Teaching Audio, part 19 -- Promoting Your Podcast

IT WILL TAKE TIME AND EFFORT

It's an audio jungle out there, so here are some tips to build your listener base. You want to start by placing your podcast in "directories" such as Itunes, Stitcher, TuneIn, Soundcloud, Archive.Org... This was covered extensively in the publishing your own part of Teaching Audio Part 16, but it's so important to be in directories, refreshers and more information on this aspect are never enough. So here's yet another excellent list of where to host your podcast ... And another one ... There's also always more lists, best ofs of the podcasting process ... like here which has a beginning to end description of what you should do.... Once you are on several directories, this list seems very basic and simple enough to try and follow in terms of promotional basics to get you going ... But there's lots more work to be done. Social media promotion takes LOTS OF TIME AND EFFORT, but do try and keep trying, and some of it might actually work, and some of it might actually be fun, even if time consuming.

TOOLS WHICH CAN HELP YOUR PROMOTION

There are also tools out there which can help with promotion. Like everything though it's good to get on bandwagons early, before they get too full, and clogged. Clammr is a great place to start by uploading and sharing your best or most representative 18 seconds of audio.

USE SOCIAL MEDIA

Obviously, like for everything you are trying to promote, you want to have a specialized Facebook page, Twitter account, blog, Pinterest, YouTube, you name it, whatever is new and splashy to promote your podcast ... ask (even beg) friends and family to listen, share and give you ratings. You want other podcasters to cross promote your work, and maybe even co-host, guest host on each other's podcast .... Use email lists, and get guests to promote the work you've done on their own networks and email lists .... Find really good juicy titles and controversial takes to attract attention... Here's a very detailed explanation of one podcaster's social media journey to success ...

USING SHOW NOTES AND SEOs

There are obscure and labor intensive ways as well to try and make a splash with your podcast, such as having detailed show notes on your blog for your podcast, which can be updated. Here's a how to guide. You also want to boost your SEO, which are still important, to come up in searches. Here's a great tutorial on that ...

EXTERNAL LINKS ON PROMOTIONAL TIPS

Tips, tips, tips are everywhere ... I guess you try to do what you have time for and what you enjoy the most. It takes a lot of discipline and work, but sometimes the work gets rewarded, and if not, it's always good to practice.

Here are some graphic design tips ... http://www.entrepreneursupportservices.com/the-top-2-best-ways-to-promote-your-podcast-episodes-on-social-media/

Here are some ways to maximize your Itunes presence http://businessbluebird.com/promote-itunes-podcast/

Here are ways to also cross-use Pinterest, YouTube, Amazon ... http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/239605

Here are more ins and outs of promotion, from conception to release ... http://www.entrepreneuronfire.com/promote-your-podcast/

Once you are working hard to promote your podcast, you might also want an analytics system built in to know more about your audience evolution. The bottom of this link also has great tips on analyzing the success of your podcast.

If you fail to make a splash, or any money, or even break even, well at least you tried, and you probably learned a thing or two. Some popular podcasters failed many times, but kept trying, and fine-tuning what they were offering and how they were offering it, until they made it their day job.

If you found this tutorial useful, check out other installments. Here's the full list of chapters from my audio tutorials:

Teaching Audio -- Instilling Passion

Teaching Audio part 1 -- Recording Audio

Teaching Audio part 2 -- Writing for the Ear

Teaching Audio part 3 -- Audio Editing

Teaching Audio part 4 -- Sound Effects, Using Music and Audio Libraries

Teaching Audio part 5 -- Anchor Leads, News Writing, Judgment and Features

Teaching Audio part 6 -- Voicing

Teaching Audio part 7 -- On the Scene Reporting

Teaching Audio part 8 -- Interviews

Teaching Audio part 9 -- Newscasts and Stacking the News

Teaching Audio part 10 -- Commercials

Teaching Audio part 11 -- Raising Your Game

Teaching Audio part 12 -- Podcasting Intro

Teaching Audio part 13 -- Window Dressing

Teaching Audio part 14 -- Podcast Lists

Teaching Audio part 15 -- Big Podcasts, Little City

Teaching Audio part 16 -- Listening to Podcasts and Publishing your Own

Teaching Audio, part 17 -- Joining Podcast Communities

Teaching Audio, part 18 -- Podcasting for PR

Teaching Audio, part 19 -- Promoting Your Podcast

Teaching Audio, part 20 -- Making Money in Podcasting

Teaching Audio, part 21 -- Building a Career in Audio