DRIVE TRAFFIC FOR SUCCESS

How many listeners are enough? Just a few more. We all want more listeners. But, how do I drive traffic to my podcast?

My son and I went to the movie theater this weekend to see the new Indiana Jones movie. It was good. I’m a big Harrison Ford fan.

Do you ever wonder why the big movie studios are so quick to jump on the sequel bandwagon? It isn’t simply easy money. It’s easy marketing.

When they release a sequel, they don’t have to work as hard to drive traffic to the movie. The main character is already familiar to the audience. The basic famework of the movie doesn’t need explaination.

With a sequel, half the work is already done. They simply need to make fans aware that the movie is available.

The same is true with your podcast. It is much easier to keep current listeners than it is to attract new ones.

When podcasters reach out to me for their free strategy session, they answer a few questions before we get on the call. One question I ask is, “In what ways do you need help with your podcast.”

Of all the applications I receive, at least 80% include growing their audience. Most want to discover ways to drive traffic to their podcast.

Growing your audience to increase downloads is usually somewhere in our goals regardless of the length of time we have been podcasting. You’re not alone.

Trying to drive traffic isn’t clear cut and doesn’t happen overnight.

There are a few nuances in the terms we need to understand before we can drive traffic.

CURRENT VS NEW

The first thing we need to understand is there are two sides of the equation.

To drive traffic, you need to attract new listeners while keeping your current listeners coming back.

If you are only attracting new listeners without doing anything to keep your current listeners, it is like putting water in a bucket that has holes in the bottom.

The more you put in, the more that leaks out. You never make gains.

Instead, keep your current listeners coming back. Then, add new listeners to those already at the party. This is how you grow.

LISTENERS VS SUBSCRIBERS

We need to understand the difference between listeners and subscribers if we want to drive traffic.

When your listeners don’t convert into subscribers, you need to go find those listeners for every new episode and get new listeners in order to drive traffic.

However when you convert those listeners into subscribers, they automatically get the new episode on their phone as long as they continue to listen and continue to subscribe or follow.

DOWNLOADS VS LISTENS

We also need to understand the difference between a download and a listen.

When your phone downloads your episode, that counts as a download regardless if you’ve listened or not.

Now, an IAB download is a little different than a download. IAB is short for Interactive Advertising Bureau.

An IAB download removes any IP address or user agent that is on a blacklist. It also ensures at least one minute of playable content is downloaded.

Your IAB downloads will be lower than your regular download number.

Either way, a person doesn’t need to actually listen to be counted as a download.

Listens count those users who actually pushed play on your episode.

Your podcast name and description get people interested enough to download your show. The name of your episode will get people to push play.

Therefore, don’t call your episode “Episode 72”. That will not entice anyone to push play. Plus, nobody is searching for “Episode 72”.

Give your episode an exciting title that creates some anticipation and makes the listener push play.

If they stop listening, their podcast player will usually stop downloading episodes after a few episodes. This number is set in the podcast player.

To drive traffic, get your audience to listen. When they listen, episodes will continue to download for them.

CONSISTENCY

The other thing we need to understand in order to drive traffic is consistency and patience. It takes both to drive traffic.

You want to get your listeners in the habit of listening to your show.

In 1960, Dr. Maxwell Maltz said it takes patients “a minimum of about 21 days for an old image to dissolve and a new one to jell.” Dr. Maltz published that theory and his thoughts on behavior change in a book called Psycho-Cybernetics.

As with many quotes, over the years it was taken out of context. The stat was eventually quoted as, “It takes 21 days to form a new habit,” leaving out the important “minimum”.

A study at University College London and published in the European Journal of Social Psychology says it takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit.

That is why consistency and accountability are important. If you want people to remember your brand, it takes frequency to the target.

DRIVE TRAFFIC LIKE MCDONALD’S

In radio, we talk about top-of-mind awareness. Brand advertising is designed to help make brands memorable.

When Coca-Cola runs their brand advertising campaigns, they don’t expect you to drop everything you are doing and run to the store to buy Coke.

When McDonald’s creates their branding commercials, they don’t think you will suddenly turn around and pull into a drive-thru.

These brands are creating top-of-mind awareness. These companies want to be the first brand you think of when you are hungry or thirsty.

When you pull into a quickie mart for a drink, they want you to think Coke. When you ask your kids where they want to grab a bit to eat, they say McNuggets from McDonald’s.

It is all about top-of-mind awareness to build your brand and drive traffic.

How many brands of toothpaste can you name? Quick, off the top of your head. How many come to mind?

You can probably name the toothpaste brand you use and the one you use when your favorite isn’t available. Maybe one more. Unless you work in a grocery store, you can probably list 2 or 3.

A quick search of the internet shows there are actually 49 brands of toothpaste. How about Gleem, or Mentadent, or Close-Up?

That list simply includes brands. There are multiple varieties within each brand. When I checked the Crest toothpaste website, I saw 60 different varieties of Crest that were available.

The only way for a brand to win is to create top-of-mind awareness. When people think of your niche, do they think of you? Are you in the top two?

DAILY EMAIL

I send an email everyday to my list. Every email contains a tip that will help you drive traffic to your podcast, improve your show, or grow your business. Each email typically ends with an offer to get more help.

Some people think I’m crazy sending an email everyday. They think if they send a daily email, people will unsubscribe.

First, people will stay subscribed when you send value like I do. Second, people that unsubscribe aren’t your ideal client anyway.

The primary reason I send a daily email is for top-of-mind awareness. When people on my list think of podcasting, I want them to think of me.

Then when they are ready to solve a problem where I can help, they reach out to me for a strategy call to build their plan and reach their goals.

Your top-of-mind awareness doesn’t happen overnight. It takes consistent work. The same work it takes to drive traffic, increase downloads, and grow your audience.

HOW TO DRIVE TRAFFIC

As I mentioned, there are two sides of the equation when it comes to growing your audience. You need to attract new listeners. Then, you need to keep your current listeners coming back episode after episode.

There are different tactics you can use to drive traffic on each side of the equation.

You don’t need to use all of these ideas. But, it’s like multiple streams of income. The more you use, the less reliant you are on any particular tactic.

When you use multiple methods to drive traffic, you won’t get crushed if one particular method goes away or dries up.

It is similar to when COVID hit. If all of your traffic was coming from live events, that tactic dried up. You would be stuck.

However if you were using live events and virtual events, you would still be able to drive traffic when all of the live events went away.

I would suggest you use at least one on each side of the equations. Two or three will insulate you from big changes in any particular tactic.

Let’s start with attracting new listeners.

DRIVE TRAFFIC WITH OTHER STAGES

If you want to drive traffic, you need to get in front of new audiences. Find other stages.

A stage is defined as any time you can get in front of an audience. This could be a live, physical stage such as a conference. It could be a virtual stage, such as a summit or presenting to a mastermind. Getting on another stage could also mean being interviewed on another podcast.

Where are your ideal clients already gathering? Those are the stages where you need to appear.

To drive traffic, reach out to the people who control those stages, and ask what it takes to appear at their event.

DRIVE TRAFFIC WITH ENGAGEMENT

Being in front of your ideal clients and other experts isn’t enough to drive traffic. You need to create engagement and get people to take action.

Leave feedback for other shows. Everybody loves attention.

The best way to grow your network is by making contact with others. Start by commenting on podcasts, blogs and discussions of other influencers.

Don’t simply be a lurker, reading all the other posts. Get involved. Take action.

You want to be seen as someone who gets things done. By taking action and engaging with others, you send the message that you are active.

You will get seen by more by commenting on other posts rather than creating your own posts. Find conversations with a lot of comments and comment there.

When you comment on others posts, everyone who has already posted will get notified of your comment. However when you create your own post, you need to start from zero to attract attention.

DRIVE TRAFFIC BY NETWORKING

You can also drive traffic by directly networking with other influencers. Find those who have the attention of your ideal client.

Network with other shows talking to the listeners you want to attract. Help each other.

Find people in your niche who compliment what you do. Team up to help each other grow. Look for ways to share each other’s content.

If you know where your audience congregates, that would be a good place to look for them. There is a good chance others in your niche are talking to the people you would like to reach. Start making friends.

Start by commenting on their podcast. Send the host questions for their show. Become a familiar name.

Depending on the level of engagement the host receives from her audience, you will become a familiar name after some regular engagement.

Once you are on the radar, reach out with an introduction e-mail or message. Ask how you might help. Give first. See where it goes from there.

HELP OTHERS

On the other side of the equation, we need to keep your current listeners coming back again and again.

Start by helping your listeners.

Do Facebook Live “ask me anything” sessions. Prove that you are willing to help them achieve their goals. Give them direction.

If you become the go-to resource who knows where to find the answers, you become the de facto guru in your space.

Answer questions on your podcast. Reply to email. Give them resources even if they are not your resources.

One resource I share is the 60-second blog planner that I use to organize my content. I got it from Ryan Deiss at Digital Marketer. It is fantastic.

The planner helps ensure I use a variety of topics, I know what call to action I will make on the show, and what type of episode it will be.

If you would like it, just shoot me an email at coach @ podcasttalentcoach.com.

When you are a resource for your audience, they will keep coming back.

BE SOCIAL

Next, use social media to spread your message and drive traffic. Be active on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or any other social platform you love.

The people that follow you on social media are already aware of you. This is not a strategy to attract new listeners.

Consistently interact with others on social media. Avoid always asking. Offer to help.

Don’t simply look around. Get involved. Be active.

Have you ever had that person in your life who would only call when they needed something? You know who I mean. They need money or they want an introduction or they need a ride. You don’t want to be that person online.

Social media is a great place to grow relationships. If your activity is all one-sided, it will be very difficult to build friendships.

Connect on social media and remind your fans to listen to your podcast.

DRIVE TRAFFIC WITH EMAIL

To drive traffic and keep your current listeners coming back every episode, send them an email and remind them to listen.

Create a process you can follow every time you publish a new episode.

This should include sending out an email and giving your list a reason to listen.

Your email should be more than just telling them the episode is available. Tease them and create some anticipation. Pique their curiosity. Make them want to listen to the episode to hear the rest of the story.

DRIVE TRAFFIC WITH YOUR CONTENT

Finally, you can keep listeners coming back every episode by teasing the next show at the end of every episode.

Plan ahead. At the end of the show, tell listeners what to expect on the next episode.

Again, you want to make this a tease and not simply a promotion.

Saying, “We’ll talk about how to drive traffic next week” is promoting what is coming next week. It doesn’t create any anticipation.

When I say, “Next week you’ll discover how to drive traffic like McDonald’s and Coke” it creates some anticipation and an open loop. You need to come back to get the rest of the story.

That’s the difference between promoting and teasing. Create anticipation and get your listeners to come back next week.

Take consistent action this week. Pick a few of these strategies and put them to work for you. Let’s see what you can do to drive traffic to your podcast.

 

If you don’t have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.