Making the most of podcasting

Nearly ten years ago when I first took a big interest in podcasting, I would often speak about it with others.  The common response I would receive at the time was something like, “What’s podcasting?”  It wasn’t a medium that many people were familiar with, but over time, that has drastically changed.  Podcasting is a major part of the media landscape, and there are many people who make the majority of their income from the shows they’re creating.

But podcasting is useful for more than just making an income.  It might be the means some of you use to share the message you care most about to the highest number of people.  My shows allow me to connect with more people on a daily basis than any other form of media.

Podcasting can also be a great way to spread word of some of the other things you’re doing.  If you’re an author, podcasts can help you spread word of what you’ve written.  If you’re a coach, you can reach new coaching clients through your show as well.  Creating podcast content can also be a great way to connect and network with other podcasters.

Podcast networks, by nature, tend to be collaborative.  When I first joined the network I’m part of, the director of acquisitions sent me a message that told me I would have complete liberty to continue creating content like I had in the past, but there were two non-negotiables I would have to agree to if I was going to be a long-term fit with their network.  

1. I had to do feed-swaps with similar shows on the network.

2. I had to do cross-promos with other network-affiliated shows.

Why do you suppose that director insisted on these two stipulations?  He insisted on these requirements because these are two of the primary ways new shows gain exposure.  Without this form of collaboration and cooperation, the overall network would take a long time to develop.

I love collaborating with other podcasters.  Even before I was part of a network, I was happy to do so.  Sometimes I have collaborated with people who make the same kind of content I make, but on occasion, I have collaborated with others just to be generous and hopefully give their show or platform a friendly boost.

When collaboration is done with a generous spirit, all parties win.  It feels good to help someone out, and it feels good to be helped.  Collaborating with others is a great way to increase your podcast audience, and there are several effective ways to do so.

Guest Appearances: Invite guests who are relevant to your niche to appear on your show. This can help you tap into their existing audience and gain new listeners. In return, you can offer to promote their brand or podcast to your audience.

Cross-Promotion: Cross-promotion involves promoting each other's podcasts in your intro or outro.  You can also take this a step further by promoting each other on social media, email newsletters, or websites. This can help both shows reach new audiences and gain more visibility.

Joint Episodes: Have you ever considered collaborating with another podcaster to create joint episodes?  I have done this several times. This can be a great way to tap into each other's audience and offer your listeners a fresh perspective.

Affiliate Marketing: Partner with other podcasters to promote each other's affiliate products. This can help you earn a commission on any sales made through your unique affiliate link.  There are podcasters I do this with regularly.

Guest Blogging: Offer to write guest blog posts for other podcasters or bloggers in your niche. Often, you can reuse a post you’ve already written and make slight adjustments to help it become a more precise fit for the platform you’re sharing it on.

There’s something about being generous that makes the process of creating online content more enjoyable for me.  I try not to consider others as my “competition” because that can quickly turn into selfishness, and I don’t want to be a selfish person.  I’d rather be a blessing to others and generously share what I have the ability to share.  The truth is, I’m convinced everything I have ever shared has come back to me tenfold or more.

But what should you do if you’re convinced that podcasting has value, yet you don’t yet host a show of your own?  Let me offer several good suggestions.

If you’re connected with a podcaster who has a show that fits pretty well with your primary topic, offer to provide regular guest spots or segments that might be interesting to his or her audience.  Podcast hosts are always looking for new and interesting content.  Maybe you could offer an idea that would appeal to them and help reduce their content creation burden.

Another suggestion I often make to those who don’t have a show of their own is to offer yourself as a last-minute guest to several shows in case they have an unexpected guest cancellation.  This approach sometimes works well with hosts and shows you may already have a relationship with, but it can also work well with shows that you’re looking to make a new and meaningful connection with.

One other option you might find helpful, particularly if you don’t have your own show, is to do a lead-magnet swap with a host.  A lead-magnet is a digital freebie that you can give away in exchange for an email address.  You can offer their lead-magnet to your present audience and they can offer yours to theirs.  When done with a collaborative spirit, it can be a win for both parties.

Podcasting is a continually growing form of media, and I would highly encourage you to get more involved with it if you’re looking to give your overall platform a visibility boost.  If you have a show, start partnering with other hosts.  If you don’t have a show, offer hosts something of value that their audience might appreciate.  

© John Stange, 2024