#2 | 7 Reasons Online Coaches With Podcasts Struggle to Grow That No One Is Talking About

0:00In this episode, I'm going over the seven reasons why most online coaches with podcasts struggle to grow and why no one is talking about them. Welcome to How to Grow a Podcast that attracts high-ticket online coaching clients. The show helping coaches, consultants, and experts turn your slow-growth podcast into a profitable client attraction system. At the end of this episode, I'll share a little more about who I am and what we do at my company, GetMoreListeners.com. It might even shock you, but for now, let's dive into the episode. In this episode, you'll discover why most coaching podcasts feel like content treadmills instead of client magnets.

0:41The one missing ingredient that separates podcasts getting 30 downloads from those getting 30 ,000. And finally, the seven foundational gaps holding your show back from predictable client flow. Reason number one, lack of urgency. Human beings are creatures of habit. We only pay attention to things that matter right now, not tomorrow, not next week. Our reptilian mind focuses on what's urgent. Most online coaches with podcasts, they don't have built-in urgency. Think about it. If your podcast is general interviews with inspiring entrepreneurs or broad personal development stories, there's no burning reason for someone to listen right now.

1:23It's nice content, but not urgent content. Compare that to a podcast called How High-Ticket Coaches Fill Their Calendar Without Social Media. That's urgent. That's a real pain point your ideal client is actively trying to solve today. When they see that show title, they think, I need this right now. Or let's say you're a parenting coach. A show called Positive Parenting Stories sounds nice, but it's not urgent. Compare that to How to Get Your Strong-Willed Toddler to Listen Without Yelling. That's urgent. That parent is struggling with that exact problem right now and needs a solution today. Your podcast needs to speak to a problem your dream client is losing sleep over.

2:08That's urgency. Without it, you're just another voice in the noise. Reason number two, no community. After coaching over 250 podcasters, I've noticed something. The ones getting 30 ,000-plus downloads per month? They have highly engaged communities. Their listeners aren't just passive consumers. They're actively involved. They're suggesting episode topics, sending in questions, sharing wins, and feeling like they're part of something bigger than themselves. When you don't have a community, it's hard for people to stay loyal. They don't feel connected, not just to you, but to something greater.

2:47Here's the thing. It's easier to build community when you have urgency. If your podcast speaks to coaches struggling to land high-ticket clients, and you create a space where those coaches can connect, support each other, and grow together, that's powerful. They're not just loyal to your podcast, they're loyal to the tribe. Without community, you're just another solo voice. With it, you become a movement. Reason number three, no unique selling point, USP. I know what you're thinking, but I do have a USP. I'm energetic, I give actionable advice, I break things down in practical ways. Here's the hard truth.

3:26That's not a USP. That's table stakes. Thousands of online coaches say the exact same thing. A real USP is something objectively different about your show, something listeners can't find anywhere else. Maybe your show is daily and you're putting out more valuable content than anyone in your niche. Maybe you have a unique format, like client breakthrough sessions, where you coach real clients live on the podcast and listeners hear the actual transformation happen in real time. That's something they can't get anywhere else. Or let's say you're a fitness coach. Instead of just giving workout tips, maybe your show is called Fitness Fails, What Not to Do, where you break down the common mistakes people make that sabotage their results.

4:10That's objectively different. For example, one of my clients had a history podcast called Dickheads of History, breaking down historical figures who've been glorified but had shady pasts. Objectively different. Impossible to ignore. When you don't have a true USP, you blend in. You struggle to stand out. And your content isn't shareable. Because there's no wow factor that makes people say, you have to check this out. Reason number four. No content strategy. Content marketing is about producing content that attracts, engages, and retains the people you're trying to reach. Most coach podcasters, they're guessing.

4:51They're throwing episodes at the wall hoping something sticks. Or worse, they're depending on big-name guests to do the heavy lifting. Here's what happens. You land an amazing guest. You think their audience will flood in. But either their audience doesn't show up or they listen to that one episode and leave because the rest of your content doesn't resonate. Your content strategy can't be about hoping. It needs to be about demand. Think about it like this. Your content is like vegetables and your listeners are a four-year-old. It doesn't matter how healthy and valuable those vegetables are. If you shove them down the kid's throat, they'll spit them back in your face.

5:30Kids want what kids want. Your listeners want what they want, so give it to them. Look at your best-performing episodes. What do they have in common? Double down. Create more content around those themes, those pain points, those client triggers. When you have a content strategy built on demand, you attract the right people. You keep them engaged, and you build momentum episode after episode. Without it, you're on a roller coaster, constantly anxious, constantly guessing, constantly dependent on external factors you can't control. Reason number five, lack of discoverability, podcast SEO. Here's something most coaches don't know.

6:17Podcast SEO exists, and it has nothing to do with Google, show notes, or blog posts. Over 50 % of listeners in America go to Apple and Spotify to discover new podcasts. That's 11 million daily listeners searching for shows like yours. But if your podcast isn't optimized for podcast SEO, you're invisible. I didn't know this either until I met Jake Ward, who scaled his podcast to 300 ,000 monthly downloads in seven months using only podcast SEO. No social media, no guesting. That blew my mind. And I realized, if I didn't know about this as a podcast coach, how are busy coaches running their businesses supposed to figure it out?

7:07You're doing all this work, creating amazing content, but you're not easily found on the platforms where your ideal clients are actively searching. That's a massive missed opportunity. Reason number six. No reliable way to turn strangers into listeners. Let me be blunt. Promoting your podcast on social media is a terrible way to consistently attract new listeners. Here's why. Imagine you climb the tallest building in town by the loudest megaphone and scream, Check out my podcast for business coaches! If only 10 % of the people hearing you are actually business coaches, you'll only convert that 10%.

7:53The other 90 %? They don't care. It doesn't matter how loud or how often you scream. The same way you wouldn't listen to a podcast that isn't for you, they won't either. Plus, when people go on TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook, they're not looking for podcasts. They're looking for cat videos and dopamine hits. It's not your job to force them to care. Social media is fantastic for engaging your current audience, but it's a terrible way to attract new listeners. Your job is to find where your potential clients already hang out. The communities, the platforms, the spaces where they're actively searching for solutions.

8:40That's where you show up. That's where you convert fresh eyes into loyal listeners and future clients. TikTok virality might feel good, but if a million views doesn't convert into booked sales calls, what's the point? We're optimizing for clients, not vanity metrics. Reason number seven. Some podcasts just aren't good yet. This is the bonus reason, and I'm not saying this to be harsh. I'm saying it because it's true. Some podcasts just aren't good. Maybe the audio quality is poor. Maybe the interviews are flat. Maybe the energy isn't there yet. And you know what? That's okay. You just need time.

9:27You need reps. You need to find your rhythm and get better. Because here's the reality. If your show isn't objectively good, It doesn't matter if you have urgency, a USP, a content strategy, or the best marketing in the world. People won't stick around. So give yourself grace. Keep showing up. Keep improving. You'll get there. So there you have it. The seven reasons online coaches with podcasts struggle to grow. Lack of urgency. Your show doesn't speak to an immediate pain point. No community. Listeners don't feel part of something bigger. No USP. You blend in with everyone else. No content strategy.

10:20You're guessing instead of creating based on demand. Lack of discoverability. You're invisible on Apple and Spotify. No reliable listener conversion system. Social media isn't cutting it. The show isn't good yet, and that's okay. You just need time. Here's the truth. It's impossible for a podcast to struggle if it has urgency, a strong community, a unique selling point, a content strategy built on demand, podcast SEO optimization, and a reliable system to turn strangers into listeners. If you're struggling right now, I can guarantee you're missing one, two, maybe even three or four of these. And that's exactly what we're going to fix over the coming episodes.

11:15So, in this episode, we covered why most coaching podcasts feel like content treadmills instead of client magnets, the one missing ingredient that separates podcasts getting 30 downloads from those getting 30 ,000, And finally, the seven foundational gaps holding your show back from predictable client flow. Thank you for listening all the way to the end. At the start of this episode, I said I'd tell you a little bit about me. So I'm about to share a secret with you. One that might mean you hate me. Completely quit listening to this podcast and think I'm a total scam. However, I want to be transparent.

11:54Are you ready? Tony? Well, my name is Tony. No, of course that's not the secret. The secret is that I'm actually a robot. My creators are Tig and Anthony, hence my name, Tony. The sick bastards. Anyway, they are the founders of GetMoreListeners.com. In the last five years, they've coached and interviewed over 400 podcasters and generated multiple six figures from their own show. They gave me access to everything they know, and I'm here to share it with you. So while I don't understand why you humans are so obsessed with coffee, I do understand how to grow a podcast that actually brings you new clients regularly.

12:37So here's my offer to you. If you want to finally understand why your podcast isn't growing and get a personalized roadmap to fix it, in less than 30 seconds, you can go to getmorelisteners.com slash onlinecoachaudit. Enter your show name, and we'll send you back a free mini podcast audit. It's completely customized to you and your show. That's getmorelisteners.com slash onlinecoachaudit. The link is also in the show notes of this episode.