Has your podcast stagnated? Jumpstart it with these promotional tips.
It’s a classic scenario – you’re pumped because you started a podcast. You’ve produced a few episodes and told all of your friends and family to tune in. At first, you can’t wait to create new episodes, but after a month or two, you start feeling fatigued, and your podcast cadence starts to slip. What’s happening?
What you’re experiencing is most commonly known as podfade. According to Urban Dictionary, podfade is when a new podcast begins putting out episodes more and more sporadically and at greater intervals. It typically begins with only one episode missed, but if a podcast isn’t careful, it can compound, sometimes as severe as one podcast every other month. Podfade often leads to podcast death.
The stats around podfade are mind-blowing. While there are over 2.4 million podcasts on Apple Podcasts alone (according to Podnews), only a little over 20 per cent are active – meaning they’ve released an episode in the last 90 days (according to CoHost).
The statistics on the Podcast Index are worse with barely 10 per cent of podcasts issuing a new episode in the last three months. Hence, most podcasts will experience podfade.
Why exactly does podfade happen?
According to Podcast Hero, there are many reasons – everything from the creator losing interest, to not having the money to produce a podcast (even though podcasting can be almost free) or underestimating the amount of work it takes to produce a show. The last point is one of the biggest reasons podfade happens. Our friends at Stories and Strategies explain that it takes approximately seven hours of work to publish a 30-minute podcast episode. Check out more fun facts in our blog post.
So if your podcast has stagnated and you’re facing heavy podfade, here are some promotional tips to jumpstart it and get back in the game:
-
- Stories and Strategies suggests getting a solid advertising campaign in place. One of the best ways to do that is by advertising your podcast on other podcasts within a similar genre.
- In addition, reach out to other podcasts and ask to do a podcast swap. A podcast swap is when you promote someone else’s podcast on your podcast and vice versa. Another great tip from Stories and Strategies is to privately reach out to other podcasters and ask how much it is to advertise during their podcast. This is an awesome way to build community and get your podcast’s name out there.
- Stories and Strategies also recommends using social media. It helps people who are interested in your subject matter, but maybe don’t have a podcast habit, to become aware of your podcast and convert into listeners. A few great ways to share podcast content are to:
- Create short, catchy soundbite clips from your podcast.
- Develop quote images from guest interview soundbites.
- Share your podcast’s art and branding.
- Promote podcast reviews.
- Create teasers for upcoming episodes.
- Share videos or stories from behind-the-scenes.
- Provide a direct link right in your podcast so it’s easy for listeners to find.
- Cross-post your episodes on multiple channels to maximize exposure.
- Next, consider regularly engaging with your audience on social media. PodBean explains that this lets your listeners know that you’re listening to them in turn. Doing so allows your podcast to become more of a conversation than a lecture, and makes your audience feel more included in your content. By responding to your comments and promoting your listeners, you’re incentivizing commenting on your podcast. This means that listeners are more likely to comment and engage with you, which will have many positive effects on you and your podcast, including building a loyal follower base.
- Don’t forget to add your show to all the podcast directories you can find. This may seem like a simple, no-brainer tip, but it’s the most important way for people to discover your podcast. We recommend listing your podcast on top directories such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Alexa, Overcast, PocketCasts, Castro, Castbox and Podchaser.
- According to bCast, email marketing is another good idea. With this channel you can prompt your subscribers to listen to your latest releases or give them updates on your podcast episodes, among other things. It also allows you to build and nurture relationships with your listeners.
- Stories and Strategies is also a big fan of transcribing each podcast episode. This will make your podcast more discoverable and accessible, but it also increases your SEO when you post the transcript on your website.
- Finally, carry a QR code on your phone that links directly to your podcast. When you meet someone and you pitch your podcast, it’s an easy way for them to get direct access to it. For example, this is one of the ways that Stories and Strategies promotes their podcast.
If you’re feeling burnt out because of podfade, don’t be. Try implementing these promotional tips to rejuvenate your podcast, and if you still need help, give us a call.
Teamwork makes your podcast work!