What Is a Podcast Audit?
Leah Bryant [00:00:00 - 00:01:12]:
[00:00:00] welcome back to the Podcasting Problem Solver. [00:00:05] I'm Leah Bryant, your go to Podcast Growth Strategist, here to coach you to podcast strategically for better results. [00:00:14] So I've been getting a lot of questions lately in my DMs, in my inbox from podcasters asking what a podcast audit is and what it means for their show. [00:00:27] So I figured it was time to kind of pull back the curtain, if you will, on this, since I've been talking a lot about podcast audits and share it with you. [00:00:35] But first, I want to ask you something. [00:00:39] So when you hear the word podcast audit, what comes to mind? [00:00:44] Are you thinking, hmm, 40 page PDF sitting in your downloads folder that you'll never read? [00:00:52] Or maybe it's some vague loom video full of optimize this energy. [00:00:59] Or maybe it's someone telling you to post on social media more and magically watch your download soar. [00:01:07] Yeah, I've seen all of that too, out there on these Internet streets.
Why Podcast Audits Are Misunderstood
Leah Bryant [00:01:12 - 00:02:10]:
[00:01:12] But here's what I want you to know. [00:01:15] The word audit has become one of the most, I think, misunderstood words in podcasting. [00:01:22] And if I'm being completely honest with you, it's part of why so many podcasters feel stuck. [00:01:28] So today I want to do something a little different. [00:01:31] I'm going to walk you through how I audit a podcast, what I'm actually looking for, and what you can borrow from this process starting today. [00:01:41] Okay, Think of it like this is a taste of the real thing, right? [00:01:46] Because a true audit is personalized, it's actionable. [00:01:50] But what you'll be able to do today is leave this episode seeing your show way more clearly than you do right now. [00:01:58] Okay, Most podcasters think that an audit is going to be one of two extremes, like a tear down of your tech setup or a list of everything you're supposedly doing wrong.
The Real Issues Block Podcast Growth
Leah Bryant [00:02:10 - 00:02:52]:
[00:02:10] But my friend, that's missing the point. [00:02:13] And this is why my audits are so different. [00:02:16] The real problem usually isn't effort, which I say all the time on this podcast, on my social media, in my emails, when I talk to podcasters in the dms. [00:02:28] Because you're publishing consistently, you care about your quality, you're showing up. [00:02:34] The real issue is the misalignment. [00:02:38] Your podcast isn't supporting the business the way you hoped. [00:02:42] And that's why my audits don't just start with what gear you're using, what platforms you're using, or what promotion tactics you have going on. [00:02:51] They start with.
SEAMLESS Podcast Audit Framework
Leah Bryant [00:02:56 - 00:03:23]:
[00:02:56] That's right, you guessed it. [00:02:59] My seamless podcast framework If I only had 15 minutes, let's say, to understand what's blocking a podcaster's growth, here's exactly where I'd look. [00:03:08] And yes, you can absolutely use this. [00:03:11] I want you to take notes, send me questions in the dms, send me an email, come back and listen to it later. [00:03:16] All the things. [00:03:17] Okay. [00:03:18] All right. [00:03:18] So first up is phase one, which is strategic positioning, which is the S.
Phase 1: Strategic Positioning
Leah Bryant [00:03:24 - 00:04:35]:
[00:03:24] That's right in seamless. [00:03:26] So this is the biggest domino, like, so big that everything else will fall from here. [00:03:32] So I ask, who is this podcast for? [00:03:35] What problem does it solve consistently, and how is it meant to support the business? [00:03:42] I'm looking at the execution, yes, because that intention matters, but I need to see what's actually happening, because if I can't tell in the first 90 seconds who this show is for and why it exists, and guess what? [00:03:58] Yes, growth will always be an uphill battle. [00:04:04] Here's what I'm really digging into in this phase. [00:04:09] Is your podcast trying to serve everyone, or does it have a clear point of view? [00:04:15] Are your episode topics all over the map, or do they ladder up to something cohesive? [00:04:22] And when someone lands on your show, can they immediately tell that it's for them? [00:04:28] Because here's what I want you to remember. [00:04:30] You might know exactly who you're talking to in your head. [00:04:34] Yes, we all do. [00:04:35] Right.
Phase 2: Streamlined Execution
Leah Bryant [00:04:35 - 00:05:57]:
[00:04:35] But if that's not coming through in the podcast itself, then you're going to be invisible to the people who need you the most. [00:04:43] And that, my friend, is strategic positioning, because everything else depends on getting this piece right. [00:04:50] Phase two is streamlined execution, and this is where I will look at your workflow and behind the scenes. [00:04:58] Like, how are your ideas turning into episodes and what tools and systems are in place? [00:05:05] And is there a repeatable process? [00:05:08] Or does it feel like you're reinventing the wheel every single week? [00:05:12] Because we don't want that. [00:05:14] I'm going to be asking questions like, can you maintain this? [00:05:17] Or is burnout already creeping in and knocking on your do? [00:05:23] I'm going to be looking at things like, do you have templates for your show notes? [00:05:27] Do you have, like, a batching system for when you record? [00:05:31] Is there clear ownership over who does what and when? [00:05:34] Let's say if you have a team. [00:05:36] Or are you piecing it together every single episode and hoping and praying you remembered what worked last time? [00:05:42] Because that's not going to benefit you. [00:05:43] Right? [00:05:44] If your workflow fights you instead of supporting you, then that's when consistency becomes impossible. [00:05:52] And that, my friend, is where most podcasts quietly fade out, and we don't want that.
Phase 3: Optimized Attraction & Podcast Discoverability
Leah Bryant [00:05:58 - 00:07:29]:
[00:05:58] And all of this, again, is the streamlined execution phase, where we're turning ideas into episodes without draining your energy in the process. [00:06:08] All right, phase three, which is probably my second favorite phase. [00:06:12] The first favorite, I bet you can't guess. [00:06:15] Probably. [00:06:16] You can definitely. [00:06:19] Strategy. [00:06:19] Yes. [00:06:20] But my next favorite is the optimized attraction phase.
Leah Bryant [00:06:24 - 00:07:29]:
[00:06:24] So this is where I'm going to look at how your podcast is really getting discovered. [00:06:29] I'm going to be diving into, like, your show title, your episode title, your show description, your episode description, your show notes, and I'm asking one main question. [00:06:40] Are you ready? [00:06:42] Would someone searching for the help that you can provide recognize themselves in your podcast? [00:06:50] If your titles are clever but unclear, or maybe descriptive but totally unsearchable? [00:06:57] Well, your podcast is essentially invisible friend, even when your content itself is phenomenal. [00:07:06] And here's what I mean by that. [00:07:08] All right, I'm going to give two examples. [00:07:09] I'm going to use the same first title. [00:07:12] Okay, so let's say your title is episode 47, the thing nobody talks about. [00:07:19] And yes, sure, that might be intriguing to your existing audience who knows you, who knows your podcast, who knows what you're talking about, but to someone new, that's not going to tell them diddly.
SEO for Podcast Titles and Descriptions
Leah Bryant [00:07:30 - 00:08:25]:
[00:07:30] They're not going to know anything. [00:07:32] It's like, I have no idea what this is, and they're going to keep scrolling. [00:07:35] So now I'm going to give you two examples. [00:07:37] The first one is going to be for a fitness coach, and the second one is going to be for, let's say, a business coach. [00:07:41] Okay, so original title, a thing nobody talks about. [00:07:46] Well, if I'm looking for fitness advice, that definitely not going to help me. [00:07:50] So what am I going to do? [00:07:52] What if we use the title, like, why you're not losing weight even when you're doing everything right? [00:07:56] Well, bye, George. [00:07:57] I'm listening to that episode.
Leah Bryant [00:07:59 - 00:08:25]:
[00:07:59] Yes. [00:08:00] All right, next up, your business coach example. [00:08:03] So you have an episode, the thing nobody talks about. [00:08:06] Well, I have no idea what that's about. [00:08:08] New title, why your offers aren't selling, and the messaging fix that changes is everything. [00:08:14] Well, you better bet your buttered biscuits I'm listening to that one. [00:08:18] See how it is? [00:08:19] It's like the same content in both of those, but they're completely different as far as discoverability. [00:08:25] Okay.
Using Keywords to Boost Podcast Discovery
Leah Bryant [00:08:26 - 00:09:31]:
[00:08:26] I'm also looking at whether your descriptions are really describing what's in the episode or if they're just kind of generic blah. [00:08:35] Because podcast Apps and search engines, they're reading that text friend, and if it's vague, you are not getting found. [00:08:43] We want keywords in there, we want it structured, we want all the things. [00:08:48] And again, this is all under the optimized attraction where we are using SEO and podcast search optimization principles so the right people will find you, listen to you, consume all of your episodes, work with you all the things. [00:09:04] Okay, all right. [00:09:06] The last but certainly not least phase is sustainable momentum. [00:09:12] And this is where I look at what happens after you hit publish, because that's just as important. [00:09:17] What's your promotion strategy? [00:09:19] Are you using data to make adjustments? [00:09:22] Do your episodes compound over time or do they just disappear into the abyss after you hit publish? [00:09:29] Because that's important to know.
Phase 4: Building Sustainable Podcast Growth
Leah Bryant [00:09:31 - 00:10:40]:
[00:09:31] And here's the thing that podcasters forget. [00:09:35] Are you building in intentional rest or are you pushing through until you crash? [00:09:42] You burn out, fade out again is knocking at your door. [00:09:46] So in this phase, I'm checking things like are you looking at your download trends to see which topics are resonating? [00:09:53] Are you repurposing your content strategically or just posting once and hoping, praying for the best? [00:10:00] Do you have systems that help older episodes keep working for you, or does everything rely on being, quote, unquote, brand new? [00:10:11] Let me tell you, if you have a backlog of episodes, don't just record those, talk about it one time and then let them go. [00:10:18] No, we want to bring them up and talk about them all the time. [00:10:22] You can weave them in in your newsletters, in your content, on social media, in your DMs. [00:10:28] You could create playlists on Spotify and use that as objections for, let's say you're talking to somebody, right? [00:10:35] A potential client. [00:10:37] Oh, you have this objection. [00:10:38] Well, here are these five episodes that talk about that objection.
Leveraging Old Episodes for Podcast Marketing
Leah Bryant [00:10:41 - 00:11:18]:
[00:10:41] Bam. [00:10:41] See what those old episodes can do for you. [00:10:44] Don't let them sit there. [00:10:46] I'll get out with my soapbox and we'll continue. [00:10:49] And I'm also looking at whether your setup allows for breaks. [00:10:55] Because fun fact, sustainable growth means you can take a week off without your entire strategy falling apart. [00:11:03] It means that you are batching smarter and not just hustling, because I am not about that, friend. [00:11:10] And this is again, the sustainable momentum we're setting you up for long term growth without burning out in the process.
Real Client Podcast Audit Results
Leah Bryant [00:11:19 - 00:13:23]:
[00:11:19] Now, I want to give you a real example of how this plays out, because, you know, I like to do that. [00:11:23] I audited a client's podcast this year and they were absolutely, positively convinced that their problem was all around Promotion. [00:11:33] They had low downloads, they had flat growth, and they figured they just needed to be on more platforms and post more consistently. [00:11:42] But here's what I saw when I dug in, I noticed something completely different. [00:11:48] And this is the benefit of using my brain. [00:11:51] I see all the things people miss, right? [00:11:53] Bringing in those fraud investigation skills, what I found was that their strategic positioning was unclear. [00:12:02] The show topic wandered, and it was hard to tell who it was really for. [00:12:07] And their titles were honestly written for people who were already fans of the podcast.
Leah Bryant [00:12:12 - 00:13:23]:
[00:12:12] Zero contacts for someone discovering them for the first time, amazing conversations happening inside the episodes, and you could tell that they knew their stuff without a doubt, but totally invisible to anyone searching. [00:12:27] So we didn't change their publishing cadence. [00:12:31] We didn't add more social platforms, because ain't nobody got time for that jazz. [00:12:35] What we did, we worked on clarifying their positioning, tightening those titles and aligning the show with their actual business goals. [00:12:46] And within weeks, their downloads increased, which is what we all want, right? [00:12:51] But you want to know what's more awesome? [00:12:54] And what I think matters more is that the right people started listening. [00:13:00] And from those right people that were listening, you know what they did? [00:13:02] Yes, they started reaching out. [00:13:04] And that's what happens when you follow the evidence instead of guessing at solutions. [00:13:10] And if all this sounds familiar and you're wondering, holy banana pants, Leah, what's actually blocking my podcast growth? [00:13:18] Well, you're in luck, because my seamless growth audit is designed to give you this exact clarity.
Get Clarity and Take Action on Podcast Growth
Leah Bryant [00:13:23 - 00:14:56]:
[00:13:23] I will link that in the show notes below. [00:13:26] If you want to borrow this audit mindset, I want you to start here. [00:13:30] Got your pencils? [00:13:32] Okay. [00:13:32] Ready? [00:13:33] I want you to ask yourself, can a stranger tell who this podcast is for within one episode? [00:13:41] Does your workflow support consistency, or does it constantly fight against you? [00:13:50] Would someone searching for your main topic really recognize your titles? [00:13:57] And are your episodes building momentum over time, or are you starting from scratch every single week? [00:14:07] See, the thing is, is that you don't need to fix everything at once. [00:14:10] And I don't want you to do that. [00:14:12] No, sir. [00:14:13] No, ma'. [00:14:13] Am.
Leah Bryant [00:14:14 - 00:14:56]:
[00:14:14] The only thing you need to do is you need to be able to see this clearly, right? [00:14:19] And this entire process lives inside my seamless podcast framework. [00:14:24] The strategic positioning, the streamlined execution, the optimized attraction, and the sustainable momentum working together. [00:14:33] And this episode. [00:14:34] Well, my friend, it is just a taste. [00:14:37] Because when I do a podcast gross audit, it's personalized, it's specific, and it's actionable. [00:14:43] The opposite of generic advice. [00:14:45] You've already heard a dozen times. [00:14:47] If you want clarity on why your podcast isn't growing and exactly what to do next, booking an audit is the most strategic place to start.
Purposeful Podcast Audits for Lasting Growth
Leah Bryant [00:14:57 - 00:15:39]:
[00:14:57] I again will link it below. [00:14:59] And if this episode helped shift how you think about your podcast, make sure you're following the show. [00:15:05] Come hang out with me on threads or Instagram for more behind the scenes strategy like this. [00:15:11] Those are below too, because here's what I want you to remember. [00:15:14] You do not need to work harder. [00:15:16] No, you need the right intel. [00:15:19] See what I did there? [00:15:21] And now you know exactly where to look cause I shared it with you. [00:15:25] All right, friend, I will see you in the next episode of the Podcasting Problem Solver.
Leah Bryant [00:15:29 - 00:15:39]:
[00:15:29] Until then, keep your podcast purposeful, keep auditing strategically, and keep your podcast growth seamless. [00:15:38] And I'll see you next time.
