting 6:15 - Building Your Authority from Day One with Your Podcast 9:05 - Turning Your Podcast into a Powerful Client Acquisition Tool 12:00 - Why Waiting to Start a Podcast Limits Your Business Growth 14:40 - How to Stop Overthinking and Finally Press Publish on Your Podcast Episode Links: * Check out Dr. Christine’s podcast: Make Time For Success [https://pod.link/1548504774] * Connect with Dr. Christine [https://www.procrastinationcoach.com/] Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy: * Achieving Goals with Ease: Embrace The “Be Do Have” Model [https://pod.link/1548504774/episode/36f574d176ac629a2ee58754d72a172e] → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7U [https://amzn.to/49HNJbj] Have a question about launching or growing a podcast you want me to answer on air? Shoot me a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/406843/open_sms] Liked this episode? Share it and tag @thecourtneyelmer [https://instagram.com/thecourtneyelmer]! Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a review. Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop [https://www.podlaunchhq.com/workshop]: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025 NEW! Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Strategy Call [https://www.podlaunchhq.com/one-on-one-consult-with-Courtney] w/ Courtney (60-min paid session). Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Free Discovery Call [https://form.typeform.com/to/eNFsBbuE] to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for your business. Connect with Courtney: Linked In [https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneyelmer/] | Instagram [https://instagram.com/thecourtneyelmer] | PodLaunch HQ [https://www.podlaunchhq.com]

In this episode, James Cridland, editor-in-chief of Podnews, is back with his bold predictions about where podcasting is headed — and how you can stay ahead of the curve. We’re unpacking why downloads might not hold the top spot as the industry’s gold standard for much longer, YouTube’s growing role in podcast discovery (and its limitations), and how AI is adding convenience but not the creativity needed to stand out. James also explains the growing challenge of defining what a podcast really is as platforms like Spotify and YouTube continue to blur the lines. Whether you're starting a new show or scaling an existing one, you'll walk away from this episode with the know-how you need to stay ahead of industry trends and stay focused on what truly matters: creating content that connects and converts. Hit play and let's dive in. 18:00 - Why IAB Downloads Might Soon Lose Their Gold Standard Status 19:11 - The Role (and Limits) of YouTube in Podcast Discovery 21:41 - What *Actually* Makes a Podcast a Podcast 24:06 - Are AI Tools Saving Time or Killing Creativity? 33:39 - Adapt or Get Left Behind: How to Capitalize on the Latest Trends in Podcasting Episode Links: * Podnews Daily [https://podnews.net/podcast/i8xe9] (Podcast) * Podnews.net [https://podnews.net/] (Daily Newsletter) * PodcastBroker.com [http://thepodcastbroker.com] * Buzzsprout.com/stats [http://buzzsprout.com/stats] * PodcastBusinessJournal.com/data [http://podcastbusinessjournal.com/data] * Make Noise: A Creator's Guide to Podcasting and Great Audio Storytelling [https://amzn.to/4hXC7pb] by Eric Nuzum Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy: * What’s Changing in Podcasting and How to Stay Ahead → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7U [https://amzn.to/49HNJbj] Have a question about launching or growing a podcast you want me to answer on air? Shoot me a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/406843/open_sms] Liked this episode? Share it and tag @thecourtneyelmer [https://instagram.com/thecourtneyelmer]! Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a review. Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop [https://www.podlaunchhq.com/workshop]: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025 NEW! Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Strategy Call [https://www.podlaunchhq.com/one-on-one-consult-with-Courtney] w/ Courtney (60-min paid session). Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Free Discovery Call [https://form.typeform.com/to/eNFsBbuE] to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for your business. Connect with Courtney: Linked In [https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneyelmer/] | Instagram [https://instagram.com/thecourtneyelmer] | PodLaunch HQ [https://www.podlaunchhq.com]