〉Podcast Promotion: Effective Marketing Tactics

1. Submit podcasts to all directories.

One of the most effective ways to promote your podcast is to offer it to as many online podcast directories as possible.

While Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes), Google Podcasts, and Spotify account for the most podcast downloads, other apps can also bring you a lot of listeners.

According to Chartable, here are the 10 best podcast apps based on unique downloads, devices, and average downloads per device.

The other directories that appeared in the result are:

Podbean
Player.fm
Podcast Republic
Downcast
Podkicker
Castro
BeyondPod
Amazon Echo devices

To reference your podcast on all of these platforms, you need to create your RSS feed. Note that this should be a podcast-only feed; your website's RSS feed won't suffice here.

Fortunately, creating an RSS feed for podcasts is easy and only requires 4 steps.

Step 1: Opening an RSS account

Create a free account By RSS podcasting by entering your email address and password

Step 2: Confirm the email

Confirm and verify your email by entering the verification code you receive in your inbox.

Step 3: Create a new podcast

Click on the “New Podcast” option. You'll be taken to your podcast page, where you need to add podcast details, like description, title, public website address, RSS feed address, etc.

Step 4: Finalize the submission

Next, add podcast categories (up to three), cover, author information, and click the “Save and Finish” button. Click the “RSS Feed” button to copy and paste the RSS feed and add it to third-party applications and directories.

Submitting your RSS feed to these directories is also a step-by-step process.

It's best to start by submitting your podcast to Apple Podcasts.

Once Apple approves your podcast, it will automatically appear in these directories as well:

You can broadcast your show on all of these 13 applications with a single interface.

To publish your new episodes on Apple Podcasts, you first need to create an Apple ID. You will also need to register on a podcast hosting site to host your RSS feed and audio files.

Then follow these steps to distribute your show on Apple:

Publish at least one episode (it can also be a short trailer)
Set up your podcast properly and check all settings. Use Podbase Podcast Validator to make sure everything is in place.
Set up your Apple Podcasts Connect account.
Add your RSS feed URL to Apple Podcasts Connect.
Finally, wait for Apple to approve your request. It may take up to 8 days to get approved.

Most other directories also have a similar process. First, you register on their platform and on a hosting site. Then you create an RSS feed, copy and paste the RSS feed into the application, check your data, and wait for their approval.

That said, their requirements and time for approval may differ.

For example, you need to have at least one episode published on your existing podcast host to be approved by Spotify. They simply reject your request if they cannot find a single existing episode.

Some directories like Learn Out Loud even reject podcasts that don't fit their current list of categories. Be sure to check out the categories before submitting your podcast to various directories.

2. Promote your podcast on YouTube.

According to a University of Florida report, YouTube has become the number one source of information for podcast listeners aged 18 to 54.

In addition, 45% of listeners say that YouTube makes it easy for them to find the podcasts they want, while 55% consider YouTube to be their go-to place for entertainment.

The platform has a much larger user base than the usual podcasting applications, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, etc. Broadcast your podcast on YouTube will naturally allow you to extend your reach even further.

These are enough reasons to promote your podcast on YouTube.

In fact, some of the most famous podcast shows are available as video podcasts on YouTube.

In addition to its large user base, YouTube is also the second search engine after Google and processes more than 3 billion searches per month. With YouTube, your podcast is more likely to gain visibility and be discovered by a greater number of target listeners.

There is also a possibility that your podcast will be recommended by ranking algorithms.

Here are some of the benefits of YouTube podcasts:

A different audience could come across your show.
Now you can engage your audience using YouTube comments.
YouTube metadata can help you improve your Google rankings.
You can see the statistics of your videos thanks to the analytics integrated into the platform.
Allows you to earn money directly from YouTube through its native advertising.

One of the ways to broadcast your podcast on YouTube is to convert it into an audiogram. An audiogram is a combination of a static image, a waveform, the audio from your podcast, and transcripts converted to video.

Here is an example of an audiogram:

This approach is best suited if you don't have a large budget or if you have limited time.

However, if you want to be platform-specific, more creative, and appeal to a larger audience, you need to work harder and repurpose your audio content to video broadcasts.

And you don't have to download the entire podcast either.

You can create a short trailer to appeal to your target audience and direct them to your podcast website or app. Don't forget to optimize it and make edits compatible with the platforms.

For example, your aim should be to arouse the interest of listeners. In the first 10 seconds of the trailer. Your trailer can even skip the introduction part if you want and dive right into the essential part of the show.

You can't forget YouTube's SEO either, given that it's essentially a search engine platform. Be sure to research enough keywords to create the description and title of your video.

You should also take your sticker into account. It will be the first point of contact for your viewers with your video. Avoid using the same title as your video on your thumbnail. The aim is to attract listeners, so don't waste that chance by repeating the title.

Creating short trailers that summarize your podcast shows isn't the only way to promote your content on YouTube.

You can create your podcast with the intention of publishing it on YouTube in a variety of ways, including:

Take a video while recording your audio podcast.
Record interviews with your podcast guests.
Add images to your audio file and turn it into a video.
Record your screen and present yourself on a small screen using a webcam.
Post your podcast to YouTube as it is, but with an illustration. You can also integrate podcasting platforms into YouTube to make this happen automatically.

YouTube may take some time to develop, but it has a lot of benefits. It's a way to get more visibility, to broadcast your show on a new platform, and you also create podcast content on 2 media.

3. Design a smart banner.

Apple Podcasts is the main player and the most popular podcast application in the podcasting world. On iPhones and Apple Watches, it's still one of the most popular ways to listen to podcasts.

By making it easier for iPhone users to discover and listen to your podcast, you will gain more audience for your podcasts.

Smart App banners appear at the top of web pages, but only on the mobile version of Safari. They connect viewers directly to your podcast show when they click on the “Show” option on the banner. They can also deactivate it by clicking on the “X” icon.

The advantage of these smart banners is that they include relevant keywords and are not intrusive. If viewers like what they see, they can be directed to your podcast easily. If not, they can ignore it and continue browsing your site.

Add a Smart App banner to your podcast

Adding the banner to your podcast site is done in 2 steps. To do this, you need the unique 10-digit ID for your podcast show.

To find your Apple Podcasts show ID, go to https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts and log in.

In your feed, click on the podcast you need. You can find the ID in the “Apple Podcasts Show ID” section or in the “Apple Podcasts URL” section.

If you do it yourself, insert the following code in the <head>of your site:

You already know your podcast ID, so simply insert it instead of XXXXXXXXXX.

If you don't know where to place <head>your site or if you have little technical knowledge, you can also do it using the Smart App Banner WordPress plugin.

Additionally, you can also make your banner trackable if you use Apple's affiliate program — administered by the company called Performance Horizon.

You need 3 things to make your banner trackable:

Your podcast ID
Your affiliate ID
A unique tag for the campaign

Then, add the following code to your Horizon Performance dashboard.

<meta name="apple-itunes-app" content="app-id=XXXXXXXXXX, affiliate-data=at=YYYYYYY&ct=ZZZZZZZZZ">

Visitors from any iOS device can see and click on this trackable banner at the top of their browser window. However, Android devices and browsers other than Safari will ignore it.

4. Invite people to your show.

Having another guest or even multiple guests on your show allows you to reach a whole new audience.

Inviting influencers in your niche who have a loyal audience and asking them to share the podcast will suffice.

Attracting guests with a large audience is only half the battle won. You still need to encourage them to promote the episode to their fans and followers.

However, you need to make it easy for your guests to promote the episode in which they appeared on all of their channels.

Ask your guests to share the episode with their email list:

You're not saying whether a guest would be willing to create an email newsletter to promote the podcast episode in which they appeared.

However, you can share a pre-composed email newsletter with them and ask them to share it with their list. If your guest had a good time at your show, they might not have any qualms about sending out the newsletter.

The newsletter should include your guest's social media handles and a link to the product they might want to promote. This will encourage them to share the newsletter even more.

Don't forget to send another email with a link to the episode so they can see what happened. Ask your guests to share this link on their Facebook and Twitter pages as well.

In addition to the episode link, include other things to share with the email:

Images
Video trailers
Pre-composed tweets
Infographics
Graphs based on quotes

Remember to remind them that they don't have to. And end the email by thanking your guest for participating in your show and sharing their message.

Sharing on Twitter and Facebook:

Sharing your podcast on channels like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn should be easy for your guests.

If you've already notified them by email, be sure to tag them in your Facebook and Twitter posts as well.

Once your guests are notified of the tag, they can share or retweet your message as it is. Be sure to include relevant hashtags when posting on Twitter to increase visibility.

Sharing on Instagram.

Instagram doesn't allow immediate sharing or retweeting like Facebook and Twitter, making it difficult for your guests to share your post.

Some guests may even choose to ignore your post, especially if it doesn't match their current Instagram theme. Be sure to keep your guests' theme colors in mind when creating posts to share.

Instagram stories also solve this problem to a large extent. They only stay live for 24 hours and are easier to share.

Tag your guest and add relevant hashtags while creating your story. Your guests can then share your story on their Instagram page with a single click.

Instagram stories also allow you to add a link and allow viewers to swipe up so that the directory goes to the linked page. You need to have over 10,000 followers to use this feature, though.

5. Offer gifts in exchange for criticism and sharing.

Few viewers can ignore the appeal of contests and giveaways, especially if it's something that meets their needs.

Aside from specific products, you can also offer things like:

Stickers
Your merchandise
Gift cards
Discount coupons
Secret tips
A mention in the notes of the show

However, these gifts are only possible if your budget allows.

If you're on a tight budget, you can announce special winners or a mention on your show. You can even offer the lucky winners a guest seat at the end of the show.

The next step is to advertise the giveaway on your social channels and ask for reviews on platforms like Apple Podcasts and Castbox in return. You can also require your audience to follow you on various podcast apps and social media platforms and to share a particular episode.

When posting your contest on social media, be sure to include eye-catching graphics and clearly explain how to participate in the contest. Don't forget to add a link to your podcast.

6. Paid promotions using PPC ads.

All social media and search engine platforms allow you to promote your content using paid ads. While organic strategies allow you to encourage your target audiences to visit your podcast show, paid ads highlight them directly.

Pay-per-click (PPC) ads can also help explain what your podcast is and what sets it apart from the rest. Fast traffic is another advantage of paid ads over organic promotion strategies.

PPC ads are also profitable since you pay based on each click or conversion, allowing you to get a full return on investment.

Additionally, you can reach your audience on any platform using ads.

If your target audiences primarily use Instagram, you can take advantage of Instagram ads. Is Facebook the dominant platform in your niche? In this case, start advertising campaigns on Facebook.

You can be anywhere your audience is.

There are 2 ways to broadcast paid ads to promote your podcasts:

Target your entire podcast - You can create a PPC ad and direct your target audience to your podcast landing page. However, this method can be expensive, as it makes it possible to target a large audience at the same time.
Target a specific episode - Buy ads that link to individual episodes to target specific listeners. For example, you can target the names of your guests since you expect potential listeners to type in their names.

Before creating your PPC ad, be sure to choose an eye-catching graphic to appeal to your target audiences.

Here are a few more tips for creating PPC ads for your podcast:

Insert relevant keywords.
Choose a compelling graph.
Target your niche audience.
Conduct A/B testing to identify the ideal elements and demographics for your ad.
Track your ad results to gather important data and use it to improve your ads.

You can also use Google paid ads to target audiences who are looking for specific podcasts using relevant keywords. Because Google ads are text-only, you don't need to worry about adding an image either.

7. Network with other podcasters.

Whether it's promoting your blog, making your podcast known to your audience, or increasing the number of YouTube subscribers, networking is very important on the Internet.

Start connecting with other podcasters in your industry so they can get the word out about your show. Networking with experts in your sector and word of mouth will also help you to appear to be a trustworthy personality yourself.

Here are a few tips to start networking to promote your podcast:

Ask your group of friends to share your podcast with their friends.
Attend public events and conferences in your industry.
Join other podcast shows as a guest.
Join Facebook groups like the podcaster support group, the podcasting technology resource group, the Podcasters' hangout, as well as other similar social media groups.
Join podcasting communities on Reddit
Create a network on Quora.

Additionally, you can partner with influencers in your industry to expose your show to new audiences. You will also need to provide incentives in return. It could be anything, including monetary compensation, a segment of your show, or a free product.

Summary.

You don't need a big budget, famous celebrities, or a team of marketers to promote your podcast. All you need to do is present your show to your target audience and get them excited.

Luckily, you have multiple options at your disposal, including podcasting tools, social media ads, online communities, and more.

If you need unique digital marketing strategies to gain new listeners, give these tested tips a chance. Try them all out and see what works for you.