Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of articles about business related podcasting.
Congratulations, you have a podcast and are now looking for ways to promote it. This part of the podcasting journey is probably the easiest to implement but seeing results can be a long wait – quite a long wait.
Patience is key and it can be bitter, but its fruit is sweet.
The bare necessities checklist of producing a podcast includes having a hosting platform, cover art and/or a logo, and outputting the recordings, titles, and descriptions on a regular basis. But now the questions are, how do you grow and serve the purpose of your podcast in a better way?; how do you brand your podcast?; and how can you use the internet to your advantage?
If you know why your business needs a podcast, figured out the content of your podcast, and are implementing the best practices to create an engaging podcast, you are already one step ahead in the promotion game. Here are nine ways to promote and grow your podcast:
1. Create a website
Just like your company should have a website, so should your podcast. Your website should be the end all be all for your podcast. Anything that a listener might want to refer to, should be on your website: information about the host, descriptions of each episode, social media links, and more.
It’s the home of your podcast – everything links to the website and the website links to everything. At minimum, your podcast should have a landing page with a section that links to the podcast on each podcasting platform.
2. Blog posts, transcripts, newsletters and SEO
When you have a website, you also have the ability to drive traffic to it by publishing blog posts. As episodes are published, write accompanying blog posts about the key takeaways of the episode with supplemental information. Within the blog, you can also include the podcast and other graphics and transcriptions.
Not only do transcriptions expand the reach of your podcast to a new audience – for example, hearing impaired individuals – they also aid in optimizing the search for your podcast, therefore enhancing SEO.
And with blog posts, you can set an email list for listeners to subscribe to so that they may get podcast updates directly to their inbox. The newsletter could be a “new episode out” newsletter, or a “best picks” newsletter, or whatever your audience might benefit from.
3. Social media
Use each episode to create infographics, audiograms, and features to share and promote on social media. By doing this, you are increasing the shareability of the podcast and it serves a multiplatform function for content. Tease upcoming guests as social posts to promote future episodes. Create an Instagram or Twitter account – or both - for your podcast and begin tagging your guests and partners and use hashtags that relate to the topic of discussion.
4. Vodcasting
If you have the resources to dabble in video, vodcasts (video-podcasts) are increasing in popularity on YouTube. Even if you may not have the bandwidth to take care of the visual side of the podcast, even posting a stitched up video of the audio on the cover art of the podcast is good enough to start with.
Top podcasts like Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard is primarily popular on audio platforms, but they also post video versions of the podcast on YouTube. Their vodcasts are simple: they are behind the scenes images playing in rotation stitched with the podcast audio.
5. Activate your listeners
Engage with your current listeners and use them to spread the word and build community. At the beginning, middle or towards the end of the episode, activate your listeners by asking them to rate the podcast or share it with others. Include social links in the description and ask them to check the description for more information.
Build a community with your listeners by hosting giveaways, live sessions or creating Facebook groups where they can interact with one another and share ideas or thoughts about the episodes.
6. Wherever you get your podcasts
It is crucial to have your podcast available on as many podcast directories as possible, especially these three: Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. This is the most impactful way of growing your audience and expanding your reach. It will make your podcast available to listeners wherever they get their podcasts.
7. Cross promotion
Find similar podcasts or other podcasts that cover your genre or industry and engage with their audience by appearing on their podcasts. You can also ask them to stop by your podcast so that both sides are creating opportunities for expansion.
8. Publish at the right time
Finding out the best time to post an episode is critical to get the most plays/downloads for a given episode. Starting out, you may have to observe what other podcasts do. In time, when the analytics of your podcast are generated, you can make decisions based on your own audience and start publishing consistently at that time during that day of the week.
9. Paid ads
Buy ads that directly target your audience especially on social media. Turn your social media posts into ads on Facebook and Twitter to maximize reach. You can either advertise the podcast or specific episodes that will garner the most clicks.
The podcasting medium is fresh and evolving and its demand is ever-growing. While podcasting, consistency, dedication, and patience is key. With a loyal listenership, you can expect to see the growth of your podcast and ultimately your business.
Need more information on where to start with a podcast for your own business? Contact Ameicaneagle.com and we’ll help you get started!
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