Who should I follow to learn about Podcasting as a growth channel?

If you want to learn **podcasting as a growth channel** (not just how to record/edit), I’d follow people who think like marketers: audience development, distribution, positioning, partnerships, conversion, and business outcomes. Here’s a strong shortlist: ## Podcast growth strategists - Jay Acunzo - Great for learning **show positioning, storytelling, and building a differentiated media brand**. His work is especially useful if your podcast is a company/founder-led growth channel rather than an entertainment show. - Jeremy Enns - One of the better voices on **audience growth, creative strategy, and sustainable podcast marketing**. Focuses less on hacks and more on why listeners choose to return. [Who do you actually follow for podcast growth / marketing tips?](https://www.reddit.com/r/podcasting/comments/1ppqldo/who_do_you_actually_follow_for_podcast_growth/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - Lauren Passell - Follow for **podcast discovery, recommendations, and listener growth tactics**. She’s known for thinking deeply about how shows get found and shared. [Who do you actually follow for podcast growth / marketing tips?](https://www.reddit.com/r/podcasting/comments/1ppqldo/who_do_you_actually_follow_for_podcast_growth/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - Harry Duran - Particularly useful for **founders, experts, and businesses using podcasts for authority and relationships**, rather than chasing downloads alone. [A Podcast Marketing Strategy for Founders & Experts](https://fullcast.co/blog/podcast-marketing-strategy?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## Podcast business + creator economy thinkers - Eric Nuzum - Follow for a strategic view of podcasting as a **media business**: formats, audiences, monetization, and why certain shows break through. - Dave Jackson - Practical, long-running podcast educator. Good for fundamentals and avoiding common mistakes. - Adam Schaeuble - Strong focus on **turning podcasts into businesses**, including audience growth, newsletters, YouTube, and monetization. [627: Newsletter vs Youtube. Where should podcasters spend their time? | Podcasting Business School: Podcasting Tips for Content Entrepreneurs](https://pod.wave.co/podcast/podcasting-business-school/627-newsletter-vs-youtube-where-should-podcasters-spend-their-time?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## Growth marketers who apply beyond podcasting - Sahil Bloom - Not a podcast specialist, but useful for understanding **audience building, newsletters, personal brands, and creator funnels**. [Growth In Reverse: Newsletter & Email Growth - Podcast - Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growth-in-reverse-newsletter-email-growth/id1781118823?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - Justin Welsh - Useful if your podcast supports a **B2B founder brand**, especially around content repurposing and distribution systems. [Growth In Reverse: Newsletter & Email Growth - Podcast - Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growth-in-reverse-newsletter-email-growth/id1781118823?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## Newsletters / resources worth subscribing to - [Podcast Marketing Academy](https://podcastmarketingacademy.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - Practical frameworks around podcast promotion, audience growth, and marketing systems. [3 (Non-Social) Marketing Channels High-Growth Shows Use to 2x Their Audience - Podcast Marketing Academy](https://podcastmarketingacademy.com/3-podcast-marketing-channels-high-growth-shows/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [Podnews](https://podnews.net?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - Daily industry updates; useful for keeping up with platforms, technology, and business shifts. [13 Podcast Newsletters You'll Want to Subscribe to in 2026](https://cohostpodcasting.com/resources/best-podcast-newsletters/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [Tuned In by CoHost](https://cohostpodcasting.com/tuned-in/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - More brand-marketing oriented: measurement, ROI, and podcast strategy. [Tuned In · The Podcast Newsletter for Brand Marketers · CoHost](https://cohostpodcasting.com/tuned-in/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## Shows I’d study as case studies Instead of only following “podcast gurus,” reverse-engineer successful shows: - My First Million - Great example of personality + repeatable formats + community. - Acquired - Excellent example of niche authority, premium audience, and long-form trust. - Lenny's Podcast - Strong example of a podcast feeding a broader newsletter/community ecosystem. - The Diary Of A CEO - Useful to study clips, video distribution, and guest-driven growth. ## If your goal is **using a podcast to grow a business**, I’d prioritize: 1. Jeremy Enns → audience strategy 2. Harry Duran → founder/expert podcast strategy 3. Adam Schaeuble → monetization and systems 4. Jay Acunzo → positioning and differentiation 5. Study 10 successful podcasts in your niche and copy their **distribution systems**, not their content The biggest mindset shift: a podcast is rarely a standalone acquisition channel. The strongest growth loops usually connect **podcast → clips → newsletter/community → relationships → customers or opportunities**. [S4 112. What 300+ Podcasters Reveal About Podcast Growth in 2025 (Podcast Marketing Trends Report) - The Podcast Space](https://www.thepodcastspace.com/podcast/s4-112-what-300-podcasters-reveal-about-podcast-growth-in-2025-podcast-marketing-trends-report?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

**If you want to learn podcasting as a growth channel, follow both **_**industry thought leaders**_** and **_**practicing podcasters**_** who share strategies on monetization, audience building, and marketing.** The best mix includes consultants, platform executives, and creators who scaled their shows into major brands. ## 🎙️ Key People to Follow Name| Role / Focus| Why Follow ---|---|--- **Fatima Zaidi**| CEO of Quill Inc. & CoHost| Shares insights on podcast production, growth strategies, and branded podcasts [The 75 Top Thought Leaders in Podcasting](https://cohostpodcasting.com/resources/the-75-top-thought-leaders-in-podcasting/) **Tom Webster & Bryan Barletta**| Partners at _Sounds Profitable_| Leading voices on podcast advertising, monetization, and audience analytics [The 75 Top Thought Leaders in Podcasting](https://cohostpodcasting.com/resources/the-75-top-thought-leaders-in-podcasting/) **James Cridland**| Editor of _Podnews_| Daily industry updates, trends, and growth tactics for podcasters [The 75 Top Thought Leaders in Podcasting](https://cohostpodcasting.com/resources/the-75-top-thought-leaders-in-podcasting/) **Steven Bartlett**| Host of _The Diary of a CEO_| Built one of the fastest-growing podcasts globally; shares lessons on scaling content and brand partnerships [14 Top Podcast Influencers of 2026 | TheInfluencersNetwork](https://theinfluencersnetwork.com/blog/podcast-influencers/) **Mel Robbins**| Host of _The Mel Robbins Podcast_| Focuses on personal development but also demonstrates how to build loyal audiences through authenticity [14 Top Podcast Influencers of 2026 | TheInfluencersNetwork](https://theinfluencersnetwork.com/blog/podcast-influencers/) **Ana Xavier**| Founder of _The Podcast Space_| Offers practical coaching on podcast marketing and growth strategies [15 (Must-Follow) Top Podcast Influencers to Boost Your Show’s Success](https://podsqueeze.com/blog/top-podcast-influencers/) **Arielle Nissenblatt**| Founder of _EarBuds Podcast Collective_| Known for community building and podcast discovery strategies [The 75 Top Thought Leaders in Podcasting](https://cohostpodcasting.com/resources/the-75-top-thought-leaders-in-podcasting/) **Lauren Passell**| CEO of _Tink Media_| Specializes in podcast PR, audience growth, and creative marketing campaigns [The 75 Top Thought Leaders in Podcasting](https://cohostpodcasting.com/resources/the-75-top-thought-leaders-in-podcasting/) ## 📈 Why These Voices Matter * **Industry operators (Zaidi, Webster, Barletta, Cridland)** → They provide _data-driven insights_ on monetization, ad tech, and trends. * **Creators(Bartlett, Robbins, Xavier)** → They show _real-world growth playbooks_ from building audiences and scaling shows. * **Community builders (Nissenblatt, Passell)** → They highlight _grassroots strategies_ like cross-promotion, newsletters, and listener engagement. ## ⚠️ Risks & Challenges * **Hype vs. Reality**: Some influencers focus more on personal branding than actionable growth tactics. Always cross-check advice with data. * **Platform Dependence**: Deals like Rogan’s Spotify exclusivity show how platforms can reshape monetization. Diversify distribution to avoid reliance on one channel. * **Rapidly Changing Ad Market**: Podcast advertising is evolving quickly; following _Sounds Profitable_ helps you stay ahead of shifts in CPMs and targeting. ## ✅ Actionable Next Steps 1. **Subscribe to Podnews** for daily industry updates. 2. **Follow Sounds Profitable** for monetization strategies. 3. **Engage with The Podcast Space & Tink Media** for hands-on growth tactics. 4. **Study case studies from The Diary of a CEO and The Mel Robbins Podcast** to see how creators scale audiences. Would you like me to curate a **Twitter/LinkedIn follow list** of these experts so you can plug directly into their insights? That way, you’ll have a ready-made feed of podcast growth strategies.

To learn how to use podcasting as a powerful growth channel - whether you want to build a brand, drive B2B leads, or master organic discovery - you should follow a mix of B2B marketers, podcast network operators, and tactical growth strategists who treat audio and video as funnel drivers rather than vanity metrics. ### 1\. Tactical Growth & B2B Podcasting Experts * **Tom Hunt (SaaScribe / Audience.io):** An incredible voice on using B2B podcasts specifically as a customer acquisition engine. He focuses heavily on the operational side of turning conversations into pipeline, guest-targeted outbound, and treating a podcast as a top-of-funnel demand-gen channel. * **Jay Clouse:** While broadly focused on creator businesses, his deep dives into audience psychology, packaging, retention mechanics, and turning casual listeners into community members or paying customers are second to none. * **Kylee Chandler (Host of _Podcast Growth Tools_):** Excellent for strategy-first insights on moving past vanity metrics, structuring conversion funnels, and utilizing a podcast to scale a digital business or land high-value leads. [Podcast Growth Tools: Turn Listeners Into Paying Customers with](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/podcast-growth-tools-turn-listeners-into-paying-customers/id1790335826#:~:text=With%20nearly%20a%20decade%20of%20experience%20in,200%25%2B%2C%20and%20build%20funnels%20that%20actually%20convert.) ### 2\. Networks & Industry Insiders * **The Podglomerate Team:** As one of the top podcast growth and distribution agencies, they routinely share data-backed insights on cross-promotions, RSS marketing, ad monetization, and what actually moves the needle on charts and retention. * **James Cridland (Podnews):** Essential daily reading. While Podnews is a newsletter rather than a "growth guru" channel, following James keeps you sharp on industry shifts, algorithm updates across Apple and Spotify, and macro trends in how people discover audio. ### 3\. Cross-Platform & Short-Form Repurposing Strategists Because podcast growth in the current landscape relies heavily on top-of-funnel short-form clips (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Reels), you should follow modern video-podcast strategists: * Look toward YouTube-first creators and growth producers who specialize in **packaging, thumbnail psychology, and first-minute retention optimization**. The modern podcast growth playbook is heavily tied to video-first distribution loops (treating a 1-hour episode as a mine for 10 high-impact vertical clips). [Where to find podcast growth gurus/marketing experts? - Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/podcasting/comments/1q6dak6/where_to_find_podcast_growth_gurusmarketing/#:~:text=Look%20at%20the%20staff%20behind%20fast%20growing,well%2C%20because%20they%20see%20what%20actually%20performs.)[Where to find podcast growth gurus/marketing experts? - Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/podcasting/comments/1q6dak6/where_to_find_podcast_growth_gurusmarketing/#:~:text=4%20upvotes%20%C2%B7%205%20comments.%20*%20r%2Fpodcasting.,14%20comments.%20*%20r%2FDigitalMarketing.%20%E2%80%A2%208mo%20ago.) ### Where to look for real-time case studies: Rather than following traditional "podcast setup" generalists who only talk about microphones and hosting platforms, look for operators on **LinkedIn and specialized marketing communities** who share "before-and-after" charts, retention rate improvements, and distribution playbooks from shows that actually scale. [Where to find podcast growth gurus/marketing experts? - Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/podcasting/comments/1q6dak6/where_to_find_podcast_growth_gurusmarketing/#:~:text=In%20terms%20of%20where%20to%20find%20them%2C,the%20ones%20who%20handle%20packaging%20and%20distribution.)

When looking at podcasting strictly as a **growth and marketing channel** (rather than just audio production or equipment), you want to follow practitioners who treat shows as top-of-funnel engines, audience-borrowing mechanisms, and authority builders. The top experts, creators, and resources to follow specialize in leveraging podcasts for business and brand growth: * **Tom Hunt** (Founder of Fame): Excellent follow on LinkedIn and through the MarTech Podcast ecosystem. He focuses heavily on B2B podcast growth, strategic guesting, and converting listeners into actual revenue and pipeline. * ** _Jay Baer_** (Convince & Convert): A master of word-of-mouth and content marketing strategy. While his classic Social Pros Podcast focuses on social-driven brand growth, his frameworks on creating "talk triggers" are vital for making a podcast inherently shareable. [The 15 Best Podcasts for Modern Marketers](https://www.linkedin.com/business/marketing/blog/trends-tips/the-best-podcasts-for-modern-marketers) * ** _Eric Siu_ & _Neil Patel_** (Marketing School Podcast): Their daily short-form episodes are masterclasses in digital distribution. They frequently break down how to cross-pollinate search, social, and audio channels to compound your organic reach. [LinkedIn] * ** _Louis Grenier_** (Everyone Hates Marketers): Perfect for learning differentiation and positioning. His no-fluff approach teaches you how to make a content channel stand out in a crowded market rather than just copying industry noise. * **The Indie Podcasting / Creator Economy Communities** (such as discussions on Reddit Podcasting): Often where tactical "audience borrowing", cross-promotional interview swaps, and newsletter-to-podcast flywheels are debated by operators actively growing shows without massive ad budgets. [How she doubled her listeners in 30 days (and how you can too)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYbCtKyGW8k)[Who do you actually follow for podcast growth / marketing tips?](https://www.reddit.com/r/podcasting/comments/1ppqldo/who_do_you_actually_follow_for_podcast_growth/) Are you looking to use podcasting for **B2B lead generation** , **B2C personal branding** , or **organic media growth**? Let me know so I can tailor specific growth tactics or recommend a case study for your niche.