How to Grow Your Podcast Audience: Proven Strategies That Work

Starting a podcast is one thing—growing your audience is another. To take your show to the next level, you need a solid growth strategy. Many promotion tactics seem to be geared toward already popular shows. So, how can an independent podcaster like you grow your audience authentically? Having been an independent podcaster for three years with nearly half a million in downloads, I've learned a few strategies to grow your show. Let's break it down with proven, actionable approaches.

1. Consistency is Key

Your listeners will build your podcast into their routines—if you're consistent. Whether you release episodes weekly, biweekly, or monthly, stick to your schedule. Your audience should know exactly when to expect your next episode.

For example, my wife and I have a tradition of listening to Murder with My Husband every date night. Neither of us listens to that podcast on our own (at least, I don't think she does, lol)—it has become part of our routine, and that consistency keeps us engaged. If your listeners know that a new episode is dropping every Friday, they're more likely to plan around it and stay loyal to your show.

2. Encourage Word-of-Mouth Sharing

Your audience can be your best promoters—if you ask them. Listeners love to share content they enjoy, especially if they feel like part of a community. Chances are that if a listener is interested in the topic of your show, they have at least two or three other friends who have that same interest.

At the end of each episode, make a direct request: "If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend who loves true crime [or whatever topic your show is about] as much as you do." This simple call to action can dramatically increase organic growth.

You can also incentivize sharing by creating community-driven content. Consider featuring listener-submitted cases or hosting giveaways where listeners who share your podcast get entered into a prize drawing.

3. Utilize Pinterest for Discovery

This might sound surprising, but Pinterest is a goldmine for podcast promotion. Unlike traditional social media, where posts have a short lifespan (usually 24–48 hours), Pinterest is a search engine where pins can drive traffic for months or even years.

Create visually appealing pins for each episode, featuring an engaging title and an eye-catching image. Link the pins to your website or podcast platform. Because few podcasters leverage the platform, you have an opportunity to stand out.

If the thought of creating engaging visuals for your show is overwhelming, give Podcrew a try. I created Podcrew because I wanted visuals as unique as my message. Within minutes you'll have more than a dozen scroll-stopping images you can share on Pinterest. Sign up and receive 1 free credit for your first generation.

4. Collaborate with Other Podcasters

Podcasting is not a competition—it's a community. One of the most effective ways to grow your audience is to collaborate with other true crime podcasters. Be creative and don't be afraid to reach out.

Ways to Collaborate:

• Guest Appearances: Appear on other podcasts with a similar or adjacent topic to share your expertise and introduce yourself to a new audience.
• Joint Episodes: If you cover a specific niche, find another podcaster in a complementary niche and co-host an episode together.
• Cross-Promotion: Swap promotions where you briefly introduce each other's shows at the beginning or end of an episode.

If you collaborate with 10 other podcasts over a year, your audience reach will expand significantly. I once did a cross-promotion with an adjacent show, and a two days later another host emailed me saying: "You seem to be everywhere! I gotta have you on my show!" That led to me being a guest on his show not just once, but a second time a year later. Each time I was able to add value to his audience, while also pitching my own show to potential listeners. And it all started from a simple cross promotion collaboration.

5. Build a Website and Email List

A website is an essential tool for long-term audience growth. Not only does it provide a home for your podcast, but it also boosts your discoverability through search engine optimization (SEO).

Why You Need a Website:

• SEO Benefits: When people search for topics, your website can appear in search results, bringing in organic listeners.
• Email List Growth: Collect emails from listeners and send updates about new episodes, bonus content, and exclusive offers.
• Monetization Potential: An engaged email list allows you to sell merchandise, offer exclusive content, or even land sponsorship deals.

One of the easiest ways to build a podcast website is with Podpage, a platform designed specifically for podcasters. (Full disclosure: I love their product so much that I'm an affiliate. You can check them out here: Podpage.)

6. Put Your Episodes on YouTube

YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world, and it's an excellent way to increase your podcast's reach. Even if you don't record video, you can upload your episodes as audio with a static image.

YouTube allows you to:

• Reach a new audience that prefers to consume content on the platform.
• Improve discoverability through YouTube search and recommendations.
• Monetize your podcast through YouTube's ad revenue once you meet their requirements.

A simple first step is connecting your podcast's RSS feed to YouTube, which will automatically upload your episodes. Over time, you can experiment with video content, such as live Q&As or behind-the-scenes looks at your process.

7. Leverage AI to Automate Social Media Promotion

Promoting your podcast on social media can be time-consuming, but AI tools can help. Social media is a great way to raise awareness, but turning followers into listeners requires consistency and engaging content.

This is exactly what Podcrew is designed to do for you: create visual social media content for each episode. Simply enter your RSS feed and select the episode you would like to have images generated for, and Podcrew does the rest. Within minutes, you'll have more than ten visually-stunning images that you can use to promote your show on social media. AI-generated content can help you maintain a strong social media presence without spending hours creating posts manually. Try Podcrew today with 1 free credit, just for signing up: podcrew.ai/signup

8. Optimize Your Show for Discovery

Sometimes, small tweaks can make a big difference in attracting new listeners. Here are a few ways to optimize your podcast for discovery:

• Improve Your Podcast Titles & Descriptions: Ensure your episode titles and descriptions include relevant keywords without sounding spammy. For a true crime podcast, for example, instead of "Episode 10: A Shocking Crime," try "The Unsolved Mystery of [Case Name] – Episode 10."
• Use Transcripts: Adding transcripts to your website boosts SEO and makes your content more accessible.
• Submit Your Podcast Everywhere: Ensure your show is available on every major podcast platform, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and niche apps like Pocket Casts and Overcast.

9. Engage With Your Audience

Listeners love when podcast hosts interact with them. Building a strong connection with your audience keeps them coming back. For a major milestone episode, I compiled sound clips submitted by listeners alongside clips from previous guests.

Ways to Engage:

• Respond to Comments: If listeners leave comments on social media, YouTube, or your website, reply to them.
• Host Live Q&As: Platforms like Instagram Live, YouTube Live, or even Twitter Spaces allow you to interact with your audience in real time.
• Create a Private Community: A Facebook group, Discord server, or Patreon-exclusive community can give your most dedicated listeners a space to connect.

Final Thoughts

Growing a podcast takes time, but with consistency and the right strategies, your show can reach a much wider audience. Focus on collaboration, optimizing for discoverability, engaging with listeners, and leveraging AI and automation where possible.

If you start applying these strategies today, your podcast's growth will compound over time. Keep creating, stay consistent, and keep sharing compelling true crime stories. The audience will follow.

What growth strategies have worked for your podcast? Let me know in the comments!

Happy podcasting.