As marketers and business owners, there’s no shortage of shiny objects to grab our attention.
That’s why when it comes to podcasting, it pays off to be deliberate. It’s easy to think you need a show simply because your competition has one, or without a clear reason. But without well-defined goals—or when you focus on the wrong ones—you end up producing unfocused content and wasting resources.
I often see business leaders falling into one of three scenarios. Some believe they have clear goals, but those goals don’t align with their long-term business objectives—like leaders who think they need thousands of downloads to be successful. Others have a general idea of what they want but feel uncertain about how to achieve it. Finally, there are those who feel completely lost, unsure of how to define success or measure progress.
Whether your goals are unclear, misaligned, or simply missing, the result is the same: confusion, frustration, and a podcast that doesn’t deliver the impact you hoped for.
The good news? A successful podcast doesn’t require unrealistic expectations or complicated strategies. It just starts with clarity. When you know what you’re trying to achieve, you can create content that aligns with your vision and supports your business.
In this article, I’m going to share six common goals I’ve seen consistently deliver results for companies, but before I do so, let’s get two important matters out of the way: why goals matter, and what podcasts won’t do for your business.
Why setting goals matters in podcasting (and beyond).
Most business owners I talk to get stuck in the weeds over tactical decisions: How long should an episode be? Should we use video or audio-only? What’s the best mic?
While these decisions matter, they’re easier to make once you understand your overall goal.
Goals provide direction. They influence every decision, from content topics to distribution strategies. Without clear goals, it’s difficult to determine what success looks like and what KPIs you should keep track of.
What a podcast won’t do for your business.
There is a lot of misguided information online about what podcasts can and can’t accomplish, let’s clear up a few misconceptions.
Here’s what a podcast won’t do:
- Be an easy way to create content. I recently read an article that claimed podcasting is “easy.” It’s not—at least not if you want a show your dream clients think is worth listening to.
- Attract new clients fast. Podcasts can attract clients, but not as quickly as other marketing methods. If you need new clients ASAP to keep your business alive, don’t rely on a podcast.
- Add a new revenue stream. While it’s possible to monetize a podcast, the companies I’ve worked with at Come Alive have benefited far more from avoiding ads altogether and focusing on promoting their own products, services, or events. Monetization can be a good strategy for individuals, but it’s not often the best choice for branded podcasts.
- Be a short-term investment. I once read an article that said, “even one episode can make a difference.” I laughed out loud. If you’re only planning to make one episode, you’re better off doing a webinar or guesting on someone else’s podcast instead.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about what a podcast can do.
6 Common podcast goals businesses should consider.
Every business is unique, so your podcast goals should reflect your specific needs. That said, there are six common goals I’ve seen consistently deliver results for companies—and one common metric that you should stop worrying about:
1. Thought leadership.
Podcasting is one of the best ways to share your unique voice. In today’s AI-driven world, where generic content is everywhere, authenticity is more important than ever. A podcast allows you to dive deep into complex topics, share stories, and offer fresh perspectives that AI simply can’t replicate.
A great example of how brands can use podcasting to build thought leadership is the Building Cyber Resilience podcast. For this show, the B2B SaaS company Resilience paired two of its in-house experts, their Chief Risk Officer and their Chief Data Scientist, to talk to lead conversations about cybersecurity. These conversations support the business by showcasing the knowledge two experts have, which is incredibly difficult to replicate.
2. Relationship building.
Podcasts are great tools for forging meaningful connections—whether with potential clients, partners, or industry influencers. In fact, I’ve used my own podcasts to connect with people I wouldn’t have met otherwise. For example, when I ran my personal podcast, it opened doors to speak to some of the marketing experts I look up to, and this led to collaboration opportunities.
Similarly, one of our clients took this a step further by inviting key prospects as guests on their show. This turned the podcast into a strategic tool for relationship-building, strengthening their network while creating valuable content.
3. Brand awareness and differentiation.
Podcasting can set your brand apart by showcasing your brand’s authentic personality and expertise. Consider brands like GE with their sci-fi podcast or McAfee with Hackable. These companies decided to use their shows as an extension of their branding and positioning. Instead of providing pure value (like interview shows), they took a story-telling angle that gave their audiences something to talk about, amplifying their message.
4. Audience engagement and trust.
Podcasts build trust like few other mediums can. They’re intimate and personal, creating a sense of connection that’s hard to achieve with shorter content. According to Acast, 57% of consumers trust podcast personalities more than other types of creators. And research shows that many podcast listeners develop parasocial relationships with hosts and guests.
I’ve experienced this firsthand with the podcasts I’ve run and with podcasts where I’ve been a host—like the time Arielle Nissenblatt invited me to guest on the Trailer Park podcast. When the episode went live, I received messages from a handful of listeners who resonated with the message I shared. All this goes to show that when you share your ideas and stories through authentic conversations, your listeners will feel like they know you.
5. Supplement internal processes.
Podcasts aren’t just for external audiences—they can be powerful tools for solving internal challenges. One of our clients used their podcast to support their sales and hiring teams. By interviewing customers about their experiences with the company’s software, they created content that improved onboarding for new employees and offered valuable resources for prospects.
Even with an average of 100 downloads per episode, the client considered the podcast a huge success because of its impact on their operations.
6. Generating leads or sales.
While podcasts don’t generate leads overnight, they can be incredibly effective over time when approached strategically. For one client, a coaching company, we produced a podcast that focused on building relationships with key leaders in their industry. The result? A steady pipeline of high-quality leads for their yearly in-person workshop.
Companies like HubSpot have also mastered this. Instead of monetizing the podcasts in their network through sponsors, they use them to promote their own products and services, making each show a valuable lead-generation tool.
What about downloads?
Downloads are one of the most misunderstood metrics in podcasting. Everyone thinks they need tons of downloads to be successful, but they don’t know why. The truth is, while the number of downloads matter if you’re selling traditional ads, they’re not the best measure of success for most businesses.
Downloads don’t necessarily mean listeners engaged with your content, and chasing numbers can lead to frustration if it’s not aligned with your goals.
Think about it this way: would you rather have 1,000 downloads per episode with a 15% completion rate or 100 downloads with a 95% completion rate? The latter is more meaningful because it shows that your content is resonating deeply with your audience. Metrics like completion rates and listener engagement are far better indicators of podcast success.
How to define success for your podcast.
Now that you know what a podcast can do for you, you can start defining what matters to you and your company. When founders and CMOs reach out to me about starting a podcast, I always ask three questions:
- What is your goal?
- Who is your target audience?
- Why a podcast?
From there, we establish what success looks like and how to measure it. While the metrics and KPIs differ for each business, here are three tips to help get started:
- Align goals with business objectives. Your podcast goals should fit into your larger marketing or business strategies.
- Focus on a limited number of goals. For the majority of our clients, the most common goals are increasing brand awareness, attracting quality listeners, and creating ROI opportunities.
- Track metrics that match your goals. Make sure you use leading indicators (like engagement rates) to guide your progress and lagging indicators (like sales) to measure outcomes. I wrote a whole article about podcast metrics used to determine ROI, you can read it here.
Wrapping up.
Podcasting is about more than jumping on a trend or chasing vanity metrics. It’s a long-term investment in building trust, authority, and meaningful relationships. By setting clear goals and aligning your efforts with your broader business objectives, your podcast can become a powerful tool for growth.
Now, I’m not saying you can’t succeed if you launch a podcast without a clear goal, but after 10+ years in podcasting, I can tell you the most successful shows take the time to get the strategy right before recording a single episode.
If you’re ready to set intentional podcast goals and create a show that aligns with your vision, I’d love to help. Schedule a free discovery call to get started.
