How to Optimize Your Podcast for Maximum Listenership

Podcasts have existed in the digital space since the 1980s, but they only became popular in late 2004 with the introduction of portable audio devices and the proliferation of internet access. 

Fast forward to 2022 and podcasts have evolved, taking on a new look thanks to more advanced technology and the creative minds of podcast creators.

It makes sense that many businesses have started up podcasts because they are a great way to humanize your business' brand and build relationships with the listeners.

If you have already completed the steps for creating a podcast and you’re a newcomer in this field, you’re probably wondering how you can make the most out of your well-crafted podcasts.

If that sounds like you, our internet marketing experts in Miami have five tips for optimizing your podcasts to help you reach your podcast journey goals.

5 Tips to Optimize Your Podcast

1. Make A Podcast Website or Page

People who visit a podcast's website will decide whether or not to listen to it or even browse what's in it, so the information on the website is critical.

Here are some of the major reasons why a website can help a podcast succeed:

• It can help you showcase your brand in one place.
• It can aid in attracting brand sponsorships.
• It can help you stand out from your competitors.
• It can add additional platforms to your brand.

Creating a website for your podcast can take a long time and cost a lot of money. However, it is critical to your success. So, when creating a website, these five crucial factors must be considered:

• Cover Art
• Show Name
• Show Description
• Email Subscribe Button
• Social Follow Buttons

Take a look at Duncan Trussell's podcast website:

You can also include a featured episode on your website's main page, so interested people can go directly to the link to your podcast.

2. Find the Best Podcast Platform for Your Target Audience

Thinking up and carrying out a podcast topic is one thing, finding the right platform for your target audience is quite another.

To get started, you need to decide what your podcast will be about. Once you've zeroed in on your niche, the next step is finding out where and who your target audience is.

Researching who your target audience is and where you can find them will help you immensely in your podcast marketing efforts. It's much simpler to develop podcast content ideas when you have a clear idea of your audience's demographics and the platforms they use to listen to podcasts.

There are many sites available for hosting podcasts. Here are some popular ones:

• BuzzSprout
• PodBean
• Spreaker

RELATED: Overview of The 8 Best Free Podcast Hosting Platforms

To summarize, the demographic profile of your intended audience is an essential factor to consider when selecting the right social media platform. This is because various social media platforms cater to several types of audiences and users.

3. Make Social Media Accounts for Your Podcast

Social media is a great place to promote any business, and podcast creators are increasingly utilizing them to raise brand awareness and promote their shows.

Before creating a social media account for your podcast, ensure you know who and where your target audience is. Then, decide how many social media platforms you will use for your podcast.

The number of social media platforms to be used will depend on the niche of your podcast, but two is a good starting point.

Having two social media accounts for your podcast is a good starting point for focusing on your social media goals and content. You can also better promote your podcast by focusing on only two social media platforms with two distinct audiences.

RELATED: 3 Social Media Platforms to Support Your Podcast Marketing

Having a social media account for your podcast indicates that it is successful, especially when you see the number of likes, shares, and comments on your posts.

However, vanity metrics are ultimately just numbers.

While it is encouraging seeing your social following grow, remember that building genuine connections with your audience is the key to maintaining that growth.

4. Include Transcripts for Every Podcast Episode

Including a transcript for your podcast can be time-consuming. Still, it can help promote and reach a larger audience in the long run.

A transcript can be helpful if some of the podcast's listeners are not native English speakers. In that case, the transcript can inform listeners about what the speakers are talking about.

According to Rebecca Klein's article on 3 Play Media, there are five ways a podcast transcript can help you grow your audience:

• It may make a larger audience more accessible. With a transcript for your podcast, you can reach your target audience and some new listeners (e.g., people with disabilities).
• It can boost your SEO and help you find new listeners. Including keywords and topic-related words in your podcast transcript can reach a more prominent and new audience by increasing web traffic.
• It can be repurposed as new content for a different audience. To get the most out of their podcasts, podcast creators can repurpose content. Podcast content that has been repurposed can be shared on social media platforms.  ‍
• It can be referenced and credited on other platforms. A podcast transcript assists others in determining the origin of a viral statement. When quoting a podcast or another source, get the exact words to avoid misquoting and misunderstanding. ‍
• It has the potential to improve user experience. People nowadays prefer interacting with a website or an online application, and a podcast transcript can help them do so. Simple audience interaction can be accomplished by clicking or jumping to the desired point in the audio.

5. Ask for Reviews and Suggestions

Asking for feedback, reviews, or suggestions is the most human way to connect with podcast listeners. This will not only help you optimize your podcast, but it will also assist you in building social proof for your website and social media accounts.

If you're recording a podcast episode to share on social media, you can poll your followers for their thoughts. Because social proof is an indicator of a successful podcast, many people are already doing this and encouraging others to do so.

In this way, you emphasize what your audience is saying, making your listeners, especially your loyal ones, feel good.

In her article on The Drum, Stephanie Man, an SEO analyst, stated that reviews from your audience can also help attract new audiences and notify search engines of the most successful pieces of content, mainly if they come from reputable third-party sites.

The Time Has Come to Promote Your Podcast

The time, energy, and commitment needed to make a podcast are substantial. Because of how time-consuming it can be, optimization is usually the best course of action.

Taking the time to optimize your podcast will help you save time and bring you closer to your podcasting goals.

If you are ready to take your podcasting to the next level, Digital Resource has internet marketing experts in Miami who can assist you in achieving your digital and business goals.

We aim to increase your company's visibility to generate more leads and sales.

Contact us today for a free consultation.