The Ultimate Guide to Podcast Promotion in 2024
You’ve created a podcast that you love. You’ve taken the time to create podcast episodes that you’re proud of, and now you want to share them with as many people as possible. How?
If you want to grow your podcast’s audience, you need to understand podcast promotion.
Many tips, tricks, and strategies you can find online today are outdated and ineffective.
Learn how to get the most out of your time (and money) with our ultimate guide to podcast promotion in 2024.
How do I Promote my Podcast in 2024?
If you have a podcast to promote it means that you’ve already done a lot of the heavy lifting. Producing a podcast is generally more difficult than promoting it.
Now that you’ve recorded a few episodes and want to share what you’ve come up with with the rest of the world, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, it helps to not overthink or complicate the process. You can use a lot of the same tactics that you use when promoting any type of online content.
There are several promotional strategies you can try:
Publish regularly
Use podcast syndication like Spotify
Take advantage of social media
Send out an email newsletter
Encourage your team to share
Collect as many 5-star reviews as you can
Publish SEO optimized blogs
Ask your guests to share
Sign up for a podcast promotion service like Content Allies
These basic strategies will work wonders to get your podcast out to as many people as possible. A podcast promotion service will do all of the above for you, but they do so for a fee.
How Much Does it Cost to Promote a Podcast?
The cost to promote a podcast will vary based on the different tactics you use to do it. You can use social media advertisements like Facebook or Instagram ads. You can also pay to promote via Google through the use of Google ads. Spotify has paid advertising to increase engagement as well.
If you do decide to pay for a podcast promotion service, the price will change based on the company you use. Most of these services require you to contact them to determine the price. Every podcast’s situation is different and so varying prices reflect that.
The best way to promote your podcast is to do a combination of both. Another point to keep in mind is that you should try several different promotion tactics until you find the one that works for you, your niche, and your content. Again, every podcast is different.
Should I Pay to Promote my Podcast?
The answer to this question comes down to personal preference. It also depends on your financial situation. That said, the old saying, “you need to spend money to make money” rings true here. You will most likely need to shell out a bit of cash if you want your podcast’s reach to grow substantially.
As of January 2022, there are over 2.4 million podcasts out there with a combined total of 61 million episodes. Competition is steep. You need a little helping hand to make your show stand out — and that little helping hand comes in the form of podcast promotion services.
Before you choose which one is right for you, there are some free promotion strategies that you can start using right away. Let’s explore them, along with some paid options that you can use in tandem with a promotion service.
Top Podcast Promotion Tactics in 2022
The tips below include some free things that you can start doing today as well as paid options. If you’re tight on cash, start with the free things. This includes coming up with a regular schedule and sharing on social media. And even if you’re not tight on cash, you could start there, too.
Publish on a Regular Cadence
Again, this is something that you should put into practice when it comes to any type of online content. And, if you’re just getting started and haven’t published an article yet, some podcasters recommend launching your podcast with at least three episodes. This type of launch will grab listeners' attention and give them more to listen to right away if they enjoyed your first episode.
You can decide the cadence you’re comfortable with. Some podcasts publish biweekly, others once a week, and others once a month. You can play around with your schedule to see what works for you. The important thing here is to pick a cadence and stick with it.
Consider sending out an email newsletter every time you release an episode to alert fans that there’s something new to listen to.
Podcast Syndication (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.)
You need to know where your listeners are before you can start to promote your podcast to them. Spoiler alert: they’re on Apple Podcasts. Apple’s podcast platform is the biggest in the world, with over 500,000 podcasts to choose from. Podcast listeners download billions (yes, billions) of podcast episodes per month via Apple. Users tune in on the web and via iOS.
Apple’s iTunes podcast platform blows Spotify and Google Podcasts out of the water by a longshot. But that doesn't mean there aren’t an ample amount of listeners there, too. You can’t forget about Android users.
You should make sure that you release your podcast on nearly every platform available. Services like Anchor will publish your podcast to nine different platforms, including all of the major ones.
Another interesting hack is to record a video of yourself when recording the audio for your podcast. You can create a YouTube video to give yourself even more visibility.
Your Company's Existing Media Channels
If you want to use your podcast to direct listeners back to your company or business, feel free to utilize the media channels you already have set up. Best of all, simply sharing on social media is completely free.
Newsletter / Email List
You can include a link to your podcast in an email newsletter if you send one out. If you send out a newsletter then it means you also have access to a list of emails. As mentioned, simply include a link to your latest podcast episode in each newsletter to drive more traffic to it. Remember to add your new episodes as soon as they come out.
You can also craft a one-off newsletter to announce that you (and your company) started a podcast and share it that way.
You could also choose to send out an email alert every time you release a new episode. While it’s true that we all receive dozens of emails a day, a quick reminder can drive more traffic to your show.
Social Media Accounts
Along the same lines, you can use existing social media accounts connected to your company to promote your podcast. Many businesses' social pages boast larger audiences than personal ones. You’ll reach more people if you post via your biz. This rule applies to Facebook groups, too.
Encourage Your Team Members to Share on Their Social Accounts
If they’re open to it, ask your team to share your podcast on their social pages. You never know who will see it. It’s another way to make sure that your podcast circulates amongst a large group of people. More exposure means more potential listeners.
5-Star Reviews on Apple Podcasts
The more 5-star reviews you have, the better. You can gather them by asking your listeners to leave a review at the end of each episode. Sometimes they need a little reminder, no matter how much they love your show.
You can then turn the spotlight around and read one at the end of each episode. This shows your fans that you read and appreciate their reviews. People who want a shout-out will be more likely to leave an inspired comment.
Contests with prizes are also a good idea. A simple prize (it could be connected to a product or service that you sell) can also incentivize listeners to leave a review.
Consider your own habits when you look around for a new podcast. You’re more apt to listen to one with a lot of great reviews, right?
Ask Your Team to Leave Reviews
This is a somewhat controversial hack as some people will say it’s cheating. We say it’s not cheating as long as your team genuinely likes your podcast. If your podcast isn’t interesting enough to your team, you should relook at what kind of content you're producing.
If the podcast is well-researched, targeted to the correct audience, and recorded with quality equipment, your team should naturally want to promote it.
Social Media
As mentioned, it’s free to share your podcasts via your business’ social media platforms, and the same rule applies to your personal channels. As soon as you release a new episode, share the link via your Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram pages. If you don’t have these forms of social media, sign up right now.
Consider creating pages dedicated to your podcast specifically. You can use your logo as a profile picture — or a picture of yourself, if you feel comfortable.
You can also continue to share the same episode again and again. Don’t limit yourself to sharing only when it’s released.
Social Videos
This medium is the most popular on social media — one more reason to record yourself on camera when you record the audio for your podcast episodes. If you’re really creative in the video department, there are so many different directions you could go here:
Create an animation that goes along with the topic you discuss.
Make a slideshow of photos and upload it as a video.
Take to Instagram Reels or Facebook Live to talk about the episode and leave a link to it in the description.
If you interview someone, make sure to record your guest speaker. If you conduct the interview via Zoom, you can record your screen. Make sure you have their permission, of course.
Create a teaser video to promote your latest episode.
Audiograms
Audiograms are the latest rage in podcast promotion. An audiogram is a static image that’s been turned into a video. These videos feature audio from your podcast, a waveform, and a background image. You can make one for free with sites like Headliner or Wavve.
Many podcasters use images of themselves or their podcast logo as the background. You can also feel free to add a slogan if your podcast has one. The waveform typically moves with the audio it’s attached to.
Audiograms are everywhere on social media these days so you’ve likely already seen one.
Quote Blocks
Choose a few of your favorite quotes from whatever episode you’re promoting. Use a free graphic design platform like Canva or Adobe Express to create a customized quote block graphic. You can use your logo and brand colors if you have them — which, by the way, you should.
Get in the habit of creating these after you record each episode. You can reuse them on your social media channels, in email newsletters, and more.
Create Assets for Your Guests to Share
You need a few specific digital assets in order to promote your podcast. Connect with a graphic designer who can create a few templates that you can edit and adjust when needed. Come up with a logo, decide on brand colors, and have the designer make cover photos for all of your social media profiles.
Once you have those templates, you’ll have to modify them for each episode. Include the episode title, your logo and/or slogan, a picture of you, and a snapshot of your guest. Here are the sizes you’ll need:
2000x2000 px square graphic for each episode. This size works well for Apple Podcasts, Anchor, Spotify, Google, and YouTube. You can use this size for audiograms as well.
1080x1920 px rectangle graphic to share on Instagram and Facebook stories. Audiograms work well in this format too. This size will work on any type of mobile device.
1920x1030 px rectangle graphic to share on Facebook and Twitter posts. This size will work on all mobile devices, too.
Facebook Ads
Use Facebook Ads to reach an even larger audience. 93% of social media marketers use the platform for advertising. In order to garner attention via Facebook, you need to spend some money on ads.
Facebook allows you to target specific demographics, so they will be more effective if you know who your podcast audience is. You also need to know the type of people you’d like to attract. If your podcast is centered around business, your target audience is entrepreneurs. If your podcast is about being active, then your target audience is people who exercise and play sports.
Test out different advertising strategies to determine which one works best. If you see more listeners coming in, spend more on ads. If you don’t, try a different channel of promotion.
SEO Optimized Articles
Use search engine optimization (SEO) to promote your podcast. You can do this through the podcast description or by publishing articles that feature a link to your podcast on your website. If you invite guests to your podcast, you can ask them if you can write an article for their website, too.
If you use the right keywords you can reach your target audience. Place them strategically in your episode title, description, and show notes. If you interview a well-known person, put their name in the title as well.
Take things a step further and keep in mind SEO when coming up with episode topics. You can create episodes that are centered around keywords that people search for on Google.
Publish an Article on Your Website
In the same way that you strategically place keywords in the title and description of your podcast, write keyword-rich articles and post them to your website. If you record a podcast that’s connected to your biz, publish an article on your company’s blog, too. Don’t forget to share the articles on your social media channels.
Self-promotion is one of the easiest ways to get your podcast noticed.
Publish an Article From the Podcast on Your Guest’s Website
When you interview a well-known guest, both parties win. You can use their fame to promote your show, and they can use your show to promote themselves. What’s more, your guest doesn’t necessarily need to be world-famous for this to work. They could be well-known in their niche but not to the rest of the planet. That doesn’t matter. As long as they have some sort of following this works to your advantage.
Offer to write up a keyword-rich article for their website, if they have one. You do all of the hard work (the writing) while they benefit from an SEO article.
This is great for backlinking, which is another part of SEO. Backlinks are links that you put on other people’s websites. For example, you write an article for your guest’s website and add links that circle back to yours. Quality backlinks help you rank higher on Google and other search engines.
YouTube
In addition to creating social media pages like Facebook and Twitter for your podcast, you should also create a YouTube channel. Again, if you’re using your podcast to direct your audience back to your business or company, you can use that YouTube channel if you already have one.
If you want to promote your show in even more places, you can make a YouTube channel specifically for your podcast. The same goes if you want to promote a podcast that is totally unrelated to your work life.
There are nearly 5 billion videos watched per day on YouTube. That means it’s a huge market for podcast promotion. Additionally, some listeners prefer to watch people as they talk. Harness the power of visuals and record yourself as you talk.
Podcast Guest Appearances on Other Podcasts
There are a few different ways to use quality podcast guests to your favor. Connect with other podcast hosts who have similar audiences to yours. Ask if they’d be willing to welcome you on as a guest. Most podcasters are game for promoting your show in exchange for promoting their own.
Be sure to mention what your podcast is all about during the interview. You can also mention your business, and ask the host to link to your podcast and website in the show notes. You never know who could be listening.
If you don’t know where to find other podcasters, a podcast booking agency like Speak on Podcasts is a great place to start.
Podcast SEO (PVO - Podcast Visibility Optimization)
You already know how important SEO is when it comes to podcast promotion. Now, let’s talk about Podcast Visibility Optimization (PVO). To put it simply, PVO is the same thing as SEO, but it is podcast-specific. In the same way that SEO can get articles and videos noticed, PVO can help people discover your podcast.
There are several PVO services out there, and Voxalyze is one of our favorites.
Voxalyze Is a Great Podcast SEO Tool
POV services focus on improving the visibility of your show on platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Users use the “Search” function of these platforms to find new podcasts to listen to. In fact, studies show that 40% of listeners find new podcasts this way.
Voxalyze excels at what they do. The service has developed a well-thought-out framework for POV that uses these elements as leverage:
Show name
Host name
Guest name
Show category and description
Episode titles and descriptions
Ratings and reviews
Like SEO, POV is all about keywords. You can do the keyword research yourself, but it’s a very involved process. We recommend you opt for a POV service to help you instead.
Content Syndication
Content syndication is the process of giving any type of online content to a third-party site that will republish it for you on their own sites. The process applies to blog posts, articles, videos, and podcasts. You simply need to connect your RSS feed to the third-party site so that you can start to submit content to them.
The more places you appear online, the better. Content syndication is just one more method of getting your show out to more people.
Find a media outlet that specializes in your niche and offer to co-present the podcast with them
It costs them nothing and it gets you exposure to their entire audience.
For example, AdWeek has 11 podcasts and many appear to be partnerships. Another example is the HubSpot Podcast Network. HubSpot didn’t create these shows but instead distributes them.
Paid Media
If you want to reach a lot of new listeners quickly, you can use paid advertising. Paid advertising includes many different channels:
Spotify Ad Studio
Google Ads
Podcast sponsorships
Facebook Ads
Traditional media (print, billboards, etc.)
Remember that most paid advertising channels allow you to target specific demographics. This is a great chance to determine whether or not you know your audience. It will also help you narrow down who you want to listen to your show.
Spotify Ads
Standard Spotify ads run for a maximum length of 30-seconds. They’re played in between songs, podcast episodes, and other forms of audio you find on the platform. The ads feature a branded image in the area where an album cover lives.
You can also sign up for video advertising. Spotify calls this option “Sponsored Sessions” or “Video Takeovers.” The former refers to a 30-second video ad that Spotify users can choose to watch in exchange for 30-minutes of ad-free music or podcast listening.
Video Takeovers work the same way that traditional Spotify ads do. Instead of a branded image though, a video that takes up the entire Spotify screen pops up.
Spotify also offers display ads that live in banner-form at the bottom of the desktop or web interface.
Google Ads
To avoid any confusion, Google Ads used to be called Google Adwords. It’s one of the most popular forms of paid advertising online. It makes sense — there are nearly 4 billion Google users around the world.
To put that into perspective, there are about 4.39 billion internet users out there. That means over 90% of all internet users use Google. Google is so popular that it has become a verb. You don’t “search” for something online anymore, you “Google” it.
Google Ads utilizes a pay-per-click (PPC) method for its advertising. Marketers target specific keywords on Google and “bid” for it against other marketers who want to use the same word. The bids are called “maximum bids,” or, the most you’re willing to pay for an ad.
For example, say your maximum bid is $5. If Google determines that your cost-per-click is $3, then your ad gets placed. If they determine that it’s more than $5, then you don’t get the ad.
You can choose between search campaigns, shopping campaigns, and more. Google Ads can be somewhat complicated, so if you have the budget for a marketer who can do it for you, go for it.
Podcast Sponsorships
You can partner up with a podcast sponsor to monetize your podcast and thus pay for promotion. You can also offer to sponsor someone else’s podcast to get your name out there. Podcast sponsorships work in a few different ways:
Ads: A sponsor (or advertiser) pays you to promote their product or service during one or more episodes. You have the freedom to promote them as you wish.
Premade ads: The sponsor creates the ad for you. Also referred to as radio-style ads, you place the ad wherever you feel appropriate within your podcast. Some podcasters chose to start the episode with an ad, others prefer to place it at the end. Some still play it in the middle.
Host ads: You, as the host, speak about the product or service using your own words. This is by far the most popular form of podcast sponsorship. Again, you can choose to place it at the beginning, middle, or end of the episode.
If you want to sponsor someone else's podcast, the same rules apply. Have the host promote your show or make your own ad. You can even offer to do the same for them as an exchange.
Facebook Ads
After Google, Facebook is one of the most popular places for paid advertising online. Remember that nearly all social media marketers use Facebook Ads. Take a cue from the professionals and do the same.
Facebook works very similarly to Google. With their ads, you’re able to target demographics such as age, gender, location, and more. Once you create an ad, you’re required to set a budget. Then, you bid for clicks. Facebook gives you a bid range to get you started. The best practice is to choose a bid in the middle of the proposed range. Once your budget runs out, Facebook stops diffusing your ad.
The advertisements appear within Facebook users’ news feed or on the side panel of the web interface.
Facebook Ads are complex as well, so connect with a marketer if your budget allows it.
Traditional Media (Print, Billboards, etc.)
There’s nothing like good old-fashioned traditional media. It may not be the most effective form of advertising in the 21st century, but it can get the job done. Print media was once the main strategy for advertising and there are still ways to utilize it.
This is especially true if you have a very niche podcast or a location-specific show. For example, if your program is centered around a small town in upstate New York, it’s worth advertising in the town’s local paper. A billboard can go a long way too if it is strategically placed.
You need to contact the advertising department of whatever print media you’d like to place your ad in. The same goes for billboard ads.
Podcast Websites
The following are a few quality podcasts that we love to listen to — and promote with our podcast promotion service. These podcasters have their websites and social channels locked down. If you want to improve your promotion tactics, you can learn a thing or two from them.
If you haven’t made one already, you need a website where your podcast lives. It should include the following:
Homepage: Include your logo, brand colors, and slogan. It’s also a good idea to embed your latest episode and place it at the top of the page. Insert a subscribe button and any other important links. You can put your social media channels at the top or bottom of the page. A section with all of your episodes in one place is helpful, too.
About: Explain what your podcast is about. You can fill in a mission statement or any goals you hope to achieve with your show. You can even open up about yourself. Explain who you are, what you do, and why you started a podcast. If your podcast is linked to your business, include a link and/or section explaining the connection.
Episodes: Make it easy for people to access your episodes. As mentioned, link your most recent episode at the top of your homepage. Include a section with all of your episodes as well — grid form or list form are both attractive options. You can build out an Episodes page as well. Here, you can add small descriptions of each episode so your listeners know what to expect.
Contact: In case listeners want to get in touch, make that easy for them as well. You can embed a contact form, insert an email, and/or place more links to your socials.
Notice that each podcast’s website below is simple yet effective. There are sections that explain what the podcast is about, who hosts it, and listening capabilities. The sites are streamlined and easy to navigate.
Talent Acquisition Leaders Podcast
The Talent Acquisition Leaders Podcast is hosted by Ryan Dull of SageMark HR. Ryan interviews talent acquisition industry leaders. They discuss challenges, victories, best practices, and what to expect from the recruiting industry. If you work in talent acquisition (or are curious about it), this show is for you.
Leaders Of B2B
Leaders of B2B is a thrice-weekly podcast hosted by Jake Jorgovan and David Ledgerwood. Inside, they discuss “stories, strategies, and tactics of today’s rapidly growing B2B companies.” Hosts Jake and David also interview executives from fast-growing B2B companies. Their show audience is made up of those who work in B2B companies.
Siemens Energy Podcast
Siemens Energy is a global leader in the energy sector. The company is also a major player in the field of renewable energy. Their podcast features interviews with other leaders in the field. The ultimate goal of the show is to help listeners understand energy and the challenges that those in the industry face. The show is great if you’re in the field or are naturally curious.
Hospitality Leaders Podcast
The Hospitality Leaders Podcast is centered around, you guessed it, hospitality. This includes hospitality, food service, and event industries. Each episode includes a conversation with an industry leader. The show examines current trends as well as what’s in store for the future. The audience is made up of general managers and leaders within the sector.
What Are Good Podcast Promotion Services?
If you do a quick Google search, you can see that there are quite a few podcast promotion services out there.
Here at Content Allies, we pride ourselves on being amongst them. We are a B2B Podcast Production Agency and Service, which includes podcast promotion. We help our clients produce, market, and monetize their podcasts.
If you’re reading this article you likely already have a podcast or an idea for one. You’ve also likely noticed how much work goes into running a successful show. We love doing the work so that you can benefit from the results. Here are a few things we help with:
Pre-show:
Scheduling to keep your cadence regular
Show prep so that you can shine once you hit record
Equipment because your computer’s microphone just doesn’t cut it
Artwork to make your show stand out
Strategies for making your show the best it can be
Guest coordination so you can focus on coming up with stellar interview questions
Directory submissions to all of the major podcast directories
Post-show:
Audio production so that you have the best quality audio
Show notes that include podcast SEO tactics (PVO) and transcripts
Social promotion across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn
Video clips to promote on social media or YouTube
Uploading your content to the proper platforms
Publishing your show where it counts
Promotion so that you can get back to recording new episodes
Guest notification for any of your interviewees so that they can share on their socials or website
Quite simply, we help you from start to finish. We focus on building a personalized relationship with podcast creators. This allows us to help you in exactly the areas you need it. This allows you to focus on the content of your show while we handle everything else. New podcasters especially will benefit from our services.
You need a podcast marketing strategy to excel and get noticed. A good podcast promotion strategy is a game-changer.
Podcast Promotion Takes Time
To sum things up, it’s important to recognize that proper podcast promotion takes time. Don’t expect results overnight. In the same way that you can’t expect a blog or social media profile to blow up instantly, don’t put that kind of pressure on your podcast.
Once your show ranks in the Top 5 on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, you’ll get more organic growth, downloads, and subscribers. Podcast marketing strategies can help, but be aware that it takes time to get there.
When you use the tools and tactics listed in this article, you’re well on your way. If you need some extra help, that’s where a podcast promotion service like Content Allies can come in. Click here to get in touch. We also have a podcast of our own called A Guide to B2B Podcasting that you can listen to here.