As part of Sounds Profitable’s mission to uplift and connect the podcast industry, we’re conducting a series of interviews with industry professionals and leaders to share their stories and insights about where podcasting is, and where it’s going. Today we speak to Jennifer Han, CMO of Ausha
Could you please introduce yourself?
Hi, I’m Jennifer Han, CMO at Ausha. Ausha is short for Audio Sharing. Our mission is simple, amplify every podcaster’s voice. We build cutting edge podcast marketing tools to grow your audience irganically, not through ads. What set us apart? We are the only platform focused on increasing visibility inside listening apps, with tools to boost your ranking in search results and top charts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Could you explain what PSO stands for?
PSO stands for Podcast Search Optimization. Think of it as SEO, but for podcast platforms such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It’s a strategic practice of making your podcast more visible when people search for content inside listening apps. And it matters because search is the first way listeners discover new shows. At Ausha, we provide advanced PSO tools to help you identify the most searched keywords by podcast listeners, then to measure keyword difficulty and focus on high potential one, also to optimize your titles and description to rank higher, but also compare your visibility to competitors, then track your podcast ranking evolution over time. The end goal is to get discovered by new listeners and outrank your competitors.
What are some important lessons to be taken from the BBC Studios case study Ausha published?
So the BBC Studios case study, it’s a concrete example of how even a major media expert in content production and distribution can unlock new growth by focusing on their podcast search strategy. Juliet, the amazing audience growth manager at BBC Studios, quickly saw the value of optimizing the search. Thanks to PSO, Spotify search became the second biggest discovery channel for the show in the case study. And this success led them to expand the strategy, and we are now optimizing visibility for five additional shows in BBC Studio. The lesson: even top tier publishers have room to grow when they treat search visibility as a strategic channel, not just an article.
What is the biggest challenge facing podcasting right now?
The biggest challenge in podcasting today is discovery. With millions of shows competing for attention, getting noticed on Apple Podcasts or Spotify is harder than ever. According to Discovery Start 2024 by ThePodcastHost, one in two listeners discovered new shows directly inside podcast apps, and 70% of them used the search bar to do it. And yet, most podcast producers still ignore search optimization. Here’s what happens if you’re not optimized for search. First, you don’t appear when listeners search for your topic because your metadata lacks the right keywords. Second, you miss out on reach because you’re not targeting keywords with enough search volume. And third, your competitors outrank you, simply because that did the work and you didn’t. Who feels this most urgently? Well, everyone with a podcast, but especially those whose business depends on audience growth, like media groups, podcast networks, and influencers. And that’s where Ausha comes in, with tools that put you back in control of your podcast visibility. We are tackling one of podcasting’s most frustrating problems, podfading. Too many great shows stop after just a few episodes, not just because of lack of talents, but because they fail to grow an audience. And it’s so frustrating to see strong content and great voice vanish for reasons that are purely marketing related, issues that can be fixed.
Today, when people talk about growth, it’s mostly about ads or word of mouth. But on one side, ads are expensive, and once the spend stops, the effects quickly fades. Word of mouth is neither controllable nor predictable, and it requires already having a minimum level of audience. At Ausha, we believe podcasting should be treated like any serious brand strategy. As a marketer with over 15 years of experience, I see it clearly. audience growth is a funnel with three main stages, awareness, acquisition, and retention. We are building the platform that gives podcast publishers real control through data and efficient actions at every stage of that funnel with advanced integrated tools that go far beyond hosting.
What are some common misconceptions about Ausha?
Two things often get misunderstood. First, confusing top charts with podcast search rankings. Top charts are rankings based on popularity within podcast categories. They reflect the momentum, usually driven by downloads and follows. According to discovery stats, 2024 from ThePodcastHost, 24% of listeners discovered shows through this tab in podcast apps. But 70% of listeners find new shows by typing into the search bar, which is in a completely different section of the listening app. Appearing there is not only being popular, it’s about metadata optimization, titles, description, and keywords.
That’s what PSO focuses on. Unlike the charts, this is a space you can actually influence.
The second thing is thinking that the tool alone will bring the audience. Getting access to the PSO control panel doesn’t mean your podcast will grow on its own. Think of it this way, buying a hammer won’t drive the nail in for you. You still have to swing it. Same here. We give you the tools, insight, and strategic guidance, but you lead the charge. Day-to-day, it’s your decisions and actions that make the difference. Our job is to equip you. You are the hero of the story. To stay in touch, super simple. You can head to Ausha.co to explore what we are building. You can also shoot us an email at hello at Ausha.co if you’d like to connect.
But you can also check out our YouTube channel for tips, updates, and product walkthrough. We’re always happy to talk about podcast strategy. See you soon.
