✊ Will joining a podcast network ACTUALLY grow your show?

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Take a look at the podcast charts and one thing becomes immediately apparent:

Nearly every show in the top 10 (and most in the top 100) of any given category is part of a network.

Sure, a handful of truly independent shows have managed to break through. But these are the outliers.

Once you’ve recognized the trend, the logical conclusion is, “If I want to hit the top of the charts, I need to join a network.”

From there, it’s a small jump to “Joining a network is the thing that will help me grow my show and acquire the vast riches that come with it.”

Which might be further simplified by your subconscious to: "Network = Growth + Profit".

Guaranteed.

Without exception.

For every show.

But is that really the case?

It’s true, networks offer plenty of opportunities for both growth and revenue generation.

But not to every show at every phase of growth.

In fact, for many shows, joining a network can actually inhibit both your growth and revenue.

I know many more hosts who regret joining networks than I do those who were satisfied with their experiences.

So how do you know if joining a network makes sense for your show?

And if it does, what might a network be looking for from you?

Both of these questions came up recently inside Podcast Marketing Academy.

And as I know questions about networks are on a lot of people’s minds, I wanted to share my thoughts and experience here as well.

​Watch my brutally honest take on podcast networks on YouTube.

Oh, and if you’ve ever joined a network, I’d love to hear (confidentially, of course) about your experience—good or bad.

If you’ve got a story to share, hit reply and let me know.

Stay Scrappy, If you're feeling like you're spinning your wheels when it comes to your show and are looking for an honest, no-bullshit, straight-shooting assessment, I've got 6 2 spots remaining in 2024 in my private Podcast Growth Engine program. Here's how it works: I spend 10-15 hours auditing your show, poring over the most minute details. I then put together a 1.5–2 hour video report breaking down precisely why your show isn't growing and/or converting buyers, the specific problems that must be addressed, and my recommendations on how to fix them. We meet for 90-min to debrief, answer all your questions, and start workshopping solutions. I put together a personalized 6-week growth plan to help you solve the biggest bottleneck as quickly as possible. We meet up 1:1 every 6 weeks to strategize together, followed by a new custom growth plan from me. If you're interested in learning more and grabbing one of the remaining spots, reply with "Growth Engine" and I'll send you over all the details. Long-time Scrappy Podcaster (and one of the earliest PMA Members) Sam Guia recently had me on his show, Mics to Millions to talk about how podcasters can (and should) step up their email marketing game. Among other things, we discussed why email is the ultimate sales tool (and how it forms the perfect compliment to a podcast). Check out the episode here. ​ Thanks for being a PMA Member! Jump into the community and let us know what you need help with... or if this issue sparked a question you'd love to discuss further! ​Visit the forum ↗​ ​Join an upcoming live event ↗​ ​Update your billing info ↗​ Reply anytime, I love hearing from you!

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