The Do’s and Don’ts of Podcast Promotion Through Paid Traffic
Are you looking for the best way to quickly expand your podcast’s reach and grow your audience?
Paid advertising is an effective tool to promote your podcast and get it in front of more eyes and ears.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to successfully use paid traffic to grow your podcast audience and increase engagement.
We’ll explore different types of paid advertising that are available, how to decide which campaigns are right for you, and tips on tracking and measuring success.
So if you’re ready to take your podcast promotion strategy to the next level, let’s get started!
WHY PROMOTE YOUR PODCAST THROUGH PAID ADS
Paid advertising can be a great way to help get your podcast in front of more people.
With the right campaigns, you can reach potential listeners who may have never heard of your show before.
Compared to other audience growth strategies, you’ll see results incredibly quickly.
There are various types of paid ads available, such as search engine marketing (SEM), sponsored content, and social media advertising.
Each type has its advantages and drawbacks, so it’s important to consider what will best suit your goals and budget.
When done right, paid advertising can give your podcast the boost it needs to reach new listeners and increase engagement.
Ready to take your promotion to the next level?
Next up we’ll explore some of the different types of paid ads you can use to promote your podcast!
BEFORE STARTING A PAID AD CAMPAIGN
Paid ads can bring a lot of new eyes and ears to your podcast content.
Before reaching a new audience for your podcast episode, we recommend reviewing your podcast’s call-to-action (CTA).
Simply put: where do you send people after listening to your podcast?
If you don’t use strong CTAs in your podcast content, you will have to use more paid ads to reach the same people.
With strong CTA’s you’ll be able to reach your listeners through a mailing list or social media channels.
Examples of strong CTAs are promoting a free resource to get listeners to sign up for your email list or email newsletter, asking loyal listeners to share your valuable content with their friends and family, and increasing engagement (i.e. through your social media channels).
After testing a lot of different CTA’s, we found three CTA formulas to be the most effective and reach the best results.
TYPES OF PAID ADS TO PROMOTE YOUR PODCAST
The world of paid advertising can seem like a daunting one, but it doesn’t have to be.
With the right strategies and understanding of the types of ads available, you can create campaigns that will get your podcast in front of potential listeners.
The most common type of ad is search engine marketing (SEM), which allows you to target users who are searching for topics related to your podcast.
This type of ad gives you control over where and when your ad appears, as well as how much you’re willing to spend.
Social media ads are another type of paid ad that involves creating ads on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
This type of ad allows you to target specific demographics using data from these platforms, giving you a better chance of reaching your desired audience.
Finally, several podcast platforms make it possible to advertise your podcast to their audience of podcast listeners.
This could be a great way to reach listeners while they are already in their podcast apps and make it easy for them to check out your podcast.
No matter which platform or type of ad you choose, make sure that it resonates with your target audience.
With careful planning and execution, paid ads can provide an effective way to grow your podcast audience and increase engagement!
Get ready to take your podcast marketing to the next level – next up, we’ll explore the ins and outs of Google Ads!
1. GOOGLE ADS
With Google Ads, you can create ads that appear when your target listener searches for your podcast or use keywords related to your podcast.
You have control over where and when your ad appears, as well as how much you’re willing to spend. Plus, you can target specific demographics using data from Google’s platform.
Google Ads also offers a variety of formats including text, responsive, and image ads, so you can choose the one that best fits your budget and desired results.
With careful planning and execution, Google Ads can be an effective way to get in front of a large audience and grow your podcast following!
Take advantage of the powerful features that Google Ads offer and you’ll be well on your way to success!
Now let’s take a look at how Facebook Ads can help you reach even more potential listeners.
2. FACEBOOK ADS
The most well-known type of social media ads is Facebook ads.
Facebook lets you target users based on their demographic, geographic location, profile information, or interests.
You can create image and video ads for maximum impact.
With careful targeting and budgeting, you can get the most out of your ad campaigns and increase exposure for your podcast.
You can also use Facebook Ads to create a community around your podcast.
You can post content that encourages conversation and discussion which can help build loyalty among your followers.
Posting regularly will also keep current listeners engaged while attracting new ones as well!
Now let’s see how we can use Instagram Ads to do the same!
3. INSTAGRAM ADS
With Instagram’s highly visual platform, you can create eye-catching ads that will capture people’s attention and make them want to learn more about your podcast.
You can use images, videos, or even stories to get the word out about your podcast and engage with your followers.
With Instagram Ads, you can target users based on their interests and demographic information so that you reach the right people for your podcast.
You can also use it to build relationships with existing fans by posting content that encourages conversation and discussion.
Interested in learning more about how you can use Snapchat Ads to promote your podcast?
Continue reading!
4. SNAPCHAT ADS
Snapchat Ads are an awesome way to get the word out about your podcast and reach a younger audience.
With Snapchat’s unique features like augmented reality, face swap, and filters, you can create engaging ads that will capture people’s attention and make them want to learn more about your podcast.
Now, let’s take a look at how you can use TikTok Ads to reach an even wider audience!
5. TIKTOK ADS
TikTok is perfect for creating eye-catching ads that are sure to capture the attention of your target audience.
With TikTok Ads, you can create ads in-feed, use branded hashtags, or even make use of their top view ads feature.
All of these features make it easy for you to get the word out about your podcast and build relationships with your existing fans.
6. LINKEDIN ADS
With LinkedIn’s targeting capabilities, you can reach out to professionals in your niche and expand your audience.
And with the various types of ads available, such as a single image or video ad, you can choose the best type for your podcast.
Plus, if you’re looking to spend a bit more money, you can also use LinkedIn Ads for retargeting campaigns – perfect for keeping those listeners who are already engaged with your show coming back for more.
Now, let’s explore how Discord can help you connect with your audience in a whole new way.
7. DISCORD
Discord is a powerful platform that can help you build relationships with your podcast audience.
With its easy-to-use chatrooms and servers, it’s the perfect place to communicate with your fans and keep them up to date on all your newest episodes.
In addition, Discord also allows you to create custom roles, add bots, and even set up polls so that your listeners can give their opinion on certain topics.
So if you’re looking for ways to engage with your listeners in real time, Discord could be a good option. !
8. PODCAST APP DISPLAY ADS
Display ads on popular podcast apps are a great way to reach podcast listeners while they are listening to another show.
Not only do they give you access to an ideal audience at the right place and time – users who are already in a listening mode, looking for new content – but since they’re already in their preferred app, you have minimal friction when it comes to getting them to hit the follow button.
By tracking and measuring the success of your campaign through metrics such as direct and referral traffic, downloads per episode, and CPC, you can ensure that your money is being spent in the most efficient way possible.
In the following paragraphs, we’ll go into a few popular podcast apps that allow paid traffic campaigns.
THE BEST PODCAST APPS TO PROMOTE YOUR PODCAST
From Spotify and Apple Podcasts to more niche services, each app offers its own unique set of features and advantages.
So before you start promoting your show, take a look at what each service has to offer – that way you can make sure your podcast reaches the right audience.
No matter which app you choose, they all have one thing in common – they can help get your podcast heard!
Pick the right app for your show and start growing your audience today!
1. OVERCAST
With Overcast’s powerful targeting capabilities, you can make sure that your ads are reaching the right people at just the right time.
Plus, with its detailed analytics, you can track the success of each campaign so that you know you’re getting the most bang for your buck.
You’ll have control over where, when, and how often your ad appears and can even target specific countries or regions if desired.
And best of all, Overcast allows you to set up campaigns quickly and easily from your dashboard so that you can get started almost immediately.
2. LISTEN NOTES
Listen Notes is a powerful podcast search engine that makes it easy to discover new content.
With its comprehensive library of podcasts, you can easily find the perfect show for your target audience and take advantage of its detailed analytics to track your success.
Plus, Listen Notes offers site-wide banner ads so that you can promote your podcast to users actively seeking out new content.
It’s a very promising long-term branding strategy for any podcaster who wants to give their show an extra boost.
3. SPOTIFY PODCAST ADS
With Spotify’s user base of over 150 million listeners, it’s an ideal platform for reaching potential new listeners.
When creating your ad, you have the option of using audio, video, or images to promote your podcast.
You can also specify targeting criteria such as country, device type, gender and age range.
Plus, with their detailed analytics tools, you can track the performance of each ad so that you know exactly how successful it is.
Stay tuned for more information on Spotify Podcast Ads.
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HOW TO DECIDE WHICH PAID AD CAMPAIGNS ARE RIGHT FOR YOUR PODCAST
Deciding which paid ad campaigns are right for your podcast can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be.
First, consider your audience: who are they and where do they spend time online?
Knowing this will help you choose the right platform and type of ad.
Once you’ve decided on the platform, take a look at its targeting capabilities to make sure you’re reaching the right people in your niche.
Finally, decide on an ad budget that fits your needs and goals – this will help ensure you’re getting the most bang for your buck.
With these tips in mind, you’ll easily be able to decide which paid ad campaigns are best for growing your podcast’s audience!
There’s only one step left: tracking the success of your paid promotion campaign.
TRACKING AND MEASURING THE SUCCESS OF YOUR PODCAST PROMOTION CAMPAIGN
Once you’ve decided on the right paid ad campaigns for your podcast, it’s important to track and measure their success.
Doing this will help you determine if the money you’re spending is bringing in the results you desire.
To track the effectiveness of your podcast promotion campaign, start by looking at metrics like direct and referral traffic, downloads per episode, exclusive offer codes and cost per click (CPC).
You can also use a tool like Google Analytics to track how many people visit your website or landing page after they hear a certain advertisement.
Make sure to analyze any feedback from listeners regarding the ads they’ve heard – this will help you determine what works and what doesn’t when it comes to marketing your podcast.
By monitoring these key performance indicators (KPIs), you’ll be able to identify which ads are working, as well as any areas that need improvement.
Finally, always remember to focus on producing quality content to reach the best results with your promotional efforts.
You don’t want a one-time listener, but a loyal, engaged, ideal listener for your podcast.
Not sure if paid ads are the right move to grow your podcast audience?
We partner with podcasters to produce, grow, and monetize their show.
Schedule a complimentary strategy call.