3 Tips for Podcasters From a Top 100 Podcast Host
I started my podcast, Sober Powered, on a whim. I had no idea what I was doing. All I knew was that I needed to get my message out there.
On launch day, I had 9 listens. A few of those were me…
The first 5 months were painfully slow. If you look at my stats now, that time period looks like a flat line. Slowly, I figured out how to market my show and get more people to know about my content. I’ve coached many podcasters on how to expand their reach and increase their downloads. Here are my top 3 tips for wherever you’re at in your podcasting journey:
- Release weekly, no matter what.
Make putting out a new episode a non-negotiable for you. I have seen podcasters get discouraged by lack of growth, lack of money, or both and drop down to every other week or take a break from releasing episodes entirely. Most of these podcasters eventually podfade.
Here’s why you can’t take breaks:
Once you skip an episode once, it is so much easier to skip again.
The most common reason podcasters struggle with weekly episodes is because they have not batched content. I have released 123 episodes on time, and I have only been ahead maybe 2 or 3 of those episodes. Usually I am working on an episode the same week it will be released.
2. Your podcast must be searchable.
When your ideal listener goes into their podcasting app, what keywords will they be searching for? One of those should be the title of your podcast.
Sometimes this is challenging. My new podcast, The Grind: A Business Podcast, which is releasing in January 2023, was more difficult to name because there are many podcasts using the keywords my ideal listener would be searching for. That is why I included “A Business Podcast” in the title.
Avoid:
- Made up words. No one knows what it means besides you and no one is searching for it.
- Sentimental names. These are usually random and involve a memory that the general public isn’t privy to.
- Your name. If I called my podcast The Gillian Tietz Show, then I am limiting my audience to people who know me. If you don’t know me, then you have no clue what my podcast is about.
3. Guest on other podcasts.
Guesting introduces you to an audience who is already on a podcasting app and enjoys podcasts. The barrier for them to follow your show is pretty low. The host is endorsing you by having you on as a guest, and the host has spent time building up trust with their listeners.
Guesting is also beneficial because it builds a relationship with the host. You never know how this could help someday. I built relationships with other podcasters for years, and when it was time for my to launch my podcast network, Sober Powered Media, I invited all of my friends to join. I didn’t have to approach random podcasters right away.
In summary, here are my 3 tips for podcasters:
- Release weekly, no matter what. This prevents podfade and giving up. Podcasting is a long game. It takes time and consistency to see success.
- Your podcast must be searchable. SEO is very important. Ask yourself, “what keywords would my ideal listener be searching for?”
- Guest on other podcasts. This builds a relationship with the host and exposes you to people who already enjoy listening to podcasts.
Learn more in episode 1 of my business podcast, The Grind.
