For you seriously invested podcasters looking to ramp up your game, I’m sure you’ve been asking questions about using paid advertising:
Is it worth it?
Will I get a good return on my investment?
Is my podcast established enough?
What are going to be the best, paid advertising strategies for my podcast?
and I’m sure you have more questions than that no doubt!
I’m glad you found this post because I want to walk you through some of the best, paid advertising strategies I’ve used, and share with you when it’s best to use them.
Social Media Ads
Billions of people use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You have access to a global community through social media! This means social media ads are a great option for reaching a larger audience. Facebook and Instagram for example offer a range of ad formats and targeting options that can help you reach listeners who are interested in your niche and browsing content related to your podcasts. You can choose different objectives, such as driving traffic to your podcast page, increasing your page likes, or boosting posts. You can also create custom audiences based on the interest and behaviors of your target listener.
Podcast Advertising Networks
Podcast advertising networks like AdvertiseCast or Midroll connect you with advertisers looking to sponsor podcasts in your niche — like your podcast! You can also promote your podcast on other podcasts in the network, helping you reach a wider audience. These advertising networks can be more expensive than social media ads, but they can be a great way to build relationships with other podcasters and attract new listeners.
Google Ads
With Google Ads, you can target specific keywords related to your podcast and display ads to users who are searching for those keywords. You can also use Google Ads to retarget users who have visited your website or listened to one of your episodes. Google Ads can be more expensive than social media ads, but they can be a powerful way to reach a targeted audience of listeners.
Influencer Marketing
This involves paying influencers who have a large following to promote your podcast. You can find influencers on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube who have a following of people interested in your niche. This may be more costly than other forms of paid advertising, but it can significantly enhance the visibility of your podcast and establish your authority and credibility.
When Paid Advertising May Not Be Viable
Yes, it’s true, there are instances where paying for advertising is not helpful and you don’t get much ROI. You will want to wait on paying for any advertising if you:
- Are brand new with minimal content
- Have budget constraints
- Don’t have enough listeners yet
- Have no website yet
- Have little to no social media presence
- Haven’t established a brand identity or message yet
With that said, it’s important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all solution here – the best, paid advertising strategy for your podcast will depend on a variety of factors, but I hope you now have an idea of some of the strategies that can promote and grow your podcast. Let me know what you think!
