Stay Ahead of The Interface Update with Our Tips
Making sure your podcast appears correctly on Apple’s Podcasting app is always a battle worth fighting, and Apple’s new iOS has made some significant changes to how your show is now presented. The recent update now emphasises episodic artwork and changes up the way listeners can interact with your podcast – so how can you take advantage of this change to increase your show’s visibility? We have the answers:
MORE VISIBILITY & BRANDING
Episodic artwork now rules Apple Podcasts. Previously, your show’s cover art was the main focus, with any episodic assets often overlooked by creators, and even audiences, alike. Well, no more. The new design brings forward episodic artwork and gives you a chance to zero-in on your audience by tailoring visuals to each guest or particular story featured in any one of your episodes.
Plus, you have a lot more room to get noticed. Your show can now appear in:
- Home Screen of the App
- & Promoted Places like ‘The Moment’:
Visual identity is now more specific, and that makes branding opportunities are also going to become more visible and attractive. For example, some episodes of your show might be sponsored, or ‘brought by’, various brands – and you can give your sponsors more advertising value by including their visuals or logo in your episodic artwork. This simple change is a game-changer for storytelling, as they set the tone for your listening experience and give you even more opportunity for creative expression and monetisation options.
ENGAGEMENT GALORE
As users, we can also rejoice – the interface is now way more engaging and intuitive. Episodic artwork makes browsing your favourite shows for best-of bits way more enjoyable, and any new shows feel more appealing and informative.
This also means that we are likely to see even more listener retention from users on Apple Podcasts. If you are able to quickly identify which episode in a series you are most interested in, you are likely to stick with it for longer and finish it too. And one can hope that more retention also means… more investment in the podcasting space!
BUT WHAT’S THE CATCH?
The biggest trouble is in the time-consuming nature of creating episodic artwork. For independent creators, this marketing undertaking will mean even more resources going towards promoting the show vs. actually making it. High-quality visuals have become the norm in podcasting, and it shows when smaller independent podcasts just don’t have the space to dedicate effort to the same kind of standards.
But, these costs in time and effort will pay off. We would of course always recommend spreading out your resources and giving the marketing elements of your podcast to professionals who can help without sacrificing the quality of your show. This investment will play into your success – and marketing should be a 50/50 split between your time working on the show and promoting it.
The new features that show off the essence of each episode will become useful in other marketing activities and we can guarantee that you would never regret making your show stand out in a feed. Discoverability is everyone’s frenemy – you know all about it, but this visual addition to the Apple interface might just be the key to get you noticed.
WHAT DO I DO NOW?
The new iOS does show a shift in how podcasts are now seen by listeners. Some might be dedicated to whole seasons from the get-go, while others might be enticed to try a new show by looking through specific episodes they’d find interesting. One thing is for sure: high-quality visuals with an episodic focus are a must.
This holistic approach to podcast creation that now folds in marketing as part of your content strategy might be a different way of thinking about your show – but trust us, it is the only way to get your show noticed and to sustain its success from the beginning. Audio and visual storytelling go hand in hand.