Podcasting (2026)

If you mean “Who should I follow to learn how to use podcasting as a growth/distribution channel for a business?”, I’d avoid most of the “how to start a podcast” crowd.

My shortlist:

1. Jeremy Enns - probably my #1 follow. He approaches podcast growth as a marketing problem: positioning, discoverability, retention, audience behavior, and converting attention into business outcomes. He says his clients’ shows have generated 70M+ downloads and substantial revenue. Podcast Marketing Trends Explained | Podcast Growth Show - Podcast Marketing Academy
   Follow for: podcast positioning + audience growth.

2. John Corcoran / Rise25 - especially good if you're thinking B2B, founder-led growth, sales, partnerships, or relationship building. His thesis is basically: don't optimize for downloads; use the podcast to systematically build relationships with prospects, clients and strategic partners. John Corcoran | Rise25 Co-Founder & Podcast Growth Strategist
   Follow for: podcast → pipeline.

3. Justin Jackson - co-founder of Transistor. His perspective is useful because he sits at the intersection of podcasting + SaaS + audience businesses, rather than treating podcasting as an isolated medium. He's also co-hosting the podcast-growth show with Enns. Podcast Marketing Trends Explained | Podcast Growth Show - Podcast Marketing Academy
   Follow for: the business mechanics of podcasting.

4. Lauren Passell / Tink Media - I'd put her on the list for promotion, audience development and podcast marketing. She comes up repeatedly in podcasting communities when people ask specifically about promotion rather than production. Who do you actually follow for podcast growth / marketing tips?
   Follow for: creative promotion and audience development.

5. Alexandra Cohl - particularly useful if you're interested in audience development, editorial strategy and PR rather than just social-media clips. She's worked on audience growth for major podcast properties and previously ran podcast PR/marketing work. Podcast Pros to Follow on Social Media | Podglomerate
   Follow for: editorial + audience strategy.

6. América Turner - a more tactical follow for podcast audits, marketing and audience development. She focuses on diagnosing shows and figuring out what can actually improve their growth. Podcast Pros to Follow on Social Media | Podglomerate
   Follow for: practical growth analysis.

But I'd also study the operators, not just the experts

Two shows are particularly worth reverse-engineering:

• Acquired - a phenomenal case study in turning a podcast into a premium media brand and network effect. Their strategy is almost the opposite of “post more clips”: extraordinary depth, scarcity, strong positioning and an unusually valuable audience. The Smartest People in the Room Are All Listening to the Same Podcast
• The Diary of a CEO - useful for studying how a podcast can become a broader content/distribution engine, particularly through video and social.

If I were building a learning feed

I'd start with just four:

Jeremy Enns → John Corcoran → Justin Jackson → Lauren Passell

And I'd use them to answer four different questions:

What should we make? → Who should we talk to? → How does it become a business asset? → How do we distribute it?

That's a much better mental model than “how do I get more podcast downloads?”

One particularly important distinction: hosting a podcast and appearing as a guest on podcasts are two very different growth channels. Guesting can function almost like targeted outbound/content marketing - getting you in front of highly relevant audiences without having to build the audience yourself. Why Podcast Guesting Is A Powerful Customer Acquisition Strategy

If you tell me what you're trying to grow (startup, SaaS, consulting, personal brand, etc.), I can narrow this to the 10 people I'd actually follow on X/LinkedIn/YouTube, ranked by usefulness.

To learn about podcasting specifically as a growth, marketing, and acquisition channel (rather than just audio production or gear), you want to follow creators and strategists who focus on audience acquisition, funnels, distribution, and monetization.

The top experts, creators, and resources to follow depend on the specific angle of growth you want to master:

1. B2B & Content-Led Growth Podcasting

If your goal is to use a podcast as a top-of-funnel engine for a business, SaaS, or personal brand:

• James Carbary (Sweet Fish Media): Author of Content-Based Networking. He specializes in using a B2B podcast not just to get listeners, but to network directly with ideal clients and turn guests into pipeline.

• Logan Lyles: Known for deep dives into B2B content marketing strategies, distribution frameworks, and how to repurpose long-form audio into short-form growth drivers.

2. Solo Creators & Practical Funnel Builders

If you want tactical, step-by-step frameworks on turning listeners into customers and optimizing discoverability:

• Pat Flynn (Smart Passive Income): A pioneer in digital business and long-running podcasting. He frequently shares modern strategies on how podcasts fit into an ecosystem to build trust and email lists.

• Kylee Chandler (Podcast Growth Tools): Excellent for actionable, modern advice on conversion mechanics, marketing funnels, and scaling a show into a full-time business. Podcast Growth Tools: Turn Listeners Into Paying Customers with

3. Industry Platforms & Data Insights

To understand algorithmic growth, directory SEO, and platform dynamics:

• Spotify for Creators (formerly Spotify for Podcasters): Follow their official blog, newsletters, and creator channels for data-backed updates on how audio and video discovery algorithms behave on Spotify.

• Apple Podcasts Marketing Blog / Resources: Essential for keeping up with metadata optimization, chart mechanics, and listener behavior on Apple's ecosystem.

4. Communities & Reddit Insights

• r/podcasting: While it covers everything from gear to troubleshooting, searching threads on "podcast marketing," "funnels," or "growth strategies" yields unfiltered, real-world case studies from operators actively scaling shows.

What specific type of product, business, or brand are you trying to grow with your podcast? (e.g., a B2B SaaS, a personal brand/creator business, or an e-commerce brand) Let me know so I can tailor more specific creators or case studies for you.

If you want to treat podcasting as a true growth channel (rather than just a hobby or a branding exercise), you need to look past generic "how to start a podcast" advice and focus on audience development, distribution packaging, funnel building, and data-driven repurposing.

The top experts, creators, and resources to follow for modern podcast growth strategies include:

• • Ant Smith (The Mastermind Behind The Diary of a CEO Trailers) * Why follow him: Ant is widely recognized for engineering the short-form clip and trailer strategy that helped propel Steven Bartlett’s The Diary of a CEO into a global powerhouse. He frequently breaks down how to build curiosity, hook viewers, and optimize for algorithmic discovery. Check out his insights and case studies on Ant Smith's Substack.

• ** James Cridland (Podnews)**

  • Why follow him: If you want to understand the actual mechanics of the podcast ecosystem - RSS feeds, app updates (Spotify/Apple), industry metrics, and where the attention is shifting - his daily newsletter is mandatory reading. Subscribe or browse archives on Podnews.

• ** David Hooper (Big Podcast Playbook)**

  • Why follow him: Hooper focuses heavily on the intersection of audio content and direct marketing. His material cuts through fluff to deliver specific, actionable playbooks on audience retention, listener engagement, and monetization. Listen or subscribe via Apple Podcasts - Big Podcast Playbook. Grow Your Podcast. Build Your Audience. - Apple Podcasts

• ** Jeremy Enns (Podcast Marketing Academy)**

  • Why follow him: Jeremy specializes in organic growth loops and turning casual listeners into an engaged email subscriber base. He focuses on sustainable promotion strategies rather than vanity metrics.

• Rob Conlin & The Enrollify Team

  • Why follow him: For a B2B and demand-generation perspective, Conlin treats podcasting like a high-intent media network rather than just an offshoot of social media. He shares great frameworks on resource allocation, pacing, and storytelling conversion. Check out their deep dives on the Enrollify YouTube Channel. Ep. 76: Stop Treating Podcasting Like Another Social Platform

Are you looking to grow a B2B/Lead Generation podcast or a Consumer/B2C show? Let me know, and I can tailor specific growth frameworks or recommend a matching case study.

Follow Jeremy Enns for data-driven podcast marketing, and explore his show Podcast Marketing Trends Explained. For practical growth tactics, try Kevin Chemidlin’s Grow The Show and the Podcast Growth Show.(millionpodcasts.com)(podcasts.apple.com)(podcasts.apple.com)

If you want to learn about podcasting as a growth channel, the best approach is to follow a mix of podcasting coaches, growth marketing podcasters, and marketing experts who frequently share insights on scaling through audio. Here are some standout names and shows:

🎙 Podcasting Coaches & Influencers

• Sean Loots – Founder of The Podcast Catalyst, helps podcasters with strategy launches and coaching.

• Ana Xavier – Founder of The Podcast Space, offers tailored coaching and marketing strategies for podcasters.

• Stafennie Marrone – Runs The Social Media Butterfly, focusing on social media growth tied to podcasting.

• Aazad Shan – Marketing strategist with cross-industry expertise, often sharing podcast growth tactics.15 (Must-Follow) Top Podcast Influencers to Boost Your Show’s Success

🚀 Growth Marketing Podcasts (with strong podcasting insights)

• Lenny’s Podcast (Lenny Rachitsky) – Interviews product and growth leaders with actionable advice.

• Marketing School (Neil Patel & Eric Siu) – Daily lessons on SEO, content, and digital growth, often tied to podcasting.

• The GaryVee Audio Experience (Gary Vaynerchuk) – High-energy marketing and growth insights, including podcasting as a brand channel.

• Growth Triggers – Focuses on content marketing and AI, with practical growth strategies.

• The Proffitt Podcast – Tactical advice for entrepreneurs leveraging podcasting.Best Growth Marketing Podcasts by Category (2026)Top Marketing Podcasts 2026: The Ultimate List for Growth

🌟 Marketing Experts Who Are Great Podcast Guests

• Audrey Wiggins – Brand strategist and podcast host, strong on visibility and digital growth.

• Beverly Cornell – Expert in brand clarity and positioning, often featured on marketing podcasts.

• Brandon Leibowitz – SEO and Google Ads expert, frequently discusses organic growth tied to podcasts.Top Podcast Guests Who Talk About Marketing

📈 B2B Growth-Focused Shows

• B2B Growth – Covers content and marketing lessons for scaling businesses.

• Marketing Against The Grain (Kipp Bodnar & Kieran Flanagan) – Focuses on marketing trends and growth tactics.

• Everyone Hates Marketers (Louis Grenier) – No-fluff actionable marketing strategies, often relevant to podcast growth.

• Forget The Funnel Podcast (Claire Suellentrop & Georgiana Laudi) – Customer-led growth framework, useful for podcasters building audiences.The Best B2B Marketing Podcasts for Growth Marketers in 2026 | Growth Method

✅ Tip: Follow these experts on LinkedIn, Twitter/X, and YouTube, since many repurpose podcast content into bite-sized growth insights.

Would you like me to create a curated “starter list” of 5 people/shows that balance podcasting craft with growth marketing strategy so you don’t get overwhelmed?