How to promote your podcast | 8 tried and true tips

With millions of podcasts on the airwaves, promoting your show is an essential step to gaining popularity. Here are 8 strategies to stand out from the crowd and to grow your listener base. 

Understanding your target audience

Before diving into developing a promotional strategy for your podcast, it’s important to understand who exactly your target audience is. Identifying your ideal listeners will not only help you tailor your show’s content, but can give you an upper hand when it comes to marketing efforts. Ask yourself the following questions when getting to know your listener base:

• 1. Who are they? Knowing key demographics like age, gender, and location can influence how you reach your audience. By appealing to such traits, you can tailor your message and appeal to their interests.
• 2. What are their interests? Knowing what your audience enjoys will help you create relevant content that resonates with them.
• 3. Where do they hang out online? The platforms your target audience is likely to use are the platforms you need to be using to promote your podcast.

Create awesome content

Now that you have a better understanding of your audience, you can develop a content strategy that appeals to their interests and give them something worth listening to. 

The foundation of any successful podcast lies in its content. Simply put, if the content’s bad, people won’t tune in. 

Creating high-quality content starts with being an engaged and responsible host. This means planning episodes ahead of time, listening to audience feedback, and doing research on podcast topics so you actually know what you’re talking about. Here are some tips for doing just that:

• 1. Know your niche: Study the top podcasts within your niche to understand what makes them so successful–is it their interview style, the way they present information, or their guest speakers? Doing so will help you tailor your approach.
• 2. Guest appearances: Bringing guests onto your show can diversify content and attract their followers to your podcast. This is a great way to promote your show with minimal to no investment depending on the caliber of your guest. 
• 3. Storytelling: Incorporate artful elements of storytelling to make your episodes more relatable and engaging.
• 4. Call to action: As cheesy as it might sound, we always recommend using a call to action at the beginning and end of each episode. Encourage listeners to share your episodes, leave reviews, or follow you on social media.

Social media is your friend

Leveraging social media accounts is a powerful tool for connecting with your audience beyond the airwaves. Here are some strategies to effectively use these platforms:

• 1. Create a solid brand image: Every podcast needs a strong brand. This includes an eye-catching thumbnail image, as well as consistent brand colors and imagery. 
• 2. Create shareable content: Post snippets, quotes, or graphics from your episodes that are easy for users to share. Try using tools like Canva to create visuals that match your brand style.
• 3. Engage with your audience: Encourage comments from listeners and respond to them. Building a community around your podcast can increase traffic to your page.
• 4. Use a hashtag strategy: Utilize relevant hashtags to reach a broader audience. You can do this by researching trending hashtags in your niche and including them in your social media posts.
• 5. Go live: Host a live Q&A session or discussion on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. 

Optimize podcast platforms

Ensure your podcast is listed on all major platforms to increase visibility to a global audience. Platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts allow creators to personalize episode notes and titles, which is critical for reaching the right audience. Make sure to use keywords in each episode’s title and description that pertain to the podcast as a whole, and each episode relative to the topics that were discussed. 

Network with other podcasters

Collaboration within this space is an excellent way to grow your audience. (Honestly, no one talks about this strategy enough!) Here are some ideas for collaborating with other podcasters:

• Invite podcasters within your niche, or similar niches, to be guests on your show. Chances are they know a thing or two about your topics.
• Ask creators to give your podcast a shoutout on their own podcast. Do the same for their show in return.
• Cross-promote each other’s podcasts on social media through creating a post or  going live with the other creator.

No matter how you collaborate with a fellow podcaster, remember to stay professional. Cross-collaboration goes a long way and making a good impression by following through on your promises will build good rapport for your podcast.

Collaborations are underutilized in this space. Perhaps smaller shows are afraid to ask for help from other podcasters. You never know if you don’t try reaching out. What’s the worst that could happen? If they aren’t interested in working with you, they can either say no or ignore your message, so don’t be afraid to put yourself out there!

Don’t sleep on email marketing 

Building an email list can be a game changer for promoting your podcast. Here’s how to get started:

• 1. Offer incentives: Encourage sign-ups by offering exclusive content, such as bonus episodes or behind-the-scenes insights.
• 2. Regular newsletters: Send out regular newsletters featuring new episodes, highlights, and content outside of the podcast. Keep your audience engaged and informed.
• 3. Add a personal touch that matches your podcast’s brand: Make your emails personable. Share your journey, insights, and invite feedback to create a sense of community. Don’t be shy–use language that reflects who you are as a host.

Create a website for your podcast

A dedicated website is like the multi-purpose tool of podcasting. You can use it to write blog articles that boost SEO and draw traffic to your podcast. You can also use it to link all of your podcast platforms and social media platforms. Having a landing page also adds a sense of credibility to your podcast because it gives listeners a hub where they can find more information. 

• 1. Episode listings: Create a hub where listeners can access all your episodes easily.
• 2. Show notes: Include detailed show notes, transcripts, and links to resources mentioned in episodes for better SEO.
• 3. Blog posts: Write articles related to your podcast topics to attract organic traffic and engage your audience further.

Consistency is key

We always say that consistency is key to building listener loyalty. Release episodes regularly to build anticipation and retain listeners, create a detailed content plan, and stay consistent with your episode tonality.

Remember, podcasting takes time and dedication to become successful. With the right strategies, your show can thrive. Happy podcasting!