If you’re relying on Apple search or Spotify search to get more listeners for your podcast, you’re going to be disappointed. Maybe you already are, and that’s why you’re here. Maybe you thought just sharing about your podcast on Instagram would be enough, until you realized your diehard fans are already listening and others just aren’t seeing you or engaging with podcast content.
I think anyone who’s posted podcast clips, and I still post them too, knows how hard it is to get engagement. So where do we go from here? How do we get more listeners if Instagram isn’t grabbing their attention? You might have started a podcast thinking it was search-driven, but Apple and Spotify don’t seem to be doing much to support that. Maybe your podcast has hit a plateau in growth.
Hi, I’m Kara. I specialize in building bingeable brands through search-driven marketing. My agency focuses on blogging for small businesses and Pinterest marketing, and we help take your podcast content further. Let’s be real—Instagram has become a full-time job. You pour your heart into a post, write a thoughtful caption, and within 24 hours it’s buried. Sometimes it feels like it’s buried within 15 minutes. The algorithm is overwhelmed with great content, and it’s getting harder to reach even your current followers.
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The good news is that you have a backlog of incredible podcast episodes that just need more eyes on them. My clients continue to put their best energy into creating amazing episodes every week. You’re doing the research, editing, crafting titles, thinking about psychology—everything it takes to make high-quality podcast content.
And it’s not that your podcast isn’t working. Most people see some success early on, and even continue to get listeners on older episodes. The problem is growth. It’s hard to bring in new listeners. That’s why I believe search is the key.
Of course, I specialize in search-driven marketing, so naturally I’m going to suggest that approach. But I also want to break down exactly how we take a podcast episode and turn it into a blog post, Pinterest content, and an evergreen funnel that’s simple, scalable, and sustainable—especially if you bring someone like me on to help.
My Process To Get More Listeners For Your Podcast
I’m breaking down what I do for my own episodes (and clients) below.
Write a Blog Post
Let’s start with the blog post. I’ll explain exactly what I do to turn a podcast episode into a blog, but first, let’s be clear about what I don’t mean. I don’t mean embedding the podcast player with a short paragraph or two from your show notes. That’s not what I’m talking about at all.
What I do is take the audio from a podcast and turn it into a transcript. From there, I highlight the key questions (if it’s an interview) or main talking points if it’s a solo episode. Then I go through the body of what was said, clean it up, and remove filler that works in audio but doesn’t translate well in writing.
I organize the content, format it with white space, headings, and images, and make sure it’s readable and easy to digest. And that matters for a few reasons.
Why you should create blogs for podcast episodes
First, it helps you get found on Google. Ideally, you’re using long-tail keywords that people are actually searching for. I personally like to research my keywords before I even record an episode, especially if I want it to be really SEO-focused. But not every episode has to be keyword-driven to benefit from this. Once someone finds your podcast through a search-friendly post, they’re likely to listen to other episodes(even the more personal ones that aren’t focused on SEO).
Second, and this is something people don’t talk about enough, it helps your audience digest and implement what you’re teaching. Most people listen to podcasts while they’re walking, driving, or doing chores. It’s a great way to absorb information, but it’s not always easy to take action on it. If your episode outlines, for example, eight steps to do something, turning that into a blog post gives listeners a place to revisit and refresh their memory when they sit down to actually do the work.
And third, there’s accessibility. Not everyone is even able to learn through audio. Some people simply prefer to read. Having a written version of your content gives your audience another way to engage with it. When you’re pouring your heart into creating valuable podcast content, repurposing it into something that can reach more people and help them actually implement it is a win for everyone.
Getting Found Through Google Search
Since we’re talking about how to get more podcast listeners, let me bring it back to the main point: getting found through Google search. The reality is that podcast episodes rarely rank on Google unless they have a full blog post to go with them. I’ve seen this firsthand. Some of my clients follow this advice, and some don’t. The ones who don’t usually just publish a short post with a couple of paragraphs and an embedded player. But from what I see in the backend analytics, those almost never show up in search results.
Unless competition is extremely low, Google isn’t going to prioritize a page like that. It really needs to be a full blog post with substance. So to sum up my process: I start with the transcript and break it into readable sections with clear headings, white space, and images. I find keywords I want to focus on, especially ones that people are likely to search.
How to make your blog post searchable to get more listeners for your podcast
One key tip: when you’re working with an interview episode, think about how people type questions into Google. You might have asked a question in a casual, conversational way, like: “Yes, I totally agree with you, and here’s what I’d add… What do you think about this?” followed by a long answer. That’s natural in conversation, but no one wants to read all of that in a blog post. Instead, simplify it. Use a version of the question that mirrors what someone might actually type into Google. That’s part of what I mean by removing the human elements that are fine in audio but unnecessary in writing.
You also want to use your keyword throughout the blog post to get more listeners for your podcast—especially in the introduction. Even if your main keyword is a little broad and doesn’t rank highly, different sections of your blog post might still show up in search results. Google sometimes pulls excerpts or snippets from different parts of the page to answer specific user questions. That’s how you can get visibility in those “People also ask” sections or the featured snippets at the top of the page.
If you’re stuck trying to find the right keywords, one quick way to get started is to drop your transcript into ChatGPT and ask for long-tail keyword ideas. Just make sure to vet those keywords using an SEO tool to confirm that people are actually searching for them. Don’t take the suggestions at face value—always verify.
Lastly, make sure your blog post includes a call to action. The whole point is to help someone find your podcast through search and then turn them into a regular listener. Include links to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you want to send them. Make it easy for them to take that next step.
Also, consider adding another call to action beyond just subscribing to the podcast. For example, offer a free downloadable guide or resource. There’s a lot of emphasis on growing your email list, and for good reason, but don’t overlook encouraging people to follow you on Instagram too. It’s actually possible, and maybe even surprising, how much your Instagram can grow from blog content created from your podcast episodes. That’s a nice bonus.
Promote Your Podcast on Pinterest
Now, let’s talk about Pinterest. This is where the magic really happens. Pinterest isn’t social media—it’s a search engine. It rewards creators who consistently share valuable, fresh content. So if you’re already investing your energy in creating strong podcast episodes and blog posts, it only makes sense to extend that to Pinterest.
If you hire someone like me, I handle full Pinterest management. That means managing all your content and strategically posting to Pinterest. It’s a service I offer because it brings a strong return on investment. But even if you’re not ready to go all-in on Pinterest, you can still benefit by doing something simple: just pin your podcast blog posts.
Even minimal effort can go a long way because Pinterest pins show up in Google search results too. Just pinning your episodes regularly can drive traffic to your site and help those blog posts rank higher in search.
Here’s what I recommend: after turning a podcast into a blog post, create at least five pins from that post. Spread them across a few different boards. Schedule them out every one or two days so they don’t all go live at once. Make sure each pin links directly back to the blog post promoting the episode.
If your content is seasonal or timely, like an episode about holiday traditions for entrepreneurs, set a reminder in your project management tool (like ClickUp or Airtable) to create fresh pins when that season rolls around again. Start pinning your holiday content in September or October to give it time to gain traction.
Make Pin Creation Part Of Your Podcast Process
It’s honestly pretty easy to create pins after recording a podcast episode. You can assign this to a team member, or reuse your Instagram story graphics. Story-sized graphics tend to perform well on Pinterest, so you don’t have to make totally separate designs. Just take what you’re already creating and extend it one step further.
I also think it’s perfectly fine to use AI to help with pin titles and descriptions. What I often do is paste the entire blog post into ChatGPT and ask it to write pin copy in my brand voice, including specific keywords. I do recommend going to Pinterest first to choose those keywords manually—look at what’s trending, what’s being suggested, and what people are searching for. Once you’ve got your keywords, ask AI to build around them.
Then you can either post pins manually or use a tool like Tailwind to streamline the process.
2 Strategies To Get More Listeners For Your Podcast
So those are my two main strategies for getting more listeners to your podcast. And while they might sound simple, trust me – they make a huge difference. The best part is that they keep working long after you hit publish. If you already have a podcast, you know people show up each week for the latest episode. But what really moves the needle is when people start listening to your older episodes too.
That’s why your download numbers sometimes spike—not because of a single episode, but because people are discovering your backlog. The more content you have out there, the more chances you have to pull in new listeners. Your work compounds over time. Whether it’s a blog post or a Pinterest pin, every piece adds to your visibility. That’s what I mean when I talk about building a bingeable brand. Someone finds you through one episode or one pin, and then they keep exploring, whether that’s listening to more episodes, reading blog posts, or saving content to come back to later.
This also builds your authority, which is so valuable. If you’re already established, it reinforces your expertise. And if you’re still growing, it helps you look and feel more established by building out a strong content library. Once you have a full blog post based on your podcast, you can easily repurpose that content: turn it into a Reel with text overlay, a carousel for Instagram, or pull quotes for shareable graphics.
You’re not just creating content, you’re creating a long-lasting asset for your business. And this gives your content a real lifespan. It also becomes a gateway to grow your email list or Instagram following, or wherever you’re nurturing your audience.
This is such an effective way to get more listeners for your podcast. And here’s your reminder: you don’t have to be everywhere—you just have to be searchable. That’s the key.
You’ve now got the blueprint. Let me know in the comments which podcast episode you’re planning to repurpose first—I’d love to hear about it and cheer you on. And if you want help building this into a full blog-and-Pinterest funnel, definitely reach out.
To get started, I also have a blog post guide available that walks you through my exact formula for writing blog content that doesn’t just get attention, but actually sells. You can grab it here.
