Podcasting is currently one of the largest growing forms of media. There’s more podcasts listeners than ever but their time and attention are limited. How do you cut through the noise and build a following? We’ve compiled a list of tips to help you grow and improve your podcast promotion.
2. Create a Solid Infrastructure
Build a Website:
A dedicated website for your podcast is a worthwhile investment in your podcast. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a super robust site, just cover the basics to start: Host bios, description of podcast, photos/cover, social links, and where to listen. It’s also a valuable asset when trying to capture listener emails.
Try a Smartlink:
A smartlink is a landing page that links to your podcast on multiple platforms. It gives listeners the choice of platform and makes it more accessible. Also, it’s much easier to share one link than 5-10.
As Apple loses their hold on podcast listeners, people are increasingly having different preferences for where they listen. By just sharing a link to one platform when promoting, you may not convert certain people if it’s not they platform they use.
Invest in Quality Equipment:
You don’t need to spend a lot on equipment when getting started, but make sure you invest some amount to buy a decent microphone. The audio quality makes a huge difference on the quality of the podcast as a whole. While a better microphone won’t necessarily help increase your listeners, it lowers the chance of people skipping because of poor quality.
Start a Blog:
If you have a website you can also syndicate your episodes as blog posts to create recurring content on the site. This also helps you have content that can rank in Google and get organic reach.
Optimize Your Profiles:
The most common platform people optimize for SEO is Google. However, each individual platform such as Facebook, Spotify, or Pinterest, have their own search algorithms. It’s important to set up your profile in a way that will show up when potential listeners are search related topics.
Attention-Grabbing Descriptions:
Before someone clicks play, they will quickly scan over the description of your podcast to decide whether to listen or not. It helps to have something that quickly communicates what makes your podcast unique, informational/entertaining, and entices them to listen.
Professional Cover Images:
If you don’t have graphic design skills, higher an expert to design cover images. Make sure you get a package that includes images sized to meet the requirements on different platforms. For example, Facebook banner, LinkedIn banner, Instagram, etc..
Professional Photos:
If your podcasts focuses on a host or co-host as a major part of the brand, it’s worth investing in professional headshots. These are versatile assets that you can use all across the web, on social media, if you get press, and more.
Create High Value Show Notes:
Show notes are the little descriptions your listeners will see next to a particular episode. These, similar to the main description, entice people to listen. They also promote SEO and sharing. Consider including calls to actions or links back to your website within the notes to make them more valuable.
