How To Promote Your Podcast: 10 Effective Strategies To Try
Looking for tips on how to promote your podcast? Here are ten effective strategies to try!
Podcast Marketing Tip #1
Make your podcast super shareable!
Your podcast is going to have an audience. Your audience will want to share the amazing content you’re putting out there! It’s your job to make it super easy for them to share your work, and for the people they’re sharing it with to digest and understand the content.
Some fantastic ideas for easy sharing include:
– Episode snippets in video or quote image format
– Short tweets and status updates for social platforms
– Links to your most viewed episodes or excerpts
– A short introductory video about your podcast
If your podcast has guests, provide them with these kinds of assets too so they can share them with their fans, ultimately helping your podcast reach a much wider audience.
It’s important to ensure you’re not pressuring your viewers and guests to share your content though. Don’t badger them to put your stuff out there – simply provide them with shareable resources like the ones listed above, allow them to make their own decision as to whether it’s something they’d like to share and watch the magic happen.
Podcast Marketing Tip #2
Make the most of social media!
From the airing of your very first episode, having an active social media presence is going to do wonders for the popularity and the marketability of your podcast.
The basic MUST for social domination is to ensure you’re sharing a link to every single episode on every single social platform you’re active on when it airs.
On top of that, you can consider the following:
– Teasers to share ahead of each episode leading up to the air date
– Quote images to share with a link to the episode they feature in
– 15-second sound bite clips for uploading to Soundcloud then sharing on socials
– Re-sharing podcast episodes when you’re stuck for new content
– Using Instagram stories to share behind-the-scenes footage and fun bloopers
Your audience are going to be active on socials so you should be too. Capitalise on today’s modern marketing strategies to send your podcast to the top of the charts.
Podcast Marketing Tip #3
Launch multiple episodes upfront!
When the time comes to launch your podcast, you should aim to post more than just the first episode on launch day. Why? Well, there are a few reasons…
– Posting more than one episode gives listeners access to more content. The more they listen, the more invested they’ll become in your podcast. Find yourself a dedicated audience from your very first session by posting 3-5 episodes upfront.
– Having more content out there makes your podcast a little more ‘findable’ to new listeners. The more people you’ve got listening and engaging, the more likely you are to hit the ‘NEW’ featured sections of the platforms your podcast streams on.
Following this up with at least 2-3 posts in your second and third weeks, then cutting down to 1-2 if you need to in the weeks after will help your podcast gain traction and followers right from the get go!
Podcast Marketing Tip #4
Name your video with SEO in mind!
We all know just how much a good SEO strategy can boost views and rankings on websites and blogs. Why shouldn’t this be taken into account for a podcast as well?
If you’re uploading to YouTube (which we highly recommend), the way you name your episodes could help improve your SEO standing dramatically.
The following formula is perfect:
“[Guest Name] Interview” OR “Interview with [Guest Name]”
Eg. “GorillaCo Interview” or “Interview with GorillaCo”
Be sure to add SEO friendly terms and structure to your video description and notes too. If you keep this in mind and upload regularly, you should see positive results when it comes to rankings and views in no time!
Podcast Marketing Tip #5
Submit your podcast to podcatchers!
What is a podcatcher? We’re glad you asked!
A podcatcher is basically an app where your podcast can be hosted, played and distributed.
If you’re an iPhone user, you’ll likely have seen one of the most popular podcatchers currently running in your phone’s library – the iOS podcast app.
If you don’t use Apple products or prefer a different podcatcher, there are PLENTY out there to choose from. Do your research, listen to podcasts currently hosted on each podcatcher to see if they provide a smooth experience, and get your podcast out there once you decide which podcatchers will suit your content best!
Here are a few options to check out:
Stitcher
Overcast
Castro
Podcast Marketing Tip #6
Utilise transcripts!
Most mainstream, successful podcasts will offer a full transcript of their show online.
Transcripts offer a multitude of benefits including:
✔️ Accessibility for hearing impaired fans to still enjoy your show and its content.
✔️ Greater SEO and lead generation possibilities.
✔️ Ability to easily find and distribute great quotes and snippets for digital marketing purposes.
Before you say the effort of generating a transcript isn’t worth the benefits, hear us out…
There are people out there who generate transcripts for a living. If you check services like Airtasker, rev.com and Fiverr, you can find a range of willing candidates who will complete your transcript task for a highly affordable fee!
Podcast Marketing Tip #7
Party it up for the first two weeks!
The first two weeks of a podcast’s life are some of the most important. This crucial time frame is where you need to start aiming to reach the New & Noteworthy section in iTunes and/or on your podcasting platform.
Getting into the New & Noteworthy section will help drive your podcast to popularity.
Collecting downloads and positive reviews in the first two weeks is what will propel your podcast to fame and fortune via the New & Noteworthy section.
In the first two weeks you should aim to utilise some or all of these marketing/party planning components in the lead up to an official two-week party episode:
✔️ Throw an ‘end of episode 1’ launch party in real life or virtually.
✔️ Publish as much podcast themed content as you can in the first two weeks.
✔️ Run some giveaways.
✔️ Prompt people to share your content.
✔️ Add links to your podcast to your personal email signatures.
✔️ Promote your two-week party episode like there’s no tomorrow!
Podcast Marketing Tip #8
Run strategic giveaways!
Very few people can resist entering giveaways when the possibility of winning FREE stuff is on the cards.
Giveaways are a win-win. You choose the entry conditions so they match with your podcast marketing goals AND the entrants have the chance to win some awesome goodies.
If your podcast’s goal is to earn more reviews on iTunes – make the entry condition leaving an iTunes review.
If you’re hoping for more likes and followers – make the entry condition a like on your post and a follow on your social media platforms.
If you’d like listeners to share with their friends – make the entry condition an @ tag on your post.
The option is also there to combine entry conditions and bag yourself a little bit of everything.
Some great giveaway prize options include…
🎁 A podcast merch pack full of items like t-shirts, stickers and other bits and pieces.
🎁 A mention in the show notes or a shoutout at the end of an episode.
🎁 A guest spot on the podcast for a full episode or a portion of an episode.
Simply plan out a social media campaign for your giveaway and you’ll be good to go!
Podcast Marketing Tip #9
Talk about other brands in your podcast!
Featuring brands with a link to your podcast’s general theme is a great way to build connections in your industry (and outside of it).
It can also help get the word out about your podcast. Maybe the brand you’ve featured sees your podcast as a great item to feature in their next article or social media post. They may even invite you to join them as a guest speaker in the next episode of their own podcast.
You never know what kind of connections can be forged with a simple shout out.
If you do mention a brand or business in your podcast, be sure to tag them in any marketing material you send out about the episode. Maybe they’ll share your posts in their feed, giving your podcast an ‘in’ with their current follower base.
It’s also a good idea to reach out to the brand via direct message or email to let them know the good news about being featured! Building a solid network is the key to success.
Above all, try not to be pushy. Allow natural connections to form. That’s the best way to gain genuine support and reciprocal value with other like-minded businesses and individuals.
Podcast Marketing Tip #10
Guest star in other people’s podcasts!
You may feel a little intimidated asking for a guest spot on someone else’s podcast but a lot of podcasts are actually searching for guests just like you to come on and mix things up a bit. A fresh face is just as good as a fresh segment and usually requires less work on their part!
It’s a win-win situation, really. You get to promote your podcast and any other projects you may be working on to a new audience, and the host gets some fresh material to keep their listeners engaged.
So, how do you find other podcasts to approach for a guest appearance? Simple…
Check out the iTunes podcast listing page and view the podcasts according to a wide range of categories. If you see any you like, track down their contact details and get in touch. Try and stick to podcasts within your own niche, but it may be worth your while venturing into a new domain every so often to see whether you have any crossover themes with podcasts that sit outside your proverbial square.