Growth Triggers: Content Marketing & AI

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Most podcast growth advice sounds exciting, but the strategies that actually work in 2026 are surprisingly boring–and far more effective.

In this episode, I break down a growth strategy that isn’t flashy, but it works. If you’re serious about growing your podcast in 2026, you need a system, not random tactics.

I walk through how to properly set up your YouTube channel before running ads, including what most people overlook that ends up killing conversions. Then, I show you how to run YouTube ads the right way—focusing on attracting the right subscribers, not just more views.

I also discuss the hidden metrics inside Google Ads that tell you if your content is working, and how to validate if you’re bringing in the right audience. Finally, I go over one of the most underrated growth plays right now—podcast feed swaps—and how to use them to grow your downloads without relying on algorithms.

If you want consistent, predictable growth, this is the playbook.

In This Episode:

00:00 - Introduction 

00:48 - The biggest mistake before running YouTube ads

01:47 - What your banner, profile, and playlists should do

09:38 - How to set up YouTube ad campaigns correctly

18:35 - Hidden metrics: earned views and subscribers

23:42 - Why podcast discovery is broken

24:49 - Podcast ad swaps vs feed swaps

31:00 - How to find and partner with similar shows

34:49 - The ideal podcast + YouTube growth system

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📱 RESOURCES📱

► Grab our in-depth 12-Month Podcast Road Map: From Set Up to Scale - https://top10podcasts.com/roadmap-guide

► Resources to Grow Your Podcast - https://www.notion.so/Your-episode-is-submitted-here-are-some-other-ways-to-grow-295001cc69278078867adec380e1163a

https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVGponDmc=/?share_link_id=543093082189

► Podscan.fm - https://podscan.fm/

► Rephonic: Find, pitch and get featured on podcasts - https://rephonic.com/

► Listen Notes: The Best Podcast Search Engine - https://www.listennotes.com/

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📱 CONNECT with me on Instagram 📱

► https://www.instagram.com/luisryandiaz/   

Need help launching, growing, or ranking your podcast?

 ► https://top10podcasts.com/start  

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You’ve worked hard on your podcast, but you’re getting crickets on YouTube. The truth is, a lot of podcasters make the same mistakes when trying to grow their channel. In this episode, I break down the three most common mistakes that can ruin your podcast’s growth on YouTube, and how to fix them. 
By the end of this episode, you’ll have a better understanding of what’s really keeping your YouTube podcast from reaching its full potential. If you're ready to stop wasting time and start seeing real growth on YouTube, this episode is for you. Don’t forget to check out the additional resources I’ve linked below to help you take action today!
Click here for the 3 Reasons Why Podcasts Fail on YouTube:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Dzk7l_DgmB3payG2ArDFIknFASZ8dyo4CT9frjlnaPM/edit?usp=sharing
In This Episode:
00:00 Introduction 
01:32 - Your approach to video podcasts in completely wrong 
13:21 - Optimizing content for YouTube
15:23 - Slow pacing and losing viewer attention
18:46 - How to keep viewers engaged
20:11 - Optimizing the wrong thing (keywords, tags, etc.)
21:15 - Creating click-worthy titles and thumbnails
23:50 - Treating YouTube like a podcast player
26:56 - Simple things you can do to grow your channel
30:08 - Recap: 3 Ugly Mistakes Podcasters Make on YouTube
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📱 RESOURCES📱
► Grab our in-depth 12-Month Podcast Road Map: From Set Up to Scale - https://top10podcasts.com/roadmap-guide
► Resources to Grow Your Podcast - https://www.notion.so/Your-episode-is-submitted-here-are-some-other-ways-to-grow-295001cc69278078867adec380e1163a
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📱 CONNECT with me on Instagram 📱
► https://www.instagram.com/luisryandiaz/   
Need help launching, growing, or ranking your podcast?
► https://top10podcasts.com/start  
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🎧 Want to scale your podcast like a pro? Grab the Podcast Scaling Framework™ that's helped us generate over 45M downloads and views for clients ➡️ https://top10podcasts.com/roadmap-guide
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A few years ago, I made the mistake of hiring someone to help me grow my YouTube channel with ads. I didn't know how to do it myself. But I saw other people do it and I thought I’d give it a try. A week later, I had 4K new subscribers. Woo! But I had fewer organic views. I know some of you have seen this on channels on YouTube–lots of subscribers with not a lot of views. That was me.

I told myself that organic is the only way to build a robust, engaged channel.

For the most part, that's true. And I wholeheartedly believed that until about 15 months ago, when I found someone who broke my belief about YouTube ads only delivering poor quality viewers.

So I decided to try again, only this time with a paid consultant who would be looking over my shoulder, watching over what I was doing. This guy was someone who had built a channel with organic + ads and used it to grow his own business. Since then, we’ve grown a few channels slowly with a small budget, aiming to maintain the quality of subscribers/viewers at all costs.

And it’s worked out pretty well.

Most creators chase flashy tactics to grow on YouTube, but the strategies that actually work are often the most boring.

In this episode, I walk through two strategies that are very simple but work incredibly well if you stick with them. Over the years, I’ve helped generate more than 50 million podcast downloads, and these are two tactics I’ve repeatedly seen grow shows on both YouTube and the audio side.

Click here for the list of the five things that matter when running ads to grow your channel:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/169Dut0T_TGIbId_GpJHe772CRL9vAlh9pws0lmYnb1U/edit?usp=sharing

In This Episode:
01:32 - The biggest mistake people make with YouTube ads
03:47 - Strategy #1: Why slow YouTube ad growth works better
05:31 - Optimizing your YouTube channel homepage for trust
08:31 - Why a narrow niche makes ads perform better
11:08 - Posting content regularly to convert new viewers
11:56 - The importance of “earned actions” metrics
15:51 - Testing new creative inside ad campaigns
20:58 - Strategy #2: Episode swaps between podcasts
23:01 - Real results from podcast episode swaps

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📱 RESOURCES📱
► Grab our in-depth 12-Month Podcast Road Map: From Set Up to Scale - https://top10podcasts.com/roadmap-guide
► Resources to Grow Your Podcast - https://www.notion.so/Your-episode-is-submitted-here-are-some-other-ways-to-grow-295001cc69278078867adec380e1163a

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📱 CONNECT with me on Instagram 📱
► https://www.instagram.com/luisryandiaz/
Need help launching, growing, or ranking your podcast?
► https://top10podcasts.com/start

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If you’ve been trying to “go viral” to grow your business, you’re playing the wrong game. In this episode, I break down the exact media strategy big brands are using to control the conversation in their industries, and the good news is, you can copy it.
First, I clarify the difference between market share and mindshare. And if you win mindshare, you start influencing buying criteria long before anyone talks to sales. Then I walk you through examples (like a16z and HubSpot) and why their content isn’t “viral”—it’s consistent. I also reveal the real secret sauce to becoming successful.
I’ll give you my practical framework, plus why you need an owner for guest booking if you want to scale.
In This Episode:
01:22 Mindshare vs. market share explained
04:02 Example: a16z and “owning” tech conversations
06:32 Example: HubSpot’s podcast ecosystem
07:20 The real secret sauce is infrastructure
09:01 Systems and tools to build your media machine
12:20 Why guest booking needs an owner
13:38 Winning the “silent” research phase in B2B
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► The a16z Show - https://a16z.com/podcasts/
Episode “owning” tech conversation:
AI Hardware, Explained (July 2023)
► Inside HubSpot Podcast - https://www.hubspot.com/podcasts/inside-hubspot
► Poppy AI (to help you make viral content & ads) - https://getpoppy.ai/
► 80% Of B2B Buyers Initiate First Contact, Once They’re 70% Through Their Buying Journey - https://www.demandgenreport.com/industry-news/80-of-b2b-buyers-initiate-first-contact-once-theyre-70-through-their-buying-journey/48394/
► Resources to Grow Your Podcast - https://www.notion.so/Your-episode-is-submitted-here-are-some-other-ways-to-grow-295001cc69278078867adec380e1163a
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📱 CONNECT with me on Instagram 📱
► https://www.instagram.com/luisryandiaz/
Need help launching, growing, or ranking your podcast?
► https://top10podcasts.com/
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