If I Had to Start From 0, This Is What I Would Do to Hit 10K Downloads on My Podcast

Hey Friend!

Are you wondering when you will finally feel like a real podcaster? What if I told you it’s not about if you feel like a podcaster or not, but about the fruit that comes from your podcast. As long as you are growing, you are successful. One way you can measure growth is to have a specific goal for podcast downloads. Let’s say your first goal is to reach 10k downloads. Once you reach 10k downloads on your podcast, you will have surpassed the majority of new podcasters who quit long before that. 

How can you get your first 10K downloads on your podcast? There are eight specific things that you can do to reach that goal. This is a great milestone to reach because it means you will start to see some conversions. People will finally start to get on your email list and buy from you.

This is a great goal for you on your podcasting journey. Most people quit before hitting 10K downloads. If you can hold on towards this goal, you will eventually hit it and most everyone around you will have quit already. Stay in the game. You can do this!

If you are ready to finally have clarity on what your business will be and follow a very simple roadmap step by step to learn how to create a profitable business from that calling, come explore my online school. I also have a free clarity workshop if you need help figuring out what your niche is. If you want to know more details on how to reach 10k downloads, and make money from your podcast, check out my course called Podcast For Growth.

Step 1 to 10K Downloads – Have a Clear Name for Your Podcast

It’s important to have a clear SEO-friendly name for your podcast as that is how you will grow quickly. There is an easy test to find out if a title is SEO friendly. When you go into Apple podcasts, type something in the search bar such as “meal planning for moms” and episodes will pop up with titles similar to the keyword that you searched for. 

Here are some examples of clear titles: 

• Restore Your Marriage
• Christian Life Coaching for Moms
• Gardening for Beginners

These titles are keyword specific and it is easy to know what the topic of the podcast is about.

Here are examples of podcast titles that are unclear:

• Wild and Free
• Unbroken
• Unstuck and Unrattled

Although they may be cute and catchy, they don’t mean anything to anyone. You can’t discern what the podcast is about by reading the title. Helpful tip: It’s okay if your podcast name is boring. It’s better to be clear and boring, than unclear and exciting. Make sure your title is micro-niched based on who you serve and what you do.

Step 2 to 10K Downloads-Have Professional Podcast Art

This may sound like a broken record but you need to have professional podcast art. You wouldn’t choose a book with a DIY cover that has fuzzy photos, and funky colors. Professional podcast art is so important. In our head we may think that podcast art is so expensive, but there is often a way to get professional art at a discount.

If you go to my website for graphics and use code STEF20 you can save 20% on designs that I recommend. Another option is to go to Fiverr or Upwork and find professional podcast art for a small investment between fifty to one hundred and twenty dollars. It may be a lot of money for you at this moment but there is always a solution. Can you save money little by little? Could you skip a few Target runs? Can you cut out on eating out? Where there’s a will, there’s a way. It is so important that you have professional podcast art, it will help you grow so much faster. 

Step 3 to 10K Downloads – Have SEO Rich Episode Titles

For your podcast every time you have a new episode the title needs to be valuable. A podcast title is searchable and resonates with listeners when it is SEO rich.

Let’s compare two different podcast titles and talk about which is the best option for a SEO rich and keyword friendly title.

• Podcast TItle Option #1 Interview with Mary Smith on Sleep Training Your Baby. 
• Podcast Title Option #2 Baby Not Sleeping? Sleep Training 101 with Expert Mary Smith

Treat your podcast like you are the CEO of your business and this is an important meeting that people are coming to. How you show up matters. Be consistent, be ready, and be professional.

Both titles let us know that the podcast episode is going to be about sleep training by someone named Mary, but option # 2 is the better title as it is so much more relevant and clear.

Let’s look at it this way. When a parent is searching for a podcast about sleep training their baby, they are probably going to type something like “ what to do when my baby is not sleeping”. The podcast title in option #2 would pop up in their search bar because it has the relevant keywords “baby not sleeping. ” It also uses the words “expert, ” and”sleep training 101” which tells the parent that they will be learning basic sleep training tips from an expert who they can trust.

Step 4 to 10K Downloads – Share Your Podcast

Share your podcast with your friends and family. These people are in your corner, it’s an easy ask. You can share your podcast with others by:

• Posting about it on social media (if you are on the socials)
• Texting or calling a friend
• Telling someone in your church group

It’s okay if your friends and family aren’t your ideal person. It’s guaranteed they know someone who might be your ideal listener.

For example, let’s say you just launched a new podcast on how to pay for college debt free and your podcast is called “ Debt Free College Kids.” You could message all the moms you know on your kid’s baseball team and say just in case any of you know anyone with a kid in college, I just launched a new podcast about how to graduate college debt-free, can you share it with them?

You can start with, hey, can you do me a quick favor? Remember when we think about any movement that has ever happened it is always word of mouth based. Even today with advertisement and paid ads, the number #1 growth method is still word of mouth.

Step 5 to 10K Downloads – Consistency is Key

You have to be consistent. It’s something that cannot be an excuse or minimized. You can’t say I won’t record a podcast episode this week because I am busy, or I don’t really feel like it. The long form content that you choose, is the one you marry. Your choices are: blogging, podcast, or YouTube. Podcasting is the easiest. Focus on one long form content and once that blows up, then you can do second long form content.

Do one podcast episode a week over and over again for a minimum of twelve months, ideally twenty-four months. If you get sick, or the kids need something, or you have travel plans, batch your episodes ahead of time. Get serious. This is a business. Don’t treat your podcast like a hobby. Treat it like a business and it will grow like a business.

Step 6 to 10K Downloads – Have a Contest or a Giveaway

These are very easy and fun ways to get downloads, clicks, shares, and subscriptions to your podcast.

Here’s a few easy steps to do a giveaway. Ask your listeners to:

1. Subscribe to the podcast

2. Leave a written 5-star review

3. Take a screenshot or post in the Facebook group

By the way, I have a free and fun Facebook group with over 10,000 amazing Christ-centered entrepreneurs and podcasters. Come on over and check it out!

Helpful hint: Make sure to give something away that you know your audience will actually like. If you do that, your contest or giveaway will be a great driver of downloads for your podcast.

Step 7 to 10K Downloads – Go on a Podcast Tour

Networking is a great way to make your podcast grow faster and to get those 10k downloads. What about getting in front of other people’s audiences?

This is something that is easy to do, especially if you are inside of my student community. There are podcast guest posts. There are over 2,000 students that you can collaborate and connect with. Go on their show, have them on your show, or find similar niche podcasts that are similar to yours and pitch them to be on their show.

Step 8 to 10K Downloads – Stay in the Game

The most important step to reach 10k downloads is to stay in the game.  If you quit, stop and start again, or decide that it is too hard you will never get ten thousand downloads. You have to keep showing up, and keep releasing episode after episode. Keep pushing even when it gets hard. 

Stay focused on your goals and most importantly why you are doing the podcast in the first place. What is your podcast really for? Who is it here to help? You are building a legacy, a library of your incredible knowledge and giftings, this goes even deeper and probably surpasses what you have in your mind right now.

I have a six year catalog of my voice and my heart for my babies and grandbabies to listen to forever. I have something that I have put into the world that can impact people and that can glorify God. It is so exciting for me to know that I am creating something that has so much more meaning than just building a business.

Your Journey to 10K Podcast Downloads Starts Here

You are called to do something incredible on this side of heaven. It all begins by opening your mouth. It all starts here. Set your sights on those goals, on those things that you are called to do. Do not give up. Persevere and press forward. Grow that podcast and get to those first 10k downloads. You can do this.

I pray this blesses you!

Xo,

Stef

APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY

Before you go, be sure to watch the free workshop!

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