If you’re reading this, you might already have a podcast but can't get anyone to listen except your friends and family, or you’re thinking of starting one and want to crack the code for how to grow your audience.

These things can take time, and overnight success never happens overnight, but there are lots of things you can do to make sure your content reaches a wider audience that goes beyond your immediate network. So if you need help with how to grow your podcast listeners, keep reading because we’ve got TEN tips to get you started.  

1. Capture your podcast on video 

This one seems pretty obvious for growing your podcast on YouTube but if you want to leverage the world’s second most popular social media platform, you’re going to need to start making video podcasts.  If video seems a little overwhelming, don’t worry. We’ve already got you covered with a guide on how to turn your existing podcast into a vodcast and a step by step tutorial for recording a video podcast on your iPhone. So you can skip the expensive gear lists and software recommendations and just start recording your podcast. 

Tip: When uploading your videos on YouTube, add chapter markers with timestamps to help your audience navigate your episode. 

2. Create short outtakes

We recommend uploading your full-length episodes, but having teasers and outtakes is great for shorter videos you can use to promote the full episodes. Having those impactful sneak peeks in  vertical format unlocks the chance to use them not only for YouTube Shorts but also for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and stories. And here’s the good news! You can use Detail to create these clips with just one click thanks to  AI-generated highlights!

Tip: Leverage the algorithmic power of Youtube Shorts to quickly expand your reach and grow your subscriber numbers.

3. Make a podcast trailer

A podcast trailer is a short promotional teaser episode to give potential audiences a preview of what they can expect from your show. Your trailer should include the name of your podcast, who it’s for, what it’s about, and how to watch and listen to it. Buzzsprout has a video on how to make a great podcast trailer if you need more guidance. 

4. Write clear descriptions & show notes

Your YouTube description is more important than many might think. Make sure you write a comprehensive description that makes it clear what the episode is about, information about potential guests, links to places your audience can connect with you, and anything else relevant to your channel. All of this is connected to our next tip.

5. Use YouTube SEO

YouTube can be used to optimize your content for search, just like Google. By using keywords in your title, descriptions, and tags, you can increase your ranking, and reach people who are looking for the content you’re sharing. Uscreen wrote a great guide on YouTube SEO if you want to dive deeper into this topic. 

Tip: Don't forget to add relevant tags to your Youtube videos — these are great for SEO.

6. Go live on Youtube

We’ve previously mentioned that going live helps you build a relationship with your audience without requiring much downtime. This non-scripted setup can be used to connect with your viewers in real time, answer their questions and increase your reach since the YouTube algorithm likes live streams. Play around with different live podcasting formats to figure out what works best for you.

7. Create eye-catching thumbnails

One way of really making your podcast stand out is to create eye-catching thumbnails. The human eye can see 7,000,000 colors, but it’s how you combine them that truly stop viewers from scrolling past your content. Use contrasting or complementary colors,  faces and interesting titles to draw attention to your thumbnails. This is also a great place to introduce your branding in the form of a logo. 

8. Study watch-time

The data and analytics available on YouTube can really help you better understand your audience and adjust your content accordingly. One of the elements to focus on here is watch-time as there’s a strong correlation between it and rankings. The more watch-time a video receives, the higher it ranks in search. An effective way to increase watch-time is by introducing pattern interrupts which help change the focus of your audience by asking a question or painting a picture. Buzzsumo used pattern interrupts to grow its channel by 59% in just 30 days.

Tip: Always add subtitles/captions to your Youtube videos for accessibility and for people who forgot their headphones

9. Be consistent

This can be a tricky one, especially if you’re feeling blocked creatively. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself and figure out the best way for you to be consistent. Set up a schedule for when to record your episodes, edit them, and share them. It helps to have the outlines for your next five episodes written down in advance so you can plan ahead. You could also try batch recording episodes (just bring a change of clothes) or hiring an editor to help speed up your workflow. Whether you’re posting once per week or four times per week, commit to a schedule you can maintain. 

10. Call to action 

Once you’ve got viewers who watch your video until the end, you want to make sure they come back for more. Always include a call to action that encourages your audience to subscribe to your channel, connect with you on social media, or engage with your content through comments and shares. These are all actions that increase your exposure and help you grow your fan base. 

Conclusion

Podcasts will not work unless you do. Even just by following a few of the tips above you should be able to grow your audience. With YouTube's billions of users and its unique SEO opportunities, there’s never been a better time to attract and engage with more viewers. If you have a great idea for a podcast but haven’t gotten started yet, check out our guide on how to start a video podcast, and make sure you download Detail today to capture it in high quality!