One of the best things that podcasting can give you is an audience. A group of people who press play on your podcast every time you release a new episode and hang on your every word. Whilst being able to talk to your audience is great, it’s really important to give them a way of talking back to you too.
In this post you’ll learn 5 ways that you can engage with your listeners in ways which allow them to turn your podcast into a two-way conversation. Doing any one of these will strengthen the bond you have with your audience. And on top of that, give new ways for people to find you and your podcast.
1. Social Media
It’s obvious, but putting your podcast on social media will give you an excellent way of being able to talk to people. You’ll probably find that your listeners will ask you questions or give you feedback on the podcast without you needing to ask. It doesn’t hurt asking for it though and by joining in with the conversations that are already happening will give you an idea of what is interesting your audience.
2. Listener Emails
Reading out comments, questions and stories from your listeners is a great way of involving them in your podcast. Think about how you would feel if your favourite TV or radio presenter read out your comment on the air. That’s how your listeners will feel.
Set up an easy to remember email address and invite people to write in every episode. You’ll soon have a raft of messages that will not only be full of praise but may also provide you with great content ideas.
3. Meetups
There’s nothing better than meeting the people who listen to your podcast. Depending on where your audience are, you could meet them face to face or virtually, on Zoom. Meeting your listeners is so good because it gives you both an opportunity to learn more about each other. As a podcaster, you’ll get a visual representation of your audience and be able to ask them specific questions about their likes and dislikes. In turn, the listeners will get to chat to the host of their favourite podcast, feel like they’re special and even make suggestions for future episodes.
Don’t underestimate how much your listeners will love meeting and talking to you. You might not feel like a celebrity but to some you will be.
4. Twitter Spaces
If you’re not ready to meet your audience face to face yet, a Twitter Space (or Clubhouse room) could be an option. Twitter Spaces are fairly new but take the idea that Clubhouse made famous in 2020 and bring it inside one of the world’s biggest social media platforms, Twitter.
Setting up a Twitter Space is just like doing a live podcast, with your audience able to request to “join you on stage” and speak themselves. It’s a great way to get live reaction to your content and allow listeners to give their opinions in real time.
5. Live Shows
The holy grail for podcasters is often the live show. Imagine being stood on stage with hundreds of your adoring fans watching intently, having paid to be there. What a thrill that would be. For you, it might seem like a long way off doing something so big, but it doesn’t have to be.
Not all live shows need to be in great big theatres. You could use a venue that fits in with your podcast’s subject matter. So if your podcast is about beer, book out a room in a pub. If it’s about sport, get a local sports club to host you. And if that still feels like it’s too big for you, take your live show online.
Web based services like Streamyard are great for allowing you to go live on YouTube and social media with multiple guests. People can watch in real time or later as a replay. The audience will be able to get involved and leave comments that you can read out and discuss during the broadcast and you can do it all from the comfort of your home.
Doing any one, or all of these, will bring you closer to your audience which will make your podcast better and more appealing to others. Why not give them a go for your podcast and see how you get on.
And if you need any help with your podcast, let me know. I can help you create a podcast which engages with your audience from the beginning – just get in touch.
