It’s great to hear “I love your podcast!” from friends and fans — but let’s face it, we BOTH know that this kind of feedback won’t tell you why new listeners stop listening after one episode (or worse, why they aren’t hitting play to begin with).

That’s why Jay Nachlis, VP at Coleman Insights (the research powerhouse behind some of today’s most listened-to shows), joins me back inside this episode to share the surprising patterns behind what makes listeners hit play or scroll past a show. Plus, you’ll learn three quick tests you can run on your podcast right now that will show you what’s working (and what’s not) before you hit “publish” on your next episode.

Ready to find out why new listeners actually choose ( or skip ) your show? Hit play and let’s dive in.

0:43 – What First-Time Listeners Notice That Loyal Listeners Won't

2:38 – The Key Elements That Make or Break Your Podcast's First Impression

4:02 – How Often Should You Test Your Podcast to Stay Relevant?

7:28 – How to Turn Outside Feedback Into Podcast Decisions That Drive Growth

10:52 – 3 Quick Tests to Run Before Your Next Episode Airs

Episode Links:

• Connect with Jay: LinkedIn | Website
• Want to know what first impression your podcast is really making? Test it with PodPredictor

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• How to Find Out What Listeners Really Want From Your Podcast

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

Support the show

Liked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster!

Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

Want a podcasting growth strategy tailored to your show? Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney.

Register for Courtney's Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Podcast Growth This Year

Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your podcast.

Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ


©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

Most podcasters rely on feedback from listeners and fans to figure out whether their podcast is good—and it’s costing them hundreds (even thousands) of potential new listeners who decide within seconds if your show is worth their time.

In this episode, Jay Nachlis, VP at Coleman Insights, joins me to reveal why this kind of surface-level feedback gives you a false sense of success, the blind spots that make new listeners tune out in the first 7 seconds, and how to get reliable input from real podcast listeners who don’t know you (and don’t already trust you)—so you can see exactly what first impression your show is making and what to refine so your show hooks new listeners right from the start.

So if you’ve ever logged into your podcast dashboard and wondered why your downloads still aren’t moving, this episode will give you answers you won’t find in your analytics. Hit play and let’s dive in.

0:32 – Why Friends’ Feedback Won’t Grow Your Podcast

1:39 – What Loyal Listeners Won’t Tell You (But New Listeners Will)

4:25 – The A/B Test That Shows Why People Hit Play

9:36 – The Surprising Feedback That Unlocked 100K+ Views on YouTube

15:15 – How to Find Out What Listeners Actually Want From Your Show

Episode Links:

• Connect with Jay: LinkedIn | Website
• Want to know what first impression your podcast is really making? Test it with PodPredictor

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• 3 Tests Every Podcaster Should Run Before Their Next Episode

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

Support the show

Liked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster!

Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

Want a podcasting growth strategy tailored to your show? Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney.

Register for Courtney's Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Podcast Growth This Year

Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your podcast.

Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ


©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

Ever finished an interview and thought, “Well, that sucked”? Your audience felt that too — and one boring, rambling guest can make even your most loyal listeners question if they should ever hit play on your show again. But when your guests deliver specific strategies and bold takes they can’t get anywhere else, listeners finish the episode, tell a friend, and trust you more with every listen.

We're breaking down why “good on paper” guests don’t guarantee bingeworthy interviews, the four red flags to look for in guest pitches that scream “don’t book me,” and the guest vetting filter you can start using today to make sure every interview earns its place in your feed.

So if you’re done booking guests who *look* like a home run (only to yawn through their interview and later air it out of obligation) this episode shows you exactly how to fix it. Hit play and let’s dive in.

1:17 – 3 Guest Booking Mistakes That Cost You Listener Trust (and How to Avoid Them)

6:35 – Why “Good on Paper” Guests Don’t Guarantee a Bingeworthy Episode

8:52 – 4 Red Flags in Guest Pitches That Lead to Forgettable Episodes

14:30 – Why Your Guest Prep Needs to Go Deeper Than ChatGPT

17:30 – How to Prep First-Time Guests So They Sound Confident

22:05 – How to Get Seasoned Guests Off Autopilot (So Your Interviews Stand Out)

📘 My Go-To Books on Leading Better Interviews:

• Talk to Me by Dean Nelson
• Stop Asking Questions by Andrew Warner

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• The 3 Biggest Reasons Your Listeners Tune Out During Your Guest Episodes
• How to Lead Guest Interviews That Make Listeners Want to Binge Your Show

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

Support the show

Liked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster!

Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

Want a podcasting growth strategy tailored to your show? Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney.

Register for Courtney's Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Podcast Growth This Year

Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your podcast.

Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ


©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

You’ve done everything the podcasting experts say to do: publish weekly, stay consistent, share on social. Maybe you’ve even changed your cover art, rewritten your description, or tested a new format. But the listens STILL aren’t coming (and you’re low-key resenting how much time you’ve spent talking to an empty room.)

Most podcasters think it’s a marketing problem. But more often, it’s messaging — starting with your episode titles. And the longer you misdiagnose it, the longer your podcast stays invisible while someone with half your expertise gets the clicks. In this Fix My Pod session, I help Jennifer Avila, host of Wholesome TV Picks, spot why her dream listeners weren’t hitting play — and how a few small title tweaks can help your podcast get discovered, opened, and actually listened to.

So if you don’t want to spend another hour crafting episodes no one hears or talks about, hit play and let’s dive in.

6:25 – The Episode Title Mistake That Separates Boring Titles From Bingeworthy Ones

7:10 – Short or Long? How to Choose a Title That Stops the Scroll

8:40 – The One Element That Makes Titles Instantly Clickable

14:08 – What Search-Friendly Podcast Titles Actually Look Like

15:22 – The No-BS Test That Tells You If Your Episode Title Will Get Clicks

16:20 – Why Colons and Numbers in Your Titles Might Be Costing You Listens

Episode Links:

• Grab the exact Bingeworthy Episode Title Cheat Sheet we use to write titles that rank and convert.

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• The Psychology Behind Bingeworthy Episode Titles

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

Support the show

Liked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster!

Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

Want a podcasting growth strategy tailored to your show? Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney.

Register for Courtney's Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Podcast Growth This Year

Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your podcast.

Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ


©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

If you’re tired of posting content to social media trying to grow your podcast only to get four likes and no new downloads—the problem isn’t the algorithm. The problem is that you’re expecting social to drive podcast growth instead of letting your podcast drive your social strategy.

That's because social isn’t where people go to discover your podcast. It’s where they decide if they trust you enough to listen to your show in the first place. That's why in this episode, I'll show you how to reverse-engineer your social media strategy, using your podcast as the engine behind scroll-stopping short-form content that builds trust, keeps you visible, and shortens the path to sales.

So if you're ready to build an online presence that reinforces your podcast *and* the bigger message you’re here to share, hit play and let's dive in.

1:12 – Why Your Podcast Clips Get Ignored (Even When the Episode’s Good)

4:05 – Why Likes Won't Always Lead to New Listeners

6:20 – How to Turn One Episode Into 5 Posts That Build Trust

15:48 – The One Thing Every Social Post Needs to Drive Clicks to Your Podcast

18:10 – What Connor Price Gets Right About Content that Converts

Episode Links:

• @ConnorPrice

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• Why Content Repurposing Doesn’t Work—and What to Do Instead
• How Much Should You Actually Teach Inside Your Podcast Episodes?

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

Support the show

Liked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster!

Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

Want a podcasting growth strategy tailored to your show? Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney.

Register for Courtney's Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Podcast Growth This Year

Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your podcast.

Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ


©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

If you’ve ever thought, “My content’s so good—so why aren’t more people listening?” the problem might not be your content at all. It might be what your podcast is saying about you before people ever hit play (and what you’re saying once they do). Because even if your episodes are packed with value, if your show doesn’t clearly signal why people should pick your show out of hundreds of others they could listen to, the right listeners will scroll right past it.

That’s exactly what was happening for Cheryl Fischer, too. In this episode, you’ll hear how she went from doing everything “right” but still not seeing results, to rebranding her show in a way that finally got the right listeners tuning in, reaching out, and seeing her as the expert they wanted to work with.

So if you're ready to stop blending in and uncover the messaging gaps that are keeping the right listeners from hitting play, sharing your episodes, and emailing you asking, “How can I work with you?”—hit play and let’s dive in.

1:18 – Why Great Content Isn’t Enough to Get Listeners Choosing Your Show

3:40 – The Hidden Messaging Gaps That Could Be Keeping People From Hitting Play

6:25 – Why Effort Spent on Your Podcast Doesn’t Always Equal Traction

8:04 – How to Niche Down Without Losing the Listeners Who Matter

9:52 – The Message Shift That Gets Listeners Engaging Instead of Scrolling Past

16:44 – The Signs Your Podcast Is Finally Reaching the Right People

Episode Links:

• Check out Cheryl Fischer’s podcast: Mind Your Midlife
• Connect with Cheryl: Website | LinkedIn

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• How to Make Your Podcast Worth Every Second You Spend on It
• Boring Podcasts Get Ignored. Fix THIS.

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

Support the show

Liked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster!

Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

Want a podcasting growth strategy tailored to your show? Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney.

Register for Courtney's Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Podcast Growth This Year

Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your podcast.

Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ


©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

You’ve been told to make your podcast content “valuable,” but no one ever tells you what that actually means. So you default to teaching step-by-step—hoping that if you give away enough value for free, your inbox will be flooded with messages from people asking how to work with you. But that’s not how it works. Because listeners won’t hire you if they feel like they already got everything they came for.

So where’s the line between giving enough and giving too much? How much can you share on your podcast without hurting conversions? And if you don’t have a business yet (or you're still figuring out how to monetize), how do you stay top of mind without giving so much away that there's nothing left to sell?

In this episode, I’m showing you how to keep your content genuinely helpful and intentionally designed to move listeners closer to working with you. If you’re ready to stay out of the “free coach” zone and build real demand for your work without overwhelming your audience or undercutting your value, hit play and let’s dive in.

0:58 – What “Valuable Content” Actually Means (And Why Most Podcasters Get It Wrong)

3:22 – The Subtle Way You’re Training Your Audience Not to Hire You

8:10 – A Simple Test to Know If You’re Sharing Too Much

12:45 – What Listeners Actually Need From Your Episodes

18:33 – How to Be Genuinely Helpful Without Turning Your Show Into a Free Advice Library or Undermining Your Paid Work

Episode Links:

• The 5 Podcasting Metrics No One's Teaching (That Actually Tell You If Your Show is Growing)
• How to Hit the Top 5 in Apple and Spotify Search Results
• The Exact SEO Keywords You Need to Get Your Podcast Found

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• Steal My High-Converting Episode Framework

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

Support the show

Liked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster!

Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

Want a podcasting growth strategy tailored to your show? Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney.

Register for Courtney's Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Podcast Growth This Year

Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your podcast.

Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ


©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

Most podcasters treat email like a checkbox: “Sent the episode to my list—done.” But if that’s your whole strategy, it’s why no one's clicking. In this episode, email marketing legend and Do This Not That podcast host Jay Schwedelson is back to break down what it actually takes to use email to drive real podcast growth.

You’ll learn why the first two words of your subject line decide whether your email gets opened, the one stat that can 20x your open rate, and how to grow your list daily using content you’re already creating. And if you’ve ever held back from emailing your list because you “don’t want to be annoying,” Jay unpacks how that fear is quietly training your audience to ignore you—and what to do instead. You’ll walk away knowing how to write emails people actually want to read, so hitting play feels like the obvious next step.

So if you're ready to become the trusted voice your audience actually wants in their inbox (and their earbuds), hit play and let’s dive in.

3:15 – The Surprising Habit That Trains Your List to Ignore Your "New Episode" Emails

6:14 – A Simple Way to Turn Podcast Listeners Into Subscribers (and Vice Versa)

16:19 – Two Subject Line Hacks That 20x Open Rates

8:15 – 5 Ways to Grow Your Email List From Your Podcast (Without Building a New Freebie Every Time)

18:08 – What to Email Your List That Brings People Back to Your Show

Episode Links:

• Get instant feedback on your subject lines before you hit send: SubjectLine.com
• Check out Jay Schwedelson’s Podcast: Do This, Not That
• Connect with Jay: Website | Linked In

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• What to Post on LinkedIn to Grow Your Podcast This Week

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

Support the show

Liked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster!

Love this show? Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

Want a podcasting growth strategy tailored to your show? Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney.

Register for Courtney's Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Podcast Growth This Year

Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for you and get the podcasting advice you need to grow your podcast.

Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ


©Ⓟ 2018–2025 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.