72. Is Podcasting for Business Still Worth It in 2026? Real Data

“Is podcasting dead?”It’s a question I’ve been getting a lot lately, especially after Jenna Kutcher announced she’s stepping away from her podcast.In this solo episode, I’m breaking down what’s actually happening in podcasting in 2026 using real industry patterns, listener behavior, and what I see every day working behind the scenes with podcasts that convert (and ones that quietly disappear).This isn’t a hot take.And it’s definitely not fear-based marketing.It’s a grounded look at why podcasting isn’t dead, but why the way people approach podcasting has changed.in this episode, we talk about:Why the “is podcasting dead?” conversation keeps coming upThe long-standing stat about most podcasts ending after 10–20 episodesHow listener behavior has shifted toward fewer, more trusted showsWhy big creators stepping away doesn’t mean podcasting failedWhat actually works in podcasting in 2026The one question every podcaster should be able to answerConnect with me, Hayleigh Hayhurst:Apply to work with us: https://hello.dubsado.com/public/form/view/6521a4cc8fdeed003a859a44Steal my Podcast Launch Checklist for free: ⁠https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com/⁠checklist⁠Website: ⁠https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com/⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/espressopodcastproduction/⁠YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@EspressoPodcastProduction⁠My favorite podcast tool, Descript: https://www.descript.com/?lmref=KkInCQProduced by Espresso Podcast Production: ⁠https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com