🥂Our New Year's Podcast Marketing Resolutions
Happy New Year from all of us here at Tink!
Happy new year, all!
Before we get into it, we did want to acknowledge the absolute horridness being caused by the LA fires right now. We have friends, families, and colleagues out west. We’re thinking of and praying for them. If there’s anything we at Tink can do, please never hesitate to ask.
💜 On to it.
We here at Tink are famously optimistic about the future of audio, and we’re putting our best feet forward with some resolutions on how we’re going about podcast marketing in 2025.
P.S - If you’re interested in placing an ad in Podcast The Newsletter or Podcast Marketing Magic, fill out this form.
🦇Wil’s 2025 podcast marketing resolutions
My resolutions this year are going to be all about how I spend — and conserve — my time. I’m focusing less on quantity, more on quality, and more on taking care of myself along the way.
1. The big subscription cleanout
Every year, I do a huge cleanout of my podcast and newsletter subscriptions. I hold on to dormant podcasts and newsletters I love and hope will return; I get rid of everything that I don’t engage with frequently, and everything I keep finding lackluster. I’m picky, but being specific about what content I’m engaging with means that when it comes time to pitch, I don’t just know who I’m pitching to — I genuinely, deeply love their content.
2. Ask for what I want directly
I’m good at doing this for clients at Tink, but absolute garbage at doing this for myself. No more! This year, I’m going to ask my guests to talk about their episodes on my podcast on their own feeds, social media, newsletters, etc. I’m going to ask my guests to set up promo swaps between our shows. Getting to do this for others has given me such great practice to do this for myself, and I’m always in favor of clear, direct, explicit asks.
3. Stop sweating what doesn’t serve me
I have tried to do YouTube (don’t ask me about my dark past) and I am awful at it. I love editing audio; I hate editing video. I don’t want to outsource editing something with my actual human face right there. I know that video, especially YouTube, is crucial right now — but I also know that doesn’t mean I need to record live footage. I am going to put my podcasts on YouTube with the static cover art. And similarly, I am NOT getting back on TikTok, especially because it does not convert!
4. Make more fiction + nonfiction connections
We discussed this last year, but 2025 is THE year I start making marketing connections between fiction and nonfiction podcasts for real. I’m a firm believer that what audio audiences want more than anything are stories and connection. Those both exist in fiction and nonfiction alike! We know from the data that audiences really need to be spoon-fed their next listen, and I think those audiences are much more adventurous than we give them credit for. Pair your nonfiction linguistics podcast with a multi-lingual fiction podcast like The White Vault, or pair your fiction romance with a relationship advice nonfiction podcast. Focus on stories and connection above form.
5. Get back into the community
I MISS US. (By us, I mean that period of time where podcast Twitter, and especially audio drama Twitter, was flourishing.) I’ve been reaching out to folks I used to talk to on social media more via email, or in recurring group hangout calls, or over on Discord. I want to get back into making genuine connections in creator communities and use those to foster better relationships, which can lead to better marketing, but can also be one of the most grounding and helpful ways to spend your time.
🐈⬛ Shreya’s 2025 podcast marketing resolutions
For me, this year is all about how I take up space, and how to be more intentional in my actions. So much of last year felt like being in survival mode and reacting to things; not anymore!
1. Experiment outside my comfort zone
When it comes to podcast marketing, it’s easier to stick to the in-the-box strategies like promo swaps, feed drops, and guesting. Now, these are tried and tested and successful. However, this year, I want to see what happens when we try to do things that are unheard of or absolutely ridiculous! Let’s just try, I mean!
2. Be unafraid of math analytics
No experimentation can be complete without analytics, can it? I am hoping to incorporate regular recording and studying of analytics into my campaigns. One thing I’m repeating to myself – It’s not about being ✨ perfect ✨ with how deep your analytics are, it’s about being consistent in measuring them.
3. Take it slow. No, really!
One thing I’ve noted in podcasting is a tendency to forget to zoom out when “bad” or unfavorable things happen. I’ve been a victim of this myself. Instead of panicking and acting upon a short term occurrence, I’m resolving to slow down, take a breath, contextualize what happened, and act accordingly. Or if not needed, don’t act at all!
4. Rely on what I know
Podcasts are often created by people that are not experts at podcasting, but in their own respective subject matter. Even on the professional side in this industry, we have folks with various personal and professional backgrounds. There’s this feeling of not knowing enough or everything that seems to pervade the community, me very much included. However, I’ll remind you (and my myself), that our’s is still a young medium. There’s no perfect way to do things (and gods I hope there NEVER is because how boring would that be?). So, I’ll rely on what I know, the expertise I hold, and my ability to learn. I hope you do the same!
We’d be remiss if we didn’t ask your resolutions. Tell us, won’t you?
🌟 More Magic:
Are you a Philly podcaster? Come see Lauren at the Philly Podcast Mixer hosted by Rowhome Productions, co-Presented by (AIR) + City Cast Philly! You’ll get to see her talk all about the state of podcasting in Philly on a panel alongside Yowei Shaw and Tom Grahsler.
Team Tink is going to get you in gear at Radio Boot Camp! Our two-day podcast marketing intensive is open for registration, and you might see some familiar faces there, like Wil, Shreya, Lauren . . . and maybe even a cameo from baby puppy Pastina. But mostly, you’ll receive our cream of the crop tips on podcast marketing. This workshop is an incredible value: at only $150, you’re getting six full hours with all of us, sharing everything we’ve learned about podcast marketing and how you can grow your podcast in ways that stick.
Want to start a career in audio drama? You can learn from one of the best of the best, Emma Sherr-Ziarko, one of the medium’s most prolific and beloved actors — and someone who has always been plugged into the community. Tickets at NAVA are sliding scale starting at $10, but with a recommended payment of $35 to help NAVA keep doing what they’re doing. The session will be January 16th from 7 - 8:30PM EST, and tickets are on sale now!
Thank you to Podcraft for talking up Lauren and Arielle’s fantastic PMM issue on what’s in and what’s out in podcasting. In this episode, we also learn how much everyday independent podcasters actually make from podcasting!
🎥 From the Desk of Tink
As writers, we often think about the imprint we leave on the world–what will our legacy be? Turns out, we’re not the only ones! Shawna Wells does too, and she’s made it her life’s mission to help others plan their legacy. On her podcast, Legacy, Lyrics, and Life, Shawna explores legacy through the lens of music, nostalgia, and storytelling, weaving together meaningful conversations that inspire listeners to think deeper about their impact.
Next week, Lauren brings us something special! 👀
—Wil🦇 and Shreya 🐈⬛
Shreya's #4 resolution hit me right in the chest! That is absolutely my top resolution, as well, and I hadn't been able to put it into words quite so well. Great lists!