Podcasting is a great new medium, but creating a podcast is only half of the work. Promoting a podcast is equally critical to it's success.
1. Educate the Public.
It is important to remember that podcasting is a relatively new technology and not everyone understands or knows what podcasting is. It is particularly important to educate users if your audience is not technical. Not only is it important to explain what a podcast is, but it is equally important to explain how your podcast will help listeners. Instruction on how users can listen to podcasts should also be included.
Add a graphic to your website to let website visitors know that a podcast is available for your content. Colorful graphics have become the signature to alert listeners that podcasts and RSS feeds are available. The podcast flags were initially bright orange rectangles but as the popularity has grown, webmasters have bent the rules a bit.
A free online RSS graphic tool is available that allows users to quickly customize buttons by selecting the text and the color scheme of the button enabling webmasters to coordinate their podcast flag to match their website color scheme. Graphics experience is not required. Simply select alternative colors and insert text to personalize the feed graphics.
Online Graphics Tool - http://www.feedforall.com/public/rss-graphic-tool.htm or choose ready made graphics fom: http://www.feedforall.com/podcasting-graphics.htm .
3. Descriptive Content
Be sure the podcast RSS feed contains enough information related to the contents of the podcasts to grab the interest of listeners. The description should be keyword rich. A link to the audio file should be included in the description field. The audio file link is a great way for listeners to sample a podcast.
4. Press Release
Send a press release about the podcast. In addition to distributing the press release to editors, be sure to submit the release to free online press release directories.
Submit Press Release - http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com/pressreleases.html (scroll to submit release)
5. Podcast Directories
Submit podcasts to the podcast directories. Podcast directories contain podcasts that cover a wide variety of topics. Inclusion in the podcast search engines and directories will tap a whole new audience.
Submit to Podcasting Directories - http://www.podcasting-tools.com/submit-podcasts.htm
6. Consistent Theme / Interesting Content
The last thing you want to do is to turn off listeners who have subscribed. Provide consistently formatted and consistently themed audio files. Interesting content that is consistently presented will gradually increase your listening base.
7. Create a Community
Encourage feedback and dialogue with listeners. Listen to the feedback of listeners and test their suggestions. Remember the podcast is for them not you.
Podcast promotion should be approached with the same tactics as website promotion. Identifying and informing your audience will increase communication and dialogue.
