Welcome back to Castos Office Hours, our weekly podcast webinar focused on answering your most pressing questions live. Everything from gear, launch plans, audience growth, to Castos feature updates, we’re covering it all!
In this edition we started out talking through seven tips to creating standout content. It’s a topic we don’t take lightly as it’s a primary pillar in creating a successful show. Though exactly will be engaging is specific to each show, our main takeaway is making content decisions based off who your listeners are. Keep their interest is piqued and needs are met to ensure they keep tuning in every week.
After the presentation, we jumped into answering our audience’s questions live. In this edition, we were joined by a few hosts who are just starting out so we spent some time on the most common factors standing in the way of launching a podcast. Then we moved into unique ways to grow a listenership using paid and organic marketing strategies.
Check out the full webinar below for every last detail or our summary of what went down. And don’t forget to RSVP to our next session on Wednesday, October 16th at 12:00pm EDT here.
Podcast Basics Questions
What’s the biggest hurdle to getting started?
Starting a podcast is a dream for many but a lot of people get hung up the amount of work they think needs to be completed before they can launch. New hosts want everything to be absolutely perfect before putting their voice out there. While it is wise to have some major pieces figured out like what equipment and softwares you’ll use, we’re here to suggest that you don’t need to have everything figured out before airing your first episode.
In reality, the biggest hurdle new podcasters face is overcoming their own self-doubt and confidence. You’ll come up with one hundred reasons why you shouldn’t start that podcast but listen to the voice that says “you’re ready”. You can optimize, tweak, and adjust your show as you go. The biggest hurdle is actually taking the plunge and trusting that you do have what it takes.
Podcast Audience Growth Questions
How can I use paid marketing strategies to grow my podcast’s audience?
If you have extra budget, there are benefits in exploring paid marketing channels to help grow your listenership. The platform where you’ll likely see the best results is paid Facebook ads. Not only are there millions of users already engaging on the platform, but Facebook has complex targeting features that will allow your ads to be served to the most relevant audience. For most hosts, we recommend starting your paid social media strategy here. If you don’t gain any traction, start to experiment with other channels where your intended audience hangs out.
Another great place to meet verified podcast enthusiasts, other podcasts. Try buying airtime on non-competitive shows and include an ad slot about the unique angles of your episodes. Stick to aligned podcasts where the topic is related in someway to what you talk about then hammer away about what makes your show so interesting.
The last big channel to explore is Overcast. If you’ve submitted your show to Apple Podcasts, it’ll automatically show up on Overcast so there’s no additional heavy lifting to be featured on the app. Once there, try their ad services where users can tap to open a list of your episodes and subscribe links directly from the platform. Overcast makes is super easy for new listeners to discover more about your show directly within their preferred listening app.
What if I’m starting from scratch and don’t have extra money to spend on paid audience growth strategies?
Building an audience using organic marketing strategies should be included in every host’s plan, regardless of whether you have budget or not. Our two favorite methods are cross-pollinating audiences by partnering with other podcasts and social media.
Being a guest on fellow shows and bringing interviewees onto your podcast is a great way to mutually grow an audience. It opens doors by introducing a host to another new aligned, audience. It’s an opportunity to impress potential listeners with your point of view and voice within a podcast they already trust, increasing the likelihood of testing out your show if they like what they hear. This strategy is the same as when cable networks do “cross-over” shows, bringing characters from other shows into one-off episodes to help draw one audience base to another. Don’t underestimate the powers of building your interview network for audience growth.
The second major organic strategy has been around for ages and continues to be great place to start acquiring a podcast audience. Social media, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, offer the opportunity for growth and engagement. Consider starting a podcast Facebook group or refine an Instagram promotional strategy that weaves visual elements into a mainly audio-first medium. Start with the channels your ideal audience already congregates and experiment with post styles and frequency. Just always be sure to include a call-to-action on where users can find more information about your show.
The second major organic strategy has been around for ages and continues to be great place to start acquiring a podcast audience. Social media, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, offer the opportunity for growth and engagement. Consider starting a podcast Facebook group or refine an Instagram promotional strategy that weaves visual elements into a mainly audio-first medium. Start with the channels your ideal audience already congregates and experiment with post styles and frequency. Just always be sure to include a call-to-action on where users can find more information about your show.
