TPU119 – Preparing your Accounts to Promote a Podcast on Social Media!

If you are looking to promote a podcast on social media, then this episode is for you.

One of the best ways of promoting your podcast episodes is by using social media. But if you thought social media is just about creating an account and posting some pictures, videos, or, blocks of text, then you are mistaken.

Social media promotions need a thought-out plan which starts even before you have created an account.

And in this episode, we will be looking at how to set up your social media account correctly for the most impact.

You’ve poured your heart and soul into creating your podcast episodes, and now it’s time to share them with the world.

You pick one social media and start promoting your episodes.

And then you find ZERO response.

Now that isn’t a situation you want to encounter. Right?

Social media is huge and the amount of content that gets published on every social media channel is huge. If you don’t prep your account well, your content will never reach the audience it is intended to reach.

So in this episode, I will share with you a few very important things that you need to do to prepare your social media accounts and put together a promotional plan specifically for your social media channels.

Let us get started.

Preparing to promote a podcast on social media

It is highly unlikely that you are not using social media.

And it is more than likely that you might be using it to post your personal pictures. Most of your followers on this account might be your friends and family members.

The usual tendency is to start promoting the podcast on these same social media accounts.

I am sure you too might be thinking along those lines.

But before you start, ask yourself these 2 very important questions:

1. Are the current followers on your social media accounts, your ideal listeners?
2. Do you think it will be right to promote your podcast along with your personal posts?

The next steps will depend upon your answer to these 2 questions.

My recommendation is to always keep your personal and professional accounts different. You don’t want to bore your audience with your personal posts and pictures and might want to keep your professional account strictly for professional purposes.

Now that we understand the purpose of the exercise we are doing, let us get started.

Understanding Your Target Audience:

First up, we have the cornerstone of any successful podcast social media strategy: understanding your target audience.

Take time to delve into the preferences, interests, and pain points of your listeners. By knowing them like the back of your hand, you can tailor your content to resonate deeply.

You will also be able to decide which social media channels you want to be on, based on this.

Your audience might not necessarily be on all social media channels. So wasting your time on those channels where they are hardly found, doesn’t make any sense at all.

TIP: Create audience personas, engage in conversations with your listeners, and conduct surveys to gain insights.

Establishing a Consistent Brand Identity:

Building a strong brand identity is more than just having a cool logo. It’s about creating a cohesive experience across all touchpoints.

Think colors, fonts, and a consistent tone that mirrors your podcast’s vibe. This ensures instant recognition wherever your audience encounters your content.

One classic example is that of Jenna Kutcher. The moment you open her social media profile, you know that it belongs to her.

Because there is a cohesiveness to the profile, the content she posts, the colors, the fonts, etc.

TIP: Design templates for your posts, use consistent language, and showcase your personality.

Check for the social media handles

You are easily remembered and followed if people can relate to who you are and your podcast.

And one of the most important things for this to happen is to have a consistent social media handle.

Before you set up your account, check if you can get a social media handle that is the same or, similar to your podcast name or, at least to your brand name.

If you are unable to find one that is the same as your show name, then you can go with something similar to that. Or, if you prefer building a personal brand and would like to go with your name, you can do that as well.

The only thing you might want to keep in mind is that it should not be the same as your personal account.

Pick the right channels

There are numerous social media channels out there. And there is a new one coming out every 2-3 years.

But do you really need to be there on all of these channels?

While the expectation is that, it isn’t easy for you as a content creator to do that.

Being there on all of these social media channels, engaging with the audience, creating content and staying consistent, etc. can be extremely taxing and can lead to burnout.

So, you might want to pick only those social media channels where your target audience hangs out.

Based on the exercise that you did first, you will be able to pick the channels where you will be able to find them the most.

Don’t make emotional decisions.

Be practical and pick on those social media channels where they are most likely to be there.

Put together a posting strategy:

Social media can become extremely overwhelming. With so many of those channels out there and the expectation to be there on every one of those can be a huge burden.

And when you have to spend hours creating content for each one of them, you are sure to burn yourself out pretty fast.

So give some careful thought to your posting strategy.

How often do you want to post?

What days are you planning to post?

What kind of content are you planning to post?

How are you planning to generate those pieces of content?

All of these need to go in there.

And one very critical thing to keep in mind when doing this exercise is to ensure that you are considering your time and schedule.

My recommendation would be to take it slow. Don’t go all in at once.

Creating Engaging and Shareable Content:

Ah, content – the heart of your social media game.

You might want to spend time carefully crafting content that educates, entertains, and resonates with your audience’s needs.

The eventual need is to make them follow you and listen to your podcast.

You can use storytelling; which is a powerful tool to build connections.

Create content that solves your audience’s problems. That’s the key to succeeding with your podcast social media strategy.

Here are a few simple tips to help you with creating content that helps grow your podcast.

Harnessing the Power of Hashtags:

Use relevant hashtags and keywords depending on what channel you are on and what works on that specific channel.

Research trending and relevant hashtags, and sprinkle them throughout your posts to ensure your content reaches the right eyes.

TIP: Use a mix of broad and niche-specific hashtags, and create a branded hashtag too.

Fostering Engagement and Community:

Building a loyal community is gold. Respond to comments, ask for opinions, and make your audience feel heard. It’s all about cultivating a space where they feel valued.

TIP: respond to every comment in a personalized way.

Tracking and Analyzing Social Media Analytics:

Data is your compass in this social media journey. Regularly analyze your insights to understand what’s working and what needs tweaking.

TIP: Use built-in analytics tools, track engagement rates, and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Making Your Podcast Easily Shareable:

Make sharing your podcast episodes a breeze. Provide clear sharing buttons and links in your show notes so your listeners can spread the word effortlessly.

TIP: Include “Click to Tweet” quotes, easy-to-copy links, and encourage listeners to share.

Paid Advertising and Dedicated Community:

As your podcast grows, consider investing in paid advertising to boost your visibility further. Additionally, nurture a dedicated community by offering exclusive perks to your most engaged listeners.

TIP: Experiment with small ad budgets, offer premium content to loyal listeners, and keep the sense of exclusivity alive.

Repurposing Content for Maximum Reach:

Stretch your content’s lifespan by repurposing it. Turn podcast episodes into blog posts, audiograms, and videos. This multiplies your chances of reaching different types of audiences.

If you don’t want to burn yourself out, then this is the way to go.

TIP: Use tools like Headliner to create engaging audiograms and explore different content formats.

Conclusion:

Promoting your podcast on social media isn’t just about sharing – it’s about connecting, engaging, and forging meaningful relationships with your listeners.

So spend some time and put some thought into your strategy and remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. So it might take time for you to see the kind of traction that you are expecting.

Consistency, creativity, and genuine interactions are your allies in this exciting journey.

Before I sign off this post on how to promote podcast on social media, here’s a nugget of wisdom: Social media is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay true to your podcast’s essence, keep experimenting, and watch your community grow organically.

Show Notes:

Here’s what we discussed in the episode about preparing to promote a podcast on social media –

1. Tips to prepare to promote podcasts on social media
2. Tips on choosing music for podcasts
3. Expert tips on picking music for your podcasts.

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 them 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
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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

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

LAVELIER MICROPHONES

1. Boya ByM1 Auxillary Lavelier Microphone – https://geni.us/boyabym1lav
2. Boya ByM1 Pro Lavelier Microphones – https://geni.us/boyabym1prolav
3. Digitek Wireless Microphone – https://geni.us/R3cGd
4. Boya – BYXM6 Wireless Microphone – https://geni.us/OS6gq
5. Vook Dual Channel Wireless Microphone – https://geni.us/V9YBO1i

PORTABLE RECORDERS –

1. Zoom H5 Portable Recorder – https://geni.us/rVTAIAV
2. Zoom H1N Portable Recorder – https://geni.us/dOaDg

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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