Talking The Talk with Courtney Reimer

When you think about podcasting success, your mind probably goes straight to downloads, sponsors, and revenue. And yes… those things matter. But they’re only a fraction of the return a podcast can actually generate. In this solo episode, I’m making the case for something that sounds deeply unsexy on paper… but might be the very thing that keeps you in the game long enough to see real results: ROI. Not just in dollars, but in relationships, opportunities, audience connection, and the kind of momentum that compounds over time. We get into: • How most podcasters are measuring the wrong things • How to define ROI in a way that actually sustains your show • The role of KPIs (yes, I said it) in keeping you consistent • Why a single, clear CTA can change everything • And how to design your podcast to give something back… not just take from you If you’ve ever wondered whether your podcast is “worth it”… this is the episode where we actually answer that question. About the show Talking the Talk is a podcast about podcasting in which we cut through all of the noise confronting new and seasoned podcasters who want to leverage this powerful medium in service to their mission and business. If you’d like to work with Sounds Great on your podcast hopes and dreams, visit SoundsGreatStrategy.com   About the host Courtney Reimer is a podcast strategy & development expert, host of Talking the Talk (a podcast about podcasting), and founder of Sounds Great Creative Podcast Strategy, where she empowers entrepreneurs and creators as they convert ideas into shows that drive business, visibility, revenue, and authority. She earned her chops at Spotify (EP’ing Meghan Markle’s Archetypes), Audible, and MTV Radio, as well at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and University of Washington's School of Communications.  She's also the mom of two adolescent girls + one adolescent ugly-cute dog and wife to a fellow audio + digital media industry veteran who has authored two novels and can fix anything that's broken (except Courtney's time blindness).  Connect with Courtney... on LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/CourtneyReimer on Instagram: @soundsgreatpodcasts ⚡☕ This podcast runs on curiosity, crunch time, and caffeine. If you have enjoyed it, by all means Buy Me a Coffee (https://buymeacoffee.com/soundsgreatcourtney)! I'll return the favor by continuing to create engaging, enriching episodes for you to slurp down like I do my morning java... ☕ ⚡

Most podcasters are exclusively focused on the impersonal numbers-based metrics they find on their show dashboard. But what if they’re chasing the wrong performance indicator? (Spoiler, they are.) The real value isn’t in the number of people in your audience, but what happens to, with, and because of your podcast audience. In this episode, Ali Prato, host of the Infertile AF podcast, is talking the talk with Courtney Reimer about what happens when you stop thinking of your podcast as a content engine and start treating it as a mechanism for connection. Ali launched her show after going through her own fertility struggles and realizing there was no place where people were having honest, nuanced conversations about what she and so many others were experiencing. Nearly 400 episodes later, that show has grown into something much bigger–and more profitable–than a personal podcast. All because the podcast catalyzed one thing: people with common interests and experiences finding their way to each other. We’re talking the talk about: Why niche podcasts are uniquely positioned to build real community How connection—not content—is the true value of podcasting The realities and work involved with turning a podcast into a business How relationships formed via a podcast lead to real-world opportunities Why “just begin” might be the most important strategy of all The throughline: real people looking for real connection in real time. About Ali Ali Prato is the creator and host of the Infertile AF podcast, a long-running show exploring fertility, family building, and the many paths to parenthood. Through her work, she has built a deeply engaged community and expanded her platform into live events, partnerships, and a children’s book series under the Work of ART brand. Learn more and connect with Ali: infertileafgroup.com About the show Talking the Talk is a podcast about podcasting, hosted by Courtney Reimer, founder and principal strategist, Sounds Great Creative Podcast Strategy. If you’d like to work with Sounds Great on your podcast hopes and dreams, visit SoundsGreatStrategy.com   About Courtney Courtney Reimer is a podcast strategy & development expert, host of Talking the Talk (a podcast about podcasting), and founder of Sounds Great, where she helps entrepreneurs and creators turn ideas into shows that drive business, visibility, revenue, and authority. She’s worked at Spotify (EP’ing Meghan Markle’s Archetypes), Audible, and MTV Radio, and now brings that expertise to founder-led brands and mission-driven businesses through bespoke engagements, a Podcast Launch Accelerator for new creators, and a Momentum community for established podcasters. Connect with Courtney on LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/CourtneyReimer Follow on Instagram: @soundsgreatpodcasts ⚡☕ This podcast runs on curiosity, crunch time, and caffeine. If you have enjoyed it, by all means Buy Me a Coffee! I'll return the favor by continuing to create it... ☕⚡ buymeacoffee.com/soundsgreatcourtney

Most podcasts don’t make it past episode three. The ideas are good, the host is talented, and there's maybe even a well-defined audience right there waiting for it (like Richard Marx in that song, #IYKYK). But they weren’t built to last, because they weren't built on solid, strategic, repeatable architecture. In this episode, you'll learn why podfade happens so often (and so early), and the simple shift that can keep your show alive long enough to actually earn its keep. We’re talking about: Why relying on one format (usually interviews) sets you up to fail The “Rule of Threes” that makes your podcast sustainable How to create episodes even when you’re tired, busy, or can’t book a guest And how to build a show that returns on your investment instead of becoming another abandoned feed If you’ve ever thought about starting a podcast, or you’ve already started one and feel that creeping drop in momentum… This one’s for you. *** Want support building a podcast that actually lasts? My Podcast Accelerator community might be the right fit. Head to SoundsGreatStrategy.com and add your name to the waitlist.

“Press record and publish.” That’s how simple podcasting can look from the outside. But sustaining a show over years, through hundreds of episodes, is a very different story. In this episode of Talking the Talk, Courtney sits down with veteran podcaster Katie Fogarty, host of the long-running midlife podcast, A Certain Age. Over the past five years, Katie has produced more than 270 episodes, interviewed bestselling authors and leading experts, and built a show that has evolved into both a thriving community and an unexpected business. But behind that success is a surprising amount of work. Katie pulls back the curtain on what podcasting really requires, from guest outreach and research to the promotion and systems that keep a weekly show running. She also shares the reality of sustaining creative work over the long term, including the fact that even experienced podcasters sometimes struggle to keep up with the cadence they once imagined. For anyone wondering what it actually takes to keep a podcast going, this conversation offers a candid and encouraging look behind the curtain. In this episode, we discuss: Why podcasting takes far more time than most people expect The hidden workload behind every episode How podcasting can create unexpected business opportunities Why sustainability matters more than perfect release schedules The systems and rhythms that help long-running shows survive How Katie built a loyal audience around midlife storytelling Follow Katie Fogarty Podcast: A Certain Age Instagram: A Certain Age Pod About the show Talking the Talk is a podcast about podcasting, hosted by Courtney Reimer, founder of Sounds Great Creative Podcast Strategy. Each episode pulls back the curtain on how podcasts are actually made, and how entrepreneurs, creators, and leaders can build shows that are strategic, sustainable, and worth the effort. Learn more at www.soundsgreatstrategy.com

Smart podcasters love being clever. They're really good at it. And that’s the problem. The same intelligence and wit that makes you a great host can also lead you to a podcast name that delights you, confuses everyone else, and, crucially, costs you valuable audience members. In this episode, I’m joined by podcast strategist Jason Cercone, who made a painful but strategic decision after nearly a decade: he rebranded his show from the name he loved to something radically clear. And he’s honest about what that original title may have cost him in traction. We talk about: Why clarity beats clever when attention is fractured and thumbs scroll fast The “sign above the door” test: can someone tell what your show is in a split second? How a name can fit your vibe but still fail the search and discovery reality of podcast apps Why taglines might not be helpful The branding choices that make shows blend in (and not in a good way) How to think about pivots without spiraling, especially when your show and business are evolving Monetization and ROI as useful datapoints If you’re naming a show right now, or if you’ve had the same name for years and something feels off, this episode is for you. Email me your show title (or your top two contenders) at courtney@soundsgreatstrategy.com. I’d love to hear what you’re building. Guest Jason Cercone is the host of Podcasting Strategy Simplified and founder of Bombtrack Media. He works with podcasters and business owners to build shows rooted in clarity, sustainability, and strategic growth. About the show Talking the Talk is a podcast about podcasting, hosted by Courtney Reimer, founder and principal strategist, Sounds Great Creative Podcast Strategy. To learn more, go to www.soundsgreatstrategy.com.

Nearly 350 billion emails are sent every day. The average click-through rate is about 2%. If you keep hearing you MUST have an email strategy, or you’ve ever poured your heart into a thought leadership newsletter and suspected it went directly t the spam folder, scooch in--I have another idea for you. I’m not here to trash email marketing. Lots of founders have built beautiful, high-performing businesses with newsletters at the center. But if emailing on the regular feels like squeezing into jeans that no longer fit, and giving literal voice to your ideas out loud feels like breathing, you're not alone. Inside this episode: Why inbox overwhelm is real, and screaming into the void is a justifiable pain point The refreshing alternative of podcasting as emerging, fertile, creative territory The parasocial magic of voice...flaws, mispronunciations, and all If you’re podcast-curious or podcasting-stalled, email me at courtney@soundsgreatstrategy.com. Tell me the one thing stopping you. I’ll help you think it through. About the show Talking the Talk is a podcast about podcasting, hosted by Courtney Reimer, founder of Sounds Great Creative Podcast Strategy. Learn more at www.soundsgreatstrategy.com.  

Podcasting is having an identity crisis. Audio used to be the point. Now the lines are blurring fast: YouTube is the biggest platform, “visualized” podcasts are everywhere, and clips are treated like the price of entry. So what’s actually happening here? Is video expanding podcasting…or quietly changing what made it magic? In this episode, I’m joined by Sasha Hamrogue, Group Digital Director at Onic, a network of radio stations in Ireland and Northern Ireland, where she oversees digital strategy and helped build Onic's podcasting arm. We get into the real tension behind the audio vs. video debate, including: Why discoverability in traditional podcast apps is still “abysmal,” and what creators have to do about it Why video can be vital for reach, even when audiences are mostly listening The gender and audience-behavior split Sasha is seeing in the data (and what it means for format decisions) Why “not all content deserves to be multi-platform,” and where video can dampen the experience The psychological cost of being knee-deep in the numbers Sasha’s favorite framing: audio as the ultimate imagination vehicle, and why intimacy is still podcasting’s superpower If you have strong feelings about video (pro, anti, or “it depends”), I want to hear from you. Email me at courtney@soundsgreatstrategy.com. Guest Sasha Hamrogue Group Digital Director, Onic (Ireland/Northern Ireland media giant) About the show Talking the Talk is a podcast about podcasting, hosted by Courtney Reimer.

After years making mic magic at MTV Radio, Audible, and Spotify, where she executive produced Meghan Markle’s Archetypes, Courtney Reimer is finally stepping behind the mic for herself. Talking the Talk explores what it really takes to build a podcast that lasts. From creative burnout to real ROI to avoiding pod fade, expect candid conversations with industry veterans and newcomers alike. Will Courtney follow her own advice? Let’s find out. Lessons learned. Wisdom earned. Smart podcast strategy.