How China tariffs could impact your gear, viral death clock promotions, smarter cross-promotion strategies, storytelling upgrades, and the hilarious bad podcast guest action figure in this episode of Build a Big Podcast ... Why You Should Listen Why China's tariff hike could quietly kill your podcast dreams unless you act now The death clock trick: what you can learn from a "dark" graphic to make your show go viral (and build your email list) Five storytelling secrets that hook listeners so they crave every episode (and beg for more) Why your competitors want you to ignore the silent weapon hidden in simple quiz tools How to legally "hijack" other podcasters' fans without making enemies (or swapping feeds) The overlooked danger of supply chain chaos: how even your "Made in USA" mic could skyrocket in price overnight The "joint giveaway" secret: how a hunger for free stuff turns strangers into loyal subscribers The envy-inducing magic of stealing credibility … by swapping genuine testimonials instead of ads Why "feed swaps" might secretly be killing your hard-won audience—and 3 sneaky swaps pros use instead How to seduce big-name guests with a single irresistible offer they can't refuse The embarrassing mistakes that make you look like a clueless newbie—and how to turn them into status and power The action-figure test: Is your next podcast guest a hidden time bomb or goldmine of content? Why the "sticky middle" of your guests' stories fuels listener addiction (and gluttony for more episodes) The untapped lust for exclusivity—how to use mysterious bonus content to drive audience greed and sharing You want these links ... Subscribe to Build a Big Podcast See Big Podcast AMP for personalized podcast growth assistance Episode Timestamps [00:03:27] Will China tariffs wreck your podcasting setup? Why "just raise your prices" isn't the answer you think it is! [00:04:53] The fridge fiasco: How a tariff-induced 13-day wait for a refrigerator foreshadows what might hit your podcast gear soon [00:06:28] The "tape sync" days: How podcasters used to hire strangers to record guests in other cities—and why you might actually be getting a bargain today [00:09:02] The viral death clock: How an oddly morbid Instagram meme can juice your podcast's visibility with the power of quizzes [00:11:40] Why full-on feed swaps could sabotage your subscribers—and clever, less-annoying ways to cross-promote your show for fast growth [00:14:51] The LinkedIn law of reciprocity: How writing testimonials for others can flood your inbox with glowing words—and why it works for podcasters too [00:21:34] What makes a "bad podcast guest" and the underestimated magic of "the sticky middle" story—plus, the hilarious Bad Guest Action Figure you've got to hear about The Newsletter for Podcasters Big Podcast Insider - Weekly Podcasting Newsletter ​ This episode of Build a Big Podcast is brought to you by Riverside ...​ Riverside is online recording software that makes it easy for podcasters to record studio-quality interviews from anywhere. Try it free and, if you like it, get 15% off any membership plan when you use the code BIGPODCAST.​​ About this episode of Build a Big Podcast:​ This is the audio companion to Issue 228 of Big Podcast Insider. If you're interested in more info on what I talk about on this episode and also links, that's where to go. On this episode, I dive into where the money is made in podcasting. how to get more reviews (and subscribers) for your podcast, podcast hosting, and more. ​ Big Podcast Insider is a weekly newsletter on podcasting. If you like the content of this episode, you can subscribe here – it's free and you can unsubscribe at any time with a single click.​ Want more help growing your podcast audience? Big Podcast Extra - Podcasting Tips Big Podcast AMP (Audio Monetization Program)