Howdy, I wanted to share the importance of picking the right day to post your episodes. According to Analyzify and Podtrac, most podcast listening happens midweek, with Wednesday pulling the biggest numbers and Tuesday and Thursday close behind. Monday’s not bad either. But Friday through Sunday? That’s the stretch where podcasts go to be ignored. If you’re posting on weekends and wondering why your audience isn’t growing, that might be why. But (like Pee Wee Herman says, everyone’s got a big but) some podcasts actually do better on weekends. Let's say there's Friday-night TV show and you run a recap podcast. It might make more sense to drop episodes on Saturday than later in the week. Or if you're podcast covers a Western religion, dropping episodes on Sunday could be your best day. Edison Research found the biggest listening block happens between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., followed by 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., typically when people are getting ready or commuting. Analyzify shows a similar trend, with most weekday listening happening between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (I don't know why they don't just say "the entire work day") and a smaller bump around 11 a.m. on weekends. If you want your episode ready for listeners, post early, sometime between 2 to 5 a.m. If you’re on the West Coast, that helps you hit East Coast feeds first and may even help your show trend by the time the West Coast begins listening to podcasts. Timing won’t save a weak podcast, but if you’ve got a strong concept and its executed well, picking the right day to post episodes can help with growth. When do you usually post new episodes, and how’s it been working for you?

Howdy! A big mistake I see most podcasters make is thinking social media is the only way to attract an audience or by spending money on ads. That's absolutely not the case. Here are some super effective ways to get your podcast in front of new ears, without social media or spending money. I'm listing them from least time-consuming to most time-consuming. 1) Promo Swaps Find shows with a similar vibe to yours and swap promos. Record a short 30 to 45 second spot that explains who your podcast is for and why that specific audience should listen to it. Both podcasts should agree to place the promo swaps near the beginning of their episode or middle of an episode, never at the end (because let’s be honest, most people never make it that far). The second part of the agreement should we'll do this for 6 to 10 episodes. 2) Guest Appearances Invite other podcasters onto your show and ask to be on theirs. Their listeners get to know you, your listeners get to know them, and everybody wins. You do a quick pitch on their podcast, they do a quick pitch on yours. These can be really fun and effective ways to cross-promote. 3) Episode Swaps Going on a break? Team up with another podcast and trade episodes. You run their most popular episodes while you are off, and they do the same for you. Add a quick intro so your audience is in the loop:“Hey friends, we are taking a summer break, but in the meantime, check out these episodes from a podcast we love. We will be back in the fall with new episodes, so enjoy this while we're recording episodes for next season!” 4) Two-Part Episodes Split a topic into two parts and spread it across two podcasts. Part one lives on one feed, part two lives on the other feed. Have a strong Call to Action at the beginning of the episodes and at the end so listeners follow the story across both shows. No social media burnout, no ad spend. Just creative, free ways to grow your audience. Don’t be shy about reaching out to other podcasters for a promo partnership. Keep your first email short and friendly, and whatever you do, don’t just copy and paste the same thing to everyone. Take a minute to point out what you like about their show and why teaming up makes sense. Then hit send.

Whenever I get asked to check out a podcast that isn’t seeing any audience growth, I can usually spot the first problem the moment I hit play: the opening. You’ve probably heard one like this (or maybe even done it yourself): 🎶 15 seconds of music 🎬 movie clip 🎶 10 seconds of music 🎤 comedic sound bite 🎶 more music 🎬 another clip 🎶 7 seconds of music fading out (or cutting off abruptly) Finally, the hosts start talking, but with no mention of why you should listen, who the podcast is for, or what you’ll get out of it. The first problem this podcaster created, and it’s a big one, is delaying the crucial information listeners need: 1. What’s this podcast about? 2. Who’s it for? 3. Why is it worth their time? This is even more important when your show is brand new. Most podcasters aren’t widely known, so your opening is the place to make a clear case for why someone should listen. In under 30 seconds, your introduction should answer all three questions. Think of it as your podcast’s elevator pitch: a quick, compelling reason for a new listener to stick around. When you delay, you create a barrier to entry, forcing people to wait before deciding whether your show is worth their time. Many won’t. That quick clarity keeps new listeners from tuning out and helps regulars feel at home. Your opening should be a handshake: short, confident, and clear.