Business Podcasting – Part 4: How to Promote Your Podcast
- How to Choose the Right Platforms to Distribute Your Podcast
- 9 Tips on How to Promote Your Podcast & Increase Subscribers
- 1. Create a Dedicated Podcast Page for Your Site
- 2. Ask Your Audience for Reviews
- 3. Collaborate with Other Podcasters
- 4. Offer Giveaways for Those Who Listen to the End
- 5. Leverage Video Sharing Sites Like YouTube
- 6. Tap Into Your Guests’ Audiences
- 7. Promote Your Podcasts on Social Media
- 8. Submit Your Podcasts to Podcatchers
- 9. Be a Guest on Other Podcasts
- Final Thoughts
Anyone who runs a podcast will tell you that their time and resources are mostly spent developing a great show. It’s about creating a winning formula—one that covers everything from content to production—to attract the right audience. But is this really enough?
Unfortunately, no…
The reality is you need to distribute and actively promote your podcast to reach new listeners and keep your current ones engaged. Otherwise, all that hard work will be for nothing!
In this series, we’ve shared the benefits of starting a podcast, advice on developing a successful podcast, and tips on recording and editing a podcast. Now, let’s delve into the promotional side of things.
How to Choose the Right Platforms to Distribute Your Podcast
Choosing the right platform(s) to distribute your podcast is a BIG decision! It is crucial not only for the features you can access but also for the opportunity to promote your podcast to a wider audience. Although you don’t need to submit your podcast to every distributor possible, choosing a few is highly recommended.
Here are some of the top choices…
Apple Podcasts
According to Statista, 20% of adults in the U.S. listen to podcasts via Apple Podcasts. The platform is forecasted to have 28.5 million monthly listeners this year.
So, you can set your podcast up for a competitive advantage if you choose Apple Podcasts as your podcast platform since many people who listen to podcasts are there.
You can submit your podcast to Apple Podcasts using your Apple ID and the Apple Podcasts Connect portal.
Google Podcasts
Google Podcasts offers plenty of benefits. In addition to being free and easy to use, the platform offers cross-platform functionalities. It is available on Android and can be integrated into iOS. Choosing to submit to Google Podcasts can also give you data on your podcast’s click-through rate on Google and the top search terms that lead viewers to your show.
To submit, visit the Google Podcasts Manager portal.
Spotify
Spotify started as a music streaming app but has now cemented its position as a dominant podcast platform. In 2018, Spotify opened up its podcasting feature on the platform. As of 2021, they claim that 24% of new subscribers are podcast listeners.
With experts citing that Spotify is poised to overtake Apple Podcasts as the go-to podcasting platform, it makes sense to upload your podcast to this platform.
Learn how to submit your show on Spotify for Podcasters.
Stitcher
Stitcher, now owned by SiriusXM, is an on-demand online podcast platform designed to help you listen, download, and discover podcasts. It is available for Android, iOS, and the web.
Submit your podcast on the Stitcher Partner Portal.
TuneIn
TuneIn was primarily created for listening to internet radio and was later developed into a podcast platform. It offers a massive directory with podcasts from various niches, making it an ideal place to upload and promote your podcast.
Publish your podcast on TuneIn’s website.
iHeartRadio
Known as one of the top podcast publishers globally, iHeartRadio is a major podcast distribution platform. It is an ideal place to promote your podcast if you want to leverage its popularity for expanded reach.
Add your podcast to iHeartRadio using your iHeart account here.
Podchaser
Podchaser is not just an app for sharing your podcasts. It is known as the most advanced podcast database and is suited for brands, marketers, and PR teams. This app also enables users to leave reviews and positive ratings, helping them discover more podcasts within their chosen niche.
Submit yourself as a creator and your podcast on the Podchaser website.
9 Tips on How to Promote Your Podcast & Increase Subscribers
It takes a combination of strategic planning and testing to promote your podcast properly. The good news is we’ve put together some helpful tips to make it easier for you. Use these tactics to capture the right audience and keep them engaged so that they stick around.
1. Create a Dedicated Podcast Page for Your Site
Growing your subscribers is a critical part of any effort to promote your podcast. And the best way to go about this is to build a dedicated podcast page on your website. That way, you can let visitors know about your podcast and increase the chances of getting found via organic search.
Here’s what your page should cover:
- What the podcast is called
- What it’s about
- Why it’s worth listening to
- Who hosts the podcast
- When new episodes come out
- How long episodes typically are
- Which platforms it’s available on
- How to subscribe to the podcast
Make sure to keep the subscription process easy to set up with just a few clicks, as this will lead to more subscribers.
2. Ask Your Audience for Reviews
Once you get more people to subscribe to your podcast, the next step is to turn them into loyal followers. How do you do that? Get them to talk about your podcast on social media!
This may be tough at first, but once you’ve laid the foundation for a great podcast, it becomes easier to promote your podcast using this method.
Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most trusted forms of marketing online. People are more likely to support something if they see other users or listeners recommending it. So, periodically encourage your listeners to leave reviews on your podcast. And stay active on your podcast’s social media pages to increase engagement from your audience.
3. Collaborate with Other Podcasters
Collaboration is one of the secrets to generating buzz around your podcast. You can connect with other podcasters in your niche, tap into their following, and expand your audience reach.
The best approach to collaborating with other podcasters is to offer a unique value proposition. Come up with exclusive and interesting topic ideas that will get equal shares of audience reach for your respective podcast channels.
4. Offer Giveaways for Those Who Listen to the End
The success of your podcast lies in generating a long-term following. Here’s where you can integrate a mix of online and offline marketing methods.
An interesting way to promote your podcast and gain a loyal audience is to hold contests. Host a giveaway or provide other incentives to those who stick around to the end of the show. Mention the contest at the start of your episode and reveal the prize at the end.
In addition, you can reward your loyal followers by hosting a meetup or recognizing top followers. By empowering your listeners, you build loyalty. Recognizing them makes your audience feel valued and gives them the incentive to keep listening and to be advocates for your show.
5. Leverage Video Sharing Sites Like YouTube
You can also leverage the power of other sites, especially popular video-sharing sites like YouTube, which deserves a special mention because it is the second-largest search engine on the web.
Leverage the popularity of this video streaming site to promote your podcast. You don’t need to set up a video podcast, but you can create short video teasers to promote new episodes of your channel. It’s a great way to tap into a different audience. Don’t forget to add the link to your podcast page in the description.
6. Tap Into Your Guests’ Audiences
If your podcast format allows you to invite guests to your show, there is a gold mine of opportunity to expand your audience reach. If you have guests who are experts and well-known personalities in your niche, they are likely to have a large following on social media.
Make it easy for your guests to promote and share your podcast episodes to their accounts. Even if it's just one episode, it will allow new audiences to discover your channel.
You can use images, pull quotes, and pre-written tweets or status updates from the episode to share on your podcast channel’s social media account. Tag your guests' accounts so that they are prompted to share them with their audience.
7. Promote Your Podcasts on Social Media
This one is a no-brainer since social media is highly engaging. Share your podcast on as many social media accounts as possible and use a variety of media.
Here are some examples:
- Videos
- Image teasers
- Links
- Soundbites
The more variety, the better!
If you’re releasing a new episode, make sure to tease it ahead of time. Once the episode is published, share it as often as possible.
8. Submit Your Podcasts to Podcatchers
Podcatcher is a fancy term for apps that collect podcasts. There is one on iOS, but there are dozens of other apps to which you can submit your podcast, along with many aggregator sites.
If you're using Apple Podcasts as a platform for your podcast, sharing your podcast with these services should run smoothly.
9. Be a Guest on Other Podcasts
It's good to have other podcasters on your channel so you can leverage their following. However, it's also important to actively promote your podcast brand.
Collaborate with other podcasters and make guest appearances on their podcasts, especially those who are in the same niche. To increase the chances of other podcasters taking you up on your outreach offer, prepare a pitch beforehand. Make it mutually beneficial and keep it targeted with niche content.
Final Thoughts
With so many podcasts out there, you must think outside the box to promote your podcast and keep your audience engaged. If you know how to leverage the tips shared here, you can transform this business tool into something more substantial.
If you’re ready to take your marketing efforts to the next level, check out our free 50-point marketing audit guide, which is full of tips for unlocking your business potential.
At Viral Solutions we are committed to seeing YOU succeed. It is our goal to grow your business with proven digital marketing strategies that will help your business for the long haul.
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