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5 Ways to Get Your Podcast Heard
Stand out from the crowded market of boring podcasts by following these tips.
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Podcasts may have existed since the early 2000s, but it wasn’t until more recent years — especially during the pandemic — that the medium exploded in popularity. According to recent data from Edison Research, 47 percent of Americans aged 12 and older have listened to a podcast in the past month. Podcast Index also reports there are now more than 4.5 million podcasts available to listeners.
Podcasting is a highly democratized form of media production, allowing for a more diverse population of storytellers to share their stories. However, that also leads to a crowded and competitive landscape when it comes to attracting an audience. To help navigate this, here are seven strategies to get your podcast heard, as well as some of the best distribution platforms to share your content.
How to get your podcast heard
With so many podcast options to choose from, devising a strategy to ensure the right listeners find your content can be challenging. Here are some tips to help you get started.
1. Find a niche and stick to it.
It’s better to have a dedicated niche than to call yourself a general podcaster who talks about everything under the sun. The more you narrow your niche, the more listeners you’ll end up with. People look to podcasters with experience in a particular topic and it’s impossible to be an expert in every single subject.
Narrow your niche into two or three subtopics. It’s OK to branch out a little but discussing several random topics will nudge your audience to go elsewhere. [Learn more about podcasts that will inspire your mornings.]
2. Network and then network some more.
Creation may be complex, but promotion is equally important. The best way to get your content in front of your audience is by networking. This allows you to put your brand in front of new eyes without coming off as too “salesy” or forceful and there are several ways to do this.
Take advantage of social media to find people in your industry — both content creators and listeners. Comment on your favorite podcasts and tell the podcasters how much you enjoy their content. If you’re effectively and strategically using multiple social media accounts to do this, it’s likely they’ll check out your pages and engage with you and your content. You can post snippets and sneak peeks of your podcast on Facebook or X (formerly Twitter) to give listeners a taste of it. It’s also wise to use industry hashtags so users can find your content easily.
3. Focus on SEO.
Optimizing your podcast for search is essential if you want to be heard in such a crowded market. The more optimized your content is, the better chance it has of reaching people within your audience. You want your podcast to get high search rankings so that it has the best chance of getting interactions and shares.
Conduct keyword research and apply it to your episodes. Optimize the title and description so that users and search engines have a clear understanding of what your content is about and what audience it suits best.
4. Hold contests and giveaways.
It doesn’t hurt to add a little incentive for listeners and creating a contest or giveaways is a great way to spice things up and gain traction in your industry. It’s a win-win: The audience receives something, and you market the podcast and encourage engagement.
You can set the rules so that you see a spike in your interactions and shares. When holding a giveaway, you can make one of the requirements that your listeners follow you on social media or share one of your episodes. In return, they have a shot at winning something valuable from you.
5. Invite special guests.
Bringing a guest on your podcast can breathe new life into a topic. Guests often provide new insights and can make for lively, entertaining and inspiring podcasts. A guest also increases the number of promotional opportunities you’ll have, as guests will have their own social media platform where your podcast can reach an even wider audience. Your guest’s audience will also likely listen to you and your guests’ joint efforts, ushering in a cadre of new listeners. If these listeners like what they hear, this new audience might merge with yours. You can also work with your guests to cross-promote your podcasts.
6. Create compelling show notes and transcripts.
Show notes and transcripts serve multiple purposes for growing your podcast audience. Well-crafted show notes provide a scannable summary of your episode content, helping potential listeners quickly determine if the episode matches their interests. Include timestamps for key topics, links to resources mentioned and brief takeaways that add value even for those who don’t listen to the full episode.
Transcripts make your podcast accessible to hearing-impaired audiences and improve your SEO. Search engines can crawl text but not audio files, so transcripts help your content appear in search results.
7. Leverage video podcasting.
Video podcasting has become increasingly important for audience growth. YouTube remains the second-largest search engine globally, and according to Pew Research Center data, 83 percent of U.S. adults use YouTube. Recording video versions of your podcast allows you to exploit this platform for discovery.
You don’t need expensive equipment to start — many successful video podcasters use simple webcam setups. Focus on creating engaging thumbnails and using YouTube’s features like chapters (which allows you create clickable segments of video), end screens and cards to keep viewers engaged. Short clips from your video podcast can also perform well on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.
Best podcast hosting and distribution platforms
Releasing your podcast on the right platforms is key to finding and growing your target audience. Here are some of the best platforms available for podcasters today.
Blubrry
Launched in 2005, Blubrry is a great hosting platform for podcasters who also need to build a website for their content. Blubrry’s services include a WordPress website with the PowerPress plugin for easy website integration to share on podcast directories and social media. Plans start at $15 per month with 125MB of monthly storage and their customer service team is available to help you achieve your podcast goals.
BuzzSprout
BuzzSprout is a great hosting platform option for new podcasters and those exploring the medium as a hobby. Get started for free by uploading up to two hours each month and have your episodes hosted for 90 days. BuzzSprout also offers plenty of premium upgrades, ranging from $19 to $79 per month. All paid plans include a website for your podcast with a custom embedded player, listener statistics and the ability to integrate your show into popular podcast directories.
Captivate
As one of the newer podcast hosting platforms, Captivate is an excellent choice for podcast producers looking to monetize their shows. All plans, starting at $17 per month, include WordPress website integration and unlimited podcasts, storage and uploads — though the number of downloads allowed is limited, including on their top-tier plan. However, most features are included in all plans and Captivate updates its offerings regularly based on user feedback.
PodBean
PodBean is one of the most robust podcast distribution platforms on the market, hosting more than 600,000 podcasts. It offers a free basic plan for anyone looking to get started, with five hours of storage space and 100GB monthly. It also provides the opportunity to integrate with all major podcast directories, your own podcast website and access to basic Interactive Advertising Bureau-certified statistics.
Spotify for Podcasters
Spotify is known as one of the most popular podcast directories, but it is also joining the ranks of podcast distribution platforms with Spotify for Podcasters. The free, all-inclusive platform includes recording, editing, hosting, analytics and monetizing capabilities available for any podcaster, even if you’re already contracted with another distribution platform. If you choose Spotify for Podcasters as your hosting platform, you can integrate your show with other directories, such as Apple Podcasts.
Podcast mistakes to avoid
In addition to following the tips above, you’ll need to steer clear of some common missteps if you want your podcast to succeed. Make sure to avoid these podcast mistakes:
Neglecting sound quality
This is an especially common mistake for podcasts with multiple hosts. Usually, there is an obvious imbalance in the volume of each person’s voice. Often, the host of the show has the loudest volume, making guests harder to hear. This imbalance can ultimately ruin your audience’s listening experience.
Poor sound quality can also limit your ability to attract advertisers and monetize your podcast. Consider using audio editing software like Audacity (free) or Adobe Audition to normalize audio levels and remove background noise. Many modern podcast hosting platforms also offer built-in audio enhancement tools that can automatically improve your sound quality.
Forgetting ID3 tags
ID3 tags allow you to include file information in your podcast episodes. Podcast players rely on this information to know which episodes they haven’t listened to yet and might want to come back to. Essential ID3 tags include episode title, podcast name, episode number, season number, publish date and artwork. Most podcast hosting platforms automatically add these tags when you upload your episode, but it’s worth double-checking to ensure all fields are properly filled.
Not including a call to action (CTA)
While it’s true that promoting your product too much can turn off your audience, CTAs can boost your email list. Be sure to include a CTA at the end of every episode.
CTAs also help to build a relationship with your listeners and can potentially grow your audience. Consider offering something of value, such as free merchandise, in exchange for a listener’s contact information. However, a CTA can be as simple as inviting your listeners to join your email list.
Ignoring feedback
Using customer feedback to your advantage is a valuable tool for any creative endeavor, including podcasts. Listening to feedback will help you understand what entertains your listeners and, in turn, make your listeners loyal followers. Anonymous feedback or comments on social media can even help you grow your audience.
Without feedback, there’s little opportunity for your podcast to grow and improve. Your email list and social media followers can be good sources of feedback. Encourage them to provide you with their thoughts on the latest episode and specify which parts of your work you’d like your listeners to evaluate.
Using the wrong hosting service
Your audience interacts not only with your podcast but also with the hosting service you choose. Different hosting services come with various features. Make sure the hosting service you choose works best for your podcast in particular.
When evaluating hosting services, consider factors beyond price. Look for platforms that offer analytics, automatic distribution to podcast directories, monetization options and reliable uptime. Some hosting services specialize in certain niches — for example, some cater specifically to business podcasts with features like private podcast feeds for internal communications or marketing automation tools integration.
Start building your podcast following
It’s tough, but not impossible, to get your podcast heard when there’s so much competition. Success requires a combination of quality content, strategic distribution and consistent engagement with your audience. Focus on providing genuine value to your listeners, whether through entertainment, education or inspiration. Remember that podcast growth is typically gradual — most successful podcasts take months or even years to build a following. Stay consistent with your publishing schedule, continuously improve your content based on listener feedback and explore new ways to connect with your target audience. With persistence and the right strategies, you’ll see the numbers you want.
Danielle Fallon-O’Leary and Chris Christoff contributed to the reporting and writing in this article.
