TPU99 – How to Use a Podcast Funnel to Grow Your Podcast Audience

Is your podcast funnel optimized to grow your podcast audience?

As a podcast host, you want to grow your audience, engage with your listeners, and ultimately, achieve your podcasting goals. That’s where a podcast funnel comes in – it’s a framework that helps you to guide your listeners from being first-time visitors to become loyal advocates for your show.

In this episode, we will look at how to optimize your podcast funnel so that you can get the maximum exposure for your podcast.

A crucial aspect of podcasting that often gets overlooked is podcast funnels.

If you’re new to the concept or just looking to learn more about podcast funnels and how they can help you bring in more listeners, then this is the perfect episode for you.

We’ll be covering everything from what a podcast funnel is to how to get the most out of each stage. So, let’s dive in!

What is a podcast funnel?

So, let’s start with the basics. What is a podcast funnel? In simple terms, a podcast funnel is a series of steps that guide your audience from discovering your podcast to becoming a loyal subscriber. It’s a way to turn casual listeners into dedicated fans who will tune in to every episode, share your content with others, and even support your show financially.

What are the stages in a podcast funnel?

There are three main stages in a podcast funnel: awareness, consideration, and conversion. Some marketers include a fourth stage which is Advocacy.

Let us look at each of these stages in a little more detail.

Awareness or, Discovery:

The awareness stage is all about getting your podcast in front of as many potential listeners as possible.

It is here that a potential listener first stumbles upon your show. It could be through word-of-mouth recommendation, seeing an ad, or finding you in iTunes or another podcast directory. Stats show that podcast discovery happens primarily through 3 channels – Search, Word of mouth, and Social media.

To get the maximum benefit it is important that your audience understands why they need to listen to your podcast.

We spoke about using SEO to rank your show on search engines, a little while back in episode # 72. We also spoke about using word-of-mouth recommendations in episode # 88.

Here are some practical tips to help you get the most out of this stage:

1. Create a strong brand presence: Establish your podcast’s brand by having a clear and consistent visual identity across all your marketing channels, such as your website, social media, and podcast artwork.
2. Leverage social media: Use social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to promote your podcast and engage with potential listeners. Experiment with different types of content and find out what resonates with your audience.
3. Guest appearances: Look for opportunities to be a guest on other podcasts or invite guests to your show. This can help you reach new audiences and build relationships with other podcasters.

Consideration:

Once your audience comes across your podcast, they move into the consideration stage he/she is actively deciding whether or not to become a regular listener of your podcast.

This is a very crucial stage because you have already done the hard work to make your audience listen to your podcast.

This stage often involves providing value to your audience through your content, building trust and credibility, and establishing a relationship with your listeners.

Here are some practical tips to help you get the most out of this stage:

1. Provide value to your audience: Focus on creating high-quality, engaging content that provides value to your listeners. This can include storytelling, educational content, or even exclusive interviews.
2. Build trust and credibility: Use your podcast to build trust and credibility with your audience. Share your expertise and experiences, and be authentic and transparent. Being yourself can do a world of good in building trust as against trying to emulate somebody else or, look artificial.
3. Engage with your listeners: Use social media and email marketing to engage with your listeners and build a community around your show. Encourage listener feedback and respond to their comments and questions.

Conversion:

Once somebody has become a regular listener of your show, you need to keep them engaged so they don’t lose interest and stop listening. And then you need them to take action.

All of that happens in the conversion stage.

The conversion stage is when a listener decides to take action and become a subscriber, supporter, or even a customer.

Measurement is easier in this stage because it could involve interaction with you on social media, leaving reviews, or joining your Patreon community.

Here are some practical tips to help you get the most out of this stage:

1. Offer exclusive content: Offer your listeners exclusive content and perks to incentivize them to become loyal subscribers. This can include bonus episodes, early access to content, or even merchandise.
2. Make it easy to subscribe: Make it easy for your listeners to subscribe to your podcast by including clear calls to action in your episodes and on your website. Use a tool like Apple Podcasts or Spotify to allow listeners to subscribe with just one click.
3. Monetize your podcast: Look for ways to monetize your podcast, such as through sponsorships, affiliate marketing, or even a Patreon page. Offer your listeners the opportunity to support your show financially in exchange for additional content or other benefits.

Remember that it is here that you make people take an action. So a strong call to action is a very important aspect of this stage. Whether you are asking people to subscribe or take another action, it’s important to be very clear about what you want them to do. A strong call-to-action (CTA) that’s easy for people to follow will go a long way toward getting the results you want.

Advocacy:

The advocacy stage in a podcast funnel is when a listener becomes a loyal fan and actively promotes your podcast to others. It’s the ultimate goal of any podcast funnel because these fans can become powerful advocates for your show, helping you to grow your audience and increase your reach.

At this stage, listeners have already subscribed and engaged with your podcast, and they’re now loyal fans who actively recommend your show to others. They might leave positive reviews on platforms like Apple Podcasts, share your episodes on social media, or even recommend your show to their friends and family.

To get the most out of the advocacy stage, it’s important to continue providing high-quality content and engaging with your listeners. Respond to listener feedback and questions, encourage them to leave reviews and ratings, and provide exclusive content and perks to reward their loyalty.

You can also leverage your advocates to help promote your show even further. For example, you could offer referral incentives or exclusive content for listeners who bring in new subscribers. You could also feature listener testimonials on your website or social media channels to help build social proof and credibility for your show.

Overall, the advocacy stage is a key part of any successful podcast funnel because it helps you to build a loyal community of fans who will help you to grow your show organically.

Conclusion:

A podcast funnel is a powerful tool that every podcaster should be using to grow their audience. By understanding the steps in the funnel and creating content and strategies that move listeners through it, you can attract new listeners and turn them into lifelong fans of your show.

It is also important to keep in mind that every podcast funnel is unique and may require different tactics depending on your goals and target audience. Experiment with different strategies and find out what works best for your show.

Thank You for Joining

Thank you all for joining me on the show today.

If you enjoyed this episode then I am sure you will love some of the previous episodes as well. Pick your favorite ones and give it a listen.

The podcasting university is available on all podcasting platforms. You can pick your favorite one to listen to the show there. The links to some of the prominent ones are mentioned below.

CASTBOX: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/castbox
STITCHER: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/stitcher
TUNEIN: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/tunein
GOOGLE PODCASTS: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/googlepodcasts
APPLE PODCASTS: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/itunes
PLAYER.FM: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/playerfm
SPOTIFY: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/spotify
HUBHOPPER: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/hubhopper
AMAZON PRIME: https://thepodcastinguniversity.com/prime

Recommended Resources for Podcasting

Here are some of the recommended resources for Podcasting. These are the ones that I personally use and am satisfied with and hence am recommending them.

• Acast Podcast hosting – Acast is my favorite podcast hosting company. They have excellent customer support, have a pocket-friendly plan, and even have a free option with no limits.
• Behringer Audio Interface – You will need an audio interface if you are using an XLR microphone. This is my recommended audio interface.
• Zencastr – Zencastr is the easiest option to record interviews, both audio-only and audio+video. This is a must for an interview podcast. Go to zencastr.com/pricing and use my code “thepodu” You’ll get 30 percent off your first three months of Zencastr professional.
• Audacity – This is the best and the most feature-rich free audio editing software. It gives you a lot of options while editing your interviews.
• Blue Yeti USB Microphone – My recommended microphone
• Tidycal – My recommended calendar and booking solutions
• Fusebox – Embeddable Podcast Player
• Descript – Audio Editing, Transcription and Video editing software
• Zlappo – Twitter scheduling tool

AMAZON DISCLOSURE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The Podcasting University is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

MICROPHONES –

1. ATR-2100x
2. MAONO AU-HD300T : https://geni.us/ro48q
3. Maono AU-WDM01 : https://geni.us/PhZ3V2v
4. Samson Q2U – https://geni.us/k9cuk
5. Audio Technica AT 2035 – https://geni.us/g2URDI
6. Rode NT USB – https://geni.us/O6b65K
7. Shure MV7X – https://geni.us/w7rZ4

AUDIO INTERFACE –

1. Behringer U-PHORIA UM2 – https://geni.us/gBCjm
2. M-Audio M-Track Solo – https://geni.us/RnhHr
3. HAYDEN HY-229 – https://geni.us/c80KbWB

MIXERS –

1. HAYDEN 4 Channels – https://geni.us/cXQ0
2. Behringer Q502USB

MONITORING HEADPHONES –

1. Oneodio Studio Pro-10 : https://geni.us/IQI88Se
2. Maono AU-MH501 : https://geni.us/AbNrU
3. Audio-Technica ATH-M20X : https://geni.us/eEUf9

POP-FILTER –

1. JEYANG Metal Pop Filter – https://geni.us/JMfuY
2. Wright WP 101 – https://geni.us/OcOAzj

DESK-STAND/BOOM ARM –

1. MY-STANDS MC 18 : https://geni.us/Lwnb
2. Bulfyss Professional Recording Microphone Stand : https://geni.us/mV4S

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