Podcast marketing and publishing: what's in and what's out for 2023?
🤸♀️Podcast marketing: let's have some fun 🌈
Happy almost last day of 2022! How are we feeling?
Lauren and I went out to our favorite restaurant last night and, while eating the best dry pot in NYC, mused on and on about how much we just really love listening to podcasts AND helping creators get their shows out to the world. That’s what sparked this idea…
Here’s a list of what we think should be left behind in 2022 and what we definitely want to carry forward or establish for ourselves and others in 2023: podcast publisher and marketing edition.
If you have any questions about our ins and outs, feel free to leave a comment or reply to this email. We’re all ears. Always.
— Arielle Nissenblatt & Lauren Passell
IN:
Creating mini-series within larger seasons to build buzz around your show and keep it newsy.
Recommending other podcasts on your podcast to share quality content with your listeners and to build goodwill with other creators.
Starting your marketing plan when (or before) you start recording because marketing a podcast can be as important as getting the content right.
Using feed swaps strategically, especially when you want to take a break. Use that valuable space to collaborate with others.
Making sure your ad insertions are on the same volume level as your audio because no one wants a jump scare.
Transcripts for every episode.
Show notes that are more than just one sentence describing the episode.
Creating a newsletter as a value add to your podcast content. Think: would people sign up for my newsletter regardless of whether or not they listened to my podcast?
Prioritizing the pre-pitch when reaching out to journalists, potential collaborators, newsletter writers…etc. Get to know the person you’re contacting and what they’re looking for first.
More niche podcast newsletters. Because we want to read more about podcasting in your neck of the woods. If this bullet point is speaking to you, let’s talk about how to get started.
Crediting all of the people who work on your podcast even if it’s just you! But especially if it’s many people.
OUT:
Microphones and headphones in cover art—unless your podcast is about podcasting (of course, there are exceptions).
Spending money on Twitter and Facebook ads unless you’re pointing people to sign up for a class, consulting, buying merch…etc. Otherwise, it’s a waste.
Criticizing podcast hosts for their natural voices because vocal fry and up talk are just…how some people talk!
Not having a trailer with your launch plan. Or making it too long. Prioritize this!
Interviewing people just because they’re famous. Get good tape, not just the big name.
Link dropping to your own podcast constantly on social media. For every self-promo post that you share, post five things pumping up another creator. It takes time but it’s worth it.
Reading off of Wikipedia pages and calling it research.
Unethical or gossip-minded true crime.
Recording over an internet connection when recording remotely. Use a local recording in addition to your conference solution. Get the best audio quality possible.
In 2023, we’ll expand on all of the above through a series of newsletter issues, social posts, webinars, podcast appearances, and more. Our goal is to help you make and market an incredible podcast so that you reach an audience that needs to hear your story.
Happy, happy new year!
ICYMI:
Call 1-844-POD-AT-ME for a good time (read: a podcast recommendation). Learn more here👇👇👇. Bye!
Well done! I do agree on all levels. Having published a show I'm super duper proud of in the True Crime space - I particularly loved this: "Unethical or gossip-minded true crime." - We spent almost 2 years making Nobody Should Believe Me with a woman who's family was torn apart by medical child abuse. We could have very well spent a lot less time and money (quite honestly) just retelling a case (Hope Ybarra) we cover in the show but instead we went super deep and told a story over 8 episodes that is rich with research, the foremost experts on the topic and we fact checked upon fact checked everything we did. I share this not for self-promotion but more because I get so annoyed by lazy and sensational work in the true crime category. Anywho - great list of other stuff too - that one just struck me!
It's always fun to review yearly predictions at the end of that year. Everything here has held up!