From Reddit Post to $4M Funding: How Podchaser Built the IMDB for Podcasts
181K
Monthly Visitors
$5.2M
Traffic Value/yr
DR 85
Domain Rating
38.4K
Ref. Domains
Bradley Davis was convinced it already existed.
The year was 2016, and Davis kept searching for a podcast equivalent of IMDB—a database where you could look up who appeared on which shows, follow hosts across different podcasts, and discover new content through connections.
He couldn't find it. So he posted on Reddit: "Anyone want to build this with me?"
That's how Podchaser started. A former counselor-turned-sales-guy who loved podcasts, a Reddit post, and co-founders he'd never met in person—two in Australia, one in Hawaii.
Today, Podchaser has cataloged 8.5 million podcast credits, raised $4 million in venture funding, and was acquired by Acast in 2022. With 181,000 monthly organic visitors and traffic valued at $5.2 million annually, it's become exactly what Davis envisioned: the IMDB of podcasts.
The Challenge
In 2016, podcasting was exploding. New shows launched daily. Guests appeared across multiple podcasts. But there was no way to track it all.
If you wanted to find every podcast appearance by a specific person, you had to search manually. If a guest mentioned their other podcast appearances, there was no central place to discover them. If you liked a host's style, there was no "more from this creator" feature.
Bradley Davis wanted this to exist. When he realized it didn't, he decided to build it. But he didn't have a technical co-founder. He didn't have funding. He had enthusiasm and a Reddit account.
Directory Overview
| Website | podchaser.com |
| What It Does | Podcast database with credits, ratings, reviews, and lists |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Founders | Bradley Davis (CEO), Ben Slinger (CTO) |
| How They Met | Reddit post |
| Acquired By | Acast (2022) |
| Credits Tracked | 8.5+ million |
Key Metrics (Ahrefs, January 2026)
Monthly Traffic
181,471
High for a niche podcast database—shows strong SEO
Traffic Value
$5.2M/year
$28.65 per visitor—highly valuable audience
Domain Rating
85/100
Exceptional authority—on par with major media sites
Referring Domains
38,386
Podcasters link to their Podchaser profiles
Traffic Sources
What The Numbers Tell Us
The IMDB Model Works at Scale: IMDB proved that comprehensive entertainment databases attract massive traffic. Podchaser applied the same model to podcasts—credits, connections, and discovery—and achieved similar results in a smaller market.
Community-Generated Credits Power Growth: 8.5 million credits weren't added by staff—they were contributed by the community. Users who benefit from the database help build it, creating a virtuous cycle.
Podcast Boom Timing Was Perfect: Podchaser launched as podcasting hit mainstream adoption. The market was growing, creating demand for discovery and research tools.
Creator-Focused Features Drive Links: Podcasters can claim their shows, add credits, and link their appearances across shows. This creator buy-in drives both content and promotion—and 38,000+ referring domains.
Monetization Strategy
Podchaser Pro (B2B)
API access and data services for podcast industry professionals—ad buyers, networks, and researchers who need comprehensive podcast data.
Creator Tools
Premium features for podcasters managing their presence—analytics, enhanced profiles, and promotional tools.
Acast Acquisition (2022)
The acquisition by Acast validated the strategic value of comprehensive podcast data. Podchaser's credits database became a competitive advantage for Acast's advertising business.
Why This Model Works
Podchaser built what the podcast industry desperately needed—a standardized database of who's who. The free consumer product drove adoption; the B2B data products drove revenue; the acquisition provided an exit for founders and resources for growth.
Build Your Own Directory Success Story
Podchaser started with a Reddit post asking for co-founders. What's your version of "why doesn't this exist?"
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SEO & Content Strategy
Pages for Every Podcast: Each podcast has a dedicated Podchaser page with episodes, credits, ratings, and reviews. This creates millions of indexable pages that capture long-tail searches.
Creator and Guest Pages: Like IMDB's actor pages, Podchaser has pages for podcast hosts and guests. These rank for name searches—people searching for their favorite podcasters.
Strong Backlink Profile: 10 million backlinks and 38,000 referring domains signal authority to search engines. Podcasters frequently link to their Podchaser profiles from their websites and social bios.
Credit Connections Create Internal Links: When a guest appears on multiple shows, those pages link together. This internal linking structure helps search engines understand relationships and boosts overall domain authority.
| Top Keywords | Volume | Position |
|---|---|---|
| podchaser | 4,600 | #1 |
| peter shamshiri | 5,000 | #1 |
| gummy and the doctor | 2,800 | #1 |
| plug talk | 13,000 | #2 |
| custom udon | 6,800 | #4 |
Key Lessons for Directory Builders
1. Reddit Can Find Your Co-Founder
Bradley Davis found his technical co-founder through a Reddit post. You don't need existing networks—you need a compelling idea and the willingness to share it publicly.
2. Remote-First From Day One
Podchaser's founders were spread across the US, Australia, and Hawaii. They proved that distributed teams can build category-defining products.
3. Apply Proven Models to New Categories
IMDB worked for movies. Podchaser asked: "Why doesn't this exist for podcasts?" Translating successful models to new categories often works.
4. Community Credits Scale
8.5 million credits were contributed by users. Give your community tools to add value, and they'll build your database for you.
5. Position for Acquisition
Podchaser built comprehensive podcast data that was valuable to larger players. Acast's acquisition validated the strategic value of that data.
6. Funding Isn't Required to Start
Podchaser operated for years before raising $4M. The Reddit post and initial build cost virtually nothing. Validate first, then raise.
Conclusion
Sometimes all it takes is asking "Why doesn't this exist?" and then posting on Reddit.
Bradley Davis wasn't a technical founder. He wasn't a podcast industry insider. He was a guy who listened to podcasts and wanted a better way to discover them.
His Reddit post found co-founders. Their community found contributors. Their comprehensive database found an acquirer.
The core insight: You don't need industry connections or technical skills to start. You need an idea, the courage to ask for help publicly, and the persistence to build what you wish existed.
What would you post on Reddit tomorrow?
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Sources: Ahrefs (traffic data, January 2026), TechCrunch, Nieman Lab, Foundersuite, Podcast Movement, Acast acquisition announcement.