How to Promote Your Podcast Marketing Strategies in 2023

How To Promote Your Podcast Strategies in 2023

Podcasts are here to stay. Some people get their news from podcasts; others simply use them to kill a few hours during flights. They’re short, they’re long, they’re fun, they’re serious – and they’re definitely everywhere. Nearly half a billion people are regular podcast listeners. And more will become.

Soon there will be just as many podcasts. At the moment, there are between 3,000,000 and 5,000,000 podcasts out there, and many are competing for the same audience.

That brings us to our question of the day – if you’re a podcaster, how to promote your podcast in 2023? There is a simple rule – more listeners, more ways to make money with podcasts.

In honor of the 23rd year of the millennium, 23 podcast marketing strategies guarantee success in the podcasting industry.

1. Release Multiple Podcast Episodes

Let’s start from… well, the start. A common mistake newcomers make is to launch their show with only one podcast episode. This isn’t an effective way to do podcast promotion or to hit the New and Noteworthy section of iTunes.

People consume content by binging it. By listening to a short, single podcast episode, they won’t have enough time to understand your concept or get familiar with you. So how many episodes do you need to promote a podcast?

Brace yourself; you’re in for a bit of work. Most podcasters recommend you start with at least three episodes but don’t be afraid to post even five when you first launch.

2. Post at Strategic Times

Speaking of a podcast launch. It’s not enough to have multiple podcast episodes ready and post them to iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, or other platforms you use. Podcast promotion is all about consistency and strategy.

The general rule of thumb is to post one podcast episode per week on the same day and time. That consistency will create a habit for your target audience and make it easier for them to remember when new episodes are dropping.

3. CTA, CTA, CTA

Did you remember to share this article with your friends on social media channels? No? Our bad – we forgot to remind you to do it. If you want your listeners to do something specific, you’ll need to include a call to action.

This may seem like an unnecessary step since people can’t interact with your podcast in the same way they would with social media posts or YouTube videos. But trust us. It really makes a difference.

Strategically place CTAs throughout your podcast to remind people of the action you’d like them to take.

4. Transcribe Your Audio

Having what you said put into written words will help you reach a broader audience. Not everyone is comfortable speaking English – or any language in which your podcast is recorded, for that matter – so giving them the option to read will increase accessibility.

Not to mention, transcription gives you an opportunity to fill your notes with valuable keywords, which is great for podcast SEO.

There are many free transcription services, but if you want a more precise, professional service, you can give Rev.com a try. For $1 a minute, they will give you an accurate transcription of your podcast.

5. Run Giveaways Regularly

Do you want listeners to give you likes, shares, ratings, and reviews? And you want it completely free? That won’t happen that much. You have to entice your target audience.

Everyone loves free stuff, and even better if it’s something related to your podcast! Giveaway items such as t-shirts, mugs, stickers, or anything else that has your branding will encourage your listeners to engage with you.

6. Make Use of Podcatchers

Podcatchers, huh? Sounds futuristic and intimidating, right? It’s actually not as daunting as it sounds. Podcatchers are podcast directories like iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Soundcloud, and so on. You already know what they’re for.

So what do we mean by saying “make use” anyway? Unless you’re Joe Rogan getting 100 to 200 million for exclusive rights to your content, you’ll want to make sure your podcast is listed on as many podcatchers as possible.

Just to give you an idea of where to get started, here’s a short list of some of the most popular podcast directories:

Stitcher
Overcast
Podcast Addict
Podcast Republic
Podcast Subreddit
Castro
Downcast

7. Optimize Your Podcast Website

Nearly 80% of people discover podcasts via word-of-mouth and online search. That’s why you need a pristine-looking, easy-to-maneuver podcast website to attract more listeners.

The content itself should be top-notch, and you’ll want to sprinkle some keywords here and there.

Hiring a professional to do the dirty work for you is an option. But if you’re competing in a small, easy-to-conquer niche, you can do the job yourself after watching a couple of YouTube tutorials.

8. Create Landing Pages Too

While you’re at it, create individual landing pages for your podcast episodes. That will help with podcast SEO since you can write episode titles and descriptions that include your target keywords.

And remember – some 4 out of 10 top landing pages include testimonials – so this is a great opportunity to reach out to podcast listeners and guests and ask them to provide feedback.

9. Keywords, Keywords Everywhere

Things you say on your podcast will be the things podcast-listening people look up on Google. Your own site, landing pages, and show notes aren’t the only places you can use keywords. Incorporate keywords into the episode titles, your podcast description, and even the intro.

If you want to cheat a little bit, you can use a tool like Ahrefs to look up popular keywords in your niche. Write them down, and use them when talking about certain topics.

Using keywords in Google ads, social media ads, and in your podcast title are one thing. But using them in your talk is another beast completely. As always – do it, but be careful not to overdo it – you don’t want to sound like a bot to podcast listeners after all.

10. Have Guests (Network)

Although podcasting is a loose format where you can talk about anything you want, it’s still a job. You need to take it seriously. You’re a professional, after all, right?

Now, you’re in luck because only 25% of professionals proactively network.

When it comes to podcasting, you can easily piggybank on the audience of your guests. If you’re friends with an influential person in your industry, even better.

The conversation will be more natural, and the guests will be more likely to promote your podcast. Make sure to ask them for a social share after the interview.

Message your guest when the podcast is uploaded, give them the link, and ask them to share it. That’s how you get more listeners!

11. Become a Regular Guest Yourself (Network More)

No, we’re not done with networking. Not only should you make a conscious effort to invite guests to your show, but you should also look for opportunities to be the guest.

Yes, it’s uncomfortable at first – but soon enough, you will get used to being in the spotlight. It’s a great way to spread the word about your show and, eventually, get more people interested in it.

Of course, you can’t be a guest on every show. But you can always participate in roundtables, shared episodes, or even repost content from other podcasters.

12. Don’t be Afraid to Look for Mentions

Mention individuals, brands, and influencers during your podcasts – and who knows – they might return the favor.

It’s a great way to get yourself on their radar and make sure your podcast appears in their newsfeeds too. Plus, it’s an opportunity to reach out and establish relationships with the people you admire.

While not all of your guests will be famous or influential, some of them will be. Reminding your audience that you’re in contact with people from the industry is a great way to get more listeners.

So record a promo drop every once in a while, and make sure you tag famous guests and influencers. And these don’t have to be anything elaborate, fancy, or glittery – a simple shoutout from a celebrity will go a long way.

14. Promote Relevant Podcasts

As a podcaster, you surely listen to a lot of other podcasts – lord knows there are enough of them out there – so why not use them to your advantage?

Recommend relevant podcasts to your listeners. Talk about them, mention them in your promo drops – and don’t forget to tag their handles.

Chances are, the other podcasters will be more than happy to return the favor.

15. Encourage Reviews

A lot of rides on your reputation. Both off and online. That’s why you need to invest some time and effort into getting more reviews. For more than 90% of 18 to 34-year-olds, online reviews are a main source of trust.

Young people trust online reviews just as much as they trust their friends and relatives.

Make sure you encourage your listeners to leave a review and let them know how much it would mean to you. Don’t be shy to ask for podcast reviews – that’s how you get as many listeners as possible interested in your show.

16. Advertise on Podcast Apps

The entire point of this article is to bypass paid advertisements, correct? No, we’re not done with them just yet. More people listen to podcasts than have Netflix accounts, so why not advertise on podcast networks and platforms?

You can easily get more listeners if you advertise your podcast on other apps. Spotify, Deezer, Apple Podcasts, and Google Music are excellent places to start.

Create an ad that reflects your podcast and targets the right audience. The investment will be well worth it.

17. Upload Videos to YouTube

When it comes to podcast hosting, you want to be heard as well as seen. In addition to hosting on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts platforms, you should also consider posting your podcast on YouTube.

Uploading all or a few episodes to YouTube is a great way to boost views and engagement. The platform works well for podcast content, as it’s easier to search for what you’re looking for and then listen to it right away, as opposed to searching through podcast apps.

And not only do people appreciate seeing their podcast host on YouTube, search engines appreciate it too. It’s been estimated that Google values video 53X more than text or audio, so make sure to upload your audio as video content.

18. Cut Videos Into Short Clips

The average length of a podcast episode is roughly 36 minutes. Although some people like long-form content and appreciate the fact that podcasts can go on for hours, not everyone’s willing to spend that much time listening.

So what do you do? Do you shorten your podcast episodes in an effort to keep people’s attention? No. You are not compromising on your podcast length – you’re just making it easier for the audience to consume it.

Cut your podcast into short clips and post them on social media platforms. You can also upload the full episode to YouTube, but it’s also a good idea to break up the video into small chunks. That way, more people will see, comment on, and even share them.

19. Tease New Episodes With Audiograms

Now we’re talking about specific podcast marketing strategies. Audiograms are those beautifully-crafted videos with audio clips and captivating visuals. They are the perfect way to promote new episodes or share snippets of your podcast.

They can be used on social media channels and embedded directly into websites, giving your podcast legs that it didn’t have before. You can make them yourself using tools like Wavve or Headliner, or you can hire someone to do it for you.

Just make sure that the audiogram is high-quality and stands out from other content on social media platforms.

You know how to talk, write, and presumably type. And since you have an Internet connection, there’s no excuse for not setting up an email newsletter to promote your podcast.

With newsletters, you can remind people about future episodes, upcoming guests, as well as other interesting tidbits. Not to mention the fact that newsletters turn your listeners into subscribers and provide a platform for them to engage with you directly.

Oh, there’s also the return on investment part. You see, for every $1 you spend on email marketing, you can expect a $36 return. And if that doesn’t get your creative juices flowing, we don’t know what will.

21. Add a Link to Your Email Signature

Just a quick one – email signatures are a great way to promote your podcast. You can add a link to the main page of your website, to the most recent episode, or list it and name as many platforms as you’d like for people to check out.

By sending emails regularly, even with a 1% click-through rate, you can still get more than 21,000 clicks yearly just from your email signature.

22. Get Exposure With HARO

Help a Reporter Out is a service that connects you with journalists and editors who are looking for sources for their articles.

Here’s how it works – you sign up as a source and get emails with journalist requests. If the request is related to your topic, you can send in an answer which might result in exposure for your podcast if it gets featured in their article.

Basically, if you have something interesting to say about a particular topic, you could get interviewed and featured in the article.

What are we talking about here? You already have Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, and who knows what else. Why would we even remind you to use them?

We’re not reminding you to use anything – we’re talking about having an actual strategy.

Posting regularly won’t cut it anymore. You can’t just come up with a couple of hashtags, post a picture, and hope new listeners will come. Podcast promotion takes a lot more.

To reach your target audience, your podcast content needs to be tight. You need a podcast trailer for visual social media platforms. A short YouTube video for text-based social media platforms. A blog post should follow every post.

Look at other podcasts. See how they reach their target audience. Take inspiration, and you might just reach the right podcast audience.

More Podcast Promotion, More Ears, More Earnings

We all know that it takes more than just one or two things to make a successful podcast. We also know that you don’t need to be an expert to know a few effective podcast marketing strategies.

When thinking of podcast promotion, the goal should be to create awareness of your show, get people talking about it and build relationships with new listeners. While these podcast marketing tactics aren’t anything groundbreaking, they’ll help you launch and promote a podcast easier than other podcasters.

If you put in the work, you’ll see the results – more people listening to your podcast and more money coming in.

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