Podcasts are a popular medium – whether you’re a reality TV fan, a true crime aficionado, an entertainment junkie, or just want to learn something new – there are plenty of podcasts to choose from based on your interests. According to Edison Research, a lot of people in the U.S. are tuning into podcasts. In fact, 64% of those aged 12 and older have listened to one. Out of those, 42% listen every month, and 31% listen every week. That’s a massive audience of around 183 million people!
Podcasts are also a popular marketing strategy. Podcast marketing is all about using podcasts to boost the visibility of a brand, product, or service. It can be done in several ways:
- Creating or hosting a podcast of your own or for your organization
- Sponsoring a podcast by paying for ads
- Making guest appearances on other podcasts
How to decide if podcast marketing is right for you
Should you start a podcast? This is a great question. Here are a few quick questions to ask yourself when deciding whether or not you should start a podcast:
- Why do you want to start a podcast?
- What do you want to say?
- Can you record consistently?
- Who is your target audience?
- Do they listen to podcasts?
- Do you have the equipment available to record and edit a podcast?
If you struggle to answer these questions, dive a little deeper into why you want to try podcast marketing, and how you can really succeed. Running ads on a podcast is a smart strategy if you have insights into a podcast’s target audience. Host read ads are where podcasters endorse a brand in their own unique voice and style. This is a lucrative strategy because listeners are already engaged and trust the host. And according to Edison Research, 46% of monthly podcast listeners do not find podcast ads intrusive. (If you want more insights into podcast advertising and audio marketing in general, check out our previous blog post.)
How to get started with podcast marketing
- Choose a podcast topic that you can commit to and tell a compelling story about.
- Create a strong podcast title and description. Your podcast title should let listeners know on a high level what your podcast is about. Then, in your podcast description, you can expand on what type of content listeners can expect.
- Build your podcast’s visual identity – logo, artwork, and music.
- Purchase the right equipment or find a studio to record your podcast. (We can help with that… more on that later!)
- Choose a podcast hosting service. Podcast hosting is a place where you store all your podcast audio files. Do your research and find the best option for you.
How to market your podcast
When it comes to promoting your podcast and getting the word out, you’ve got a lot of options on the table. There are some tried-and-true strategies, of course, but don’t be afraid to think outside the box and give your podcast promotion a unique twist. It’s all about growing your audience and making your podcast more visible to the world! Here are some tips on marketing your podcast and growing your podcast audience.
Share your podcast with directory listings
Think of podcast directories as neat shelves for your podcasts, making it super easy for listeners to discover your show. Plus, listeners can hit the subscribe button to get all your latest episodes delivered straight to their ears as soon as they drop! Most podcast directories are free – you just need to submit your RSS feed to a podcast directory, and it will automatically post new episodes.
Top podcast directories include:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- TuneIn
- iHeart Radio
- Amazon Music and Audible
- Podchaser
Promote your podcast on social media
Set up social media profiles for your podcast on a couple of social media platforms that align with your target audience’s hangout. Types of social media content that you can share include:
- Behind-the-scenes photos and videos
- Quotes from your episode with quote-based images
- Teaser soundbites
- Promotion of guests
Encourage engagement with your followers by asking them to submit questions that you will answer on our podcast, and make sure you reply to comments – trolls excluded.
Give email marketing some thought.
Building an email list for your podcast is key to keeping your audience engaged and coming back for more. It’s a powerful tool for building relationships, offering special content and episode reminders, and promoting other podcasts you host. Plus, it helps you reach the right audience and gain insights into what content resonates most, all while fostering a dedicated fanbase.
Use social listening to find influencers
According to our friends at Brandwatch, “Social listening is the process of monitoring online conversations and collecting data from social platforms and forums on a chosen topic.” A social listening tool can help you research popular blogs, podcasts, and social media accounts related to your podcast’s topic.
Potential podcast influencers are individuals with a substantial and active following who share common values and goals with your podcast. You can invite the influencer on as a guest, promote their content on your podcast, and establish a mutually beneficial relationship.
Create a website or a landing page for your podcast
Having your podcast’s own website is a big credibility boost. It’s like your podcast’s online hub where you can post episodes, show notes, and other important stuff. This shows potential listeners that you’re serious about delivering quality content. Plus, an organized website makes it super easy for folks to find what they’re looking for in a flash. If you don’t want to do a full website, a landing page works too. Just make sure it’s optimized for search engines.
Host an in-person event for your podcast
This is when you record a podcast in front of an audience. You can also stream live to YouTube and Facebook. Get inspired by taking a look at some of these well-known podcasts that tour and host live events.
Create a YouTube podcast channel
YouTube is pushing podcasters to join its platform by creating a dedicated page for podcasts. YouTube is not a podcast hosting channel, but you can share video content of your podcast on YouTube. And this means you’ll have your content available on the world’s second-largest social media platform.
How Overit helps with podcast marketing
Overit offers a full-service approach to podcast advertising and marketing. Are you still trying to get your podcast off the ground? No problem. We’ll be there for the initial strategy and branding to help you define who it is you’re talking to, as well as the look, feel, and sound of your podcast. We’ll design your logo, develop a sonic brand, and even master those all-important intros and outros. Learn more about how we can help.
Overit Studios and Overit Stage offer full audio and video services for emerging and established podcasts. With a dedicated podcast room, outfitted with the best microphones and cameras at the ready, we can deliver best-in-class audio and video for your live-streamed or taped show whether you and your guests are all in the same room or remote. Visit Overit Studio’s website to learn more.
