You're ready to launch your brand new podcast but how you market your podcast before launch can determine how many listeners you have on day one.

Today, I’m sharing how to market your podcast before it even goes live, so you can build excitement, attract your audience, and set yourself up for a successful launch!

Now, let’s get into the five key steps to marketing your podcast before it even launches!

How to Develop a Clear and Compelling Podcast Brand

Before you start promoting your podcast, you need to have a clear and compelling brand. Your branding helps people instantly understand what your show is about and why they should listen.

So Ask yourself:

What’s the main transformation or value my podcast provides?

What makes it different from others in my niche?

Who is my ideal listener, and what do they need to hear?

Having a strong podcast hook makes marketing so much easier. 

Instead of saying, “I have a podcast about business,” say: “My podcast helps online entrepreneurs grow their business through high-converting content strategies.”

Once you have your branding, you’ll know exactly how to talk about your podcast when you market it!

Your Prelaunch Marketing Timeline

Now To make your launch successful, don’t wait until the day your podcast goes live to start marketing. 

I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone say I've been secretly working on something! And it's the launch of their podcast. 

You wouldn't surprise your audience with a course you would likely market it before. And the same goes for your podcast launch. 

So, the best strategy is a 4-week pre-launch plan.

Here’s what to do each week before launch:

4 Weeks Before Launch:

Announce your podcast! Share your podcast’s name, mission, and who it’s for.

Create a Coming Soon page on your website.

Start talking about your show in online communities and social media.

3 Weeks Before Launch:

Reveal your podcast cover art and trailer episode.

Share behind-the-scenes content (recording, editing, naming your show, etc.).

Run a poll or Q&A to get your audience involved!

2 Weeks Before Launch:

Ask people to join your email list so they get notified when your show goes live.

Post teaser clips from your upcoming episodes.

Start engaging with potential listeners on Instagram, LinkedIn, or Facebook groups.

1 Week Before Launch:

Create a launch countdown on Instagram stories.

Share a personal story about why you started this podcast.

Start promoting your Podcast Launch Giveaway (if you’re doing one).

Having a pre-launch plan ensures people are excited and ready to listen on day one! 

For my 1:1 launch clients and in my Podcast Launch Simplified course I give you a day by day marketing strategy so you know exactly what to do every day leading up to launch day.

Leveraging Social Media to Get Visible

Now that you have your pre-launch timeline, let’s talk about how to actually get the word out! 

Social media is a great tool for marketing your podcast.

You can promote it on Instagram & TikTok and you can share behind-the-scenes, teaser clips and interactive polls.

If you have a business podcast LinkedIn is a great option and you can share insights & network with potential listeners

Join niche communities in Facebook groups & contribute valuable insights, make sure it's ok to self-promote so you don't get banned

Here are some social media content ideas to get you started:

• “Behind the Mic” posts – Show yourself recording & prepping episodes.

• Podcast Trailer Clips – Share audio snippets before your launch.

• Polls & Q&A – “Which episode should I drop first?” or “What questions do you have about [your topic]?”

Talk about your podcast as if it’s already live because this builds anticipation and makes people feel like they’re part of the journey! 

Build a Launch Team to Spread the Word

If you want to skyrocket your podcast’s visibility at launch then build a launch team! 

This is one of my favorite things I do with my launch clients and has helped them land on the Apple charts each time

A launch team is a small group of superfans, friends, or business connections who will:

1. Listen & download your podcast on launch day

2. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

3. Share your show on social media

So, here is how to create a launch team:

Reach out to friends, clients, or engaged followers and ask if they’d like early access.

Offer exclusive perks like a private Q&A, shoutout, or bonus content.

Send them a step-by-step guide on what to do on launch day.

Even a small group of 10-20 people can boost your rankings and visibility on launch day!

Use email marketing for your podcast launch

Finally, don’t forget about email marketing! 

An engaged email list is one of the best ways to ensure your audience actually listens.

Here are some Pre-Launch emails you can send:

1. “I’m Launching a Podcast!” – Announce your show & why you’re starting it.

2. “Behind-the-Scenes” – Share your journey & invite questions.

3. “One Week to Go!” – Build hype & encourage people to join your launch team.

4. “We’re LIVE!” – Send the direct link & ask for reviews.

Keep your emails short, engaging, and fun! Nobody wants to read a long email, so give them just enough to get excited and click play!

So, to successfully market your podcast before launch, you need to:

• Define your podcast brand & hook

• Follow a pre-launch timeline to build excitement

• Leverage social media & create engaging content

• Build a launch team to boost visibility

• Use email marketing to get early listeners 

If you follow these steps, you’ll have listeners waiting for your first episode!

If you need help launching your podcast, my Podcast Launch Simplified course is opening the doors on March 17th and inside you will have exact steps to define your brand, a 2 week daily marketing strategy, how to build a successful launch team with email and social media templates, and how to drive listeners to your email. You can join the waitlist in the description below or go to www.podcastlaunchsimplified.com/yes

And if you want to know how ready YOU are to launch, take my free quiz! 

How Ready Are You to Launch a Podcast? Quiz will give you a customized roadmap for success and you can take that here!

Want to hear my full discussion on this? 

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