Tactics for developing your podcast
Trying to grow your new comedy podcast and looking up tactics for success online? As you'll have probably already spotted, there are endless tips online for drawing attention to your show in today's competitive market; and getting the branding right.
Here we'll focus on some of the most effective solutions to develop your podcast into a bigger show:
Engage with your audience
Make sure your script features calls to action from your audience. Whether you are simply asking them to like, comment and share, or you are giving anyone who donates to your podcast a shoutout, including a level of audience engagement will greatly boost your show.
You could also initiate discussion between listeners, or ask them to send in opinions and comments on what you are discussing. Keep it as natural and genuine as possible - if you explain to your audience that their engagement helps you to grow and make more content, they are likely to engage.
Publish your content at the right time
As well as publishing regularly, publishing at the right time can make a huge difference to your audience engagement levels. Publishing when your audience is more likely to be online will increase engagement as they are more likely to see your updates.
Network effectively
Networking is the key to growing any online community, and podcasting is no different. Attend networking events and cross-promote podcasts to grow your listener base. Try inviting guests onto your show to reach more listeners and to make your content more engaging. Guests can provide specialised knowledge as well as offer a new perspective. They are also likely to promote your show, bringing their audience onto your content. Similarly, consider appearing on other podcasts too to promote things the other way round.
Reach out to anyone you would like to collaborate with, and advertise that you are looking for guests across different social media platforms such as Twitter, Reddit or Facebook groups.
Utilise all platforms
One of the key ways to successfully promote any brand online is to effectively utilise social media. A strong social media presence can be one of the fastest ways to build an audience, and although growing a social media presence can be relatively slow, the results will be strong. If you're advertising a podcast, make use of Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, as well as posting your episodes to YouTube and linking everything back to your website.
A good website is essential for any good podcaster, and it should feature favourite episodes, clips and information, as well as news about what is next for your show. Implement effective SEO practices to increase growth and conversion rates, and guide users to your website at every opportunity.
Your website, along with your social media channels, can be a great place to post short content. This should be posted to include particularly funny or standout sections of audio which may make new audiences want to engage with your content and start listening. These shorts can consist of anything from clips of the actual podcast, pictures with quotes on them or small videos advertising your show.
One of the main benefits of social media is that it can be extremely easy to gain engagement with audiences. Encourage interaction and comments, and always include some kind of call to action. Utilise social media features such as polls, reactions and comments and directly ask your audiences to interact and share their thoughts and opinions. Every time your followers are interacting with your posts, they are increasing the chances of their followers seeing your brand and interacting with your content.
Send a regular newsletter
A great way to stay relevant and on your audience's minds is with a regular newsletter. Most brands will send out weekly or monthly email newsletters with the latest news and releases. Email marketing has a great return on investment, and since it is free for audiences to sign up to a newsletter, they can be easily encouraged to do so. Make sure your website and social media platforms all feature somewhere for users to input an email address and sign up for your newsletter.
So, in summary, if you're looking to increase the reach of your podcast, try starting with a great website that is well-linked to your social media platforms. Reach out to your audiences for engagement and network with other industry professionals. Work hard and stay consistent and you'll have a loyal, engaging audience in no time.