The 7 Biggest Mistakes Stopping Your Podcast from Growing (And How to Fix Them)
There are thousands of people who would love your podcast—if only they knew it existed.
Let that sink in.
In a world of 8 billion people, there’s an audience out there that’s craving the insights, entertainment, or inspiration that your podcast provides. But if your listener numbers aren’t growing, something is blocking the path between you and those potential fans.
Many podcasters unknowingly make critical mistakes that slow their growth, limit their reach, and keep them from monetizing effectively. The good news? Every mistake has a fix.
This guide will break down the seven biggest mistakes podcasters make—and more importantly, how to correct them. If you're ready to build an audience that loves (and shares) your show, let’s get started.
In This Article:
Mistake #1: You’re Not Using Video
The Problem:
Many podcasters assume that podcasting is an audio-only medium. While that may have been true in the past, today’s most successful podcasts are leveraging video to grow.
Think about it: How do most people discover new content?
YouTube algorithm recommendations
Short-form video clips on social media
Instagram Reels, TikToks, and YouTube Shorts
If you’re only publishing audio, you’re invisible to a massive audience.
The Fix:
Record your podcast in video format and upload full episodes to YouTube.
Create short, high-impact clips (30-90 seconds) for Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
Optimize video thumbnails and titles to make them highly clickable.
Remember: More people will discover your podcast through video than any other channel.
Mistake #2: Your Podcast Concept Is Weak
The Problem:
If your show isn’t growing, your concept might be the issue. Great podcasts aren’t just casual chats—they have a clear structure, audience, and value proposition.
Even the ones that seem like they’re casual chats have a lot of intent and thought behind them. They all have a strong concept.
The Fix:
To craft a strong podcast concept, ensure your show has these four elements:
Insider Access – Do you offer exclusive insights that others don’t?
Host Expertise – What makes you uniquely qualified to talk about this?
Audience Niche – Are you targeting a specific group of people with a real problem?
Unique Format – Is your show different from others in your niche?
If your podcast lacks these, it’s time for a refresh.
Mistake #3: You Didn’t Plan a Strong Launch (Or Relaunch)
The Problem:
A weak launch (or no launch strategy at all) means nobody knows about your podcast. Even established podcasts can relaunch to gain momentum.
Take a page out of the book of AirBnb. They weren’t always the behemoth they are now. In no time at all in internet years, they were just a couple of boys trying to make a business happen.
They’d come up with an idea; it would fail. they would sweep it under the rug and “come up” with the very same idea - slightly tweaked - and launch it to the world again. Hoping it would gain press and traction each time.
Till one day, it stuck. The rest is history. The lesson is you should launch and relaunch as many times as you need to until people start to pay attention.
The Fix:
Create a hype campaign before launch. Get people excited!
Recruit a “launch team”—friends, family, or fans who will share your show.
Encourage reviews and ratings in the first week to trigger algorithm boosts.
Relaunch if necessary. Even Airbnb relaunched multiple times before finding success.
If your podcast isn’t growing, consider relaunching it with a fresh promotional strategy.
Mistake #4: You’re Not on Enough Platforms
The Problem:
You’re limiting your growth by sticking to just Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your audience isn’t just on podcast apps—they’re on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
You don’t know where your next client can come from, so if you can show up in more places, not only will you cast a wider net to get in front of potential clients, but you’ll catch more fish, *ahem, I mean, clients.
The Fix:
Repurpose your podcast content across multiple platforms.
Post video clips to Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts.
Write LinkedIn posts summarizing key takeaways.
Embed your podcast on your website for SEO benefits.
Your goal? Make your content easy to find, wherever your audience hangs out.
Mistake #5: You’re Not Leveraging Guests for Growth
The Problem:
You’re inviting guests, but you’re not maximizing their audience reach. If your guest appears on your show and leaves without sharing the episode, you’re missing out on exposure.
The Fix:
Make guests feel valued—build a real relationship, not just a one-time interview.
Give them shareable content—send them short clips, audiograms, or quote graphics.
Do guest swaps—appear on their podcast, and invite them to yours.
Consider paid shout-outs—some hosts accept payments to promote podcasts to their audience.
A guest feature should be mutually beneficial—for both of you.
Mistake #6: You’re Not Building an Email List
The Problem:
Podcasts don’t come with built-in lead capture. Your listeners might love your content—but if you don’t collect emails, you have no way to reach them directly.
The Fix:
Create a compelling lead magnet (e.g., a free PDF, checklist, or resource).
Mention your email list in every episode. Give listeners a reason to sign up!
Send weekly emails with exclusive insights and links to your latest episodes.
Use email to drive traffic back to your podcast.
A podcast without an email list is like a business without a customer database—don’t skip this step!
Mistake #7: You’re Not Using Your Website for SEO
The Problem:
Your podcast should be helping you rank on Google, but if you’re not optimizing for SEO, you’re leaving free traffic on the table.
The Fix:
Post each episode as a blog post with full show notes and a transcript.
Use SEO-friendly keywords in your titles, descriptions, and blog content.
Embed video and audio players to keep visitors engaged.
Use retargeting ads to bring website visitors back into your content ecosystem.
A well-optimized website can turn casual visitors into loyal podcast listeners—and even clients.
Final Thoughts: Fix These Mistakes & Watch Your Podcast Grow
Growing a successful podcast isn’t about luck—it’s about strategy.
By correcting these seven mistakes, you’ll start attracting more listeners, getting more engagement, and growing your audience faster than ever.
Remember:
✅ Use video to boost discoverability.
✅ Refine your podcast concept for clarity and impact.
✅ Launch (or relaunch) strategically.
✅ Be everywhere—don’t limit yourself to podcast apps.
✅ Leverage guest audiences effectively.
✅ Capture emails to build long-term relationships.
✅ Use your website for SEO and discoverability.
Start implementing these fixes today—and watch your podcast finally get the audience it deserves.
Want us to help you Fill Your High-Ticket Coaching & Consulting Client List – Without Social Media Burnout?
We're a podcast production, growth and monetization agency, and we want to help you attract and convert more high-ticket clients with your authority-building and trust-building podcast. You can build it all on your own with our guides on YouTube and Instagram, or if you want help pumping podcast clips out with consistent quality, along with repurposing for all platforms, learn more here!
