Bonus material: Get The 3 Step Podcast Promotion Playbook
94% of monthly podcast listeners are active on at least one social media platform (Podcast Insights).
This means that a HUGE amount of your potential audience is already present and engaged on social media.
You can tap into this pool of potential listeners and build a community around your podcast.
So, where do you get started?
In this guide, I will explain:
- Which platform to use.
- How to optimize your account.
- What content to create.
- Where to schedule your content.
- How to engage with your followers effectively.
By following these five proven steps, you will harness the full potential of social media to expand your podcast’s reach, engage with your audience, and propel your podcast to new heights of success.
Get ready to unlock the power of promoting a podcast on social media.
Click the button below to access our full Podcast Promotion Playbook.
Step 1: Choose Platforms Depending On Your Audience
When promoting your podcast on social media, it’s crucial to select the right platforms for your target audience.
In other words, prioritize the platforms where your target audience actively interacts with content.
This means, instead of trying to be present on every social media platform, you can concentrate your efforts on the ones where your audience is most likely to be found.
This approach allows you to maximize your impact and resources and minimize time wasted on platforms that are not going to help your growth.
Visual-centric platforms like Facebook and Instagram are ideal for podcasts with visually appealing elements, while platforms like Twitter may be more suitable for more brief discussions.
Our client, Nicole Spencer of Authentic Conversion, runs a large Facebook community because she knows that is where her audience is most active.
Another option is exploring niche communities related to your podcast’s theme.
Social communities, such as this Reddit page dedicated to History podcasts, can provide opportunities to connect directly with your target audience and build a more engaged following.
If you’re still feeling unsure, seek input from your audience.
Engage with them through your podcast episodes, surveys, or other channels, and ask about their preferred social media platforms.
Remember, it’s more effective to focus on a few platforms that cater to your target audience, rather than spreading yourself too thin across numerous platforms.
Step 2: Set Up & Optimize Your Profile
Before you promote a podcast on social media, set up and optimize your accounts to make a strong impression on your audience.
Take the time to complete the profile features provided by each social media platform.
Include essential information such as your bio, website, and industry, as our client Kayse Gehret of Microdosing For Healing has done.
These details help your audience learn more about your podcast, and social networks use them to categorize your profile and show it to the right people.
Platforms like Facebook offer several customizable fields, providing an opportunity to provide additional information to your audience.
Make use of these fields to share more details about your podcast and engage your audience.
Utilize them effectively to provide key information about your podcast.
Create eye-catching profile pictures and header images that represent your podcast and resonate with your audience.
Choose visuals that your listeners will instantly recognize and associate with your brand.
This consistency helps build brand recognition and establishes a professional image.
Next, you’ll want to craft compelling descriptions that succinctly capture the essence of your podcast.
Make sure to include relevant keywords that reflect your content and appeal to your target audience and incorporate a link to your podcast in your profile to make it easy for your audience to access your episodes.
Use an app like Linktree for social platforms such as Instagram which only allow one website to be linked.
This way you can have several websites, accounts and offers all on one page to make it easy for your audience:
Take advantage of any available features provided by the social media platforms.
For example, consider using business accounts, verification badges, or creator tools specific to each platform.
These features can enhance your profile and increase credibility.
By setting up and optimizing your social media accounts, you establish a professional and cohesive online presence that attracts and engages your audience effectively.
Step 3: Create Content To Promote Your Podcast
To effectively promote a podcast on social media, it’s essential to create compelling content that drives engagement.
As a strategic system, we find that turning each episode into 7 posts promoted over the course of 2 weeks after publishing the episode is optimal.
The 7 posts are:
- 3 Quotes
- 3 Audiograms/Videograms
- 1 Engagement Post (Generally a question for the audience to answer)
Here is how we create these for our clients:
Audio/Videograms:
Convert intriguing snippets from your podcast episodes into audiograms or short videos. Use Canva to create the graphics.
Canva is a versatile graphic design tool that offers a user-friendly interface and a wide range of templates.
It allows you to create graphics for your audiograms or quote graphics.
Customize the design with your podcast branding and relevant visuals to make them visually appealing and shareable.
Next, edit videos with DaVinci Resolve.
DaVinci Resolve is a video editing software that provides advanced editing capabilities to help you create engaging videos from your podcast snippets.
Trust me, it’s easier than it seems.
Trim, enhance, add effects, and customize the visuals to make your videos captivating and attention-grabbing.
If it’s audiograms that you’re after, use Headliner.
Headliner is a dedicated tool for creating audiograms.
It simplifies the process of converting your audio content into visually appealing videos.
You can add waveforms, captions, animations, and other visual elements to your audiograms.
By utilizing these tools, you can transform your podcast snippets into eye-catching audiograms or videos.
This helps to captivate your audience and make your podcast content more shareable on social media platforms.
According to WordStream, social media videos generate 1,200% more social shares than images and text, making them a powerful tool for promotion.
Remember, as a podcaster, you have a lot of engaging audio content to use.
Choose the right tools that suit your needs and explore their features to create compelling visuals that represent your brand effectively.
Quotes:
Social media platforms are designed to capture attention, and visuals play a crucial role in achieving that.
Even though your podcast is primarily audio-based, leveraging visuals can help you stand out in the crowded social media landscape.
Extract captivating quotes from your podcast episodes that highlight intriguing insights or key takeaways.
These quotes should identify what the episode is about and pique curiosity among your listeners.
By creating visually appealing quote graphics in Canva, you can share these snippets on social media platforms to generate interest and spark conversations.
Engagement Posts:
Fostering interaction and building a sense of community is a powerful way to engage your audience and make them feel connected to your podcast.
Pose questions related to your podcast’s topic or the latest episode.
Encourage your audience to share their thoughts, opinions, and personal experiences.
Thought-provoking questions stimulate discussion and encourage meaningful engagement.
Example: “What’s the most challenging aspect of [your podcast topic]? We’d love to hear your insights and experiences!”
Once audience members start responding, show genuine interest in their contributions and create a dialogue.
Engaging with your audience makes them feel heard, appreciated, and more likely to continue participating in the discussion.
Bonus Tip: Behind-The-Scenes Content:
Offer your audience a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes process of creating your podcast.
Share candid photos, stories, or videos that provide a personal and authentic connection with your listeners.
Showing the human side of your podcast can strengthen the bond between you and your audience.
By implementing these content strategies, you can effectively promote your podcast on social media, attract attention, and engage your target audience.
Remember to tailor your content to each platform’s format and preferences, keeping it visually appealing, concise, and shareable.
Experiment with different types of content to discover what resonates best with your audience and continuously refine your approach for maximum impact.
Don’t have time to create social media content to promote your podcast? We can take this off your plate and create all of the posts mentioned, and schedule them to publish at strategic times. Want to know more? Schedule a call!
Step 4: Schedule Content & Create a Content Calendar
Maintaining consistency in your podcast schedule is important for success.
Similarly, maintaining consistency in your social content is essential.
To achieve this, schedule your content in advance and create a content calendar or post schedule.
Utilize social media management tools like Later to schedule your posts across multiple platforms.
These tools allow you to plan and schedule your content in advance, ensuring a consistent presence without the need to manually publish each post.
Take the time to brainstorm content ideas in advance rather than trying to come up with them on the spot.
Create a document or use a content planning tool where you can store links, images, videos, and notes for future posts.
This way, when it’s time to make a post, you have a pool of pre-prepared ideas to choose from, saving you time and ensuring consistent content creation.
To illustrate the process, here’s an example of how someone may lay out their social media content calendar:
Monday: Share an inspirational quote related to your podcast’s theme.
Tuesday and Friday: Ask engaging questions to stimulate discussions and encourage audience participation.
Wednesday: Highlight a guest or feature behind-the-scenes content.
Thursday: Share a helpful tip or informative content related to your podcast topic.
Saturday: Promote upcoming episodes or events.
Sunday: Showcase user-generated content or interact with your audience through polls or interactive posts.
By scheduling your content and creating a content calendar, you establish a structured approach to your social media promotion.
This allows you to consistently deliver quality content, engage your audience effectively, and save time in the long run.
Adapt the calendar to suit your podcast’s unique needs and adjust it as necessary based on audience feedback and evolving trends.
Step 5: Engage with Social Media Followers/Listeners
Actively engaging with your followers and listeners helps create a meaningful connection and encourage them to become loyal advocates.
Make it a priority to respond to comments, direct messages, and mentions from your followers and listeners.
Responding promptly demonstrates that you value their input and are actively involved in the conversation.
Show support for your followers’ content by liking their comments, sharing their posts, or retweeting their content.
Acknowledging their contributions and giving them visibility not only strengthens the relationship but also encourages further engagement.
By nurturing a sense of belonging and community, you attract new fans and increase the chances of them becoming dedicated supporters of your podcast.
Building a strong and engaged community takes time, but it’s a valuable asset for promoting your podcast on social media.
In Conclusion:
Promoting your podcast on social media is a great way to grow your audience and increase engagement.
By following these step-by-step strategies, you’ll be well-equipped to leverage social media platforms effectively.
Remember to choose the right platforms, optimize your accounts, create compelling content, engage with your audience, and maintain a consistent posting schedule.
With dedication and a well-executed social media strategy, your podcast will reach new heights and captivate an even larger audience.
Don’t have time to create social media content to promote your podcast? We can take this off your plate and create all of the posts mentioned, and schedule them to publish at strategic times. Want to know more? Schedule a call!
Click the button below to access our full Podcast Promotion Playbook, with everything you need to grow your podcast besides a strong social media presence.
FAQs:
Do you need a separate account for your podcast?
If you have an existing personal account with a significant following that aligns with your podcast’s target audience, use that account.
Do you need to record video?
Recording videos can be a powerful way to promote your podcast on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok.
However, it is not mandatory.
You can still create engaging content using audiograms, graphics, and other visual formats.
Showing your face on social media is not mandatory but can add a personal touch and help build a stronger connection with your audience.
It depends on your comfort level and the nature of your podcast.
The best social media platform to promote your podcast depends on your target audience.
Conduct thorough research to understand which platforms are most popular among your target listeners and focus your efforts there.
Consistency is crucial.
Aim to promote your podcast regularly, but be mindful of not overwhelming your audience.
A good starting point is to share new episodes upon release and then repurpose and promote evergreen content periodically.
Founder and Chief Podcast Educator at Cashflow Podcasting. Ben specializes in helping thought leaders and entrepreneurs amplify their impact through podcasting. He’s a world traveller, outdoor sports junkie and future enthusiast!