HOW DO I GROW MY PODCAST?

When it comes to growing our podcast, I get many questions about podcast promotion. How do we get in front of new listeners and invite them into our show?

On this episode, we’ll answer a variety of questions about podcast promotion.

 

PODCAST GROWTH EQUATION

There are two sides to the podcast growth equation.

A larger audience involves keeping your current listeners coming back week after week while you are attracting new listeners to your show.

If you are only promoting your show on social media and to your email list, you are only speaking to people who already know you. This does very little to grow your audience.

However, podcast promotion on social media and to your list is important to keep your current listeners coming back every episode. So, keep it up.

To grow, you also need to get in front of new listeners who are unaware of you. Invite those people into your world, so you can increase the number of listeners.

As we go through these questions around podcast promotion, we’ll start with some fundamentals around structure and process. We’ll then talk about visibility. Finally, we’ll get to when and what to promote.

Let’s jump in.

 

PUBLISHING DAY

What day of the week and what time do you release your podcast episodes? I’m about to launch my new podcast and I want a set date and time for when I release my weekly episode.

-Craig

 

The great thing about podcasting is that it is on-demand entertainment. People can consume it whenever they would like.

The day and time your publish your show isn’t nearly as important as your consistency. Be there when they are ready to listen.

People are creatures of habit. Get them in the habit of listening to your podcast.

I listen to my favorite podcast on Saturdays when I am working around the house. I believe he publishes sometime on Friday morning.

In fact, he records the show on Wednesdays. Unless your podcast is dealing with current events that would be dated in a few days, timing isn’t critical.

It really doesn’t matter to me when my favorite podcast publishes. I only care that he is there consistently when I’m ready to listen. That consistency builds trust with your audience as well.

Pick a day and time. Then, stick with it.

 

SHOW NOTES

Does anyone read show notes? I personally don’t read them on podcasts I listen to. I write a simple episode description for ours but don’t really add anything else. Should I be putting more detail in?

-Tim

 

Yes, you should probably add more detail.

Your show notes really serve three purposes.

First, your show notes should provide the important info from your episode that your listeners might be seeking.

This info could be links that you mentioned in the show. It might be the lead magnet you were offering or a book you referenced.

Your show notes could offer a bulleted list of points you made during the episode. Maybe you were talking about the top 7 tools you currently use. Listeners might come to your show notes to find that list.

The next purpose of your show notes is Google juice. When you create SEO-rich show notes, you make it easy for Google to find you.

Spending a little more time adding detail to your show notes will improve your SEO. Use strong keywords and optimize your notes as much as possible.

The final purpose of your show notes is accessibility for those with disabilities.

It is important to make your podcast content available for those with hearing and vision impairments. The best way to do this is with a full transcript.

Changes in iOS 17.4 include support for auto-generated transcripts in the Apple Podcasts app. However, transcripts will only be available for English, French, German, and Spanish-language podcasts.

Adding more detail to your podcast will make it easier for those with disabilities to consume your content.

There are many benefits to putting in a little more time and effort into your notes.

 

INCREASE VISIBILITY FOR PODCAST PROMOTION

How can I increase my visibility? How can I leverage my podcast into other platforms for podcast promotion?

-Edwin

 

Visibility is key to podcast promotion.

There are a variety of ways to gain visibility.

The method you choose show fit two criteria. First, the method should be something you enjoy. Next, it should be a method that moves the needle and effectively grows your audience.

Start by determining who already has the attention of your audience and where your audience congregates.

If you help coaches, you might consider being on summits where coaches come to learn.

For business-to-business companies, consider getting involved with trade shows in your industry or networking events.

Joint venture partnerships are great for reaching online businesses.

For simple podcast promotion, I like getting interviewed on other podcasts. In fact if you have room on your show, I’d love to be a guest. Shoot me an email at coach@podcasttalentcoach.com.

If your niche has conferences and conventions, work to get on stage as a speaker.

When you determine who has the attention of your ideal listener or client, you can partner with those experts to get in front of their tribe.

In his book The Power of Cult Branding, author BJ Bueno says people like to be different together.

Harley Davidson riders like to gather at Sturgis. Star Trek fans get together at Trekkie conventions. Figure out where your ideal clients congregate.

When it comes to repurposing your content, YouTube is a fantastic search engine.

Record the show on video. Use the audio as the podcast. Repurpose the video on YouTube to get discovered.

YouTube helps you get discovered. Your podcast helps you build relationships with your listener.

Opus.pro is a fantastic tool to create captioned videos for a variety of platforms.

 

WHEN TO PROMOTE

For podcast promotion, is it best to promote it instantly, or is it okay if the the promos spread over 4 days? For instance, Monday I release the podcast. On Wednesday I would do social media posts. Then Friday I would send an email promoting podcast.

Or, does the email need to go out on the same day the episode is published? Will this even affect the success of the podcast?

-Nakita

 

Most downloads come in the first 48 hours the podcast is released. That is simply because the podcast is downloaded to their phone.

Just because it is downloaded doesn’t mean they actually listen.

I like to spread the podcast promotion over the course of the week to remind people to listen to the episode.

When I publish my episode on Saturday, I also post on social media to let everyone know it is available.

On Sunday, I send an email to my list notifying them the episode is live.

Then, I share other assets on social media throughout the week. This includes quote cards, caption video and audiograms.

In my Podcast Profits Concierge program, you get a full week’s worth of social media assets to use throughout the week to promote the episode.

You can see those details at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/editing.

Play the long game, and don’t try to game the system by artificially inflating your numbers. Consistently work to grow the audience while reminding your current audience to listen to your latest episode.

 

SHARE YOUR LINK WITH PODCAST PROMOTION

Which link do you share on social media and in your email newsletters? The YouTube link or the audio-only link?

-Wendy

 

I share the audio-only link. My goal is to get people to subscribe to the podcast.

As we discussed, YouTube is great for discovery. When they find you on YouTube, get them to subscribe to your audio-only podcast. This is where you will build powerful relationships with your audience.

When you publish a new video on YouTube, I might get a push notification if I am subscribed to your channel. If I don’t listen, that video gets lost in the mix.

When you publish a new podcast, it is on my phone until I listen, you publish another episode, or I don’t listen to your show for more than a few episodes. In that last case, the podcast simply stops downloading until I start it again.

Ideally, you will get your listeners on your email list. This will allow you to nurture the relationship. You can also email your list each time you release an episode.

People are listening to your podcast for companionship. They typically listen with earbuds or headphones and most often alone.

They don’t want to be alone doing whatever they are doing. You are there right along side of them.

This is how relationships are formed.

Video simply doesn’t have that power. There is something magical that happens when you stir visions in their theater of the mind.

When you activate the imagination, it becomes personal. Your relationships get stronger. You build that know, like and trust.

When it comes to podcast promotion, promote the audio-only link.

 

YOUR PODCAST STRATEGY CALL

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.