You can’t just rely on releasing episodes and assuming that people will find and listen to your episodes. Instead, you must be active in your promotion of the podcast, ensuring that you reach out to audiences. However, numerous ad platforms are offering the best return. However, which is the best podcast ad platform? In this article, we look at the different options for your podcast.
What is a Podcast Ad Platform?
Different platforms can be used to promote your podcast, and all of them have pros and cons. For a definition, any platform, whether a website, directory, or social media, can be considered a podcast ad platform.
These platforms can help you build awareness for your brand and give the audience a chance to reach your episodes.
What is the Best Podcast Ad Platform?
Here are some of the best podcast ad platforms you can have. Each one comes with some pros and cons.
Social Media
Social media is one of the most commonly used platforms for promoting a podcast. Basic accounts are free to create, and you can promote your show on them without additional costs other than your time. You can use software like Canva to create thumbnails and other media to help you produce eye-catching media that can help promote your brand.
In addition, you can use podcast clips to help promote your podcast.
The free exposure can be an excellent way to build a conversation around your brand. It can also help you build social proof.
Apart from promotion, there are some other advantages. For instance, you can use a large following to help you attract sponsors and even higher rates. Alternatively, social media content can help you build revenue through affiliate links and direct sales.
However, there are some issues on social media. For example, Facebook will only display your content to about 5-17% of your followers organically. Any more than this, and you would have to pay for it or rely on engagement from those already viewing the content. In addition, you have to get those people to like or follow your account. Either you have to pay to get likes or use a lot of content to promote your page. This can take time.
One of the disadvantages of social media is the time investment that is required. You need to invest time every day to make it successful, and creating new content for this can be challenging without a regular investment in media and ideas. Also, it can take weeks or months to grow your following to the level you need to have a highly successful account.
Website
Your website should be one of the best ways you can generate interest. There are lots of options for integrating a website into your promotional efforts. However, with good SEO, you can create a passive marketing option to continuously bring website traffic to your podcast.
When you consider that there are nearly 6 million searches per minute on Google alone, there are many potential ways to be found on the platform.
You need to create pages with high levels of SEO-optimized content and include videos, media, and text. Everything you create should have core keywords with high volume and low competition. In addition, you need to build a successful brand that has authority, which includes some links from external sources, but each page should also have internal links to other parts of the page.
One of the biggest advantages of a website is that you can use it to support other ad platforms. For example, you can use it to build an email marketing list, promote your social media channels, and even get them to your Spotify page to subscribe.
One of the best strategies is to write a blog post for each episode you have and include a direct link to the episode for people to follow to listen to the episode.
Another advantage is that you can use a cookie on your website that allows you to promote to the audience once they’ve visited your website. Then run a retargeting campaign where they can see your Facebook ad. This can be an effective option because the CPC is often much lower.
One of the disadvantages of relying on your website is that it can take time for it to be effective. Google tends to penalize a new domain for between three and six months. This can significantly limit your exposure. Plus, it can take a year or longer to rank on the first page.
Therefore, this is a long-term option.
But, most consumers and listeners do expect you to have a website, so it does add a level of professionalism to your brand.
Google/Bing
Another option is to use platforms like Google and Bing. These platforms offer a paid search option where your ad is displayed depending on the search query that has been entered.
This can be an excellent option for those who want to have quick results, you could create your ad and get traffic very quickly.
However, there are some issues with this strategy. For one, you have to invest a significant amount into your budget. This could be better invested in other aspects, such as improving your podcast’s production quality. One problem is that Google will limit the keywords you can use on smaller budgets.
Therefore, you could be spending $50 to $100 a day to get the traffic you want.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to earn revenue from an audience. Because it is a permissible marketing technique, it allows you to build a rapport with the audience and you can continue to market with them over the long term.
This strategy has one of the highest rates of return, somewhere in the region of $38 and $44 per dollar spent. And you can send an email for every single episode that you release.
You can also use your email marketing campaign to help you sell your business’ services/products or use it to promote sponsor products/services. If you have a large list, then you have the opportunity to improve the revenue from the sponsor packages that you create.
Finally, you can use tracking software to see what content is engaging you and develop personalized content that can help you build a stronger return.
One of the issues you might have with email marketing is that you will get the best results if you have a larger list. Conversation rates can be between 3 and 5%, which means to get a sizable return on your efforts, you want to have thousands on your marketing list.
Getting your list to this size can be challenging. You need a good reason for someone to subscribe to your mailing list, which might be an offer or a popup on your website. However, both your website and social media can be a good way to grow your mailing list.
Directories
There are numerous podcast directories where you can register your podcast. These directories can be basic, listing just a simple list of the podcast names and links to the show.
Or they can be more advanced, such as a listing that includes more information about the show and some media. Directories can vary in value. Some are little more than links to your podcast episodes, and others can be more effective.
What needs to be determined is how much traffic they get. You can use some online tools to determine how much traffic specific websites or pages get to ensure you’re not wasting your time. In addition, you might need to consider whether the directory could be more of a hindrance. Sometimes, a directory might be little more than a link farm, which can negatively impact your SEO and your podcast’s performance.
Therefore, always check the website’s authority and traffic levels to ensure that it is worth the investment.
With Third-Parties
There are numerous third-party websites that you can use to help you promote your podcast. In some cases, you can have an ad manually inserted on a website page. This can link to your website or your podcast listing.
You might want to contact those who are on your podcast as guests. If they show that they’re proud to be on your show, it can help you build a significant amount of traffic as well as social proof for your brand.
You might also want to speak to those who outsource. A podcast production company, for instance, might showcase your podcast on their website. They could offer you a page where they detail your podcast and what it is about, they can also include a link to your podcast listing. There are numerous traffic and SEO benefits to this that you can significantly grow your brand.
Another advantage of using third parties is that you can expand the number of keywords and the audience you’re reaching without having to spend too much time every day marketing, as the marketing teams of the third parties will help grow the awareness of your brand.
PR Sites
You also have PR sites where you can promote your podcast. What you need to do is to create a story that is going to be of interest to your audience. For example, if you’ve won any awards, then this is news that people want to read. It can help you improve your website’s SEO, due to the inbound links, improve the rate that people search for your brand name, and also grow your listing.
The problem is that it takes a lot of time for you to write and distribute SEO-optimized, news-worthy content. But the results can be significant. News stories can provide returns for weeks or months after release. Therefore, you can see new audiences grow from your PR content for a long time. In contrast, social media content can sometimes last just a day or two.
FAQs
What is the best podcast ad platform?
There are numerous ad platforms for your podcast. However, there is no single best option. It depends on your brand and the use of the platform will determine how successful it is for you.
Should I use Google Ads to promote my podcast?
Google Ads can be an expensive option to promote your podcast. It can cost anywhere between $15 and $25 to get a single person to listen to your podcast. This budget can be utilized on other platforms much better.
Can I just use social media to promote my podcast?
Many podcast hosts rely on social media and word of mouth to promote their shows, but it isn’t always the most effective option. Using a marketing mix allows you to reach a bigger audience and grow your following quickly.
Final Word: What is the Best Podcast Ad Platform?
There are numerous ad platforms that you can use for your podcast show. However, that doesn’t mean that you need to use them all. You can use a mixture of platforms to enhance your returns, as long as you align your actions with the best practices.
Produce Your Podcast is a full-service podcast production, editing, and marketing agency specializing in helping brands launch, grow, and monetize successful podcasts that impact their bottom line. With 30+ years of experience in broadcasting and business development brought to every project we work on, our team of experts is a reliable partner to help you achieve your goals with your show.
Click here to schedule a conversation with our team today and let’s bring your show to life!
