How effective are paid ads for podcast growth?

Why most paid ads don’t work for podcasters (and what to fix before you spend a cent)

Most people scrolling TikTok or Instagram aren’t in “I’d love to commit to a 30-minute episode from a stranger” mode.

They’re in “Give me something entertaining in this platform, right now” mode.

And that’s the core reason paid ads underperform for most podcasters.

Podcasting isn’t about impulse-listening, it’s about relationship building.

And relationships take commitment, which isn’t the headspace most people are in when they’re scrolling through social media.

Unless your ad is speaking to the right person, with the right message, at the right moment, you’re probably going to be throwing money into the void.

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When paid ads do work

I’ve seen podcast ads completely flop but I’ve also seen podcast ads do incredibly well (bringing in tens of thousands of downloads).

The difference wasn’t luck, it was targeting, the right creative and optimising as you go.

If you want your ads to actually work you’ll need to have a few things sorted first:

1. You can target a specific, easy-to-define audience

The broader your audience, the harder it’ll be to get your show in front of the right people.

If your show is for “everyone,” your ads will reach no one.

But if your niche is tight and clear? You be able to target those people way more effectively.

Before running ads, you need to understand:

• Who your ideal listener actually is
• Where they hang out
• What problem your show solves
• Why they’d stop scrolling for your content

If you can’t answer those questions, you’re not ready to advertise.

2. Your creative has a hook that stops the scroll

A vague “listen to my podcast” isn’t enough because most of the people scrolling past your paid content aren’t going to know who you are.

You need a hook that will make a total stranger think “Wait, what’s that?”

One of the best hacks is using content that’s already worked organically.

If you’ve shared a piece of content that’s done really well on social, put money behind that.

It’s already been tested on cold eyes so you know people like it and it’ll be a safer bet when you’re paying to play.

3. You’re tracking everything

Clicks are nice but downloads are what really matters when you’re promoting your podcast using paid ads.

Tools like Podder (and previously Chartable) let you track, not just link clicks, but whether someone actually listened within a set timeframe and that’s what you’re aiming for when you’re spending money.

If 1,000 people click and zero listen, your ad isn’t working.

Or your show storefront isn’t strong enough to get people to press play.

If 200 people click and 80 listen, you’re onto something.

This is the data that’ll tells you if your ads are doing anything other than burning your cash.

4. You’re willing to optimise and tweak constantly

Paid ads aren’t set and forget and the people running the most successful podcast campaigns are testing, tweaking, shifting budget, swapping creative and tightening targeting every few days.

This is why it’s rarely worth doing unless you have:

• The budget
• The time
• The skills; or
• A paid expert doing it for you

And none of those options are cheap.

The biggest mistake podcasters make with paid ads

Running them too early.

Paid ads won’t fix your show if you’ve got weak foundations so you want to make sure your podcast is set up to make the most of paid marketing before you spend a dollar.

If your:

• Niche is unclear
• Artwork is bland
• Titles aren’t enticing
• Description is too vague
• Episode consistency is patchy

…spending money will only highlight these problems faster.

Paid ads amplify what’s already there so if your foundations are shaky, they’re going to amplify the wrong things.

So, before spending money, make sure your storefront is solid because when someone clicks your ad, your show needs to look like something that’s worth investing their time in.

When to consider paid ads

Think about them when your show is:

• Easy to explain and pitch to a new listener
• Consistently releasing episodes
• Getting good reviews and repeat listening

Once you know exactly who your audience is and you have episodes and social creative that’s working well, then it’s the right time to experiment.

The bottom line

Most podcasters shouldn’t use paid ads early on because they’re not going to get results.

Instead the best things to focus on are:

• Knowing your listener
• Honing your message
• Publishing consistently
• Creating content people genuinely like

Once your show is humming and you understand how to speak to your ideal audience, then a small, strategic paid campaign might be able to help you reach more of the right people.

But don’t rush it.

Build something worth advertising first.