How to Start a Successful Podcast

Many podcasters overlook blogging, seeing it as an unnecessary hassle. However, blogging does not have to be difficult and is actually one of the most powerful tools for growing a podcast. Having a website with blog posts for your episodes increases visibility, attracts new listeners, and can even boost monetization efforts.

If you’re serious about growing your podcast and turning it into a sustainable business, then setting up a blog is one of the best things you can do.

Why a Website is Critical for Podcast Growth

Many podcasters rely solely on platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Podbean to distribute their episodes. While these platforms are great for listenership, they limit your growth if they’re the only way people can find your content.

A website provides:

• A landing page for your audience – Listeners can find all your episodes in one place.
• Control over your audience – Unlike third-party platforms, a website is yours.
• A way to rank on Google – People searching for topics related to your podcast can find you organically.
• More ways to monetize – A website opens the door for ad revenue, affiliate marketing, and selling products.

Relying Only on Podcast Platforms Stalls Growth

If your only audience comes from Apple Podcasts or Spotify, you are severely limiting yourself. Search engines like Google are one of the biggest sources of traffic on the internet. Without a blog or website, you’re missing out on a massive opportunity to attract new listeners.

Example: Crime Junkie Podcast

One of the best examples of a podcast that leverages a blog is Crime Junkie.

• 250,000+ people visit their website each month.
• Their blog posts about cases rank above the FBI’s website on Google.
• Listeners discover them through Google searches, then become subscribers.

Crime Junkie’s success shows that ranking in Google can lead to massive traffic and audience growth. If they didn’t have a blog, they wouldn’t capture this audience at all.

How Blogging Helps Your Podcast Rank in Google

A major reason to blog is that Google indexes your content, making it searchable.

How it Works

1. Each podcast episode gets a blog post.
2. The blog post includes a summary, key points, and a transcript.
3. Google indexes the content, allowing people to find it through search.
4. New listeners discover your podcast when searching for relevant topics.

Example: A true crime podcast publishes an episode about a missing person. If someone searches that person’s name, the podcast’s blog post can rank on Google—driving thousands of potential listeners.

Even Simple Websites Can Get Huge Traffic

Your blog doesn’t need to be fancy—it just needs to be functional and provide useful information.

Example: Tractor Data

• The website is outdated and looks like it’s from 1997.
• Yet, it gets over 1.2 million visitors per month because it provides valuable, well-organized data.
• Lesson: Design doesn’t matter as much as helpful content.

Google ranks websites based on their usefulness, not their aesthetics. If you create helpful blog posts, you will rank.

How to Create Blog Content from a Podcast

One of the best ways to generate blog content quickly is by repurposing your podcast episodes.

Steps to Turn a Podcast into a Blog Post

1. Use AI tools or manual transcription to get a text version of your episode.
2. Summarize key points – break the episode into clear, structured sections.
3. Add relevant images and links.
4. Embed the podcast player at the top so visitors can listen.
5. Include a call to action – encourage visitors to subscribe or join your mailing list.

Transcripts: The Secret SEO Hack

Many podcasters don’t realize that publishing a transcript is one of the easiest ways to rank on Google.

• A transcript contains all the keywords naturally spoken in an episode.
• Google indexes the text, making it easier for your podcast to appear in search results.
• Crime Junkie and Planet Money use this tactic to boost their visibility.

Simple Website Setup for Podcasters

Click here to get started with a website for less than $5 a month

Many podcasters avoid starting a website because they think it’s expensive or complicated. It’s not.

Creating a Simple Blog

1. Get web hosting (as cheap as $8/month).
2. Use WordPress or another simple site builder.
3. Create a template for your blog posts.
4. Focus on functionality over design – keep it simple.

Example: Lex Fridman Podcast

• His website is super simple—just a list of episodes and a player.
• Most of his traffic comes from YouTube.
• If he had a blog, he could capture even more listeners through search.

Final Takeaways

If you want to grow your podcast and attract new listeners, having a blog is one of the best things you can do.

• A website increases discoverability beyond just podcast directories.
• Search traffic is a huge opportunity – don’t rely only on Apple and Spotify.
• Simple, well-structured content ranks better than fancy design.
• Transcripts & blog posts boost search rankings.
• Use AI tools to generate content quickly.
• A basic, low-cost website can still be highly effective.

If you’re serious about podcasting as a business, start a website today and give your podcast the exposure it deserves.

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