Podcasts have had an incredible boost in listenership over the past few years. In fact, according to Buzzsprout, over 104 million Americans listen to podcasts on a regular basis, and that number is only growing. If you operate a podcast, then you know firsthand how vital it is to grow your audience. In today’s world, one of the best ways to do that is through social media.
Without direction, it can be hard to find the right balance to promote your podcast through social media. It’s hard enough to find an audience through your podcasting platform, much less through social media platforms as well. However, this task doesn’t have to be as daunting as it seems. There are a few foolproof ways you can use social media to take some of the pressure of growing listenership off your shoulders.
Find Your Podcast Niche
Firstly, it’s helpful to use social media to narrow down your specific niche and where that audience congregates. Depending on the topic of your podcast, your audience may be more inclined to utilize a specific social media platform. For example, if your podcast is directed toward video game enthusiasts or true crime fans, you may have a better time promoting it on Twitter. However, if your podcast is more creative, artsy, or family-oriented, you may find a better social media platform to be Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook.
Knowing where your target audience fits within social media platforms is vital to advertising your podcast. Finding the right platform to fit your niche is one of the best ways to ensure your target audience is gaining awareness of your brand. Carefully consider which platforms to focus your time and energy on given what sort of content you create.
Keep Your Audience Updated
Arguably, the most valuable way to grow your listenership and garner attention for your podcast is by supplying frequent updates. Information on your podcast, such as episode summaries, release dates, and any interesting topics or collaborations should be made readily available to your audience on social media. It is crucial to foster interaction with your audience through these updates by replying to fans and keeping the conversation going.
By utilizing Twitter management software like JetStream Social, you can streamline this process by scheduling tweets ahead of time. This makes it possible to schedule tweets and updates about your podcast to post at the same time your podcast goes live. You can even utilize direct message scheduling to send personalized updates out to your audience.
Post Video of Your Podcast on Social Media
Some of the most successful podcasts today include a video element to their show. Usually, that comes in the form of a video of the hosts simply recording the show. This is an easy way to showcase the host’s reactions and emotions through facial expressions and action, adding an extra element of realism to the podcast that can attract a wider audience.
A good way to utilize this strategy is simply to get a video of the podcast as the recordings are taking place. Having multiple camera angles can be helpful here to showcase the reactions of each host and the group at large. You can post short teaser clips of these videos to your social media to garner interest in the whole episode, showcasing shocking or funny highlights from the podcast while leaving the full episode to be hosted on the platform of your choice.
Utilize Analytics
An underused method to grow your listenership through social media is the use of social media analytics software. For example, JetStream Social allows users to discover what their follower’s demographics are, including age, location, and follower count. You can also use this software to view data on Tweets about your podcast, to discover what is getting the most interaction and what is falling short.
Social media analytics can seem complicated. With software like JetStream to streamline the process, you’ll find analytics to be a lot simpler and more insightful than what you may have expected. Utilizing analytics is the way to go when it comes to finding what posts work for your podcast’s brand and what’s missing the mark. With JetStream, that process becomes a lot more efficient.