Podcasts have steadily risen in popularity in the last few years. With the current state of the world, listeners have even grown substantially within the last few months. Podcasts are entertaining and informative. They can also be listened to nearly at any time and any place- convenient for any followers. Podcasts are one of the most modern platforms to directly engage with an audience and build a following. As more people create their own, it’s essential to know how to competitively market yourself, especially across major social media platforms.    

Use Instagram Stories to your advantage 

Instagram Stories is a major way to directly communicate with followers and has a huge set of features that not many platforms have in one place. Whether going live to talk with active viewers or asking them to engage with polls and questions, utilizing Stories will ensure some type of engagement every time. Users even have the opportunity to link the podcast to the story to create a call-to-action right there. By generating consistent engagement, followers will more likely take action on the platform, leading them to listen to the Podcast.  

Engage with your audience

A lot of the times users will create an initial post, but then not engage after. This let’s the information on that post die quickly, and then that post will become irrelevant quite quickly. Instead, make sure to engage with their comments. Ask questions in the captions to give followers a reason to engage. If on a platform like Twitter, continuously engage in the thread to keep a conversation going. Tailor the engagement to each social media platform. If the post is on facebook, create a further connection by messaging followers in the messaging app. A genuine connection will create loyal followers, which are the most valuable.   

Promote differently on each social media account 

Not all social media platforms should be treated the same, simply because they were created for different purposes. For instance, Instagram was made to be more visual, so it makes more sense to post pictures of something such as a behind-the-scenes picture. If it happens to be Twitter, then tweeting quotes of the podcast will intrigue followers since the point has to be made in such a few characters. As long as communication is consistent on all platforms, engagement and listeners will follow. 

Don’t share only once

In marketing rules, it takes a follower an average of three times to see something before they make any type of decision. Many times when a post about a podcast is only made once, very few followers will see it, and several will forget to listen to it. It’s normal to be repetitive in what the call-to-action needs to be, but make the posts appear differently for more diverse content. As an example, if posting to listen to the new show, make one picture a post of the host in the midst of the conversation and then another of the guest star on that particular episode. Both pictures relate to the same message, but they both will catch different attention. 

Gear up for launch day 

Make a plan by establishing a social media calendar. This will help keep anyone organized and help keep track of what information will be released and where it will be advertised. Having a system in place will also create visuals that can be looked back on to see what posts did well and show how to adjust for the upcoming weeks. For instance, if a promotion video ran on Instagram, but it didn’t produce as much engagement as desired, then try posting the next one on Facebook. The difference in audience or platform could make a difference in how the content is ultimately received. 

Tease the audience

Get followers excited and to expect new content coming. This is best done by “teasing” them. The greatest way to achieve this is by indirectly telling them there is a new announcement around the corner. For a content creator beginning their first podcast, this is one of the best forms of marketing to get followers ready for the initial launch. 

Start a week or two before the initial launch and drop subtle hints. This can be done by posting promotion pictures with the announcement that something is coming without actually stating it. For instance, if it’s a fashion podcast, take a promotion picture with a clothing rack filled with clothes and tangled with a microphone. This picture is showcasing a few possibilities of what the launch maybe, but it’s not directly stating any definite information, perfect for keeping followers on their toes. 

Quote special moments

Give potential listeners a reason to click the link to a podcast. Is it how your guest star answered a shocking question? Could it be a special segment that you’ve never done before? Whatever it might be, make the clickbait intriguing so anyone scrolling by will instantly want to click the link and begin listening. One of the best ways to achieve this may even be a direct clip of audio. Sometimes all it takes is 20-30 seconds for someone to make up their mind to listen to the rest. As an example, if someone loves listening to murder mysteries, a clip may be released with someone describing the murder scene or a main piece of evidence. 

Partnerships 

Whether it’s a collaboration with someone else or a special guest making their voice heard, have that person share the podcast with others so an expanded audience may have the opportunity to listen to the podcast. Even if it happens to be family or friends who are promoting the podcast, the audio is still reaching a larger audience than you originally could establish. There is power in numbers, and establishing a genuine connection with others to share your work will take you far. 

If your team also notices an avid follower of your content, reach out, and see if you could establish a potential partnership. Their positive, authentic opinions of the content have the potential to bring in extra listeners, which will help with engagement.   

Create stand-alone images

Make posts with images that can stand by themselves because the post will have more longevity when followers view it. For instance, a campaign of pictures with the host can be used for a multitude of posts and events. Followers will be able to recognize the campaign with the brand you’re trying to achieve, therefore creating brand recognition. With this type of posting, it will create recognizable imagery across all social media platforms. 

Record a Podcast on Facebook Live

Take an exclusive approach to a podcast taping. For followers on Facebook, host a live show where the podcast can be recorded, but can still be interactive for loyal followers. This will create a genuine outreach and connection with those already listening to the podcasts. This will also strengthen the bond between the creator and the existing followers. By making a live video, this will also allow for the creator to address any questions or suggestions followers are sending in while creating a worthy show to new listeners. By having a live show exclusive to one social platform, this allows for listeners to follow more than one social media platform to receive maximum information to not miss out on anything.