Episode 5 of the Startup Colorado Podcast was packed with tips and tricks from expert podcasters. To make your life a little easier, we’ve compiled a list of their advice on starting a podcast, promoting it, and monetizing it. If you haven’t listened to the episode yet, click here.
Starting your podcast
Research, research, research: Did we mention there are over 2 million blogs out there? You have to stand out in the crowd by offering content valuable to your consumers or listeners. What can you offer that supplements – but doesn’t duplicate – what they’re already listening to or reading?
Kristin recommended surveying your target audience – this can be friends, current customers, strangers on social media – find out if your idea is interesting to your end user.
“I would try and find like 10 people who you would think would be like your target listener, and then say, Here’s my approach and let them poke holes in it, and don’t take it personally,” Kristin said.
Be professional: This should go without saying, but your podcast needs to sound good. “You have to be professional,” Curt Linville said. “You have to provide quality content.” Spend some time learning how to capture and edit good audio. NPR Training Source is a fantastic resource for learning how to record audio, speak naturally on microphone, and edit.
Be regular: Make a schedule and stick to it; whether that’s everyday, once a week, once a month. Don’t let your listeners down!
“It needs to be frequently produced and not like, well, I did one last month and this month may not get around to it,” Curt said. “It needs to be something that’s regular. And that is predictable.”
Promoting your podcast
Press outreach: Before setting Wild Thing loose into the podcast universe, Laura Krantz launched a press outreach campaign to build buzz before the series launch date. She performed direct outreach to media outlets, pitching the series and telling editors why their audience would be interested in learning about Wild Thing. Her media kit included episode synopses, a series trailer, artwork and photos, and sample episodes for editors. Wild Thing was covered by The Atlantic and Outside Magazine, among others.
If your not aiming for a national or general audience, you can try pitching to local news outlets or lifestyle/industry blogs. And don’t forget to tell Startup Colorado!
Laura also recommended building hype on social media – even if it’s just friends and family – before the series launch.
Joint ventures: Kristin Carpenter leverages what she calls “joint ventures” to not only promote your podcast, but build your email list. Invite guests onto your show and encourage them to share the episode with their audience – guests could be other podcasters or business owners. You can also invite yourself to the party, and email other podcasters for an opportunity to appear on their show.
Leverage all your content: Are you recording video interviews? Capture it – then share it! You can use snippets from your interviews as part of your overall content strategy. Kristin also recommends posting either segments or the full interview on YouTube, and writing robust SEO video captions. “YouTube growth can be slow going,” Kristin said. “But it’s still really important to do because YouTube is owned by Google. And it will be helping your SEO for your brand.”
Funding your podcast
See above: Have you developed a concept that provides quality content to your audience? Is it well-produced? Is it regular? Make sure you have a product that advertisers or sponsors want to invest in.
Research advertising options: Podcast ad marketplaces, like Curt Linville’s PodDivvy, is one avenue. Podcasters can also reach out to brands directly or join an affiliate network like Audible or Buzzsprout. Another route is finding a season or episode sponsor instead of selling individual ads. For more information on the differences between these methods, click here.
Offer subscriptions: Laura initially sold ads for Wild Thing, but is moving toward a subscription model. While episodes will be free, subscribers gain access to the full season, interviews, and bonus content. She said more podcasters are moving in this direction, using services like Patreon or Supporting Cast.
Look for unexpected opportunities: Both Laura and Kristin discovered their podcasts could generate opportunities outside of traditional revenue models. Channel Mastery earned Kristin valuable speaking and other thought leadership opportunities, which was great exposure for both her podcast and business, Verde Brand Communications. Laura held onto her IP, and as a result earned licensing fees for a children’s version of Wild Thing and a middle grade book series.
