Episode 275 | Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast | Courtney Elmer

0:02 - Hit Pause On Your Podcast? Here’s How to Come Back Strong
2:45 - Is It Better to Keep Your Current Feed or Start a Brand New Show?
8:48 - How to Relaunch and Win Back Your Audience
10:53 - When a New Podcast Feed Actually Makes Sense
18:59 - How to Relaunch a Dormant Podcast the Right Way

Wondering How to Make a Bold Comeback After Pausing a Podcast?

In this post, we’re breaking down what to do when there’s been a shift in your podcast—like a business pivot, a change in audience, change in topic, change in leadership of the show (i.e., you lost a cohost), or if you simply had to pause your podcast for whatever reason and want to bring it back—but you aren’t sure of the best way to do it.

Should you start fresh with a new podcast? Should you keep the old feed and just rebrand it? And most importantly, how do you win back your audience? I’m answering all these questions and more to help you relaunch with purpose, reconnect with your audience, and regain the momentum you’ve lost. So if you’re ready to relaunch with purpose, reconnect with your audience, and regain the momentum you’ve lost, 

Already Took a Break? Here’s How to Come Back Strong

If your podcast has been paused for a while, it can seem like you’ve lost your listeners, your momentum, and maybe even your show’s identity. But don’t worry—it’s not game over. Whether you hit pause on your podcast because of a business pivot, a shift in your audience, or just life getting in the way, coming back strong is totally possible. The key? A strategic podcast relaunch plan.

But unpausing a podcast isn’t just about hitting “publish” again. It’s about getting your audience genuinely excited to tune back in, especially if there’s been a big shift, like you’ve changed topics, lost a co-host, or taken your business in a different direction. It’s not enough to quietly drop an episode and hope for the best — you need to reintroduce yourself to your listeners. Tell them what’s new, what’s changing, and most importantly, why they should stick around. If you want to come back strong, you need to be loud about it. Here's how to do it: 

Is It Better to Keep Your Current Feed or Start a Brand New Show?

One of the biggest questions I get when someone’s ready to bring their podcast back is whether they should start fresh with a new podcast or rebrand the old one. And honestly, it will depend on how big the shift is.

If you’ve made a major change — like going from teaching trademark law to helping photographers build their businesses — you’re talking to a whole new audience. In that case, starting fresh might make more sense. But if the audience is mostly the same, (even if your content or focus has shifted a bit) rebranding your current feed is probably your best bet.

Why? Because you don’t want to lose all the work you’ve already put in — the reviews, the rankings, the SEO value. In the eyes of podcast players like Apple and Spotify, this stuff matters more than you might think.

Just know that when you change direction, some listeners will drop off. It’s normal. But here’s the key: be transparent. Let your audience know why you’re making the shift, bring them into the conversation, and make them feel like they’re part of the journey. If they understand the “why” behind your changes, the listeners who are for you will be more likely to stick with you through the transition.

How I Pivoted My Podcast Without Losing My Audience

Here’s an example from my own experience. My podcast started as a general business show, covering everything from branding to bookkeeping—if it fell under the entrepreneurship umbrella, we talked about it. The result? A broad, mostly bored audience. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the show lacked a clear, convincing core premise to hook people in. Without that, it was hard to stand out from bigger, better business podcasts—so listeners overlooked my show because I wasn’t giving them a compelling reason to hit “play.”

When I decided to pivot and focus on podcasting specifically, I knew there’d be some attrition. Going from general business to podcasting is a big shift, even though my core audience—entrepreneurs, coaches, and business owners—was still the same.

But instead of starting fresh, I kept the same feed and rebranded. I communicated the changes to my audience, and as expected, some listeners dropped off. But the ones who stayed? They were way more engaged.

Even though our downloads per episode dipped, our total weekly downloads went up (and have stayed higher than ever). This showed me that while we had fewer listeners, they were binging more episodes.

So yes, you might lose some listeners when you pivot. It happens. But by being transparent and bringing your audience along for the ride, you can create stronger engagement with the ones who stick around. And the bonus? I didn’t lose any SEO value or have to start from scratch. My old episodes are still valuable for my current audience, and in this case, rebranding and relaunching an existing feed made the most sense. But what about when you’ve made a bigger pivot, or when the changes are so drastic that your existing content doesn’t align with your new direction? That’s when starting fresh with a new podcast might be the better bet.

When a New Podcast Feed Actually Makes Sense

There are definitely times when starting a new feed makes sense—like if your podcast has barely any traction (think less than 10 downloads per episode) or you’ve completely shifted industries. In those cases, starting fresh might help you attract the right audience from the get-go.

But here’s the thing: don’t start over just for the sake of it. 

If your show still has a solid foundation and the shift in topic isn’t a total 180, rebranding your existing feed could save you a lot of time and effort. 

Plus, you’ll hold onto those loyal listeners who are still interested in what you’re sharing. And that’s where the strategic podcast relaunch comes into play.

How to Relaunch and Win Back Your Audience

Let’s be real — if you’ve paused your podcast for any length of time, you’ve probably lost some listeners. It happens. But that doesn’t mean they’re gone for good. You can win them back, but the key is to relaunch in a way that gives them a reason to reengage.

But first, your messaging has to be dialed in. Without a clear, compelling core message, your listeners won’t know why they should choose your podcast over all the other noise out there. Once you’ve nailed down a strong messaging strategy and positioned your podcast to stand out in your category, the next step is to let people know you’re coming back, explain what’s different, and make it crystal clear why they should hit play again to “warm people up” prior to your podcast relaunch. 

Take my friend Alex Sanfilippo, who does this well: anytime there’s a big change in his company or podcast, he’s super transparent with his audience. He brings them into the conversation and explains why he’s making the shift. When listeners understand the “why” behind your changes, they’re more likely to stick around and support you through it.

How to Relaunch a Dormant Podcast the Right Way

So, your podcast has been on pause for a while—maybe six months, a year, or even longer. Now, you’re ready to bring it back. The question is, how do you relaunch the right way?

Here’s the thing: this isn’t just about hitting publish on a new episode and hoping people will find it. To make your return effective, you’ve got to reintroduce your podcast in a way that gets people excited. Why? Because if you’re coming back after a long break, your listeners need to know why they should care—and why now is the time to reengage with your show.

Think about it: You’ve shifted, your podcast may have evolved, and so have your listeners. You want to create a sense of anticipation, a feeling that something special is happening, and you want them to be part of it. The more buzz you can build before your relaunch, the more likely you are to draw your audience back in and remind them why they loved your show in the first place.

By being strategic in how you’re creating anticipation around reintroducing your show, you’ll be able to do a better job of showing them why your podcast is worth their time over the hundreds of other podcasts they could listen to. A strategic podcast relaunch is about more than just hitting “publish” and releasing weekly episodes again — it's about giving listeners a reason to care again.

Ready to Make Your Podcast Comeback?

If you want more free advice on launching or relaunching your podcast and turning more of your listeners into clients, hit the follow button for Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast on your favorite podcast app so you never miss a new episode. 

Or if you want the step-by-step playbook for relaunching and scaling your podcast so you can reach a global audience of ideal listeners (and turn those listeners into leads and sales for your business) book a free strategy call with our team to find out if you’re a fit for PodLaunch® — we’re here to help.

Up Next: 

In the next episode, we’re unpacking the common mistakes podcasters make when they let AI take over their content, the ethical concerns of sounding like everyone else, and what it really takes to use AI without losing your unique voice. So if you’re someone who wants to use AI to save time (but you also don’t want to run the risk of devaluing your brand with generic AI outputs) don’t miss the next episode.