In Da Trenches

This month we welcome a rather healthy looking patient to the clinic. In Da Trenches features millennials Kay A and Eddy J sharing their experiences at the frontline of the war they call life. Are they already in top shape or can we help them hit their promotional peak?

1. Social media

Asking people on Twitter, Facebook etc. to listen to your show is easy – giving them a great reason to do so is harder – but worth it. Social media is such a valuable tool for podcasters, offering access to networks that cannot be found anywhere else. In a recent study in the UK from Ofcom, 22% of of those surveyed said they talked about a podcast they had listened to on social media. Almost a third (31%) reported that social media was where they heard about new podcasts. Its importance should not be underestimated.

What we liked

We can see Kay and Eddy have recently upped their game when it comes to getting the show established more widely on the web. They are doing a brilliant job, with content across YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and their own website.

What we recommend

On Facebook, the posts look great, with images and a little snapshot of each episode, plus a reason to listen. But on Twitter the posts are mostly episode links without images. Being consistent with how you present yourself across different platforms can be hard work, but it will help keep the audience engaged. Using a social media planning tool that forces you to think visually (such as Later.com which has an excellent free tier – referral link here) can be a good way of helping you get that discipline.

2. Cover art

Last time in The Podcast Clinic we talked about the importance of good cover art and that it needs to do three things – grab our attention, showcase the tone of the show, and tell us what it’s about.

What we liked

From what we can see, Kay and Eddy are already in good shape. The artwork is colourful, distinctive and shows two young men looking out at the world, but with the sandbags in the foreground and military-style font telling us they’re facing a battle. We’ve got eye-catching, we’ve got tone and we’ve got an intriguing title.

What we recommend

There’s not a lot we’d change with this one apart from maybe to remove the icons on the right, which feel a little busy (and if people are seeing your artwork they are also likely to see all the appropriate links). Perhaps switch to better contrasting font colour than the red – this is tricky to read unless up close.

3. Show description

Getting your show description right can be tricky – but find the right words and more people will click through to listen and subscribe to your show. There’s no one rule for success, but what can work really well is finding a way of sharing with listeners what they should expect from the show and what they’ll get out of it. Think about your podcast’s value proposition and how you can use this as the basis of your show description.

What we liked

‘Frontline millennials in the thick of it’ is a really engaging phrase and tells us who the show is about, who it’s for and gives us a flavour of what to expect.

What we recommend

We think the podcast is more light-hearted and playful than the title and description suggest. Kay and Eddy talk a lot about everyday life – and love – so we think there’s an opportunity to reveal more of this side of the show to potential listeners. Podcasts often fall into three categories – they are entertaining, informing, or helping their listeners (sometimes all three). When writing show descriptions, consider what the show is doing for the listeners and how this experience can be shared with them in just a few words. Equally, we’d love to know more about the personalities of Kay and Eddy, as the hosts at the centre of the show.

4. Ratings & reviews

While they don’t directly influence your chart position, increasing the number and quality of reviews can help wavering audiences take a chance on your show. The nice thing about podcasts is that they’re (usually) not limited to one country – anyone around the world can listen. But this also means, when it comes to ratings and reviews, it can pay to think globally.

What we liked

5 stars from 10 ratings is a great start – and we can see there are also three lovely written reviews. However, we know that Apple’s podcast app only shows reviews from the country the browsing listener is in. So right now, as a UK listener, we cannot see any – this is something worth seeing if you can change…

What we recommend

Think about your audience as a community, a group a of like-minded people who enjoy your show. Given they are listening, that means they’re fans – so don’t be afraid to ask for their help in getting more ratings and comments. Appeal to them during the podcast and use social media to encourage anyone who loves the show to share that love. Check out last week’s Ask the Consultant section in the newsletter for some quick-fire tips. We know Kay and Eddy like a ‘mission’ – perhaps make the next one to get a first review from the UK.

5. Smartlinks

Another one of our favourite moves here at Podspike is to optimise Smartlinks – one link that gives the audience a choice on how they want to interact and where they want to listen.

What we liked

Kay and Eddy are using Linktr.ee really well, not only giving their audience a chance to listen across Apple and Spotify, but also giving them the opportunity to quickly review the show or get in touch for a collaboration.

What we recommend

While Apple and Spotify dominate in terms of choice of podcast player, there are still plenty of other options out there. Consider adding more players to your list to ensure everyone feels welcome. If needed, you can switch to a free Kitelink from Podkite, which will give loads of options to offer your listeners. Check out our affiliate link to sign up and receive a 10% discount on any paid plan.