3 Things You Should Do to Market Your Podcast Right Now
Hey, Independent Podcaster.
We know you just spent hours and hours preparing, recording, editing and publishing your podcast, but there's still a bit more work to go. Now you need to connect your podcast with its audience. And unless you have a marketing background, this can be completely overwhelming. So today, let's talk about three things you can do to market your podcast right now.
If the first big hurdle of podcasting is getting started, the second big hurdle is connecting your podcast with the right people. In order to do so, you have to market your podcast. Marketing your podcast is not a simple task. But here are three things you can do to set you and your podcast up for success.
Your podcast needs a website.
Your podcast's website will be your home base. It's a place where everything related to the podcast can live. You can have episodes, transcriptions video, show notes, contact information, photos, everything podcast related.
It's especially important to have a website so you have a one-stop shop for all of your listeners. It doesn't make sense to send your Spotify listeners to your Apple Podcast page. Your call to action becomes: “head to mypodcast.com to listen” rather than “find us wherever you listen to podcasts.” Then on your website, you can have links to all of the different players, so there's one central location for everyone to find your podcast on their favorite app. Everything in one place.
Having a website also makes it easier for people to find you. If your site is using the right keywords, you're more likely to show up in a Google search for someone looking for a podcast like yours.
2. Make a trailer.
On most podcast players, you can now feature a trailer episode. Trailers are an excellent way for potential new listeners to check out your podcast without committing to a full episode. Think of your trailer as a food sample at a grocery store. Not everyone will buy the mini quiches, but lots of people will try them out. And those who do buy them really liked the sample. 60-90 seconds of someone's time is a lot smaller of an ask than 30 minutes. So not only are trailers a great way for listeners to sample your show, they're also great to share on social media, your website and newsletters. Make a trailer and share it everywhere.
3. Word of mouth.
One of the best ways to get your podcast in front of more people is when a listener shares it with someone they know. It's likely your audience will know people who have similar interests and similar tastes in podcasts. Plus, they're personally endorsing the podcast which makes it more likely their friend will check it out. So instead of asking for a review at the end of your podcast, ask your audience to share the episode with someone they know who might enjoy it. You're much more likely to gain a new listener this way than through a review.