The summer period is an excellent time to take a break from your podcast. Recharge, enjoy the sun in a place where you feel completely free, you know the drill.
#1 Dive into your figures
Figures are important for entrepreneurs, we all know that. And you make a podcast for a reason. You want to tell your story. But how do you know if you're on the right track? And what do the numbers really mean?
Downloads in perspective
How many listeners does your podcast attract? 100? 1000? 10.000? 100.000? Know that listening time is much more important than how many people download your podcast. It's better to have 100 listeners who listen to your entire episode than 1000 who drop out after a few minutes.
In our Advanced Analytics Suite You will gain insight into the listening behaviour of your listeners. Think for example of the following statistics:
- number of downloads
- clicks on call-to-action ads
- where people drop out
- where people pause
- where people skip or re-listen
- Where people mute or unmute
- most listened to days and times
- Which devices are being listened to
Use this data to see what would be a good time to publish your episodes. Or to analyse why listeners drop out, skip, listen back, click on call-to-action ads. What is the content at those moments? And does it satisfy the listener?
#2 Boost your marketing
Whether you attract a huge number of listeners or not, there is always room for a larger audience. There are various ingredients for a successful podcast. We list them again for you.
Make sure you always publish your episodes at the same time. Choose a fixed time and a fixed day: for example, every day, every week or every fortnight.
This is your first impression on your potential listener. Keep your description short, but powerful. Describe the main focus of your show or episode. And use words that help with SEO (Search Engine Optimization), so that search engines know how to find you.
Research shows that listeners decide within a minute whether they like your podcast or not. So make sure you have a catchy intro so your listeners immediately know what they're in for.
The same goes for your outro. Keep it short, because listeners will be turned off by long endings. As for the content of your podcast, remove unnecessary repetition and keep your content fresh and interesting. Research shows that boring content is quickly skipped.
Social media is of course the medium for promoting your podcast. You can do this once, but you will achieve more if you do it more often.
- Tease a catchy snippet just before the release of your episode (e.g. one or two days before the release date)
- Share a new clip on the day of publication. Include a link to your podcast so your potential audience doesn't have to search for it themselves.
- Share a new excerpt with a link a few days after the release of your new episode.
Make sure the excerpts are so catchy that your potential listener wants to know how it ends. End with a question, for example, or stop your fragment at a point where it is not clear how it will continue. This increases the chance that people will listen.
With our feature Springs It is very easy to make a video teaser of your audio. You read here which subscription you need to make a Spring.
Research shows that long-running podcasts do better than shows with only a few episodes. So keep podcasting! You can number your episodes indefinitely, but you can also work with seasons.
#3 Know your target group
Before you start podcasting at all, it is important that you know who you are making your podcast for. Immerse yourself in the world of your audience. Where is the need? There are several ways to research this.
#4 And listen to that too
Did you know that listening is just as important as talking? In fact, listening makes you a better storyteller.
Here's why:
- INSPIRE
Stories inspire. By listening to the people around you, you get inspiration for new stories. These can be people in your immediate surroundings, but also complete strangers whose conversation you catch on your train journey, your cup of coffee or walk. Or, in this case, during your holiday 😉 .
- EXPAND
You attract a larger audience. For whom are you making your podcast? Why? What do they want? Answer these questions before you start podcasting. Your show will be better if you listen to your audience. We gave you some tools above to help you find the answers to these questions.
- EXCEL
Your conversation will be better. Listen to your guest(s). But really listen. The best interviewers are those who listen to their guest and tailor their questions accordingly. Good preparation lays a solid foundation for a good interview. But only when you listen and anticipate your guest's answers will your interview be even better. Tips for a good interview can be found at here.
So podcaster: practice the art of listening.
#5 Get your rest
Because let's be honest: the phenomenon of holidays exists for a reason. We need to press the pause button once in a while. To take a break from all the hustle and bustle. Chances are that from that rest beautiful (podcast) ideas will arise. After all, change of food makes you eat.
So let all this sink in as you lie on a beach chair on the Spanish coast, enjoying the sun's rays on your face. Or when you look out over the mountains, take a stroll through a beautiful city, or enjoy an evening drink under the clear starry sky.
Who knows, you might get inspired to take your podcast to the next level after your holiday. And if you have any questions: we're always happy to help!
Happy podcasting
In this article we gave you five checks for your podcast show. Use them this summer to see where there is still room for your podcast. That way you'll start a new season strong. Keep an eye on our blog page, because even in the summer we'll keep you informed with handy podcasting tips & tricks.
For now, have a very nice summer and of course: happy podcasting!
