It doesn’t matter how good your episodes are if listeners can't find them. You can add video, guest on other podcasts, or post on social media, but if your podcast isn’t showing up in search, you're missing out on 70% of listeners who find new shows that way every day.

In this episode, I’m breaking down the 3 podcast SEO moves that took this show from ranking #97 in search to consistently landing in the top 1–3 and increasing downloads 41%. The same moves you can implement immediately to help your podcasting efforts actually pay off instead of burning you out. If you’re ready for a simple marketing system that gets your show discovered by new listeners 24/7, hit play and let’s dive in.

2:18 – If Your Podcast Isn’t Showing Up in Search, This Is Why
6:04 – Why Adding Video Won’t Fix a Discovery Problem
9:47 – 3 Podcast SEO Shortcuts That Help You Get Found 24/7
14:32 – The Exact Order to Optimize Your Podcast for Search
18:06 – What 30 Days of Podcast SEO Can Do for Your Search Rankings

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• Why Podcast SEO Makes it Easier than Ever for Niche Shows to Get Discovered
• 41% Podcast Growth in 30 Days with Podcast SEO. Here's How.

→ This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7U

Support the show

Liked this episode? Share it with your podcasting friends!

Love this show? Say thanks in true podcasting style by leaving a review.

• Podcast Health Score™: See exactly where your show is losing listeners and get a custom plan to fix it.
• On-Air Podcast Coaching: Join the waitlist for a chance to get coached by Courtney on air in real time.
• Podcast SEO Mastery: Learn how to optimize your show so the right listeners find you in search.
• Done-For-You Podcast SEO: Let our team build your Podcast SEO Strategy so your show gets found 24/7.
• PodLaunch® Accelerator: Book a free podcasting strategy call if you're ready to build a show that converts and grows on repeat.

Follow Courtney for more podcasting insights: Linked In | PodLaunchHQ.com | hello@podlaunchhq.com

©Ⓟ 2018–2026 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Res...

Support the show

Liked 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.

You don’t need a massive audience to get media attention. In the media world, downloads aren’t what open doors. That’s why PR experts Bridget Sicsko and Lydia Bagarozza are back to break down the exact PR system podcasts your size can run in just 1–2 hours a week to get quoted and featured in top media and PR publications, even with fewer than 100 downloads an episode. You’ll also learn what to do after you get featured so that visibility turns into bigger guests, stronger partnerships, and better opportunities instead of a one-off win.

So if you’re ready to move from understanding why PR works to knowing exactly how to use it to grow your podcast, hit play and let’s dive in.

2:01 – The First PR Move Small Podcasts Should Make

5:45 – What Makes a Pitch Work When You Don’t Have Big Numbers

10:30 – How to Turn One Yes Into Multiple Opportunities

16:10 – The 4-Step PR System You Can Run in 1–2 Hours a Week

19:05 – What to Do After You Get Featured (So It Actually Pays Off)

Episode Links:

• Meet Bridget & Lydia: Website | YouTube
• Check out Bridget & Lydia’s Podcast: Visibility Era
• Create a free HARO account (HelpAReporter.com)
• Create an Expert Page on Featured.com
• Get $50 Off Qwoted.com

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• Why You Don’t Need Big Download Numbers to Get Big Guests, Sponsors, and Deals

→ This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7U

Support the show

Liked 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.

If you’ve been telling yourself that bigger downloads are the reason other podcasts land better guests, sponsors, and opportunities, think again. PR and media experts Bridget Sicsko and Lydia Bagarozza are in the studio to break down what actually gets small podcasts taken seriously, and how you can get quoted and featured in top media and PR publications to build massive social proof for your show (even with fewer than 100 downloads an episode).

So if you want dream guests, sponsors, and big opportunities to come your way without waiting around for big download numbers, hit play and let’s dive in.

1:15 – The Myth That Bigger Shows Automatically Get Better Opportunities
6:30 – How Listeners Decide Whether to Trust a Podcast
11:20 – Why Media Wants You to Pitch Them
13:55 – What Makes a Podcast Feel Legit Right Away
16:40 – How Being “Small” Can Actually Work in Your Favor

Episode Links:

• Meet Bridget & Lydia: Website | YouTube
• Check out Bridget & Lydia’s Podcast: Visibility Era
• Create a free HARO account (HelpAReporter.com)
• Create an Expert Page on Featured.com
• Get $50 Off Qwoted.com

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• How to Get Your Podcast Featured in Top Publications Before You’re a Big Show

→ This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7U

Support the show

Liked 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.

Your podcast isn’t stuck at the same download count each week because you “need more marketing.” In most cases, it’s because when marketing does send people your way, new listeners don’t see a reason to click, and scroll right past. In this episode, we fix that.

In this Fix My Pod coaching session, I’m sitting down with estate planning attorney Sara Ecklein to pinpoint what her show is accidentally communicating to new listeners, identify where her cover art and show title are keeping people from clicking, and show what you can change on your show today so the right person knows in seconds, "Holy cow, this IS for me!"

So if you keep checking your stats and you’re tired of seeing the same download numbers staring back at you week in and week out, hit play and let’s dive in.

1:45 – What a New Listener Decides About Your Show in 0.5 Seconds

3:20 – The One Question Listeners Need Answered Before They’ll Click Play

7:05 – What “Great Episode!” Feedback Really Signals About Your Messaging

10:30 – The 5 Things Listeners Scan Before They Click Play—or Scroll Past

14:40 – The Hidden Metric That Tells You If Your Cover Art Earns the Click

19:10 – The Low-Lift Way to Turn Someone Else’s Audience Into New Listeners

Episode Links:

• Listen to Sara’s Podcast: The Legacy of Love

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• 4 Signs It's Time to Rebrand Your Podcast
• How to Choose a Bingeworthy Name for Your Podcast
• 3 Podcast Cover Art Mistakes You Didn't Know You Were Making

→ This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7U

Support the show

Liked 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.

If you’ve ever opened your content calendar, stared at a blank doc, and wondered whether skipping a week would really be *that* bad, this one’s for you.

But instead of forcing an idea or recycling something old, I’m giving you five stealth moves you can use when episode topic ideas run dry and showing you (in real time) how I decide what to record when my brain is empty and an episode needs to go out in less than 24 hours.

So if you need a way out of the panic spiral when an episode is due and you’ve got nothing ready, hit play and let's dive in.

1:05 – The Fastest Way Out of the “What Should I Record?” Spiral
4:10 – The 3 Questions That Pull Episode Topics Out of Thin Air
7:30 – Why Following Audience Signals Beats Waiting for Inspiration
11:45 – Rapid-Fire Listener Q&A Built in Real Time
17:50 – How to Decide What to Record When You’ve Got Nothing Ready

Episode Links:

• Looking for podcast guests (or to be a podcast guest)? Sign Up at PodMatch.com

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• Steal My High Converting Episode Framework
• Not Sure What to Talk About Next on Your Podcast? Try This.
• How to Make a Bold Comeback After Hitting Pause on Your Podcast
• Steal This Episode Planning Framework to Cut Your Prep Time in Half

→ This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7U

Support the show

Liked 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.

Most podcasters are convinced their show is “clear enough,” that listeners will eventually find them, and that growth is just a matter of time and consistency. Anthony thought the same, until he realized his “clear enough” message was actually confusing people and the listeners he wanted were scrolling straight past his show.

So he rebuilt his show from the inside out, transformed it into something listeners actually wanted to click on, and earned an Apple Top 100 spot during his relaunch. And in this episode, you’ll find out the blind spots that were costing him listeners every week (and how to fix them fast) so your show becomes the obvious choice over the competition. So if you're done feeling like the “best-kept secret” and want your podcast to actually get found and followed, hit play and let’s dive in.

Episode Links:

• Meet Anthony: ParentsMakingTime.com | LinkedIn
• Listen to Anthony’s Podcast | Parents Making Time
• Check out this mind-blowing BEFORE & AFTER! 🤯 Anthony’s Cover Art
• Want your podcast to look like a top show? Get a Cover Art Makeover

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• Is Your Audience Too Broad to Grow? Here’s How to Tell

→ This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7U

Support the show

Liked 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.

Most podcasts lose listeners in the first 15 seconds. Not after the first ad. Not halfway into the episode. Right at the start. In this episode, we break down what’s actually happening in your listener’s brain the moment they hit play, and why top podcasts obsess over their opening lines like the rest of the episode depends on it (because it does).

You’ll hear the five most common episode openings that make listeners click out of your show (even when your content is really good), see the difference between boring intros and openings that actually work, and learn how to structure your first lines to grab and keep attention. So if you’re ready to turn your first 15 seconds into a reason to stay instead of a reason to leave, hit play and let’s dive in.

1:02 – Why Most Podcasts Lose Listeners in the First 15 Seconds

4:48 – Five Common Episode Openings That Make Listeners Tune Out

7:37 – 4 Things Your Opening Lines Must Do to Earn a Listener’s Attention

11:49 – The C.A.T.S. Framework for Structuring a Bingeworthy Episode Opener

20:14 – How to Rework Your Episode Hooks to Improve Long-Term Retention

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• How to Diagnose Exactly Where Your Podcast is Losing Listeners

→ This episode was recorded on the Deity VO-7U

Support the show

Liked 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.