5 Easy (No Cost) Ways to Increase Your Podcast Downloads
Are you struggling to get your podcast found and downloaded? The Podcast Maniac shares practical (no-cost) ways to increase your podcast downloads.
With so many people getting into podcasts recently, it’s now easier than ever to make your own podcast and distribute it to the masses.
The consequence of all this “podcasting made easy” is that finding success in podcasting gets a little harder every day.
It’s not enough to have a sparkling personality or amazing experiences. You have to think about who you want to be listening to your podcast, and how you can actually get your show in front of them.
Unless you are already a well-known influencer, or you have a strong professional following, social media and word of mouth probably won’t get people to download your show.
What you need to focus on are the key building blocks that will serve your show long-term, to help new listeners find your podcast, and keep them coming back.
FYI: If you’re looking for an in-depth version of the information covered in this post, grab my ebook, Must-Haves for a Successful Podcast. The book includes more detailed explanations, a How To Do It page for each of the 5 points below, and examples of real podcasts that are doing each of these things well.
You can get your copy of the ebook for just $2.99. As a bonus, I’ll also send you a copy of my Podcast Episode Planning Guide, the key to helping you consistently put out new podcast episodes.
5 Simple Things You Can Do to Increase Podcast Downloads
1. Choose a Discoverable Podcast Name
For some people, coming up with a podcast name is the most fun part of starting a podcast. It can be a blast to spitball ideas and come up with different ways to play with words.
The problem is that people often choose podcast names that are too cute and catchy. It’s not clear to the listener what the show is about.
Clarity is key, because it helps your podcast be discoverable.
By “discoverable”, I mean that Google and the podcast apps can match your podcast to what a listener is searching for (what they are literally typing into the Search bar).
Sure, there are hit podcasts with vague names, but most of those shows came along a while ago, when there were fewer podcasts and it was easier to be found.
If your name is PJ and you call your show PJ’s Rant-a-thon, because you want to talk about anything and everything, try to remember that NO. ONE. EVER. is going to type in “PJ’s Rant-a-thon” unless they have already heard of your show and are searching for it specifically.
You need to identify/get clear with yourself about what you’re going to talk about most on your show, and then come up with a name that reflects the topic(s).
If you’re already launched your show, don’t fret: you can change the name of your show. Sure, it’s a bit of a hassle. You’ll probably need new cover art, and re-submitting your podcast to the different distribution channels (apps) will take time.
The thing you have to consider is whether changing your podcast name will result in clarity that will help new listeners find your podcast. If the answer is Yes, start working on a new name now.
2. Write a Discoverable (Keyword Optimized) Podcast Description
If you were one of the people who just realized that your podcast name isn’t very clear and discoverable, this second tip is extra important for you.
Your podcast description should tell a potential listener what the show is about and what they can expect.
It is not a place for you to introduce yourself, make jokes, or tell your life story (you can do that in episode 1 if you really want to).
You should identify these key items:
- the genre the show falls into (comedy, true crime, personal development)
- the format (guest interviews, short lessons, friendly chit- chat)
- who the host is & the host’s experience (aka, what qualifies the host to talk about this topic)
- how often episodes are released
- what the listener will gain from listening to the podcast
Remember: your podcast is meant to inform or entertain your listeners, so really pay attention to that last point. Make sure that potential new listeners know why they should download and subscribe to your podcast.
When I refer to “keyword optimized”, that’s web/marketing speak for “include words you think your ideal listener will type into Google or the Search bar of their podcast app.”
Here’s an example: If you are a runner and you make a podcast about running, you want to consider all the different running problems or questions other runners might be searching for on the internet. These may include searches for “5K training podcast” or “motivation for runners” (notice how they don’t even put the word “podcast” in that last one?).
If you think you might cover these topics in your podcast, you want to include these phrases in your podcast description so Google and the podcast apps will suggest your podcast when someone searches for those terms.
I go into greater detail on this example in the Must-Haves for a Successful Podcast ebook.
3. Create Helpful Episode Titles & Episode Descriptions
It drives me absolutely crazy when I see a podcast with episode titles like:
Episode 1
Episode 2
And episode descriptions that read: “An update on the latest tech news.”
If you want your listeners to feel like you give a darn about them, you gotta give them more than that.
Think of your episode titles like online dating: once you get the swipe right, you have to be thoughtful and engaging.
It would truly suck if you managed to cut through the clutter and get a new listener to your show, just for them to bounce because you didn’t hook them with episode titles and descriptions.
You want to let the listener know WHAT’S IN IT FOR THEM.
Listeners have literally thousands of other podcasts just like yours to choose from. Don’t lose a download because you have nondescript or vague episode titles.
4. Make Engaging Audio Intros for Each Episode
There’s nothing worse for a listener than downloading an episode from a newly-discovered podcast and not getting some sort of introduction to the host, topic, or format.
A lot of shows are heavy on co-host banter. Many solo shows go on and on with ads and personal updates.
While this information might be interesting and valuable to your loyal listeners and subscribers, this type of intro has the opposite effect on listeners who have just found your show.
And if you’re trying to grow your audience, you need to consider brand new listeners.
Assume that you need to introduce yourself to a new listener at the beginning of every single episode. This can be scripted, or even pre-recorded.
Once you’ve presented your show name and who you are (10 seconds, at MOST), you can quickly give a little intro to that specific episode’s topic. This helps engage both new and loyal listeners.
After the intro, you can go into your banter. If a listener (new or a long-time subscriber) doesn’t like the chit-chat, they at least know what’s coming up in the episode, so they can skip ahead.
5. Distribute Your Show on Multiple Podcast Apps
If you want to have your podcast found and downloaded, you’ve got to make it available in as many places as possible.
People are creatures of habit. We do things without even realizing it, or giving it much thought. We also love the comfort of knowing how something works, like technology.
The result is that most people listen to podcasts on the same podcast player/app all the time.
Platforms that help you create podcasts (Anchor, Spreaker, Podbean, etc.) usually offer “one- click distribution”, an easy way to help you submit your podcast to the big guys like Apple Podcast and Google Play.
But this type of distribution is only the tip of the iceberg, and is limited by the platform’s ability to partner with players and networks.
Don’t let yourself be limited by the platform’s partnerships. The truth is, you can easily submit your podcast to just about every player out there, AND YOU SHOULD.
Most podcast creation platforms will even provide the instructions for you to manually submit your podcast to other players. And when in doubt, GOOGLE IT.
Bonus: Create a Dedicated Podcast Website
I’ve written a whole blog post about why you should have a dedicated website for your podcast.
Creating a podcast website is extra work, and it’s not free. But the benefits are worth the effort, and you don’t have to get fancy.
Get Your Copy of The Must-Haves for a Successful Podcast eBook
All this advice is easier said than done, and it can be tough to know if you’re even doing it right!
That’s why my Must-Haves for a Successful Podcast ebook gives specific advice about how to do each of the above steps (including the podcast website). I also provide examples of podcasts that are doing these things right, so that you can follow their lead.
My goal is to help you get more downloads and loyal listeners (subscribers, baby!), so grab your copy of the ebook now and start implementing these ideas to get more podcast downloads.
When you order the ebook, I’ll also send you my Podcast Episode Planning Guide, which is full of seasonal and timely ideas you can use to keep cranking out podcast episodes that your listeners will love.
