PR Tips for Podcasters and Web Series

We live in a digital society where content is king and quality content reigns supreme. Producing great content is only one part of the equation. Building an audience is the other crucial element needed for success.

Podcasts and web series have experienced rapid growth. While the rise of the medium has a lot of potential fans, it has also led to a lot of competition. Vying for an audience in a crowded space is tough, but that’s where PR can give you an edge.

Including solid PR practices into your promotional strategy can offer a lot of benefits like driving increased awareness, attracting new audiences, strengthening your public profile, building credibility and encouraging deeper engagement with your content.

Whether you're starting out, looking to grow your audience, or aiming to enhance your public profile and credibility, we've got PR tips to help you succeed.

Hone your niche.

You can’t be everything to everyone. There are two important factors to consider when determining your focus and your ideal audience. First, what is your expertise; and second, what is your end goal? These two elements will help keep you on track towards attracting the right audience.

If you already have a successful podcast or web series, it’s a good idea to audit your show. Which episodes attract the most listeners/viewers? And in which episodes is your audience falling off? Double down on what is resonating most and don’t be afraid to cut the content that isn’t performing as well. 

Create teaser videos.

Create short teasers for upcoming episodes that can be shared on social media to build excitement. This can include snippets from the episode as well as behind-the-scenes content like bloopers.

Invite special guests.

Featuring relevant industry experts, influencers, or celebrities as guests on your podcast or web series adds credibility. Plus, it’s great cross-promotion when they share the episode with their followers.

Be a guest yourself.

Appearing on other series can introduce you and your channel to a whole new audience. You can find other podcasters with complimentary content and offer to have them on your podcast if they will return the favour. 

Gain visibility at events.
Being seen is an important part of promotion. Participate in events relevant to your niche. For example, if you provide commentary on genre-specific entertainment, try partnering with a Comic Con. Or, if you focus on psychology or mindfulness, attend industry conferences either as a speaker or as an attendee. It will keep you up to date on the latest industry news to leverage in upcoming content.

Build your media presence.
Do not forget about media relations in your PR plans. Pitch yourself as a columnist or expert commentator to a local newspaper, radio station or TV news program. It’s a great way to build credibility using 3rd party validation, and it keeps your brand top of mind among the general public

Engage with your audience.

The easiest way to maintain your current audience is by building a relationship through engagement and response. There’s absolutely no need to engage trolls (unless you have a hilarious response that your audience will love…then by all means) but thanking loyal fans and responding politely to constructive criticism are great ways to build loyalty.

Try integrating these tactics into your overall PR strategy to increase your visibility.

Plus, check out our founder, Amy, on Jobber’s Masters of Home Service podcast, where she shares lots of other great PR tips.