5 Secrets to Podcast Longevity Mark Steadman

My name is Niall Mackay, founder of Seven Million Bikes Podcasts. When I first started podcasting, I thought success came from things like social media promotion, clever marketing tricks, and fancy editing.

But after years in the industry, I’ve realized that the best podcasters—the ones who truly grow and engage their audience—focus on one simple thing: putting the listener first.

In a recent conversation with podcasting expert Mark Steadman, we broke down exactly what it means to prioritize the listener and how that mindset can transform your show.

From crafting compelling titles to improving audio quality, making small but intentional changes can take your podcast from something people stumble upon to something they actively seek out, and ensure your podcast longevity.

Secret 1: Put the Listener First

When it comes to podcasting, there’s so much advice out there on how to grow your audience. But after speaking with Mark Steadman on my latest episode, I realized one thing: the most successful podcasters didn’t focus on fancy marketing tactics. They just made great content.

And what makes great content? Putting the listener first.

It sounds obvious, but so many podcasters don’t actually do it. Mark shared a great example of how podcasters can fail at this—starting their episodes with long ads. A few years ago, many new podcasters would begin their shows with a two-minute ad for Anchor (now Spotify for Podcasters) because Anchor promised a small payout for downloads. But this was a terrible listener experience.

Instead of welcoming the listener into the show, they were asking them to listen to an ad before even giving them a reason to stay. Worse, these ads rarely made enough money to be worthwhile. It was a lose-lose situation—bad for the listener and bad for the podcaster.

As Mark explained, podcasting is about inviting people into your world. Whether you’re making a comedy podcast, a news show, or a business podcast, your first goal should be to engage the listener. They are giving you their time, whether they’re walking the dog, washing the dishes, or driving to work. They’ve chosen to put you in their ears.

So before doing anything else, ask yourself: Is this something my listener cares about?

Secret 2: Respecting the Listener’s Time

One thing that really stood out to me in my conversation with Mark Steadman was the importance of respecting the listener’s time.

As a stand-up comedian, I’ve always believed in respecting the audience. When I step on stage, I need to be prepared. If I fumble through my set, rely too much on notes, or use tired clichés, I’m disrespecting the people who came to watch. They took time out of their day, maybe even paid for a ticket, so it’s my job to deliver something worth their while.

Podcasting is no different. It still blows my mind that people choose to listen to something I’ve created for an hour or more. Whether they’re at the gym, commuting, or doing chores, they are committing their time to my podcast. That’s a privilege, and I want to make sure I deliver something worth listening to.

Unfortunately, not all podcasters think this way. I know a podcaster who has released hundreds of episodes with great guests and interesting conversations. But the audio quality? Awful. He records on his phone, in the middle of a room, with no effort to improve the sound. I’ve tried to convince him to use tools like Descript’s studio sound to enhance the quality, but he refuses to make any changes.

The problem? He’s disrespecting his listeners. He’s asking them to spend an hour of their time on something that sounds like it was recorded in an echoey basement. In a crowded podcast market, where listeners have endless choices, why would they stick around for that?

If we want people to listen and keep coming back, we need to put in the effort. That means:

Using a good mic and staying close to it
Editing out unnecessary noise and distractions
Preparing properly so we sound polished and professional

Secret 3: Using Singular Language in Podcasting

Instead of saying, “Hey guys” or “Welcome everyone,” I should be saying, “Hey, how are you?” or “I’m so glad you’re here.” Radio has used this technique for decades because it creates a stronger personal connection with the listener.

When someone listens to a podcast, they’re usually alone—walking, driving, doing chores. They’re not in a big crowd. By speaking directly to one person instead of a group, we make them feel like the conversation is just for them.

After talking with Mark, I realized I probably don’t do this enough. I tend to say “you guys” or speak in the plural, but I’m now making a conscious effort to adjust my language.

Creating a Listener Persona

Another great tip from Mark was to create a listener persona. This is something I always tell people: you have to know who your podcast is for. If you try to make a podcast for everyone, you’ll end up reaching no one.

A listener persona is a detailed profile of your ideal audience member. It includes things like:

Their age and background
What they care about
What challenges they face
What kind of content they consume
What they want from a podcast

Using AI to Speed Up the Process

For people who feel like creating a listener persona is too much work, AI can help. I recently used ChatGPT to generate a listener persona for my show. I fed it information about my podcast and asked it to create an avatar for my ideal listener.

In seconds, it gave me a detailed profile, including gender, age, background, and interests. I even asked it to create a second persona with slightly different traits. This saved me so much time compared to brainstorming on my own.

Of course, AI doesn’t replace human thinking. It won’t know my audience as well as I do. But it’s a great starting point, and I can refine the details myself. If you’re someone who feels overwhelmed by this process, using a tool like ChatGPT can make it easier and faster.

Secret 4: Crafting Effective Titles, Show Notes, and Artwork

Another key takeaway from my conversation with Mark was how important it is to make your podcast easy to discover and appealing to new listeners. That starts with strong titles, compelling show notes, and simple, eye-catching artwork.

Podcast Titles Matter

Your episode title is one of the first things a potential listener will see, so it needs to grab their attention. A common mistake is wasting space by including unnecessary details like “Episode 10” or repeating the name of the podcast. Unless you’re running a narrative series, episode numbers don’t add much value. Instead, focus on making your title engaging and search-friendly.

A great way to do this is to phrase your title as a question or a statement that sets up tension. Think about what your ideal listener might be searching for. For example, instead of titling an episode “Interview with Mark Steadman,” a better option might be:

Why Most Podcasts Fail (And How to Avoid It)
How to Get More Podcast Listeners Without Social Media

This approach makes your episode easier to find and much more appealing.

Related Post: 12 Tips to Improve Any Podcast

Writing Show Notes That Hook the Listeners

About the show notes, the first few lines are crucial because that’s all someone sees before they click “read more.” But too often, podcasters start with something like:

Welcome to the [Podcast Name], where we talk about [topic] with host [your name]. In this episode, we discuss…

By the time you’ve introduced yourself, the listener has scrolled past or lost interest. Instead, start your show notes with a bold statement or question that immediately draws them in. For example:

Struggling to grow your podcast audience? You’re not alone. Mark Steadman explains why most podcasters overlook one key thing—putting the listener first.

This way, the listener immediately knows why they should care.

Podcast Artwork: Keep It Simple

Your podcast cover art is like a book cover—it needs to be clear, visually appealing, and instantly communicate what your show is about. A common mistake is cluttering the design with too much text, company logos, or unnecessary subtitles.

Secret 5: The Value of Back Catalog Content

One of the biggest surprises in my podcasting journey has been the power of old episodes. When I first started, I assumed most people listened to new episodes as soon as they were released, following along in order. But I’ve learned that’s not really how podcast consumption works.

Why Evergreen Content Matters

Not every podcast episode is time-sensitive. If you’re covering breaking news, your old episodes might lose relevance quickly. But for most podcasters, episodes remain valuable long after they’re released. That’s why it’s worth investing in high-quality, evergreen content—topics that people will still search for months or even years later.

Re-Releasing and Improving Old Episodes

Another great way to get more out of your back catalog is to re-release episodes, especially if the content is still relevant but the audio quality wasn’t great. I’ve started doing this myself—taking older episodes, improving the sound, and republishing them like a “digitally remastered” version.

So here are our tips:

Make sure your titles and descriptions are engaging and searchable.
Consider re-releasing older episodes with improved audio.
If your content is evergreen, promote old episodes just like new ones.

Conclusion: 5 Secrets to Podcast Longevity

If you’re serious about growing your podcast, these lessons will help you build stronger relationships with your audience and create content that truly resonates.

When you want to grow your podcast, don’t focus on hacks or gimmicks. Focus on creating an experience that makes people want to come back. Respect their time, give them value, and make them feel like your podcast was made just for them.