Why People Find Your Podcast But Don’t Hit Follow | Arielle Nissenblatt

2026-03-11

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Most podcasters think getting new listeners is about promotion: more clips, more posts, more ads. But if people find your show and don't hit follow, your downloads won’t change and “more promotion” won't fix it.In this episode, Arielle Nissenblatt is here to unpack why not every podcast automatically earns an audience and what actually makes someone decide a show is worth following in the first place. As a Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and founder of the EarBuds Podcast Collective, Arielle shares what your own listener behavior reveals about why peopl...

In this episode, Arielle Nissenblatt is here to unpack why not every podcast automatically earns an audience and what actually makes someone decide a show is worth following in the first place. As a Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and founder of the EarBuds Podcast Collective, Arielle shares what your own listener behavior reveals about why people click, follow, and come back week after week, and how you can use these same insights to help more listeners find and follow your show. So if you’re publishing every week but your audience still isn’t growing, hit play and let’s dive in.

1:02 – Why Some Podcasts Earn an Audience (and Others Never Do)
5:34 – Promotion Alone Won’t Grow Your Podcast
7:11 – What Actually Makes a Podcast Worth Recommending
12:30 – The Surprising Role Word-of-Mouth Still Plays in Growing a Podcast
20:07 – Why People Don’t Always Listen the First Time They See Your Podcast

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