How To Get Your First 1000 Podcast Listeners

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Let’s set the scene. You’ve been podcasting for a while now. You’ve managed to bag 100 listeners (or if you haven’t yet, you’ll want to read this blog). All of your foundations are set: you understand your audience, you’re on all the right social media platforms, and you’re a proactive member of the podcast community.

But you haven’t quite reached 1k listeners yet.

Not to worry. I’m about to give you 3 simple tips to help you get there.

1. Podcasters lead to podcasts

One of the best ways to grow your podcast audience is via other podcasts. That means guesting on other people’s shows, or potentially advertising on other people’s shows.

This is where being part of a podcast community can be really beneficial. Here at Auddy, we represent over 350 shows in the UK and DACH region which means, chances are, we represent a show that aligns with your audience. Guesting on this show, or getting them to do a host-read ad for you, could be the perfect opportunity for you to grow your audience.

2. You are more than a podcast

If you want your show to develop, you have to think of it as more than just a podcast. It’s a brand. It’s got its own name, its own logo, its own tagline. And you need to make sure these elements are all polished now, rather than later down the line. Otherwise, when you want to branch out into merchandise, start a newsletter, send a media kit over to PR firms, pitch your show to sponsors, whatever the case may be, this will be much harder if your branding is messy. People will struggle to understand what your podcast is and who it’s for.

Some things to think about are:

Consistency – it doesn’t matter where somebody comes across your podcast, whether it’s through social media or Apple Podcasts, they need to be met with strong, consistent branding. Make sure your key art, descriptions etc. are all the same across different platforms and players. If your logo varies or brand colours keep changing, how is anyone going to build familiarity with your podcast?
Description – if somebody reads your show’s synopsis, or an individual episode description, do they get a clear picture of what the show is about? Who is it for? Why should they listen? Make your descriptions count as they’re your last chance to draw in a potential listener.
Tone of voice – what sort of character are you creating for your podcast? Is it lighthearted? Sarcastic? Warm and welcoming? Informative? Think about the tone and personality of your show, and whether it’s actually being portrayed in your branding.

Remember, despite what people say, first impressions do count. And if the branding behind your podcast is weak, inconsistent, or unfinished, people’s first impressions will be a big thumbs down. They won’t understand who you are and what you offer. And ultimately, they won’t become a new listener.

TOP TIP: Offer bitesize episodes. If somebody comes across your show for the first time, getting them to listen to a whole podcast episode could be a big commitment if your show tends to run on for 30 minutes, an hour, or perhaps even longer So, you could consider creating some mini episodes that people can try out just to get a feel of the show. The Diary of a CEO podcast does this particularly well.

3. Don’t forget the small stuff

As your podcast grows it can be easy to neglect the little things. The community management on social media. Keeping up with podcast industry news. The things you’re too busy for now, perhaps.

But if you stop doing all these things, what you’re essentially doing is weakening your podcast’s core foundations. And once the bottom level has gone, everything else will crumble.

Managing a podcast can be hard, time-consuming work, and it can be easy to get burnt out. That’s why it’s important to devise and stick to a growth strategy. Auddy can help you do this. We can take some of the weight of podcasting off your back. Whether you’d like help marketing your show, monetising it, whatever the case may be, we’d be happy to get involved.