Why Promoting Your Podcast Episodes a Week Ahead Is a Game-Changer for New Podcasters

We have had some episodes do phenomenally well, and others fall flat. It wasn’t the content, we know that because those who did tune in, LOVED the show. The episodes that did the best, had the most pre-show promotion. Launching a podcast episode is more than just hitting “publish” and hoping for the best. Promoting your podcast can be tedious, but it definitely pays off. For new podcasters, building an audience takes time, consistency, and a solid promotional strategy. One of the best ways to ensure your episodes get the attention they deserve is by promoting them a full week before release.

Early Promotion Builds Anticipation

When your favorite TV show ends, have you noticed that they say things like “Next week on XYZ show?” It is pretty obvious why they do that. Those promo practices a week in advance of the next show make viewers look forward to tuning in again next week. And then all week – ADS FOR THE NEW EPISODE WITH TEASERS – right? When you start talking about your episode in advance, you create a sense of excitement. Teasing key topics, sharing guest insights, or posting behind-the-scenes content keeps your audience engaged and looking forward to your release. A well-planned countdown strategy gives potential listeners multiple touchpoints to hear about your episode before it’s even live.

Gives Social Media Posts Time to Gain Traction

People are busy, and you have to give them time to start talking about your show and sharing. It is important to give your listeners time to share and their friends and followers time to get to know you before your next show. Social media algorithms favor engagement, meaning posts with comments, shares, and likes get pushed to more people. Posting about your upcoming episode throughout the week allows more time for your content to gain visibility and give you a much needed boost when it comes to promoting your podcast. By the time your episode drops, you’ve already built up interest, increasing the chances of a strong launch.

Increases Listener Engagement

We podcasters are competing with all forms of education and entertainment, so getting people to take the time to engage with our work can be challenging. If you start earlier, you have more opportunities to engage with your audience about the show before it goes live. Engaging with your audience before your episode goes live encourages conversation and curiosity. Asking questions related to the episode topic, sharing polls, and posting discussion threads can make listeners feel more involved. If they feel connected to the content before release, they’re more likely to tune in when it’s available.

Helps with SEO and Discoverability

If you are anything like me, even though it is time-consuming, you always have SEO in the back of your mind when you are about to share an episode. Blog posts, website updates, and social media captions that mention your upcoming episode contribute to your online presence and get you noticed and promoted by search engines. The sooner you start optimizing keywords and sharing links, the better your chances of reaching new listeners searching for podcasts like yours.

Allows Guests and Collaborators to Share

I have been on a lot of podcasts, and rarely do I receive promotional materials ahead of the show dropping. One way to make sure that your guest gets the most out of being on your podcast is to give them promotional materials (ie. clips, audiograms, promotional language for social media) at least three days ahead of the podcast airing. This gives them time to share with their own audience. This extends your reach and brings in new listeners who might not have found your podcast otherwise. If you have a street team helping you promote your podcast, this helps them integrate the show’s upcoming episodes with their usual content.

By promoting your podcast episode a week ahead, you maximize exposure, boost engagement, and set your podcast up for long-term growth. Start building the habit now, and you’ll see the benefits in your listener numbers. Let’s see what that could look like.

Promoting your Podcast Seven Days Ahead of Its Release

7 Days Before Release

• Final review of the edited episode (ensure quality and metadata accuracy).
• Create teaser graphics and video clips for promotion.
• Write social media captions and schedule teaser posts.
• Send promotional materials (clips, social media promo language) to your guests or street team.
• Draft and schedule a promotional email for newsletter subscribers.
• Update the podcast website with episode details.

6 Days Before Release

• Post an early teaser on social media (e.g., “Exciting new episode coming soon!”).
• Create and schedule a countdown reminder post.
• Reach out to guests (if applicable) with promotional materials for them to share.
• Begin engagement by discussing the upcoming topic in online communities.

5 Days Before Release

• Post an Instagram/Facebook Story with an interactive question or poll related to the episode.
• Schedule YouTube Shorts, TikToks, or Reels with short clips from the episode.
• Engage with early social media comments and encourage discussion.
• Send additional promotional materials (clips, social media promo language) to your guests or street team.

4 Days Before Release

• Post a behind-the-scenes clip or fun fact from the episode.
• Update the link-in-bio on social media with a call-to-action for the new episode.
• Continue responding to audience comments and engaging in conversations.

3 Days Before Release

• Share a guest quote or key takeaway from the episode in a social media post.
• Post a Q&A or discussion prompt in relevant Facebook groups or Reddit threads.
• Ensure all cross-promotion partners (other podcasters, influencers) have received their materials.

2 Days Before Release

• Send out a second teaser email with an exclusive sneak peek or bonus content.
• Reshare teaser clips in Stories with a reminder of the upcoming release.
• Schedule a reminder post (e.g., “Only 2 days until the new episode drops!”).
• Send the final set of promotional materials (clips, social media promo language) to your guests or street team.

1 Day Before Release

• Post a final countdown reminder across all platforms.
• Share another short clip from the episode as a last-minute teaser.
• Engage with followers, responding to any questions or comments.
• Confirm that all scheduled posts and emails are ready for launch day.

Let us know how this episode promotion strategy works for you. When you share, tag @chatandbother so we can see what you are up to – we may share when you tag us to help you with promoting your podcast!

Where to find us: