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

Podcast Network Red Flags to Watch For | Stephen Perlstein

Some podcast networks promise exposure and end up limiting how you monetize and how much control of your content you keep. This episode will help you spot those red flags and figure out whether a network even belongs on your radar yet.Stephen Perlstein from Libsyn is back to break down how podcast networks make money, what they’re actually looking for in a show, and how to tell the difference between a partnership that genuinely supports growth and one that comes with strings attached so you know when joining a network makes sense and when it doesn’t.So if you’re unsure whether a podcast network is something you should be thinking about and you want to protect your show, your revenue, and your creative control before saying yes to anything, hit play and let’s dive in.3:10 – How Podcast Networks Actually Make Money7:17 – Why No Network Can “Send You Listeners”9:30 – Red Flags Most Podcasters Miss When Considering Networks12:48 – What Networks Expect From You In Return14:48 – When A Network Deal Is Actually Worth It Episode Links:Meet Stephen Perlstein: Substack | LinkedInRead Stephen’s take on where podcasting is headed: Building the Future of Podcasting Other Episodes You’ll Love: How to Know If a Podcast Network Is Right for You  → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7USupport the showLiked this episode? Share it with your podcasting friends! Love this show? Say thanks in true podcasting style by leaving a review. Take the Podcast Health Score™ to see exactly where your show is losing listeners and get a custom plan that shows you what to fix first. Join the On-Air Coaching waitlist for a chance to get coached on air by Courtney and get your podcast questions answered in real time. Get the Podcast SEO Mastery Course and learn how to optimize your show so the right listeners can actually find it. Apply for the PodLaunch® Accelerator and get deeper podcasting support and expert guidance tailored to your specific podcasting goals. Email us at hello@podlaunchhq.com to learn more. Follow Courtney for more podcasting insights: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunchHQ.com ©Ⓟ 2018–2026 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

How to Know If a Podcast Network Is Right for You | Stephen Perlstein

If you think getting picked up by a podcast network is the fast track to podcast  growth, this episode will save you from some disappointment (and probably a bad contract).Stephen Perlstein, Senior VP of Business Development at Libsyn, joins me to break down how podcast networks actually work (and when the right one can be a smart move for your show). We’re unpacking what networks do well, what they don’t do, and the biggest red flags to watch for when evaluating a potential deal.So if you’ve been curious about podcast networks and want to know how to spot the signs of a partnership that can support long-term growth, hit play and let’s dive in.1:02 – Why Getting “Picked Up by a Network” Won’t Magically Grow Your Show3:26 – What a Podcast Network Actually Is (And What It’s Not)10:08 – Major Red Flags to Watch for in Network Deals12:41 – Should You Ever Pay to Join a Podcast Network?13:12 – What Realistic Monetization Timelines Actually Look Like Episode Links:Meet Stephen Perlstein: Substack | LinkedInRead Stephen’s take on where podcasting is headed: Building the Future of Podcasting Other Episodes You’ll Love: Podcast Network Red Flags to Watch For → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7USupport the showLiked this episode? Share it with your podcasting friends! Love this show? Say thanks in true podcasting style by leaving a review. Take the Podcast Health Score™ to see exactly where your show is losing listeners and get a custom plan that shows you what to fix first. Join the On-Air Coaching waitlist for a chance to get coached on air by Courtney and get your podcast questions answered in real time. Get the Podcast SEO Mastery Course and learn how to optimize your show so the right listeners can actually find it. Apply for the PodLaunch® Accelerator and get deeper podcasting support and expert guidance tailored to your specific podcasting goals. Email us at hello@podlaunchhq.com to learn more. Follow Courtney for more podcasting insights: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunchHQ.com ©Ⓟ 2018–2026 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

5 Experts Predict the Future of Podcasting

Podcast platforms are changing what gets seen and what gets shared, and if your show is still built for how podcasting *used* to work, it’ll get skipped, buried, or replaced. That’s why I brought together five industry experts to break down what’s actually shifting inside podcasting right now, and why creators who adapt early have a real advantage. Because this next era won’t reward the biggest shows. It’ll reward the ones built for how listeners behave today, which is great news for independent hosts with something meaningful to say. So if you want to stay visible as podcasting enters its next era, hit play and let’s dive in.1:04 – Why Podcasting Doesn’t Work the Way It Used To7:42 – Why “Word of Mouth” Isn’t How New Listeners Find Shows Anymore15:36 – Why Big Download Numbers Matter Less Than Listener Attention24:18 – How AI Content Puts Listener Trust (and Creators) at Risk33:51 – Why More Podcasters Are Moving Away From Ad Revenue Very Special Thanks to This Episode’s Guest Experts:Jennifer Han:  Ausha | LinkedIn | PodWarsAlex Sanfilippo: PodMatch.com | LinkedIn | Podcasting Made SimpleTom Rossi; Buzzsprout | LinkedIn | BuzzcastEllie Puckett: Resonate Recordings | LinkedIn | Renegade VenturesLauren Passell: Tink Media | LinkedIn | Podcast The Newsletter Other Episodes You’ll Love: The State of Podcasting Today and Where It’s HeadedSupport the showLiked this episode? Share it with your podcasting friends! Love this show? Say thanks in true podcasting style by leaving a review. Take the Podcast Health Score™ to see exactly where your show is losing listeners and get a custom plan that shows you what to fix first. Join the On-Air Coaching waitlist for a chance to get coached on air by Courtney and get your podcast questions answered in real time. Get the Podcast SEO Mastery Course and learn how to optimize your show so the right listeners can actually find it. Apply for the PodLaunch® Accelerator and get deeper podcasting support and expert guidance tailored to your specific podcasting goals. Email us at hello@podlaunchhq.com to learn more. Follow Courtney for more podcasting insights: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunchHQ.com ©Ⓟ 2018–2026 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

How to Turn a ‘Nice’ Podcast Into a Must-Listen Show | Lauren Penna

Your podcast might be fine. People listen. They say it’s “nice.” And then… nothing happens. You’re 30, 50, maybe 100 episodes in, and the show looks more or less the same as it did at episode 5.In this episode, I sit down with PodLaunch grad Lauren Penna to unpack why smart, consistent hosts still struggle to grow, and how a simple positioning shift can turn your podcast into a show listeners actively seek out and share. Lauren breaks down what went wrong with her first show, what changed during her relaunch, and how that shift helped her break the Top 100 in four countries (including #4 in the U.S.), and what that shift looks like when you apply it to your own show.So if you’re done spending hours recording and editing just to hear “love the show” and nothing else, hit play and let’s dive in.2:03 – Why Some Podcasts Get Played but Never Shared2:10 – What Listeners Do When They Can’t Tell Who Your Show Is For6:47 – Why Overthinking Your Podcast Makes It Harder to Grow8:58 – The Outreach Strategy Behind a 1,000-Download Relaunch11:56 – What Changes When Your Podcast Becomes a Weekly Non-Negotiable Episode Links:Listen to Lauren’s Podcast | Intentionally Single Other Episodes You’ll Love: 3 Types of Podcasting Advice You Can Totally IgnoreThe Difference Between Hitting Publish vs. Launching a Podcast  → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7USupport the showLiked this episode? Share it with your podcasting friends! Love this show? Say thanks in true podcasting style by leaving a review. Take the Podcast Health Score™ to see exactly where your show is losing listeners and get a custom plan that shows you what to fix first. Join the On-Air Coaching waitlist for a chance to get coached on air by Courtney and get your podcast questions answered in real time. Get the Podcast SEO Mastery Course and learn how to optimize your show so the right listeners can actually find it. Apply for the PodLaunch® Accelerator and get deeper podcasting support and expert guidance tailored to your specific podcasting goals. Email us at hello@podlaunchhq.com to learn more. Follow Courtney for more podcasting insights: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunchHQ.com ©Ⓟ 2018–2026 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

Fix My Pod | Why “I Love Your Show” Doesn’t Lead to Growth

If listeners tell you they love your podcast but you’re 50+ episodes in and you’re *still* not sure where (or if) people are finding your show, or how to connect podcast growth to revenue, we’re about to fix that.In this Fix My Pod coaching session, I’m helping Jill uncover why her podcast wasn’t driving signups or sales, and showing you how to:Track exactly where your listeners are coming fromHow to know which episodes are driving signups to your email list (and which ones aren’t)The 90-day marketing rule every podcaster should follow, andThe simple-but-overlooked metrics that can help you attribute revenue to your show. So if you’re ready to run your show like someone who knows what’s working and why, hit play and let’s dive in.4:01 – Why Your Podcast Isn’t Paying You Yet (Even If People Say They Love It)14:49 – The Podcast SEO Plan That Grows Your Show While You Sleep18:29 – The 90-Day Marketing Rule Every Podcaster Should Follow23:03 – 3 Episode Patterns That Predict Future Podcast Growth34:28 – The Partnership Strategy That Brings in High-Intent Listeners Fast Episode Links:Listen to Jill’s Podcast: The Death Readiness Podcast  → This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7USupport the showLiked this episode? Share it with your podcasting friends! Love this show? Say thanks in true podcasting style by leaving a review. Take the Podcast Health Score™ to see exactly where your show is losing listeners and get a custom plan that shows you what to fix first. Join the On-Air Coaching waitlist for a chance to get coached on air by Courtney and get your podcast questions answered in real time. Get the Podcast SEO Mastery Course and learn how to optimize your show so the right listeners can actually find it. Apply for the PodLaunch® Accelerator and get deeper podcasting support and expert guidance tailored to your specific podcasting goals. Email us at hello@podlaunchhq.com to learn more. Follow Courtney for more podcasting insights: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunchHQ.com ©Ⓟ 2018–2026 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.