How to Promote a Podcast in 2026
Podcast promotion strategies that compound over time, without extra work.
This is one of those topics that I’ve studied since 2016 when I started podcasting.
It has evolved a bit over the years, but there are definitely principles that have stayed the same.
Why Podcast Promotion Exists at All
In this video, I’m going to talk to you about how to promote a podcast.
I’ve studied this topic since 2016 when I started podcasting.
It has evolved over the years, but many principles have stayed the same.
I’m going to dive into multiple different ways you can promote a podcast.
I’ll also cover some strategy around how to layer these things in.
Everything I discuss today does not have to be implemented all at once.
I recommend looking for something that resonates with you and comes easier than some of the other options.
The reason podcast promotion exists is because audio-only podcasting platforms historically struggled with discovery.
Once you’re releasing episodes consistently, the question becomes how to get the most out of that effort.
A variety of strategies originated because of this problem.
One of the most common strategies is short-form clips.
This became popular because people were on Instagram and TikTok and wanted others to see what they were working on.
There were years when it was hard to even get people to understand what a podcast was and where to listen.
Clips became a way to bring the same content to people in places they wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.
Promotion That Compounds Instead of Burning You Out
Now, let’s dive into the different promotion strategies.
I’m going to focus on options that don’t add a lot of extra work.
This is about repurposing what you’re already doing.
People are not paying as much attention to every episode as you are.
It’s completely fine to deploy these strategies on older episodes in your catalog.
Don’t assume people have seen every minute of your content.
For someone discovering it for the first time, it will feel brand new.
The first strategy I want to talk about is a newsletter.
I’m adamant about this because I was skeptical when I first started making things online in 2012 and 2013.
Everyone talked about newsletters as something that would eventually go away, but they didn’t.
They’ve only become more important.
When you rely on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or Instagram to own the relationship, you’re vulnerable to platform changes.
With podcasts, you often don’t know the listener’s name, email, or profile.
They can’t always comment or engage directly.
That’s why you want to prioritize collecting a name and an email.
A newsletter allows you to contact people when a new episode drops or when you publish newsletter-specific content.
It gives you an initial boost when an episode comes out without relying solely on distribution platforms.
If you build a list of a few hundred engaged people, sending that email can meaningfully boost early listens.
Newsletters don’t have built-in discovery.
This mirrors the same issue audio-only podcasts face.
Despite that, newsletters are worth it because you’re deplatforming your audience.
You’re building an asset you own.
This may not be the best strategy for immediate growth, but it’s one of the best long-term assets.
Sponsors will pay to advertise in newsletters with strong open rates.
If you use podcast content to maintain the newsletter without much extra work, you can double your monetization opportunities.
The newsletter becomes its own asset over time.
I recommend hosting your newsletter on Kit or Substack.
Substack is great if you’re just getting started and on a budget.
It’s free, easy to set up, and has some built-in discovery.
It also solves the website problem many podcasters run into.
Distribution Channels That Actually Scale
The next strategy is YouTube.
This can be even more powerful than short-form clips because of YouTube’s distribution.
When audio platforms struggled with discovery, YouTube helped increase reach.
Over time, YouTube became essential for growth.
If you enjoy long-form content, YouTube is a natural fit.
I wish I had started YouTube earlier because it changed my business and my life.
You don’t need massive subscriber counts for YouTube to be effective.
There’s more trust and more action on the platform.
YouTube has invested heavily in podcasting.
In February 2025, the CEO announced over a billion monthly podcast listening hours.
Many people consume podcasts exclusively on YouTube.
Publishing there gives you access to an entirely new audience.
Next are long-form clips.
Long-form clips are anything longer than three minutes.
Five, ten, fifteen, or twenty-minute clips work well.
They allow you to package moments as standalone pieces with strong titles. Most major podcasts do this because people may never reach those moments in the full episode.
I recommend prioritizing long-form clips before short-form clips.
Shorts give reach, but long-form builds trust.
You podcast because you enjoy long-form conversations.
Short-form clips are still valuable.
They work across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Facebook, LinkedIn, and X.
Always save raw files without watermarks so you can reuse them on future platforms.
Choose one primary platform you enjoy.
Use tools like Buffer to distribute content elsewhere.
Short-form content widens reach and shows you what resonates.
Riverside makes this workflow accessible.
Magic AI Clips generate clips automatically.
Transcripts can be reused for newsletters, posts, and carousels.
Another underrated strategy is still images and carousels.
Pull quotes from transcripts and let people read instead of watch.
Guesting on other shows compounds credibility.
Smaller shows still provide trust, exposure, and link clicks.
Podcast tours build authority over time.
The key principle is simple.
Anything that counts as promotion, do it.
Start with one strategy, get consistent, and layer others over time.
3 Takeaways
Anything that counts as promotion, do it.
Long-form content builds trust faster than short-form alone.
You don’t need to do everything at once to grow a podcast.
Application
Start with YouTube if you enjoy long-form content.
Layer in long-form clips before short-form clips.
Add a newsletter to own your audience relationship.
Podcast platforms still struggle with discovery, but creators now have better tools to compound reach.
Try Riverside and get 15% off with my discount code PODMAHAL.
