Use all the PR and Social Media Tools in Your Media Tool Kit
These days, it seems almost everywhere you turn there is a new podcast. This is good news for the podcasting business but how do you get your podcast to stand out from the crowd and draw listeners?
You need to think before you launch it. Once launched, you need to maintain creation of continuing segments. And last, you need to publicize it; it won’t gain traction by itself.
Pre-launch, Production and Launch
Before launching it, see what else is out there which may be a competitor. Think up a catchy podcast name: this is branding after all. Hire an experienced podcast or broadcast producer to create the podcast, do interviews, provide a voiceover, edit the interviews and post them when done.
Launch the podcast. Make sure the client or podcaster is committed to a regular podcast so that segments are available on an ongoing basis. Otherwise, listeners tend to go away. This can’t be a one-off.
Post-Launch: Next Steps and Publicizing the Podcast
Make sure you have a link and summaries of the podcast segments featured prominently on your web site and social media. Get the podcast on iTunes, Sound Cloud and other podcast portals and links, and focus that placement, if possible, on the industry or genre of your podcast.
~Business Game Changer Special Promotion~
Create a dedicated twitter feed for the podcast and keep it updated. Do the same on YouTube. Send your podcasts to an email list of your contacts and clients. Write a press release – and send it to media covering your business and to media and bloggers covering the podcast industry.
Use a paid newswire service like PR Newswire or Business Wire to supplement distribution of the press release – these services automatically post the release on web sites, portals and social media.
If the podcast has a hot or newsworthy topic, pitch the person interviewed on the podcast or the topic to reporters.
In all these efforts, you should make sure the links to the podcast series or a specific segment are used so people and reporters can listen to it.
You Have a Podcast: Now What?
Once you have launched the podcast and you have publicized it, ask yourself what else you can add to it for listeners.
Does it resonate with them, does it bring you new business or other PR or marketing opportunities? Or does the podcast need to be updated, tweaked or revised as you go along?
By Andrew Blum
*Andrew Blum is a PR consultant and media trainer. His PR focus includes crisis situations, legal issues and lawsuits, books and authors, renewable energy and climate change, politics, show business, commercial real estate, #metoo and Title IX issues, and op-ed placements. Follow him on twitter @ajbcomms or go to his web site at ajbcomms.com
