From Zero to 50,000 Substack Podcast Downloads in 8 Months

And how you can start your own Substack podcast in 2025 as a newbie, too

Kristina God hitting 50,000 downloads on Substack podcast

Before we start…I now offer a Done-With-You Podcast Setup service.

I'll help you:

• Launch your podcast on Substack (step-by-step)

• Design the visual brand

• Create your podcast sections and first episode

• Get your show in front of the right people from Day 1

Let’s build your pod right, from the start.

👇🏻Annual and founding members get access to this service!👇🏻

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This is officially bonkers.

Eight months ago, I brought my YouTube show to Substack.
Today?
The Online Writing Club Show just crossed 50,000 podcast downloads. I still can’t believe it!

OMG!

For me as a 30 something, busy working part-time writing mom and non-native speaker with big ideas and dreams this is unbelievable.

Here are the raw data:

• 8 months

• (only) 25 podcast episodes (I didn’t manage to share one episode on a weekly basis)

Some episodes hit 1,000 (Wonderful to collab with

Colette Jane Fehr

Tanmeet Sethi, MD

).

Others even 6,000 downloads (thanks

William A. Finnegan

!)

Still remember my first podcast with

Michael Thompson

.

And in podcast land with more than 4 million podcasts worldwide getting about 2000 downloads as a newbie per podcast episode is…

…soooo good!

GIPHY

I talked with a creator friend of mine who hosts a podcast and he told me about the Buzzsprout stats!

For context:

• Top 25% of podcasts = 113 downloads per episode in the first week

• Top 10% of podcasts = 460

• Top 5% = 1,078

• Top 1% = 4,489

  

  photo credit: Buzzsprout

Thanks to Linda Lebrun

I owe this entire shift to

Linda

(formerly from Substack’s Writer Partnerships team). Last summer we were talking and she recommended:

“You should bring your YouTube show here.”

That single idea changed everything.

Now, I publish primarily on Substack since Substack has become my home on the internet.

I’m building here. I’m growing here.
And I’m grateful to every single person who hit play. 🙏🏻 Thank you!

We have many writers inside the Online Writing Club who started or are on the fence of starting her Substack native podcast.

Here are two examples I adore:

Walter Rhein

- Politics, Parenting & Life

Last time we talked, Walter crossed 50,000 downloads!

Walter started his pod by simply sharing voiceovers.

Now he’s also having guests on his show and is talking with

Will Fullwood

or

Robert Danna

.

Walter became addcited to podcasting. When I checked his library I saw he’s sometimes even publishing two times per day.

But it wasn’t always that way. There were times Walter didn’t feel good about his online writing business. My recommendation was to team up with others and it works!

Now for many listening to Walter and his friends is a “dose of sanity”. Walter gets lots of comments, feedback and his posts on Notes go viral without using any AI.

I’ve never seen Walter happier! Walter, am I right?

Dr Donna Blevins

Poker, Life Sessions, Memoirs

I’m also happy about Dr. Donna’s gowth!

She’s sharing her wisdom of 76 years of experience in her pod on Substack.

I really love her voice. However, to be honest, sometimes it’s hard for me to listen to the stories she shares, e,g, about her wedding night with her pimp.

Still, it’s Donna’s life and she’s grateful for the rollercoaster ride.

Here’s…

🎙 How to Start a Podcast on Substack in 3 Easy Steps

Thinking about starting your own show on Substack? It’s easier than you think.
Substack gives you podcasting and publishing in one place.

You can watch my Podcast Masterclass here or read on:

I Just Crossed 34,000 Podcast Downloads — Let’s Celebrate with a Podcast Masterclass!

Here’s how to launch a Substack native podcast:

Step 1: Log into your Substack, go to the Podcast tab, and click “Create Podcast”
Choose if you want the podcast as part of your main feed or as its own section.

Step 2: Choose to start a new podcast or import an existing one.

Step 3: Fill in:

• Title (make it searchable)

• Description (why it matters)

• Logo (to be seen)

• Categories (there are 29, pick the one that fits best as primary and another one as secondary category)

Step 4: Hit “Create podcast.” That’s it — your show is live.

To publish episodes:

• Head to your Posts tab

• Click “Audio post”

• Upload or record directly in Substack

• Add an image, and text body (and transcript)

• Preview, publish, and choose email or web delivery

Good to know:

Your Substack podcast can also be distributed to Spotify, Apple, Pocket Casts, and more.

For more, check out the Podcast Masterclass.

🙋 Substack Podcast FAQs — You Asked, I Answered

Q: How do podcast downloads actually work?
The total number of downloads indicates how often a listener has downloaded or streamed an episode on their device via a web post or podcast player.

Q: Can I see other people’s download stats?
Not exactly. But platforms like ListenNotes offer rough estimates.

Q: Are my podcast numbers “good”?
According to Buzzsprout:

If you’re getting more than 28 (!) in week one, you’re already above average.

• Top 25% of podcasts = 113 downloads per episode in the first week

• Top 10% of podcasts = 460

• Top 5% = 1,078

• Top 1% = 4,489

Q: Can I monetize my Substack show?
Yes. Besides winning paid subscribers, you can create a media kit and then find sponsors, get brand deals. No matter how teeny tiny your list or niche is. The riches is in the niches!

(I’ll share 7 ways to monetize your podcast show next week for paid members!)

Q: How do I grow my podcast?

Here are just a few quick tips from me:
➡️Weekly or at least 2x per month publishing. I try to publish an (almost) weekly pod ^^)
➡️ I collab with other Substack creators, artists, friends, creators
➡️ I leverage my pod and invite my guest for a masterclass in my Club
➡️ I test my headlines with the new A/B testing from Substack

➡️ I restack every podcast episode

➡️ I share an audio post whenever I publish a new episode.

➡️ I tag the creator I interviewed on Notes and in my posts

If You’ve Come So Far, I’ll Reward You..

Guess what you need to do to belong to the top 1% podcasters?!

I was watching an interview with Dickie Bush (from Ship30for30 and Write with AI).
And he said something crazy:

“If you publish 21 podcast episodes, you’re in the top 1% of all podcasts.”

Wait, what? Only 21 episodes?

fi fyza kahani

celebrates being in the top 1% now!

This means you just have to keep sharing your pod for 21 weeks in the row, about three months to join the 1% podcasters in the world.

GIPHY

Substack Native Podcasting is a Deep Game

You know I love short form content. But I’m happy to have added long form, too.

Because my pods aren’t just a post on Notes, a tweet or a reel — it’s long-form, high-trust content for listeners who’d like to go deep.

You don’t need millions of followers or subs. You need real people who come back to listen, again and again. Also, new peoiple to dicsover you. This is what Substack is perfect for!

I guess that’s why I’m growing with more than 850 subscribers per month. People listen to my podcasts, watch me on my videos or lives and read my emails.

🙏🏻🙏🏻Thank you for being here.🙏🏻🙏🏻
This milestone is yours as much as it is mine.

Let’s keep building. One powerful episode at a time.

Done-With-You Podcast Setup Service

I now offer a Done-With-You Podcast Setup service.

I'll help you:

• Launch your podcast on Substack (step-by-step)

• Design the visual brand

• Create your podcast sections and first episode

• Get your show in front of the right people from Day 1

Because your personal brand is a revenue-generating asset — and the people (and algorithms) searching for you deserve to find your best work.

Let’s build it right, from the start.

Got a Podcast? Let’s Swap Recommendations!

You’ve got a Substack pod I should check out She the link in the comments. Fingers crossed.

Could happen that I start recommending you and your show or feature you.

Keep showing up. Keep writing. Keep building…

And meet me for a chat about your future podcast.

P.S. If you know someone who could benefit from this post, please forward this newsletter. Thanks!