In this season of love, we wanted to take some time to discuss the things that matter most- podcasts, of course! Today, we’ll discuss ways you can grow podcast listenership and show your show some love (or more love) in 2024. 

This blog will walk you through ways to identify and create an actionable pod-care routine to show your podcast some love!

Pod-care is important

Pod-care? Yep, pod-care! Like self-care but for podcasts. 

Adapted from the definition of “self-care,” pod-care is “the practice of taking an active role in your podcast’s well-being or health.” Doing pod-care means you’re taking care of your podcast while being mindful of your pod-goals. 

Pod-care looks different for everyone, depending on things like topic, niche, audience, and goals. Not every podcaster will have the same pod-care routine, and there is no “one routine fits all” formula. 

Step 1: Setting your pod-goal

First things first: What are your pod-goals? Well, they are our copywriter’s poor attempt at making a joke, really. They are podcast-oriented goals!

Like we said, every podcast is different, meaning every podcast’s goals are different!

There are a variety of podcast goals you might have. It’s very much up to you and your brand.

Quill

For example, our podcast’s goal is to “To help connect listeners to 400 new podcasts this year.” We’ve designed our entire show around this pod-goal! 

We play 5 to 6 different podcast clips in each episode and talk briefly about the featured podcasts. Our listeners get introduced to a wide variety of shows every week. We’ve included podcasts about bird songs, naval war history, Bluely reviews, and more! 

P.S. If you’d like to be featured, submit your show “hear.”

Example goals 

However, our goal of connecting listeners to new podcasts will not be a good goal for most podcasts. Some (more applicable) examples of pod-goals are:

  1. Grow podcast brand awareness
  2. Build credibility
  3. Engage with listeners
  4. Reaching new audiences
  5. Sales and lead generation 

Creating goals

Goals need to be more than just a few words, though. They should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (S.M.A.R.T. for short).

Specific 

Goals should be clear, well-defined, and focused. The more specific the goal, the easier it is to understand and the more likely you are to achieve it.

Measurable

Goals should be quantifiable. This helps create a series of checks to help monitor your progress. An example would be how many new viewers or subscribers you want on YouTube. 

Achievable 

S.M.A.R.T. goals are realistic. They push you to improve, but given your specific and measurable action plan so you can achieve them.

Relevant

Your goal(s) align with your podcast’s overall objectives and provide value or meaning to you. They build on your podcast’s success and align with your short- and long-term priorities. 

Time-bound

S.M.A.R.T. goals are limited to a specific timeframe, kind of like a deadline. Being time-bound gives a sense of urgency while also motivating you to focus and complete your goal! It’s not just some looming task you want to do bouncing around in your brain – it’s something you can actively work towards.

For example, a great time-bound S.M.A.R.T. goal is “To gain 10 new listeners per month for one year.” 

Step 2: Game time

Now that you have your pod-goal ready to go. You need a game plan to achieve that goal!

Creating your podcast alone won’t help you reach your goal. You need to do more than just that. To grow podcast listenership, you need to take steps to improve its discoverability and accessibility. You need to implement strategies that make it easier for people to find and listen to your podcast.

If you’re like most podcasters, you’ll probably stick with a DIY approach. But don’t worry, you’ve got this! It is easier to make your game plan than you think. The best way to start is to answer those infamous “who, what, how, and why” questions. Your answers will guide the next step in this process which is actually creating your pod-care regimen.  

Step 3: Pod-care 

Your answers to those questions will affect how you create your pod-care plan. But, we wanted to give you some ✨inspo✨. “Hear” are 10 things you can include in your new pod-care regimen and get started on your podcast growth journey! 

1. Post on Social Media

Did you know over 17% of podcasts are discovered on social media? And, if you’re looking to target Gen Z, that number drastically increases! 76% of Gen Z listeners reported discovering podcasts through social media.

So, if you’re not already, post on social media! Getting your podcast on social media is one of the best ways to boost your podcast’s discoverability. Posts can be as simple as tweeting links to your latest episode, posting cover art on Instagram, or creating podcast clips to share on TikTok. 

2. Transcribe and add subtitles. 

Inclusivity is key.

Adding transcriptions and subtitles to your podcast helps more people understand and enjoy it. They help those with hearing impairments and non-native listeners follow your podcast. Transcriptions and subtitles also cater to different listening preferences! (Just think of the friend who HAS to have subtitles on while watching TV.) 

Transcribing also improves the discoverability of your podcast through search engines, as the text is indexable.

3. Upload your podcast to YouTube.

If you haven’t already, upload your podcast to YouTube.

YouTube continues to invest a lot of resources and effort into podcast discovery. It has become the number-one platform for podcast discovery, too! Getting your podcast on YouTube is arguably the best way to improve your podcast searchability. YouTube also opens the door to additional opportunities, like monetization. 

4. Share on multiple platforms

The ears are everywhere! Chopping up and repurposing your content using an omnichannel approach can go a long way in reaching or retargeting your audience. Utilizing your existing assets – like transcripts to create quote cards, clipping full-length content to create audiograms, or posting cover art to Instagram – are ways to produce unique content at a per-platform level. 

5. Collaborate and network

Tap into your network or find a new podcasting buddy! Collaborate on cross-promotions, guest appearances, or joint marketing efforts to expand your reach and connect with new listeners. It’s also just fun to collaborate with other podcasters! (Or companies *hint, hint*.) 

6. Start a newsletter

Create an email list! Emailing listeners is a great way to create more personalized, shareable content. Newsletters are the perfect tools for engagement while also serving as a reminder to your audience. Emails are great cues for listeners to check in with your podcast or serve as a vessel to finally share with that one friend they think would also enjoy your podcast!

You can even share the signup form or link to get new listeners in the door. You can add links to social media and personal bios to gain even more reach!

7. Grow podcast listenership with paid campaigns 

If you’re serious about scaling your audience fast, you can invest in paid advertising campaigns. Paid campaigns help you reach potential listeners in a practical, controlled way, ensuring your podcast gets the right audience.

Paid podcast platforms help grow podcast listenership quickly.

8. Dig into your analytics.

To grow podcast listenership, understanding your audience’s preferences and listenership is essential. Digging into your data shows what content is or is not resonating while giving you mini “best practices” for your audience – think posting times and dates, episode length, topics, etc. This helps you make more informed decisions on future topics, content, and marketing efforts.

9. Tap into your audience.

Another fantastic resource – your existing audience! Asking your listeners for feedback or ideas engages your audience and builds stronger relationships that directly impact long-term audience growth and development. 

10. Be consistent and templatize 

As with anything, consistency is key! Consistency helps build a recognizable identity and brand image for your podcast. Having a unique look and feel in your content and marketing efforts helps your audience quickly recognize your podcast while helping you stand out! 

Templitizing, where possible, quickly creates that consistent look and feel your audience can recognize. So if you do something you like, save it! You can recreate future content with some inspo or even update that asset for quick, easy, new content.

Step 4: Keeping up with your pod-care regimen

Now that you have your pod-care regimen picked out and in place, it’s time to execute. “Hear” are some ways Headliner can help you stay consistent and show your podcast some love! 

1. Make audiograms with Make. 

Audiograms are short, engaging video clips that combine audio from your podcast with visually appealing graphics. With Make by Headliner, you can easily create shareable audiograms. You can even automatically upload full-length episodes or shorts as audiograms to YouTube!

Audiograms allow you to share your podcast on multiple platforms. They also help you get onto video-first platforms. The best part? You never need to step in front or buy a camera. 

Pro tips: Even if you’ve been around for a while, there’s no time to start like the present! Headliner offers back catalog features to help you get your entire podcast onto social media platforms without extra effort. You can also create and save branded templates for a consistent look and feel your audience will remember. 

2. Transcribe and optimize with Eddy. 

Eddy by Headliner is the best way to upload and optimize your podcast. With Eddy, you’ll get a FREE transcript and access to the Podcast Promo Pack. The Podcast Promo Pack gives you every little bit of everything you need to upload your podcast to your host platform and social media. Eddy’s got you covered, from show notes with chapters to keywords to social media captions to blog posts.

Pro tip: Download your Promo Pack to optimize your podcast AND get additional content options too. With Eddy, every project receives an AI-generated blog post and email/newsletter copy. This saves some serious time for those more labiours marketing efforts.

3. Cross-promote with Disco 

Disco by Headliner connects your podcast to your blog or website. It creates a custom podcast discovery widget to embed into your website. The widget will automatically scan on-screen text and recommend contextually relevant podcast episodes to your readers! 

Disco converts existing webtraffic into new podcast listens at no cost to you! 

4. Promote with Podcast Promo 

Podcast Promo is Headliner’s paid promotional platform. Podcast Promo is a podcast ad-serving tool!

It leverages Headliner’s Publisher Network to help get your podcast in front of new audiences at a time and place when they are most receptive to new ideas, topics, and messaging. 

Now, go – show your show some love! 

Whew! That was a lot. We just love podcasts and want everyone to love them as much as we do!

The most important thing to take away here is to be consistent, regardless of what you include in your pod-care routine. Pick one or two things you know you can start doing, and then, as they become more habitual, you can add to your regimen. 

If you want to learn about any of the products or tools mentioned, please visit the headliner.app. Happy podcasting and Happy Valentine’s Day. Go grow podcast listenership and show your show some love! 💜🎙