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When starting a podcast adventure, you often find yourself in the middle of learning many new skills. Like plenty of other online content creators, we are our directors, editors, but also our public relations managers.

Communication is a subject that is often put aside, but that will do wonders in the life of our podcasts.

This is #4 in a series of articles dedicated to how to start your podcast adventure. To learn more, read let’s talk #1 hardware, #2 software, and #3 file format.

 

What is communication when it comes to podcasting?

 

The term communication covers the skills related to the action of communicating a message to someone, a term that we tend to confuse with marketing which refers to the implementation of techniques to sell something.

When we talk about communication in the podcasting world, we often think about how to bring your podcast to a larger audience or to share your passion with even more people.

One thing you should not forget is that making a podcast is already doing communication! Producing a podcast on a specific topic is transmitting a message to an audience. Moreover, if the tendency these last years was to create a podcast and then look for increasing your audience, the recent evolution shows the opposite tendency: creating a podcast to promote your services or your company.

 

I don't know anything about this, what do I do?

 

If all-in-one strategies are often to be avoided when working on your podcast communication, there are some basic tips that everyone can try out. These tips are aimed at total beginners or podcasters lacking time to invest in their communication.

 

The social media to focus on: X (Twitter)

 

There are a lot of podcasters out there and they will become your best listeners because we are the first ones on the look for a new podcast to listen to! It will also allow you to develop your network and meet people who will understand the interrogations and problems you might have.

Moreover, it is currently the easiest social media to get your hands dirty with - because it is not based on visuals and will therefore be much less time-consuming in your life as a podcaster. If you feel comfortable with social media, you should look for the platform where your public is already present - more tips on this topic in our strategy part of this article.

 

What should I post?

 

- announce the release of your episodes and once is enough, no need to overpost on this topic.
- add variety to your posts! No one wants to follow an account only publishing release announcements. Do you like reading ads all day long? Neither do the people who open social media! Share relevant information on your topic, and other interesting podcasts...Post what you would like to read. You can also make general announcements, calls for participation, and ask questions to your followers to extend your podcast life.
- interact with other podcasters or users, but not advertise yourself! Again, do you like getting cold calls? Discuss, discover, share: develop your personality, people will follow you for who you are. Another tip, stop jumping at the chance to promote your podcast when someone asks for a podcast recommendation - your audience will do it for you and it will have much more impact.

 

What about Instagram? And TikTok?

 

Instagram and TikTok are both visual-centric social media applications. If you don't master the platform, it seems pointless to invest in them. For a beginner, we recommend starting with X (Twitter) instead and then moving on to take the time to learn how to post and interact on other platforms.

If you're already comfortable with your X (Twitter) presence, we recommend looking into TikTok first, given the very rapid growth you can see for creators on that platform - as Instagram has become very severe lately. Plus, you can recycle your TikTok content on Instagram very easily!

Want to go further? Okay, let's go!

 

Developing a communication strategy: questions to ask yourself before you start

 

A communication strategy is a plan that you will follow, and that you must always keep in mind when you communicate. There are 5 questions to ask yourself when writing it, which we will illustrate with 3 examples:

 

The 5 Ws: Why, What, Who, Where, and When

 

Example #1 - General public podcast: personal development using sports

Why: why I want to communicate, for what purpose
Stand out. Personal development is a hot topic right now, so you'll need to find your own specificities and communicate them to find your audience.

What: what is the message I want to communicate
"This is why my podcast is different" and not "better", which is a pitfall to avoid unless you want to sound full of yourself.

Who: who is my target, to whom do I want to communicate this message
Athletes who are looking to feel better, not to perform. People looking for advice on how to relax and meditate using exercise.

Where: where will I communicate this message, and on which platform
Answering the previous questions will help you find this answer! You are more likely to find your audience on platforms like Instagram or TikTok. Why? Because they will be looking for sports exercises to replicate! The visual format will be much better for communication. In this case, using video or photo support will make a nice addition to your episodes. Exploring the newsletter format can also be a very interesting alternative.

When: when will I communicate, at what time, and how often
Communication on the networks will feed your podcast... Between your podcast episodes. For photos or videos, one post per week is recommended.


Example #2 - Niche podcast: Korean pop music groups

Why: why I want to communicate, for what purpose
Find your audience. A niche topic means a smaller audience - but also one that is looking for content on their favorite topic!

What: what is the message I want to communicate
"You're not the only one who loves this topic! Let's talk about it together?" Niche topics allow people to share, and that's one of the wonders of the podcasting world.

Who: who is my target, to whom do I want to communicate this message
Korean music lovers, Korean pop-culture fans, people curious about Asian culture... And yes, niche topics also cross worlds. Always remember to open your horizon... and others’ one too.

Where: where will I communicate this message, and on which platform
Quite regularly, Korean groups or members' names will pop up on X (Twitter) Trends: a first lead! Each niche has its preferred platforms: if forums were the place to be a few years ago for Asian culture, Discords have taken the space. Depending on your niche, it may be a good idea to look at Reddit, Telegram, and forums... Find the place, you will have your preferred platform.

When: when will I communicate, at what time, and how often
On a niche podcast, it is advisable to communicate several times a week by relaying activities happening in the niche. Niche fans often frequent several niches at the same time: Korean music audiences, Korean drama, or Japanese culture are often interconnected, another way to talk about related topics that might interest your audience.


Example #3 - Social podcast: open communication on toxicity inside families

Why: why I want to communicate, for what purpose
Bring the message to even more people and help as many as possible, grow your audience but smartly.

What: what is the message I want to communicate
"You're not alone and we can help you", "let's create a support network". You know your topic, you know its sensible points and you know the faux pas to avoid.

Who: who is my target, to whom do I want to communicate this message
People who recognize themselves in this experience, who want to help a loved one, people who are sensitive to the struggles of our society, and who want to become allies.

Where: where will I communicate this message, and on which platform
Again, the previous answers will guide you a lot. In a podcast with a social goal, your best allies are people who are also involved in social struggles, and word of mouth. If the latter helps for all types of podcasts, it is particularly strong for social or societal podcasts. Do not hesitate to solicit your direct entourage or use your private networks to increase your reach.
For this topic, Facebook groups are a lead to explore: it’s where people speak and help each other in closed groups, therefore protected.

When: when will I communicate, at what time, and how often
While there may be a tendency to want to communicate a lot to help as many people as possible as quickly as possible, it is important to practice sobriety to avoid hurting listeners' feelings but also to avoid looking too "professional". Even if it may seem paradoxical, too much communication can tend to dehumanize a concept. Relay initiatives, good news for a maximum of 4 times a week.

 

Common mistakes to avoid

 

Spreading yourself too thin

 

People tend to want to use as many communication platforms as possible. However, if you haven't mastered a platform, it's better not to venture out too quickly.

 

Not putting yourself in the shoes of your typical listener

 

You're making a podcast on a topic you know or love: you're your typical listener! The best way to know where and how to communicate is to remember, where would you have liked to find this podcast before you created it? Where were you getting your information from?

 

Taking too much inspiration from others or applying strategies without adaptation

 

The podcast is a communication medium and there are hundreds, if not thousands of different topics treated! The direct consequence is that there are hundreds or even thousands of different communication strategies possible. Beware of ready-made plans or advice on which network to invest in, what kind of visuals or messages to produce... They are unlikely to be specifically focused on your topic and audience.

 

Looking at the numbers

 

"But if more people are listening to my podcast/following me, it means that my podcast is growing?" Yes, but no. Numbers alone are not enough, as in many fields it's quality that you should be looking for, not quantity.

A "quality" audience is again not a dirty word, but rather it is the audience you are creating your podcast for. Growing for the sake of growing makes no sense if all the people listening to your podcast are not the reason you created your concept! And that quality audience is different for everyone: a close-knit community, engaged listeners, people you've helped, requests for quotes on your site...

Any other questions? We have a full team of volunteers ready to answer any of your burning interrogations. Our Discord server is also open - don’t be afraid of the French there, they’re nice and speak English too! Lastly, we also have a variety of other articles for you to browse. Cheers!

 

Some useful links

 

- Canva: https://www.canva.com/, the free version of the Canva tool can save you a lot of time when creating visuals for social media, and even your logo!
- Videopod: https://www.videopod.fr/, to help creators promote their work, we created the Videopod website. It allows you to create video excerpts or entire episodes specially designed for social media. No registration or upload is required.
- Facebook Business Manager: https://business.facebook.com/, neglected for a long time in favor of other applications for publishing on social media, the Facebook application has undergone updates that allow you to schedule posts, stories, and videos easily.
- Tweetdeck: https://tweetdeck.twitter.com/, this tool is very useful to follow trends, hashtags and therefore monitor the X (Twitter) platform, Tweetdeck also allows you to schedule tweets in advance.
- Mailchimp: https://mailchimp.com/fr/, the free version of Mailchimp allows you to easily create newsletters, a timeless way of communicating on the web.

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