Episode 221 | Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast | Courtney Elmer

Featured Guest: Adam Adams
Adam Adams is the founder of GrowYourShow.com, where they help you get your message out to the world. Their clients are getting ranked in the top 1% on Apple Podcast and other top charts, which means ONE thing: His clients have more influence than 99% of the podcasts out there. Adam says the reason most podcasters fail is a lack of marketing. This is why his niche is to manage that critical piece so you can have more listeners, more downloads, more ratings, and more reviews. Adam has a loyal following in the real estate industry as well as the podcasting industry. After selling his real estate podcast (He actually sold his first show... I didn't even know you could do that), he launched the Podcast on Podcasting which is ranked as the top podcast to help podcasters.

1:35 - The 5 Main Things That Trigger Podcast Algorithms and Boost Your Reach 
4:42 - How Paying for Fake Downloads Can Destroy Your Podcast's Chances of Success 
7:01 - How to Make Apple's Algorithm Work in Your Favor 
10:53 - A Ninja Strategy for Increasing Genuine Ratings, Reviews, and Downloads Without Spending a Dime on Ads 
16:23 - The Secret to Getting Listeners to Binge Your Episodes

5 Ways to Trigger the Apple Algorithm to Maximize Podcast Growth

As a podcaster, you know podcast growth depends on getting your show discovered by new listeners. But how do you actually do that?

If you've ever wondered how top podcasters land their shows on the charts week over week, you're going to want to listen to this episode. again. (and again).

But instead of giving you vague, general advice like:

→publish episodes every week
→make sure you have great audio quality
→give away your best content for free in every episode

Adam Adams is back in the studio to share exactly how to trigger the podcasting algorithms and boost your podcast growth with genuine listeners, ratings, and downloads. Because unlike viral platforms like TikTok or Instagram, podcast platforms aren't exactly great at recommending content based on listening habits.

So if you’re ready to find out how you can make your podcast stand out in a crowded market to attract more potential listeners, read on.

Strategy 1: Encourage Listeners to Follow Your Show

The first key to engaging the algorithm is getting listeners to hit that "Follow" button. To the podcast platforms, hitting that button is an indicator of intent to listen, so this is a key way to demonstrate to players like Apple and Spotify that your content resonates with your audience.

But how do you get more people to Follow your show? Ask directly. Mention the importance of following your show at the beginning and end of each episode, and if you share your show across any other platforms, make it easy for people to find and follow it on their preferred app. By encouraging follows, it’s like telling Apple, "Hey, people like this content," which prompts the algorithm to start paying attention and will contribute to your podcast growth over time.

Strategy 2: Drive Consistent Downloads

After that initial follow, your next goal is to get listeners hooked — coming back for more and downloading each new episode. This steady engagement tells the algorithm, "Hey, this show is legit." But heads up: resist shady "black hat" tactics like buying fake downloads from bots at all costs. Not only is it sketchy, but it could also get your show banned faster than you can say, "What happened?"

Instead, pour your energy into creating bingeworthy content that keeps your audience coming back. Real downloads from real listeners? That's what makes the podcast platforms take notice and say, "This podcast is worth recommending" and is one of the most significant indicators of podcast growth over time.

Strategy 3: Aim for High Completion Rates

Did you know the algorithm tracks how much of each episode listeners actually play through? So if you want more podcast growth, it's not just about getting the download — you need listeners to hit play and listen until the end of your episodes. To achieve high completion rates:

• Keep intros short: Get straight to the point to hook your listeners.
• Use storytelling: Engage your audience with compelling stories that keep them listening.
• Call to engage: Include prompts mid-episode to encourage active listening.
• Find your perfect episode length: We cover how to do this in detail in this episode, because finding the perfect episode length is key to keeping your audience engaged.

If listeners are consistently playing through your episodes, the algorithm takes note and sees your show as one that keeps people engaged — exactly what platforms like Apple and Spotify want.

Strategy 4: Mobilize Listeners to Rate and Review

Positive ratings and reviews are more than just social proof — they’re a vital part of the podcast algorithms and a key piece of a solid podcast growth strategy. Adam recommends aiming to get at least 33% of your listeners to leave a review. Here’s how to make it happen:

• Ask directly: Just like follows, directly ask your listeners to rate and review your show.
• Make it easy: Simplify the process by providing clear instructions.
• Engage your audience: Consider running a fun challenge to reach a specific number of reviews in a short time.

While ratings and reviews don’t directly contribute to ranking in the charts, they do contribute to increasing listens on your podcast, which contributes to ranking on the charts. (For more tips on how to get genuine reviews for your podcast, check out this episode).

Strategy 5: Encourage Binge Listening

Encouraging binge-listening not only increases your play counts and completions, but also signals to players like Apple and Spotify that your content is addictive (in the best way possible). To encourage this behavior, end each episode with a brief teaser for the next one to build anticipation.

Focus your content on shifting perspectives and solving the problems your ideal listener has more than on teaching “how to” content or giving tips and tutorials. Dial in your perfect episode length and keep episodes shorter to make it easier for listeners to consume multiple episodes in one sitting. Binge-listening tells the algorithm that your podcast is not just good — it's unignorable.

Putting It All Together

While each of these strategies is powerful on its own for podcast growth, the real magic happens when you combine them. But there's one catch — while these steps sound straightforward, the execution is where many podcasters miss the mark. It’s not just about checking boxes; it’s about combining these elements together in a way that’s geared for your specific listener to drive real engagement. Without a deep understanding of what draws your audience to your show in the first place, these strategies will help, but they won't fully unlock your podcast's potential.

So if you're ready to move beyond the basics and you’re serious about triggering the algorithm to get discovered by a global audience of ideal listeners, book a free strategy call to find out if you’re a fit for PodLaunch so we can give you the blueprint you need to rank your podcast in the Top 100 with bingeworthy content that converts more listeners to clients.

And if you want more free podcasting advice in your life on how to create a listener experience people rave about, hit the follow button for Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast on your favorite podcast app so you never miss a new episode.

Next Up:

Speaking of fine-tuning your podcast to your listeners' specific habits and preferences, in the next episode you’ll learn how to unlock your ideal podcast episode length using your listener data so you can increase listens and conversions in every episode. Don’t miss it!