Episode 321 | Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast | Courtney Elmer

0:36 - Why Giving Away Your Best Content Won’t Grow Your Podcast
1:22 - The Messaging Mistake That Makes Listeners Tune You Out
3:31 - Why Your Audience Doesn’t Care How Much You Know (Yet)
9:28 - The Surprising Reason Your Listeners Aren’t Taking Action (And How to Fix It)
17:00 - Why Some Podcasts Feel Addictive (And How to Make Yours One of Them)

Why Your Podcast Isn’t Growing (Even If Your Content Is Great)

You’ve done everything right—delivering valuable content, investing in a solid mic, and showing up consistently. But somehow, your podcast still isn’t growing.

Meanwhile, you see other shows with generic advice, lower production quality, and half the effort pulling in five-star reviews and engaged listeners.

Frustrating? Absolutely. But here’s the truth: great content alone won’t grow your podcast.

If you want listeners to stick around, take action, and see your show as a must-listen, you need to shift how you’re presenting that content. Let’s break it down.

Why Giving Away Your Best Content Won’t Grow Your Podcast

You’ve probably heard the advice: Give away your best content for free, and people will naturally flock to your podcast.

But if giving away your best content was enough, every how-to podcast would have millions of downloads, an inbox full of requests from dream guests, and sponsors throwing money at them.

But look around. Most how-to podcasts are still stuck at a few hundred downloads, fighting to stay relevant.

If your podcast isn’t growing, it’s not because your content isn’t good enough. It’s because your listeners don’t immediately see why it’s worth their time.

And before you say, “But my content is valuable—I get great feedback from the listeners I do have!” think about the last time you scrolled through a podcast app. Did you pick a show because the host thought their content was valuable? Or did you press play on the one that spoke directly to a problem you needed solved?

Your listeners are no different. If they don’t immediately see why your podcast is for them, they won’t stick around to find out.

So it’s not about whether your content is valuable—it’s about whether your audience immediately recognizes that value. If they don’t see what’s in it for them right away, they’ll move on.

The good news? Fixing this isn’t complicated—and once you do, listeners won’t just tune in. They’ll stay glued to their phone until the end of every episode and come back every week for more.

The Messaging Mistake That Makes Listeners Tune You Out

But Courtney, I need to establish my authority—if I don’t show how much I know, why would listeners trust me?

Fair point.

Except if expertise alone was enough, every professor, industry leader, and subject-matter expert would have a top-ranked podcast. They don’t.

Many podcasters think demonstrating expertise is the key to building credibility. They assume proving their knowledge will naturally attract and retain listeners. But knowledge without relevance doesn’t keep listeners engaged. So as a podcast host, your job isn’t to sound smart—it’s to make listeners feel understood so they actually stay long enough to learn from you.

People don’t follow experts because they’re the smartest. They follow experts who make them feel smart.

Think about the podcasts you personally love. Are they your favorite because the host flexes their knowledge? Or because they make complex topics feel simple, relevant, and worth your time?

The more you meet listeners at their level, the more they’ll see you as the person who actually helps them move forward.

That doesn’t mean dumbing things down—it means positioning your content in a way that makes sense to your audience the moment they hear it.

• Instead of leading with the solution, start with the problem they know they have. If your episode is about improving client retention, don’t start with advanced retention strategies. Start with the frustration they’re already feeling: clients ghosting after one sale.
• Use their words, not industry jargon. Your audience isn’t walking around thinking, “I need better lead nurture sequences.” They’re thinking, “I wish more of my leads actually booked a call.”
• Give them a reason to care upfront. If your content is deep, make the stakes clear early on—why does this matter to them right now?

When you do this, your content won’t just be valuable—it’ll feel essential. Because building authority with your podcast isn’t about how much you know—it’s about how relevant you make what you know to your audience. And that’s what keeps listeners coming back. 

Why Your Audience Doesn’t Care How Much You Know (Yet)

Think about the last podcast you binged.

Did you follow because the host had impressive credentials? Or because they said something that made you feel like they were speaking directly to you?

Your audience doesn’t care how much you know until they believe you understand them.

If expertise alone built trust, doctors wouldn’t have to work on bedside manner.

If degrees and accolades were enough to make someone listen, every TED speaker would have millions of subscribers. But they don’t—because credentials don’t create connection. Relevance does.

So before you try to prove your expertise, prove that you understand their problem.

Because the moment a listener hears you describe their exact frustration better than they could describe it themselves, they stop scrolling. They lean in. And they say, “Finally, someone who gets it.”

Read This if You Have an Entertainment-Focused Podcast

“But my podcast doesn’t solve a problem—it’s not educational. It’s entertainment. So does this even apply to me?”

It applies even more to you.

Even entertainment podcasts solve a problem—just a different kind. People don’t listen to late-night shows for information. They listen to unwind, laugh, or escape.

Look at SNL. The most viral skits aren’t just funny—they’re relevant. They tap into what people are already thinking, experiencing, or frustrated by. That’s what makes them land.

Because humor without relevance doesn’t connect. And the best entertainment podcasts don’t just entertain. They speak to something they know their audience already cares about. That’s what makes a show feel like it was made for them—and what turns casual listeners into loyal fans.

The Surprising Reason Your Listeners Aren’t Taking Action (And How to Fix It)

But Courtney, I’m already giving my audience really great advice! If they know what to do, why aren’t they doing it?

Because knowing what to do and actually doing it are two different things.

If information alone was enough, everyone who read a fitness article would be in great shape. But we all know that’s not how it works.

People don’t take action just because they have the answer. They take action when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the effort to change.

Knowing the best way to get in shape doesn’t make someone hit the gym. But struggling to catch your breath after running around with your kids—or hearing your doctor say, “If you don’t make a change now, you’re six months away from pre-diabetes”?

That’s when action happens.

So if your listeners aren’t taking action, it’s not because they don’t care. It’s because:

• You’re teaching “how-to” without addressing their current pain. They’re not tuning in because they need another step-by-step guide—they’re tuning in because they’re overwhelmed by all the advice they’ve already received. More "how-to" content only adds to their frustration, bombarding them with too many steps and conflicting information.
  
• You’re offering solutions without showing them why the problem is urgent. They don’t see the problem as critical yet because you haven’t helped them realize the real consequences of doing nothing. Until you show them the impact of inaction, they won’t feel compelled to change.
  
• You’ve overdelivered on information, leaving them thinking they can handle it on their own. Instead of breaking the problem down and meeting them where they are, you’ve jumped straight into solutions. This makes them think, "I can figure this out myself." Or worse—they’ll tune out completely because they don’t see why it matters right now.

Your job as a podcast host isn’t just to educate or entertain—it’s to position your content as the solution to their most urgent problem.

Why Some Podcasts Feel Addictive (And How to Make Yours One of Them)

At this point, you might be wondering: “If more how-to content isn’t the answer, what is?”

The answer? Podcast messaging that triggers an immediate emotional connection.

If your podcast isn’t growing, it’s not because of the algorithm, the competition, or a lack of promotion. In fact, on platforms that use recommendation algorithms (like Spotify and YouTube), the system actually wants to push your show to more listeners—it’s designed to keep people engaged. But if listeners aren’t staying through to the end of every episode, the algorithm sees your podcast as low-interest and stops recommending it.

Even on platforms that don’t rely on algorithmic recommendations (like Apple Podcasts), listener behavior still drives growth. The longer listeners stay, the more likely they are to hit follow, share your show, and become raving fans—which fuels word-of-mouth growth no algorithm can compete with.

So how do you help listeners see your content as valuable (and see you as the expert they need)?

Introducing: The Listener Psychology Formula

1. Acknowledge the problem they know they have.

Listeners don’t press play because they want more content—they press play because something feels unresolved for them. Whether it’s a frustrating business challenge or a cultural moment they need to unpack, your messaging should speak directly to what’s already on their mind.

Example:
❌ “How to Improve Client Retention”
✅ “Tired of Clients Ghosting After One Sale? Do This.”

For entertainment-based shows, this works the same way. People don’t tune into pop culture breakdowns just for the headlines—they tune in because something about it resonates with them. Maybe it confirms what they already suspected, challenges what they thought they knew, or taps into a bigger cultural moment they feel invested in. Either way, it feels relevant to them—and that’s what makes them press play.

Example:
❌ “The Awkward Oscars Moment Everyone’s Talking About”
✅ “The Oscars Feud That Proves No One in Hollywood Plays Fair”

The stronger title doesn’t just state what happened—it taps into the why it matters. A-list drama? Power plays? A reminder that even Hollywood’s elite can’t escape petty feuds? That’s the emotional hook.

Whether your podcast is educational or entertainment-based, the key to getting people to press play is the same: Tap into the problem, frustration, or curiosity they already have.

2. Introduce the deeper problem they don’t realize they have yet.

Most hosts assume their job is to deliver great content. But the best podcasts don’t just inform or entertain—they shift the way their listeners think. 

Your job isn’t just to give them the answer—it’s to help them see why their current approach, perspective, or assumptions aren’t working.

→ What this looks like for educational content:
I.e. If you think getting more clients is the answer, you’re missing the real issue—your client experience might be driving them away. Most business owners assume they need more leads, when the real problem is retention. They’re spending all their energy trying to fill the top of the funnel while silently losing people at the bottom.

When you help your audience see that you understand both the problem they are experiencing (step 1) and the problem they don’t yet know they have (step 2)—you become the expert they trust.

→ What this looks like for entertainment content:
I.e., If you think the biggest headline is the real story, you’re missing what’s actually keeping people hooked—the deeper why behind the moment. Take the Will Smith Oscars slap. Some saw it as a one-time controversy, others saw it as a PR disaster—but the real reason it became the cultural moment of the year? It tapped into deeper tensions around masculinity, public image, and emotional control. That’s why it dominated the conversation long after the moment itself.

The best entertainment shows don’t just recap events—they decode them. They give audiences a reason to lean in and say, Oh, I never thought about it like that.

3. Tie it to the outcome they actually want.

Most hosts assume that once they’ve delivered great content, their job is done. But listeners don’t just want information or entertainment—they want an outcome. That might be a tangible result, a shift in perspective, or even just the satisfaction of being in on the conversation.

If you don’t make that outcome clear, your audience won’t feel compelled to stick around.

→ For educational content:
If you think giving listeners a step-by-step strategy is enough, you’re missing the real reason people take action. People don’t implement because they know what to do—they implement because they believe it will work for them. Instead of just telling them what to do, paint a picture of what happens when they do it.

Example: “When you shift how you nurture clients, you won’t just get repeat buyers—you’ll create a waitlist of dream clients who can’t wait to work with you.”

→ For entertainment content:
If you think covering the most viral stories is enough, you’re missing what keeps people coming back. People don’t just want information—they want to feel in the know. They want to be part of the conversation, ahead of the curve, or the friend who always has the best takes. Instead of just breaking down the news, show them why it matters.

Example: “This Oscars feud isn’t just celebrity drama—it’s reshaping how Hollywood handles reputation and PR. By the time the next scandal breaks, you’ll already know exactly what’s coming.”

When listeners feel like you “get” them before you ever start teaching, they stay. And when they stay, they start seeing you as a must-listen voice in your industry.

📌 I break this formula down in real time at 15:11—so if you want to hear how this works with actual examples, go listen now.

Your Turn to Take Action

If your podcast isn’t growing, it’s not because your content isn’t good enough. It’s because your audience doesn’t immediately see why it matters to them.

But now, you know how to fix that.

When you shift your messaging to reflect what your listeners already care about—when you acknowledge their struggles, challenge their assumptions, and paint a picture of the outcome they actually want, your podcast stops being just another show— it becomes the one they can’t ignore.

And if you want expert help refining your podcast messaging? Book a free strategy call with our team to find out if you’re a fit for PodLaunch® so you can turn your show into the go-to resource in your niche and position yourself as the expert listeners trust, follow, and buy from.

Want even more? Hit "Follow" on Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast in your favorite app, and learn how to make your podcast the one your audience raves about and recommends. 

Up Next:

In the next episode, I’m breaking down the four key signs that reveal whether listeners actually find your content valuable—or if they’re quietly tuning out. Because downloads don’t mean impact, and play counts don’t tell the whole story. If you want to know what actually drives engagement (and what might be tanking yours),don’t miss it!