Podcast promotion: launching and growing your show

·26 min·1 clip

The “soft open” lets a new podcast work through kinks before the big launch.

1. How to Start a Podcast episode 10 covers podcast promotion and launching a new show. 2. Jelan and Alvin host the episode as the Buzzsprout team, and their own launching experiences shape the advice. 3. The episode asks what a podcaster should do after finishing recording: a grand opening, a soft open, or both. 4. Alvin says launching is not just “hitting send, submit, publish,” and warns against “tripping at the finish line.” 5. The grand opening strategy includes submitting to Apple for “new and noteworthy,” doing PR, and paying for press coverage. 6. Alvin says the grand opening can feel intimidating when a creator has only recorded “three episodes” or done “two interviews.” 7. Jelan describes launch as vulnerable because an idea leaves “my mind” and enters public view. 8. The soft open comes from restaurants that quietly open on April 4th, 5th, and 6th before a bigger April 7th launch. 9. Alvin uses the restaurant example to show how small crowds expose problems like a dish the chefs cannot make or an ice machine that needs service. 10. Jelan says she used the soft open when she launched her podcast by telling her mom, friends, and parents before wider promotion. 11. The hosts connect launch anxiety to imposter syndrome, including fears of being “a fraud” or hearing “this guy’s doing a podcast now?” 12. They argue that a podcast still has value even when other shows cover the same topic because the creator’s voice and perspective are different. 13. Jelan says “your voice is as unique as your thumbprint,” and Alvin echoes that more than one podcast can cover a niche like science fiction books or wrestling. 14. Alvin shares that his first episode remains in his “top five most listened to,” which shows how early episodes can keep drawing attention. 15. The marketing section starts with friends and family, with a goal of around “five people” or “10 downloads per episode.” 16. Alvin advises choosing one social platform instead of starting on every service, and he uses Buzzsprout’s delayed handle registration as an example. 17. Cross-promotion comes next, including guesting on podcasts, sharing with YouTube channels, and partnering with the number one Supreme Court blog. 18. Facebook groups and subreddits work best when the podcaster answers questions fully instead of dropping a link and leaving. 19. The tone stays practical and encouraging, with casual back-and-forth, repeated examples, and direct coaching like “just do it.” 20. Listeners who want launch tactics, promotion ideas, and reassurance about imposter syndrome will get the most from this episode.

As heard by us

A steady launch guide for first-time podcasters.

The episode frames launching a podcast as a real threshold rather than a symbolic click. Jelan and Alvin keep the focus on what first-time creators need most: publishing the show, pushing past the habit of overthinking the finish line, and giving themselves room to be beginners.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Need help getting your show out the door without tripping at the finish line?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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