Podcasts have been around for quite some time. They were developed in 2004 and since then, the industry has gone mainstream. As of late, there are over one million active podcasts and 30 million episodes, each talking about their own niches and specialties. Podcasts topics are of a wide range, varying from business advice, mortgage loan tips, lifestyle and empowerment motivational talks, and more.
The growth of the industry is significant. In fact, over 62 million Americans listen to podcasts each week! As such, it has proven to be one of the most viable industries today, so a lot of people are getting into it. It’s a platform where they can spark conversations around a certain topic, share their expertise, and form a steady community of listeners who share the same interests.
But a common inquiry from those starting out in the field is how exactly do you market or promote your podcast? Especially in a pool of over a million active podcasts, getting people to know you exist may pose as a challenge—but it’s not impossible. Many successful podcasters were able to turn their 1 listener into 1,000 with great diligence and willingness to try out different strategies. If you’re trying to make a name for yourself in your industry, here’s how to market your podcast.
Study your audience
Different podcasts would have a different set of audiences. Many first-time podcasters make the mistake of targeting a general group of people. But they should really be leveraging on their specific target audience, whose demographics would depend on their niche.
For example, if your podcast is about business advice, then your target audience should be business owners or young professionals. Different topics would appeal to different groups of people. So the first and foremost thing you should do is to study exactly who you’re talking to. Proactively learn about your target audience. Focus on those who get value from your podcast. Collect information and create a document where you can note them so you can specifically target their interests in your marketing efforts.
Get in Podcatchers
Podcatchers refer to those applications and third party sites that play podcasts. Some examples are Google Play, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. These platforms already have solid listeners, so your goal is to get into these platforms and have them play your show. All you have to do is to create your accounts in these podcast directories. After you’ve done that, you will then be able to publish into each platform.
Guest
This goes two ways: inviting a guest to participate in your show and becoming a guest in other podcasts. Partnering up with third persons who are well-known in the niche is a great way to expose yourself and introduce your podcast to listeners. Similarly, getting a professional to guest in your show would provide listeners with a unique perspective and more valuable insights.
Find podcasts that are similar to or related to your niche. Join podcast communities where you can meet and network with people who are in the same industry. This will generate support and give you a source of help, insights, and techniques to promote your podcast. Not only that, but it will also provide you with an opportunity to network and get yourself featured on other shows for exposure.
Take advantage of social media
If there’s one platform that will really help you market your podcast, it’s social media. Since everyone is on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter nowadays, having a presence in these sites is extremely crucial. Create a page for your podcast and use it to give announcements, post content, and link people to your podcast episodes.
However, be wary of how you use social media to market your show. Instead of simply posting announcements and promoting your podcasts, focus on giving value. Create a community and foster discussions about a given topic, leverage your listeners, and engage them to share their thoughts. Follow the 80/20 rule when marketing on social media: your content should be 80% valuable and 20% promotional.
There are several ways to market a podcast, such as paying for advertisements, sending out newsletters, and optimizing your site. But the proven most effective manner is to give value. Remember that more than getting a lot of views, your ultimate goal is to offer your audience with valuable insights they can use in their lives. So use that to leverage your marketing techniques.
