Launching a podcast with the goal of growing your audience and turning listeners into clients, readers and customers? It’s not always a straight path, and there are lots of choices to make along the way.
Do you focus on growth by guesting on other podcasts?
Should you optimize your show for conversions, even when you’re just starting?
And how do you track the right metrics to make sure your podcast is really helping you build a long-term business asset?
Rodney Miles was thinking through all of these questions when he joined me on the Business Podcast Spotlight. Rodney is the author of The Modern Author and the host of The Modern Author Podcast, where he shares his insights from years of writing and helps authors build their businesses. Outside of podcasting, he’s passionate about helping self-published authors succeed.
His approach? Build a conversion podcast that’ll help him grow his email list, sell books, and provide real value through interviews and expert insights. After chatting with him, it’s clear that his strategy is shaping up to be a solid one.
Let’s dive into Rodney’s plan for his podcast and how he’s going to track his success!
Listen to the full episode below, or read on for the strategy!
Laying the Groundwork
Rodney is in the planning phase of his podcast journey, and he’s approaching it with a clear goal: to bring value to authors and entrepreneurs who want to write, publish, and grow their businesses. Right from the start, he knew his podcast had to do more than just share helpful information—it needed to play a real role in converting listeners into leads and sales.
He’s already built a solid foundation for his business, and the podcast is shaping up to be another tool to help him hit those goals. Even though the show hasn’t launched yet, Rodney’s thinking strategically about how to use it from day one to generate momentum—and more importantly, results.
The big idea? His podcast isn’t just a platform for content. It’s a business asset. He’s designing it to bring in the right listeners, deliver real value, and guide them toward joining his email list or buying his books.
And he’s already planning how to measure what’s working. He’ll be keeping an eye on key metrics—like how well his guest appearances perform and how many listeners actually convert into subscribers or customers. He’s also taking a smart step by using Megan’s suggestion to create unique links for each guest appearance, so he can track exactly where leads are coming from once the podcast goes live.
The New Plan
As you’ll hear in our conversation, after chatting with Rodney about his goals and his upcoming podcast, we agreed that a he is looking at creating a Coversion Podcast. He’s not just looking to create great content; he wants to drive specific actions from his listeners, like getting them to sign up for his email list or buy his books.
Rodney’s podcast, The Modern Author, will start with a 13-episode single-season release. The episodes are already recorded and ready to go. Instead of jumping into a regular release schedule right away, he’s going to focus on a concentrated launch to provide something really robust for people to enjoy while he focuses on growing audience. This way, he can generate momentum without the pressure of weekly episodes.
For this first season, Rodney plans to use his existing website as the main hub for the podcast, linking each episode to his promotional material with clear calls-to-action. He’ll also set up a dedicated landing page to capture leads, making sure every episode and guest appearance points to an easy way for people to sign up for his email list or grab his book bundle. The dedicated landing pages will also help him track where most of his leads and conversions are coming from.
What’s great about this plan is that it’s simple and sustainable. Rodney can test out how well the podcast works for him and make adjustments as needed, all while keeping the focus on driving conversions—exactly what he needs to move his business forward.
Business Podcast Blueprints Analysis
Rodney’s podcast, The Modern Author, is a great example of a Conversion Podcast—right from the jump. He’s not just creating a show to talk shop—he’s building a tool that’s meant to drive real results for his business. His plan is to use the podcast (and all the related content around it) to grow his email list and turn curious listeners into book buyers and long-term fans.
Instead of trying to make a sale directly from the episode, Rodney’s strategy is to invite listeners into his world—specifically, onto his email list. That’s where he can keep the conversation going and offer value over time. From there, taking the next step—like buying a book or working with him—feels easy and natural.
One of the smartest parts of his plan is a free bundle he’s offering right on his website. It includes a downloadable PDF of his book The Modern Author, which lays out what it really takes to succeed in today’s publishing world. But that’s not all—he’s also including two other really practical tools: a detailed Gantt chart that maps out the entire publishing process, and a guide to all the major self-publishing platforms, with tips and advice for each one. Together, they make a super helpful starter kit for anyone serious about publishing—and they give Rodney’s audience a real reason to visit his site and sign up.
Rodney’s also planning to keep things flexible with the podcast format itself. He’ll be bringing in guests, but he could just as easily mix in case studies, solo episodes, or other kinds of content. The real focus is on value—creating episodes that are useful and interesting, while gently pointing people toward that next step.
How to Do It Yourself:
If you’re thinking about using a Conversion Podcast to move listeners through your sales funnel, here are a few questions you want to ask yourself:
- Who is my current most important customer segment?
- What content should I create to help my listeners make a decision?
- What are the most common questions I get on discovery calls?
The first step is knowing exactly who you’re creating content for. Are you speaking to aspiring authors, small business owners, or another group?
A Conversion Podcast needs to help listeners move toward a buying decision. So, are there topics you haven’t covered that could help potential customers decide whether to buy from you?
Think about your sales process—what are the questions you always get asked during discovery calls? These are the types of episodes that can help you move people along in your funnel. Answer their questions before they even ask, and position yourself as the expert who has the solutions they need.
How to Track Success
Here are the stats you should track for this kind of conversion podcast season.
- Listener Engagement – Track how many people listen to each episode and how they engage with your content (clicking links, signing up for emails, etc.).
- Click-through Rate (CTR) – Measure how many listeners click on your CTAs (like downloading a free resource or signing up for a call).
- Downloads & Audience Growth – Measure the number of downloads and new subscribers to see if your audience is growing.
- Conversions from Podcast Guest Appearances – Track how many people convert to leads or customers after being on other podcasts. You can use dedicated landing pages for these appearances to help measure this.
- Conversion by Topic – Track which topics in your episodes lead to more conversions. For example, note which specific discussions or subjects generate more sign-ups, bookings, or purchases, so you can refine your content strategy.
Next Steps
Rodney is now all set to launch his The Modern Author Conversion Podcast season, and in a few months, he’ll return to the spotlight to share how it’s gone. Make sure to follow along and see how the strategy plays out in real-time!
If you’re looking to take your own podcast to the next level and boost your conversions, don’t hesitate to reach out for some tailored support. After all, your podcast is a key part of your sales process – getting it right is essential for turning listeners into loyal customers.
You can check out Rodney’s services or connect with him on His Website.
Become a Guest
If you have a podcast, or are considering one for your business, then we’d love to chat with you about how to make it as profitable as possible. Go to OneStoneCreative.net/SpotlightGuest and fill out an application.
Level Up Your Podcasting with Solid Strategy
If you’re looking for support with your current or an upcoming podcast – the team at One Stone Creative is ready to help. You can book a free strategy session with Megan Dougherty right here, review our ongoing and seasonal production options, or explore our new podcast Sprints Program, where we’ll do all of the heavy lifting for a podcast season that drives your business forward.
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