The timeline of podcast creation from inception through to launch contains a myriad of tasks to complete in order to maximise the potential impact of the first episode.
If you’re at the launch phase, you’ve (hopefully) already ticked off most of that list. If you haven’t, check out our comprehensive checklist for creating a podcast.
While technically the launch is the end of the timeline, we’ve got to be up front with you: this part can make, or break the potential success. It has to be carefully planned, and should represent all the work you’ve done on the podcast thus far.
Back to Basics
While the days of conceptualising the podcast may seem like they’re behind you, you’re going to need to really hone in on them again in order to prepare your launch package. Everything that inspired you and your team to producing the podcast in the first place, should be the starting point for your launch.
This is where the emotion of the podcast is crucial. Whether your podcast is for SEO Experts, Digital Recruiters, the Cloud vs SaaS world, or dog owners who need training tips; emotion is what’s going to drive a listener to want to listen.
So hone in on what the real drive of the podcast is. What is it aiming to do? How will your listeners really benefit from hearing the insights you share, or the guests you have on? Use the answers to these questions to give you an idea of how you’re going to want to tackle the next step, being…
Wow ‘em with the Trailer
Podcast trailers are just like movie trailers - when your podcast is published, listeners will have an option to listen to a short (1-2mins) sample of what they can expect from a full episode.
So using the answers from the questions in Back to Basics, start grabbing the best moments from your launch episodes that you think could really compel a digital passerby (if you will), to hit play.
You can choose between preparing a recorded intro:
"Hey, and welcome to the Recruiting Cloud! I’m your host, Max Maxwell, and each Monday I speak to experts in the recruiting world and explore how technology has changed the world of talent acquisition forever. Whether its AI-based talent sourcing, or virtual job fairs, we’re unpacking what it means to be a recruiter in the digital age."
Or, take a particularly hard hitting clip from an episode that you feel is strong enough to entice…
Or, blend them together! Whatever you choose, make sure your trailer is just that: a sample of what a listener could expect from your show, when they click on your…
Social Media Posts
Leverage, leverage, leverage. If you’re an established brand, chances are you’ve got the miracle resource right at your fingertips - reach. This is where you’re going to attempt to convert your followers, into listeners.
Unlike a traditional approach to launching a product or service by advertising it, advertising just doesn’t work the same in the podcast world. That’s because podcasts can be the most personal and trust building notch in your marketing belt. And you can’t advertise trust. Banks have been trying for years.
LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook & TikTok will be your advertising, without paying a cent, as long as you formulate the posts effectively.
This is an audio, and potentially video medium! So if you’re thinking of a simple still frame of the show art, consider… reconsidering.
Here’s an example for each platform:
LinkedIn: announcement post with a video trailer & quote card from a guest, if applicable.
Facebook: an announcement post with a video trailer
Instagram: a carousel of the show art with the audio trailer playing, a video trailer formatted to square ratio.
TikTok: a catchy, enticing clip from the launch episode to grab people, no longer than 1 minute.
No matter how you choose to showcase your show, these methods will only differ slightly from…
Email Marketing
If you’re an established B2B or B2C brand, you don’t need me to tell you how effective email marketing can be to reach your audience directly.
You’ll want to send out a launch announcement, and consider offering your mailing list exclusive content - perhaps an outtake from the episode that didn’t make it in, or an invitation to suggest guest ideas.
Within the launch email, instead of directing them to say, Apple Podcasts or Spotify, send them to your dedicated podcast page on your website. To do this, you’ll need to incorporate the RSS feed from your podcast, allowing potential listeners to get a feel for the show before they open it up on their phone.
The other plus being you can directly track the regular analytics on your website to see if people are converting from your mailing list, to listeners.
Depending on the goals you have for your show, launching a podcast can be a serious slog. By implementing these strategies, you’re ensuring that you’re giving the show the best leg-up it can get.
And if this feels like… a lot, then consider getting in touch. Because we do the heavy lifting, so you don't have to.
See what we do, and take advantage of our free intro call - no obligation, no pressure.
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