Episode 305 | Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast | Courtney Elmer

Featured Guest
Jeremy Enns is the founder of Podcast Marketing Academy where he helps underdog creators and challenger brands punch above their weight by engineering scrappy, yet sophisticated podcast growth & revenue generation strategies and step-by-step marketing schematics. He’s originally from the cold, barren Canadian Prairies but now lives in sunny Barcelona.

The Key to a Podcast Content Strategy That Actually Sells

Most of the podcasting advice floating around out there is about as useful as a paper umbrella in a hurricane—which is why this “advice” hasn’t worked for your podcast. But marketing expert, podcast strategist, and my friend Jeremy Enns is back to bust the myth that free content equals sales. Spoiler: it doesn’t.

In this episode, we dove into how to create a podcast content strategy that actually sells—not just pulls in new listeners, but drives them to take action without sounding like a sleazy sales pitch. (And we’re talking real strategy here, not the stuff you’ll find in a BuzzFeed “How to Go Viral” article).

Jeremy’s been in the marketing game for a long time, and he knows a thing or two about what it takes to build a podcast that grows your business. One of the biggest mistakes people make? Following podcasting advice that’s not built for business owners. Jeremy explains:

“A lot of business owners get sucked into creating content like creators do, when that actually isn’t what’s going to get them sales, customers, and clients. Creators are incentivized to get as many views as possible, but business owners should be creating content with a different goal in mind.”

So, if you’re in business, you need a podcast content strategy that leads people to the sale. Not content that’s optimized for viral potential or a billion views. TLDR; You want to create content that attracts the right people—and then converts them into paying clients.

Understand Your Business Model Before You Hit Record

Before you start recording your next episode, it’s essential to understand what you’re building. Are you trying to get sponsored ads? Or are you trying to sell a product or service? Your podcast content strategy should ultimately align with the overarching business model you have.

Jeremy points out that if you’re looking to monetize through sponsorships or ad revenue, you need a huge audience in order for that to be lucrative. But if you’re targeting a high-value, niche audience, you can make a six-figure income with just a few thousand listeners. That’s the beauty of understanding your business goals first:

“If you want a podcast content strategy that attracts and converts, you need to understand your business model. Once you know that, you can make the decision of whether to go more niche or try for a mass market approach.”

In other words: business owners who podcast shouldn’t aim for millions of downloads. Instead, focus on the audience that actually matters to your business. 

Why Creators and Business Owners Need Different Content Strategies

You’ve heard it before: “Don’t gatekeep! Give away your best stuff for free, and people will buy from you.” And while that might work on social media for creators who depend on their content going viral to make money, it doesn’t work in podcasting. Jeremy doesn’t sugarcoat it:

“You can come up with whatever revolutionary ideas, and someone’s going to steal it and start teaching it to someone else. Giving away everything isn’t a defensible position for business owners.”

So instead of teaching how-to content or giving away your full methodology for free on your podcast, Jeremy recommends highlighting your key messaging points and frameworks through examples. It’s like showing the finished product without handing out the secret sauce: “Use your free content to present examples of your methodology in action, rather than teaching it directly.” 

Why “How-To” Content is the Worst Way to Deliver Value

If you want to build a podcast content strategy that converts, the first step is to stop giving away your most valuable content for free. It sounds counterintuitive, but if more information was all it took to build trust and make sales, then how-to manuals would be at the top of the bestsellers’ lists—and they’re not. That’s because more information does not equal more value. 

Generating sales through your podcast isn’t about teaching tutorials or giving away more information, because the real value isn’t in teaching them how to do everything. The real value lies in helping them understand why your methods work, not how to replicate them. (After all, if you’ve already given your listeners the “how-to,” why would they pay for your course or service?)

If you want your audience to take action and invest in your programs, stop overloading them with information.

Instead, focus on what they need to do and why it matters—not how they should do it. By focusing on the why and presenting examples of your methodology in action, you’ll give listeners the critical understanding they need to trust you. They won’t walk away feeling like they know how to do it all. Instead, they’ll walk away thinking, “I need to learn more,” and—bam—you’ve set the stage for a paying customer.

That’s because podcasting to grow a business is different from podcasting for the sake of podcasting. It isn’t about how much content you give away; it’s about becoming skilled at delivering value and leaving your listeners wanting more. That’s what builds trust and leads to real sales, and as a business owner, that’s how you turn your podcast into a revenue-generating machine.

Metrics That Show If Your Content Is Actually Working

So, you’ve got a content strategy in place—great! But how do you know if it’s actually doing its job of converting listeners into clients? Jeremy says, 

Forget about vanity metrics like download numbers. Focus on conversion rates and where your customers are coming from.

While big download numbers might fluff your ego, they don’t tell you if your podcast is actually driving sales. If you’re a business owner who podcasts, what you need to look at is how your content is impacting the bottom line. One of the most effective ways to track this? Post-purchase surveys. 

Ask your customers: “Where did you first hear about me? What content did you engage with?” These questions will help you get insight into which pieces of content are driving conversions, and what’s helping your audience move closer to that purchasing decision.

When you understand where your clients are coming from and which content is turning them into paying customers, you can start focusing on what’s actually moving the needle and ditch what’s not. Your podcast is one piece of the puzzle—so are your emails, social media posts, or other content. By understanding how all these pieces fit together, you’ll see the full impact of your content strategy and be able to tweak and optimize for more sales.

So when it comes to creating a podcast content strategy that converts, track what works and optimize based on actual data—not guesswork. And most importantly, stop giving away everything for free. Your best content is your business's secret weapon, so start treating it that way.

And if you want to dive even deeper into the psychology of attracting engaged listeners from the start, hit “Follow” for Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast on your favorite podcast app so you never miss a new episode.

Or if you’re an established coach, consultant, or creator who’s ready for a proven strategy to build a bingeworthy top podcast that grows your business, book a free strategy call with our team to find out if you’re a fit for PodLaunch® — we’re here to help.

Up Next:

So you got a one-star review. Now what?! In the next episode, I’m breaking down exactly how to handle that sucker punch to your podcasting pride. From the emotional sting of watching your perfect five-star rating drop to the counterintuitive (and totally ethical) strategies to bring it back up, we’re diving into the nitty-gritty of what to do when it happens. So if you’re ready to stop obsessing over that one-star review and turn it into a five-star comeback, don’t miss the next episode.