Reach out to podcasts in your sphere to increase your influence and attract new listeners.
We often get asked: how do I build a community around my show? And of course, there are just so many things you can do – newsletters, Patreon, events… but there is one thing that we have found particularly helpful, and that has been Podcast Outreach.
What we mean by Podcast Outreach: simply reaching out to the right podcasts that already exist in your genre and/or have audience crossovers with your show that you think would be an ideal place for your show to find new listeners, and asking them if they would be up for an episode, ad or trail swap. Afterall, the best place to find new listeners is within podcasts themselves.
If someone is hooked on a show and yours has similar themes, or even just a message that would have large cross-over audiences, you will both benefit from a little Podcast Outreach.
So why is this such a good place to start?
1. It Fosters A Sense of Community
By building connections with other shows in your orbit, you don’t only find new listeners but you are also building relationships within the industry. Camaraderie goes a long way and it creates a supportive community around your show of people who would be most likely to mention your podcast to others in conversations with friends and professionals in the industry. Collaborations help the industry stay interconnected, and when we all feel like we are part of a broader community – we all win.
2. It Helps with Downloads
There is no one better to try out your podcast than a fan who is already listening to a show similar to yours. Your shows don’t have to be identical either – think about the broader themes of your pod and cross-promote your content to an audience who you think would benefit from your show’s input. For example, we have recently worked on a Podcast Outreach campaign with Folk on Foot (who you should definitely listen to), and the way we thought of their content beyond the music that the podcast is all about was: mindfulness and nature. This approach got them featured across radio stations like BBC East and Boom Radio, and also secured swaps with Stopping to Notice, Ashdown Forest and Where Are You Going? Amongst others. This kind of visibility is really hard to come by, especially on a budget, but just reaching out to shows and asking them to swaps an episode or a trailer with you is always worth a try – we have seen downloads go up by 30% from this kind of activity!
3. Visibility Leads to More Visibility
The way we think about Podcast Outreach is relatively simple: we see it as a bit of a podcasting takeover. The more shows you can be featured across, the better. As an agency, we concentrate all of our activity within a month or so – and this helps us to really push your podcast to new listeners. What we often see too is that because podcast outreach is so effective with podcast listeners who are already living within podcast apps – you are way more likely to receive recognition from the apps themselves! Think Apple Podcast Browse page, Spotify Podcasts landing page or any other editorial pick. If someone can’t escape your podcast, they will immediately tie your content with importance and value.
4. Increase Your Podcast’s Reputation without a PR Price Tag
A wider PR campaign means reaching out to everyone outside of your immediate podcast circle, and also getting your show featured across mainstream press. This can be relatively expensive, and would also mean venturing outside of your already established contact list. For some podcasts, PR is absolutely paramount to the success of the show – but for others, Podcast Outreach is absolutely the way to go. If you are looking to simply raise awareness about your podcast and don’t have a particular PR ‘hook’ for your show that would guarantee you features, we say stick to the world of audio and do your best to network and grow that podcasting community that would help you thrive.
And if you still need help with organising your next Podcast Outreach campaign, or are looking for a way to reposition your show…