# The 3 Keys to Audience Growth

## Things content marketers know about curiosity:

1. Curiosity reportedly killed a cat, but it did not kill Podcat. It’s actually one of his most endearing qualities.

2. A cabinet of curiosities full of 100-year-old dolls with weird eyes and mummified rodents can be disturbing.

3. Curiosity is the fuel for sustainable and lasting B2B podcast growth.

Being curious is what drives breakthroughs and produces insights, and it’s a prerequisite for any content marketer creating a B2B podcast or video series.

You’ve got to stay curious about what your show can and should be, because it’s a longer marketing play. The return you’ll build will make all the difference to your brand, but it won’t happen right away. The time it takes to grow your show and — more importantly in Stage 3 of the [**B2B Podcast Maturity Curve**](https://www.casted.us/blog/the-next-generation-of-b2b-content-marketing-the-b2b-podcast-maturity-curve) — your audience also gives your team ample opportunity to determine how well you’re serving that audience and improve your show quality to serve them even better.

There may be challenges, from luke-warm buy-in from leadership to the dreaded podfade that happens when a podcast team runs low on curiosity and maybe resources, but there are also a lot of levers you can pull to ensure your podcast or video series will keep growing. A great source of encouragement and help comes from your team. As you launch your show and leave Stage 2, your team might grow as well and will certainly become more strategic as you work your way through **Stage 3: Audience Growth**.

In this episode of [How B2B Podcasts Grow Up](https://listen.casted.us/public/5/AMP%3A-The-Amplified-Marketing-Podcast-9dcb945f?hsCtaTracking=1ae154b5-e667-4d56-8e6d-7378348713fa%7C72fa26a7-6847-4d9a-a719-ca822dc38362), Casted CEO Lindsay Tjepkema welcomes podcast extraordinaires [James Gilbert](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrgilbert1/) from [Flip](https://flipcx.com/), [Stephanie Cox](https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniecox/) from [Lumavate](https://www.lumavate.com/), [Vern Tremble](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vern-tremble-aa6b4645/) from [Wunderkind](http://wunderkind/), and [Vincent Pietrafesa](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-pietrafesa-ab69994/) from [Stirista](https://www.stirista.com/) to discuss the key ideas around staying curious that will keep your podcast going.

### How B2B Podcasts Grow Up: The 3 Keys to Audience Growth

This is a podcast episode titled, How B2B Podcasts Grow Up: The 3 Keys to Audience Growth. The summary for this episode is: So, what’s the fuel for sustainable and lasting podcast growth? The answer is simple but often overlooked.

In the first episode of Stage 3 of the How B2B Podcasts Grow Up Series, host Lindsay Tjepkema interviews podcast experts on the three most important keys to podcast growth. They dive into the nitty gritty of how to maximize your audience growth.

They also share important insights from their years of successfully branded podcasting, such as why you shouldn’t get easily discouraged about downloads, how old episodes can still be relevant and help you in the growth process, and many more valuable pieces of advice.

Listen in for:
- 01:49 - 03:49 ⏱ Not seeing immediate podcast growth? Because it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
- 07:42 - 09:10 📈 A team effort is the special ingredient for bringing the show to life.
- 10:08 - 11:56 🥇 Leverage resources and avenues you already have for the betterment of your show. Think smarter, not harder!

Special shoutouts to James Gilbert, Stephanie Cox, Vern Tremble, and Vincent Pietrafesa for sharing their secrets in this episode.

## Digging into Key Takeaways

For each episode, we like to highlight some key takeaways.

### Not Seeing Immediate Podcast Growth? Because It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint.
All of the B2B podcast experts we talk with in this episode understand that podcasting is a longer-term marketing strategy than other traditional channels. It takes time to not only create a podcast, but to see the full results from connecting with your audience through this channel. As you grow your audience, it’s important to not give in to pod doubt despite potential expectations for an immediate return, and to keep consistently publishing and improving your show’s content.

Take it from James Gilbert, CMO and host of [Spamming Zero](https://flipcx.com/podcast/) at Flip, podcasting content is akin to an insightful report you’d create from a survey. Most marketers would give a report at least 90 days to perform before evaluating whether it’s a success. A podcast may take longer but is worth it.

### A Team Effort Is the Special Ingredient for Bringing the Show to Life
The creative team that collaborates on the show is key to producing engaging episodes which is central to attracting more listeners and viewers. As Vern Tremble, Sr. Director of Marketing and host of the [Individuality Unleashed](https://listen.casted.us/public/129/Individuality-Unleashed-be5dcacd) podcast at Wunderkind, mentions, a cooperative effort of marketers with different skills is essential.

### Leverage Resources and Avenues You Already Have for the Betterment of Your Show. Think Smarter, Not Harder!
You should take a look at everything you have that will help you grow your audience before creating new content or hiring a company. Stirista’s Vincent Pietrafesa, VP of B2B Products and host of [The Marketing Stir Podcast](https://podcast.stirista.com/public/84/The-Marketing-Stir-1d9bbf55), emphasizes utilizing existing resources to amplify the podcast's reach.