You might make the best podcast in the world but no ones going to listen to it if you don’t tell people about it.
Even if you already have an established podcast, you’ll want more people to know about it. And one of the most commonly asked questions in podcasting is “How do I get more listeners?”
Marketing isn’t just an afterthought. It should be right at the top of your to do list – even ahead of creating your episodes.
So here are 5 things to think about when it comes to marketing your podcast.
1. Make your messaging simple
Marketing isn’t just about sharing your episodes on social media. It’s a lot more than that and starts way before you release your first episode.
Giving your podcast a clear name that explains what it’s about is super important.
People who use Apple Podcasts to listen to podcasts only see three things when they’re looking through the app for a new podcast – the title, author and artwork.
If these things don’t give an idea of what to expect when someone presses play, more people than not will just scroll on by.
The same comes to your description. Don’t stuff it with keywords, just make sure that it clearly explains what the podcast is about and who it’s intended for.
2. Tell existing media
Traditional media loves podcasts. There are newspaper columns specifically about the latest and best new podcasts and radio stations are starting to feature interviews with podcasters on a regular basis.
There’s also loads of newsletters out there, about podcasting and podcasts, that are looking for content to share with their audience.
You should be sending them a pitch for your podcast to appear in them.
All you need to do is find out who curates the content and then send them an email, telling them about your podcast, who it’s being made for and why people should listen to it.
Make sure to subscribe to the newsletter yourself and follow the newspaper, radio station and journalist you’re writing to on social media. You’re more likely to be chosen if you’re seen to be part of their existing audience yourself.
3. Utilise guest appearances
Just because your podcast isn’t interview based doesn’t mean you can’t have guests on every now and again.
Having a guest appear on your podcast can really boost your marketing as your guest will most likely share the fact that they’re on it.
By positioning your guest as an expert in their field and creating good artwork and descriptions for them will also make it easy for them to share their episode with their audience.
4. Strategic promo and social swaps
You won’t be the only person making a podcast about your subject. Make a list of 75-100 shows that match what you’re doing and what you want to do with them once you’ve said hello – guest on their show, have them be a guest on your show or do a promo swap with them.
A promo swap is an advert about your podcast that is placed on another podcast. Usually you’d run an ad for their podcast in exchange for them running one promoting your podcast.
A great tool for finding other podcasts that match your own is rephonic.com/graph
5. In-app placement
People are most likely to find a new podcast when they’re scrolling through their podcast app. They’re already in the mood to press play on something, they just don’t necessarily know what.
Getting your podcast featured on podcast apps is a great way to put your podcast in front of people and isn’t as hard as you might think.
Firstly, establish which apps your listeners are using and claim your podcast in all of the apps – it’s free to do this. Then when you request to be featured by the app, they know that you’re serious about their platform.
Each app will have a way of you contacting them to request to be featured. They’ll most likely have a newsletter of their own too, so make sure to sign up to that.
Podcast marketing is a must!
Whether you’re starting a new podcast or looking to grow the audience of an existing one, marketing your podcast is a must. Without it, no one will know about your podcast and that it’s worth listening to.
These five tips are a great starting point. Why not give them a go and let me know which ones work for you by leaving a comment below. And if you’ve got a tip I’ve not mentioned, I’d love to hear that too.
