Bonus material: Get The 3 Step Podcast Promotion Playbook
Meet Amy Porterfield, the former corporate professional who evolved into an online marketing guru and successful business owner.
Amy’s journey began with a digital course that raked in a cool $30,000, and from there, her business blossomed into something she could run on her terms, no boss required.
With a dedicated team supporting her, she realized her wealth of knowledge could benefit thousands of fellow entrepreneurs.
This realization led to the 2013 birth of her podcast, “Online Marketing Made Easy,” where she generously shares her insights every week.
In this blog post, we’ll dissect her strategies, explore how they align with our Podcast Growth Framework, and leave you with a notebook full of actionable insights.
We’ll cover the following key topics:
- What Amy did to make her podcast a success.
- The strategies Amy used to hit 1 million downloads in a single month.
- The exact steps to take to reach similar results with your podcast.
Why Amy’s Podcast Became A Success
So, what made Amy’s podcast so successful?
Through her podcast, listeners not only learned the ins and outs of Amy’s game-changing Systems That Scale but also connected with her on a personal level.
They heard her stories, soaked in her experiences, and saw proof that these strategies weren’t just working for Amy, but for countless other entrepreneurs too.
And here’s the kicker—it was all free, without pressure to buy or commit to anything they weren’t ready for.
In a nutshell, they came to trust Amy and her process.
How Amy Porterfield Hit 1 Million Downloads
Recently, Amy reached a milestone—1 million downloads in a single month.
And guess what? I’m about to unveil the exact steps she took to achieve this feat.
But first…
It’s essential to note that Amy had a few critical elements in place before embarking on her podcast journey.
She already had loyal followers who trusted her expertise and wanted to learn from her.
She had a thriving business, a well-defined plan, a clear vision of how her podcast fit into her business’s growth, and specific goals for the podcast’s role in her future.
Plus, Amy had substantial social proof that her systems worked, a profound understanding of her client’s pain points, and a solid grasp of her unique selling points.
These foundational elements are crucial to master before you embark on your own podcast growth journey.
So, let’s uncover the blueprint for podcast success that’ll have your business thriving and your audience growing to new heights.
How To Get Similar Results With Your Podcast
Whether your goal is hitting your first five-hundred-download month or even dreaming of your first one-million-download month, follow these steps to help you achieve that.
Define Your Recording Routine and Systems
Now that you’re ready to dive into the world of podcasting, it’s important to establish a recording routine and systems that ensure every episode you produce has value and impact.
Amy’s podcast success is built on a solid foundation of strategic planning and systematic execution.
Each of her episodes follows a blueprint that guarantees a memorable experience for her listeners.
Start by creating a structured outline for each episode.
Remember, consistency and production quality are your trust-building allies.
Your audience should come to expect a certain level of excellence from your podcast, which ultimately drives them to engage with your brand.
Amy’s secret weapon? She has a dedicated team (click here to find a production team to help you with your podcast) working behind the scenes to maintain the top-notch quality of her podcast.
This allows her to focus on what she does best—growing her podcast and business.
She follows a disciplined recording schedule, often batch-recording multiple episodes in one go.
This approach not only saves time but also ensures a steady stream of content for her audience.
Four Pillars of a Thriving Podcast
In order for your podcast to thrive, you must first focus four key areas:
Audio Production: Your podcast’s audio quality should be nothing short of professional.
Invest in high-quality equipment, and ensure your content is free from background noise or any other distractions.
If you’re taking the DIY route, check out our guide on optimizing podcast audio quality.
Show Notes: Effective show notes provide a quick overview of the episode, highlight notable quotes, discuss key topics, and offer resources and other valuable information for potential listeners.
Take ideas from Amy’s show notes:
Graphics: Visual elements like logos, album art, and featured images add a layer of professionalism to your podcast.
They also help potential listeners identify your show quickly.
Scheduling and Publishing: Reliability is key in the podcasting world.
Schedule your episodes and release them punctually according to your predetermined schedule.
This builds trust with your audience, ensuring they return for more in the future.
Effective Calls-to-Action
Let’s talk about the crucial element that can make or break your podcast’s growth: Calls-to-Action (CTAs).
CTAs serve as your guide, telling listeners what actions to take when they’re ready for more.
You’ve probably heard many podcast hosts ask their audience to subscribe, rate, review, or share their podcasts on social media.
While these traditional CTAs have their place, Amy Porterfield took a different approach: she created a quiz.
Amy’s main focus during her time of growth priority was to design a quiz that would offer a curated playlist to quiz takers.
With only four questions leading to three distinct results, the goal was to provide quick, personalized value.
Each result page showcased ten of their best podcast episodes, tailored to the quiz taker’s specific business needs and journey stage.
To complement this, they crafted a PDF with episode links, actionable steps, and motivational messages.
The objective? Encourage 3,500 people to take the quiz, with hopes that they’d download at least eight to ten episodes.
The result? Over 5,000 quiz takers during the promotional week.
This strategy not only increased podcast downloads but also engaged the audience in a fun and valuable way.
Plus, it provided insights into the audience’s maturity level as entrepreneurs, enabling Amy to better tailor her content and deepen her connection with them.
Key takeaway: let data guide your optimization efforts to maximize the impact of every episode you create.
To promote the quiz and other offers for her business, Amy’s team uses pop-ups on her website:
These pop-ups may seem like a small addition, but they can yield significant results in your promotional efforts.
Promotion to Existing Audience
Expanding your podcast’s reach and growing your audience is a common goal for podcasters.
However, before you dive headfirst into attracting new listeners, it’s essential to prioritize your existing audience.
Your podcast serves as a consistent connection with your audience, so make sure they’re always in the loop when a new episode drops.
Amy Porterfield employs several effective strategies to keep her audience engaged and informed.
She promotes each episode across her social media channels, ensuring that potential listeners can easily find links to her podcast.
These links are strategically placed in her social media bios, email signatures, and about-page bios, accompanied by compelling visuals and descriptions that entice people to click through.
To further drive engagement and promote the quiz she created, Amy leveraged Instagram Live for what she called “Coffee and Coaching” sessions.
During these live sessions, Amy provided real-time coaching on various aspects of online business, attracting an audience of over two hundred eager participants.
And here’s the clever part—she consistently plugged the quiz throughout the live sessions.
With each piece of advice and guidance she provided, Amy encouraged her viewers to take the quiz.
This dynamic approach not only engaged her audience but also funneled them toward the quiz, providing valuable insights and tailored podcast playlists.
Emails also played a vital role in Amy’s promotional strategy.
Every Thursday, she sent out an email to promote the latest episode, following a consistent schedule.
The unique twist here was that Amy crafted these emails around different topics, all cleverly leading to the quiz.
While not every email was solely focused on the quiz, they all guided recipients towards it.
So, when you’re composing your emails, consider how you can keep the topics fresh, engaging, and value-driven while ultimately driving traffic to your podcast.
For our full podcast promotion strategy and templates, click the button below.
Partnerships with Industry Leaders
Another potent strategy for expanding your podcast’s audience involves collaborating with influential figures within your industry.
This approach can have excellent results because these industry leaders already have a dedicated following of your target listeners and possess substantial influence and credibility in your field.
Amy effectively employed this strategy during her quest to achieve one million downloads in a single month.
She invited her friend Brendon Burchard, a well-known name in her industry, to be a guest on her podcast.
This decision wasn’t just based on their friendship; it was a strategic move.
Amy recognized that having Brendon as a guest would not only result in an exceptional interview but also pique the interest of her audience, as they were already familiar with his name and reputation.
If you’re considering implementing this strategy, ask yourself, “Who is someone in my industry that my audience admires and would be excited to hear from?”
Reach out and explore the possibility of having them as a guest on your podcast, or join theirs.
In conclusion…
It’s crucial to remember that while Amy achieved the remarkable milestone of one million downloads in a month, it didn’t happen overnight.
She had been podcasting for nine years.
While your journey may be faster with these strategies, it’s essential to recognize that building a substantial podcast audience often requires playing the long game.
So, lay the foundations, create a solid call-to-action, promote to your existing audience and partner with industry leaders and you will see your audience grow in no time.
If you’re feeling unsure about where to begin, allow us to guide you.
Through our Podcast Launch Service, we help you grow your thriving podcast with a trusted partner every step of the way.
You’ll get everything you need to produce and grow a successful business podcast. Schedule a call with our podcast consultants to learn more.
Founder and Chief Podcast Educator at Cashflow Podcasting. Ben specializes in helping thought leaders and entrepreneurs amplify their impact through podcasting. He’s a world traveller, outdoor sports junkie and future enthusiast!