How to Promote a Podcast: 30 Ways to SCALE Your Growth

When I promoted my first podcast, I posted about it on social media constantly. A friend’s sarcastic response, saying, “Really? You have a podcast?” made me realize my updates did more to annoy than attract. Fixing the situation was about promoting smarter, not harder. The SCALE framework didn't exist back then. I wish it did.

SCALE is an acronym representing the five kinds of podcast promotion:

• Syndication, or making your show easy for your audience to find
• Communities and collaboration
• Advertising and paid promotion
• Live and in person
• Email and engagement

The SCALE format helps you match each step of your promotion strategy to the right channel, making your show easier for the right audience to discover and share. Not every method will fit every podcast, but most will fit yours. Bookmark this guide and return to it as your podcast grows.

Syndication: Podcast Promotion Part 1

These promotion tactics may already be in your podcast launch checklist (in which case, pat yourself on the back), or they may seem obvious. You’d be surprised how many people are unaware of some of them, or why they matter. All of these activities will put your podcast everywhere that your audience listens and searches.

#1 Submit Your Podcast to Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Many independent podcast directories and listening apps (such as Overcast) pull their data from Apple Podcasts’ API. Once you’ve submitted your RSS feed to Apple Podcasts Connect and Apple approves your show, these indie directories will display your new podcast a day or so later. Spotify has unique benefits for podcasters, too: their podcast player includes options like polls and cross-promotion. 

#2 Upload to YouTube

Even if you don’t record video, you can find an audience on YouTube. Tools like Alitu can quickly and easily turn your audio-only episodes into static image or audiogram-style posts. Some hosting providers have a "publish to YouTube" option, too. Full video can be a brilliant component to your podcast, so long as you have the know-how, time, and willingness to make it. But if not, don't worry, there's evidence to suggest that many podcast fans who "watch" shows on YouTube are actually only listening to them. Either way, it's too big a platform to ignore, so get your episodes on there one way or another.

#3 Optimize Your Podcast’s Website

Search engines don’t index podcast audio, so if you want potential listeners to find you outside of the apps, you need a podcast website. Most hosting platforms provide one, but whichever builder you choose, treat it like a hub: explain what your show is about, share links to every listening app, and make it easy for people to contact you or share your episodes. A clear About page, simple Subscribe page, and a basic media kit go a long way toward helping both listeners and potential sponsors.

Good optimization is no longer just about SEO tools like Yoast. With LLM search systems increasingly pulling information directly from websites, the quality and clarity of your written content matters more than ever. Keep your show notes, blog posts, and episode pages well-written, accurate, and mobile-friendly so both human listeners and AI-driven discovery tools can point people toward your podcast. This ties heavily into our next podcast promotion tip, too...

#4 Use Clear, Compelling Episode Titles

Tell the audience exactly what to expect in each episode, in a way that stimulates their curiosity, and keep it short. This way, podcast directories will display your episodes in relevant searches, matching your show to the people who want them most. Be sure to use our WHISPER TITLES Framework to stimulate your imagination and help you craft informative and inviting episode titles, beginning at the content ideas stage.  

#5 Write Detailed, Valuable Show Notes

Show notes work for podcasts much like ingredient labels do for canned food. Concise and informative show notes help the audience know if your show is right for them. Your show notes should also make it simple for the audience to support you, so include links to your website, social media accounts, and any relevant links mentioned in your episodes.

Some podcasters dislike writing, and shownotes have often been a sticking point. Today, tools like Alitu make the process simple by transcribing your episodes and turning them into blog posts you can publish as they are or refine into a polished draft.

Communities & Collaboration: Podcast Promotion Part 2

What’s the point of podcasting if you’re not engaging with your audience and other podcasters? Your goal here is to grow your audience by building trust. These promotional tactics help you expand your audience by sharing audiences and fostering relationships.

#6 Survey Your Audience

After you’ve published episodes for about six months, invite your audience to participate in a survey. Keep it simple and brief. Ask how they first discovered your show, and what parts of your podcast they enjoy most and least. Offer a gift in exchange for completing the survey, such as a printable resource relevant to your podcast’s niche. Their answers help you know how to shape your episodes in the future, so reward your audience accordingly. 

#7 Launch Podcast Merchandise

Merchandise that advertises your podcast likely won’t generate a profit, but it turns your audience into a billboard for your show. It also makes your audience feel like they’re part of something bigger. Print-on-demand services like Teepublic and Teespring help your audience get the sizes and colors they want, and you don’t have to handle returns or exchanges.  

#8 Make a List of Similar Shows for Collaboration

No matter your topic or niche, there are at least two other podcasts in your show’s category that want to reach the same audience. But I can guarantee you that no two podcasts are alike. Think of your podcast and theirs as different people trying to amplify the same idea. Listen to other podcasts in the same category and note the ones that seem like a good fit for collaboration. Building relationships with your peers is a must in any industry. Familiarizing yourself with their work makes that relationship authentic. 

Rephonic's 3D Audience Graph is a brilliant starting point, here. Type your show in and look at all the other podcasts your listeners are also interested in.

#9 Craft Personalised, Value-Driven Pitches

Have you ever received a cold email from someone trying to promote their own products or services, maybe even their own podcast, and it’s clear they’ve never listened to your show? This happens to me regularly. Practice writing pitches that show how your offer to collaborate is a good fit for their podcast, and how you can promote their show in turn. Better still, take time to send them a short personalised audio or video clip pitch instead.

Include your show’s topics, and the unique angles that you offer. As you read through these cross-promotion tactics, you’ll see that good pitches are crucial to building professional relationships. 

#10 Swap Trailers with Fellow Podcasters

Reach out to the shows on your list and ask if they’d be interested in a trailer swap. You can edit their trailer into your next episode, and they can edit yours into theirs. Your audience benefits from multiple perspectives on the same topic, and each of you gets to promote your show to new people. 

#11 Co-Host an Episode or Segment with Others

Another way to build good professional relationships is to appear on each other’s podcasts. You can interview each other, debate a question in your niche, or explore an issue of mutual interest, then publish the episode on both feeds. Curiosity and excitement are contagious. If you discuss a topic related to your niche with another podcaster that you both enjoy, both audiences will be hooked. 

#12 Create a Montage Episode with Your Peers 

Once you’ve developed a working relationship with other podcasters in your niche, you can collaborate to produce a montage episode. Edit together some of the best audio clips about the same topic, and post them on your (and their) feeds. Not only does this give your combined audience multiple perspectives on the same topic, but it can also let all of you take a break from recording. 

#13 Write Guest Posts for Relevant Blogs

Blogs and content sites are always looking for fresh perspectives. Read through online content hubs relevant to your podcast’s niche, and find out what their policy is for submissions or pitches. Contact them, introduce yourself, share links to your work, and pitch a guest post. Make this all about their audience - how are you offering to serve them? What can you teach them or give them that they can't get from anyone else?

#14 Review Tools or Products and Notify Creators

Is there a tool, product, or service you love that’s related to your podcast’s topic? Share your enthusiasm with the world on your podcast. When you’ve published the review, let the product’s creator know so they can promote your take to their customers. This can be done in podcast, video, or blog form. But for best results, combine all three.

#15 Pitch Yourself as a Guest on Other Podcasts

Revisit the list of podcasts that you made earlier, for future collaboration. Are any of them interview podcasts? Listen to a few episodes, and if they feel like a good fit, reach out to them and ask if they’d like to have you on their show for an interview. And looking back to our pitching section, remember that reaching out in audio or video format is more likely to catch their attention. Yes, it's less scalable, but that's why it's so valuable and effective.

Advertising (Paid Promotion): Podcast Promotion Part 3

The size of your budget matters less than how and where you spend it. When you plan to spend money on podcast promotion, make sure that advertising reaches people who are likely to be interested in your show and in a position to listen. 

#16 Advertise on Overcast or Similar Podcast Apps

Ads in Overcast and other podcast apps are a smart buy because whoever sees them is listening to a podcast right there and then. They know what a podcast is, how to listen, and they’re already interested in the same category as the podcast in your ad. All they have to do is click. This may be the most targeted ad purchase you ever make. For a full case study, check out our guide to Overcast advertising. 

#17 Test Social Media Ads

You can set up social media ads to reach a specific demographic or interest. Typically, the price you pay is based on the number of people who click through the ad. It’s unclear (to me) how good or bad the return on investment is, though. Test this with a small budget and compare the results against your podcast analytics. 

An advert works when it has a hook. “Listen to Bob’s Running Podcast” will likely be ignored, even by dedicated runners. But “I tested 40 pairs of running shoes and here are my top three” grabs attention. You might see better results advertising individual episodes rather than the podcast as a whole. And if that episode delivers on its promise, it's likely many of those new listeners will stick around for the rest.

#18 Sponsor Relevant Newsletters

There seem to be as many newsletters as there are podcasts. Try searching for “the best newsletters about (your podcast’s topic).” Newsletter editors want sponsorship and promotion as much as podcasters. Many of them sell ad space. This technique succeeds because your ad will reach people who care about your podcast’s topic, directly in their inbox. 

Again, look for a compelling hook rather than a generic "listen to my podcast" ad. A recently published episode with a click-enticing title is a good candidate, here.

#19 Support Other Podcasters' Crowdfunding Campaigns

Ever heard a podcaster give shout-outs to those who support them on Patreon or similar crowdfunding platforms? This is a common perk, and one that can work as a win-win for you and the creator you pledge to. If you listen to a few shows with adjacent audiences, you'll find that most of them have opportunities like this, and the presenters will be more than happy to mention your show in exchange for a monthly donation.

#20 Support Charities for Promotional Partnerships

Like the previous tactic, supporting a charity relevant to your podcast’s niche shows people that you’re serious about helping others with your podcast. Participating in Podcasthon is a good way to try fundraising and gain visibility. Alternatively, you can contact a charity directly and propose a potential collaboration. For example, you can fundraise on their behalf in exchange for them sending out a press release about your podcast’s fundraiser to their media contacts. 

Live and In-Person: Podcast Promotion Part 4

As digital life and AI take up more of our attention, people crave real-world connection. Live events strengthen your bond with listeners and give them the chance to meet and build community with each other.

#21 Attend or Speak at Events or Conventions

No matter what your podcast’s niche is, if it has an industry, there’s a conference for it. Many conventions have a call for proposals for people to speak in training sessions or panels. It never hurts to apply. You don’t have to speak at these conventions: attending as a typical participant helps you have authentic conversations and own your boundaries. 

#22 Join Topic-Specific Meetups or Clubs

Platforms like Meetup or Eventbrite share opportunities for social engagement focused on nearly any interest. Search by interest on one or more of these platforms, and visit some of the events. You’ll meet people who care about your podcast’s topic and get inspired. 

#23 Organize a Booth, Workshop, or Live Show

Conventions often offer booth space rental, which gives you a home base to promote your podcast. You can also ask if your local library or community center will rent space to you to host a workshop. If your podcast includes hands-on demonstrations or training, this is ideal. Pubs and restaurants that host live music have space a live podcast recordings. Why not chat with the manager and propose a live event? 

#24 Record Vox Pops at Events

An example of a vox-pop episode on Podcraft, recorded at The Podcast Show

Bring your field recording rig (or your phone and a good wireless lavalier mic) to a big live event, and come up with a question relevant to your podcast and the event. Pick a spot near a well-trafficked area and ask people if they’d be interested in answering a question for your podcast. Give them a card with your podcast’s info, so they can listen to it when it comes out, and have them write down their name and contact info for you. Get permission before using someone’s answer in your podcast. Consent shows respect and keeps your podcast credible. 

#25 Give Our Promotional Cards or Stickers

You’d be surprised how many people collect fun stickers and use them to decorate their water bottles, laptops, and other items. Promotion cards with a QR code are also a good way to get your podcast’s information in front of an interested audience. It’s a good idea to keep a few in your wallet in case someone asks what you’ve been up to lately. You can even create beer mats or coasters to leave on the tables of any bars, pubs, or cafes you visit.

Email & Engagement: Podcast Promotion Part 5

Having followers doesn’t guarantee listens. Channels like email newsletters, social media, and online communities keep your audience engaged and remind them when new episodes drop. These platforms can also extend your content by sparking discussion, sharing extras, or linking to useful resources. SMS marketing is another emerging channel that can help strengthen the community around your show, too.

#26 Start or Grow an Email List

Email is one of the best ways to keep your audience engaged. Send show notes or episode summaries, highlight key takeaways and calls to action, and offer extras that don’t fit into the audio. For instance, Multitude’s Spirits podcast shares cocktail recipes with its subscribers.

If you’re ready to start, our guide to email marketing platforms can help you choose the right system. Above all, treat your newsletter with the same creativity you bring to your episodes.

#27 Use Podcast Reviews as Marketing Assets

Good reviews are like customer testimonials; they show your future audience why your current audience enjoys your podcast. When you get a good review on Apple Podcasts, Podchaser, or social media, take a screenshot. Post it to your social media and podcast website. You can include reviews on your website, use them in trailers, and read them in your episode recordings. Always thank the reviewer. 

#28 Choose One or Two Key Social Media Platforms

Most listeners don’t use every social channel, so focus on the one or two your audience prefers. Post content that’s engaging and easy to share, rather than spreading yourself thin across every network.

Keep posting manageable. Even one post a day on your chosen platforms can build momentum. Try simple prompts, like asking listeners to tag a friend or share their reasons for tuning in with a show hashtag. If you plan to use social media, be sure to reply to and engage with the content of others, too.

Short video clips perform especially well in 2025. Meta now prioritizes Reels on Instagram and Facebook, making them a smart way to showcase highlights from your episodes. Our guide to AI tools for podcasters can help you quickly identify and edit the best moments for sharing.

#29 Explore online communities on Discord and WhatsApp

Podcasters create communities on platforms like Discord or WhatsApp to connect more closely with their listeners. These spaces let fans interact with hosts and each other, turning casual listeners into loyal supporters. A strong community not only drives word-of-mouth promotion but also gives podcasters valuable feedback and a natural outlet for promoting new content, merchandise, or live events.

#30 Experiment with text message updates or offers

SMS (text message) marketing is an add-on feature in some email marketing platforms. If your audience listens to your podcast while exercising, driving, or with their hands full, they can’t click on your show notes or calls to action. But, with SMS marketing, you can send an update to catch your podcast’s latest episode, or a reminder about your latest call to action. Then they can follow up later when their hands are free.  

Maintaining Your Podcast Promotion Strategy

Some of these promotion strategies only need to be done once. Other tasks you might perform daily or weekly. Once, I showed a podcaster how to set up a weekly reminder in her phone with the URL for the Fiction Podcast Weekly’s submission form so she could remember how to send me her behind-the-scenes content. Whatever system you use to help maintain your podcast promotion is fine as long as it works. You should: 

• Regularly review your podcast metrics. Check your hosting service for download numbers and how people listened (devices, platforms, etc.) Then check into Apple Podcasts Connect and Spotify for Podcasters to find more granular data, such as the amount of listen time or reviews. 
• Revisit and refine your promotion strategies once a month. Communication technology is changing so quickly that no single podcast promotion tactic is effective forever. 
• The more consistently and patiently you promote your podcast, the more effective the promotions will be over time. Think of all the advertising you see in your daily life. After a while, a sandwich shop sign becomes the go-to place for sandwiches. 

Meet Your Audience Where They Are To Grow Your Podcast

When a podcast is new, it’s tempting to promote the effort behind it instead of the value it offers. Messages like “Listen to my podcast, I worked so hard” rarely give potential listeners a reason to click. What they need is a clear benefit, presented in a way that’s easy for them to access.

That’s where targeted promotion comes in. The SCALE framework helps you match each technique to the right channel, building stronger connections with your audience, fellow podcasters, and potential sponsors, while boosting your own confidence along the way.

Alitu is made to help your podcast promotion with built-in tools. You can easily publish your show to Apple, Spotify, and everywhere else folks listen. It has transcription tools that can create episode titles, chapter markers, and show notes, which boost SEO performance. Alitu saves you time, enabling you to spend more on promoting your podcast and connecting with your audience. Try it out for free and see what you think.