(By Mike McVay) Many broadcasters have a toe in the podcast water. The largest radio groups have most of their body in that pool. There are specific things that radio stations should do to promote and grow their podcasts.
- The greatest way to grow an audience for a podcast is by interviewing Podcast Hosts on like-minded podcasts. Regardless of which company owns the podcast. Big audiences begat big audiences. Example; Conservative talk host Ben Shapiro interviews a host of a similar rightwing talk podcast. Then Ben is on their show. Same with Dan Bongino and others. This grass roots way of promoting a podcast, guesting on each-others podcasts, is a great unobtrusive way to grow an audience.
- Advertise (instead of an interview) inside similar like-minded podcasts with a pre-produced Gateway Advertisement that airs immediately after the podcasts opening tease, but before the podcast content begins. Promote a youth targeted podcast as a gateway advertisement on a station like Q99-7/Atlanta’s “Bert Show podcast” makes sense … given that his program is pop culture and family oriented … as is his podcast.
- Promote your podcast everywhere and be seen everywhere. Promote the topic daily on the talents’ social media platform (Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, TikTok, etc.), mention it wherever the talent appears (TV Guests, Digital Streaming, Radio Shows), everywhere.
- Radio Interviews need to be for a specific topic and fit with the theme, content or talent whose show the interview is appearing on. Example; If it’s Black History Month, the hosts of a podcast like Mouthpeace could be interviewed by any one of a number of Black targeted radio shows inside of the radio station. Leading up to the Super Bowl, having former players and sports reporter Pat McAfee, Dan Patrick, and others on Sports formatted stations, makes sense.
The important thing with offering podcast hosts for radio interviews is that there be a timely and topical reason to have the guest on the air. Anything other than that is CLUTTER!
Mike McVay is President of McVay Media and can be reached at [email protected]
