If you’re podcasting and still thinking about starting a companion newsletter, here’s your sign to saddle up and get started. Just look at The Wild West Extravaganza, a podcast where brings real stories from the Old West to life, and his companion newsletter keeps listeners hooked with behind-the-scenes tidbits, fun facts, and deeper dives into the era’s fascinating history.

Josh’s newsletter isn’t complicated—he keeps it casual, sending updates when inspiration strikes (about once or twice a month). It’s proof that you don’t need a rigid schedule or a polished sales funnel to connect with your audience. Just pick a platform (Substack works like a charm for him and me) and share something you’re excited about.

His best tip? Don’t overthink it. A quick, value-packed post is all you need to stay top of mind and grow your community. is a great example of how effective the keep-it-simple strategy can be—Josh gets paid subscribers purely because people love supporting his work.

Bottom line: your podcast fans are ready to hear from you. Time to pony up some words and hit publish! 🐎✨ And if you need help getting started, I’ll help you come out the gate with guns blazing—see the bottom of the post for info about my upcoming workshop.

Let’s get into Josh’s wisdom-packed Q&A!

What’s the basic premise and tagline of your podcast?

JT: True tales from the Wild West. A history podcast covering real life people and events from the Old West era.

When and why did you start your companion newsletter?

JT: I started it in September of 2022 just as a way to stay in contact with listeners and a way to share additional information, updates, fun facts, etc.

Also, I wanted one centralized way of communicating with my audience.

What’s your strategy? How do your podcast and newsletter play off each other and work together within your ecosystem of content, promotion, and monetization? How does your newsletter serve your podcast?

JT: I honestly don’t have much of a strategy. I don’t have a set schedule and usually just send out new editions on a whim. That said, it usually works out to once or twice a month. The content will either be expanding on something we’ve already discussed on the podcast, something I plan on discussing in the future, or just an interesting fact or anecdote related to Old West history. Sometimes for fun I’ll share behind the scenes stuff from the show.

As far as monetization, I don’t run any ads yet but I do have an option for paid subscribers. Even though I make it abundantly clear that the newsletter is 100 percent free and there are no perks for becoming a paid member, people still choose it as a way to support. Having more than one way to support the show (Patreon, Buy Me a Coffee, YouTube memberships, Into History, Substack) has really been beneficial.

[Editor’s note: Josh has had tremendous success on YouTube with a simple production strategy, check out his previous Q&A below for more on this.]

Where do you host, and why? Are you satisfied with your hosting platform?

JT: Substack. So far I’m happy with it and I love how simple it is. I do sometimes wonder if I’m missing out by not going with one of the more “professional” mailing list options but I’m not exactly setting up a sales funnel or anything. I’m just communicating with my audience and for that Substack works just fine.

What’s your #1 tip for podcasters who are thinking about starting a companion newsletter for their show?

JT: Don’t overthink it. Just pick a platform and keep it short and simple. At first I thought I needed to write an essay each week but I don’t think people really want that. Josh Spector’s For the Interested newsletter is a great example of how to pack a ton of quality into something super short and simple.

Anything else you’d like to add?

JT: Grammarly and Canva have both been great tools for the newsletter!

Thanks so much, Josh!

➡️ Make sure to listen to The Wild West Extravaganza and subscribe to on Substack to get the latest in your inbox.

If you want more tips on how to slay your companion newsletter game, check out my previous Q&As with , , and .

Trying to grow your podcast through paid advertising?

If so, you gotta check out my latest post on my most expensive advertising experiment to date. In case you missed it, I spent $2K on ad space in the Castbox app. In the post, I spill all the deets, including how the results compared to my other advertising experiments, and whether or not it was worth it.

See whether this was some of the best or worst money I’ve spent in my career as an indie podcaster.

SEE MY RESULTS

Join the Masterclass for Starting Your Newsletter 📝

Podcasters, as you can see, a newsletter is the secret weapon you need! It’s the ultimate tool to deepen listener connections and grow your audience.

If I’ve managed to convince you that newsletters are a lucrative supplement to your podcast, one that deepens listener connections and grows your audience, I have more good news. I’m hosting a workshop to tell you exactly how to get started.

Join me for my three-hour masterclass, Start a Newsletter to Supercharge Your Platform, Network, and Business.

You’ll learn:
✅ How to craft irresistible content your audience will love.
✅ Strategies to sustain a consistent newsletter.
✅ Tips to grow your reach and engagement.

When: Saturday, January 4th from 11am-2pm PST

By the end, you’ll have everything you need to launch your podcast’s perfect companion. Can’t make it live? Enjoy 60-day access to the recording.

Sign up today!

So… ROLL CALL! 🗣

Do you have a companion newsletter for your podcast? Drop a link in the comments below and tell us about it!

Leave a comment

If you’re a podcaster without a newsletter, you’re missing out on a dynamic duo. Seriously, newsletters and podcasts go together like peanut butter and jelly—or, let’s be honest, like indie podcasters and bleary-eyed, late-night edits.

Take , for example. The show’s creator, veteran audio producer , didn’t stop at the waveform. She launched a newsletter to complement her podcast (before it even launched), and it’s become a crucial part of her creative ecosystem.

Her newsletter doesn’t just announce new episodes (yawn); it delivers bite-sized storytelling lessons, actionable advice, and fresh strategies that podcast creators can use right away. By offering value-packed content in her newsletter, Elaine grows both her podcast audience and her subscriber base while setting the stage for monetization through workshops and a paid tier.

So, if you’ve been flirting with the idea of a newsletter, take Elaine’s advice: DO IT. Not only will it help you connect with your audience in a new way, but it could open doors to opportunities you haven’t even dreamed of yet. And who doesn’t love the idea of repurposing content for books or public speaking down the line?

Bottom line: your newsletter isn’t just a companion to your podcast—it’s an indispensable secret weapon. Get writing, Bestie! ✍️✨

What’s the basic premise and tagline of your podcast?

EG: Sound Judgment, the podcast that investigates just what it takes to become a beloved storyteller by pulling apart one episode, at a time, together.

When and why did you start your companion newsletter?

EG: I started Sound Judgment, the newsletter, a month or two before I launched the podcast (September 2022). I started both because I had a lot to both say and learn about the craft of audio storytelling. I particularly wanted to investigate what it takes to become a beloved host. There was so much advice floating around about the mechanics, business and marketing of podcasts, but virtually nothing about the craft. It felt backwards to me. Also, there remains a huge assumption that anyone can get behind a mic and be as good as Ira Glass or Terry Gross, when nothing could be further from the truth. I figured out a format by which I’d invite great hosts onto the show, and together we’d dissect an episode to learn and share what exactly they were doing that makes them so compelling.

TL;DR: I grew up in the theater and then began my career as a writer and editor. I worked for magazines for more than 15 years before moving into public radio, and I’ve always been fascinated by the writing/storytelling/performing crafts. We already had an email list of a few hundred people when I launched the newsletter, and there was plenty to say about creative choices in audio storytelling even before I launched the podcast. The newsletter audience began growing, and it always felt like the two would work hand-in-hand to grow each other.

What’s your strategy? How do your podcast and newsletter play off each other and work together within your ecosystem of content, promotion, and monetization? How does your newsletter serve your podcast?

EG: I believe I get new podcast listeners from the newsletter, and I know I get new newsletter subscribers as a result of the podcast. I don’t just use the newsletter to announce a new episode—I think that strategy doesn’t hurt, but doesn’t add value to the reader. Rather, I share the storytelling lessons (the “takeaways”) gleaned from the guest at the end of each episode. I know there are people who would rather read than listen, and people who want both. I also created a department called “Try This in Your Studio,” which goes into depth on a single strategy. People like it quite a bit because it’s actionable advice.

Regarding monetization, I lead workshops for storytellers/content creators of all kinds. They learn about the workshops from the newsletters and the podcast. This is a brand new strategy, but it seems to be working. Ultimately, I plan to add a paid tier. I’m not sure about adding classified ads.

Where do you host, and why? Are you satisfied with your hosting platform?

EG: I moved my newsletter from Kartra a few months ago to Substack. My audience has grown and it’s an easier user interface, but I’m sure I could be using it better. It doesn’t work well for email marketing in the way that ConvertKit might, however.

What’s your #1 tip for podcasters who are thinking about starting a companion newsletter for their show?

EG: Do it! Not only do they help each other grow and give me a platform for offering paid products, but I get some responses from listeners. Those responses allow me to get to know the audience in a way that the podcast does not. They help me understand readers’ challenges and interests, which aids content generation. Ultimately, I believe the newsletter and podcast together will help me create a community. Last but not at all least, I’ve created so much content between the newsletter and the podcast that I now have an extensive body of work around a question I’m endlessly interested in. Eventually, I plan to use this body of work for public speaking and a book.

Thanks so much, Elaine!

➡️ Make sure to listen to the Sound Judgment podcast and subscribe to on Substack to get the latest in your inbox.

If you want more tips on how to slay your companion newsletter game, check out my previous Q&As with and .

Boost YOUR podcast with a newsletter 🚀

Want to grow your podcast audience and connect with listeners on a deeper level? A newsletter is your perfect companion—and I’m teaching a workshop to help you get started!

Join me for Start a Newsletter to Supercharge Your Platform, Network, and Business, a masterclass that will help you architect the newsletter portion of your media ecosystem.

In just three hours, you’ll learn:

• How to determine your target reader and attract them with the right content.

• Sustainable strategies to keep your newsletter consistent.

• Effective ways to grow your email list.

By the end, you’ll have a clear plan—and resources and strategies to keep your momentum going. Plus, you’ll get 60-day access to the recording.

Sign up now!

So… ROLL CALL! 🗣

Do you have a companion newsletter for your podcast? Drop a link in the comments below and tell us about it!

Leave a comment

Hey Besties!

I have a special treat for you: the speech I gave last week at Podcast Movement Evolutions all about companion newsletters. I’m sharing it with y’all because it highlights so many great strategies that you can incorporate into your shows.

It was presented with a slideshow. Below the paywall is a link to those slides so you can have the full experience.

This is the first episode exclusively for paid subscribers of Podcast Bestie. In addition to my advertising experiments, I’m aiming to offer paid Besties more behind-the-scenes content about how I’m strategizing, monetizing, and opportunities I see for indie podcasters. Let me know if you like it.

Thank you so much to Avery Trufelman, , Carolyn Kiel, , , Jamie Fenderson, , , , Whitney Knox Lee, and for generously contributing your experience and insights.

Psst… If you’re not yet a paid Bestie and you’re just seeing this preview, now would be a great time to upgrade. You’ll get access to this recording and slides, plus I’m running a 20 percent off special this week.

Get 20% off for 1 year

Read more

You know her, you love her, and you’re definitely going to want to read this Q&A on companion newsletters with her… I’m talking about none other than, founder of EarBuds Podcast Collective.

What’s the basic premise and tagline of your podcast?

AN: The ultimate podcast recommendation podcast, bringing you five podcast episodes on a theme, each week curated by a different person.

When and why did you start your companion newsletter?

AN: Actually, the newsletter started first! EarBuds began in 2017, and the podcast kicked off in 2019. I started it as a companion to the newsletter and to give advertisers more bang for their buck. The podcast has changed shape a few times over the years — it went from a completely solo show to an interview show to a hybrid show — but the newsletter has more or less stayed the same for seven years.

What’s your strategy? How do your podcast and newsletter play off each other and work together within your ecosystem of content, promotion, and monetization? How does your newsletter serve your podcast?

AN: I write the newsletter first. It’s a subscriber-curated newsletter, so curators submit their podcast recommendations via a form on our website. When their themed list is selected, we populate our newsletter template, add some more elements (classified ads, community news, our spotlight podcast pick), and then get ready to send it out. While the newsletter is being put together, we are also working on a script for the podcast episode. We reach out to the curator we’ll be featuring that week with a list of questions for them to answer via voice (submitted through an mp3 file), and at the same time, I record the intro and outro for the episode, as well as some of the other elements (ad reads, podcast news, and tidbits). Then, once we have the voice clip from our curator, we stitch it all together, and we’re good to go. The newsletter goes out on Sundays, and the podcast episode to accompany it goes out the following Tuesday. However, that schedule could change. We’re always evaluating publish dates and times for the best chance of high open, click, and download rates.

Where do you host, and why? Are you satisfied with your hosting platform?

AN: This podcast is hosted on Spreaker. It was initially hosted on Castbox, which is a podcast listening app (not a dedicated host), and it had a lot of limitations. Spreaker is much more robust, and it allows us to insert pre and post-roll ads to make a little extra cash. I am generally happy with it. I use other hosting providers for other podcasts that I work on — I love keeping up with software and services for audio and digital content creators, so I tend to move around a bunch.

For the newsletter, I use beehiiv. I switched just last week, so TBD on everything, but I really like it so far. I moved from Mailchimp. I was there for seven years, and it continued to get more and more expensive. I was enticed by beehiiv's nice landing pages, which are easy to set up and maintain.

What’s your #1 tip for podcasters who are thinking about starting a companion newsletter for their show?

AN: Make sure that if someone were to discover your newsletter on their own — independent from your podcast — there’s enough value there beyond just pointing them back to the podcast. A newsletter that basically just summarizes the episode and then links off to the podcast can be helpful, but if you really want people to stick around, it should offer something else. Think of a visual component you can include that you may have referred to on the podcast. Maybe there’s an infographic, a picture of a meal you made, anything that adds value to the newsletter. Make sure your pieces of content that do point back to your podcast also stand on their own.

Thank you so much, Arielle!

➡️ Make sure to listen to Feedback with EarBuds: The Podcast Recommendation Podcast and subscribe to EarBuds Podcast Collective: The Podcast Recommendation Newsletter to get the latest in your inbox.

➡️ Did you miss part one of this series with of ? Read it now:

P.S. If you want to start a companion newsletter or take it to the next level, check out my newsletter course for . Half the posts are free, and the other half are just $10!

Subscribe to My WOD101 Newsletter Course

So… ROLL CALL! 🗣

I heard from a bunch of Besties about your companion newsletters, and I would love to hear from more. If you have a companion newsletter for your podcast, tell us about it in the comments below.

Follow me @courtneykocak on Twitter and Instagram. For more, check out my website courtneykocak.com.

💸 Wanna advertise on Podcast Bestie? Here’s info about offerings and rates.

Hello Besties!

In a little over a week, I’m going to be speaking at Podcast Movement Evolutions in Los Angeles. I’ll be giving a talk entitled Why Your Podcast Needs a Newsletter & Substack for Podcasters on Thursday, March 28th at 1pm. Come check it out if you’re in town.

In preparation for this presentation, I wanted to buttress my personal experience with primary research, so I interviewed other podcasters with companion newsletters as illustrative examples. And since I don’t want to let a morsel of this research go to waste, I’m running Q&As with these podcasters right here on Podcast Bestie. So, even if you can’t make it to Podcast Movement Evolutions this year, you can learn the benefits of having a companion newsletter.

First up is . Paul has a wonderful writing podcast called The Book I HAD to Write, and incredibly, he has 3-10x’d his growth since switching his hosting to Substack.

What’s the basic premise and tagline of your podcast?

PZ: This is the show where I feature critically acclaimed writers who tell me about the stories they just HAD to get out in the world. Episodes focus on places where that urgency meets resistance. We talk about where authors get stuck — and how they succeed. Whether it’s mindset, craft, or publishing, this show covers everything you need to know to start and finish your own writing project.

When and why did you start your companion newsletter?

PZ: I was looking for a way to grow my show and also reach new potential coaching clients. I also wanted a place to highlight my own writing and workshops. Finally, while there are so many great podcast marketing strategies, I don’t have much extra time right now for those — I’m trying to balance writing my own book, coaching other writers, working a full-time job, and parenting. I felt like a Substack newsletter gave me the most bang for my buck.

What’s your strategy? How do your podcast and newsletter play off each other and work together within your ecosystem of content, promotion, and monetization? How does your newsletter serve your podcast?

PZ: I started my podcast to build my platform as an expert in writing craft, coaching, etc. The newsletter does the same thing but also expands on it by letting me showcase my writing, workshops, etc., during the times I’m *not* releasing episodes.

My sense is that my show reaches people who are interested in working with me (my current long-term clients found me through my podcast). But the newsletter is helping me build my platform as an author, as well. In a sense, my newsletter is the center of my ecosystem — hosting my podcast, my workshops, and my writing.

Where do you host, and why? Are you satisfied with your hosting platform?

PZ: I started the show on Libsyn and moved it over to Substack late last year. Substack has grown by leaps and bounds since launching in the late 2010s… And while it’s very limited as a podcast platform, it’s a great way to grow your email list. Example: I started with 175 emails in July 2023, and I’m up to 680 as of March 2024. Also, since switching over, my episodes get anywhere from 3x to 10x the downloads. That’s without any social media, promo swaps, feed swaps, etc. Then again, my show is for writers, and Substack is mainly a writer’s community… You know, fish in a barrel. 😊

What’s your #1 tip for podcasters who are thinking about starting a companion newsletter for their show?

PZ: I think a lot about what my guest, book marketing guru Kathleen Schmidt, tells her new clients: Figure out where your audience lives when they’re not reading. Figure out where your audience lives when they’re not listening… Is there a way to create a newsletter that reaches them there?

Tip #2 (related): Make sure writing your newsletter fits into your life and schedule. If it’s simply a huge chore and not fun, it’ll be hard to commit to long-term.

Anything else you’d like to add?

PZ: One important thing to consider if you write a newsletter on Substack: Since your newsletter is your show notes (and vice versa), you may want to spend time thinking about how to move beyond the simple “show notes” format to create an engaging newsletter that people want to interact with. For me, I spend a lot of time thinking about key takeaways, just in case folks don’t have time to listen to episodes.

Lastly, listen to Courtney. I’ve learned a ton from her.

Thanks so much, Paul!

➡️ Make sure to listen to The Book I HAD to Write podcast and subscribe to The Book I Want to Write Substack to get the latest in your inbox.

• The Life Shift podcast is celebrating its two-year anniversary this week! Tune in to hear host Matt Gilhooly adeptly create space for candid conversations about life-changing moments. Listen to The Life Shift!

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P.S. I'm back at Pandemic University with a brand new class called Newsletter Launch Pad. If you’ve been wanting to start a newsletter or take your fledging newsletter to the next level, this is the perfect kickstart. The class starts tomorrow, Tuesday, March 19th.

Sign up for Newsletter Launch Pad

So… ROLL CALL! 🗣

Do YOU have a companion newsletter for your podcast? If so, drop the link in the comments below.

And let me know if you want to meet up at Podcast Movement!

Follow me @courtneykocak on Twitter and Instagram. For more, check out my website courtneykocak.com.

💸 Wanna advertise on Podcast Bestie? Here’s info about offerings and rates.