Podcast promotion is always one of the biggest discussion topics in the industry. Apple still remains the 800 pound gorilla in this space. Consequently, podcasters often make those Apple Podcast charts their sole focus. There are even companies out there that promote their ability to manipulate Apple’s algorithms and vault you to the top. This often works, that is, until Apple finds the loopholes and updates their algorithm. Then what? You may have had some short-lived podcast promotion, but then it’s back to the drawing board.
Podcasting blossomed in 2018; some would even say it’s the year podcasting went mainstream. Saturday Night Live did a spoof awards show called “The Poddys,” complete with impressions of Serial’s Sarah Koenig and The Daily’s Michael Barbaro. Yes, the sketch played on some of podcasting’s stereotypes, but SNL dedication of a sketch shows that podcasting is both relevant and mainstream. Next weekend, the nation’s largest radio company will put on the iHeartRadio Podcast Awards. I’ve blogged about this before, but iHeart’s investment in podcasts (including one they are launching with Ron Burgundy) will only add to overall podcast promotion in 2019.
Podcast promotion is not a one-trick pony. Any marketing authority will tell you that your promotion eggs shouldn’t all be put in one basket. Evaluate your audience, and go where they go. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and others can all be valuable vehicles to draw attention to any business or product. The same goes for podcast promotion.
Most podcast hosts, such as Libsyn and Simplecast, will give you links to share on social. Also, you’ll often have access to an embeddable player for use on your website.
Don’t forget about video! Yes, it may seem counter-intuitive to use video to promote audio. But there are a number of services, like SpareMin/Headliner and Audiogram that will turn your podcast into video. Simply take your logo, or any static image, and upload a clip from your latest episode. It’s the same way radio morning shows would do daily promos. Now the clip is video (even with a static image it’s still a video, usually with a moving waveform). Your video is now post-able on Instagram, and more favorably viewed by Facebook. Here’s an example of an Audiogram from a show I currently co-host, The Quizzo Cast:
Here’s the bottom line. If your podcast promotion strategy is solely to reach the top of Apple’s charts, you are limiting yourself. Consider all available avenues to maximize your exposure. More and more people are listening to podcasts every day. They are using more than just charts to discover them.