#067: What to Do When Your Podcast Growth Plateaus

Interactive Transcript

spk_0 Alright, so how often does this happen to you?

spk_0 You log into your podcast host, you open your statistics page, and you just stare at the

spk_0 numbers for a solid 30 seconds.

spk_0 And you think, so I guess this is it.

spk_0 No growth, no dip.

spk_0 It's just there.

spk_0 Flatline.

spk_0 Like an emotional support goldfish.

spk_0 If this sounds like you, you're not bad at this.

spk_0 Your podcast isn't broken.

spk_0 It's just a really irritating phase called the plateau.

spk_0 So today we're talking about what to do when your podcast stops growing.

spk_0 What's actually going on behind the scenes when things are starting to stall out and how

spk_0 to get that momentum back again.

spk_0 And maybe most importantly, how to not burn out while you're trying to fix it.

spk_0 Because you didn't start this podcast just to talk into the void every week.

spk_0 You started it to grow your business to build a brand.

spk_0 And probably let's be honest, make some money while you're doing it.

spk_0 Hello and welcome to podcast for profit.

spk_0 My name is Morgan Franklin.

spk_0 I'm a podcast producer, strategist, and educator.

spk_0 This podcast will help you create and grow a podcast that cuts through the noise of social

spk_0 media and speaks directly to your target audience.

spk_0 If you're ready to create a podcast that will line you with the experts in your industry,

spk_0 position yourself as a trusted leader, and create another source of revenue for your

spk_0 business here in the right place.

spk_0 All right, so before we start reinventing the wheel here, we need to make sure that you're

spk_0 actually in a plateau because what might feel like nothing's working might also just be

spk_0 your current baseline.

spk_0 So here's what a podcast plateau actually looks like.

spk_0 Your weekly downloads have stayed in the same download range for the past few months.

spk_0 Your social media shares and DMs have completely slowed down to nothing.

spk_0 You're not seeing any noticeable bump when you're promoting new episodes, even when you've

spk_0 shared them everywhere and you feel like you're annoying your audiences everywhere to listen

spk_0 to them at its frustrating because like you feel like you're doing everything right.

spk_0 You're showing up.

spk_0 You're promoting these episodes.

spk_0 Maybe you're even repurposing the episodes, but the numbers, Rickets, Black Lives are

spk_0 totally normal.

spk_0 They're not a sign that you should quit.

spk_0 They're a sign that your podcast is ready for its next evolution.

spk_0 When I'm looking at a podcast plateau, there are three major areas that typically cause

spk_0 kind of a podcast right.

spk_0 So the first one is something that I like to call the continental drift.

spk_0 So you've slowly moved away from what your audience was originally showing up for.

spk_0 So maybe your episodes have become too broad or maybe they've become way too niche either

spk_0 way, your ideal listener is confused and it's left everything else at a standstill.

spk_0 The second one could be you're in a promotional rut.

spk_0 I know that we have all gone through this.

spk_0 You are using the same promotional strategies that you have for the past six months.

spk_0 You have that same Instagram story.

spk_0 You're using the same Canva templates, same hashtags that you copy paste.

spk_0 People scroll so fast.

spk_0 Everything has changed now.

spk_0 If you are using the same thing week after week after week, people are becoming blind to

spk_0 it.

spk_0 They're not seeing it.

spk_0 They're not engaging with it and you're not showing up anymore.

spk_0 They're probably not even seeing your posts anymore.

spk_0 You need to change something.

spk_0 And lastly, your listener fit.

spk_0 Your listener has evolved, but your messaging hasn't.

spk_0 If you're speaking to someone in their first year of business, but your audience is now

spk_0 three years into their business, you might be missing the mark.

spk_0 You might not have evolved with your audience.

spk_0 So ask yourself, which one of these could be

spk_0 driving my plateau?

spk_0 And how can you fix it?

spk_0 And if you feel like this is you and that you haven't seen significant growth with your

spk_0 podcast downloads or the ability to monetize your podcast, set up an appointment to talk

spk_0 with me.

spk_0 My calendar is going to be linked in the episode description.

spk_0 I have coaching options that will be perfect for exactly these kinds of questions because

spk_0 there's always a way to snap out of a rut, especially a podcasting rut.

spk_0 So here's a few ideas for you.

spk_0 The first one is drop a pattern interrupt episode.

spk_0 So something that is unexpected, maybe a hot take, maybe behind the scenes, maybe a voice

spk_0 memo style episode, just to make it feel different.

spk_0 So for example, if your episode titles always have the same kind of statement, colon statement.

spk_0 I've seen a lot of people doing that lately.

spk_0 I think it's because of chat.

spk_0 GBT, I'm not really sure.

spk_0 But let's say that your episode titles are always very similar, completely change it,

spk_0 completely change something and see if it makes a difference.

spk_0 Whether that's the episode audio, whether it's your intro music, whether it is your, like

spk_0 I said, your title, just try to change something.

spk_0 The second thing is try to find a new way to promote.

spk_0 Okay.

spk_0 So try new channels.

spk_0 Run a giveaway if you have to write a post saying that this episode flop, but it shouldn't

spk_0 have be real.

spk_0 Get on TikTok and talk about why this was your favorite episode.

spk_0 Talk about why you made this episode.

spk_0 People want to know why you did the things you did.

spk_0 People want to know what happened when you did the thing that you did.

spk_0 Your audience wants to know about you.

spk_0 They want to know about the process.

spk_0 They want to know everything.

spk_0 So give them something new.

spk_0 Try a different way to promote your podcast.

spk_0 Third idea is revisit your hits.

spk_0 So pull your top five episodes.

spk_0 Make a part two and be turned it into a guide that you can give people for free.

spk_0 Pull some quotes and put it on social media.

spk_0 Create something fresh from what has already worked.

spk_0 So if you have an episode that maybe got 50% 100% more downloads than everything else,

spk_0 take that as your sign that this is what your audience is looking for.

spk_0 Again, we don't have to remake the wheel every time.

spk_0 Make a part two to that.

spk_0 Share it again.

spk_0 Find a way to incorporate the things that are already working and make more of that.

spk_0 The fourth thing is you need to be booking strategic guests only.

spk_0 So no filler guests.

spk_0 And you know what I'm saying when I say that.

spk_0 Find some small, very engaged creators who can speak to your ideal listener.

spk_0 Find some big creators.

spk_0 Find somebody that you can't believe would come on your podcast and pursue them.

spk_0 Find someone that would excite your audience genuinely.

spk_0 Don't just book people because you need someone on your podcast.

spk_0 If you're doing that, you need to take a break.

spk_0 Instead, find someone that you know your audience will love and that you will love.

spk_0 Did you get to put that extra effort into?

spk_0 That is so important.

spk_0 And the last thing is do a challenge.

spk_0 Make a mini series.

spk_0 So announce let's say a three part series.

spk_0 So if it were me, I might do three steps to monetize your podcast week one,

spk_0 week two, week three, or maybe podcast a launch, how to launch in 10 days.

spk_0 And then I make that a series that I post every single day.

spk_0 So structure builds anticipation.

spk_0 So talk about this like it's an event and promote it everywhere.

spk_0 And talk about it like your audience is going to be missing out on something.

spk_0 If they do not hop on this train right now, but here's the good news.

spk_0 Your most loyal listeners are still listening.

spk_0 Even in a plateau, your most loyal listeners are still listening.

spk_0 They might be the only ones listening, but they are.

spk_0 That's why when you're feeling like your podcast isn't going anywhere,

spk_0 it is the best time for you to monetize anything more.

spk_0 Again, how could this possibly be true?

spk_0 Because it sounds stupid, doesn't it?

spk_0 Because the people are still listening.

spk_0 During your plateau, that's your most loyal audience.

spk_0 Because you're not doing as hot as you used to.

spk_0 They're the ones who already trust you that are really listening to what you're saying.

spk_0 So instead of waiting to grow more before you sell,

spk_0 what if you sold to the people who are already consistently showing up for you?

spk_0 So here are three ways that you can monetize that you can try out right now.

spk_0 Number one is a paid workshop or training.

spk_0 So pick one topic that your audience is always asking you about.

spk_0 Let's sell a low ticket live workshop so that you don't even really have to prepare

spk_0 anything advanced, promote it on your podcast for three weeks straight.

spk_0 So let's say that you have something that is very specific to your nation,

spk_0 to your audience that you are really good at, that you know you could do a live training on

spk_0 or a live workshop and let's say sell it for $47.

spk_0 A low buy-in that would be very valuable to your audience.

spk_0 Try that. Try having a workshop. Try having a training.

spk_0 The next thing is a starter offer of some kind or a digital product.

spk_0 I know I talk about digital products all the time, but it is so easy and it is genuinely passive income.

spk_0 So think about Canva templates, Notion dashboards,

spk_0 anything that you can repurpose out of what you already have.

spk_0 Low ticket but high relevance.

spk_0 I would think of things that you're charging under $30 for, like I said,

spk_0 that is passive, that is something that you've already made or that you make once,

spk_0 you put up for sale, you're mentioning it in every episode, maybe you're running an ad for it,

spk_0 maybe you're putting it in your episode descriptions, something that can get people in the door,

spk_0 that you can kind of gauge interest, but isn't going to break the bank.

spk_0 That is a good entry offer.

spk_0 And then the last thing is one-on-one coaching.

spk_0 I encourage all of the podcasters that I work with to do some kind of one-on-one coaching,

spk_0 especially in the beginning, when you have the capacity to do it,

spk_0 you don't have to do tons of it.

spk_0 Maybe you only have one or two clients a week.

spk_0 Maybe you only have one or two clients a month.

spk_0 Even if you've never sold a coaching option before,

spk_0 this is something if you are highly skilled, you should be doing.

spk_0 Keep it valuable, keep it valuable to your audience,

spk_0 but tell people, hey, I can help you out with this thing.

spk_0 And then do it.

spk_0 Have an hour session, have a two-hour session,

spk_0 where you work with people one-on-one to try to help them with the thing that they've come to you

spk_0 in the first place for.

spk_0 Your podcast doesn't have to have tens of thousands of listens every week.

spk_0 You know that.

spk_0 It needs to be listened to by the right audience.

spk_0 It's up to you to figure out who that is.

spk_0 And if your podcast isn't growing,

spk_0 you need to spend some time figuring out why you aren't really reaching them.

spk_0 Because that's what's going to make the difference.

spk_0 It's not how many people are listening.

spk_0 It's when the right people are listening.

spk_0 So if you feel like you have no idea,

spk_0 how you could possibly break out of this podcasting jail that you're stuck in,

spk_0 schedule a time to talk with me.

spk_0 My calendar is going to be linked in the episode description.

spk_0 I'd love to talk with you about your podcast, why it's not growing.

spk_0 And how you're actually going to make money with this thing.

spk_0 So I have coaching options that are perfect for these exact questions.

spk_0 And as always, I can't wait to listen to your podcast.

spk_0 Hey, thank you so much for joining me on this episode.

spk_0 If you enjoyed the podcast and you'd like to hear more episodes like this one,

spk_0 go ahead and subscribe to the show.

spk_0 New episodes air every Monday morning.

spk_0 And if you've found this episode valuable and you want to help other business owners and

spk_0 podcasters, we leave me a five-star review.

spk_0 It helps the show rank higher in the charts and brings more entrepreneurs the information

spk_0 they need to start making money on their podcast.

#067: What to Do When Your Podcast Growth Plateaus

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