{"id":23754,"date":"2026-06-19T03:33:36","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T03:33:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rss.com\/blog\/?p=23754"},"modified":"2026-06-19T03:40:18","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T03:40:18","slug":"how-to-get-your-first-1000-podcast-downloads-and-what-to-do-when-you-get-there","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rss.com\/blog\/how-to-get-your-first-1000-podcast-downloads-and-what-to-do-when-you-get-there\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get Your First 1,000 Podcast Downloads (And What to Do When You Get There)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Launching your podcast is one thing. Getting people to actually listen to it is a whole different challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A lot of new podcasters think the downloads will come naturally once the show is live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They don&#8217;t. You need a plan.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our resident evangelist Joe Casabona has been podcasting for 15 years, launched shows to big audiences and to total silence, and has thought hard about what actually moves the needle.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This post covers Joe\u2019s five things that&#8217;ll get you to 1,000 downloads, and then exactly what to do once you get there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let&#8217;s get into it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prefer to watch? Check out our video <em><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/zLLdIHXA4d0\">5 Ways to Get Your First 1,000 Podcast Downloads in 2026<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"sllv-video -type_youtube\" data-provider=\"youtube\" data-video=\"zLLdIHXA4d0\"><a class=\"sllv-video__link\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/zLLdIHXA4d0\" rel=\"external noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sllv-video__media lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Video\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/zLLdIHXA4d0\/sddefault.webp\"><\/a><button class=\"sllv-video__button\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Play Video\"><svg width=\"68\" height=\"48\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\"><path class=\"sllv-video__button-shape\" d=\"M66.52 7.74c-.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79.13 34 0 34 0S12.21.13 6.9 1.55c-2.93.78-4.63 3.26-5.42 6.19C.06 13.05 0 24 0 24s.06 10.95 1.48 16.26c.78 2.93 2.49 5.41 5.42 6.19C12.21 47.87 34 48 34 48s21.79-.13 27.1-1.55c2.93-.78 4.64-3.26 5.42-6.19C67.94 34.95 68 24 68 24s-.06-10.95-1.48-16.26z\"\/><path class=\"sllv-video__button-icon\" d=\"M45 24L27 14v20\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-part-one-getting-to-1-000-downloads\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"part-one-getting-to-1000-downloads\"><\/span>Part One: Getting to 1,000 Downloads<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-1-start-with-podcast-seo\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Start with Podcast SEO<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SEO stands for search engine optimization, and it applies to podcasts too. When someone searches for a topic related to your show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or even Google, you want your podcast to show up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The good news is there are several places in your RSS.com dashboard where you can load in relevant keywords right now: your show title, your description, your categories, and even the author field. All of these feed into search results across platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don&#8217;t just call your show by its name and leave it at that. Add a subtitle or tagline that includes the specific terms your ideal listener would actually search for. If your show helps solo entrepreneurs manage their time, say that explicitly. &#8220;Time management for solo entrepreneurs&#8221; is something people search. Your clever show name probably isn&#8217;t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do this before you launch if you can. But if your show is already live, it&#8217;s not too late. Go in and optimize now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"sllv-video -type_youtube\" data-provider=\"youtube\" data-video=\"u7EgGi0Rg9k\"><a class=\"sllv-video__link\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/u7EgGi0Rg9k\" rel=\"external noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sllv-video__media lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Video\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/u7EgGi0Rg9k\/sddefault.webp\"><\/a><button class=\"sllv-video__button\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Play Video\"><svg width=\"68\" height=\"48\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\"><path class=\"sllv-video__button-shape\" d=\"M66.52 7.74c-.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79.13 34 0 34 0S12.21.13 6.9 1.55c-2.93.78-4.63 3.26-5.42 6.19C.06 13.05 0 24 0 24s.06 10.95 1.48 16.26c.78 2.93 2.49 5.41 5.42 6.19C12.21 47.87 34 48 34 48s21.79-.13 27.1-1.55c2.93-.78 4.64-3.26 5.42-6.19C67.94 34.95 68 24 68 24s-.06-10.95-1.48-16.26z\"\/><path class=\"sllv-video__button-icon\" d=\"M45 24L27 14v20\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Be Everywhere from Day One<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some podcasters are told to launch on just Apple Podcasts and Spotify first, then expand later. That advice isn&#8217;t great. You want your show on every major platform from the moment you publish your first episode.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Why? Because not everyone is on Apple or Spotify. Some listeners live on YouTube, Pocketcasts, Overcast, Amazon Music, or a dozen other apps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re on RSS.com, the distribution tab does the heavy lifting. You can submit your show to every major directory, and RSS.com will either submit for you automatically or walk you through exactly how to do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On a paid plan, you can also convert your audio episodes into video and publish them directly to YouTube. There\u2019s no extra production required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The more places your show exists, the easier it is for new listeners to find it in the app they already use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"sllv-video -type_youtube\" data-provider=\"youtube\" data-video=\"_3ooyDw0yhQ\"><a class=\"sllv-video__link\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/_3ooyDw0yhQ\" rel=\"external noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sllv-video__media lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Video\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/_3ooyDw0yhQ\/sddefault.webp\"><\/a><button class=\"sllv-video__button\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Play Video\"><svg width=\"68\" height=\"48\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\"><path class=\"sllv-video__button-shape\" d=\"M66.52 7.74c-.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79.13 34 0 34 0S12.21.13 6.9 1.55c-2.93.78-4.63 3.26-5.42 6.19C.06 13.05 0 24 0 24s.06 10.95 1.48 16.26c.78 2.93 2.49 5.41 5.42 6.19C12.21 47.87 34 48 34 48s21.79-.13 27.1-1.55c2.93-.78 4.64-3.26 5.42-6.19C67.94 34.95 68 24 68 24s-.06-10.95-1.48-16.26z\"\/><path class=\"sllv-video__button-icon\" d=\"M45 24L27 14v20\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Actually Tell People About It<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This one seems obvious. It isn&#8217;t, for a lot of people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Email your mailing list. Post on social media, but don\u2019t just drop a link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, share useful clips that show people what the show is actually about.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tell your friends and family. Put it in your email signature. Mention it in conversations when it&#8217;s relevant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you don&#8217;t tell people your show exists, they won&#8217;t know. SEO and distribution help people find you passively over time. Word of mouth is what builds early momentum. Both matter, and neither replaces the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you guest on another show or attend an event and someone asks what you do, mention the podcast. That&#8217;s a free ad to exactly the kind of person who might listen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Guest on Other Podcasts and Do Podcast Swaps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The fastest way to reach new listeners is to show up in front of people who are already in the habit of listening to podcasts. The best way to do that is to appear on other shows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you pitch yourself as a guest, lead with the value you&#8217;d bring to their audience rather than why it would be good for you. Do your research. Make sure the show actually does interviews before you reach out. A pitch that clearly shows you&#8217;ve listened to the show goes a long way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Podcast swaps are another option, especially early on. You reach out to a similar show and offer to swap trailers or episodes: They publish something from you in their feed, you publish something from them in yours. It gets you in front of a lookalike audience quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">RSS.com&#8217;s community directory is a good starting point for finding shows to connect with. If you&#8217;re on a paid plan, the RSS Space community also has dedicated areas for podcast swaps and guests looking for shows to appear on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you are a guest on a show and the host asks where people can find you, always mention your podcast specifically. Don&#8217;t just say your website. Say the podcast name and where to listen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Ask for Ratings and Reviews<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The standard CTA at the end of every episode of &#8220;please rate and review us&#8221; is so common it barely registers anymore. But ratings and reviews still matter, especially on Apple Podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Apple&#8217;s algorithm factors ratings and reviews into how often it surfaces a show, whether it recommends it to new listeners, and whether it places it on charts. A handful of strong reviews can meaningfully move where your show appears to people discovering podcasts in your category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They also provide social proof. A new listener who&#8217;s on the fence about whether to invest time in your show is more likely to hit play if they can see other people find it worthwhile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A simple, specific CTA works better than the generic version. Try something like: &#8220;If this episode helped you, leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. It helps new listeners find the show.&#8221; That&#8217;s specific, it explains the reason, and it&#8217;s easy to act on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"part-two-you-hit-1000-downloads-now-what\"><\/span>Part Two: You Hit 1,000 Downloads. Now What?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Check out our second video<em> <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/0of0-0tPcFc\"><em>I Hit 1,000 Podcast Downloads. Now What?<\/em> <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"sllv-video -type_youtube\" data-provider=\"youtube\" data-video=\"0of0-0tPcFc\"><a class=\"sllv-video__link\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/0of0-0tPcFc\" rel=\"external noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sllv-video__media lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Video\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/0of0-0tPcFc\/sddefault.webp\"><\/a><button class=\"sllv-video__button\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Play Video\"><svg width=\"68\" height=\"48\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\"><path class=\"sllv-video__button-shape\" d=\"M66.52 7.74c-.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79.13 34 0 34 0S12.21.13 6.9 1.55c-2.93.78-4.63 3.26-5.42 6.19C.06 13.05 0 24 0 24s.06 10.95 1.48 16.26c.78 2.93 2.49 5.41 5.42 6.19C12.21 47.87 34 48 34 48s21.79-.13 27.1-1.55c2.93-.78 4.64-3.26 5.42-6.19C67.94 34.95 68 24 68 24s-.06-10.95-1.48-16.26z\"\/><path class=\"sllv-video__button-icon\" d=\"M45 24L27 14v20\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First: congratulations. Most podcasts don&#8217;t make it past seven episodes, let alone to 1,000 downloads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You&#8217;re already ahead of most shows that have ever launched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now here&#8217;s what not to do: don&#8217;t immediately try to monetize with a big offer before you know anything about your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joe knows this from experience. Early in his podcasting career, he hit a million downloads in the first ten months of a show and got excited. So he launched a $5 a month membership. But, because he had no direct line to my audience and no real understanding of what they wanted, that membership made me $6 a month. A million downloads. Six dollars a month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The issue wasn&#8217;t the idea. It was that he hadn&#8217;t done the two things that needed to happen first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 1: Do a Tuneup<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You&#8217;ve got real data now. Use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Go into your <a href=\"https:\/\/rss.com\/features\/podcast-analytics\/\">RSS.com analytics<\/a> and look at which episodes are performing best. Not just total downloads! Look at what topics are resonating, what titles are getting clicks, what&#8217;s bringing people back. Then double down on more of that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"sllv-video -type_youtube\" data-provider=\"youtube\" data-video=\"nYhhWyhYhGU\"><a class=\"sllv-video__link\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/nYhhWyhYhGU\" rel=\"external noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sllv-video__media lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Video\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/nYhhWyhYhGU\/sddefault.webp\"><\/a><button class=\"sllv-video__button\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Play Video\"><svg width=\"68\" height=\"48\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\"><path class=\"sllv-video__button-shape\" d=\"M66.52 7.74c-.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79.13 34 0 34 0S12.21.13 6.9 1.55c-2.93.78-4.63 3.26-5.42 6.19C.06 13.05 0 24 0 24s.06 10.95 1.48 16.26c.78 2.93 2.49 5.41 5.42 6.19C12.21 47.87 34 48 34 48s21.79-.13 27.1-1.55c2.93-.78 4.64-3.26 5.42-6.19C67.94 34.95 68 24 68 24s-.06-10.95-1.48-16.26z\"\/><path class=\"sllv-video__button-icon\" d=\"M45 24L27 14v20\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your solo episode on a specific topic outperforms every interview you&#8217;ve done, that&#8217;s telling you something. Stop guessing at what your audience wants and let the numbers guide you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While you&#8217;re in there, look at your packaging too. That means your show title, tagline, description, and cover art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now that you have some data to work with, ask whether those elements are communicating clearly what your show is actually about.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2013 Does your description include the terms your best-performing episodes are known for?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2013 Is your artwork standing out in directories next to other shows in your category?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A tuneup isn&#8217;t just about the content. It&#8217;s about making sure new listeners can find you and understand immediately why they should listen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2: Build a Direct Line to Your Audience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the thing Joe most wishes he\u2019d done earlier, and that\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/rss.com\/blog\/6-reasons-why-your-podcast-needs-an-email-list\/\">building an email list for his podcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Having 1,000 downloads doesn&#8217;t mean you can reach 1,000 people. Most of those listeners will come and go without ever giving you a way to contact them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An email list changes that.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When someone joins your list, they&#8217;ve raised their hand and said they want to hear more from you. That&#8217;s your most engaged audience, and it&#8217;s where future asks like paid offers, sponsorships, and community invitations will actually land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pick one clear call to action and repeat it consistently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Join my mailing list&#8221; is the right move for most shows at this stage.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To make it more compelling, tie it to something useful such as a checklist, a resource, a short guide connected to your most popular episode topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Give people a reason to sign up beyond &#8220;stay in the loop.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you&#8217;ve built that list, even a small one, you have something real. You can ask them what they want. You can find out what they&#8217;d pay for. You can stop guessing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 3: Start Adding Monetization Features<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With your data in hand and a direct line to your audience, now you can start thinking about making money from your show. And, you can do this without putting the cart before the horse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">RSS.com has several monetization tools built right into the dashboard. Here&#8217;s how to think about each one at this stage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>PAID (Programmatic Ads Inserted Dynamically):<\/strong> This is RSS.com&#8217;s programmatic ad feature. You enable it once, and ads are automatically inserted into your episodes. You can choose pre-roll, mid-roll, post-roll, or all of the above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You need just 10 downloads per month to qualify, and you keep 70% of the revenue. Joe&#8217;s smaller, relaunched show was already earning within the first month. It won&#8217;t replace a salary, but it builds alongside your show as your downloads grow. <a href=\"https:\/\/rss.com\/blog\/rss-com-launches-paid-easy-programmatic-ads-for-podcast-monetization\/\">Learn more about PAID here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"sllv-video -type_youtube\" data-provider=\"youtube\" data-video=\"qJqOTqvTFU4\"><a class=\"sllv-video__link\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/qJqOTqvTFU4\" rel=\"external noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sllv-video__media lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Video\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/qJqOTqvTFU4\/sddefault.webp\"><\/a><button class=\"sllv-video__button\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Play Video\"><svg width=\"68\" height=\"48\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\"><path class=\"sllv-video__button-shape\" d=\"M66.52 7.74c-.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79.13 34 0 34 0S12.21.13 6.9 1.55c-2.93.78-4.63 3.26-5.42 6.19C.06 13.05 0 24 0 24s.06 10.95 1.48 16.26c.78 2.93 2.49 5.41 5.42 6.19C12.21 47.87 34 48 34 48s21.79-.13 27.1-1.55c2.93-.78 4.64-3.26 5.42-6.19C67.94 34.95 68 24 68 24s-.06-10.95-1.48-16.26z\"\/><path class=\"sllv-video__button-icon\" d=\"M45 24L27 14v20\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Donations and Funding:<\/strong> Add a donation button to your RSS.com public podcast website. It shows up on your show&#8217;s page and in apps that support it. This is the easiest, lowest-effort monetization you can set up. It just requires a link to a PayPal, Patreon, Buy Me a Coffee, or similar account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Value for Value:<\/strong> This is a Podcasting 2.0 feature that lets listeners send micro-payments in Bitcoin while they listen. It&#8217;s not for everyone, but for shows with an engaged, tech-forward audience it&#8217;s worth enabling. RSS.com supports it through an integration with Alby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>CodeADX (Affiliate Sponsorships):<\/strong> RSS.com partners with CodeADX, which lets you browse a marketplace of brands and pick ones that actually fit your show. You get a custom promo code, promote it in your own voice, and earn 15 to 20% commission when listeners use it. No audience minimums, no complicated applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Apple Podcasts Subscriptions:<\/strong> This one gets its own note. Should you launch a paid subscription or membership at 1,000 downloads? Maybe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But only if you&#8217;ve already done steps one and two first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You need to know what&#8217;s resonating with your audience and you need a way to reach them before you ask them to pay. If you&#8217;ve done your tuneup and you&#8217;ve built your email list and you have a real sense of what your listeners value enough to pay for, then yes. RSS.com makes it easy to set up a paid tier through Apple Podcasts Subscriptions. If you haven&#8217;t done those things yet, wait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"keep-going\"><\/span>Keep Going<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Getting to 1,000 downloads is proof your show has something worth building on. Now the goal is to understand your audience better than you did at episode one, get a direct line to the people who love what you&#8217;re doing, and add revenue streams that grow alongside your show rather than ahead of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ready to start or move your podcast to a host that gives you all of these tools in one place?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dashboard.rss.com\/auth\/sign-up\/\">Start for free at RSS.com<\/a>. Our free Local and Niche plan has no limits on episodes or downloads, so you can build momentum before you spend a thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Launching your podcast is one thing. Getting people to actually listen to it is a whole different challenge. A lot of new podcasters think the downloads will come naturally once the show is live. They don&#8217;t. You need a plan.&nbsp; Our resident evangelist Joe Casabona has been podcasting for 15 years, launched shows to big [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":23755,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[181,169,173,162],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23754","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grow-your-podcast","category-how-to","category-podcasting-monetization","category-tips-for-podcasters"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.8 (Yoast SEO v27.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Get Your First 1,000 Podcast Downloads (And What to Do When You Get There) | RSS.com Podcast Hosting<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to get your first 1,000 podcast downloads with podcast SEO, distribution, guest 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