Podcasting is a great way to get your message out there for free. It’s not just for musicians, comedians, and other entertainers. Podcasters can be anyone with a message they want to share. You can use podcasting to share your knowledge and expertise or to promote a product or service.
When you first start a podcast, it can be hard to get listeners. After all, there are so many podcasts out there, and yours is just one more voice in the crowd. It can be challenging to make your voice heard in the noise of online content.
It may seem like social media is your only option for getting new listeners. But there are other ways to get more people listening to your show.
Social media is not the only way to get podcast listeners.
In fact, there may be better ways to get new podcast listeners.
Here are seven ways to get listeners without social media:
1. Get Your Podcast Listed On Multiple Distribution Channels
The best way to get listeners for your podcast is to have your podcast listed on multiple distribution channels. This means that when someone searches for a topic, your podcast will be included in their search results.
The most popular distribution channels are Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, and Stitcher. If you’re starting out, these are all free to list on.
If you want to get onto other platforms like TuneIn or iHeartRadio, you’ll need to pay a fee. If you’re looking for the most bang for your buck, Apple Podcasts is the best distribution channel because it has the largest audience. The other platforms are less popular but still have millions of users.
2. Use Your Email List And Website Traffic
If you have a website, you can drive traffic to it from your email list. If you aren’t doing this already, it’s time to start! You can use content upgrades and funnels to get people on your list, then use your email marketing service (like ConvertKit) to send them emails about new episodes of your podcast and other content that will help them grow their businesses.
You also want to include links in each email that point back to your iTunes page so that when people click on them, they’ll be taken directly there and can subscribe on their own. This way, they won’t have to fill out a form or anything like that — all they need to do is click one link, and they’re subscribed!
3. Get More Podcast Listeners By Using Ad Networks Like Google AdWords Or Facebook Ads
If you’re looking to get more listeners on your podcast, then Google AdWords or Facebook Ads can be a great way to do that. These ad networks let you target people based on their interests and keywords they use when searching the internet — which means that if someone has searched for something related to your podcast before, then you can use these services to find them and advertise directly in front of them!
4. Create A Blog And Use It To Promote Your Podcast
If you’re looking for a way to grow your podcast listeners, creating a blog that focuses on the same topics as your podcast can be a great idea. You can use this blog to write about episodes from your podcast, post transcripts of those episodes, and even include links to where people can listen!
5. Invite Guests Onto Your Podcast For Cross Promotion
You can build a community of listeners by inviting other podcasters to be guests on your show. This is a great way to get to know other podcasters and also to get more listeners for yourself.
Interviews with new guests are always fun and exciting because they allow you to talk about why they started their podcast, what makes them different from other shows, and how they plan on growing their audience. You can also ask them about their favorite books, movies, and TV shows so that you can add these items into your show notes.
Interviews with influencers in your niche can help you get more listeners, too. You can invite your favorite authors to be guests on your podcast or interview them during a live event. If they have a huge following of their own, then they will likely share the episode with their audience as well!
6. Use Hashtags And Share On Social Media
Even without a large social media following, you can still use hashtags and share on social media. You can find a list of relevant hashtags for your niche by searching for them on Twitter, using the search function. For example, if you are in the health and wellness industry, search for #healthtips or #wellnesscoach. Once you have found some hashtags that work well with your audience, add them to your podcast episodes and share them on social media!
Social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram are also great ways to get your podcast in front of new audiences. As you share your podcast episodes on social media, make sure that you tag the platform where they can listen to the full episode. For example, if you are sharing an episode of a fitness podcast on Facebook, tag the page “FitCast” so that anyone interested in listening can click on it and find more information about FitCast!
7. Ask Your Listeners To Leave Reviews On iTunes And Stitcher
If you have a few regular listeners, then it would make sense to ask them if they could leave reviews after every episode or two episodes at the most so that new potential listeners can see what others have said about the show before deciding whether they want to listen or not. This will give you more credibility as an author and also help new people find out what type of content your podcast has been providing so far.
If you’re looking to grow your podcast audience, social media is a great place to start. But it’s not the only way. Try utilizing the seven tips listed above, and you’ll see a positive effect on your podcast’s audience and growth.