Bad Podcast Pitches – Details, episodes & analysis

What happens when a "Podcast Promoter" reaches out to a 20+ year podcasting veteran? That's what we're talking about today.

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Fountain | TrueFans | Podcast Guru | Other apps 

A "Podcast Promotion" offer landed in the inbox of my friend, Mike Wilkerson of the 2GuysTalking podcast network. I'll walk through the language, the repetition, and the red flags - especially the promises with no evidence of audience fit or long-term impact.

If you've been wondering why offers like these often signal artificial download inflation rather than real listener growth, you'll want to hear this. And, in typical Mike fashion, he had a candid response, pushing back on the vague claims and questionable value.

If that isn't enough, I also have an update on the service I mentioned in a previous episode and my efforts to test that service. Look for more updates in the future.

Mentioned in this episode:

• 2 Guys Talking Podcast Network
• The Podcast Gauntlet

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• Send in your bad pitches: pitches@badpodcastpitches.com
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I received a pitch via LinkedIn promising massive Apple Podcasts downloads, top chart rankings, and hundreds of five-star reviews. It seemed too good to be true, so I decided to reply to see what was going on.

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I inquired about how keyword research and "IPs" could foster real, long-term growth but received vague responses, which made me worry about possible chart manipulation and fake downloads. I explain why I'm protective of my shows and the risks of being removed from directories.

Here’s the twist: I’m planning to accept a three-day free trial to test their claims—no payment and full monitoring—so we can all see what happens. I outline my hypothesis, what success looks like, and how I will report on whether this approach leads to lasting impact or only temporary spikes.

Support & Connect

• Support with traditional currency
• Support with Bitcoin/Lightning: bdentzy@getalby.com 
• Send in your bad pitches: pitches@badpodcastpitches.com
• Mastodon @BadPitches@mastodon.social

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Create Your Own Show:
How I create this show, including tools, software, and the gear I use.

https://badpodcastpitches.com/tools/ 

(00:00) Opening: Bad Podcast Pitches and todays setup

(01:17) I replied and received a response

(01:44) Will this really grow an audience?

(05:13) Protecting shows from chart-gaming schemes

(06:14) The twist: agreeing to a three-day trial

(07:04) Coordinating with hosting and safeguarding stats

Oh, that old chestnut? Yup. Here we  go again with a bad pitch from my Facebook Messages...

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I received the same "podcast promoter" pitch multiple times in my inbox and DMs from different people over several months. I see several red flags, such as vague promises of "thousands of active listeners," secret groups, questionable SEO claims, a focus on SoundCloud growth, and unverified "targeted country" audiences. These offers can give misleading numbers that don't accurately represent your true listeners. Fake downloads and ratings might hurt your show's long-term success and lead to penalties in directories. 

I explain how I'm asking this promoter for specific details—proof of audience fit, methods, and outcomes. If you engage, make sure to ask for targeting information, portfolio examples, and verifiable reputation. I aim to help you quickly identify schemes, safeguard your show's integrity, and expand on key platforms like Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and trustworthy indie apps. 

If you’ve received a different bad pitch, send it my way so we can dissect it on a future episode.

Support & Connect

• Support with traditional currency
• Support with Bitcoin/Lightning: bdentzy@getalby.com 
• Send in your bad pitches: pitches@badpodcastpitches.com
• Mastodon @BadPitches@mastodon.social

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Create Your Own Show:
How I create this show, including tools, software, and the gear I use.

https://badpodcastpitches.com/tools/ 

Key Sections:

(00:00) The recycled pitch returns

(00:42) Have you heard this before?

(01:41) This should be a red flag

(03:30) Maybe ask questions like these

(04:10) No more secrets!!!

(07:34) Be part of the solution

Another podcast promoter reaching out in my Facebook messages. We're going to look at the pitch, talk through some red flags. And I'm thinking of taking this one in a little different direction.

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[AI Assisted Content]

I analyze a typical copy-and-paste pitch from a "professional podcast promoter" that claims to offer 100% real organic growth, large audiences, guaranteed downloads, and ratings and reviews. I break down the red flags: 

• Lack of personalization
• Outdated platform claims (SoundCloud and the iTunes Store)
• Vague “expert in Apple/Spotify/YouTube” assertions
• Vanity metrics that don’t reflect true audience fit

I’ll explain why these offers are risky. “Guaranteed” downloads often depend on controlled or incentivized behavior, and claims of being “100% safe” are misleading—platforms can and will penalize manipulation. 

I also share practical guidance for legitimate growth:

• Focus on content that meets a real audience need
• Prioritize genuine discovery over flimsy SEO wins
• Consider ethical cross‑promotion and paid ads
• Avoid hockey‑stick growth schemes until you know your show is solid (or maybe just avoid them altogether...)

I plan to (respectfully) engage the pitcher to learn what’s happening behind the scenes—without naming or shaming—and invite you to contribute your own bad pitches or share the show with someone who’ll find it helpful.

Support & Connect

• Support with traditional currency
• Support with Bitcoin/Lightning: bdentzy@getalby.com 
• Send in your bad pitches: pitches@badpodcastpitches.com
• Mastodon @BadPitches@mastodon.social

Listen Live in the Pitch Room
The Pitch Room (Live) | Chat

Create Your Own Show:
How I create this show, including tools, software, and the gear I use.

https://badpodcastpitches.com/tools/ 

(00:00) Opening and show premise: Bad Podcast Pitches

(00:39) Reading the scammy pitch: bold claims and emojis

(01:41) Spotting copyandpaste scams and lack of personalization

(02:58) Debunking expert in Apple, SoundCloud, Spotify

(03:43) What really grows a podcast: content and basic SEO

(05:15) Organic audience, vanity metrics, and misaligned listeners

(06:31) Promised downloads, ratings, reviews: how they fake results

(07:31) Why 100% safe is the biggest lie

(09:39) Value for value: contributions and sharing the show

- Bryan Entzminger

This week's bad pitch comes from my Facebook DMs. It starts with "Hello. I am a Podcast Promoter. I have 7 years of experience in..."

Let's take a look at this and find the good, the bad, and the (ummm... really bad) without naming or shaming the sender.

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Episode Page:

https://podcast.badpodcastpitches.com/episodepage/4

[AI Generated Content]

In this episode of Bad Podcast Pitches, I unpack a spammy Facebook DM promising “thousands of real, active listeners,” SEO magic, and top chart placements. I walk through each claim—from mass email lists and “secret groups,” to VPN “targeted country” listeners and manufactured ratings—and explain why many of these tactics may be technically true yet fundamentally misleading. I outline what’s plausible (paid download farms, inflated numbers, questionable SEO) versus what’s risky (gaming charts, low-quality audiences, potential platform penalties) and why these services almost never deliver the specific audience your show actually needs.

I also share practical indicators to help you spot similar scams, including outdated platform references (iTunes Store), reliance on SoundCloud stats, vague guarantees, and promises of unique subscribers and rankings. I invite your thoughts and bad pitch examples for future breakdowns and tease another questionable pitch I’ll analyze next time.

Support & Connect

• Support with traditional currency
• Support with Bitcoin/Lightning: bdentzy@getalby.com 
• Send in your bad pitches: pitches@badpodcastpitches.com
• Mastodon @BadPitches@mastodon.social

Listen Live in the Pitch Room
The Pitch Room (Live) | Chat

Create Your Own Show:
How I create this show, including tools, software, and the gear I use.

https://badpodcastpitches.com/tools/ 

Chapters:

(00:00) Opening and Today's Bad Pitch Teaser

(00:09) Show intro: What Bad Podcast Pitchers is about

(00:48) The spammy Facebook DM pitch

(01:06) Reading the full pitch claims

(02:00) True but misleading

(02:53) Are they really your target audience?

(03:35) Secret groups and the fuzzy role of SEO in podcasts

(04:25) Real and active listeners vs. target listeners

(05:01) Promised results: downloads, subscribers, and why it's hollow

(06:07) Unique subscribers, targeted countries, and VPN doubts

(06:24) Gaming charts: rankings, reviews, and platform risks

(07:15) Platform red flags: iTunes Store and SoundCloud

(08:06) Value-for-value, feedback, and how to support

(09:17) Closing and what's next

This was a fun one...

"Other podcasts aren’t beating you on quality.. they’re stealing your audience because they rank on YouTube. With over 70% of podcast listeners now discovering shows on YouTube, it’s the #1 growth channel, whether you publish audio, video, or both."

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Episode Page:

https://podcast.badpodcastpitches.com/episodepage/3

[AI Generated Content Below]

In this live-recorded episode of Bad Podcast Pitches, I unpack a cold outreach email aimed at my dormant show, 1,000 Podcasters, and use it as a teaching moment. I walk through why addressing a host by their show name misses the mark, why context about a show’s current status matters, and where bold claims about YouTube discovery and growth metrics deserve scrutiny. We examine the nuances behind stats like “70% discover on YouTube,” the ambiguity of percentage lifts without baselines, and the real work involved in picking meaningful keywords—especially when optimization is pitched as a quick fix.

I also invite you to weigh in: should I follow up with the sender, and what questions would you want asked on a discovery call? If you’ve received a questionable podcast pitch, send it my way for a future breakdown. Thanks for being part of the value-for-value journey—if this episode helped, share it with a friend who’s navigating the murky waters of podcast promotion and YouTube strategy.

Support & Connect

• Support with traditional currency
• Support with Bitcoin/Lightning: bdentzy@getalby.com 
• Send in your bad pitches: pitches@badpodcastpitches.com
• Mastodon @BadPitches@mastodon.social

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Create Your Own Show:
How I create this show, including tools, software, and the gear I use.

https://badpodcastpitches.com/tools/ 

Have you ever received a cold outreach from a podcast promoter? Here's one that I received. And maybe a follow-up on the most recent bad pitch from my email.

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Episode Page:

https://podcast.badpodcastpitches.com/episodepage/2

Previous Episode:
https://serve.podhome.fm/episodepage/bad-podcast-pitches/saw-you-on-the-audacity-to-podcastr-with-daniel

[AI-Generated Content Below]

In this episode of Bad Podcast Pitches, host Bryan Entzminger delves into the world of dubious podcast promotion pitches, sharing insights from a recent pitch he received via Facebook. The pitch, which claims expertise in promoting podcasts across platforms like Apple, SoundCloud, Spotify, and YouTube, raises several red flags. Brian discusses the unrealistic promises of guaranteed audience growth and the potential pitfalls of engaging with such services. He emphasizes the importance of skepticism when approached with offers that seem too good to be true, highlighting the need for genuine audience engagement over artificial metrics.

Bryan also provides an update on a previous episode where he addressed a misleading outreach from a company claiming to have discovered him on a non-existent podcast. He encourages listeners to share their own experiences with bad pitches and invites feedback on his new live recording format.

Support & Connect

• Support with traditional currency
• Support with Bitcoin/Lightning: bdentzy@getalby.com 
• Send in your bad pitches: pitches@badpodcastpitches.com
• Mastodon @BadPitches@mastodon.social

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The Pitch Room (Live) | Chat

Create Your Own Show:
How I create this show, including tools, software, and the gear I use.

https://badpodcastpitches.com/tools/ 

We've all gotten bad pitches from services trying to book guests on our show (usually to sell their most recent me-too leadership book). This time, the bad pitch is from a service that wants me to hire them to pitch me as a guest. And it's clearly just a scrape, copy, and paste with a bit of AI dust.

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Episode Page:

https://podcast.badpodcastpitches.com/episodepage/1

I got an email congratulating me for being featured on The Audacity to Podcast® with Daniel J. Lewis and recommending another show to consider. It was definitely structured as a "Complment, Value, Offer" format (I made that up). But there are a few things wrong.

• I've never been on The Audacity to Podcast® and, to my knowledge, Daniel doesn't take guests.
• The show they recommended is absolutely not a fit (and, to my knowledge, not really a podcast).
• If this is how well they pitch, I don't think I want them representing me.

I received a follow-up a couple days later, and I will likely reach out. I'm not sure exactly how I want to do that yet. But I think it might be interesting to know what they would do differently if they were actually representing me.

Also... this is a bit of an experiment. I'm streaming live (audio only) and publishing without editing. As a podcast host and editor, I don't really do that very much. But I want to try this out to see if I can make things easier for other podcasters who are struggling with either cost or time.

Support & Connect

• Support with traditional currency
• Support with Bitcoin/Lightning: bdentzy@getalby.com 
• Send in your bad pitches: pitches@badpodcastpitches.com
• Mastodon @BadPitches@mastodon.social

Listen Live in the Pitch Room
The Pitch Room (Live) | Chat

Create Your Own Show:
How I create this show, including tools, software, and the gear I use.

https://badpodcastpitches.com/tools/ 

Poorly thought-out podcast pitches do more harm than good. Listen to discover what Bad Podcast Pitches is all about and then subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

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Fountain | TrueFans | Podcast Guru | Other apps 

Support & Connect

• Support with traditional currency
• Support with Bitcoin/Lightning: bdentzy@getalby.com 
• Send in your bad pitches: pitches@badpodcastpitches.com
• Mastodon @BadPitches@mastodon.social

Listen Live in the Pitch Room
The Pitch Room (Live) | Chat

Create Your Own Show:
How I create this show, including tools, software, and the gear I use.

https://badpodcastpitches.com/tools/ 

In a recent episode, I mentioned that I was going to test out a podcast promoter's services and share my findings. I've finished the test, and in this episode, I'll share the experiment, my findings, and if I think it's worth pursuing.

Thank you to the Podhome.fm team for assisting me in gathering insights from analytics data that cannot be shared due to privacy concerns.

• Previous Episode: Will This Promotion Get Your Podcast Booted? My Three-Day Trial Plan
• Blog Post: Was 3 Days of Professional Podcast Promotion Worth It? 

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If you've ever wondered if one of those "Professional Podcast Promoters" could really deliver results, you won't want to miss this one.

Listen as I reveal the results of a three-day promotion by a podcast promoter promising high rankings and a large organic audience. I explain how I secured my shows and Apple ID, worked with my media host (Podhome.fm) to track analytics, and share the outcome: my show quickly rose in the Apple Podcasts charts, hitting #1 in Education > How To, and daily downloads surged from 1–2 to 70–100 almost overnight.

Analyzing the data, I found that the spike didn't seem organic. Podhome's patterns showed repeated downloads of the same episode from the same user IDs on Apple Podcasts, indicating possible manual download and deletion tactics. While the promoter technically delivered a #1 subcategory ranking, I don’t believe they delivered a real, targeted audience.

I discuss why this kind of manipulation is a vanity metric at best, why advertisers would see it as a red flag, and what (if any) residual discovery benefit might remain. I wrap with my takeaways, why I declined a monthly contract, and what to consider if you’re tempted by similar pitches.

There are some images included in the companion blog post. I encourage you to check them out.

Support & Connect

• Support with traditional currency
• Support with Bitcoin/Lightning: bdentzy@getalby.com 
• Send in your bad pitches: pitches@badpodcastpitches.com
• Mastodon @BadPitches@mastodon.social

Listen Live in the Pitch Room
The Pitch Room (Live) | Chat

Create Your Own Show:
How I create this show, including tools, software, and the gear I use.

https://badpodcastpitches.com/tools/ 

Key Sections:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:29) About the Promoter

(01:48) The State of the Show

(02:58) Preparing to Promote

(05:33) What Were the Results?

(10:08) Key Takeaways

(13:08) Was it Worth It?

(16:01) What's Next?