Building an Audience Connection

Ryan Dunn

As of January 2026, there are 4.58 million podcasts available worldwide. 332.7K podcasts were published in the 30 days prior to January 2026. This surely indicates the ease with which small organizations and individuals can become digital content creators. It’s really never been easier to share your words and ideas.

That also means, however, that there are a lot of voices clogging the highways, byways and lanes of public attention. Information is seemingly infinite today. But our ability to grant attention to that information is finite. In short, it is relatively easy to start a podcast or content channel in 2026. It is inversely challenging to get anyone to listen or view that channel. In truth, the journey to building a lasting audience is filled with obstacles—and opportunities.

What would success look like?

Michelle Obama can start a podcast with a million listeners. Those of us without pre-existing celebrity status start our digital channels with audiences consisting of our friends and family. Our current sphere of influence might include a few dozen individuals. Would it not then be a success if we were to increase the people who interacted with our messages from 30 to 50? Setting expectations that are both reasonable and meaningful leads to longevity–which is an important factor in building a wider audience.

Data tells a compelling story: the median life span of a podcast is about 174 days. 44% of podcasts don’t make it past 3 episodes. Only 8% of podcasts make it past 10 episodes. Many hosts quit when initial growth is slow, but successful podcasts stick with it for years. For ministry podcasts especially, perseverance is key.

Instead of trying to reach everyone in order to build a large audience, ministry podcasts thrive when tailored for a specific audience—whether that’s spiritual seekers, commuters, or members of a local congregation. Knowing the “who” of an audience allows creators to focus on providing valuable content to specific people. This relationship is built over time and through planting enough drops in the proverbial trust bucket that a listener willingly shares your content.

Reaching the audience of one

Most podcast and digital content consumption is solitary. Understanding this shifts the approach from mass messaging to individual storytelling—crafting an intimate experience for each listener. Instead of aiming for broad themes, it is best to tailor episodes to address the personal circumstances and questions of the audience. This audience-focused mindset keeps the podcast relevant and valued by each person tuning in.

Focusing on the specific desires of the individuals in the audience answers several logistical questions regarding content creation, including episode length and distribution. If a podcast is tailored to someone who wants to engage more deeply with a lectionary scripture passage while they are on their way to work, then crafting episodes that are suited for a 30-minute commute in the car helps to provide deep value to the audience. This type of consumer may find more value in regular, weekly offerings. While someone who enjoys an hour-long in-depth interview might be more comfortable with monthly offerings.

Connection Over Numbers

The real magic of ministry podcasting lies in meaningful connection—speaking to one listener at a time, providing genuine value, and remaining consistent. Audience growth follows when you invest in quality, relevance, and relationship. The invitation in digital content creation is to focus on creating good content and inviting engagement. It’s the individual journey that leads to communal impact.