Launching your podcast is one thing. Getting people to actually listen to it is a completely different challenge.
Many new podcasters think that downloads will come naturally once the show goes live.
they do not. You need a plan.
Our resident evangelist Joe Casabona has been podcasting for 15 years, launching shows to large audiences and in complete silence, and thinking deeply about what really moves the needle.
This post covers Joe’s five things that will get you to 1,000 downloads, and then what you actually need to do once you get there.
Let’s join in.
Like to watch? watch our video 5 Ways to Get Your First 1,000 Podcast Downloads in 2026
Part One: Getting to 1,000 Downloads
1. Get started with podcast SEO
SEO stands for search engine optimization and it applies to podcasts as well. When someone searches for a topic related to your show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or even Google, you want your podcast to show up.
The good news is that there are several places in your RSS.com dashboard where you can load relevant keywords right now: your show title, your description, your categories, and even the author field. These feed into search results across all platforms.
Don’t just call your show by its name and leave it at that. Add a subtitle or tagline that includes the specific words your ideal audience will actually search for. If your show helps solo entrepreneurs manage their time, say that clearly. “Time management for solo entrepreneurs” is something that people search for. Your clever show probably doesn’t have a name.
Do this before launching if you can. But if your show is already live, it’s not too late. Jump in now and customize.
2. Be everywhere from day one
Some podcasters have been told to launch only on Apple Podcasts and Spotify at first, then expand later. That’s not good advice. You want your show on every major platform from the moment you publish your first episode.
Why? Because not everyone is on Apple or Spotify. Some listeners live on YouTube, Pocketcasts, Overcast, Amazon Music, or a dozen other apps.
If you’re on RSS.com, the Delivery tab does the heavy lifting. You can submit your show to every major directory, and RSS.com will either automatically submit it for you or tell you how to do it.
On the paid plan, you can also convert your audio episodes into videos and publish them directly to YouTube. No additional production is required.
The more places your show is present, the easier it will be for new listeners to find it in the apps they already use.
3. Actually tell people about it
This seems obvious. That’s not the case for many people.
Email your mailing list. Post on social media, but don’t just leave a link.
Instead, share helpful clips that show people what the show is really about.
Tell your friends and family. Put this in your email signature. Mention it in conversation when it’s relevant.
If you don’t tell people your show exists, they won’t know. SEO and distribution help people find you passively over time. Word of mouth is what creates the initial momentum. Both matter, and neither takes the place of the other.
When you’re a guest on another show or attending an event and someone asks what you do, mention podcasts. This is a free advertisement for exactly the kind of person who can listen.
4. Be a guest on other podcasts and swap podcasts
The fastest way to reach new listeners is to get in front of those who already have a habit of listening to podcasts. The best way to do this is to appear on other shows.
When you introduce yourself as a guest, focus on what value you’ll bring to their audience, not just why it would be good for you. Do your research. Make sure the show actually does the interview before you arrive. A pitch that clearly shows you’ve heard the show goes a long way.
Podcast swaps are another option, especially in the beginning. You reach out to a similar show and offer to swap trailers or episodes: they publish something from you in their feed, you publish something from them in your feed. This instantly puts you in front of a lookalike audience.
RSS.com’s community directory is a good starting point for finding shows to connect to. If you’re on a paid plan, the RSS Spaces community also has dedicated areas for podcast swaps and guests watching the show.
When you’re a guest on a show and the host asks where people can find you, always mention your podcast specifically. Don’t just say your website. Specify the name of the podcast and where to listen.
5. Ask for ratings and reviews
The standard CTA at the end of each episode of “Please rate and review us” is so common it barely registers anymore. But ratings and reviews still matter, especially on Apple Podcasts.
Apple’s algorithm takes into account ratings and reviews when determining how often it airs a show, whether it recommends it to new listeners, and whether it places it on the charts. A few strong reviews can meaningfully lead to where your show appears to people searching for podcasts in your category.
They also provide social proof. A new listener who is undecided about whether or not to invest time in your show is more likely to tune in if he or she can see that other people find it worthwhile.
A simple, specific CTA works better than a generic version. Try something like: “If this episode helped you, leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. It helps new listeners find the show.” It’s specific, it gives cause and it’s easy to act on.
Part Two: You hit 1,000 downloads. what now?
Watch our second video I hit 1,000 podcast downloads. what now?
First: Congratulations. Most podcasts don’t even go beyond seven episodes, let alone 1,000 downloads.
You are already ahead of most of the shows launched so far.
Now here’s what not to do: Don’t try to make money right away with a big offer before you know anything about your audience.
Who knows it from experience. Early in his podcasting career, he became excited when a show achieved one million downloads in the first ten months. So they started membership at $5 a month. But, since they had no direct line to my audience and no real understanding of what they wanted, that subscription cost me $6 a month. One million downloads. Six dollars a month.
The issue was not the idea. The point was that he had not done the two things that needed to happen first.
Step 1: Do a tuneup
Now you’ve got the real data. use it.
Go into your RSS.com analytics and see which episodes are performing the best. Not just total downloads! See what topics are popular, what titles are getting clicks, what’s keeping people coming back. Then double it.
If your single episode on a specific topic performs better than every interview you do, that’s telling you something. Stop guessing what your audience wants and let the numbers guide you.
While you’re there, pay attention to your packaging, too. This means your show’s title, tagline, description, and cover art.
Now that you have some data to work with, ask if those elements are clearly conveying what your show is really about.
– Does your description include the words your best performing episodes are known for?
– Does your artwork stand out in directories next to other shows in your category?
TuneUp isn’t just about content. It’s about making sure new listeners can find you and immediately understand why they should listen.
Step 2: Build a direct line to your audience
This is the thing Joe most wishes he’d done earlier, and that’s building an email list for his podcast.
Having 1,000 downloads doesn’t mean you can reach 1,000 people. Most of those listeners will come and go without giving you any way to contact them.
An email list changes that.
When someone joins your list, they’ve raised their hand and said they want to hear more from you. This is your most engaged audience, and this is where future demand like paid offers, sponsorships, and community invitations will really come from.
Choose a clear call to action and repeat it consistently.
“Join my mailing list” is the right step for most shows at this stage.
To make it more compelling, tie it to something useful such as a checklist, a resource, a short guide tied to your most popular episode topic.
Give people a reason to sign up other than “stay in the loop.”
Once you make that list, even if it’s a short one, you have something real. You can ask them what they want. You can find out what they will pay for. You can stop guessing.
Step 3: Start Adding Monetization Features
With your data in hand and a direct line to your audience, you can now start thinking about making money from your show. And, you can do this without putting the cart before the horse.
RSS.com has several monetization tools built right into its dashboard. How to think about each at this stage:
Paid (programmatic ads inserted dynamically): This is a programmatic advertising feature of RSS.com. You enable it once, and ads are automatically inserted into your episodes. You can choose pre-roll, mid-roll, post-roll or all of the above.
You only need 10 downloads per month to qualify, and 70% of the revenue stays yours. Joe’s smaller, relaunched show was making money within the first month. It won’t replace a salary, but it will grow alongside your shows as your downloads grow. Learn more about payments here.
Donations and grants: Add a donation button to your RSS.com public podcast website. It appears on your show’s page and in apps that support it. This is the easiest, lowest-effort monetization you can set up. All it takes is a link to a PayPal, Patreon, Buy Me a Coffee, or similar account.
Value for Value: This is a Podcasting 2.0 feature that lets listeners send micro-payments in Bitcoin while listening. It’s not for everyone, but for shows with technologically forward audiences it’s worth enabling. RSS.com supports this through integration with Albi.
CodeADX (Affiliate Sponsorship): RSS.com has partnered with CodeADX, which lets you browse the marketplace of brands and choose the ones that are really a good fit for your show. You get a custom promo code, promote it in your own voice, and earn 15 to 20% commission when listeners use it. No minimum audience limits, no complicated applications.
Apple Podcast Subscriptions: It gets its own note. Should you launch a paid membership or subscription at 1,000 downloads? Perhaps.
But only if you’ve already done steps one and two.
You need to know what your audience is interested in and a way to reach them before you ask them to pay. If you’ve done your tuneup and you’ve built your email list and you have a real feeling that your audience values you enough to pay, then yes. RSS.com makes it easy to set up payment tiers through Apple Podcasts subscriptions. If you haven’t done those things yet, wait.
keep going
Getting 1,000 downloads is proof that your show is worth something new. The goal now is to understand your audience better than you did in the first episode, create direct access to people who love what you’re doing, and add revenue streams that grow alongside your show rather than in front of it.
Are you ready to start your own podcast or move to a host that gives you all these tools in one place?
Get started for free at RSS.com. Our free Local & Niche plan has no limits on episodes or downloads, so you can build momentum before spending anything.
