11 Steps To Grow Your Podcast Audience

Because of My Podcast: I Get to Talk to NFL Players

1:30

Chris Husby shares how his show devoted to discussing Special Teams topics and interviewing some of the biggest special teams names in the NFL and beyond! has allowed him to talk to some of his favorite NFL players. Check it out the 4th Down Experience

Sponsor: Focusrite

3:34

I got to play with a Focusrite 2i2 and if you are looking for an easy to get your microphone into your computer (and have the option to have a co-host as well) without having to look at a TON of knobs, check out the Focusrite 2i2. As I'm on a PC, I downloaded a driver, plugged in the unit, and was ready to record. If you're on a Mac computer, you just plug it in.

If you want a backup copy of your recording, plug a cable into the monitor out and send the signal to your portable recorder.

It's built like a tank and is a lovely shade of red.

Check out the interface selector tool that helps you pick the right model for you at their website.

The Question of the Month: What is Your (ONE) Favorite Podcast And WHY?

I do this every year for the last episode of the year. It's a great way to discover new shows, and it also gives us insights into WHY people like podcasts. Please provide the following:

1. The name of the show
2. The website of the show
3. What it's about
4. Why you like it 
5. Then provide the same about your show (name, location, and what it's about).

I need the answer by 12/28/18. Go to the contact page. If you want to record and email it in, please put "December question: in the title

How to Grow Your Podcast Audience

1. Give Your Audience What They Want

7:14

• Know who your target audience.

Some things you’ll want to have to create your target client avatar are:

Name
Age
Occupation
Brands They Use + Purchase From
What Kind Of Language They Use
Where They Spend Their Time
Their Pain Points
What They Hope To Achieve + Accomplish

STALK your target audience.

• Participate in online groups to listen to what they are talking
• Use something like Google Forms to create an audience survey (see this episode on creating surveys)
• Get some constructive feedback from your show. This needs to come from someone who you feel is your target audience
• Go to Amazon and look at books and see what is in the table of contents
• Kindle Unlimited has access to magazines (see what the magazines are writing about)
• Check your stats and look for trends
• Have good audio quality. If you use a Yetti, make sure you are using it properly. Do not use the built-in microphone of your laptop

2. Make Your Titles Count

14:03

• The titles of your episodes can boost the number of downloads. Do NOT name your show NAME OF PODCAST EPISODE 16
• Try to have at least 300 words for your show notes
• Make sure your listing in Apple podcasts has the proper link to your website

3. Get Your Podcast On Their Device

16:55

• • Have subscribed buttons for Apple and Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Spotify

• Have directions with a screenshot on how to subscribe
• Show them how to subscribe on Facebook and YouTube
• Get an app if your audience isn't too technical
• I use the Subscribe and Follow Plugin for my Subscribe Page

4. Make It Easy To Share Your Show

23:00

• My favorite plugin for this is Social Warfare
• Click to tweet (free)
• NFC Business Card ( from Moo $22 for 20). NFC Business Cards should work with most Android devices and newer iPhones. Digital Business Cards work with any NFC-enabled mobile device. Here is a video https://youtu.be/tn3rHz9JR5I Sadly Apple aren’t playing ball right now. That’s not to say things won’t change in the future though – and we’ll certainly keep a spot warm for them on Team NFC!
• Create Show notes worth Sharing

5 Get On Other Shows

26:55

• Others shows have podcast listeners
• Do your research
• Do you bring value to their audience?
• Be personal - no form letters
• Help a Reporter Out
• PodcastGuests.com 
• Be the guest you'd want to have on your show

6 Interview Other Similar Podcasts Hosts

29:47

• Can they bring value to your audience?
• Do a unique interview that inspires them to share
• Do all the work for them so all they have to do is copy and share
• Realize this may not boost downloads, but it boosts your network
• Podcastguests.com

7. Use Social Media

32:28

• Ask your target audience what platforms they use
• Promote on those platforms
• Direct them to a page to listen and subscribe
• Automate Your Sharing (Libsyn, Blubrry, IFTT)
• Consider adding your show to youTube
• Check out Recur Post (mentioned in episode 646 with Steph Taylor )

8 Pay For Exposure

36:34

• Facebook ads
• Spotify Ads
• Overcast.fm ads
• Cheapest I've heard of $2 per subscriber (and often more like $4 per subscriber)
• You might want to advertise on other shows

9 Always Be Promoting

40:35

• Setup a signature in your email with a link to your website. If you use Gmail, you can set this up. For a slightly "fancy" email check out Wise Stamp
• Use a system like Slick Text ( text  ' sop ' to 31996 and you will get two links to subscribe on Android or Apple )
• You might consider giving out T-shirts or posters to put in the back seat windows of your car from Teepublic
• Get business cards that promote your show (with or without your contact information). Cards from Moo are roughly 30 cents each. Gotprint.com has even cheaper prices.

10 Go To Events

44:12

• Go to Podcasting Events - not to grow your audience, but your network
• More importantly, go to events in your niche
• Check out www.meetup.com

11. Build Your Promotion Team

47:07

• If anyone contacts you via email or other outlets, respond
• Check out the free course on networking at https://www.advancedhumandynamics.com/ 

Moving Forward:

You need to make it interesting:

Everything has been said before, but it’s never been said by you. Your point of view is what makes you interesting. — Jory MacKay You might ask yourself, "how can I cover this in a way that only I can?"

Sean MCabe had mentioned how there is are things you feel comfortable with, and there are things that nobody is talking about. Your content is where those two intersect.

Be Patient

It took Seth Godin four years to pull away from being "just another blogger" to being, well, Seth Godin.

It took Jerry Seinfeld 17 years to have his show (he appeared on the Tonight Show for nine years before getting his own show, which was almost canceled)

Mentioned in this Show

Emily Prokop and the Story Behind Podcast

10 Thousands Downloads Per Episode in Five Months Noah Tetzner Interview

Northeast Ohio Podcasters Meetup

FNC and Regular Business Cards From Moo

A Star is Born Video Clip

Recur Post (mentioned in episode 646 with Steph Taylor )

Teepublic for t-shirts

Moo for business cards

Social Warfare Plugin

Social Subscribe and Follow Plugin

Let Me Help You Start Your Podcast