Most people already have a preferred app or platform to get their podcast fix. These are sometimes referred to as “Podcatchers”.

One of your jobs as a creator is to make sure you meet your audience where they are. So, you might be asking, “Where should I submit my podcast?”

The good news is… you’ve come to the right place. With a couple of clicks, I’ll help you list your show in podcast directories and apps you didn’t even know existed. Let’s get into it.

Quick-Start Podcast Distribution

If you’re short on time and just looking to get started as quickly as possible, here’s the thing. Submitting your show to Apple (which I cover in more depth below) means you’ll automatically appear in most other places podcasts are consumed.

Then, take another moment to submit your podcast to Spotify. Hosting giant Buzzsprout shows Spotify as the number-two place where podcasts are consumed.

Having your podcast on Apple and Spotify will cover around 58% of the listening market, and remember, your Apple listing gets you into a load of smaller apps, too.

That’s the bulk of the work done already. Easy, eh?

So, in summary, do a soft launch of your podcast by publishing a trailer or Episode Zero. This gives you the “one published episode” podcast directories require before you can submit to them. Then, tell Apple and Spotify about it.

Bookmark this Best Podcast Directory List guide to come back to once the dust has settled. There are still a few gaps to fill in where you can list your podcast.

Of course, if you’re ready to learn more about them right now, then read on…

Podcast Distribution Must-Knows

Just in case this isn’t quite clear yet, let’s make sure we understand how it all ties together. There are two stages to podcast distribution, and some clarity might be needed if you’re totally new to it all:

1. YOU upload your episode files to a podcast hosting platform. That’s where they’re stored on the web.
2. YOU, with the help of your hosting platform, register your podcast with the directories, apps, and platforms where podcasts are found.
3. Those apps and directories handle distribution, while your host handles delivery.

Think of your hosting platform as the central hub where you upload your content, and the following apps and directories as the places where it can be discovered and consumed.

And the good news is that submitting your podcast to directories or apps is a one-time process. Once it’s done, all of your episodes will appear in them automatically, so you only ever need to upload content to your hosting provider.

Best Podcast Directory, App, & Podcatcher List for Maximum Distribution

So now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s get that podcast distributed far and wide…

1. Apple Podcasts

Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes) is and has always been one of the top podcasting platforms. Most podcasters see the bulk of their downloads coming via Apple.

To submit to Apple Podcasts, you need to go through the Apple Podcast Connect system and navigate to My Podcasts.

You can find a full guide on how to get into Apple Podcasts / iTunes here.

Being listed in Apple Podcasts also gets you into Overcast, Podcast Addict, Castbox, and many, many more by default. If you’re serious about your podcast, submitting to Apple is ESSENTIAL.

2. Spotify

Spotify are another major player in podcasting, accounting for around 24% of overall consumption.

One of Spotify’s strengths is that you can use it to host your podcast. They also offer their podcast hosting service for free, which makes it appealing to zero-budget and dabbling hobbyist podcasters.

Spotify for Podcasters was recently rebranded as Spotify for Creators. You can log in here to submit podcasts hosted elsewhere or upload content directly to Spotify via its hosting and distribution tools.

Spotify is really pushing video podcasting right now, and if you have a visual component to your podcast, then it’s a good place to publish those, alongside YouTube.

Here’s our full guide on how to get your podcast on Spotify

3. YouTube

Video streaming giant YouTube supports podcasting, even if you don’t record a video element for your show.

Assuming you already have a YouTube/Google account, go to YouTube Studio and click the ‘create’ button in the top right corner. Then, select ‘New Podcast’. You’ll see three options:

1. Create a new podcast
2. Set an existing playlist as a podcast
3. Submit RSS feed

Submitting the RSS feed of your audio-only podcast means new episodes will be published to YouTube with static image backgrounds of your cover art as the “video”. Some hosting providers (Transistor, RedCircle, Libsyn) also have dedicated tools for publishing episodes to YouTube in this manner.

You can mark any YouTube playlist to be categorised as “a podcast”, and you can set any YouTube-uploaded content to be marked as episodes within that podcast, too.

Check out our full guide on how to put a podcast on YouTube for more details.

4. Amazon/Audible

Amazon has its finger in every pie, and podcasts are no exception. Amazon, along with its audiobook wing Audible, is becoming an increasingly popular place to find and listen to podcasts.

The process here is pretty simple. In fact, if your podcast has been around for a while, it’s probably already in there.

Nevertheless, you can still ‘claim’ your show on Amazon to access analytics and verify ownership. To do this, head over to podcasters.amazon.com and click “Add or Claim Your Podcast”.

5. iHeartRadio

The iHeartRadio app has more than 188 million registered users and can be accessed across 500+ platforms and over 2,000 connected devices, including smartphones, smart speakers, tablets, gaming consoles, TVs, wearables, virtual assistants, and in-car systems.

If your podcast already exists in Apple Podcasts, it’s likely already showing on iHeartRadio, but there’s no harm in making sure. Here’s where you can check the directory, and if it isn’t there, here’s where to submit.

6. The Podcast Index

The Podcast Index is an open-source podcast directory. This means that anyone can add to it, much like Wikipedia. As of May 2026, it is well over four and a half million podcasts big. And it’s growing fast.

The good news is that your show is probably showing here already, but if, for some reason, it isn’t, you can email them at info@podcastindex.org

Here’s our full guide on how to submit your podcast to The Podcast Index.

7. Pandora

Pandora is one of the biggest audio streaming platforms in the US and has steadily expanded its podcast offering over the past few years. Though it isn’t as dominant in podcasting as Apple or Spotify, it still has a sizeable listener base and is worth submitting to, especially if you’re targeting a US audience.

Unlike many podcast apps, Pandora has historically been a bit more selective about the shows it accepts. Nowadays, though, the submission process is much more straightforward, and many hosting providers can distribute there automatically.

If your podcast isn’t already listed, you can submit it through Simplecast Creator Connect.

8. Deezer

Deezer is a music streaming platform with podcast support built-in. It’s particularly popular in parts of Europe, Latin America, and France, and while it probably won’t drive huge download numbers for most podcasters, it’s another useful place to have your show indexed.

Submitting to Deezer is simple. If your podcast is already listed in Apple Podcasts or other major directories, there’s a good chance Deezer has already picked it up automatically. If not, you can submit your RSS feed directly through Deezer Podcasters.

9. TuneIn

You can now get your podcast on TuneIn again, Podnews reported in April 2026. In the past, TuneIn maintained a rather archaic manual submission process and possibly buckled under the strain in mid-2024. But there’s now an ‘Add a Podcast’ option in their Broadcaster Portal, making it another worthwhile place to check your show is listed!

10. What About Stitcher & Google Podcasts?

Imagine podcast distribution as a High Street or shopping centre. Some places are busy, thriving hubs, but you’ll see the odd boarded-up store here and there.

Stitcher

The once-mighty Stitcher formerly occupied second place in this list, with a share of around 5% of total podcast downloads. Sadly, the platform faded in recent years and was closed for good in August 2023.

Google Podcasts

Google Podcasts was one of Google’s half-hearted forays into podcast distribution, but the platform was a damp squib and suffered a fairly drawn-out closure between mid-2023 and 2024. It’s safe to say Google’s podcasting eggs are now firmly in the YouTube basket.

Podcast Distribution Is a One-Off, Podcast Creation Isn’t

With its recording, production, and hosting tools, Alitu brings everything you need to capture, edit, and publish your podcast into one place.

It automatically cleans up your audio and balances levels, offers instant filler-word removal, and allows you to edit audio or video simply by editing the transcript text.

Sound like a fit? Try it free for seven days and see how it works for you.

It’s a good idea to create a short promo trailer for your podcast for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, you can embed it on the front page of your website. That way, everyone who lands on your site can get an immediate taster of your content without the need to jump through any hoops.

Secondly, your trailer can be featured and played on other shows. There are entire podcasts dedicated to playing trailers. But a more effective and targeted approach would be a ‘trailer swap’ agreement between you and another podcast to promote each other to your respective audiences.

Podcast trailer example: Hostile Worlds

Having your trailer easily accessible means you might get promoted without even being aware of it, too. If another podcaster likes your work, they can download the audio and play it on their show.

The only potential downside of having a promo trailer is having a bad one. But of course, after reading this guide, that isn’t going to happen.

Let’s kick things off with a few frequently asked questions about podcast trailers.

How Long Should a Promo Trailer Be?

So the infamous podcasting “it depends” answer isn’t just as wide open here.

I’d say that having two versions of your trailer, one at 30 seconds and one at 60 seconds, will cover most bases.

If you submit a trailer to a particular podcast, they will likely have their own criteria. For example, Libsyn’s The Feed always asked for no longer than 30 seconds.

The bottom line is that trailers are pretty short, and the seconds tick by quickly. So, how do you make the most of the time you have to grab the attention of potential listeners?

What Goes in My Podcast Trailer?

You’ve always got creative license in podcasting, but there are some bare essentials here. These may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many trailers leave some of this stuff out.

The Name of Your Podcast

Yeah, you’ll want to include that…

If you don’t have one yet, check out our ultimate guide to podcast names.

What’s It About, & Who’s It For?

Don’t rely on the name of your show to tell people this valuable info. Tell them yourself. You can nail this down to a sentence or two.

A popular approach is to open with a question, like, “Are you a ___ who struggles with ___? Then join us on the ___ podcast where we help you ___.”

Or “Have you ever wondered about ___?, or what about ___? Well, these are just two of the topics you’ll find us discussing each week on the ___ podcast.”

Make sure your target audience knows this is the show for them, and that people who aren’t your target audience know that it isn’t for them.

For a deeper dive, check out Who is your podcast for?

Where to Send Them

Don’t say things like “Look us up on Facebook”, “Find us in Apple Podcasts”, or “Search YouTube for…” This is totally redundant and a waste of valuable space.

“Find us wherever you get your podcasts” is a succinct and elegant way to let the listener know you’ll meet them where they already are.

If you’re sending them to your website, it’s good practice to have a “Subscribe and Follow” page with links to all the places your show can be found.

If you don’t have a podcast website yet, check out Podpage, which can get you up and running with a great site in a few minutes (no technical knowledge needed).

The Creative Bit: Tone & Personality

So, provided you’ve got the essential details, we don’t want this to be a rigid formula that leaves every promo trailer sounding the same.

Powered by RedCircle

You want yours to sound unique, and that means getting creative. That’s a challenge with so little time available. But you wouldn’t be podcasting at all if you didn’t have a creative streak. You’ll manage!

Your promo trailer will be the first impression of your show for most of the folks who hear it, so you want to set the mood right up front. For example, if you cover your topic in a lighthearted or comedic way, how can you convey that succinctly?

Your audio quality (as well as any music or sound effects you use) will all filter into this just as much as what you actually say, too. If you run a highly-produced series, or pride yourself on your production values, be sure to demonstrate that in your trailer.

Publishing Your Podcast Trailer

When uploading your promo trailer to your podcast feed, it’s a good idea to backdate it to a date before your first episode. That way, it’ll keep your feed tidy and is easily found. 

With that said, many hosting providers now provide dedicated “trailer” tags to help identify them from standard episodes, and some directories and apps recognise these, too.

Once you’ve uploaded your trailer, embed it on your website’s home or “about” page. You can also embed it anywhere else on the site you think might be useful.

If you’re looking for podcasts to run a trailer swap with, check out Rephonic’s Podcast Audience Graph to find shows with an overlapping target audience.

How to Add Your Podcast Trailer to Spotify

A large chunk of podcast consumption (around 24%, in fact) takes place on Spotify. And, Spotify has a quick and easy way to set your podcast trailer on the platform.

Log in to your Spotify for Creators account, go to settings, and you’ll find a ‘select your trailer’ button. This means that any new listeners who find your show on Spotify will see your trailer right away. Hopefully, that will win them over to try a full episode afterwards!

How to Create a Podcast Trailer: Anything to Avoid?

I’ve already mentioned the “find us in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Overcast…” thing as a no-no. So, are there any other things you might want to leave out?

Explicit Language

Alright, I’m not saying don’t have explicit language if it’s integral to your show’s mood or tone. But do consider that it might limit where your trailer will get played.

If you absolutely do need an explicit trailer, you might consider making an alternative clean version, too.

Asking For Stuff

The only thing you want to ask people to do here is to listen to your podcast.

I’ve heard a couple of promo trailers over the years that have managed to squeeze in requests for Apple Podcasts reviews and Patreon support. That’s something you can talk to your actual listeners about, not your potential listeners.

Your trailer should be all about them, and what they’ll get from listening.

Podcast Trailer Resources & Next Steps

Still feel like you need a helping hand getting started? Our free Alitu Showplanner will generate a first draft of a podcast trailer script for you. You don’t even need to log in to use it.

Of course, making a trailer is just one tiny part of the podcast creation process. And if that process seems overwhelming or intimidating, then you might fancy trying an all-in-one podcast maker tool like Alitu.

Alitu brings everything you need to record, edit, and publish your podcast into one place.

It automatically cleans up your audio and balances levels, offers instant filler-word removal, and allows you to edit audio or video simply by editing the transcript text.

Sound like a fit? Try it free for seven days and see how it works for you.

A List of Podcast Awards and Competitions in 2026

Podcast award deadlines pop up and change pretty often, so things can move fast. We’ll keep this list as up to date as we can, but it’s always worth double-checking the links we’ve included to get the latest info straight from the source.

The Ambies: The Awards for Excellence in Audio

The Ambies are the award effort of The Podcast Academy, whose “mission is to support podcast makers and advance the cultural merit of the medium.”

“Through programs including The Ambies, we celebrate, inspire, and connect creators from around the world, while attracting new audiences to their work.”

• Fee: Early submissions start from $150
• Deadline: The 2026 Ambies submission period ran from August through November, 2025. Stay tuned for next summer’s entry period.

The Audio Production Awards

Recognizing and celebrating outstanding achievements in Audio production. The Audio Production Awards are open to all: from freelancers to those working at production companies, with brands or broadcasters, independently, or in any form of audio (which includes podcasts, radio, audiobooks, and more).

• Fee: TBA. In 2025, fees ranged from £45+VAT to £65+VAT. Audio UK members get a discount. 
• Deadline: TBA. Typically, the APA’s submission window is in the summer. 

The Austin Film Festival Script Competition

A favorite among audio drama and fiction podcasters, applying to The Austin Film Festival Script Competition includes the opportunity to get reader feedback on your script. Yes, it’s an additional fee, but few (if any) competitions provide this service. Additionally, attendees of the Austin Film Festival speak highly of the panels, workshops, and other educational opportunities.

• Fees: $40-$50
• Deadlines: Early Bird, March 26, Regular Deadline, April 24, Late Deadline, May 27, 2026.

The Gracies

The Gracies are international awards for or about women in television, radio, and digital media. They have select categories for non-English programmes and creators, with English transcripts required. 

• Fees: Range from $75 to $325. 
• Deadline: January 22, 2026.

The Independent Podcast Awards

The Independent Podcast Awards “were launched for those podcasts that are truly free of corporate ties. If you create a podcast but don’t think you have a chance of winning an award against some of the bigger players, this is the place for you and your show.” 

The Independent Podcast Awards will reveal the winners at the event at Kings Place in London on the evening of Wednesday, the 23rd of October. 

• Fees: £35 for your first entry, and subsequent entries cost £5 each.
• Deadline: 5th June, 2026.

The International Women’s Podcast Awards

The International Women’s Podcast Awards “recognize moments of brilliance in podcasting and the women and people of diverse genders that produce them.”

“Celebrate these intimate moments of podcasting brilliance and the women and non-binary folk that make them happen. The organizers [Everybody Media] don’t look at the genre your podcast is in, and we don’t care how many downloads you’ve had.”

• Fees: TBA. For 2025, the fees ranged from £30 to £65. 
• Deadline: TBA. The 2025 deadline was in March, so stay tuned. 

The New America Award

The Society of Professional Journalists’ New America Award honors public service journalism that explores and exposes issues of importance to immigrant or ethnic communities in the United States. Work from any platform is eligible.

• Fees: $40 for SPJ members, $60 for non-members
• Deadline: March 11, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET.

New Jersey Web Festival

NJ Web Fest says, “Submissions from all over the world, and from every genre, are welcome. We accept webseries, short films, pilots, trailers, music videos, narrative fiction podcasts, actual play fiction podcasts, actual play livestreams, and short scripts, so that all digital creators can experience the #JerseyMagic!”

• Fees: $62- $80, depending on category and deadline. 
• Deadlines: Early Bird, Jan 12, 2026, Regular Deadline, March 16, 2025 and June 19, 2026 is the Late deadline. 

The People’s Choice Podcast Awards

The People’s Choice Podcast Awards “is the longest-running premier podcast awards event in the podcasting space, open to shows worldwide.”

“Designed from the beginning to allow fans to show their appreciation by nominating their favorite participating shows. Culminating with a live-streamed awards show on International Podcast Day.”

• Fee: TBA. 
• Deadline: TBA. 

The Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund

This award differs from the others; it’s worth noting because it covers fees for podcasters who may not be able to afford to enter podcasting competitions. LWC Studios launched The Podcasting, Seriously Fund to support independent BIPOC, Queer and Trans audio producers in both submitting high-quality work to media/journalism awards and receiving further production education and training.

With AIR, Pacific Content, Acast, Triton Digital, and Sounds Profitable as Fund Partners, the Fund helps independent U.S., U.K., Canadian, and Australian audio professionals to submit their work to competitions and attend them. 

• Fees: None. 
• Deadline: Rolling! The Fund accepts applications year-round. 

The Pulitzer Prize for Journalism

Yes, you can apply for a Pulitzer Prize. You don’t have to be a Vanderbilt or part of a major network. The Audio Reporting category seeks “deep and revelatory reporting in the public interest” across all forms of audio storytelling, from podcasts to radio broadcasts. The application is open to independent American producers and U.S. broadcast outlets. 

• Fee: $75. 
• Deadline: January 26, 2026. 

The Signal Awards

The Signal Awards “seek to honor and celebrate the people and content that raise the bar for podcasting. Luminaries and leaders within the industry will judge Shows, Limited Series & Specials, Individual Episodes, and Branded Shows & Advertising across categories ranging from Best Innovative Audio Experience to Best TV & Film Recap.”

• Fee: $285 to $1,035
• Deadline: 8th May, 2026

T.O. Webfest

T.O. Webfest is designed to support, connect, promote, and celebrate independent content creators from Canada and worldwide. The TOWF Conference offers engaging keynotes, panels, networking sessions, web series screenings, and an Awards Gala.

This opportunity is mainly for web series, but they also want podcasts: fiction, unscripted non-fiction, and Actual Play. 

• Fees: $25- $75, depending on the genre and submission date. 
• Deadlines: The submission window opens on January 12, 2026. The Early Bird Deadline is February 28, the Regular Deadline is May 15, and the Late Deadline is June 6, 2026. 

Tribeca Audio Storytelling

Deep in the Tribeca Festival is Tribeca Podcasts. “Tribeca’s audio storytelling program is dedicated entirely to scripted content, with a focus on excellence in writing and performance.” 

• Fees: $30-$40. 
• Deadlines: The official deadline is January 14. The extended deadline is February 11. 

The U.K. International Radio Drama Festival 

The UK International Radio Drama Festival is based in Canterbury, Kent, and offers everyone the opportunity to celebrate radio drama through open access to live listening sessions, in person and online. Organised by International Arts Partnership, the festival aims to bring diverse work from across the world, introducing a UK audience to the European tradition of audio drama, often anchored in soundscape, whilst celebrating our own more text-based tradition. 

• Fees: None! 
• Deadline: 17 January, 2026.

The Whickers Podcast Pitch Competition

The Podcast Pitch follows the growing global trend towards solo, episodic listening to factual audio on the move. Single-episode proposals will also be considered. The application is open to all independent podcast makers who fulfill the application’s core criteria.

The Podcast Pitch is a joint initiative with Sheffield DocFest. The Whickers are giving the winner a £15,000 production award and £5,000 to the runner-up. Six finalists will also receive a free pass to the Sheffield Documentary Festival in June 2025, two nights of accommodation, a contribution of up to £400 per project toward their travel expenses, and access to top industry professionals and commissioners of the audio world.

• Fees: “There is no entry fee, but any form with uncompleted obligatory fields will be automatically disqualified.”
• Deadline: 27th February 2026 (23:59 GMT) 

The British Podcast Awards

The British Podcast Awards celebrate excellence across the UK podcasting industry, recognising outstanding shows, individual talent, and innovative audio storytelling. Open to both independent creators and major networks, the awards span a wide range of categories, from comedy and true crime to branded content and specialist topics, making them one of the most influential podcast awards globally.

• Fees: First deadline £210+VAT, extension price £330+VAT.
• Deadline: First deadline, 30th April, extension deadline, 21st May.

So, SHOULD I Enter a Podcast Award?

Without a doubt, winning a podcast award or competition feels good. And, of course, it can help you promote your show. But not all podcast awards and competitions are alike. Some aren’t necessarily rewarding. In this article, I’ll show you how to evaluate podcast awards and competitions, how to apply to them, and how to get the most out of the contest, whether you win or not.

What Makes an Award Rewarding?

Because podcasting is so new, there’s little precedent for what makes a podcast award or competition either prestigious or beneficial. As podcasters, we should take the initiative and evaluate available opportunities to determine if they’re worth the time and energy.

Chiefly, podcasters need to weigh the effort required for the application process against the benefits it’ll yield. What does the award organizer require? Is there a one-page form or a ten-page form? Do they want audio files, links to the show, or a script? What kind of fees or ticket prices are involved? There are a lot of considerations that can affect your decision-making process, and they all involve time and energy.

Eligibility 

Before entering any podcast awards or competitions, the first thing to check is whether your show is eligible.

Region or country of residence, creator demographics, podcast category, and production timeframe can all affect eligibility. If the award is annual, your podcast must have published episodes within the most recent year or season to be eligible. 

In some cases, the average independent podcaster can’t enter. A committee picks the nominations, and then either a jury or public voting determines the winners.

In other cases, your podcast must remain under wraps through the winner’s announcement. The panel judges only unpublished shows for some competitions, such as the Tribeca Festival and the Austin Film Festival’s podcast script competition. Tribeca, for example, wants to premiere the project at its Audio Storytelling festival, just as it does with its film festival. You can’t launch the show until after everyone has been notified. 

Fees and Other Costs

Another aspect to consider when exploring competitions and awards is whether they charge a fee to apply. How does the fee measure up to your other podcasting expenses? For many competitions, the earlier you submit your application, the lower your fee, and fees increase with later deadlines.

Some organizations use fees to make sure only companies with a certain income level can apply. For example, in the case ofthe 2018 Webby awards, entry fees ranged from $175 to $475 per entry. This relatively high price knocks most independent podcasters out of the competition.

Sometimes, the competition’s organizers require nominees to be present at the award ceremony to win. This sparked controversy when the British Podcasting Awards changed ticket prices for their awards ceremony, starting at £295. 

These ticket prices would make it difficult for anyone to attend unless they represented one of the corporations for whom podcasting is a side venture.  Fortunately, the BPAs saw the light and instituted a tiered pricing system to accommodate podcasting companies with more modest funding. 

The fees pay for resources to make the award or competition happen, such as a per diem for evaluators or a website. Personally, I compare a competition’s fee to my monthly media hosting expense because that number stays the same for a long time. I’m more likely to apply if the fee is equivalent to less than a month of media hosting. If the fee amounts to more than a month of hosting, I take a tough look at any possible benefit of applying. 

Is This Award a Good Fit for Your Podcast?

Podcasting awards and competitions all have different reasons for existing. Some are simply a way for a media company to promote itself. Other competitions want to aid in the discovery of new and exciting content, raise professional standards, or celebrate the medium. You need to ask yourself if this is the kind of organization you wish to associate your brand with: Do they make the kind of show you make? 

Take time to find out who or what podcasts won in the past. Do they have the same kind of resources and audience that you have? Technically, my podcast is eligible for a Peabody Award. But, most Peabody winners have full-time teams working on every aspect of production. My show doesn’t. In my case, applying for the Peabodys might not be worth it. That’s not a pejorative view of my show or the award, merely a description.

You also want to look at the prize. Is it money, production, training, or credit toward a company’s goods and services? What about the second prize or finalist level? Is this tier’s prize something that raises your podcast’s profile?

Beware of vampire award systems. Check the organization’s mission statement or “about” page. Some competitions are so new that they don’t know what podcasters really need in a prize. If they offer “exposure,” remember, you can always expose yourself.

Others are flat-out scams. Fiction writers and essayists have been targets of contest scams for much longer than podcasting has existed. Fortunately, they share valuable intel. It’s worth your time to read these cautionary resources:

• Victoria Strauss’ Awards Profiteers: How Writers Can Recognize Them and Why They Should Avoid Them,
• Anne R. Allen’s Beware Bogus Writing Contests! Look For These 8 Red Flags.

These blog posts show a lot of the tactics that people use to make and promote predatory contests to people in any creative field.

Be sure you’re not being drawn into something that costs you money and doesn’t benefit you much.

Good Reasons to Apply to a Podcast Award or Competition, Even if You Don’t Win

If the application doesn’t take time and effort away from your podcasting workflow, the fee is manageable, and if the prize helps your podcast to gain an audience, then you should apply. It’s good PR for your podcast, and deadlines are motivating. For example, applying to a competition is a great way to set yourself up to achieve a SMART goal. It never hurts to light a fire underneath your own cooking pot. Some people need deadlines to be more productive. 

If the podcast award or competition is connected to a conference or festival, applying raises the stakes for attending. You’re not just there for the show; you’re invested. Award ceremonies can help you meet new people, go places, and have interesting experiences. Despite the added expense, it can be fun.

If it inspires you to improve your work, motivates your progress, and helps you share your work with the world, it’s good. But, if the application process requires you to put more into the award or competition than you get out of it, put that time and energy into something else for your podcast.  

Second Place Isn’t a Bad Place

Moreover, even if you don’t win, you may be able to use the festival in your media kit (i.e., saying it’s a finalist or second-rounder). I have submitted scripts to the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference twice, and both were selected as finalists. Including this in any description of those scripts shows that an independent, unbiased expert gave them a seal of approval. 

High-profile competitions may have so many applications that, even if you don’t win, being a finalist is a big deal. Philip Thorne and Øystein Brager sent The Amelia Project to The Austin Film Festival in 2017 and reached the finalist level. Thorne said this experience “gave us that extra push we needed to launch our show. We learnt from some of the most innovative audio dramatists out there, workshopped our script and our pitch, and had BBQ and beers with like-minded and inspiring people.”

For Thorne and Brager, the finalist level fueled them to make The Amelia Project one of the most enduring and engaging podcasts today.

One More Great Podcasting Opportunity

All Hear, The Everything List for Audio Opportunities, is a monthly newsletter that curates and shares an exhaustive list of opportunities for audio creators. I’m not exaggerating. The master list includes grants, education, accelerators, residencies, competitions, and more. Some opportunities are national, others local, so make sure you read the fine print.

Need Help Making an Award-Winning Podcast?

Shows that win awards sound good. The people behind them are also heavily focused on the conversations they have, rather than spending hours per episode wrestling with tech.

All-in-one podcast-maker tool Alitu brings everything you need to record, edit, and publish your show into one place.

It automatically cleans up your audio and balances levels, offers instant filler-word removal, and allows you to edit audio or video simply by editing the transcript text.

Sound like a fit? Try it free for seven days and see how it works for you.

This theory applies to more than just journeys: the Peak-End Theory can help you structure your podcast calls to action so that your audience remembers them. 

Many podcasters don’t know what to do with a CTA, so they imitate the ubiquitous litany of “don’t forget to like and subscribe.” But when you construct a podcast call to action intentionally, situated in the right place in your episodes, they’ll make a lasting impression on your audience.

First, let’s start with the basics.

What is a Podcast Call to Action (CTA)?

Exactly what it says on the tin. A call to action is when you ask your audience to do something. For example:

• share the podcast episode with a friend,
• review the show on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser
• leave a comment on Spotify or YouTube
• Follow a link in the show notes to visit the podcast’s website, crowdfunding page, or social media content
• send you a message or answer a question
• And so much more!

If it feels like your audience isn’t getting in touch or your growth is stagnant, your podcast’s CTA is one area where you can make a change. 

Types of Podcast CTA

Over time, your podcast will need to do different things. Some of your podcast’s goals don’t change, and some do. As a result, you’ll need to have different kinds of podcast calls to action and treat them differently.

Primary Podcast CTA

These are the constants that drive your podcast’s goals. If your podcast were a car, this would be its fuel. These CTAs are straightforward and easily repeated. You want your audience to:

• share your show with a friend
• return for the next episode
• check out your podcast website for more information
• contact you with questions, ideas, or feedback
• review your show on their listening app of choice
• follow or subscribe on their listening app of choice

Primary podcast CTAs are practical actions that prompt audience engagement and growth on any podcast-listening app. Ultimately, you want them to return for more and bring a friend.

Primary podcast CTAs are a constant throughout your podcasting career.  Guy Raz probably says them out loud in his sleep. Seriously, treat these CTAs like water droplets on stone. Over time, they make a big difference. 

Secondary Podcast CTA

As time passes, your podcast goals will evolve. You may want your audience to take a survey, raise money for a charity, or buy some merch. Those goals are finite, and they’ll vary.

The secondary podcast CTA doesn’t benefit from long-term repetition like the primary one. You may only repeat this for three or four episodes. So, you have to dazzle with this one a bit more.

Script the bullet points of your secondary podcast CTA. If you want, you can record it as a separate audio file. Then, insert it in the editing stage, or if your media hosting service allows for dynamic content insertion, you can use it there. Of course, you can read it as you record your episode. Make sure your CTA mentions deadlines or any other relevant dates. If someone shows up to a live event you mentioned in an episode five years ago, that’s not good PR. 

Your secondary podcast CTA needs more repetition in the short term than the primary CTA. Mention your secondary CTA:

• Briefly in the intro
• With more detail at the mid-point or peak
• Briefly in the outro (perhaps with a callback to something memorable in the CTA you used at the peak). 

Bonus Podcast CTA

If there’s something extra, such as bonus content only available via a crowdfunding campaign, this is usually something you share after you’ve given the audience a lot of value. Your most loyal fans will take extra steps to obtain it, such as visiting a separate website via a link in your show notes or paying a fee.

How to Craft an Effective Podcast Call To Action

This isn’t a recipe, but these principles will make it easy to create an effective podcast call to action that your audience can act on quickly.

1. Keep Your Podcast CTA Short.

You’ve already redirected their attention away from the content they came for. Don’t be an obstacle to your episode’s ideas; Instead, craft your CTA to complement the rest of the episode briefly. 

2. Create a Sense of Urgency.

Deadlines and limits provide focus. Don’t just say, “We’re giving away stickers to anyone who takes our survey,” say, “The first ten people to take our survey get a free sticker.” This makes the audience more likely to respond quickly.

3. Describe the Benefits Right Away.

Make the benefit clear immediately, so they don’t even have to ask, “What’s in it for me?” Instead of saying, “Buy our t-shirts and support the show,” start with “I can’t believe how soft and comfortable the new t-shirts in our merch store are! You can find out for yourself by clicking the link in the show notes…”

4. Clarity and Simplicity Are Your Friends.

If you make the request too complex, the audience won’t do it. 

Practice by writing, as briefly as possible, a sentence or two that includes: 

• the benefit to the audience, 
• what you want them to do,
• How to do it, and
• Why they should follow your call to action.

For example: “You can enter to win a $50 gift card when you take our five-question survey. Just click the link in the show notes, answer a few questions, and you can shape the future of this podcast.” 

What if your podcast call to action isn’t quite that simple? Read on, my friend. 

5. Put Additional Information or Resources in the Show Notes.

You can also link the show notes to an external blog post. Particularly if your CTA is a multi-step process, such as a giveaway, contest, or survey, pointing to a blog post saves space in your show notes and time in your episode. Plus, you can use a short link with tracking data to measure the impact of your podcast CTA. Shortlinks can be created using a tool like PrettyLinks, making them much easier and more memorable to read out on air, too!

6. Ask Questions to Engage Listeners.

They’ll instinctively fill in the blank, which makes them invest more fully in your podcast call to action. 

Which of the following statements matters to you more?

• “Here’s your chance to shape the future of this podcast,” or
• “Do you want to decide what happens in the next episode?”

Did you notice I asked you a question right at the beginning of that list? You’re welcome.

Where to Position Your Calls to Action

Again, peak-end theory helps you choose where to place your call to action. Think about CTA positioning in the same way marketers approach ad placement. Typically, you have:

• Pre-Roll: Before the main topic
• Mid-Roll: During the main topic
• Post-Roll: After the main topic

Including a CTA at the beginning of the episode ensures everyone will hear it, but this means you’re asking for something without first offering any value. This might deter new listeners checking out your show for the first time, or they may skip your intro. When you put it after the intro, the audience has more to care about before you ask for a favor. 

If you put it at the very end, then there’s minimal interruption to the episode, and your most engaged listeners will hear it. But the majority may have stopped listening by then. Some podcasters include a short, humorous moment at the very end to encourage people to listen all the way through the credits and a final CTA. 

Putting it in the middle of the episode, during the main topic, is a way to ensure everyone hears it at a time when they are most engaged. However, you’ll need some nuance to weave it in and make it a relevant part of the topic, rather than an interruption. 

Once, I heard a podcast host mention he’d written a book years before and how the audience could buy it, in mid-interview. He mentioned the thinnest possible thread of relevance to connect the guest’s ideas with his call to action. I hit stop and unsubscribed immediately. Don’t be that podcaster.

Sharpen Your Podcast CTAs

Think of your podcast call to action as an invitation, and use the same creativity you’d put into the rest of your episode. Give the audience what’s good about the call right away. Keep it simple so they can take action with minimal effort. When you position your calls to action at the beginning, peak, and end of your episode, you strike a balance between giving value and asking for support. 

Treat your CTAs like you’re giving something of yourself. This way, your audience will be more likely to explore your content instead of being distracted and jumping to something else. Pick one CTA tip I’ve mentioned, and try it in your next episode. Then, reflect on the difference it makes.

Now that you feel more confident and assured about your CTAs, how about giving your podcast intro script a once-over? These two factors can be powerful when combined and can go a long way toward keeping listeners engaged, driving action, and staying tuned.

Or, if you’d like us to review your Calls to Action and give clear, honest feedback, the Four Minute Feedback tool in The Podcraft Academy is made for that.

Think of it as an appetizer sampler platter: It’s a condensed, snack-sized, flavorful version of your work that leaves listeners wanting more. 

You could turn to the latest AI tool, say, “generate my press kit material,” and call it a day. That’s fine; we have a guide to AI podcasting tools to help you evaluate which is best for your purposes.

But when you know how to construct a podcast media kit of your own from scratch, you’ll better understand why and how a good media kit works.

True, it’s added work. But whether your podcast is an income stream or a fun hobby, a media kit is worth your time and energy.

A good podcast media kit does all of the following:

• Helps listeners find and share your podcast
• Enables you to build relationships with sponsors
• Gives journalists key information for articles about your podcast
• Shows your podcast’s unique value proposition
• Persuades guests to participate in your show
• Condenses and sums up your podcast for future pitches

Bookmark this guide. I’ll cover what goes into a media kit, how to make one, and how to use it to engage audiences, sponsors, and guests. 

But first, let’s get some terminology out of the way.

What’s the Difference Between a Media Kit, a Press Kit, and a Press Release?

Media kits are like press kits, for those of us old enough to remember printing presses (hello!). But unlike press kits, which consisted of text and printed photos, media kits are more technologically sophisticated and dynamic.

Free templates in Canva or other design software make a visually stunning podcast media kit that goes far beyond what’s possible in a Word document. But we’ll get to the how-to shortly.

So, What’s a Podcast Press Release?

A press release is one part of your podcast media kit. It typically announces something newsworthy, such as the launch of a new podcast, a milestone reached, or an award.

Press releases can be effective at attracting media attention and may be the first place people learn about your show. They normally announce time-sensitive news, meaning they’re a temporary tool, whereas a media kit is a long-term tool you can use year-round.

How to Plan Your Podcast Media Kit Like a Story

So, how do you create one of these bad boys? First, draft out your thoughts. Ask yourself questions like a journalist:  take a moment to write down the What, Who, Where, Why, When, and How of your podcast. 

Jot down some short answers in your podcast planner or notebook.

What is your podcast?

This is your podcast description. One meaningful descriptive sentence is perfect.

Who is involved in your podcast?

The ‘who’ of your podcast covers two things: hosts and audience.

So yes, this means writing a short bio about you or your business, but it also means writing a short bio about your ideal listener. It may sound strange, but you need to explain who your show is intended for. For example, “Podcraft listeners are early-stage and aspiring podcasters looking to launch a show optimised to grow and monetize”.

Knowing who’s involved and who your podcast is for is, to paraphrase Rick in Casablanca, “the beginning of a beautiful relationship.”

Where is this podcast from?

Did the show grow out of a team-building workshop? Is it uniquely Minnesotan? Does it occur in an unusual environment (such as Hostile Worlds’ starship Tardigrade)? Is it recorded in an unusual place, like your home, a particular recording studio, or a van? Tell your media kit readers.

Why do you produce this podcast?

What do you want your podcast to accomplish? Do you want to teach your audience about something or share a lesser-known perspective on a subject? For example, “Hostile Worlds is designed to teach the audience about the universe in an entertaining and accessible way.” 

When is this podcast’s information relevant?

What dates are relevant in your media kit? For example, is your podcast celebrating an anniversary? If you haven’t launched yet, what’s your launch date? Do you release new episodes on the first and third weeks of the month? Do you have an important milestone, like an upcoming live podcast? Is there a date that’s important in the larger world that your podcast will promote, such as Election Day or the start of fly-fishing season?

How can people listen to your podcast and support you?

How can people listen, get in touch with you, and engage with the show? Include your podcast website URL, social media handles, email address, and RSS feed. Link to your website’s “Listen now” page: here’s an example of the “Listen now” page for Podcraft.

Our free Podcast Planner tool will help you a lot, here. It only takes a few minutes to fill out, and it’ll provide you with numerous suggestions, ideas, and inspiration for creating your podcast media kit.

How to Make Your Podcast Media Kit

Great! Now that you have drafted all these thoughts into condensed statements, let’s move on to making the building blocks of the press kit itself. 

Your media kit should include:

• A fact sheet (as a PDF, with a web page version).
• A Google Drive or Dropbox folder 
• Copies of your podcast’s art and relevant images, optimized for web and print.

Your Podcast Fact Sheet

This is where the magic happens, and you’ve already got your notes to inform this part.

No matter what kind of podcast you have, here are the building blocks of your fact sheet:

• About (your podcast’s description)
• Who’s involved
• Target audience (who is this show for)
• Contact information (you’d be surprised how many people forget this)
• How to listen

You can also add some of these, if you have them:

• Awards and accomplishments
• Measures of engagement, like how many followers you have on which social media platforms, how many downloads, or what countries your podcast has been played in
• Reviews or positive social media messages about your content
• A special episode that you recommend people listen to first.

Type the answers to these bullet points into a Word doc. Then, copy and paste the text you typed in your Word doc into the relevant spaces of your fact sheet template. It’s important to type your answers out in Word first because design software can’t pick up on spelling errors.

Adjust the colors to fit your brand and add the images you want to include.

When the sections are consistent and everything looks neat and legible, save the document as a PDF and put it in your podcast media kit folder (more on that in the next section). 

Essentially, you summarize your show and what it goes well with, then gather the images. Once you put it all together, all you’ve spent is time and patience. 

Your Podcast Media Kit Folder

Some journalists prefer to work offline and would rather have the information about your show in a format they can save to their desktop or print out and read.

Create a folder with a public link, such as a Google Drive or Dropbox zip folder. Set the permissions to view-only and test the link with a friend to make sure it’s accessible.

Bookmark this link or copy and paste it into a note on your desktop – you’ll be using it often!

You’ll also want to create a web page version of your media kit, which you can update quickly and send to interested parties. You can make this on your podcast website or use a platform like Notion.

This version of your media kit helps your SEO because search engines will index the information on the page. 

Your Podcast Art

A journalist might publish an article about your podcast in print media. If they do, they’ll want a high-resolution image to make their article stand out.

Images with a resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch) or higher are suitable for print media. Images that load quickly on screen are typically 72 dpi and may appear unclear in print. So add both a 72 dpi and 300 dpi copy of your podcast cover art or logo. 

Save your podcast art as a .png or .jpeg to your folder, with a clear name(e.g., “podcast-title-media-kit-print-july2024′), so the recipient can find it easily. Put these in your podcast media kit folder. 

Visual Media for Audio Podcasters

Podcasters need to be conscious of the visual elements of their brand. Just like when you’re adding sound effects or music to your podcast, you want to be able to find and use your visual elements quickly too.

As you build your media kit, make an image folder, adding in images you want to use. You’ll also want to type up a note with the following information: 

• Your brand colors and their hex codes, for consistency
• Your brand fonts.

Put this folder on your desktop, along with your logo and podcast art files. Name it “[your podcast title] visual assets.” You can pull from this folder as you work on your fact sheet.

Here’s a deeper dive into creating artwork and logos for your podcast, too!

Should My Podcast Media Kit Have Links? 

Yes. It doesn’t matter if the recipient’s going to print the podcast media kit or not – they can still click on the links to get more information. Always link to your podcast website’s “listen now” page in your media kit, as well as to your podcast’s social media profiles. Just be sure to type out URLs and handles rather than hyperlinking them so they’re clear to anyone reading it away from the screen.

Additional Content

Over time, you’ll gather new assets to add to the folder. When publications write about your podcast, you’ll want that text in your press kit.  Transcripts, press releases, photos, and updates can also be included in your podcasting press kit.

Hubspot has some really cool free business templates to help you populate your folder with things like advertising proposals, event proposal outlines, and mind maps.

Make sure these items have clear dates and file names so that journalists can use the most up-to-date information.

Podcast Media Kit Templates: Know Your Audience & Niche

When I first started exploring media kits in Canva, the variety and panache of the layouts were staggering. But don’t just pick whatever template seems the boldest or attention-grabbing – be sure your template suits the answers to the questions you initially asked.

You want a template that accurately conveys the mood of your podcast. Consider your podcast niche and audience when selecting one. For example, if accessibility is important to your niche, Canva offers dyslexia-friendly fonts.

You also want to think about content. If your media kit focuses on reviews and descriptions, you may want a template with more text boxes. A template with more image spaces would fit a podcast that needs images (such as a fashion or woodworking podcast). 

What To Do With Your Podcast Media Kit

Once you’re happy with your podcast media kit, upload the folder to Google Drive or Dropbox. Make sure it’s publicly accessible but view-only. You can then link to it from other places, like on your website or in your show notes.

Typically, podcast websites have an “About” page, since most users don’t think a media kit applies to them. But the “About” page can repeat all the information from your fact sheet.

Link to your media kit when promoting your podcast to potential audiences, such as newsletter editors, journalists, sponsors, and other relevant contacts. You can even put the link in your email signature to save time.

When you invite guests to your podcast, share the media kit with them. A fact sheet describing past guests goes a long way toward securing that one fantastic star for your show.

Your podcast media kit shows them what to expect, how to prepare, and what your show can do for them.

Keep it short and positive, and they’ll be more likely to show up on time, prepared, and confident. 

Podcast Media Kit Examples

Here are some examples of podcast media kits that have caught my eye over the years.

Girl in Space’s press kit page uses bright colors and a Q&A layout to enlighten new audiences about this sci-fi mystery audio drama. Creator Sarah Rhea Werner includes a link to a Dropbox folder near the top of the page.

Civics 101 de-mystifies how the American government works, and its press kit’s clarity reflects its commitment to transparency. The high-contrast color scheme and straightforward language make the podcast accessible and simple to write about and promote. 

Click on the “About” tab for the Spirits podcast, and you’ll find a comprehensive and detailed podcast media kit, which even includes fan art. 

Make Sharing Your Show Easier

Whilst you spend time building your audience actively, a great podcast media kit helps you build your audience passively.

A media kit makes it easy for your fans, search engines, and writers to better understand and share your show.

Legacy media’s traditional press kit structure made it easy for anyone to write about and share the latest TV show, theatre project, or ice cream brand. When you plan the fact sheet’s content, package the information and images in an accessible way, and share it, it’s like packing a snack for your future audiences.

When they understand your show, they’ll come back for a full meal and bring their friends.

A podcast media kit is just one great way to help your show grow. In The Podcraft Academy, you’ll find many more, from our Growth Mastery course to feedback and accountability tools. We’d love to work with you in there!

And you don’t just get their email. If you ask the right questions, you’ll also learn what they care about and how you can help them further. 

Let’s walk through seven steps to build customer relationships. (With ScoreApp, it takes way less time and effort than you imagine!)

Why ScoreApp Works So Well for Podcasters

Most lead magnets (PDFs, guides, checklists) are static. They sit in a folder and don’t create much engagement.

A Scorecard is different because it’s:

• Interactive: Listeners get involved, instead of just passively downloading something boring.
• Personalised: Every participant walks away with something relevant to them.
• Insightful: You gather rich data about who your audience really is.
• Scalable: Once set up, it runs in the background while you keep producing episodes.

Podcasters can use ScoreApp to finally bridge the gap between audience and leads with minimal upfront time and ongoing stress. Over the next seven steps, we’ll show you how.

1. Frame Your Quiz as a Natural Extension of Your Show

The best podcast-to-lead funnels feel like the next logical step in a conversation.

Think of your Quiz as a companion to your latest episode. 

Start with the listener’s intent. What did people come to your episode to learn? And how can you offer them support after the episode? 

A free Quiz can help clarify their current situation or identify a specific problem in only a few minutes. Your Quiz should promise a clear, tangible outcome that continues the episode’s value.

For example:

• Marketing podcast: Which 90-day growth strategy fits your business?
• Wellness podcast: What’s your stress-management type (and one 3-minute fix)?
• B2B SaaS podcast: Is your onboarding setup costing you customers? Take the 7-point checklist.

Keep the promise short, outcome-focused, and useful. Aim for one clear result that the listener can expect in exchange for their email. Whatever your Quiz is about, its main goal is to offer even more value to the listener, thereby deepening their trust in you and encouraging your conversation to continue. 

Choosing the type of quiz couldn’t be easier. From your main screen, select ‘Templates’.

Above, you’ll see the filtering options in the left-hand menu to select by industry and quiz type.

Pro tip: Your Quiz should answer a burning question your listeners already have in their heads. If it feels useful and relevant in the moment, they’ll be far more likely to jump in.

2. Build a Landing Page That Feels Personal

When someone leaves their podcast app to click your link, you want them to land on a page that feels just like the vibe of your show.

Your ScoreApp landing page is stamped with your podcast’s personality. ScoreApp offers an intuitive drag-and-drop landing page builder and a host of templates for you to adapt. 

All of this makes it easy to drop in your show’s artwork, your own photo, language from your podcast episode to create an irresistible headline, or even a short video message to explain why the Quiz is valuable to them. That’s the kind of personal touch that builds trust. 

For this example, we selected ‘business’ and ‘profile quiz.’ 

Once selected, click on ‘Use this template’ at the top right of the page. 

You’re taken to the setup guide for your Scorecard here:

Click on the blue ‘Go to landing pages’ button to start creating your Quiz landing page. 

Start customizing! 

Pro tip: Make sure your landing page addresses a major pain point or big goal for your listeners, and explains why your Quiz helps them overcome or reach it. 

3. Craft Smart, Snackable Questions

Your listeners are busy people. If they click through, they’re already giving you a small slice of their attention, so respect it. 

For you, using a Quiz to pre-qualify leads and gain actionable data insights starts with asking the right questions.  

Click on the dropdown menu at the top of the page and select ‘Questions’.

From this page, you can start editing your questions. 

There are already suggestions in place to help you avoid blank page-itis, but everything is editable. 

For example, in the left-hand menu in the Questions section, you can choose different types of questions from the dropdown menu.

By using the tools in the Answers section of this menu, you can manipulate how the scoring is weighted and the user’s pathway through the quiz.

A few golden rules for writing your ScoreApp questions:

• Keep it short: 6–8 questions work best. Enough information for you, without it being a time suck for them.
• Mix formats: Use multiple-choice questions for speed, scale/checkbox questions to capture behaviour, and free-form for more detailed responses.
• Make it engaging: Ask questions that feel conversational, not like a test.
• Focus on insight: Every answer should help the participant and teach you something valuable about them.

Pro tip: For example, instead of asking: ‘Do you have a documented marketing strategy?’ try:

‘When it comes to planning content, which best describes you?’

• I plan everything months in advance
• I outline a few weeks ahead
• I mostly improvise

It provides more information than a simple yes/no question, and can be easier for participants to answer. 

4. Deliver an Experience on the Results Page 

Here’s where most quizzes fall flat: the results page. They either give a throwaway score or a vague label, and that’s it.

But with ScoreApp, you deliver instant value. Your listener has just shared their details and invested in the process. And, in exchange, you give them something genuinely useful.

Select ‘Result’ from the drop-down menu at the top.

Most of the ScoreApp Quiz results pages include excellent visuals that present their data in a graph or chart, making it easier to understand and share. 

Using all the editing tools in the left-hand menu, you can completely personalize the results you send to your audience. 

Pro tip: A high-performing ScoreApp results page usually includes:

• A clear outcome. Like, ‘You’re a Strategic Planner,’ or ‘You scored 42/100.’.
• Personalised insights based on their answers.
• Practical next steps they can implement right away.
• An invitation to go deeper: join your community, book a call, download a guide, get a mini video course.

The more value you deliver here, the more likely they are to stay connected.

5. Mention Your Quiz Strategically in All Episodes

Now you have your Quiz, promotion is simple – your Quiz becomes the ‘what next?’ during and at the end of every episode.

Don’t bury it in a list of 10 links at the end of the show notes. Make it the one clear CTA, and repeat the information a few times throughout your episodes. 

Here are a few ways to position your Quiz naturally in podcast episodes:

• Mid-roll: ‘By the way, if you’re wondering how this applies to your business, I’ve built a quick Quiz you can take right now. It shows you exactly where you’re strong and where you can improve. Just head to [link].’
• Outro: ‘If you want to take what we’ve talked about today and see where you stand, take the free assessment at [link]. You’ll get your personalised score instantly.’
• As a guest: ‘If this resonated with you, I’ve actually built an assessment that shows you how ready you are to [desired outcome]. You can take it for free at [link].’
  

One CTA, repeated consistently, will always outperform scattergun promotion.

Pro tip: Don’t forget all the other places you can plug your fact-finding mission…

• Show notes: Include a short link or QR code for video or live events
• Written assets: Link it in the episode transcript and show blog. Great for the algorithm and the humans!
• On the socials: How often have you clicked on one of the ‘What kind of Barbie/Ken are you?’ posts? They’re successful because they’re all about the reader. Get your social media teaser posts out there to promote your Quiz.
  

6. Capture the Lead and Automate Your Follow-up

To know which leads came from your podcast, add a tracking field or use UTM/hidden fields that capture the source and get that data flowing into your systems. These small tags let you filter in your CRM later and run podcast-specific nurture sequences.

Once a lead has completed your ScoreApp Quiz, you can set up an email nurture campaign in your chosen platform to build more trust and credibility. This is a pre-set, automated email sequence that starts straightaway and keeps the conversation going with leads.

ScoreApp offers native integrations with many popular platforms and Zapier/webhook connectivity so you can push new leads, their answers, and their outcomes into your CRM or email platform. 

Automating your follow-up process means the engagement continues long after the podcast episode ends.

Pro Tip: Use the Quiz answers to personalise subject lines. For example: ‘SaaS founders: 3 onboarding wins I’d try this week.’ ScoreApp’s data makes personalization easy, and you can use its lead scoring to prioritise outreach.

7. Track, Tweak, Repeat

Like any kind of market research, you need a testing mentality: Do something, see how it performs, make adjustments, repeat. 

The beauty of ScoreApp is that it shows you exactly how your Quiz is performing on your analytics dashboard. You’ll see how many listeners start, finish, and convert, without having to invest huge amounts of time in data gathering and interpretation. 

Pro tip: If you notice drop-off points, adjust. For example:

• Low starts? Simplify your CTA or reinforce the benefits.
• Low completions? Trim the number of questions or rethink the wording.
• Low conversions? Strengthen your results page CTA and follow-up emails.

Iterating is normal and, over time, your Scorecard becomes a finely tuned conversion machine. 

Let’s Start Turning Your Podcast Fans Into Paying Customers

Turning podcast listeners into leads doesn’t have to be complicated. You can create a seamless listen-to-lead journey by:

• Framing a Quiz as a natural extension of your show
• Building a personalised landing page 
• Crafting engaging questions 
• Delivering actionable results

ScoreApp makes it simple by providing ready-to-use templates, AI-powered Quiz building, and integrations that automatically capture and segment your leads. 

With ScoreApp, your podcast isn’t just a voice in someone’s earbuds; it’s a tool that grows your business while you keep creating great content.

To get started, pick one upcoming episode, design a simple companion Quiz with ScoreApp’s user-friendly software, and make it the main CTA in your show.

The next time someone tunes in, they won’t just be a listener; they’ll be a lead.

Get 50% off for the first month using the discount code ‘Colin’. 

Try ScoreApp today!

Start for free. No credit card required.

But how do you convince a journalist to write about your show?

“Hey, I run a podcast on the same subject you cover.” probably isn’t going to cut it. “Local man runs podcast” might have been newsworthy back in 2007, when readers would ask, “Wait, he runs a what!?” But not now.

Pitching your podcast to journalists? Here’s how to avoid wasting their time and your own, while giving yourself a real shot at coverage.

Let’s start with where you’re thinking of pitching.

What Does The Publication Publish?

Feed the tiger what it wants. If your podcast is about fly fishing, you’d pitch your podcast to American Angler, not Vanity Fair. Start with a publication that’s about your podcast’s topic. That’s where your audience is more likely to be looking for information like yours. When you pitch your podcast to a journalist, you’re both working in service of the audience. Make sure their publication’s ideal audience aligns with yours.

How to Package Your Pitch 

In the past, podcasters have sent a link to their podcast in their favorite directory with a message saying, “My show is good, you should write about it,” and nothing else. Why I should launch an investigation into the relevance of their request is beyond me. It certainly doesn’t show me they have something worth promoting.

Your pitch email must include: 

• Why your story is time-sensitive
• Who benefits from it (hopefully, their readers) and how
• The value in your proposal
• What sets your pitch apart from other pitches?

Be brief, specific, and respectful. We’ll examine specifics of how to write a pitch email later in this article. 

Along with the email, a podcast media kit is essential here. Episode transcriptions will help anyone covering your show to find the information they need with minimal effort. Don’t send attachments: email security systems may block them. Instead, link to your files in Google Drive or Dropbox.

Now, let’s proceed to the time-sensitive part.

Pitch Your Podcast to Journalists When They Can Write About It.

Magazines, newspapers, and radio stations plan their content months, sometimes more, ahead of schedule. Then, they release it in a manner suitable for the season.

For example, arts and culture magazines and newspaper sections publish entertainment guides in September, when new theatre and television seasons begin. Planning and writing that guide starts in mid-summer, if not earlier. You need to pitch your podcast to journalists when the timing is right, and that means early.

Do you have an episode about crafting the perfect Halloween costume? If you plan to release that episode in October, then pitch it in June. You can see where this is going. The tiger isn’t always hungry. Feed it when it is.

How Appropriate Is Your Pitch?

If you’ve been podcasting for more than six months, chances are you’ve already gotten at least one inappropriate request. Sometimes, these pitches reveal that the sender has no idea what your podcast is about or how it’s presented. Other inappropriate pitches come via direct messages on social media. 

Remember how awkward and annoying those inappropriate requests feel? 

Journalists get dozens of these random requests every day. But, avoiding an icky faux pas is simple, with advance work. 

When pitching your podcast to a journalist, read some of their articles. What do they write about? Get a sense of their taste and tone. You can tell if your podcast is a good fit for them after reading at least three of their articles. 

Are they a staff writer, or a contributing writer? You may need to recontextualize your pitch for a journalist who has less flexibility, or who writes for multiple magazines.  

Most importantly, what is their preferred method of contact? Typically, their social media profiles will link to a website or a Linktree page, where they provide contact information.

If you pitch your podcast via a social media direct message, you throw a work request into a social platform. It’s like interrupting a stranger at a picnic, telling them to get to work. Instead, pitch your podcast to a journalist through their preferred contact method. They’ll be in a more receptive frame of mind and more likely to accept. 

Feed the tiger, but don’t mess with their habitat.

So, How Do You Write That Pitch?

Ask yourself, what’s newsworthy about your podcast, and why? This fits in with knowing your podcast niche, and who your ideal audience is. What’s unique, and why now? How does it relate to the publication you’re pitching?

Journalists seek out stories about people who take action and change. When someone in your audience tells you that their show helped them to do something, that’s the kind of story seed that journalists want.

Don’t call. Use email. Writers like to read and write. Craft a short email, and read it out loud before you hit “send.”

Introduce yourself in terms of their work.

Open with what you’ve read by the writer you’re pitching, what it meant to you, and why. Not only does this make them feel good, but it also shows you’ve considered why your podcast and this writer are a good fit for each other. For example;

“ Dear [Name], 

I enjoyed your article about [topic] from the [date or month] issue of [publication] magazine. “

Next, describe what’s most memorable from the article, and what the writer’s style and approach meant for you. How does the way they write solve a problem for you?

Now they know why you’re cold-emailing them. Don’t invent this. That’s a sure-fire way to end up in the spam folder.

What, Who, Why, How?

Be specific, and pitch the story. What is it, who is it for, what’s the challenge, and how does it solve a problem? Why is it time-sensitive? 

For example, you can tell them how your podcast has:

• Helped a listener start and sustain their first small business
• Gave a listener the confidence to start weightlifting and win competitions
• Provided educational materials to 500 public school students to create an oral history project

If you can show how your podcast affects your audience, that’s even better. In the examples above, you can link to the social media or website for the business, weightlifter, or school.

What if you haven’t experienced that kind of audience interaction?

Create a newsworthy event. You could:

• Challenge your podcast audience to donate to a particular charity by a certain date
• Host a live podcast recording event at a local pub or community theatre
• Launch a scavenger hunt for your audience, with a new clue in each episode for a set number of weeks and a prize at the end.

Highlight the dates and benefits for their readers, so they know this is time-sensitive and worth their audience’s time.

What if you can’t include audience stories or upcoming events when pitching your podcast to journalists? Show them how podcasting has changed you for the better. For example, explain how:

• Producing a hiking podcast helped you manage your social anxiety disorder
• Interviewing pro pastry chefs helped you save a thousand dollars on your daughter’s wedding
• Researching local history saved a unique building

The more specific, immediate, and transformational your pitch, the more likely journalists will want to write that story.

Show Them How To Learn More at Their Own Pace.

Now, zoom out a bit. Provide them with a brief paragraph on how to learn more about your podcast. Include a link to the website, to the media kit, and tell them how they can listen. For example: 

“[Title of podcast] helps people [solve a problem, and how]. I’d love to share more with you. Here’s a link to our media kit. You can listen to the show through our website, or wherever you listen to podcasts.” 

Pick out an episode for them that serves as a simple point of entry. 

“By way of introduction, you might enjoy our episode, [title], about [topic].”

Treat it like a collaboration. We’re all content creators here, right?

Provide your contact information, and let them know that you’d be happy to discuss your pitch further.

Above all, thank them for their time. 

Don’t Let Grass Grow Under Your Pitch.

Follow up a few days or so later to remind them about your pitch. If they say, “not interested, thanks,” don’t push it. Wait until you have another episode that’s closer to their interests. In the meantime, try pitching your podcast to a different journalist. 

It’s Not About You.

Don’t take any rejection personally. The publication’s editor may manage what pitches to accept or reject. Or, maybe a full schedule keeps them from saying yes. It’s possible that your podcast might not be in their area of interest. Try again with a different publication. 

Make It Simple for Journalists To Write About Your Podcast.

Journalists, like podcasters, aim to deliver relevant, useful, timely, and engaging ideas to their audiences. When you pitch your podcast to journalists, make sure the information they need is available. This way, it’s simple to use their creativity to share your podcast with their readers. Both your audience and theirs benefit from a new examination of your podcast’s topic because you’ve laid the groundwork.

Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket.

There are numerous ways to grow your podcast. Reviews and press aren’t the only way to let people know about your show. Our Podcast Growth Book has lots of strategies and actionable tasks to help you engage your audience and build a community. Plus, the Podcraft Academy has courses and tools to help you with all aspects of making a good podcast or making a good podcast great. Join us!

On the one hand, conventions can be a great way to promote your show, sell related merchandise, and build relationships.

But, conventions can be expensive, time-consuming, and physically exhausting.

Participation with a podcast booth can give you and your fans a home base, but it’s a responsibility. 

I spoke with some experienced convention-goers who are good at promoting their work through a podcast booth. Overall, they said podcasters need to plan ahead, simplify their booth setup and goals, and avoid taking things too seriously.

But there’s a lot more to it than that. Let’s dig into the details of how to get the most out of your podcast booth experience…

What Kind of Convention?

Are you going to a convention centered around a topic that your podcast covers, or a podcast convention? For example, are you attending a gardening convention to promote your gardening podcast? Or, will you be a podcaster in a sea of podcasters? 

In the case of the former, it’s easy to stand out from the other convention booths. When you’re a podcaster among other podcasters, showing your individuality takes more effort. And, you might want to spend time attending seminars or networking events.

For the purposes of this article, I’ll focus on running your booth for podcast conventions, since it’s more challenging.

Know Your Goals Before You Go. 

Before you leave home, think of one or two things that you want to make sure you do at the podcasting convention. Conventions can be crowded, busy, and overstimulating. Don’t lose sight of your purpose and needs.

At a podcast convention, you can learn some skills, meet other podcasters, and build relationships for cross-marketing. Check the schedule to learn about the speakers and panels at the convention. If you plan to attend multiple sessions, you may not want to run a podcast booth. Or, bring a podcasting friend and take turns running the booth. 

You should also determine whether this is an industry convention (for podcast creators) or a fan convention (catering to audiences). This affects what you can gain from the experience and what contribution is welcome. 

As Sean Howard, co-founder of Fable & Folly and founder of Flightpath, said, “Know the difference between an industry convention and a fan convention. Industry conventions are where you want to walk the floor, go to sessions, and meet other producers, agents, etc. Fan conventions are where you can move a lot of merchandise and reach new audiences.”  

Travis Vengroff of Fool & Scholar Productions, said, “As a podcaster at a business event, the goal of making money or gaining a large number of new listeners is very difficult to achieve, so you should instead see it as a loss ahead of time and try to seek sponsors, brand recognition, new relevant contacts (and/or peers), advertisers, new technologies and services, and incidentally work to gain listeners or sell a few pieces of merchandise. ”

Research the Convention, Venue, and Surroundings.

Particularly when traveling to attend the conference, just getting in the door can be expensive. Much of what helps you decide whether or not to run a podcast booth isn’t readily available on the convention website. Variables such as the conference’s previous experiences, local resources, and security are often passed by word of mouth, found on external sites, or buried in the fine print of a contract.

Here are some questions to answer for yourself before you decide.

What’s the Convention’s History and Reputation?  

Conventions that have been successful for several years in a row may be easier to manage than new events or those that have had issues in the past. As Sean Howard told us, “You might want to attend before you buy in.” Ask some of your podcast peers if they’ve attended and what their experience has been like. Don’t spend money renting space to run a podcast booth if the convention doesn’t have a good history. 

What’s the Convention’s Venue Like? 

Know where you’re going, and what resources are available.  Is it a big convention hall that frequently hosts big corporate events, or something smaller, like a hotel ballroom or banquet hall? Is it in a major city or a small town?

Convention centers, especially in major cities, are used to corporate clients with deep pockets.

“If it’s a major or large convention centre, be aware that these places charge ridiculous fees for everything, as they are used to working with big, multi-national corporations,” said Sean.

You may discover that booth space for your podcast has the same price tag as a booth for a luxury car company. Details matter; check the fine print on your contract to know if you can use an electrical outlet or wi-fi. You’d be surprised what’s not covered. 

Google Maps can show you what parking and mass transit options are like in the area, as well as where to find snacks and essentials nearby. 

“You will need to save money wherever you can,” said Sean. Again, don’t expect that anything you need will be provided for you. “It’s best to just bring everything you need: battery packs for your computers and phones, for example. Bring more water than you think you need,” Sean told us.

There are loads of convention packing lists online, but as long as you have water, a small snack, personal care items, and a way to charge your devices, you should be fine.

Make Your Podcast Booth Meaningfully Minimalist. 

Remember, you’re responsible for loading in, setting up, packing up, and loading out anything and everything in your booth. When you plan to run your podcast booth, don’t bring what you can’t carry.

Jeremy Moskowitz, tech-conference veteran, succinctly stated the challenge for podcasters: “People are pretty visual.” Some companies specialize in pre-made convention booths that eliminate distractions from other booths. They’re tempting to hire, but expensive.

Jeremy said, “You don’t really need a 10×10 professional booth, but you should have a nice printed tablecloth and a pop-up banner succinctly expressing who you are and what you’re doing. Have a one-page (two-sided) handout to give people after your chat,” to help people remember your podcast after they’ve met hundreds of people that day. “Beyond that,” Jeremy said,  “it’s bells and whistles and maybe overkill.” 

Sean Howard echoes this minimalist sentiment. “Invest in a pop-up banner and materials to help your booth look professional and make it clear what you do.” 

The photo above shows you Fool & Scholar’s setup to promote their podcast, Liberty, at a fan event. This may seem overwhelming, but don’t let the vendor wall behind the table intimidate you. The Liberty poster at right, along with the pop-up stand and items on the table, are Fool & Scholar’s.

Typically, conventions don’t provide furniture. In this case, the host provided the furniture and tablecloth with their logo. This setup shows how a podcast booth can be inviting, unique, and professional, while still fitting in the back seat of a small car.

This also demonstrates how conference hosts can support the people who run booths, to make their vendor hall a worthwhile destination.

Gavin Gaddis, of Sounds Profitable, grew up with years of experience helping their family run booths at art and craft fairs. They advocate minimalist creativity. “You might see a $15 clothes drying rack, I see a folding stand you can hang stickers and signs from easily that weighs next to nothing. Check out pictures of artist alley setups at comic conventions, they’ve been at this game a long time and have it down to a science.”  

When planning your podcast booth setup, revisit your podcast’s unique selling proposition and ideal audience. In a nutshell, you want to run a podcast booth that: 

• Invites people to engage with your podcast
• Shows what your podcast does
• Rewards attention

Once you’ve imagined that setup, can you carry it by yourself? 

What Can Your Podcast Booth Offer? 

Conventions are full of people who are tired and distracted in general. Giving them something memorable, like reading material, helps them connect with your podcast later. Avoid large flyers or booklets, as they often end up in the trash. Small cards with QR codes are effective, particularly if the QR code leads them directly to your podcast information with a “listen now!” option. 

Candy goes a long way with folks who are tired from walking and standing. Taping pre-wrapped trick-or-treat candy to a business card will get those cards picked up. 

You might sell merchandise to offset the cost of your booth rental. Travis said, “Most important is your cash box, a healthy amount of $1’s and $5’s, a credit card reader, and something to tally sales.” T-shirts are challenging to sell due to sizing issues.  Sean mentioned that, based on his experience, smaller items with a higher margin, such as logo pins, appeal to a wider audience. 

Stickers with fun designs are popular. People like them because it shows they’ve made a connection. Meanwhile, they’re making their laptop case or water bottle into a billboard for your podcast. 

Sean suggested that you mock up your booth at home in advance. Test-drive the table, and lay out whatever items you’re bringing. You don’t want a broken table leg to get in your way. 

Case Study: Alitu at The Podcast Show London

Although Alitu is a software, not a show, our team had a brilliant time running a booth at The Podcast Show London in 2023.

One novel feature that drew people to (and had them regularly returning to) the booth was a podcaster-themed computer game. Jacob, our Head of Marketing, created this simple but addictive Megadrive-style romp, and we had a steady stream of people arrive at the booth due to word of mouth about the game on the event floor.

Practice Conversation and Connection Skills. 

Podcasters tend to be people who function well in quiet rooms with computers and headphones. It’s not a Renaissance Faire, full of people who want to be seen and heard from a mile away. To convince people to take an interest, often a gentle approach is more effective than a hard sell.

Knowledgeable people who are enthusiastic about your podcast should staff your booth, not those who aren’t involved. If my mom wanted to help me run my podcast booth, that would be nice, unless someone from Sony came around asking questions while I was in line for the restroom.  

When someone stops by your booth to chat, as Sean suggested, don’t start with your pitch; ask a question. Ask what kind of podcasts they listen to. If you can, recommend other podcasts they might enjoy. 

Gavin suggests rehearsing what you want to say to newcomers to avoid pressure and awkwardness. “If you can get that ice broken quickly in a way that leaves the door open, then someone can choose to stay and find out more, or politely smile while walking away.” They also suggest, “Learn what it feels like to have someone’s genuine attention, versus when they’re simply being polite, doing that awkward ‘I’m not technically stopping here’ shuffle. You want to leave a lasting impression.” Use your best ability to read social cues.

Take that elevator pitch as seriously as all the other content you create for your podcast. Travis said, “I wish someone had told me about really perfecting an elevator pitch. I can’t tell you how much time I’ve wasted saying a long and ineffective elevator pitch, when I could have written one down, tweaked it, and memorized something only a third the length.”

Travis further suggests, “As a general good practice, you should have a conversation starter, an elevator pitch, and a call to action. The shorter you can talk about your show, the better, so you can discern the interest of the person on the other side of the table and get them your call to action: Subscribe to my podcast, consider sponsoring my show, be a guest on my show.”

Give people a reason to stay at your booth.  Sean said, “At PodCon, we bought some inflatable chairs to make our booth a gathering space for our fans and fellow creators.”  It was a much-needed little oasis. Fable & Folly offered one-hour podcast consultations, showcasing their expertise, building relationships, and selling something that weighs nothing. Again, highlight what your podcast does best, and use that to make your podcast booth a destination. 

Don’t get sucked into the pace of the convention. Focus on your individual experiences with people that you meet. 

There will be slow times when it seems like everyone has gone somewhere else: lunch, or a celebrity meet n’ greet. “Counterintuitively, it is during these slow times that the BEST conversations happen!” Jeremy said. 

Con Behavior

Overstimulation and fatigue can lead to misunderstandings and miscommunications. And some people use conventions as an excuse to experiment with boundaries. They have a little bit of anonymity, less accountability, and believe that if you’re at your podcast booth, you’re their captive audience.  

Nearly every convention has a horror story, passed among participants, of a person who was banned for grabbing or speaking rudely to another participant. Have a friend at your podcast booth, or a script (i.e., “that’s inappropriate”) to keep in the back of your mind in case someone misbehaves. 

Be careful of taking other people’s behavior personally. Travis said, “It’s very important to consider your emotional state and focus on maintaining a positive attitude. The reality is that not everyone will like your show, your concept, or you. Whatever you can do to accept these odds, accept that the people you’ll be talking to have no obligation to speak with you, and maintain high morale so you can talk about your passion or business to the folks who do want to hear, is different for each person, but it’s something that you need to find.”

Be aware of your limitations. You’re human. Take bathroom breaks, mental-processing breaks, and have someone else present to help or diffuse tension. As Gavin said, “Remembering to eat and drink is vital. Nothing opens you up for being absolutely zapped than getting in the groove and working so long you look up and it’s 4 p.m. The second you look at that clock, your body will catch up, them’s the rules.”

Take care of yourself and don’t take others too seriously, so you can have experiences that make running a podcast booth worthwhile. Quality conversations go a long way to building relationships later.  

Turn Conference Booths into Long-Term Wins for Your Podcast. 

Deciding whether or not to run your podcast booth for an event isn’t difficult, with advance planning and research. Simplify your expectations, and they’ll be easier to meet.

Take time to think about what you want to learn, and what you hope to achieve. Research what you’ll need to invest in the experience, so you can balance what you’ll get out of it. Consider participating in the conference an opportunity to plant seeds for future growth.

Our Handy Guide to Podcast Events is a great resource for ways (and places) to meet other podcasters in person. And, our Indiepod Community is the ideal place to discuss conferences and promotion strategies with other podcasters!

Most people go into podcasting because they’re interested in communicating with others. But, with all the tasks in a podcast workflow, it’s not so easy to connect with a podcast community. On the flip side, promoting a show to your audience is hard without a community. You can end up in a lonely feedback loop.

Not only do you need a community of avid podcast listeners who are interested in your topic, but you also need a community of fellow podcasters to provide support, answer your podcasting questions, and understand your challenges. Get both of these nailed down, and you’ll improve your podcast growth, not to mention your mental health and general well-being.

Let me show you some ways to build your podcast community, avoid social traps, and connect with fellow podcasters and the podcasting industry.

The Audience, or the Reason You Went Into Podcasting in the First Place

Of course, you want to communicate with your audience. Communication is key to building word of mouth and promoting your show. Sometimes, though, it’s intimidating, and it can take you away from your other podcasting tasks. Here are some ways to reach your audience without changing your podcast workflow.

Build Community Inside Your Podcast Content

Thanking your listeners by name doesn’t cost you a thing. When you get feedback, reviews, or questions, thank the sender by name. This makes the audience feel appreciated and come back for more.  

Another way to put your audience in the show meaningfully is to start with a voice feedback survey. Ask questions about your show’s topic, and they can contribute answers. Speakpipe, Tellbee, and other web-based voice recording and transcription services are good ways to let your fans be part of your show.

Live streaming a podcast episode is another great way to get your audience involved in your podcast community. This allows you to create video content and repurpose portions for Instagram or YouTube.

Build Podcast Community Outside Your Episode Content

You can be the producer of a thousand people’s favourite podcasts, but unless you give your audience a straightforward route, they won’t get in touch with you.

Build a Home Base for Your Podcast

Yes, you need a website. Many podcasters roll their eyes because it’s extra work. But, making a website doesn’t have to be hard.

Your podcast website helps new listeners find your show. Search engines index websites, not the contents of podcast directories. If someone wants to give you money, how else should they find you?

Most media hosting services include a simple website as part of the package. Podpage is an easy way to make a site, and so is Wix.

Your podcast website needs an email address or a “contact us” form. At the very least, put an email address in your show notes.

Is Social Media a Good Club for Podcasts?

Social media is a good podcast discovery tool, but it’s not great. Your Bluesky, Mastodon, Instagram or Facebook presence can be an avenue for engagement. But, your posts compete with everything else on the platform. Social media sites are meant to hook users and keep them scrolling, not going to another site to listen to your cool podcast. It can help get your show in front of people who might not see it otherwise. However, you should weigh up whether social media negatives outweigh the positives.

Your Podcast’s Community vs Social Media Platforms

You can build a podcast community within social media sites, like a Facebook group or a subreddit discussion group. These are great because they’re meant for discussion. People can easily discover your podcast there, but just as easily scroll on. Again, people will likely spend time on any social media site because they like that specific platform. They’ll enjoy the content you put there, but aren’t likely to follow you off-site without a compelling reason.

Social media marketers use the adage “never build on borrowed land” to caution people about prioritizing their social media presence over buying and making their own websites. If you tried to have a Facebook Live event during a mass outage, you probably didn’t enjoy it much. Besides, different social media platforms come and go. A community built on any third-party social platform is at the mercy of many factors beyond your control.

Spammers and trolls thrive on big social media platforms because they’re easy to join and hard to moderate. If you’ve ever been in a Facebook discussion group where someone suddenly interrupted to try to sell you bitcoin, you know how things can fall apart.

If you create a community group on a platform that anyone can join, consider introducing a friction point before people can access the group. Ask them some relevant questions proving their interest in your podcast’s topic. Make sure they understand your terms and conditions. Otherwise, you can start with lively discussions and end up with spam and fights.

Newsletters for Your Podcast Content

Making a newsletter is one way to avoid the social media doomscroll trap. Who doesn’t love getting emails from their favorite podcast?

Start with a Call to Action in your episodes. Offer your audience something they can only get via email, like a PDF of a favourite recipe, maps, art, or visual assets related to your show. Create something that complements your existing podcast content and gives your audience an incentive to sign up.

Maintaining your email list with an email marketing tool suite keeps it organized with minimal fuss, and protects your audience’s privacy. This way, your relationship with your podcast community can be more direct and personal.

Private Platforms for Your Podcast Community

If you don’t mind more work, you can use a private social media platform.

For example, Discord is an invitation-only, topic-based social media platform with many features. Mostly text-based, it resembles Slack or Internet Relay Chat if you’re old enough to remember it. It’s free, but users can purchase ‘Nitro’ to upload more data and get special features.

Discord has a knowledge base of safety features, training for moderators, and a keyword blocker. The features include text and/or voice chat, as well as a library of app integrations. You can even host live events for your podcast community with ‘Stage Channels’.

Circle resembles Facebook circa 2007, without the ads, games, and pokes that made it infamous. You can create subtopic channels, automate welcome messages, and host live events and on-camera discussions within your community. Pricing starts at $39 a month, with a 14-day free trial. But you can monetize community participation. Let’s say, for example, your podcast is about fly fishing. You can have people join the discussion groups for free, but charge admission for the content about how to tie fishing flies.

Running a private podcast community is obviously more work than a discussion group on a wider social media platform. Include something in your community that adds value at least once a week, separate from your podcast content. It can be an on-camera demonstration, posting your latest episode, behind-the-scenes content, or whatever you and your audience want to share. Otherwise, there’s little reason for people to keep coming back.

Regarding community moderation, check in at least once daily to see how things are going. Someone who seemed genuinely interested in your podcast community when they joined might forget their manners. One rude person can be a huge turn-off for others and make people stop participating.

Podcast Community and Parasocial Relationships

Whatever the platform, be mindful of any aspect of your community that makes you or your audience uncomfortable. You want your community to be friendly and supportive, generate good word of mouth, and help your show grow. Unfortunately, some people can misunderstand or exploit podcasting community support.

In Mikhaela Nadora’s paper, Parasocial Relationships with Podcast Hosts, she discusses social deixis (how podcast hosts address the entire audience as one important person) and spatial deixis (simulating physical co-presence). These factors create the illusion that the podcast host and listener share an experience.

“Podcast listeners report effects of intimacy, which leads to greater authenticity and conversation practices than radio. When hosts share personal topics, as discussed above, it is considered a sign of intimacy.”

It’s great that podcasts make us feel less lonely. When people in your audience make friends with each other, that’s even better. However, parasocial relationships (a connection where one party thinks they have mutual magnetism and the other doesn’t reciprocate) happen quite a bit in podcasting. They can have dangerous results.

Your podcast community should be a safe space where you and your audience can connect. People who are online often (like podcasters) should protect their online activity. Use strong passwords and two-step authentication. Take extra steps to protect your audience’s privacy. When participating in in-person podcast community events, take the necessary precautions to maintain a safe zone around yourself. We can all share ideas and values, but the minute someone makes you or someone else feel uncomfortable, get help.

This might all sound negative and cautionary, but the fact that your listeners feel like they know you can also be a powerful and positive outcome of podcasting, even as it presents unique challenges.

Connecting With the Larger Podcasting Community

There are three ways to connect with your fellow podcasters. One is to go to a park in the morning, find a quiet bench, sit down, and toss handfuls of stale popcorn onto the sidewalk. If you really want to impress the podcast community, bring sunflower seeds.

(Checks notes) I’m sorry. That’s pigeons, not podcasters.

There are two ways to connect with your fellow podcasters: in person or online. The latter is less work but requires more frequent involvement. The former can be more work and investment in terms of time, travel and money. But it can have a greater impact on your podcast growth.

Online Podcast Community: Frequent, Accessible, Low-Impact.

Like the online community you’d create for your audience, there are online communities for podcasters. They’re a good way to get help with obstacles, find shows interested in swapping trailers or interviews, or learn what people think of different products or services based on their experience.

Remember, though, they’re not a great place to promote your show. Text-based interaction can make it hard to read social cues, so read the community’s rules and spend some time reading posts before jumping into discussions.

Facebook Podcasting Communities

These podcast communities are often the easiest to set up and join. Since there are so many, think about what you want to get out of them before you join. Is it specific enough? For example, the Audio Drama Hub is for people interested in making audio drama and fiction podcasts. The Underdog Podcast Community is for independent podcasters.

There are Facebook podcast communities for different hosting services, genders, countries, cities, audience sizes, and pretty much any niche you can think of. Moderation and content vary. Most groups have regulations about self-promotion. Otherwise, the podcast community devolves into a chain of posts shouting, “You should listen to my podcast. Here’s a link. Okay, bye.”

Discord Podcasting Communities

When Patreon first started, Discord servers were a feature of many campaigns. So, more often than not, podcast-related Discord communities tend to focus on an individual show. But, Discord communities seem to proliferate like bunnies.

Some Discord communities for podcasters include:

• The WGA Audio Alliance, for fiction podcast writers.
• The Podcasters’ Community – a general podcasting community with dozens of channels for subtopics, almost anything from editing to food.

Anyone can join Discord, but communities are invitation-only. Invitation links can expire based on how the server owner sets their permissions. That said, finding and joining a Discord podcasting community is not hard. If you sign up for almost any podcasting newsletter and read each issue carefully, you’ll eventually come across a post promoting a Discord community that you’ll find interesting.

Follow a Podcast About Podcasting and Join Their Community

If it’s not already obvious, where there’s a podcast about podcasting, chances are there’s an online community related to it. For example, we have our PodCraft podcast and The Indiepod Community. As our Community Manager, Allegra, says,

“This community exists to provide a safe space for podcasters to make connections and get the help and encouragement they need to grow their podcasts without the icky sales posts, unreliable information, and post-and-ghost behaviours you see in some other groups. There is none of that here, just useful information and community. We want no podcasters left behind!”

In general, approach online communities with an open mind, pay attention to details, and don’t put your self-promo on blast. A quiet, supportive person needs to show up frequently to make an impact, but they’re more likely to gain followers and invitations. Nobody likes a blowhard. Everybody likes a butterfly.

In-Person Podcast Community: Infrequent, Unusual, High-impact

Podcast conferences, meetups, and mastermind sessions are a great way to meet other podcasters and learn more about your craft. These happen less frequently and require more time, money, and effort. Many of these opportunities have virtual attendance options for those who can’t make that investment. Virtual attendance is great if you want to pay attention to lectures or panel discussions, but you miss out on personal interaction. Here are some important in-person meetups that you should know about.

Podcast Movement

This organization is so big that it’s split into two separate conferences for different needs.

Podcast Movement is an annual conference featuring education, networking, a trade show showcasing various products and technologies, and, of course, parties.

Podcast Movement Evolutions is a more affordable event meant for podcasters. This event focuses more on education to “directly benefit anyone currently involved with, or looking to get into, podcasting and the podcast industry.”

Podcast Movement prides itself on being big, and is not only for podcasters but also for those interested in the industry’s fiscal possibilities.

Podcast Brunch Club

Avid podcast listeners who take their consumption choices very seriously will benefit from Podcast Brunch Club. Producers can benefit from knowing what podcast aficionados prize in a good podcast, but otherwise, this group is audience-specific: “like a book club, but for podcasts.” They have virtual and in-person meetings, and club chapters meet from Shanghai to Santa Cruz.

Their website includes articles and interviews with podcast creators, and their membership shares themed playlists of episodes. Again, this group is for audiences more than it’s for podcasters, but podcast producers can learn a lot from this community’s meetups and content.

How Successful Creators Build Loyal Communities 

Read article called: How Successful Creators Build Loyal Communities 

Podcast Growth Mastermind

A mastermind is an opportunity to learn from leaders and peers in a particular field or industry. It’s a small-group discussion where experts and laypersons gather for structured discussion and tasks to accomplish a goal. They can be virtual, in-person, or hybrid.

Accountability, networking, and inspiration are just some of the benefits. Plus, it sounds like a comic book villain or a board game that your older cousins always beat you at playing on rainy days.

Type the phrase “podcast growth mastermind” into any search engine, and you’ll find dozens, all varying in content, format, price, and quality. These usually have paid admission, a set number of seats, and an attendance policy. Since podcasting is so new (20 years might seem like a long time) and depends so much on virtual content, the leader could be someone with decades of experience in podcasting and related fields, or they could be someone who has made one podcast (if any).

How do you know which podcast growth mastermind to choose? Get the one who has the biggest cranium. They must have a lot of smarts in that noggin!

In all seriousness, find one where the goals align with yours, and they’re familiar with and sympathetic to your topic. Strategy varies for different kinds of podcasts. You wouldn’t ask a golf pro how to cook a hamburger. Well, you might, but you wouldn’t get mad if they weren’t good at it.

Afros & Audio

This podcast community supports Black independent podcasters and audio professionals at every stage of their journey and workflow, from starting a podcast to networking and educating others.

Afros and Audio focus outward (representation in the greater podcast industry, shifting the conversation beyond representation) and inward (creating networks to share resources).

Founder Talib Jasir has education and experience in storytelling, wellness and yoga, public policy, and social justice. So, this organization is uniquely poised to make podcasting a tool for people to improve their lives both behind the mic and within the headphones. Their annual conference has almost always been held in a Mid-Atlantic city, which has given me a soft spot in my heart for them.

How to Choose The Right In-Person Podcasting Community?

Price, location, and schedule will obviously affect your choices. If all of these factors are equal, check the organizer’s “about” page. Look for a mission statement, or find out what their values are.

For example, hashtagimpact has an altruistic value statement focused on empowering podcasters. At the very least, the “about” page should have a bio that tells you the organizers’ experience and goals. Ask yourself if the language they use feels right for you.

Whether they say things like, “we strive to build a safe space for emerging creatives of diverse experiences to lift their voice,” or “Hack your growth to extreme measures with pros who have skin in the game to take it to the next level and gain l33t status,” you can read between the lines and find a good fit. It never hurts to search for information about the event or organizers separately, to find what others have said about them.

You might have to spend money, time, and effort, but you’re more likely to feel you’re growing in the right direction. Besides, since these events are less frequent, you can commit to different events at different times.

The in-person events mentioned are just a few of the worldwide menu of podcasting meetups, conferences, and events: for more, check our Podcast Events page.

You Can’t Spell Podcast Community Without You and I. Or Taco, For That Matter

This is a massive amount of information to digest. But community is complicated. It’s a multifaceted prism of expectations and behaviours.

Podcasting sharpens what community refracts.

Hey, that’s pretty good. I should put that on a t-shirt.

Building your podcast’s community doesn’t take too much work, provided you intentionally include it in your workflow.

Social media is useful, especially for promoting your show to new people. But it shouldn’t be the only way you interact with your audience. Private channels can be more work, but they make more meaningful connections.

Podcasting affects its audience differently than other media, so beware of parasocial relationships. Connecting with the podcasting community worldwide requires different kinds of effort and return. Online engagement should be frequent, focused on support and advice, and less on self-promotion.

In-person engagement requires more personal investment, but the rewards exceed your podcast; it can enhance your self-esteem and change you for the better.

What matters most is that you approach your podcast community from a place of gratitude and support. When you thank and help others, over time, you’ll get much more out of your podcasting community than you expected.

We’d love to continue the discussion with you in our very own IndiePod Community – an online space for independent content creators. Sign up today, it’s free

Who has never looked up “how to unclog a sink” on YouTube? That’s how I learned to replace a P-trap. Some podcasters need visual aids to clarify their points. For others, promoting their podcast with clips on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube helps them grow their show.

With all the fuss about video in podcasting, video editing software tools are popping up like fairy rings of mushrooms in springtime. And, like fairy rings, some software makes your dreams come true, while others are nightmares. FlexClip is the latest entrant to the video editing software game. But is FlexClip the right tool to help you edit videos for your podcast? 

What is FlexClip? 

FlexClip is a video editing software that can help you make videos in a batch and save them to post later on YouTube or social media.

FlexClip offers tools and templates to edit video and images, add text or subtitles, and edit audio. Some interesting features include:

• ChromaKey, to replace any solid colored background with another image
• AI image editing tools that can remove objects, swap faces, or change clothes
• Templates with animations that resemble professional news introductions, Hollywood action movie trailers, and more
• An AI Image-to-Image Generator to take your image and re-generate it in your chosen style, such as a cartoon, pencil sketch, or oil painting.

How do FlexClip’s templates and tools work? Let me show you. First, I made a sponsorship pitch video. Using the samples from our article about creating a podcast pitch deck, I chose FlexClip’s template for an investment pitch video for a startup company.

FlexClip’s user interface layout is similar to Descript‘s, with an audio timeline (showing a waveform for each segment) at the bottom. Like the image-editing tool Canva, the user interface has menus of assets (stock photos or video, fonts, and so on) on the left of the screen. FlexClip’s templates give you a fill-in-the-blank option loaded with eye-catching animations. 

Here’s a sample sponsorship pitch reel that I made using FlexClip:

The animations are a little distracting, especially while editing. But, they’re fun for the audience.

FlexClip’s templates are helpful. You can drag and drop elements such as images, videos, or music into the timeline or the layers on screen.

Testing FlexClip’s Image Clarity and Captions

FlexClip is a good tool for podcasters to demonstrate detailed techniques, like repairs or crafts. To me, the video editing features that matter most are transcription and image clarity. So, I made a very simple video that focuses on the intersection of visual detail and captioning.

This knitting demonstration shows the difference between an SSK and a K2tog, why a knitter would choose one technique over the other, and how to knit them. Don’t have any idea what I’m talking about? Well, are you ever in for a treat!

Congratulations! Now, you can impress anyone at knitting circles, yarn stores, and sheep and wool festivals worldwide. Seriously, though, let’s get back to how FlexClip works.

We’ll start with FlexClip’s subtitle features, and then image editing within the video.

Caption Accuracy, Editing, and Price

FlexClip’s transcription accuracy is high, which saves time. The user interface provides a few options to begin, but you can choose any of the fonts and colors in their library. The caption styles include an animation highlighting the words as they’re spoken—an accessibility feature some audiences request. You can also move your captions to whichever part of the frame you want so they’re easy to see without conflicting with platform interface symbols or titles.

Caveat emptor (and I mean that literally): make sure each clip in the timeline is the exact length you want before running the subtitle feature. FlexClip prices captioning at a rate of two or three credits for each project. As the captions generate, the tool examines all the audio in the project to set up the captions, but only for the sections displayed in the timeline. Read on for an example.

As I put these three video clips in order, I thought the first clip was two minutes long, but it was three minutes and 12 seconds long. After generating the subtitles, I stretched the first clip to adjust the length to include all relevant information. The dialogue was captioned only up to the point where the clip ended when I clicked “generate.” I realized I’d have to generate the subtitles again, which could cost me more credits. Fortunately, I hadn’t saved the changes yet. By backing out in the web browser, I could get to a step before generating the captions, adjust the clip length, and re-generate the captions.

Again, like every aspect of podcasting, make sure your recordings are set up correctly before running an automated feature. Other than this teachable moment, Flexclip’s caption features are reliable and flexible. I only had to edit two words, and they were homophones.

Video Editing for Image Clarity

These images may make you think, “Wow, that Lindsay knows nothing about videography. The color of that yarn hides all the detail.” I know. I deliberately set up a situation where I would have to fix it in post. Gotcha!

I deliberately picked a bulky wool yarn, figuring the thickness would make the stitches stand out more clearly. Due to my standard household overhead lighting and the dark color of the yarn, though, the stitches are indistinct. So, I tested the video editing options to determine whether or not FlexClip could help me visually clarify the difference between an ssk and a k2tog technique.

Three Image Clarification Techniques

There are three image clarification techniques you can use on FlexClip. The FlexOne option involves zooming in and moving the focal point around to center the image.

Another option is to add animated image elements that point to the twisted stitches.

Finally, I tried color grading. To grade, click on the video frame (or “canvas”, as they call it) to open the video editing features. Skip the “Effects” menu and click on “Adjust.” This opens a menu of multiple sliders to adjust overall elements of the selected clip, such as Highlights, Exposure, or Contrast.

Then, you can move the sliders back and forth until the image looks how you want. To apply these changes to the entire video, click “Apply to All Scenes.” If you hate it and want to start over, click Reset.

Again, like everything else in podcasting, don’t record with your first impulse and say, “We’ll fix it in post.” Set up good lighting, use a tripod, and pick colors that work together. Software may seem miraculous, but it can only work with the material you give it.

FlexClip’s AI Video Script Generator

Let’s say you have a general idea of the video you want to create and some talking points. But you don’t have a lot of time. FlexClip’s AI Video Script Generator can take your ideas and use AI to write a script. Then, FlexClip can match video clips from their media library to search terms in the generated text, and add a voice and music.

I’ve made a couple of examples using FlexClip’s AI Video Script Generator so you can see how it works:

FlexClip’s AI Text-to-Video Generator: The Quick Version

First, I entered this text as a prompt. This text is from something I wrote for my creative writing podcast.

“Knowing the difference between plot and premise is crucial to writing a dramatic script that’s memorable and meaningful. Think about it this way: When you set sail on a voyage, the route your ship sails is the plot. This is the direction you sail, the obstacles you run into, and how you navigate around or eliminate them. The premise, however, is why you sail, not only at the beginning of the journey, but also as you reflect on your adventure at the end. Whether you sail for treasure, revenge, or the friends you make along the way, the premise is the spirit of the voyage, and the plot is the path.”

FlexClip condensed the above text into a script less than 60 seconds long. Then, FlexClip’s AI divided the text into scenes, matched video to each section, and generated this video in a couple of minutes.

That was quick, though unsatisfying. The images didn’t match the text consistently, and the language was condensed enough that the explanation of “plot vs. premise” lacked clarity. But it was quick and eye-catching, right?

Collaborating Step-by-Step with FlexClip’s AI Text-to-Video Generator

To show you the steps involved in collaborating with FlexClip’s AI video generator, I started over. First, I re-entered the same text prompt from my creative writing podcast. FlexClip generated a new condensed version of the text, and divided the text into scenes.

Above, you’ll see that FlexClip shows you individual scenes and the selected media. At this step, edit the text, if necessary. You can also keep the voice-over or select a different voice. Glide your mouse over a scene, and FlexClip’s user interface displays options to replace or delete that scene.

Let’s say you want to replace the video with a different clip. “Replace Media” takes you to a list of video search results related to the terms in the text. The “Add Scene” option provides a blank scene template to fill with text and select a video. Or, you can click the trash bin button to delete the scene.

FlexClip’s user interface displays the words it uses to search for the video or image selected and the matches found. You can also type in different search terms to find more relevant assets.

Once you’ve made sure you have the video clips or images that you want matched to the text you need, click “Apply.” Then, you can adjust individual elements in the Timeline at the bottom and preview your video.

Here’s the final example:

When FlexClip’s AI condensed the text prompt I included, this time it used words that evoke visual imagery to find clips of sailboats, maps, the ocean, and so on. I searched for images of buried treasure and adventure on the high seas. Still, I was surprised by the lack of live-action video of pirate cosplay in their video library.

To make your process even more straightforward, FlexClip can help you repurpose blog posts. All you have to do is copy and paste a URL into the AI Video Script editor interface. Here’s a screenshot of what happened when I added a URL for an article I wrote.

FlexClip copies and condenses the text into a brief script. Then, FlexClip copies images from that post and adds them to your video. I hope that in the future, FlexClip will include citations for the URL’s text and image sources.

FlexClip Pricing and Features

Here are FlexClips’ price tiers and accompanying features, in a nutshell:

• Free: Sign up, and your Flexclip videos will be downloadable in 720p HD. Each video can be up to 10 minutes long. You can use one video clip and one stock audio clip from their library per project. You can create and export up to 12 projects and use their AI features for a limited time. 
• Plus: For $11.99 a month ($143.88 billed annually), users can export their video at 1080p HD. This tier provides five videos and five audio clips per project from FlexClip’s stock library, and 3,600 AI credits per year. Users can save an unlimited number of projects online, with 30GB cloud space and 100GB video hosting space. Users aren’t limited to a time length when they make videos. You can use custom branding, and dispense with the FlexClip watermark. Not only that, but also FlexClip allows users at this tier to upload custom fonts, and save up to 100 templates. This tier includes reseller rights.
• Business: For $19.99 per month ($239.88 billed annually), users get everything from the aforementioned tiers and can download their videos in 4K Ultra HD. This tier includes unlimited stock video or audio clips from FlexClips’s library. Plus, business users get 9,600 AI credits, 100GB of cloud storage, and 1TB of video hosting space. Flexiclip users in the business tier can save up to 200 templates, and this tier includes reseller rights.

Can FlexClip Help Your Podcast Grow?

If you want to make videos for YouTube and other online platforms but don’t want to learn videography, then FlexClip can help you with the learning curve. FlexClip’s drag-and-drop templates, aspect ratios, and guidance are geared toward the YouTube market, so your channel’s content will match that of tenured YouTube channels. 

And for audio-first podcasters, FlexClip isn’t a bad tool for promoting your podcast. If your audience needs video to discover your show, it’s worth playing with the free trial to determine if it’s right for you and your podcast. 

AI tools don’t do anything better than humans; they seem to, simply because they work faster. You can compare FlexClip with other tools in our guide to video editing software, or our guide to AI Tools for Podcasters. And, you can discuss the latest trends in podcast task automation, video, and more with other podcasters in our IndiePod community.