The podcast has become one of the most popular channels to spark a conversation and build a community with similar interests. Nonetheless, it’s a digital audio file made available on the internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically known as a series, new installments that subscribers can automatically receive. When it comes to podcast marketing, it’s essential to keep in mind that it’s basically like any other marketing activity where marketing tactics ensure that hard work won’t go unnoticed.
What Are Two Main Pillars of Podcasting?
To assess the foundation of your podcast, quality content and time are two main pillars of podcasting to be focused on. These two must be considered to ensure that the content is worth promoting and have realistic expectations around success timelines.
Quality content
Marketing the wrong product or content is a waste of time. Hence, it must contain the qualities below:
- Valuable: Providing value is the best long-term strategy to promote a podcast, as listeners need to gain something from the episode. They either learned new information or skill, were entertained, or were satisfied with curiosity.
- Unique: The podcast’s point of view adds something new to the conversation, however slight. Uniqueness varies for every topic, so create Venn Diagrams against others. It is crucial to focus on refining the differentiating factors first if too many data points to land in the middle.
- Sticky: The podcast needs to capture and sustain an audience’s attention as some listeners aren’t consistently consuming the episodes entirely, so focus the efforts on the content better. Listen to podcasts with similar interests, and study their formats, content, and structure, incorporating them into your own.
Time
Time is the second important pillar after quality content. Before seeing a major uptick in the listenership, many hosts produce a podcast for 5-6 months. It involves persistently promoting ten top-notch episodes that ultimately see minimal engagement. Note that podcast marketing is a long-term endeavor, so don’t get discouraged.
Is There An Effective Strategy To Promote A Podcast?
A podcast doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all marketing game. Most likely, one strategy that floods hundreds of downloads for one show may be a slow drip for another. Hence, there are several basic ways how to promote a podcast effectively.
Find your fit and focus on it.
Here’s some good news: 75% of podcast listeners not only pay attention to podcast ads, but they also follow specific calls to action after hearing them. The key is in the connection to the audience.
Be a guest and invite a guest.
To introduce your content to an audience with similar interests, one great way is pitching yourself as a guest on another show. Similarly, including interesting guests on your own show produces more engaging episodes and adds a unique point of view for your listeners. It has been said that many podcasts are likely to appreciate the proactive outreach.
Get your listeners involved.
The audience is an essential part of the podcast. The show exists because of them, and they are the ones who drive behind its success. In addition, take advantage of their willingness to participate and ask for their feedback while making your audience a part of your process.
Have a Consistent Publishing Schedule.
By creating and following a set schedule, it helps keep a podcast posting consistent easier for the listeners to keep track of new episodes. Consistency in publishing new episodes will make your listeners tune in towards your new content. It is important that your listeners know what to expect and when to expect your podcast, as they will be able to work it into their daily, weekly, or monthly routine.
Try to promote your podcasts by asking for help.
By asking for help, you’re one step closer to getting your podcast improved. Even the most successful podcasters ask for help instead of trying to figure it out all independently. It’s better to ask help from fellow podcasters or other professionals who have found success in this industry, as there’s no better way to improve a podcasting game through the help and guidance of mentors.
Track Your Progress and Adapt
First and foremost, Setting goals is the best way to track your podcast success. When starting your own show, create a goal you want to reach at the end of each month or year of podcasting. You’ll then be able to develop a strategy that you can adapt and work on according to what works and what you need to tweak along the way.
Produce a Great Quality Sounding Show
The sound is all you have in the podcast world, so invest in finding the excellent editing software that will help you edit your show, remove those awkward pauses, and clean up the audio. Of course, starting with the best setup possible is the key to getting an excellent foundation for your audio. More importantly, make sure to have a great microphone and use high-quality software to record interviews.
Promote Your Podcast on Social Media
Promoting your podcast via other channels like social media could help. Social media platforms are additional places to promote your podcast as you could be heard and seen since you already have possible target listeners. Subsequently, use social media to post your podcast episodes, such in your Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, or any other platform you think would work.
Run a giveaway contest
One powerful motivator to get more listeners is a giveaway contest, as free stuff and discounts can allure listeners. If your budget allows, the following might help in your giveaway content: product discounts, stickers, and t-shirts. If there is no budget yet, mention in the show notes, a shoutout at the end of the show, and a 5-minute guest spot on the podcast can do.
Stay passionate about what you do.
Think of why you started in the first place above all else. To be a successful podcaster, finding new ways to uniquely introduce and discuss the topic or add in a few new segments can keep the show fresh for your audience. A burning passion is all up to you and is something you can’t lose since this is noticeable to your audience when you start to lose interest in the show, and so too they will lose interest in return.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, the promotion of podcasts has a seemingly endless amount of marketing strategies and methods that you can use. Suppose you are looking to create or promote your own podcast and don’t know where to start, Grab the Mic Media provides marketing options to help promote your episodes. Access to their podcase network accelerates your monetization options as they will work with you in finding out how to use marketing strategies to reach and grow your listening audience in the podcast world.
