Winning at Podcast Marketing

What started as an idea by an MTV DJ (Adam Curry) and software developer (David Winer) looking to find a way to download online radio broadcasts to an iPod has become an international phenomenon. 

If you haven’t heard the word “podcast” by now, you may want to climb out of your cave. In 2023, 62% of US citizens report listening to podcasts, an increase of over 200% in the last 10 years. 

So, why should your business care? 

Because marketing is anything but stagnant. Channels and consumers are constantly changing the way they interact with businesses, and the techniques that worked yesterday may be obsolete tomorrow. We’re not saying that you should chase every trend, but your business should have a pulse on where your customers are consuming content. 

Even marketing mainstays like blogs have seen a steady decline over the past 10 years whereas podcasts have exploded over the same timeframe. This graph from Google Trends shows the decline of searches for blogs (blue) versus the explosion of searches for podcasts (red) in the last 20 years. In fact, interest in podcasts is currently two times the interest in blogs at their peak!  

In other words, if podcast marketing has not been a consideration in your marketing strategy, it might be time to put podcasting on your radar. 

It goes without saying that a podcast is not for everyone. In fact, most businesses probably shouldn’t consider a podcast at all. There are a lot of capital and time expenditures that come into play when making a podcast. You need the right equipment, the right personalities, and—most importantly—the right audience. For instance, if your business is a local service business with just a handful of employees, your marketing budget may be better utilized in other areas like paid advertising or social media marketing. 

However, if your business is trying to reach a much wider audience or you are looking for a better way to demonstrate authority in your industry, podcasting might be a great option. 

5 Considerations for Marketing Your Podcast

As a caveat, this article is less about how to start a podcast (just google that phrase and you will have millions of articles to choose from) but, rather, how to market your podcast once it’s up and running. That said, here are a few of our top recommendations. 

Submit Your Show to Podcast Aggregators and Directories

If your podcast can’t be easily found, then… it won’t be found. Apple, Google, and Spotify are the major places to submit your podcast but don’t forget smaller directories like iHeartRadio, Stitcher, PocketCasts, Overcasts, PodBean, and similar directories. 

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of options. We’d recommend starting with some of the most popular and going from there. If you’re interested in all of the possibilities, here is a great list of podcast directories to get started with. 

Don’t Forget Time-Tested Marketing Techniques

The techniques that apply to all of your marketing efforts are still important when marketing a podcast. 

You need to identify and define your target audience and your unique message. You need to strategize on how to best reach them. You need a content plan that provides value to your listeners. Titles and descriptions should be strong and eye-catching. And, perhaps most importantly, it should be relatable.  

Like with any content, if you do all of these things well, you are more likely to show up in search results. Remember that Google isn’t the only search engine, and many apps and websites use similar criteria on what results to show based on a user’s search query.

It may not be relevant initially, but once your podcast starts to get some traffic, you should consider creating podcast-specific website promotions, announcements, and more focused social media. However, even if you don’t create a unique website for your podcast, it would be smart from an SEO and advertising standpoint to create a landing page on your current website. 

Furthermore, every podcast description and title should optimized for the keywords you are targeting. When people are searching for terms that your podcast addresses, make sure you are doing everything in your power to ensure they find you. 

Lastly, don’t overlook paid advertising. Many podcast platforms offer sponsored content options, or you can use traditional PPC platforms like Google and Facebook to create more awareness of your podcast. 

Engage with Your Target Audience or Community

Once you’ve identified who your podcast will be for, start connecting with them. This can be done in a variety of ways. 

Social media channels are a great consideration. Create business channels for the podcast on social media, and use them to interact with your audience. Join online communities like podcast groups or industry forums, and engage in conversations. Offer valuable insights, and you’ll be able to slowly start creating interest in your show. 

In addition to that, take advantage of your current audience—include the podcast in newsletters, email signatures, social media accounts, website content, and conversations. It goes without saying that positive reviews can be a great way to increase your podcast’s visibility and grow your show among a larger audience. To get started, don’t be afraid to ask the people who are already engaged with your business to listen to your podcast and leave an honest review.

Recycle Your Content on Other Marketing Channels

If you think the growth stat from earlier is impressive, you should see it when compared to video. Video platforms like YouTube and TikTok are quickly becoming the fastest way to get in front of your audience, and while this article isn’t about video, we highly recommend you consider adding videography to your marketing mix. 

Fortunately, with podcasting, there’s an opportunity to feed two birds with one seed when it comes to podcasting. Instead of just recording audio when creating your podcast, add a video element as well. This gives you an option to get extra mileage out of your podcast content on more visual platforms. This could be in the form of full-length videos on YouTube or short, edited clips on Meta, YouTube Shorts, or TikTok. 

In addition to video content, you can adapt a transcription of the video and use it as a blog post or create an infographic with information that is relevant to potential listeners.

Cross-Promote Your Podcast

First and foremost, it’s wise to mention relevant podcasts that you’ve recorded in the past on other podcasts you are creating. Link these podcasts in your description, mention them on social media, and include them in other marketing channels. 

Outside of that, contact similar podcasters with larger platforms and discuss ways to collaborate. This could be something as simple as inviting them to be a guest on your podcast or vice-versa, or it could be as deep as connecting your podcast to a larger podcast network.  

Trust PHOS to Help with Your Podcast Marketing Strategy

The above might feel very daunting if you are new to podcasts or unfamiliar with digital marketing. The PHOS team is here to help. We can come alongside your business and offer consulting or marketing services to help you get the most out of your podcast. Interested? Contact our team today!