Marketing your podcast on Instagram can be a daunting feat. Instagram’s entire platform is so visually based that it can be tough to see how your podcast fits into the scenario, not to mention using the platform as a way to market and grow your podcast. That is why many podcasters have simply glossed over the need for your show to have it’s own Instagram!
Although it may seem this way, Instagram is not just about snapping a selfie or taking an artsy picture of your lunch – it’s so much more! Since the majority of time spent on social media happens via mobile, this is a great way to target podcast listeners. Instagram can help you build a strong community, spread your message, and reach a wider audience.
Still feeling a bit lost on where exactly to start? Well, these next seven tips will show you the basics of marketing your podcast on Instagram to take your show to the next level!
1. Craft a Bio That is On-Brand
The first place to start is right in your bio. Once you have your account set up, hop on over to your bio and start thinking like a branding strategist! Your bio is the first thing that Instagrammers see when they come to your feed. This is where they will make their first impressions of your account and decide whether or not it is worth their time to follow along. An important part of your bio is a link to your podcast. Since your Instagram posts are visually focused and limited in what you can put in the caption, providing your audience with a specific link in your bio is an absolute must, for marketers and podcasters alike! A great example is The Art of Charm, who provides a link in the bio to both the podcast and the latest episode.
Linking Instagram traffic to your podcast website allows for more engagement and opportunity for visitors to interact with your content. Keep in mind, however, you can change this link every time a new episode is released so that followers are sent directly to the fresh episode, making it easier for them to find it. It is also important to add in a quick, succinct description of your podcast. By the time someone heads over to your link, they should already know what your podcast is about and why they should give it a listen. Make sure to also add in the hashtag for your show. This makes your account searchable and gives your audience the ability to find all your posts in one place.
2. Take a Classic Selfie
There’s nothing better about a visual platform than simply getting personal. A great example of this is The LadyGang Podcast, who always jump at the chance to get that selfie with their guests! Bringing the faces of your guests into your feed allows your audience to “see” who they are listening to and creates a whole new listener-guest relationship. It also gives you the opportunity to tag your guest in the post and provide them with a great picture to share with their followers as well. From a marketing perspective, this is an important way for you to get cross-promotion for not only your Instagram account, but it gives you extra exposure for your podcast as well.
So if you are fortunate enough to interview your guests face-to-face, grab your guests, take a selfie, and get in on the fun. You can even set up a “selfie-wall” and create some fun props to make a few hilarious Boomerangs to boot! Now if you don’t often get the chance to interview your guests in person, don’t miss out on getting that selfie when other opportunities present themselves; such as getting together at a meetup or attending the same conference. Either way, make the effort to engage your guests in the classic selfie whenever you get the chance!
3. Create An Audio Story Highlight
Instagram stories give you even more opportunity to catch the attention of new listeners. Not only does this help your account be found on the explore page, it also allows you to create story highlights right on your Instagram profile. An awesome example of this is The Skinny Confidential Podcast, who provides a story highlight for each of their most recent guests! This gives new listeners the chance to catch up on what’s new with the podcast and look back over previous episodes that might peak their interest. Stories can be both visual and audio, making it a great tool to further market your podcast. Switch it up by adding little snippets from the podcast audio or perhaps an inspirational quote, or more information about your podcast guest.
Once you reach 10,000 followers, you will also have the ability to add a link directly in your story! This is such a great marketing feature because it gives the viewer an immediate way to access your show by simply swiping up – yet another great reason to have a successful Instagram account for your podcast! You can also provide your listeners easy steps to follow for submitting their ratings and reviews of your podcast. Often times your listeners will be more than eager to provide a stellar review; they just need a little reminder and an easy call to action to get them there.
4. Feature A Quote From Your Guest
Again, sharing your message and the messages of your guests is what this whole thing is all about! And what better way to do it than by highlighting a quote from your guest interviews. A great example of this is My Creative Empire Podcast, who brings out the best of a podcast interview by highlighting a meaningful quote while still incorporating the overall theme and brand of their podcast. Now keep in mind, there are a variety of different ways to go about this; whether you design your own quote templates or simply use a photo of your guest as the background, it is up to you and what works best for the theme of your podcast (and Instagram page of course!).
Once you have your quote and you’ve decided on the theme, now begins more cross promotion and marketing for your podcast. Tag your guest in the post, share the image via Twitter and Facebook, and really make it something to hook those new listeners to the show. To get an even greater reach, provide your guest with the quote image as well so that they are able to freely share it with their audience. Make it into a tweetable link on your website, and get even more shares and create the ultimate snowball effect for getting your podcast marketed out to the world.
5. Post An Audio Snippet
To draw this total visual platform closer to the audio medium that is your podcast, give your followers a little sneak peek of an episode. Instagram allows you to post a 60-second video, so use your Instagram graphic of your guest, and make a little “audio video” with one of the most exciting sections of the episode. The ladies from The Strategy Hour Podcast do a great job of this by showcasing a section from each episode along with the name of the guest and a photo of them in the background. They even include the classic audio wave in the video to add another visual effect to the audio content.
More than that, you can create some actual video footage as well. Videos are known to get much better engagement, so it is a great way to give your followers a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into recording and producing your podcast! This can be a fun way to engage your guests and your listeners in the show at an even higher level. Draw the audience in by sharing a few nuggets of the show, off the record conversations, or even some fun bloopers to give everyone a good laugh! The key is to be creative, and really think outside the box and take advantage of all the tools you at your disposal to market your podcast!
6. Creative A Visually Appealing Feed
When it comes down to it, Instagram is still a visual platform through and through. So you absolutely cannot skimp on making your feed as visually aesthetic as possible. Jenna Kutcher from The Goal Digger Podcast does an incredible job of making her podcast’s Instagram look amazing! Her posts are vibrant, on-brand, and really highlight all that her podcast is about. It is perfectly matched to what her audience wants to see and engages them with the type of content best suited to their needs.
To make sure that your podcast’s Instagram page in on track, research the latest trends and pick a theme for your page to make sure that the posts you publish are consistent with the overall look you are going for. Ensure that each post is well planned, visually appealing, and aligned with what your audience wants to see. Don’t be afraid to get creative and try something different! Use a scheduler, such as Buffer, to plan out each post so that you know exactly what is going to publish next and how it will fit in with the overall theme of your Instagram page. This is a great way to stay true to your audience and keep providing them with the highest value content.
7. Follow Other Podcasters and Influencers
Last but not least, follow other podcasters and influencers within your industry. Now that your Instagram page is well-established and set up to successfully market your podcast, it is time to build those key relationships for potential collaborations and cross-promotion of your show. To get your Instagram page noticed and further spread your podcast message, it is absolutely essential to get featured on the feeds of other accounts to get exposure to their audiences.
The best way to do this is to follow them and become part of their communities. From there, create opportunities to engage with them and their audience by inviting them to be a guest on your show or partnering with them in a podcast series, a giveaway, or even a meet and greet event. Be sure to take every opportunity to engage with your audience (and the audience of others), because after all, you cannot build a successful social media platform and podcast without cherishing your audience and nurturing a strong community.
Now that you have the basics, better not waste any time getting started! Let us know what you’ve been doing to market your podcast on Instagram in the comments below. We’d love to hear your ideas and share them out with fellow podcasters!
