More and more artists, top sportsmen and women are building an app or other private platform for their fans. In this way, they are freeing themselves from the grip of social media, where they have to pay more and more to reach their own followers. Is that the promise of the future?
In this article, we share some insights on the subject and maybe give you some food for thought ;)...
Reaching and keeping your podcast followers
Spotify is a great place to get people to your podcast and gain followers, but it is also good to remember your own platform.
Social media are a great way to attract audiences to your podcasts. But it is clear that in the jungle of algorithms and ads, it is costing more and more money to use these marketing tools as effectively as possible.
So don't be blinded by all the social media and use them cleverly to direct your audience to your own platform. The Financial Times also wrote about this and said the following:
Reaching followers becomes more expensive and difficult due to the constantly changing algorithms of social media
Building their own "clubhouse" is preferred by big stars. There, their fans can reach them directly.
Many big stars use their own platform or app to reach their followers directly and have all the data at their disposal.
And that gives food for thought...
Podcast followers for your own platform
You can get your followers to like your platform through social media, in face-to-face conversations, but also, for example, through your newsletter. Above all, offer as many ways as possible to subscribe to your podcast and So choose a multimedia deployment.
On your own platform, you can give followers the feeling of being part of your community by, for example, treating them to extra exclusive episodes, promising to be the first to receive updates, or offering other fun extras. As long as it is appropriate for your medium and the content.
This could be the bonus that a follower misses out on if they only follow your podcast on Spotify, for example. Your podcasts on Spotify are a great way to make your listeners aware of this opportunity for exclusive content.
You're in control!
Of course you want to be found on all relevant platforms, but when you start your podcast, think about how you can reach your followers directly. And how you can have more control over them.
After all, social media such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify are primarily geared towards advertisers rather than users. That gives these media an enormous strength.
It is not easy to reach your followers directly. By paying for them through ads, you may be able to reach more people, but even that is not in your full control.
By gathering followers through your platform, you take the reins more into your own hands.
The best of both worlds
Spotify is and will remain an important platform to make your podcast visible, so it's a great platform to distribute your podcast. But make it as attractive as possible for your listeners to join your community by leading them to your own content platform.
Ultimately, that is the place where you yourself can build a long-term relationship with your audience.
