You KNOW you should give a call to action in every podcast episode. But every time you sit down to record, your brain short-circuits — should you tell them to follow the show? Join your list? Download the freebie? Book a call? Support your sponsor? Buy your thing? Say too much and you sound desperate. Say too little and you miss your chance to turn listeners into leads.

In this episode, I’m breaking down the real reason CTAs feel awkward, the difference between a call to engage and a call to action (yes, they’re different), what to say instead of stacking five random asks at the end of your episode, and how to say exactly what listener needs to hear to take the next step. If you’ve ever felt unsure of what to offer, how to offer it, or afraid of pushing people away when you do — this is the missing link between your content and your conversions.

Ready to give a podcast CTA that feels good and actually converts? Hit play and dive in.

1:02 – The Surprising Reason You Freeze Up When It's Time to Give a Call to Action (CTA)

2:22 – What Not Giving a CTA Is Costing You

7:36 – How to Guide Your Audience From Listener → Lead → Client

8:52 – What a Strong CTA Actually Sounds Like

14:15 – Why You Don’t Need a New Freebie for Every Episode

16:02 – The 2 CTA Entry Points I Recommend (And Use)

22:06 – How to Handle CTAs When You Have a Sponsor

24:08 – What to Do Next If You Want Your CTAs to Start Driving Real Results

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• If Your Podcast Isn’t Converting Listeners to Leads, This Could Be Why

→ 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.

Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025

Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney.

Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for your business.

Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ


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

You’re showing up. You’re publishing every week. So why does it still feel like no one’s listening?

That’s the question Conrad—documentary filmmaker and host of The First Responder Wellness Podcast—was asking when he came to me for help. He's nearly 80 episodes in and reaching first responders across the country… but getting no reviews, no shares, and not enough listener engagement to know if the podcast is actually helping anyone.

In this Fix My Pod coaching session, we dig into why this happens and the exact shifts you can make to turn passive listeners into people who reach out, leave reviews without being asked, and start sharing your episodes in group chats saying, “You have to hear this!”

So if your show feels more like a weekly conversation with the four walls in your studio rather than a tool for connection and growth with real listeners, this episode will show you how to fix it. Hit play and let's dive in.

Want more help creating a podcast that gets attention—and gets results? Apply for on-air coaching here (spots are limited).

4:56 – 80 Episodes In and Still No Listener Engagement? Here’s What’s Missing

6:45 – The #1 Thing That Stops Listeners From Leaving Reviews

13:02 – The Surprising Link Between Listener Engagement and Your Podcast Positioning

17:48 – What Listeners Need to Hear Before They’ll Ever Follow, Share, or Rate Your Show

20:10 – What Actually Gets Listeners to Reach Out and Say, “I Needed This”

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• Want More Engaged Listeners? Get Them Talking Back
• 3 Easy (and Ethical) Ways to Get More Podcast Reviews

→ 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.

Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025

Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney.

Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for your business.

Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ


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

Downloads are the most unreliable metric for measuring a podcast’s true success. The problem? Most podcasters still rely solely on them to decide if their show is “working.”

In this episode, find out why the podcasting metrics that matter most aren’t the ones at the top of your dashboard, and learn to decode what these five key data points say about your show's growth. If you’re ready to make sense of your numbers and finally build a show that grows (without guessing and without wasting time on tracking the wrong metrics) hit play and let’s dive in.

0:07 – Why Downloads Are the Most Misleading Metric for Your Show
1:14 – The 3 Hidden Data Points That Actually Reveal Podcast Growth
5:09 – How to Instantly Tell If Your Content Holds Attention
13:26 – What Your Listeners Are Silently Telling You (If You Know How to Listen)
16:10 – How to Know if Your Episodes Actually Matter to Your Audience

Other Episodes You'll Love:

• How Do You Make Listeners Stay Longer? (and Why It Matters)
• 4 Key Signs Your Podcast Is Making an Impact

Support the show

Liked this episode? Share it with a fellow podcaster!

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

Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025

Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney.

Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for your business.

Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ


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

Spotify just rolled out a new feature called “Plays” that shows your episode play counts publicly inside their app. But this move isn’t about helping creators. It’s about algorithmically manipulating what used to be a level playing field—and it benefits Spotify, not you.

Worse? It distracts you from the metrics that actually show if your podcast is working. And for independent, niche hosts, this one visible number will breed unhealthy comparison, magnify self-doubt, and drive thousands of talented podcasters to quit before their show ever has a chance to grow.

In this episode, we’re breaking down what you need to know about this new metric, why it tells you nothing about the true health of your show, and what to focus on instead if you want a real understanding of how your content is resonating with listeners.

Want to know what smart podcasters are tracking instead? Hit play and let’s dive in.

0:07 – Why Spotify’s New “Plays” Metric Is Misleading (and Who It Really Serves)

0:58 – How Public Play Counts Create Unfair (and False) Comparisons

4:51 – Why Vanity Metrics Trap You in the Illusion of Growth

8:10 – The 3 Data Points That Reveal Whether Your Podcast Is Actually Growing

11:15 – Why These 3 Metrics Are the Clearest Measure of Your Podcast’s True Health

Episode Links:

• Article: Why Spotify’s New “Plays” Feature Actually Hurts Independent Podcasters

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• 4 Key Signs Your Podcast Is Making an Impact
• 5 Metrics No One’s Teaching That Tell You If Your Podcast Is Growing

→ 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.

Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025

Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney.

Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for your business.

Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ


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

Quick—nothing’s batched and an episode’s due tomorrow. What do you do? Panic? Procrastinate? Skip it and hope no one notices? Sure, you could ghost your audience—but what does that really cost you? Authority. Credibility. The listener trust you’ve worked so hard to build.

That’s why in this episode, I’m giving you 8 plug-and-play ideas you can use anytime your production schedule falls apart and you’re about to spiral into “I’m failing at podcasting.” These are the exact strategies I’ve used when a hurricane hits, school randomly shuts down, or I’m on vacation. They’ve never failed me in over 5+ years of podcasting—and they'll save you one day too.

So if you want to run your podcast like a pro (and make sure one rough week doesn’t undo the consistency, trust, and credibility that set your show apart) hit play and let’s dive in.

1:18 – Why Skipping an Episode Does More Damage Than You Think

3:02 – The Backup Plan Every Pro Needs for Sick Days, Travel Plans, and Life's Curveballs

4:44 – 8 Plug-and-Play Ways to Save Your Schedule When You’ve Got Nothing Batched

10:52 - Why These Backup Strategies Are My Secret Weapon for Consistency

14:36 – How to Take a Structured Hiatus Without Breaking the Trust You’ve Built

Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy:

• How Do You Fit Time to Prep Your Podcast Into Your Schedule?

→ 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.

Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025

Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney.

Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for your business.

Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ


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

It’s the day before your episode goes live—and you still have to outline it, record it, edit it, and get it all done before 6:00 am tomorrow morning when your listeners will be looking for it. You tell yourself you work better under pressure, but this pace is unsustainable. It drains your energy, kills your creativity, and honestly? It makes you hate your podcast.

In this episode, I’m answering a listener’s question about finding time to prep your episodes—and exposing what’s really behind the last-minute race to hit publish. You’ll get the exact system I use to stay a month ahead on content, so you can plan without pressure, record without rushing, and stop duct-taping episodes together at midnight the night before they air.

So if you’re *over* staying up late and showing up tired in the name of staying consistent, hit play and let’s dive in.

1:12 – Why “Finding Time to Record” Keeps You Editing at Midnight and Praying the Wi-Fi Holds

3:18 – What Your Listeners Can Hear When You Show Up With Last-Minute Energy

5:05 – How I Stay a Month Ahead on Content and Still Follow Inspiration When it Hits

7:30 – Why Letting Guests Control Your Calendar Sabotages Your Authority

9:48 – The System That Turns Shower Thoughts Into Fully Formed Episodes

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

• Steal This Episode Planning Framework to Cut Your Prep Time in Half
• 8 Ways to Fill a Content Gap Without Sounding Unprepared

→ 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.

Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025

Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney.

Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for your business.

Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ


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

You’ve probably Googled it. You’ve definitely heard five different answers from five different podcast “experts.” But how long should your episodes be? That depends entirely on your listener—and in this episode, I’m showing you how to figure out your perfect episode length using real data from your show.

You’ll learn the two metrics that matter most (and exactly where to find them), how to run a simple 10-episode audit to calculate your ideal episode length, and why nailing this is the fastest way to increase listener retention—and conversions.

Because every time a listener drops off before your CTA, you’re losing the chance to grow your audience (and your income)—so if you want to fix it, hit play and let’s dive in.

1:05 – Why Copying Other Shows (Even Unintentionally) Lowers Listener Retention
2:58 – How to Stop the Silent Listener Drop-Off That’s Killing Your Conversions
8:16 – Run This 2-Metric Audit to Calculate Your Perfect Episode Length
14:20 – Where to Place Your CTA So More Listeners Actually Hear It
17:36 – Why Higher Listener Retention Drives More Plays (and Conversions)

Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy:

• How Do You Make Listeners Stay Longer? (and Why It Matters)

→ 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.

Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025

Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney.

Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for your business.

Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ


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

Most podcasters want more revenue from their podcast—but few have a plan for getting there.

In this episode, Danielle Hayden (reformed corporate CFO and founder of Kickstart Accounting) is back to break down the numbers side of podcast growth. If you’ve ever wondered how to track conversions from your podcast, how to budget for your show, or how to confidently decide where to invest, this episode gives you the strategy most podcasters struggle to figure out alone.

So if you’re ready to learn how high-earning podcasters think about spending—and how to run your podcast like a business even when it’s not making money yet—hit play and let’s dive in.

1:05 – Why Knowing Your Profit Margin Matters More Than Podcast ROI

3:26 – The Marketing Budget Benchmarks Most Podcasters Don’t Know About

5:51 – What to Track (and How) to Measure Real ROI From Your Show

10:14 – How to Build a Spending Plan That Supports Your Podcast Growth

14:00 – Where to Invest First to Get the Biggest Return From Your Podcast

Episode Links:

• Grab Danielle’s free budgeting template
• Check out Danielle’s podcast: Business By the Books
• Read my go-to book on buying back your time: Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell

Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy:

• This One Belief Is Costing You Podcast Revenue

→ 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.

Register for Courtney's Free Podcasting Workshop: How to 10x Your Business with a Podcast in 2025

Schedule a 1:1 Podcasting Audit with Courtney.

Curious about PodLaunch®? Book a Demo to see if our podcasting mentorship is the right fit for your business.

Connect with Courtney: Linked In | Instagram | PodLaunch HQ


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