It is best to release one episode at a time.

Start with 3-5 episodes at launch and then release weekly or bi-weekly.

Launching with multiple episodes reduces drop-off if the first episode isn't memorable enough.

An ideal season can have 5-20 episodes over 2-6 months.

Not all podcasts have seasons, but if you do, communicate the schedule to your audience.

The ideal episode length is typically 30-40 minutes, but quality matters more than length.

Some successful podcasts have episodes exceeding 60 minutes, especially for bi-monthly or monthly shows.

Releasing new episodes once a week or every other week is recommended.

Consistency is more important than sporadic releases.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings at 5:30 AM EST are optimal times to release new episodes.

The timing depends upon the content.

Health and fitness content will perform well at the beginning of the year, while true crime or spooky stores thrive in October.

For non-seasonal genres, choose release times based on your audience.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings at 5:30 AM EST are optimal times to release new episodes.

Yes, many prefer YouTube for podcasts.

Benefits include automatic closed captioning, better search engine visibility, and additional content for social media.

Optimize titles, descriptions, and thumbnails with searchability in mind. Include guests if applicable.

It depends on the content and the platform of the host, but interviews are often best, followed by two-host formats.

Interviews can be hard to schedule, so weigh the benefits if the work is worth it.

Other formats include educational, solo, non-fiction storytelling, news, podcast theater, bite-sized content, and limited-run series.

Key metrics to monitor, track, and optimize towards include:

Number of listens or plays

Subscriber count

Number of downloads

Which devices and platforms your listeners are using

Drop-off rate (up to 35% of listeners drop off in the first 5 minutes)

Reviews

Appearing in the “New and Noteworthy” section in iTunes (within 8 weeks)

1) Build your platform on social media and use it to promote your podcast.

2) Invite guests and ask them to share the podcast via their social media. Make it easy for them to do so by providing them with graphics and a link to share.

3) Encourage listeners to write reviews

4) Improve SEO (search engine optimization) because Google now ranks audio in search results. See the FAQ related to optimization

SEO optimizations include:

1) Including relevant, popular search terms in the podcast episode title, headers, and descriptions.

Use tools like Google Trends, Google Keyword Planner (part of Google Ads), Ahrefs, SEMrush, and SparkToro to identify what themes and specific words are trending.

2) Adding show notes and transcriptions (Rev.com charges just $1 per minute).

3) Optimize meta descriptions and titles.

Yes, approximately 81% of listeners have taken action after hearing audio ads during a podcast episode on Spotify.

Actions include researching products online, connecting with brands on social media, and discussing brands with others.

Keep in mind that Spotify’s podcast ads require that their internal team review a proposed script and record it using their vocal talent (which can be approved or rejected by the advertiser before it goes live).

No, Apple Podcasts doesn't accept external advertising.

Yes, Google has launched audio-style ad placements on Google, YouTube, Playstore.

It involves a 15-second audio ad with an image. However, eligibility requires running TWO brand lift surveys first.

They also state that certain categories won’t be eligible to use, so some religious categories might be rejected.

For audio/verbal calls to action, direct listeners to “where you get your podcasts.”

For digital ads, use clickable links leading to the landing page.

Budgets can range from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars per month.

Anything ad spend is better than relying on organic discoverability alone, but to rise to the top of the list in your category for “New and Noteworthy” in iTunes, it will take a substantial investment.

1) Build your platform on social media and use it to promote your podcast.

2) Invite guests and ask them to share the podcast via their social media

3) Encourage listeners to write reviews

4) Improve SEO (search engine optimization) because Google now ranks audio in search results. See the FAQ related to optimization