Increase Your Audience Size with a Better Social Media Strategy

One of your top priorities for your podcast is to increase your audience size.

So at first glance, you may think that running Facebook Ads or organic posts would be a good marketing option to help increase your listening numbers and followers. After all, Facebook ads allow you to finely target your audience. And you can do it in a very cost-effective way.

The point with this episode is not so much to argue that Facebook is inherently a poor platform to advertise or organically post podcast information. But rather to point out that there is a better way.

What you need to consider is where you send traffic once someone clicks on your ad or link from your post.

For the most part, podcasters promote their podcasts and episodes on Facebook by directly linking to the Apple Podcasts or Android episode pages.

This could be because of a couple of reasons.

One, podcasters have been indoctrinated from the start that Apple Podcasts is the largest and most listened to podcast directory. And for Android users, Spotify is most friendly and universal. Then it stands to reason that when you promote your podcast, send the listener there. This should make it very easy for your potential listener to listen to your podcast.

Apple Podcasts and Spotify are, after all, where you want people to go to follow your show. And this seems to be the best way to meet your potential listener halfway. To capture people on mobile devices. Target an iOS audience to the direct link of the Apple Podcasts episode. And for Android users, by sending them to the Spotify episode link.

Secondly, this could be coming from the fact that most podcasters do not have a standalone website. That is, a podcast website outside of your hosting platform. A website you own and maintain. Or, at the very least, the podcaster’s website is not user friendly, and does not represent the branding of the podcast. Is it “free” with your audio hosting platform, or a free version of Wix, or similar free web hosting platforms.

To that end, I have seen comments in Facebook podcasting groups arguing that sending your listeners to Apple Podcasts or Spotify is better than sending people to a podcast show notes page on your website. In fact, many of these posts argue that you don’t need podcast show notes pages at all. So save the time and effort.

There are a few reasons I fundamentally disagree with sending new listeners to your Apple Podcasts and Spotify podcast links.

Apple Podcasts and Spotify don’t need more traffic from your Facebook organic or paid podcast marketing. You are paying, with your time or money, for traffic that you’re sending to Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Really?

Instead, your podcast website could be benefitting from greater search engine authority, rank and traffic. That increases your find-ability for all Google searches.

Buying Facebook ads will cost you too much in the long run. ​​Your ads may result in getting more followers to your podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The cost per new listener is usually quite high.

Facebook podcast marketing ads should have a better goal than just to add listeners to your podcast.

Think of it this way. You could be adding leads for your business, building your email list, increasing the rank and traffic for your site, and building a digital asset for your brand.

Facebook ads should focus on lead generation and list growth instead of getting more listeners.

Additional episode information. Your podcast listeners should be coming to YOUR podcast website, because you should be offering valuable additional episode information. They could be signing up to receive podcast notifications via email. Listeners could be finding links and resources about your guests. And they could be downloading these resources from you in exchange for an email address.

Social media has its place to help you market your podcast. Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all the other podcast players have an important role in making it easier for listeners to follow and listen to your podcast. However, traffic to promote your podcast should land on your podcast website.

And your podcast content should live on your own website, first and foremost. Then share content from there, spreading out to 3rd party platforms for social engagement.

Having your own SEO optimized podcast website with podcast show notes pages for each episode increases your opportunities for podcast growth. Wouldn’t you rather have free traffic and rank for your podcast website? How about earning organic search traffic over time? And we know most marketers agree that email lists are still the most valuable asset to build for your digital presence.

Creating and maintaining a highly converting website for your podcast is important. This will help you promote your podcast, and build a subscriber list outside of Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast directory. And so is having episode specific show notes pages. Successful podcasts do.

If you promote your podcast by Facebook ads or organic traffic directly to your episode pages on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, I highly encourage you to rethink this strategy.

If you’re looking for more tailored help, then be sure to connect with our dedicated team of podcast professionals. We’ll help your business create a podcast from planning and launching to editing, presentation skills, promotion, and monetization.

Interested in speaking with one of our professionals? Click here! We’ve put together a questionnaire to quickly fill out. This will help us help you prior to our first information meeting, which you can schedule when you complete the questionnaire.

Let’s talk about what podcasting can do for your business in the next 12-months. Whether you’re B2C or B2B, we can create a content marketing strategy that will work for you.

Connect with me if you would like to talk more about this. My calendar is available on my Circle270Media Podcast Consultants business website at circle270media.com

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Recorded in conjunction with Channel 511, in the Brewery District, downtown Columbus, OH.

Brett Johnson is the owner and lead consultant at Circle270Media Podcast Consultants. With over 35+ years of experience in Marketing, Content Creation, Audio Production/Recording and Broadcasting, the podcast consultants at Circle270Media strategically bring these strengths together for their business Podcast clients.

Email us at podcasts@circle270media.com to set up time to talk more about your new or established business podcast.