✊ One wrong word might just kill your podcast

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Happy Friday friends,

Sometimes, one word is all it takes to make or break your podcast.

The right word, in the right place—the title, perhaps—can capture and bottle your show's essence, perfectly framing who and what it's for, and what makes it interesting.

The wrong word, on the other hand...

The wrong word can instantly plant doubt, confusion, and disinterest in your potential listener's mind, causing them to pass over your show in search of something that more clearly speaks to them and their desires, frustrations, and interests.

Finding the right words, metaphors, and framing devices for your show isn't easy.

James Clear workshopped 400 title ideas before he landed on Atomic Habits, the title that would ultimately carry his book to selling more than 20 million copies and becoming a global phenomenon.

But make no mistake, settling for a show title, tagline, and messaging that doesn't immediately light up the eyes of potential listeners is the fastest path to obscurity.

Take the show Monster In My Closet.

After reading the title, what do you suspect this show is about?

Ok, I'll give you another hint.

How about after looking at the cover art?

Still no clue?

I won't spoil the surprise, but it turns out, the show is actually built on a unique and (perhaps) refreshing theme.

It has promise, in other words.

The problem is that the theme likely isn't being framed—primarily through the title—in a way that listeners intuitively understand, connect with, or relate to.

Which means it's costing them listeners.

All because of a few measly words.

This is one of the most common problems in podcasting.

In fact, if your show is struggling to grow, there's a good chance your messaging is a core part of the issue.

So in this episode of Roast My Podcast, Justin and I break down the specific issues with the title and broader framing of the show, to help them—and you—understand how to develop and make the most of a promising premise.

👉 Check out the roast on YouTube here.

If you're feeling brave enough to submit your own show for a roast, here's how to do it:

1. ​Subscribe to our show, Podcast Marketing Trends Explained​
2. Leave us a review that includes your show name
3. Wait nervously on pins and needles, hoping that we don't (or do) pick you

Have a great weekend. And as always...

Stay Scrappy, Whenever you're ready to get serious about growth for your show and business, here are three ways we can work together: Identify the hidden gaps in your podcast marketing & conversion strategy with the EARS Marketing Assessment ​​ Complete this short 2-min quiz and get a personalized assessment of the biggest issues keeping you from more listeners, clients, and customers, plus recommendations on how to fix them. ​ Get the step-by-step playbook for your first 500 podcast subscribers​ ​ ​First500 is a short, highly-actionable course & playbook walking you through the specific steps to find your ideal listeners, boost your exposure, and convert them into subscribers. Stripped of complex marketing strategies, jargon, and fluff, the course can be completed in one sitting and will get you growing immediately. ​ Work with me privately (Next Availability: August 2025) ​ ​If you're a coach, consultant, service provider, or online educator who's been producing your show for at least a year, have a proven product or service, and are looking for help converting more listeners into clients and growing your show, send me an email with the subject line "Podcast Growth Engine". Tell me a bit about your show, your business, and what you'd like to work on together and I'll get you all the relevant details on how we can work together to add $1k-$5k/mo in podcast-driven revenue to your business within 8 weeks and then scale up from there. 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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