So, you’ve released the first episode of your new podcast? First, “congrats” are in order. That’s rad. But now you’re like, “Um, how do I get people to actually listen to this?”
Don’t worry – you’ve come to the right place. From getting new listeners to mastering digital marketing, we’re about to serve you the ultimate guide to a successful podcast in the modern digital age. Read on with 10PM Curfew, the largest female lifestyle, beauty, and fashion network.
Step 1: Podcast Marketing Basics
Before we dive too deep, let’s start with some of the basics.
It’s not new to you that podcasts are more popular than ever. But do you know how popular they are? As of 2023, there are 465 million podcast listeners across the globe. And that number is expected to reach nearly 505 million by the end of 2024.
ICYMI, that’s a lot of listeners. But potential listeners aren’t just going to magically come across your podcast episode, so that’s where podcast marketing strategies really come into play.
What Is Podcast Marketing?
So we keep using the term “podcast marketing,” but what does that really mean?
Podcast marketing refers to the strategies used by someone with a podcast to drive more people to listen to their show.
Simple enough, right? Well, the idea of it is, but in order to be successful in getting listeners to your podcast, you’ve gotta put in the work for marketing.
YouTube videos, email marketing, and WordPress content, oh my! It might sound tricky, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep reading to find out which marketing tactics will skyrocket your podcast listens to record levels.
Step 2: Create a Unique Brand Identity
Not only are there tons of podcast listeners out there in 2023, but there are also tons of podcasts. You’re entering a saturated space, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for more – there alwaysis.
It just means that you have to figure out your unique angle – what are you bringing to the table that others in the podcast space currently aren’t? What makes you different?
Decide what message you want to send and what image you want to be part of, and own it. You can even make a podcast website that reflects this.
Step 3: Know Your Listeners
Once you’ve decided your identity in the podcasting universe, here’s the next step: You’ve got to know who you’re talking to when you sit down in front of that mic (besides your mom, of course).
One thing that’s important for you to accept right out the gate is that your podcast isn’t going to vibe with everyone… and that’s okay. You don’t need to be for everyone, you just need to be for the right people. And the right people are the ones that will dig your content.
So, spend some time figuring out who your target listener is. What’s her name? How old is she? What does he do for work? What are his hobbies? What problems does she have that you can solve?
With that information, you can start creating ideas for episodes packed with relatable content that will keep them coming back for more. You can also use this information to create better podcast episode titles, more engaging calls to action (CTA), and more effective teasers.
Step 4: Create Engaging Content
Engagement doesn’t only apply to TikTok and IG — it’s a podcast thing too. You know those TikTok vids that you send to everyone you know, and the other ones that are just meh? You don’t want to be the latter.
The meh ones flop because they don’t engage the audience. So, it’s super important for you to make your content engaging, no matter what it’s about. If a podcast about college life is your vibe, that’s great. Just make sure the deets you share and the people you interview are keeping it 100 and leaving your audience thirsty for more.
Step 5: Guest Selection
One of the coolest ways to promote your podcast is guest selection. Who doesn’t love some fresh voices in the mix, right?
When it comes to picking guests for your different podcasts, you want to look for peeps that bring some serious value to the table and can help you reach new audiences. We’re talking experts in your niche, influencers your audience obsesses over, or just some cool people with interesting stories.
How does this help you promote your podcast, you ask? Here’s how.
Leverage Your Guest’s Network
When you bring on a guest that has their own following, you get to tap into their network, too. This means more exposure for your podcast, aka new listeners.
Fresh Content
Bringing different guests onto your podcast equals variety in content, and that’s something your audience will love. They won’t keep coming back for more if they always know what to expect, or if every episode starts to feel the same. Keep them guessing by switching it up and keeping things fresh.
Boost Credibility
Influencers and industry experts are a free pass to not only interesting content but also your own credibility. And when it comes to building a loyal audience, credibility is key.
Networking, Networking, Networking
We know that word is overused, but in this case, it’s really important. Connecting with guests can open up all kinds of opportunities for future collabs (or maybe even your new BFF).
Step 6: Social Media Promo
It’s time to spill the tea on social media promo for your podcast because chances are good your audience pretty much lives on socials.
When it comes to promoting your podcast, social media platforms are your BFF – but only when used correctly. Here’s how to do it.
Choose the Right Platforms
Let’s go back for a sec to the part above where we chatted about your target audience, remember? Okay, now it’s time to think about where those peeps are hanging out. Are they TikTok people? Twitter people? Maybe even Facebook?
Focus your time and energy on promoting your podcast wherever your audience spends their time scrolling. If your audience splits their time between TikTok and Insta, your efforts can also span across multiple social media channels.
Share Clips
Small bites of your podcast, either with just audio or, even better, with video, give your followers a taste of your podcast and will likely hook them and bring them to listen to the whole episode.
Creative Visuals
Promote your podcast with high-quality visuals that pop. You can use memes, behind-the-scenes-pics, or any other kind of design that grabs your audience’s attention.
Engage
Don’t just drop a link and ghost. Social media exists to be social. So take time to chat with your followers, reply to comments, and ask for feedback and requests.
Use Hashtags
A secret to growing your podcast audience is using hashtags to reach new people. Just be sure not to use too many and stay on-brand.
Cross-Promote
There’s no shame in sliding into DMs, especially when it comes to cross-promoting your podcast. Connect with other podcasters in your niche to help each other grow.
Step 7: Use Influencer Marketing
One of the coolest ways to give your podcast a boost is influencer marketing. This is all about teaming up with peeps who’ve got a strong following and vibe with you and your target audience.
First, you want to start by finding your influencer tribe. These are the people whose content vibes with your podcast and are likely ones that your audience already follows. It’s important to look beyond the influencers with major numbers because, sometimes, micro-influencers give you a better ROI.
Next, it's time to practice your DM slide again. Send a genuine message that shows you’re a fan of their content, and be sure to include how a collab could benefit them, not just you. Influencer marketing is all about that mutual benefit. So whether that’s a fee, support, or cross-promotion, make it clear why they want to work with you.
Then it’s time to get creative. You can invite them to be a podcast guest, ask them for a shoutout on IG stories, or create co-branded content for both of your socials. In your creative time, make sure you stick to being authentic. People can smell a fake collab from a mile away, and you don’t want to be branded with that.
To see how your influencer collabs are performing, you want to track your podcast plays, follower growth, and engagement to see what’s working and what could use some extra love.
Step 8: Take Advantage of Partnerships
Teaming up with other podcasts or brands to create a partnership is like joining forces with your podcast fam. You can grow together, learn from each other, and crush your podcast goals hand-in-hand (well, not literally).
Here’s how to crush partnerships:
Find Your Podcast BFF
Start your search for podcasts or brands that vibe with your podcast content and have a similar audience to yours. If we’re going with the college life podcast, then a brand that makes tractors is not it. Instead, a trendy apparel brand or college-age influencer with a jewelry line might be a better fit.
Once you’ve found them, shoot your shot. Send the brand a genuine message about how much you dig their work, and think a collab on one of your new episodes would be great for both of you.
Cross-Promote Like It’s Your Job (Because It Kinda Is)
Shout each other out and collaborate to create some great content together. Trading podcast street cred is something your audiences will love.
Create Exclusive Content
Everyone loves feeling like a VIP, so bring them that opportunity by creating exclusive content for each others’ platforms. You could do a bonus episode or a behind-the-scenes, in-person chat, for example.
Host Giveaways
Level up your partnership game by offering some sick giveaways together. Maybe your partner is feeling oh so generous, and you can do a giveaway of their products for your listeners.
Or, maybe you and your partner are teaming up to give away a trip, two concert tickets, or anything else your audience would enjoy — this option might require you to spend some of your own money, but it will help get your listeners excited.
Step 9: Analytics
It sounds boring, we know. But you’ve gotta keep an eye on those numbers to see what’s poppin’ and what’s floppin.’ It’s highkey crucial for promoting your podcast.
You want to start with setting your goals. Figure out what you want to achieve. Maybe it’s getting more plays, more subscribers, or more downloads.
Next, you want to choose your metrics that align with those goals. What the heck does that mean? If you’re looking to grow your audience, then you want to focus your metrics attention on plays, subscribers, and social media followers. But if your goal is engagement, then you want to watch comments, likes, and shares.
To help you with these things, you can get help from analytics tools. Your podcast host will have built-in analytics, or you can get more detailed with third-party tools like Chartable or Podtrac.
As you’re watching these numbers, make sure you don’t obsess over them 24/7. Check in regularly to see if your podcast is hitting your goals, but don’t go crazy. If there’s an area that isn’t working – don’t stress. Just learn from it and fine-tune your content efforts.
And if your podcast is crushing it, then don’t hesitate to share that with your listeners and followers! Celebrating those wins publicly will give you an extra boost of motivation and get your audience hyped.
The Bottom Line
If you’ve already started a podcast, the good news is that you’re already heading in the right direction… but you still have your work cut out for you.
There are a lot of different ways you can master podcast marketing, but if you ask us, choosing your guests wisely, shooting your shot with partnerships and influencer marketing, and using social media to your advantage are some of the best ways to get the word out about your show.
Whether you’re looking for some help targeting the right audience, generating content, or mastering paid media, 10PM Curfew can help. Get in touch with us today to start working with our network.
Sources:
41+ Podcast Statistics For 2023 (Listeners & Market Size) | Demand Sage