In recent years, bloggers, podcasters, and small businesses have flocked to Instagram to promote their brand. And for good reason. According to one study, Instagram advertising could potentially reach about 928.5 million users.
If you host a podcast, you obviously want to maximise the chances of it reaching your target audience. And Instagram is a great place to do it. Here, you can engage with your listeners on a more intimate level, while having the space to be creative with your promotional content.
In this article, we break down the top 5 strategies you should use to effectively promote your podcast on Instagram. These tips are not only cost-friendly, but they will also take you very little time to implement.
1. Use Instagram Reels
A reel is an Instagram feature that allows you to create fun 15-second videos set to background music of your choice. Reels give you the opportunity to be creative with your content, and to share it across the app, through posts and stories.
Think of reels as highlights for your main content, which you talk about on your podcast. Prior to the release of a podcast episode, you should promote it by either sharing a snippet of the episode on a reel, or by making a short trailer to get your fans excited for it.
Increase hype for your podcast by sharing your reels on your grid and your stories, and by asking fans to do the same.
Instagram now has a special space for reels on the Explore page. This means that if you share your content in the form of reels, you are more likely to reach a greater number of people on the app, even people who don’t follow you. This will in turn, increase the chances of your target audience finding your content and following it.
2. Use Instagram Stories
The story feature on Instagram is a godsend for anyone looking to engage with their audience on a more personal level. Use stories to really get to know your fanbase, and vice versa. After all, fans are more likely to keep engaging with your content if you make an effort to engage with them first.
There are a number of ways to interact with your audience through stories. Create polls to get opinions on what fans want to hear next, what they think of your podcast so far, and how you can improve on your existing content. You can also announce fun challenges and giveaway contests that your fans can compete in to win exciting prizes and merch.
It’s also a good idea to shoot some behind-the-scenes footage and upload it to your stories. Think of it as a sneak peek into the next episode. Add the date of release of the episode and take comments on what people think the episode is going to be about. This will not only get fans about your content, but it will also give you an idea of what they’re expecting from you.
3. Post Original Promotional Content
Perhaps the most efficient way to announce new podcast episodes, discounts on merch, and other related things is through original posts that you can share on your grid and stories.
Creating such content doesn’t have to be costly or a hassle. Sites like PosterMyWall have a range of customizable podcast ad templates that you should use to make posters for your podcast episodes. These will really make your feed pop and help fans keep track of what’s coming next.
Original content should also include short and shareable highlights in the form of colorful infographics that fans can share on their stories. If their followers find the infographics interesting in any way, you’ll get more engagement immediately.
This is useful especially since a lot of people might not want to sit through an entire podcast to see if they like your content. Infographics give them a quick overview of it to help them decide quickly.
Finally, boost your posters and infographics by promoting them as paid ads. Instagram ads increase your reach tenfold, which means more followers and more engagement for you.
4. Bios and Hashtags are Important
This may seem like an obvious tip but a lot of people tend to miss it – add the link to your podcast in your Instagram bio. Your bio is the only place where you include a clickable link so it is very important for you to make the best use of it. It is also the first thing a new follower sees so add a short description of the kind of podcasts you make as well.
You should either link your account or your latest podcast episode, and we’re leaning more towards the latter. This allows your followers to see what you’re up to now, as opposed to say, a few months or years ago. It also saves them the trouble of going through a whole list of podcasts to choose one that they might like. Most people lose interest halfway through doing that.
It’s also extremely important to come up with a special hashtag for your show. For example, #CoffeeWithMyPodcast, #SaturdaysWithMyPodcast, #MyPodcastFriday, or #LetsTalkWithMyPodcast. Take your pick but always remember to make it catchy!
5. Collaborate with Celebrities
People love to listen in when their favorite celebrity is sharing some opinions on a podcast. Do your research and find Instagram influencers and celebrities that (a) have a lot of following, and (b) have interests similar to yours.
Doing this will bring you some, if not all, of their active audience as well. In return, the celebrities will get a platform to share their unfiltered thoughts, thereby engaging with their fans on a more personal level as well. Win-win!
These are just some strategies you should employ if you’re looking to promote your podcast on Instagram. Instagram truly is a remarkable promotional site, and you can make it big both on and off it if you play your cards right.
